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Abstract Background Over the past 2 decades, sleep researchers have made significant advances in understanding sleep disorders including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA commonly coexists with psychiatric disorders encompassing mental health issues like depression, anxiety, bipolar, schizophrenia an others. This study aims to assess the comorbidity of OSA with depression and anxiety disorders among Egyptian patients. During the study, we conducted a cross-sectional study involving 92 adults diagnosed with OSA. Those patients were interviewed using a checklist to gather information regarding their chief complaints and other associated symptoms. The psychological status was assessed utilizing the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID I), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scoring. The severity of the breathing disorder was classified as mild, moderate, or severe based on the respiratory disturbance index (RDI), which was confirmed through overnight polysomnography. Daytime sleepiness was assessed by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Results The sample of patients as a whole shows that witnessed apneas represent the highest percentage (70.7%), followed by fatigue (69.6%), then non-refreshing sleep (67.4%), and snores (63.0%). The least frequent presenting symptom is frequent naps. The majority of OSA patients have a comorbid psychiatric disorder (65.0%). Among these, depressive disorders are the most prevalent (31.5%), followed by anxiety disorders (23.9%) and psychoses (6.5%). It is worth noting that 38% of OSA patients do not have any psychiatric disorders. In terms of anxiety disorders, the most common subtype observed is OCD (8.7%), followed by GAD (6.5%), panic (5%), and PTSD (3.3%). As regards depressive disorders, the predominant subtype present is depressive disorder not otherwise specified (11.9%), followed by dysthymic disorder and major depressive disorder (8.7% for each), and then bipolar disorder (depression) at 2.2%. Conclusions We conclude the following: 1. OSA patients are likely to present with comorbid depression and/or anxiety disorder(s). 2. Fatigue was found to be the most prevalent presenting symptom in OSA patients with comorbid anxiety compared to those without anxiety.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent cancer worldwide. Late-stage detection, ineffective treatments, and tumor recurrence contribute to the low survival rate of the HCC. Conventional chemotherapeutic drugs, like doxorubicin (DOX), are associated with severe side effects, limited effectiveness, and tumor resistance. To improve therapeutic outcomes and minimize these drawbacks, combination therapy with natural drugs is being researched. Herein, we assessed the antitumor efficacy of Ceiba pentandra ethyl acetate extract alone and in combination with DOX against diethylnitrosamine (DENA)-induced HCC in rats. Our in vivo study significantly revealed improvement in the liver-function biochemical markers (ALT, AST, GGT, and ALP), the tumor marker (AFP-L3), and the histopathological features of the treated groups. A UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis of the Ceiba pentandra ethyl acetate extract enabled the identification of fifty phytomolecules. Among these are the dietary flavonoids known to have anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant qualities: protocatechuic acid, procyanidin B2, epicatechin, rutin, quercitrin, quercetin, kaempferol, naringenin, and apigenin. Our findings highlight C. pentandra as an affordable source of phytochemicals with possible chemosensitizing effects, which could be an intriguing candidate for the development of liver cancer therapy, particularly in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral cancer is a severe health problem that accounts for an alarmingly high number of fatalities worldwide. Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal has been extensively studied against various tumor cell lines from different body organs, rarely from the oral cavity. We thus investigated the cytotoxicity of W. somnifera fruits (W-F) and roots (W-R) hydromethanolic extracts and their chromatographic fractions against oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines [Ca9-22 (derived from gingiva), HSC-2, HSC-3, and HSC-4 (derived from tongue)] and three normal oral mesenchymal cells [human gingival fibroblast (HGF), human periodontal ligament fibroblast (HPLF), and human pulp cells (HPC)] in comparison to standard drugs. The root polar ethyl acetate (W-R EtOAc) and butanol (W-R BuOH) fractions exhibited the strongest cytotoxicity against the Ca9-22 cell line (CC50 = 51.8 and 40.1 µg/mL, respectively), which is relatively the same effect as 5-FU at CC50 = 69.4 µM and melphalan at CC50 = 36.3 µM on the same cancer cell line. Flow cytometric analysis revealed changes in morphology as well as in the cell cycle profile of the W-R EtOAc and W-R BuOH-treated oral cancer Ca9-22 cells compared to the untreated control. The W-R EtOAc (125 µg/mL) exerted morphological changes and induced subG1 accumulation, suggesting apoptotic cell death. A UHPLC MS/MS analysis of the extract enabled the identification of 26 compounds, mainly alkaloids, withanolides, withanosides, and flavonoids. Pharmacophore-based inverse virtual screening proposed that BRD3 and CDK2 are the cancer-relevant targets for the annotated withanolides D (18) and O (12), and the flavonoid kaempferol (11). Molecular modeling studies highlighted the BRD3 and CDK2 as the most probable oncogenic targets of anticancer activity of these molecules. These findings highlight W. somnifera's potential as an affordable source of therapeutic agents for a range of oral malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignan phytomolecules demonstrate promising anti-Alzheimer activity by alleviating dementia and preserving nerve cells. The purpose of this work is to characterize the lignans of Anisacanthus virgularis and explore their potential anti-acetylcholinesterase and anti-ageing effects. Phytochemical investigation of A. virgularis aerial parts afforded a new furofuranoid-type lignan (1), four known structural analogues, namely pinoresinol (2), epipinoresinol (3), phillyrin (4), and pinoresinol 4-O-β-d-glucoside (5), in addition to p-methoxy-trans-methyl cinnamate (6) and 1H-indole-3-carboxaldehyde (7). The structures were established from thorough spectroscopic analyses and comparisons with the literature. Assessment of the anticholinesterase activity of the lignans 1–5 displayed noticeable enzyme inhibition of 1 (IC50 = 85.03 ± 4.26 nM) and 5 (64.47 ± 2.75 nM) but lower activity of compounds 2–4 as compared to the reference drug donepezil. These findings were further emphasized by molecular docking of 1 and 5 with acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Rapid overlay chemical similarity (ROCS) and structure–activity relationships (SAR) analysis highlighted and rationalized the anti-AD capability of these compounds. Telomerase activation testing of the same isolates revealed 1.64-, 1.66-, and 1.72-fold activations in cells treated with compounds 1, 5, and 4, respectively, compared to untreated cells. Our findings may pave the way for further investigations into the development of anti-Alzheimer and/or anti-ageing drugs from furofuranoid-type lignans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyphenols have a variety of phenolic hydroxyl and carbonyl functionalities that enable them to scavenge many oxidants, thereby preserving the human redox balance and preventing a number of oxidative stress-related chronic degenerative diseases. In our ongoing investigation of polyphenol-rich plants in search of novel molecules, we resumed the investigation of Lawsonia inermis L. (Lythraceae) or henna, a popular ancient plant with aesthetic and therapeutic benefits. The leaves' 70% aq acetone extract was fractionated on a Diaion HP-20 column with different ratios of H2O/an organic solvent. Multistep gel chromatographic fractionation and HPLC purification of the Diaion 75% aq MeOH and MeOH fractions led to a new compound (1) along with tannin-related metabolites, benzoic acid (2), benzyl 6′-O-galloyl-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), and ellagic acid (4), which are first isolated from henna. Repeating the procedures on the Diaion 50% aq MeOH eluate led to the first-time isolation of two O-glucosidic ellagitannins, heterophylliin A (5), and gemin D (6), in addition to four known C-glycosidic ellagitannins, lythracin D (7), pedunculagin (8), flosin B (9), and lagerstroemin (10). The compound structures were determined through intensive spectroscopic investigations, including HRESIMS, 1D (1H and 13C) and 2D (1H–1H COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY) NMR, UV, [α]D, and CD experiments. The new structure of 1 was determined to be a megastigmane glucoside gallate; its biosynthesis from gallic acid and a β-ionone, a degradative product of the common metabolite β-carotin, was highlighted. Cytotoxicity investigations of the abundant ellagitannins revealed that lythracin D2 (7) and pedunculagin (8) are obviously more cytotoxic (tumor specificity = 2.3 and 2.8, respectively) toward oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines (HSC-2, HSC-4, and Ca9-22) than normal human oral cells (HGF, HPC, and HPLF). In summary, Lawsonia inermis is a rich source of anti-oral cancer ellagitannins. Also, the several discovered polyphenolics highlighted here emphasize the numerous biological benefits of henna and encourage further clinical studies to profit from their antioxidant properties against oxidative stress-related disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary fruits and vegetables play a vital role as food and drugs and are the main sources of antioxidant defences against degenerative diseases, such as brain dysfunctions, cardiovascular diseases, immune system deteriorations, and cancers, brought on by oxidative damage. Phyllanthus emblica is a significant herbal remedy used in conventional medicine to recover lost strength and power. In this research, the potential value of Phyllanthus emblica as a food and drug is researched. The total phenolic, total flavonoid, and total tannin contents as well as the nutritional value, vitamin C, vitamin E, and mineral contents of different organs of P. emblica were evaluated. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of extracts and fractions of different organs of P. emblica were determined. A total of eleven flavonoids, simple phenolic, tannin-related phenolic, and tannin molecules were isolated from a hydroalcoholic extract of the leaves and fruits. The structures were identified by spectroscopic data and comparison with the literature values as gallic acid (1), naringenin 7-O-(6″-O-galloyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), 3,3′-di-O-methyl ellagic acid-4′-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (3), 1-O-galloyl glycerol (4), 1,6-di-O-galloyl-β-d-glucopyranoside (5), flavogallonic acid bislactone (6), corilagin (7), ethyl gallate (8), urolithin M5 (9), (E)-p-coumaroyl-1-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (10), and 1,2,4,6-tetra-O-galloyl-β-d-glucopyranoside (11). Among them, compounds 3 and 10 are first isolated from the plant. Molecular docking was performed to investigate the comparative interactions between positive controls (galantamine and donepezil) and selected compounds utilizing acetylcholinesterase (4EY7) as a target receptor. Results exhibited the potency of these compounds against the target receptor. In summary, P. emblica has a wealth of minerals, vitamins C and E, and polyphenolic phytochemicals that may work together to treat infectious disease, prevent and/or treat oxidative-damage-related illnesses including Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Timber buildings have been preferred in many regions for the sustainable nature of timber material. Although engineered timber products become promising alternates to traditional construction materials, the fire safety of timber buildings remains a key barrier to wider use. Currently, the design of timber structures mostly adopts the Eurocode 5 approach, which estimates the heat transfer or char depth under the premise of standard fire exposure. To investigate the behaviour of timber structural members in the context of realistic fire action in compartments, appropriate models for different stages of numerical simulation are needed. A series of development have now been conducted in the open‐source platform OpenSees, which enables modelling the heat transfer of timber sections in non‐standard fire scenarios and thermo‐mechanical analysis model using either beam elements or shell elements for various timber structural members. Corresponding thermal actions are developed to deal with timber slabs in fire or timber beams subjected to three‐side fire exposure. Tests on cross‐laminated timber beams at ambient temperature and under fire exposure are modelled to validate the developed capabilities, which is followed by modelling a glued laminated timber beam heated by furnace. In the end, a timber‐concrete composite slab is modelled using the fire impact from a Computational Fluid Dynamics model, which demonstrates the current vision of modelling timber structures in fire and OpenSees for fire is committed to providing such an open‐source research platform to support further modelling work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plain 5-fluorouracil (5FU) formulations available in the market are associated with adverse effects such as skin irritation, pruritus, redness, blisters, allergy, and dryness on the site of application. The objective of the present study was to develop a liposomal emulgel of 5FU with increased skin permeability and efficacy using clove oil and eucalyptus oil along with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, excipients, stabilizers, binders, and additives. A series of seven formulations were developed and evaluated for their entrapment efficiency, in vitro release profile, and cumulative drug release profile. The compatibility of drugs and excipients, as confirmed by FTIR (fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) and DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) as well as SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and TEM (transmission electron microscopy) studies, revealed that the size and shape of liposomes are smooth and spherical, and the liposomes are non-aggregated. To understand their efficacy, the optimized formulations were evaluated for cytotoxicity using B16-F10 mouse skin melanoma cells. The eucalyptus oil and clove oil-containing preparation significantly produced a cytotoxic effect against a melanoma cell line. The addition of clove oil and eucalyptus oil increased the efficacy of the formulation by improving skin permeability and reducing the dose required for the anti-skin cancer activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The objective of this research is to present a phytochemical profile of Fagonia arabica and to investigate the cytotoxic potential of its extracts against breast, oral, and lung cancer cell lines using MTT assay and dual staining-based mechanistic analysis. Methods: The progressive extraction of F. arabica was carried out using the Soxhlet extraction technique. The total phenolic and flavonoid content was calculated as part of the phytochemical profiling performed using GCMS and LCMS methods. The MTT assay was utilized to assess the cytotoxicity against normal L929 cells, as well as malignant A549, MCF-7, and KB-3-1cell lines. Results: The phenolic compounds and flavonoids were the two main elements of the F. arabica methanolic extract, with 1323 µg GAE/g of dry weight and 523.07 µg QE/g of dry weight, respectively. The presence of the functional phytochemicals was verified by GCMS and LCMS analyses. Toxicity testing on the L929 cell line found that the F. arabica methanol extract was the least harmful, with the highest IC50 (296.11 µg/mL). The MTT assay for cell viability against MCF-7 and KB-3-1 yielded significant results, with IC50 values of 135.02 µg/mL and 195.21 µg/mL, respectively. The aqueous extract exhibited significant cytotoxicity against the A549 cell lines (IC50 116.06 µg/mL). The molecular marker analyses using dual staining revealed that the methanolic extract successfully triggered apoptosis in the different cancer cells tested. Conclusion: The present data suggest that the methanol extract of F. arabica has substantial cytotoxic action against lung, breast, and oral cancer cell lines. Thus, F. Arabica would be a promising source of anticancer medicines, warranting more research to identify the lead molecules with anticancer properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, renewable distributed generation (DG) systems have emerged to improve the power system security and reliability while reducing the environmental incompatibility of fossil fuel power plants. DG could operate either as a standalone and/or as a grid‐connected power system. The interfacing circuits of DG and their controls have to comply with utility quality regulations and afford a seamless transition from online to offline and vice versa. This article advises a simple and robust control scheme for a modular multilevel converter (MMC) that interfaces with a photovoltaic (PV) generator. The proposed control method ensures high‐quality output voltage/current waveform in online and/or offline operating modes. Moreover, the proposed control provides a seamless and swift transition from standalone to grid‐connected and vice versa. The exhibited control scheme is simulated with MATLAB/Simulink. Real‐time simulator OPAL‐RT OP4510 is used to verify the displayed simulation results. The simulation results determine the accomplishment of the proposed control technique for a seamless transition from the grid‐connected mode to the standalone mode and vice versa via MMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leishmaniasis is a group of infectious diseases caused by Leishmania protozoa. The ineffectiveness, high toxicity, and/or parasite resistance of the currently available antileishmanial drugs has created an urgent need for safe and effective leishmaniasis treatment. Currently, the molecular-docking technique is used to predict the proper conformations of small-molecule ligands and the strength of the contact between a protein and a ligand, and the majority of research for the development of new drugs is centered on this type of prediction. Leishmania N-myristoyltransferase (NMT) has been shown to be a reliable therapeutic target for investigating new anti-leishmanial molecules through this kind of virtual screening. Natural products provide an incredible source of affordable chemical scaffolds that serve in the development of effective drugs. Withania somnifera leaves, roots, and fruits have been shown to contain withanolide and other phytomolecules that are efficient anti-protozoal agents against Malaria, Trypanosoma, and Leishmania spp. Through a review of previously reported compounds from W. somnifera-afforded 35 alkaloid, phenolic, and steroid compounds and 132 withanolides/derivatives, typical of the Withania genus. These compounds were subjected to molecular docking screening and molecular dynamics against L. major NMT. Calycopteretin-3-rutinoside and withanoside IX showed the highest affinity and binding stability to L. major NMT, implying that these compounds could be used as antileishmanial drugs and/or as a scaffold for the design of related parasite NMT inhibitors with markedly enhanced binding affinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer and cutaneous leishmaniasis are critical diseases with a relatively higher incidence in developing countries. In this research, the activity of Carissa macrocarpa leaf hydromethanolic extract and its solvent-fractions (n-hexane, EtOAc, n-butanol, and MeOH) against the lung adenocarcinoma cell line (A549) and Leishmania major was investigated. The MeOH fraction exhibited higher cytotoxic activity (IC50 1.57 ± 0.04 μg/mL) than the standard drug, etoposide (IC50 50.8 ± 3.16 μg/mL). The anti-L. major results revealed strong growth inhibitory effects of the EtOAc fraction against L. major promastigotes (IC50 27.52 ± 0.7 μg/mL) and axenic amastigotes (29.33 ± 4.86% growth inhibition at 100 μg/mL), while the butanol fraction exerted moderate activity against promastigotes (IC50 73.17 ± 1.62), as compared with miltefosine against promastigotes (IC50 6.39 ± 0.29 μg/mL) and sodium stibogluconate against axenic amastigotes (IC50 22.45 ± 2.22 μg/mL). A total of 102 compounds were tentatively identified using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of the total extract and its fractions. The MeOH fraction was found to contain several flavonoids and flavan-3-ol derivatives with known cytotoxic properties, whereas the EtOAc fractions contained triterpene, hydroxycinnamoyl, sterol, and flavanol derivatives with known antileishmanial activity. Molecular docking of various polyphenolics of the MeOH fraction with HDAC6 and PDK3 enzymes demonstrates high binding affinity of the epicatechin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside and catechin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside toward HDAC6, and procyanidin C2, procyanidin B5 toward PDK3. These results are promising and encourage the pursuit of preclinical research using C. macrocarpa's MeOH fraction as anti-lung cancer and the EtOAc fraction as an anti-L. major drug candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study are to investigate the cytotoxic effect of different Citrullus colocynthis extracts on breast and lung cancer cell lines using flow cytometry to gain mechanistic insights. C. colocynthis was extracted sequentially using the Soxhlet method. We first tested the plant extracts' cytotoxicity on non-malignant L929 cells and cancerous breast (MCF-7) and lung (A549) cell lines. We observed that the IC50 of the methanol extract on the viability of MCF-7 and A549 cell lines was 81.08 µg/mL and 17.84 µg/mL, respectively, using the MTT assay. The aqueous and methanol extracts were less toxic when tested against the non-cancerous L929 cell line, with IC50 values of 235.48 µg/mL and 222.29 µg/mL, respectively. Then, using flow cytometry, we investigated the underlying molecular pathways with Annexin-V, Anti-Bcl-2, Caspase-3, and DNA fragmentation (TUNEL) assays. Flow cytometric and molecular marker analyses revealed that the methanol extract activated caspase-3 and inhibited Bcl-2 protein, causing early and late apoptosis, as well as cell death via DNA damage in breast and lung cancer cells. These findings indicate that the methanol extract of C. colocynthis is cytotoxic to breast and lung cancer cell lines. The total phenolic and flavonoid content analysis results showed the methanolic extract of C. colocynthis has a concentration of 326.25 μg GAE/g dwt and 274.61 μg QE/g dwt, respectively. GC-MS analysis of the methanol extract revealed phytochemicals relevant to its cytotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High penetration of renewable energy sources into isolated microgrids (µGs) is considered a critical challenge, as µGs' operation at low inertia results in frequency stability problems. To solve this challenge, virtual inertia control based on an energy storage system is applied to enhance the inertia and damping properties of the µG. On the other hand, utilization of a phase-locked loop (PLL) is indispensable for measuring system frequency; however, its dynamics, such as measurement delay and noise generation, cause extra deterioration of frequency stability. In this paper, to improve µG frequency stability and minimize the impact of PLL dynamics, a new optimal frequency control technique is proposed. A whale optimization algorithm is used to enhance the virtual inertia control loop by optimizing the parameters of the virtual inertia controller with consideration of PLL dynamics and the uncertainties of system inertia. The proposed controller has been validated through comparisons with an optimized virtual inertia PI controller which is tuned utilizing MATLAB internal model control methodology and with H ∞ -based virtual inertia control. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed controller against different operating conditions and system disturbances and uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternative water sources offer opportunities to contribute to the water supply to meet non-potable urban demand, closing water supply–demand gaps. Detailed assessments of these schemes are often data intensive, which can be a barrier in resource-scarce locations. A data-light approach is proposed and applied to assess the potential contribution of alternative water sources in five cities in the Global South, and to identify barriers preventing their widespread uptake. These barriers include perception, space, cost, home ownership and capacity constraints. This approach is applicable elsewhere, supporting assessment for city water planners/managers for preliminary planning to promote discussion on alternative sources to water security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoporosis, a chronic bone disorder, is one of the leading causes of fracture and morbidity risk. Numerous medicinally important herbs have been evaluated for their efficacy in improving bone mass density in exhaustive preclinical and limited clinical studies. Nigella sativa L. has been used as local folk medicine, and traditional healers have used it to manage various ailments. Its reported beneficial effects include controlling bone and joint diseases. The present manuscript aimed to provide a sound discussion on the pharmacological evidence of N. sativa and its active constituent, thymoquinone, for its utility in the effective management of osteoporosis. N. sativa is reported to possess anti-IL-1 and anti-TNF-α-mediated anti-inflammatory effects, leading to positive effects on bone turnover markers, such as alkaline phosphatase and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase. It is reported to stimulate bone regeneration by prompting osteoblast proliferation, ossification, and decreasing osteoclast cells. Thymoquinone from N. sativa has exhibited an antioxidant effect on bone tissue by reducing the FeNTA-induced oxidative stress. The present manuscript highlights phytochemistry, pharmacological effect, and the important mechanistic perspective of N. sativa and its active constituents for the management of osteoporosis. Further, it also provides sound discussion on the utilization of a nanotechnology-mediated drug delivery approach as a promising strategy to improve the therapeutic performance of N. sativa and its active constituent, thymoquinone, in the effective management of osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this research were to carry out GC–MS and LC–MS-based phytochemical profiling of Barleria hochstetteri, as well as flow cytometry-based mechanistic investigations of the cytotoxic effect of its extracts against breast and lung cancer cell lines. This preclinical in vitro study was carried out in Saudi Arabia and India, from 11 August to 15 January 2022. Barleria hochstetteri was sequentially extracted using the Soxhlet extraction technique. Utilizing LC–MS and GC–MS methods, the phytochemical profiling was performed. Additionally, the total phenolic compounds and flavonoids were quantified in the plant extract using spectrophotometric techniques. In this study, we first examined the cytotoxicity of the plant extract on non-malignant L929 cells and on the carcinogenic MCF-7 and A549 cell lines. Then, we studied the underlying molecular pathways by means of Anti-Bcl-2, caspase-3, and DNA fragmentation (TUNEL) assays, using flow cytometry. The results revealed phenolic compounds and flavonoids to be the two major components in the methanolic extract of B. hochstetteri, with concentrations of 3210 µg GAE/g dwt and 1863 µg QE/g dwt, respectively. Results from GC–MS and LC–MS analyses revealed the presence of bioactive phytochemicals with known cytotoxicity. From the MTT assay on cell viability, the IC50 of the methanol extract for the MCF-7 and A549 cell lines were 219.67 and 144.30 µg/mL, respectively. With IC50 values of 324.24 and 266.66 µg/mL, respectively, the aqueous and methanol extracts were less toxic when tested against the non-cancerous L929 cell line. The extract caused early and late apoptosis in the tested breast and lung cancer cells by activating caspase-3 and inhibiting Bcl-2 protein, and it also caused cell death via DNA damage, based on flow cytometric and molecular marker analyses. These findings indicate that the methanol extract of B. hochstetteri was cytotoxic on breast cancer and lung cancer cell lines. To uncover cancer-fighting chemicals, there is a need for further research on B. hochstetteri, as it is a promising source of anti-cancer chemotherapeutic drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the anti-Leishmania major and the lung adenocarcinoma (A549) cytotoxicity of Withania somnifera root and fruit. The total extracts were obtained by homogenisation in aqueous MeOH, and the sub-extracts [n-hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), n-butanol (n-BuOH), and methanol (MeOH)] were obtained by flash chromatography. The activity evaluation showed that n-BuOH sub-extracts from root and fruit exhibited noticeable antileishmanial promastigote properties. The n-hexane and EtOAc sub-extracts from both organs, and the MeOH sub-extract from the fruit exerted mild to moderate effects on the promastigotes. In-vitro growth-inhibitory test results on axenic amastigote and cytotoxicity testing on macrophages (RAW264.7), the parasite-host at the amastigote stage, revealed that the activity was mainly concentrated in the root EtOAc and n-BuOH sub-extracts and to a lesser extent the fruit MeOH and EtOAc, and the root n-hexane sub-extracts. Only the roots' EtOAc and n-BuOH sub-extracts demonstrated low cytotoxicity on the A549 cell line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ethyl acetate and dichloromethane-soluble fractions, from a soft coral Sarcophyton trocheliophorum total methanolic extract, exhibited significant anti-leishmanial and cytotoxic activities. These active fractions yielded a new cembranoid diterpene (1), two known analogues [sarcotrocheliol (2) and sarcophine (3)], and two sterols [(24S)-24-methylcholesterol (4) and gorgosterol (5)]. The structure of the new diterpene (1) was determined via a detailed analysis of its spectroscopic data. Compounds 3 and 5 demonstrated noticeable cytotoxicity on A549 (IC50 17.4 ± 1.9 µg/ml) and HepG2 (IC50 17.7 ± 1.5 µg/ml) cell lines, respectively. None of the isolates 1‒5 showed detectable anti-leishmanial activity (IC50 >100 µg/ml). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel method to suppress the force ripple of switched reluctance linear motors (SRLMs) based on predictive-fuzzy control is proposed in this article. Generally, the force ripple mainly occurs in the commutation area, resulting from the dropping force of the outgoing phase that cannot match the rising force of the incoming phase. The force distribution function (FDF) is a suitable method for controlling the forces of the outgoing phase and incoming forces during the commutation area. However, the controller calculation takes time and the motor shows inductive behavior, so the control signal, which is the reference current in FDF, always lags the reference force, which weakens the effect of the FDF control. Considering this problem, a method of predictive-fuzzy control is proposed in this article. The current can be controlled in advance by predicting the force, which reduces the appearance of the negative electromagnetic force, which is beneficial to improving the efficiency of the motor, and the mutual inductance is also considered in the predictive model. Additionally, a fuzzy controller is employed, and adaptive parameters of the control system are adopted. To validate the proposed control system, experimental verification is performed on a 500 W 6/4 double-sided SRLM, showing that the proposed method has a better force ripple suppression performance than the FDF control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the modeling of power-factor-correction converters under average-current-mode control, which are widely used in switch-mode power supply applications. The objective is to identify stability boundaries in terms of major circuit parameters for facilitating design of such converters. The approach employs a double averaging procedure, which first applies the usual averaging over the switching period and subsequently applies generalized averaging over the mains period. The resulting model, after two averaging steps and application of a harmonic balance procedure, is nonlinear and capable of describing the low-frequency nonlinear dynamics of the system. The parameter ranges within which stable operation is guaranteed can be accurately and easily found using this model. Experimental measurements are provided for verification of the analytical results. Index Terms--Averaged model, closed-form stability condition, double averaging, power factor correction (PFC), switching converters.

The boost power-factor-correction (PFC) converter with average-current-mode control is a nonlinear system due to the effects of the multiplier and a large variation of the duty ratio. Although its stability analysis must be studied depending on a nonlinear model, most prior research attempted to make some assumptions to force this nonlinear system to be linear. As a result, the practical dynamics and the nonlinear phenomena were disregarded. In this paper, two kinds of nonlinear phenomena are detected under the conditions that are considered to be stable by the prior criteria: one is period-doubling bifurcation and the other is chaos. Stability maps and phase-plane trajectories are introduced at different loads to clarify the power factor and also the instability regions. It is clear that the output storage capacitor is a main contributing parameter on the system stability, therefore, bifurcation maps are developed to determine the accurate minimum output capacitance value that assures the system stability under all operating conditions. Also, PFC converter stability is explained and judged by comparing the consequence of charging and discharging energy in the output capacitor. Index Terms--Bifurcation, boost converter, chaos, instability phenomena, nonlinear analysis, power-factor correction (PFC), stability.

Building materials selection is a critical process affected by many complicated factors. Due to the specific function of elements, alternatives to materials must be appropriately chosen as they differ in quality, performance, and cost. Implementing a Value Engineering (VE) process is challenging as it requires effort and several workshops. Thus, this study proposes a framework to automate the VE process of selecting building flooring material. The framework identified selected agreed criteria of flooring finishing materials measured based on agreed standard tests. The developed framework is distinguished from other current research using a combination of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), Pairwise, and Function Analysis System Technique (FAST) methods to define the criteria ranking weight and include the building function. Furthermore, the framework is integrated with Building Information Modeling (BIM) that has been widely used in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry (AEC). Finally, a case study of a residential house in Saudi Arabia was used to demonstrate the framework. The proposed framework was verified by using two questioners and expert consultations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new [nilotinins M8‒M10 (1‒3)] and two known [tamarixinin A (4) and gemin D (5)] ellagitannins and seven simple phenolics [gallic acid (6), methyl gallate (7), 3,4-di-O-methylgallic acid (8), ellagic acid (9), 3-O-methylellagic acid (10), methyl ferulate 3-O-sulphate (11), and 7,4′-di-O-methylkaempferol (12)] were isolated from the halophytic plant Tamarix nilotica (Ehrenb.) Bunge (Tamaricaceae). Their structures were determined based on intensive spectroscopic studies and comparisons with reported data. Compounds 4, and 6–8 were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against lung adenocarcinoma cell line (A549) and anti-leishmanial activity against Leishmania major. Compounds 4, 6 and 7 showed promising cytotoxic properties against A549 (IC50 29 ± 2.3, 10.5 ± 0.7, and 20.7 ± 1.9 μg/mL), while compounds 4 and 7 showed higher growth-inhibitory effects against L. major promastigotes (IC50 40.5 ± 2.7 and 38.4 ± 2.5 μg/mL), as compared with the standards doxorubicin (IC50 0.42 µg/mL) and miltefosine (IC50 9.43 μg/mL), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In photovoltaic systems, parasitic capacitance is often formed between PV panels and the ground. Because of the switching nature of PV converters, a high-frequency voltage is usually generated over these parasitic capacitances; this, in turn, can result in a common-mode current known as leakage current. This current can badly reach a high value if a resonance circuit is excited through the PV's parasitic capacitance and the converter's inductive components. Transformers are usually used for leakage current mitigation. However, this decreases the efficiency and increases the cost, size, and weight of the PV systems. Number of strategies have been introduced to mitigate the leakage current in transformer-less converters. Among these strategies, using common-ground converters is considered the most effective solution as it offers a solid connection between the negative terminal of PV modules and the neutral of the grid side; thus, complete mitigation of the leakage current is achieved. Number of common-ground inverters have been recently presented. These inverters are different in their size, cost, boosting capability, the possibility of producing DC currents, and their capability to offer multilevel shaping of output voltage. This work introduces a comprehensive review and classification for various common-ground PV inverters. Therefore, a clear picture of the advantages and disadvantages of these inverters is clarified. This provides a useful indication for a trade-off between gaining some of the advantages and losing others in PV systems. In addition, the potentials for optimization based on different performance indicators are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]