Sharif Digital Repository

Phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of Salvia eremophila led to the isolation of a lupane triterpenoid, 3β, 20-dihydroxylupane-28-oic acid (1), together with eight other compounds, comprising three diterpene, two triterpene, two flavonoids and a steroidal glucoside. Their structures were elucidated by interpretation of their one-dimensional and two-dimensional NMR spectra and completed by the analysis of the HRESIMS data. Compounds 1, 2-4 and 8 were evaluated for their cytotoxicities against five human tumour cell lines. Compounds 1 and 3 hold a good potential for use in future studies due to their anti-cancer properties  

Dracocephalum kotschyi essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation (HD), microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MAHD), and solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME) were investigated by GC-FID (Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detector) and GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry). The percentage of oxygenated compounds was significantly increased from 62.52% in HD to 76.47% in MAHD, and 84.52% in SFME. Conversely, the monoterpene hydrocarbons were decreased from 30.84% in HD to 13.71% in MAHD, and 5.85% in SFME. The main compound in the essential oil obtained by HD is limonene, which accounted for more than 30% of the oil, while the percentage of this compound was reduced to 9.52% in... 

In late 2018, Qatar -as a key player in the global gas market-announced that it has decided to quit the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and rather will be focussing on its gas industry. Such a decision, drew the attentions once again and after a decade to the issue of gas cartel formation. The basic question of this paper is under which conditions gas cartel formation is feasible in presence of an oil cartel. Using a game theory framework the paper models the interaction of countries that export both gas and oil and are member of OPEC with those that export only gas or oil. Results indicate that gas cartel formation is feasible but under very vulnerable conditions.... 

In late 2018, Qatar -as a key player in the global gas market-announced that it has decided to quit the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and rather will be focussing on its gas industry. Such a decision, drew the attentions once again and after a decade to the issue of gas cartel formation. The basic question of this paper is under which conditions gas cartel formation is feasible in presence of an oil cartel. Using a game theory framework the paper models the interaction of countries that export both gas and oil and are member of OPEC with those that export only gas or oil. Results indicate that gas cartel formation is feasible but under very vulnerable conditions.... 

An efficient 12-step route for the synthesis of the diterpenoid quinone (±)-danshexinkun A in 23% overall yield from the corresponding highly substituted stilbene using a photocyclization strategy is described  

Following three generations of buyback contracts, the new model of Iranian petroleum contracts (IPC) was introduced by the Iranian cabinet to incentivize investments in the country. This paper analyzes the fiscal terms of the contract with technical information from one of the candidate fields for licensing. The financial simulation shows that, in general, the IPC resembles more a service contract than a production sharing contract as the contractor’s take is relatively low—below 5% across different scenarios of crude oil price. Second, the IPC is progressive in that as the overall profitability of the project improves the government takes an increasing share of the economic rent. The... 

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most abundant chronic liver disorder, because racial and ethnic differences may influence prevalence and severity of NAFLD. Objectives: This metabolomic study was conducted to identify the metabolic biomarkers and determine the mechanism of progress of NAFLD in Iranian patients. Methods: Serum samples were collected from 75 participants (37 healthy controls and 38 patients with NAFLD) after an overnight fast. The metabolome of all samples were determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and were compared by multivariate statistical analysis. Results: Totally, 19 metabolomic biomarkers were identified by NMR. Compared to healthy... 

Vehicular edge computing is a progressing technology which provides processing resources to the internet of vehicles using the edge servers deployed at roadside units. Vehicles take advantage by offloading their computationintensive tasks to this infrastructure. However, concerning time-sensitive applications and the high mobility of vehicles, cost-efficient task offloading is still a challenge. This paper establishes a computation offloading strategy based on deep Q-learning algorithm for vehicular edge computing networks. To jointly minimize the system cost including offloading failure rate and the total energy consumption of the offloading process, the vehicle tasks offloading problem is... 

A new semi-rigid beam-to-column, as well as bracing-to-frame, connection has been developed. In addition to its application in building structures, due to its special features and characteristics, it can best lend itself to offshore jackets, where fracture caused by fatigue has always been a major concern. The adverse effects of welding, material embrittlement, residual stresses, etc., pronounced by cyclic loading on such structures, can be overcome by using this new connection. Moreover, it can be easily used in the structure of various modules used in the topside of platforms and FPSOs. The particular feature of this connection is its geometry, which is so devised that it allows much... 

Efficient synthesis of protected and unprotected chlorohydrins has been achieved by ring opening of epoxides with acetyl/benzoyl chloride and TMSCl using a catalytic amount of ZnO as a reusable catalyst. The applicability of ZnO is further extended by performing the cleavage of the natural product 5,6-epoxysitosterol with acetyl chloride. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc  

A highly efficient and simple procedure for the synthesis of quinazolin-4(3H)-ones from the condensation of 2-aminobenzamide with triethylorthoesters in presence of a catalytic amounts of heteropolyacids in various solvents is reported  

An accurate examination of deformability of rock samples in response to any change in stresses is deeply dependent on the reliable determination of properties of the rock as analysis inputs. Although Young’s modulus (E) can provide valuable characteristics of the rock material deformation, the direct determination of E is considered a time-consuming and complicated analysis. The present study is aimed to introduce a new hybrid intelligent model to predict the E of granitic rock samples. Hence, a series of granitic block samples were collected from the face of a water transfer tunnel excavated in Malaysia and transferred to laboratory to conduct rock index tests for E prediction. Rock index... 

An accurate examination of deformability of rock samples in response to any change in stresses is deeply dependent on the reliable determination of properties of the rock as analysis inputs. Although Young’s modulus (E) can provide valuable characteristics of the rock material deformation, the direct determination of E is considered a time-consuming and complicated analysis. The present study is aimed to introduce a new hybrid intelligent model to predict the E of granitic rock samples. Hence, a series of granitic block samples were collected from the face of a water transfer tunnel excavated in Malaysia and transferred to laboratory to conduct rock index tests for E prediction. Rock index... 

The transfer of pyridinium ion across the water/nitrobenzene interface has been studied by the methods of cyclic voltammetry and ac-impedance measurements. The diffusion coefficients of these species in both media, Dw,pyH+ = 4.4 × 10-5 and DNB,pyH+ = 2.16 × 10-5 cm2 s-1, as well as the diffusion coefficient of pyridine in the organic phase, DNB,py, 3.05 × 10-7 cm2 s-1, have been calculated. The standard potential of pyridinium ion transfer, and the corresponding free energy change and its distribution coefficient between the two phases, have been reported by means of cyclic voltammetry. Impedance measurements resulted in an arc in Nyquist diagrams representing the transfer of pyridinium ion... 

Over recent years, frequent involvements in claims have been inevitable due to unpredictable economic changes and increasing complexities in construction industry. Therefore, even appropriately made contracts are not exempted from claims. On the other hand, construction contract claims are time-consuming, expense-involving and most likely leading to unsatisfactory results. However, there may be some positive outcomes, such as time extension or compensation of damages. To launch investigations, a list of important and frequent claims in oil and gas industry projects of Iran was extracted after a succinct documents review. Further, the most important claim causes were identified through... 

Signed graphs are graphs whose edges get signs ±1 and, as for unsigned graphs, they can be studied by means of graph matrices. Here we focus our attention to the largest eigenvalue, also known as the index of the adjacency matrix of signed graphs. Firstly we give some general results on the index variation when the corresponding signed graph is perturbed. Also, we determine signed graphs achieving the minimal or the maximal index in the class of unbalanced unicyclic graphs of order n≥3. © 2019  

Using a parallel mechanism in the wear test simulators of prosthetic knees provides an easy access to the femoral and tibial components during tests. Moreover, because of its higher accuracy and load capacity, in comparison with serial mechanisms, it allows simulation of heavier tasks, such as climbing stairs, to be performed. This paper describes a new 3 Degree of freedom (DoF) spatial 2T1R (T: Translational DoF; R: Rotational DoF) parallel mechanism, for reproducing the force and motion of the tibial component of the knee prostheses in a wear test simulator. Kinematics and dynamics analysis of the mechanism indicated that it can satisfy the required DoFs, workspace and load capacity... 

Fluxgate magnetometers with different design and core materials have been made. The sensors have been characterized and the frequency responses of the sensors have been measured. The fluxgate magnetometer based on orthogonal design and amorphous wire core working in fundamental mode reaches 30pT/Hz noise level and 40μV/nT sensitivity. Finally an active magnetic shield constructed based on the amorphous core fluxgate magnetometer reaches more than 60dB field attenuation for DC field and has a good response for frequencies below 100Hz