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Some of the significant globally prevalent vector-borne illnesses are caused by Culex pipiens. Synthetic pesticides have been widely utilized to eradicate C. pipiens, which has led to a number of health risks for people, insect resistance, and environmental contamination. Alternative strategies are therefore vitally needed. In the current investigation, the Trichoderma viride fungal culture filtrate was used to create selenium and silver nanoparticles (SeNPs and AgNPs, respectively) and test them on C. pipiens larvae in their fourth instar stage. The death rate increased significantly when SeNP and AgNP concentrations increased, according to the results. SeNPs and AgNPs significantly affected the developmental and detoxification enzymes in fourth instar larvae of C. pipiens at 24 h after being treated with the sublethal concentration of the tested NPs. As a result of their insecticidal effect on C. pipiens larvae, SeNPs and AgNPs are considered effective and promising larvicidal agents.

The leaching of two pesticides, cholantraniliprole (CAP) and bispyribac-sodium (BPS) in sandy clay loam soil (soil A) and sandy loam soil (soil B) were examined, by soil columns under laboratory conditions. In addition, the effect of adding 5% biochar and wheat straw to the soils on the leaching of CAP and BPS was studied. It is clear from the results that BPS is more leachable than CAP in all soil columns, and more leached to soil B. It was found that the addition of biochar and wheat straw has a significant effect on the movements of these pesticides and can be used to reduce the environmental impact. For CAP, 71 to 97% and 84 to 97% were recovered from the soil A columns and soil B columns, respectively, while for BPS, 94 to 99% were recovered from columns of soil A and soil B.

The effect of biochar, compost, peat and wheat straw at 1 and 5% on adsorption isotherm of chlorantraniliprole, dinotefuran, bispyribac-sodium, and metribuzin was studied in clay loam soil and sandy loam soil. Biochar, compost, peat and wheat straw (at a rate of 1 % in soil) improved the adsorption capacity of chlorantraniliprole and metribuzin in sandy loam soil. The sorption coefficients are higher for chlorantraniliprole and metribuzin whereas lower for dinotefuran and bispyribac-sodium in amended soil compared to unamended sandy loam soil. There is not a clear direct correlation between Freundlich parameters as well as Kd or Koc and type of organic amendment. The sorption of all tested pesticides on biochar was increased, whereas on compost was decreased. The order of pesticides sorption in soils and different organic amendments is generally inversely proportional to their aqueous solubilites. Adsorption of chlorantraniliprole increases on the sandy loam soil amendment at the rate of 1% in the following order: peat > compost > biochar > original soil. Also, the magnitude of adsorption on soil A amendment at the rate of 5% can be arranged for dinotefuran in the order; peat > biochar > compost > original soil and for bispyribac-sodium and metribuzin peat = wheat straw > biochar > original soil.

Knowledge of pesticide adsorption characteristics is essential to predict their behavior in soil. The adsorption equilibrium isotherms of two insecticides chlorantraniliprole (CAP) and dinotefuran (DNF) on two common Egyptian soil types, clay loam and sandy loam were studied and modeled. To predict the adsorption isotherms and to determine the adsorption parameters, ten isotherm models: Langmuir (five linear forms), Freundlich, Temkin, Dubinin-Radushkevich, Elovick, Fowler-Guggenheim, Kiselev, Jovanoic, Harkins-Jura, and Halsey were applied on experimental data. The results revealed that the adsorption isotherm models fitted the data in the order of Halsey > Freundlich > Jovanoic > Langmuir isotherme. The models of Harkins-Jura, Elovich, Temkin, and Fowler-Guggenheim are not applicable to predict the adsorption isotherms of the tested insecticides. In order to determine the best-fit isotherm, the correlation coefficient (R2), comparing the experimental (exp) and calculated (cal) adsorption data, and a normalized standard deviation (Δg%) were used to evaluate the data. Therefore, the isotherm models Halsey and Freundlich could be used to predict the adsorption characteristics of CAP and DNF in the common Egyptian soil types, clay loam and sandy loam. Consequently, the mathematical models Halsey, Freundlich, and Jovanoic can describe the fate of CAP and DNF and can be used to control Egyptian soil contamination.

The effect of pH value at three levels (5, 7, and 9) and temperature at two levels (25 and 50ºC) on the sorption properties of chlorantraniliprole-CAP, dinotefuran-DNF, bispyribac-sodium-BPS, and metribuzin-MBZ were studied in calcareous soil. The sorption of CAP at pH 5 (38.2%) was significantly higher than that at pH 7 (32.4%) and 9 (28.4%), whereas the sorption of DNF at pH 5 was lower than that at pH 7. The adsorption of BPS at pH 9 was statistically significantly higher than that at pH 5 and pH 7. Regarding the herbicide MBZ adsorption percentages were 47.0, 61.1 and 57.1 % at pH 5, 7 and 9. The number of tested pesticides adsorbed by the soil was significantly influenced by the temperature. The adsorbed amount of CAP was decreased from 37% to 33% as the temperature was increased from 25˚C to 50 ˚C, while no significant differences of adsorbed DNF. Data showed that the adsorption of BPS and MBZ statistically decreases with temperature. The data from the adsorption behaviour of CAP, DNF, BPS, and MBZ in tested soil at different temperatures correspond well with the Freundlich isotherm. The negative ΔG˚ indicated that the adsorption of CAP, DNF, BPS, and MBZ were spontaneous at different temperatures. There was an increase in the entropy of the pesticide-soil systems as shown by the positive values of ΔS˚.

The efficiency of different sorbents (bulk soil, sand, silt, clay and humic acid-HA) for chlorantraniliprole (CAP), dinotefuran (DNF), bispyribac-sodium (BPS), and metribuzin (MBZ) adsorption was described and compared. The adsorption of CAP, DNF, BPS and MBZ were significantly greater on clay and HA fractions than the bulk soils. Also, the tested pesticides sorption was greater on HA fraction compared to clay fraction except in the case of BPS. The mass unit of bulk soil adsorbed of CAP, DNF, BPS and MBZ approximately 15, 20, 10 and 5 % of the same of HA and 40, 60, 95 and 35 % of that of clay fraction, respectively. The actual amounts adsorbed on bulk soil ranged from (88.63 to 93.93 %) of the calculated amounts adsorbed on all soil components indicating high efficiency of the tested soils to adsorb tested pesticides. All adsorption data fitted well to the linear Freundlich equation. The adsorption of tested pesticides in soil and their different constituents is S-type according to 1/n (except some cases).

As security breaches are increasingly widely reported in today’s culture, cybersecurity is gaining attention on a global scale. Threat modeling methods (TMM) are a proactive security practice that is essential for pinpointing risks and limiting their impact. This paper proposes a hybrid threat modeling framework based on system-centric, attacker-centric, and risk-centric approaches to identify threats in Operational Technology (OT) applications. OT is made up of software and hardware used to manage, secure, and control industrial control systems (ICS), and its environments include factories, power plants, oil and gas refineries, and pipelines. To visualize the “big picture” of its infrastructure risk profile and improve understanding of the full attack surface, the proposed framework builds on several threat modeling methodologies: PASTA modeling, STRIDE, and attack tree components. Nevertheless, the continuity and stability of vital infrastructure will continue to depend heavily on legacy equipment. Thus, protecting the availability, security, and safety of industrial environments and vital infrastructure from cyberattacks requires operational technology (OT) cybersecurity. The feasibility of the proposed approach is illustrated with a case study from a real oil and gas production plant control system where numerous significant cyberattacks in recent years have targeted OT networks more frequently as hackers realized the possibility of disruption due to insufficient OT security, particularly for outdated systems. The proposed framework achieved better results in detecting threats and severity in the design of the case study system, helping to increase security and support cybersecurity assessment of legacy control systems.

It has been unequivocally established that kynurenic acid has a number of actions in a variety of cells and tissues, raising, in principle, the possibility of targeting its generation, metabolism or sites of action to manipulate those effects to a beneficial therapeutic end. However, many basic aspects of the biology of kynurenic acid remain unclear, potentially leading to some confusion and misinterpretations of data. They include questions of the source, generation, targets, enzyme expression, endogenous concentrations and sites of action. This essay is intended to raise and discuss many of these aspects as a source of reference for more balanced discussion. Those issues are followed by examples of situations in which modulating and correcting kynurenic acid production or activity could bring significant therapeutic benefit, including neurological and psychiatric conditions, inflammatory diseases and cell protection. More information is required to obtain a clear overall view of the pharmacological environment relevant to kynurenic acid, especially with respect to the active concentrations of kynurenine metabolites in vivo and changed levels in disease. The data and ideas presented here should permit a greater confidence in appreciating the sites of action and interaction of kynurenic acid under different local conditions and pathologies, enhancing our understanding of kynurenic acid itself and the many clinical conditions in which manipulating its pharmacology could be of clinical value.

The behavior of bispyribac-sodium and metribuzin herbicides was investigated into alluvial soil. Effect of pH, temperature, and particle size of soil on the sorption process was studied. Sorption isotherms by bulk soil and its sand, silt, clay and humic acid (HA) fractions were quantified using the batch equilibration technique. The results showed that sorption of herbicides tested was significantly affected by temperature and was a spontaneous interfacial process into soil. Freundlich equation accurately predicted the sorption behavior of two herbicides. Thermodynamic parameters summarized that the negative values of the standard free energy changes (ΔG˚) were obtained therefore, the adsorption of tested pesticides in soil was spontaneous and small negative values indicate the sorption is physical in nature involving weak forces of attraction. The negative ΔH˚ value, indicating metribuzin and bispyribac-sodium interactions are exothermic processes and products are energetically stable with a high binding of compound to soil sites. There was an increase in the entropy of tested pesticides-soil systems as shown by positive values of ΔS˚. The highest adsorption in soil was at pH 5 for bispyribac-sodium and at pH 7 for metribuzin. The sorption of metribuzin and bispyribac-sodium were significantly greater on HA fraction followed by clay fraction than the bulk soil. The KF and Kd values increase with decreasing particle size particularly in the case of adsorption of metribuzin.

Pulvinaria tenuivalvata (Newstead) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) red soft scale insect is one of the most prevalent insect pests that attacks sugarcane plants. Insecticidal efficiency of six selected insecticides (Malatox, Sulfar, Admiral, Nomolt, Tafaban and Biover) was evaluated for their impact against nymphs and adult females of P. tenuivalvata on sugarcane leaves using leave dipping methods. This investigation was carried out for two successive seasons (July 2021-2022) at the laboratory of the Plant Protection Research Department at the El-Mattana Agricultural Research Station, Luxor Governorate, Egypt. Obtained results showed that the tested insecticides varied in efficacy on the different stages of pest (nymphs and adult females). Moreover, the nymphal stage of P.tenuivalvata was more susceptible to the tested pesticides compared to the adult stage. Admiral and nomolt were the most toxic against the nymphal and adult female stages of P. tenuivalvata on sugarcane leaves, sulfar, however, was the least successful in controlling this pest.

The dissipation and side-effect of metribuzin (MBZ) were studied with various factors; two soil types (clay loam and sandy loam), soil amendment (wheat straw and without amendment), two temperature levels (25 and 50°C), sterilization (sterilized and unsterilized soil) and time of incubation (15 and 30 days) and designed by Windows version of MINITAB software package to reduce the time and the cost as well as increased the precision. Determination of MBZ by HPLC with recoveries ranged from 50.85 to 108.09%. The MBZ residues were detected in all samples up to 60 days of storage, respectively with decline in their concentrations with the time of incubation. The clay loam soil showed higher dissipation than the sandy loam soil. The different factors in the present study confirmed that the wheat straw amendment, non-sterilization and incubation at 50°C caused higher dissipation of MBZ than without wheat straw, sterilization and incubation at 25°C. The dissipation was described mathematically by a first order equation with t0.5 was ranged from 9.62 to 16.82 days in clay loam soil and from 10.01 to 16.04 days in sandy loam soil. The side-effect of MBZ was tested on soil dehydrogenase activity that can be considered as an indicator of the biological activity and microbial degradation. The result proved that the enzyme activity was significantly decreased in all treatments compared with the controls at 1 and 3 days of incubation then it was gradually increased at 7, 10, 15 and 30 days of incubation. Treatments of wheat straw, non-sterilized and incubated at 25°C or 50°C showed the lowest enzyme inhibition among all treatments.

This study evaluated the possible neuroprotective effect of Allium atroviolaceum extract (AaE)-synthesized selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) on aluminum (Al)-induced neurotoxicity in mice, explaining the likely mechanisms. Mice were divided into five groups: G1, control; G2, AaE group that received AaE (200 mg/kg) for 4 weeks; and groups 3, 4, and 5 received AlCl3 (100 mg/kg) for 3 weeks. After that, G4 received AaE (200 mg/kg), and G5 received SeNPs-AaE (0.5 mg/kg) for another 1 week. Exposure to AlCl3 boosted oxidative damage in brain tissue as evidenced by a reduction in glutathione concentrations and other antioxidant enzymes along with increased lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide levels. There was also a rise in the concentrations of interleukin-1β, TNF-α, and cyclooxygenase-II activities. AlCl3-treated mice showed reduced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and dopamine levels, increased acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and reduced Bcl-2, and Bax, and caspase-3 activities. Treatment with SeNPs-AaE significantly reduced markers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. In addition, in SeNPs-AaE-treated rats, levels of BDNF and dopamine were significantly increased along with a reduction in AChE as compared with the AlCl3 group. Therefore, our results indicate that SeNPs-AaE has a potential neuroprotective effect against Al-mediated neurotoxic effects because of its powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and neuromodulatory activities.

The recent pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has opened the door to potential threats of the respiratory system. The discovery of drugs from natural sources is one of the most important strategies for treating the upper respiratory tract. In this study, we investigated the selected formulated EOs activities against Gram-negative (E. coli, K. pneumonia, and P. aeruginosa) and Gram-positive (S. aureus, E. fecalis) bacteria and against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, with the mode of action investigated as anti-SARS-CoV-2. Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Syzygium aromaticum EOs were the most promising antibacterial oils. C. zeylanicum EO showed MIC values of 1, 1, 2, ≤0.5, and 8 µg/mL against E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and E. fecalis, respectively, while S. aromaticum EO showed MIC values of 8, 4, 32, 8, 32 µg/mL against the same organisms. The cytotoxic activity of the oil samples was tested in VERO-E6 cells using (MTT) assay and showed that the safest oil was F. vulgare, then L. nobilis, C. carvi, S. aromaticum, and E. globulus. The most potent antiviral EOs were C. zeylanicum oil and S. aromaticum, with IC50 value of 15.16 and 96.5 µg/mL, respectively. Moreover, the safety index of S. aromaticum EO (26.3) was greater than the oil of C. zeylanicum (7.25). The mechanism by which C. zeylanicum oil exerts its antiviral activity may involve both the virucidal effect and its impact on viral reproduction. The nano-emulsion dosage form of the potent EOs was prepared and re-examined against the same bacterial and viral strains. Finally, the chemical characterization of these promising essential oils was analyzed and identified using the GC–MS approach. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report concerning the in vitro investigation of anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of these selected essential oils, along with a proposed mechanism for the potent oil's activity.

The function of natural autoantibodies (nAAbs) in maintaining immunological tolerance has been comprehensively explained; however, their function in pregnant patients dealing with autoimmune diseases has not been thoroughly investigated. As Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is the predominant organ-specific autoimmune condition of women of childbearing age, this study’s objective was to evaluate IgM and IgG nAAbs targeting mitochondrial citrate synthase (CS) and heat shock proteins (Hsp60 and Hsp70) in women diagnosed with HT who were pregnant (HTP). Serum samples collected from HTP and healthy pregnant (HP) women in the first and third trimesters were tested using in-house-developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Our findings indicate the stability of nAAbs against CS and Hsps throughout the pregnancies of both healthy women and those with HT. However, during both trimesters, HTP patients displayed elevated levels of IgM isotype nAAbs against Hsp60 and Hsp70 compared to HP women, suggesting a regulatory role of IgM nAAbs during the pregnancies of patients with HT. Nonetheless, levels of IgG isotype nAAbs against Hsps were lower solely in the third trimester among HTP patients, resulting in a higher IgM/IgG ratio, which indicates their importance in alterations of the nAAb network during pregnancy in patients with HT.

The present work was carried out to determine the elemental composition of granitoid rock samples from three gold mines (Sukari, Hamash, and Um Hagalig) in the South-eastern part of Egypt and quantification of the extent of the elemental enrichment. A total of 37 samples from the mines were subjected to neutron activation analysis, and the mass fractions of the elements were measured in mg/kg. The results show a dominance of K (76.9%), Fe (11.0%), Ca (8.7%), and Na (3.1%) for Sukari mine; Na (31.2%), Ca (28.5%), K (23.1%), and Fe (9.9%) for the Hamash mine; and for the Um Hagalig mine Na (31.1%), K (22%), Ca (21.7%), and Fe (20.8%). In addition, significant mass fractions of uranium, thorium and rare earth elements were found in Hamash and Um Hagalig. The average mass fractions of U in the investigated areas are measured to be 59.7, 48.2, and 30.8 mg/kg for Hamash, Sukary, and Um Hagalig, respectively. Furthermore, the average mass fractions of Th were significant and measured to be 3905, 1673, and 7 mg/kg for Hamash, Um Hagalig, and Sukary, respectively. Multiple ratio indicators and discrimination diagrams were used to better understand the origin of the elements in the samples studied. The indicators suggest that the provenance of the elements is mainly from metavolcanic and volcanic rocks. The findings should make an important contribution to the study of ores and minerals and thus represent an important area for environmental studies.

A series of novel isolated β-lactams 3a-c and thiazolidinone derivatives 4a-c were successfully synthesized from reactions of new Schiff's bases 2a-c with chloroacetyl chloride and thioglycolic acid. The chemical structures of the new compounds were confirmed through different spectroscopic techniques including IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. The antimicrobial activity of the obtained compounds was assessed in-vitro against gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative Escherichia coli bacteria and Aspergillus flavus and Candida albicans fungi. Furthermore, a molecular docking study was carried out and the results indicated that compounds 3b and 4b displayed comparable binding affinity scores as that of glutamate. These two compounds are promising candidates as antibacterial and antifungal agents that would deserve further investigations.

In this work, three triazole Schiff base derivatives 1-((1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-ylimino)methyl)naphthalen-2-ol (TMN), N-(furan-2-ylmethylene)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-amine (FTA) and N-(thiophen-2-ylmethylene)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-amine (TTA) were synthesized under ultrasonic irradiation and were investigated as corrosion inhibitors. FT-IR, NMR, and elemental analysis were used to elucidate the chemical structure of the synthesized inhibitors. The inhibitive characteristics of these inhibitors on C-steel corrosion in 1.0 M HCl were studied using three different techniques. The applied techniques were Electrochemical frequency modulation, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and potentiodynamic polarization curves. The acquired data from the experimental methods showed that the optimal concentration for TMN, FTA, and TTA is 1.0 × 10−3 mol/L, and the inhibition efficiency reached up to 91.68%, 88.44%, and 87.29% for TMN, TTA, and FTA, respectively. Experiments also indicated that these compounds act as mixed-type inhibitors, and their concentration affects the inhibition efficiency in a directly proportional manner. Quantum paraments obtained from density functional theory (DFT) showed good agreement between experimental and computational results.

Methotrexate (MTX) is a potent anti-cancer drug, commonly associated with nephrotoxicity via the induction of oxidative stress and apoptosis with alteration of renal water channel proteins, namely aquaporins (AQPs). Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) have shown cytoprotective effects through their anti-oxidant and antiapoptotic activities. The present study aims for the first time to explore the role of LC-PUFA against MTX-induced nephrotoxicity. Rats were divided into the following groups: saline control, LC-PUFA control, MTX, MTX + LC-PUFA (150 mg/kg), or MTX + LC-PUFA (300 mg/kg). Then, H&E staining and immunohistochemical staining for the anti-apoptosis marker B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2), the apoptosis marker BCL2-Associated X Protein (BAX), the proinflammatory marker Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), AQPs 1 and 2 were performed in kidney sections with an assessment of renal oxidative stress. The MTX caused a renal histopathological alteration, upregulated renal BAX and NF-kB, downregulated Bcl-2 and AQP1, altered the distribution of AQP2, and caused oxidative stress. The LC-PUFA attenuated the pathological changes and decreased renal BAX and NF-kB, increased BCL-2 and AQP1, restored the normal distribution of AQP2, and decreased the oxidative stress. Therefore, LC-PUFA is a good adjuvant to MTX to prevent its adverse effects on kidneys through its antiapoptotic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effect and its role in the restoration of the expression of AQPs 1 and 2.

The huge traffic demand envisioned in 5G requires radical changes in mobile network architecture. A Centralized Radio Access Network (C-RAN) was introduced as a novel mobile network architecture, designed to effectively support the challenging requirements of future 5G networks. Coordinated Multi-point (CoMP) is one of the technologies aiming to increase user traffic by transforming inter-cell interference into useful signals to maximize cell-edge users throughput. Intra-CoMP means that cooperating RRHs are assigned to the same Base Band Unit (BBU). On the other hand, in inter-CoMP, the cooperating RRHs are assigned to different BBUs, which introduce overhead signalling over an X2 interface. This paper proposes a model for BBU placement in C-RAN deployment over a 5G optical aggregation network. The model aims to minimize the number of users undergoing inter-CoMP, therefore reducing X2 signalling overhead. First, we solve the BBU placement problem using Integer Linear Programming (ILP), which minimizes the number of BBUs and the number of used links. Second, given the output of the ILP model (i.e., BBU locations and routes), we propose a heuristic algorithm to reconfigure the BBUs (i.e., the assignment of the RRHs to their corresponding BBUs), which aims at minimizing the number of users undergoing inter-CoMP. The proposed heuristic algorithm considers minimizing end-to-end delay, the number of used wavelengths, and maximizing multiplexing gain. The results show that up to 97% of inter-CoMP users migrated to intra-CoMP users. This results in a decrease in the X2 traffic, which is mainly used for the coordination between the BBUs.

Adsorption refrigeration systems are one of the emerging decarbonization technologies that can use eco-friendly heating sources and working fluids. However, the highly porous adsorbent materials used in these systems have a low thermal conductivity that hinders their system performance enhancement. Graphene nanoplatelets are proposed in the literature to improve the conductive heat transfer through the adsorbent field and the resulting composite adsorbents were favorably testified at the material level. In this study, the impact of employing a composite adsorbent that comprises of 50% activated carbon type Maxsorb III, 40% graphene nanoplatelets, and 10% binder was numerically investigated at a system level. The contradictory effects of heat and mass transfer mechanisms within the composite adsorbent on the performance of an adsorption ice production system were explored for three cases of composite layer thicknesses at different cycle times. The results showed that the maximum specific daily ice production and coefficient of performance of 33.27 kgice·kgads−1·day−1 and 0.3046 were attained at composite thicknesses of 2 and 5 mm and cycle times of 430 and 1230 s, respectively. The higher composite thickness of 10 mm increased the mass transfer resistances, which overlooked the enhancement in the heat transfer and reduced the overall performance.

Climate sensitivity in Earth system models (ESMs) is an emergent property that is affected by structural (missing or inaccurate model physics) and parametric (variations in model parameters) uncertainty. This work provides the first quantitative assessment of the role of compensation between uncertainties in aerosol forcing and atmospheric parameters, and their impact on the climate sensitivity of the Community Atmosphere Model, Version 4 (CAM4). Running the model with prescribed ocean and ice conditions, we perturb four parameters related to sulfate and black carbon aerosol radiative forcing and distribution, as well as five atmospheric parameters related to clouds, convection, and radiative flux. In this experimental setup where aerosols do not affect the properties of clouds, the atmospheric parameters explain the majority of variance in climate sensitivity, with two parameters being the most important: one controlling low cloud amount, and one controlling the timescale for deep convection. Although the aerosol parameters strongly affect aerosol optical depth, their impacts on climate sensitivity are substantially weaker than the impacts of the atmospheric parameters, but this result may depend on whether aerosol–cloud interactions are simulated. Based on comparisons to inter-model spread of other ESMs, we conclude that structural uncertainties in this configuration of CAM4 likely contribute 3 times more to uncertainty in climate sensitivity than parametric uncertainties. We provide several parameter sets that could provide plausible (measured by a skill score) configurations of CAM4, but with different sulfate aerosol radiative forcing, black carbon radiative forcing, and climate sensitivity.

Developing low cost sorbents for efficient elimination of organophosphorus pesticides from wastewater remains motivational. In this study, nanoparticles of water treatment residuals (nWTRs) derived from drinking water industry were produced and used for chlorpyrifos (CPF) removal from contaminated waste water. Batch sorption equilibrium study revealed that CPF sorption by nWTRs follow in order Langmuir > Temken > Kiselev adsorption models. The maximum adsorption capacity of nWTRs for CPF has shown 5 folds increase (50 mg g−1) compared to that of the conventional bulk WTRs and superior to most of the low cost adsorbents. Experimental parameters such as nWTR dosage, CPF concentration, and solution pH and exposure time were optimized. Remarkable CPF removal efficiency of 92% was achieved using nWTRs at pH 7 in contact time period of 30 min. The goodness-of-fit of the kinetic models tested showed that the power function model was successful in describing the kinetics of CPF adsorption with the lowest standard error (SE) of 0.0136. The thermodynamic parameters indicate the spontaneous and exothermic nature of CPF sorption on nWTRs sorbent. A possible mechanism of CPF removal by nWTRs includes formation of Al-CPF and Fe-CPF complexes and H-bonding. The novel nano-sorbent exhibits great potential as an efficient low cost sorbent for CPF removal from contaminated wastewater.

The steady rise in atmospheric long-lived greenhouse gas concentrations is the main driver of contemporary climate change. The Mauna Loa CO2 time series (1, 2), started by C. D. Keeling in 1958 and maintained today by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) of NOAA, is iconic evidence of the effect of human-caused fossil fuel and land-use change emissions on the atmospheric increase of CO2. The continuity of such records depends critically on having stable funding, which is challenging to maintain in the context of 3- to 4-year research grant funding cycles (3), and is currently threatened by the financial crisis.The ESRL Global Monitoring Division maintains a network of about 100 surface and aircraft sites worldwide at which whole air samples are collected approximately every week for analysis of CO2, CH4, CO, halocarbons, and many other chemical species (4). This is complemented by high-frequency measurements at the Mauna Loa, Barrow, American Samoa, and South Pole observatories, and about 10 North American tall towers. The success of the NOAA program has inspired similar efforts in Europe (5), China (6), India (7), and Brazil (8), with the United Nations World Meteorological Organization providing guidance and precision requirements through the Global Atmosphere Watch program (9), but no funding.The data collected by NOAA and its worldwide partners have been used not only to demonstrate the unassailable rise of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, but also to infer the magnitudes, locations, and times of surface-atmosphere exchange of those gases based on small concentration gradients between sites (10). Important findings from analysis of these records include the detection of a significant terrestrial carbon sink at northern mid-latitudes (11) and subsequent research aimed at identifying the mechanisms by which that sink must operate. Long-term, high-quality, atmospheric measurements are crucial for quantifying trends in greenhouse gas fluxes and attributing them to fossil fuel emissions, changes in land-use and management, or the response of natural land and ocean ecosystems to climate change and elevated CO2 concentrations.Greenhouse gas measurements along tall towers in the interior continents allow quantification of regional sources and sinks, which has a very high relevance for measuring the effectiveness of climate policy. NOAA ESRL provides measurements that are critical for the U.S. national security in that they provide independent verification and early warning of changing greenhouse gas emissions from countries involved in efforts to mitigate greenhouse gases.Dedicated carbon-observing satellites such as GOSAT and OCO-2 are needed to fill in the missing geographical information required for verification of carbon flux mitigation efforts. However, satellite retrievals do not yet provide sufficient information to deliver new constraints on surface fluxes, although quick progress is being made in this direction. In situ observations are crucial for anchoring space-borne measurements, for detecting potential biases of remote sensing techniques, and for providing continuity given the finite lifetime of satellites.Despite the growing importance of greenhouse gas observations to humanity, substantial budget cuts at NOAA have resulted in curtailment of our ability to observe and understand changes to the global carbon cycle. Already, a dozen surface flask-sampling sites have been removed from NOAA's operational network and aircraft profiling sites have been eliminated and reduced in frequency at the remaining NOAA sites. The planned growth in the tall tower program has stopped, and plans for closing some towers are being developed. The U.S. budget process in this election year, with the added risk of mandatory across-the-board cuts due to the 2011 Budget Control Act, foretells more bleak news for greenhouse gas monitoring at NOAA and could cause further retreat from the goal of recording ongoing changes in atmospheric composition. As scientists, we believe that preserving the continuity of these vital time series must remain a priority for U.S. carbon cycle research.

The application of green nanotechnology in agriculture has been receiving substantial attention, especially in the development of new nano-fertilizers and nano-insecticides. Herein, the metabolites secreted by the fungal strain Penicillium chrysogenum are used as a reducing agent for selenium ions to form selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs). The synthesized Se-NPs were characterized using color change, UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The biomass filtrate of the fungal strain changed from colorless to a ruby red color after mixing with sodium selenite with a maximum surface plasmon resonance at 262 nm. Data exhibits the successful formation of spherical, amorphous Se-NPs with sizes ranging between 3–15 nm and a weight percentage of 38.52%. The efficacy of Se-NPs on the growth performance of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and inhibition of cutworm Agrotis ipsilon was investigated. The field experiment revealed the potentiality of Se-NPs to enhance the growth parameters and carotenoid content in sunflower, especially at 20 ppm. The chlorophylls, carbohydrates, proteins, phenolic compounds, and free proline contents were markedly promoted in response to Se-NPs concentrations. The antioxidant enzymes (peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and polyphenol oxidase) were significantly decreased compared with the control. Data analysis showed that the highest mortality for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th instar larvae of Agrotis ipsilon was achieved at 25 ppm with percentages of 89.7 ± 0.3, 78.3 ± 0.3, 72.3 ± 0.6, 63.7 ± 0.3, and 68.7 ± 0.3 respectively after 72 h.

A study was carried out to understand the contributions of soil biogenic NO emissions from managed (fertilized and irrigated) hyperarid ecosystems in NW China to the regional NOx emissions during the growing season. Soil biogenic net potential NO fluxes were quantified by laboratory incubation of soil samples from the three dominating ecosystems (desert, cotton, and grape fields). Regional biogenic NO emissions were calculated bottom-up hourly for the entire growing season (April–September 2010) by considering corresponding land use, hourly data of soil temperature, gravimetric soil moisture, and fertilizer enhancement factors. The regional HONO emissions were estimated using the ratio of the optimum condition ((FN,opt(HONO) to FN,opt (NO)). Regional anthropogenic NOx emissions were calculated bottom-up from annual statistical data provided by regional and local government bureaus which have been downscaled to monthly value. Regional top-down emission estimates of NOx were derived on the monthly basis from satellite observations (OMI) of tropospheric vertical NO2 column densities and prescribed values of the tropospheric NOx lifetime. In order to compare the top-down and bottom-up emission estimates, all emission estimates were expressed in terms of mass of atomic nitrogen. Consequently, monthly top-down NOx emissions (total) were compared with monthly bottom-up NOx emissions (biogenic + anthropogenic) for the time of the satellite overpass (around 13:00 LT) with the consideration of the diurnal cycle of bottom-up estimates. Annual variation in total Tohsun Oasis NOx emissions is characterized by a strong peak in winter (December–February) and a secondary peak in summer (June–August). During summer, soil biogenic emissions were from equal to double that of related anthropogenic emissions, and grape soils were the main contributor to soil biogenic emissions, followed by cotton soils, while emissions from the desert were negligible. The top-down and bottom-up emission estimates were shown to be useful methods to estimate the monthly/seasonal cycle of the total regional NOx emissions. The resulting total NOx emissions show a strong peak in winter and a secondary peak in summer, and the second maximum in summer was only found if the soil emissions were taken into account, which provides confidence in both completely independent methods. Despite the regional character of these findings, particularly the second maximum in summer provides substantial evidence to hypothesize that biogenic emissions from soils of managed drylands (irrigated and fertilized) in the growing period may be much more important contributors to regional NOx budgets of dryland regions than thought before.

A low-cost, efficient, and ecofriendly method for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using gums as reducing agent was performed. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy. The antibacterial activity of the prepared nanoparticles was tested against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The in vitro toxicity was evaluated by performing hemolytic analysis. The mutagenic activity was evaluated using Ames test. The prepared nanoparticles possessed high antibacterial potential and also inhibited the biofilm formation. Under the conditions of this study, it is concluded that the prepared AgNPs were nontoxic and nonmutagenic and possessed pharmaceutical applications.

A series of novel pyrimidine (2, 3), pyrazole (4, 5), and pyridine (6) derivatives were synthesized using a chalcone-bearing thiophene nucleus (1). The target compounds were synthesized by reaction of compound (1) with urea, thiourea, malononitrile, hydrazine hydrate, and 2,4-dinitrophenyl hydrazine, respectively. Molecular electronic structures have been modeled within density functional theory framework (DFT). Reactivity indices and electrostatic surface potential maps (ESP maps) allow us to establish trends that enable making predictions about chemical characteristics of the newly synthesized molecules and their proton transfer tautomers. Proton transfer is generally more favored in solution than in the gas phase. In acetonitrile, keto-form tautomers and thione-form tautomers become more energetically stable than the corresponding enol or thiol tautomers due to solvent-induced enhancement in the molecular polarity identified by computed dipole moment.

In the present study, we reported the feasibility of the Sesbania sesban L. as a biosorbent to remove Pb(II) from aqueous solutions. The ability of S. sesban L. to adsorb Pb(II) was investigated by using batch adsorption procedure. Such effects as pH, contact time, adsorbate concentration, and biosorbent dosage on the adsorption capacity were studied. The experimental data were analyzed using various adsorption kinetic models, namely, pseudo-first-order model, the pseudo-second-order model, Batacharia-Venkobachar, the Elovich equation, the intraparticle diffusion model, and Bangham equation. Results show that the pseudo-second-order equation provides the best correlation for the biosorption process. To determine the best fit isotherm, the experimental equilibrium data were analyzed using two-parameter (Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Radushkevich, and Tempkin) and three-parameter isotherms (Redlich-Peterson, Sips, Khan, and Toth). The examination of error analysis methods showed that the Langmuir isotherm model and Redlich-Peterson models provide the best fit for experimental data than other isotherms. Sebania sesban L. is found to be inexpensive and effective adsorbent for removal of Pb(II) from aqueous solutions.

There has been an intense research effort in the last decades in the field of biofouling prevention as it concerns many aspects of everyday life and causes problems to devices, the environment, and human health. Many different antifouling and antimicrobial materials have been developed to struggle against bacteria and other micro- and macro-organism attachment to different surfaces. However the “miracle solution” has still to be found. The research presented here concerns the synthesis of bio-based polymeric materials and the biological tests that showed their antifouling and, at the same time, antibacterial activity. The raw material used for the coating synthesis was natural rubber. The polyisoprene chains were fragmented to obtain oligomers, which had reactive chemical groups at their chain ends, therefore they could be modified to insert polymerizable and biocidal groups. Films were obtained by radical photopolymerization of the natural rubber derived oligomers and their structure was altered, in order to understand the mechanism of attachment inhibition and to increase the efficiency of the anti-biofouling action. The adhesion of three species of pathogenic bacteria and six strains of marine bacteria was studied. The coatings were able to inhibit bacterial attachment by contact, as it was verified that no detectable leaching of toxic molecules occurred.

We report on MAX-DOAS observations of NO2 over an oasis–ecotone–desert ecosystem in NW China. There, local ambient NO2 concentrations originate from enhanced biogenic NO emission of intensively managed soils. Our target oasis "Milan" is located at the southern edge of the Taklimakan desert, very remote and well isolated from other potential anthropogenic and biogenic NOx sources. Four observation sites for MAX-DOAS measurements were selected, at the oasis centre, downwind and upwind of the oasis, and in the desert. Biogenic NO emissions in terms of (i) soil moisture and (ii) soil temperature of Milan oasis (iii) different land-cover type sub-units (cotton, Jujube trees, cotton/Jujube mixture, desert) were quantified by laboratory incubation of corresponding soil samples. Net potential NO fluxes were up-scaled to oasis scale by areal distribution and classification of land-cover types derived from satellite images using GIS techniques. A Lagrangian dispersion model (LASAT, Lagrangian Simulation of Aerosol Transport) was used to calculate the dispersion of soil emitted NO into the atmospheric boundary layer over Milan oasis. Three-dimensional (3-D) NO concentrations (30 m horizontal resolution) have been converted to 3-D NO2 concentrations, assuming photostationary state conditions. NO2 column densities were simulated by suitable vertical integration of modelled 3-D NO2 concentrations at those downwind and upwind locations, where the MAX-DOAS measurements were performed. Downwind–upwind differences (a direct measure of Milan oasis' contribution to the areal increase of ambient NO2 concentration) of measured and simulated slant (as well as vertical) NO2 column densities show excellent agreement. This agreement is considered as the first successful attempt to prove the validity of the chosen approach to up-scale laboratory-derived biogenic NO fluxes to ecosystem field conditions, i.e. from the spatial scale of a soil sample (cm2) to the size of an entire agricultural ecosystem (km2).

Nanocomposite films with dual-surface, silver (Ag) layers and silver-polyvinyl alcohol (Ag-PVA) bulk layers were prepared by Tollen’s reagent using β-D-glucose as a green reducing agent in water as an environmentally-friendly solvent and in PVA as a bio-friendly polymer. The gradual color change of Ag in PVA solutions from colorless to light brown and then to brown, and finally dark brown, indicated the formation of Ag nanoparticles in the bulk of the PVA solution which finally formed Ag layers on the inner side of the glass. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize the nanocomposite films with two surfaces. The Ag content of the Ag layers reached 93% with a higher crystallinity. The Ag content of the Ag-PVA bulk layers reached 10.8% with a lower crystallinity due to incorporation of Ag nanoparticles in the polymer chains. The structure and morphology of the two surfaces were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Acid leaching for different types of mixed spent Li-ion mobile batteries is carried out after alkali decomposition using NH4OH followed by H2SO4 + H2O2 leaching. In the alkali decomposition step, the effects of reaction time, NH4OH concentration, liquid/solid mass ratio and reaction temperature on the decomposition process are investigated to remove Al, Cu, Mn, Ni, Co, and Li. After alkaline treatment, the alkali paste is treated to leach the remaining metals using H2SO4 + H2O2. The significant effects of reaction time, acid concentration, H2O2 concentration, liquid/solid mass ratios and reaction temperature on the leaching rate are studied. More than 97% of Al, Mn, Ni, Co, and Li and about 65% Cu are leached in two stages. Kinetic analysis shows that, the data fit with chemical reaction control mechanism and the activation energies for the investigated metals using the Arrhenius equation ranged from 30.1 to 41.4 kJ/mol. Recovered metals are precipitated from the leaching liquor at varying pH values using NaOH solution and Na2CO3. Firstly, Mn is precipitated as MnCO3 at pH = 7.5. Secondly, at pH = 9.0, nickel is precipitated as NiCO3. Thirdly, as the pH of the leaching liquor reaches 11–12, Co(OH)2 is precipitated and the remaining Li is readily precipitated as Li2CO3 using a saturated Na2CO3 solution. Based on the experimental data, a flow sheet is developed and tested for the recovery process.

ZnO/glass spiral (GS) was prepared by immobilization of ZnO on GS with facile method, and was characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the crystallite size of ZnO on GS surface was calculated. SEM showed rod-like shape of ZnO particles on GS surface. Photocatalytic activity of prepared immobilized photocatalyst was investigated for decolourization and degradation of C.I. Reactive Red 120 (RR-120) dye under sunlight. The kinetics of decolourization and degradation removal has been investigated. The effect of pH on decolourization and degradation of dye was studied. The decolourization and degradation of dye were followed by pseudo-first order reaction. The decolourization and degradation of RR-120 dye were enhanced by H2O2 addition to definite dosage beyond that the effect is diminished. Also, the reusability of immobilized ZnO on GS was tested for photocatalytic degradation of dye and it was worth noting that it has high efficiency with slight decrease (5%) after five successive runs.

Green synthesis and characterisations of silver-polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite films for possible environmental and biomedical applications such as wound dressing have been investigated. The synthesis was carried out in water, in an environmentally-friendly solvent using β-D-glucose as a reducing agent and in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a bio-friendly polymer. The green synthesis approaches have advantages over conventional methods involving chemical agents associated with environmental toxicity. The formation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and UV-visible spectroscopy. The antimicrobial activity of the synthesised Ag-PVA nanocomposite materials against strains of different bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella spp., Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus was studied.