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This study aimed to synthesize a silver nanocomposite hydrogel based on poly (acrylic acid) and poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) grafted onto salep biopolymer and its use in controlled drug release. Drug release is one of the medicine goals that have been happening in the different methods, such as injections, pills or sprays. The useful drug dose, has measured by the drug concentration in the blood system, in the specific time. Researches have shown, in above methods, at the first time there is a high concentration of drug in the blood and by passing the time, this concentration decreases, so for achieve the useful drug dose, more drug is needed which it usually causes the increasing of the drug side effects. Thus for preventing these side effects, controlled drug release is investigated in this research. To identify the synthesized hydrogel, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermometric gravimetric analysis (TGA) were used. The results showed that the release of deferasirox from the silver nanocomposite hydrogel network is related to the pH of the environment. In addition, the biodegradability and biocompatibility of this system have led to its use in the pharmaceutical industry.

Micro-plastics (MPs) have recently been detected in the environmental medium and in a lot of products, particularly in the products consumed by humans. In the present study, the contamination of vinegar containers by MPs was investigated from nine popular brands consumed in Iran. Using a Nile Red staining and stereomicroscope analysis, MPs were detected in all sample brands. The most MPs were found in the shape of fragment (94 %), while only a few was in the fiber shape (6%). MPs were identified by using FTIR stereoscopy and PE and HDPE were founded as the most likely polymers. The annual human exposure to average concentration of MP was approximately estimated as 4.9 and 21.2 mg/kg/bw/year corresponding to optical detection for adult and children, respectively. While the annual intake was around 4.7 and 20.7 mg/kg/bw/year according to fluorescence observation. The findings of the present study showed that the MPs particles releasing can occur from food plastic container into the content like the vinegar.

Poor bioavailability of diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP), an effective drug for an autoimmune disorder of alopecia areata, limits its pharmaceutical effects. Carriers-based nanoparticles with especially porous structures can overcome these restrictions. Here, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, MCM41, with high surface area and pore volume were synthesized for DPCP delivery to the hair follicles through skin tissue. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MCM41) were synthesized by the Stober process and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, Barrett–Joiner–Halenda and N2 adsorption isotherms for their physicochemical properties. HPLC method was used to determine drug entrapment efficiency and release behavior during 24 h. Cytotoxicity of formulations was evaluated using MTT assay and permeation profiles of DPCP (control sample) and DPCP-MCM41 into the rat skin were obtained by using Franz diffusion cells. Fluorescence microscopy and intrafollicular nanoparticle accumulation were examined using confocal microscopy. Experiments showed the spherical shape of the nanoparticles with an average size of 50 ± 3 nm, high surface area, and porosity. Entrapment efficiency was about 90% and release behavior had sustained manner after 3 h. Fluorescent and confocal microscopy confirmed that the nanoparticles passed through follicular channels and aggregated around the hair follicles. MCM41 nanoparticles provide a promising nano-carrier for targeted drug delivery of DPCP to the human hair follicle.

Background: Colour and turbidity (appearance), odour and flavour, taste, and texture are the main parameters affecting consumer’s perception of juice quality. Anthocyanins, as natural antioxidant and water-soluble pigment, exist in red fruit juices which are extremely unstable and more susceptible to degradation. These mainly include anthocyanins, pigments, proteins, and vitamins that are thermally sensitive. Objective: The present study focuses on the treatment of three different fruit juices namely red grape, pomegranate, and sour cherry using different preservative methods and evaluation of their organoleptic properties. Methods: Four preservative methods including pasteurization (90°C for 30 sec), mild heat treatment (60°C for 4, 8 and 12 min), sonication (25°C) and thermosonication (90°C) using amplitude levels of 24.4, 42.7 and 61 μm for 4, 8 and 12 min, have been used for the treatment of the three selected fruit juices. Results: Obtained results indicate that untreated grape juice had maximum L* value (29.83) and the pasteurized grape juice had a minimum L* value (25.77). Furthermore, while a* values of untreated grape, pomegranate, and sour cherry juices were 39.7, 42.03 and 38.13, respectively, these pasteurized juices had minimum a* values of 35.3, 38.47 and 36.97, respectively. In addition, results revealed that sonication and mild heating had minimum effects on colour and appearance, odour and flavour of all three studied juices. Furthermore, significant positive (p˂0.05) effects of thermosonication were observed for the cloudiness parameter of the studied juices. Maximum acceptability scores were achieved by mild heat-treated grape juice at 60°C for 8 min (8.33), thermosonicated pomegranate juice at 60°C and amplitude of 24.4 μm for 4 min (7.33) and sonicated sour cherry juice at 25°C and amplitude of 24.4 μm for 4 min (9.33). Conclusion: Different preservative methods with optimum processing conditions were successfully utilized to minimize the changes in the sensorial and physicochemical properties of the treated juices.

In this work, to obtain evidence about the salting-out effect, a set of thermophysical properties, namely, density and speed of sound measurements were determined for the systems containing the ion...

Positron emission tomography (PET) tracer molecules like thioflavin T specifically recognize amyloid deposition in brain tissue by selective binding to hydrophobic or aromatic surface grooves on the β‐sheet surface along the fibril axis. The molecular basis of this interaction is, however, not well understood. We have employed magic angle spinning (MAS) solid‐state NMR spectroscopy to characterize Aβ‐PET tracer complexes at atomic resolution. We established a titration protocol by using bovine serum albumin as a carrier to transfer hydrophobic small molecules to Aβ(1‐40) fibrillar aggregates. The same Aβ(1‐40) amyloid fibril sample was employed in subsequent titrations to minimize systematic errors that potentially arise from sample preparation. In the experiments, the small molecules 13C‐methylated Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) as well as a novel Aβ tracer based on a diarylbithiazole (DABTA) scaffold were employed. Classical 13C‐detected as well as proton‐detected spectra of protonated and perdeuterated samples with back‐substituted protons, respectively, were acquired and analyzed. After titration of the tracers, chemical‐shift perturbations were observed in the loop region involving residues Gly25‐Lys28 and Ile32‐Gly33, thus suggesting that the PET tracer molecules interact with the loop region connecting β‐sheets β1 and β2 in Aβ fibrils. We found that titration of the PiB derivatives suppressed fibril polymorphism and stabilized the amyloid fibril structure., Binding PET tracer molecules to amyloid fibrils: PET tracers specifically recognize amyloid deposition in neurodegeneration, although the molecular basis of this interaction is not well understood. MAS solid‐state NMR spectroscopy is used to characterize Aβ‐PET tracer complexes. A bovine serum albumin protocol enables the titration of the hydrophobic molecules.

In the current study, we investigated the effect of a probiotic bacterium (Lactobacillus rhamnosus ATCC 7469) microencapsulated with alginate and hi-maize starch and coated with chitosan on improving growth factors, body composition, blood chemistry, and the immune response of rainbow trout (initial weight: 18.41 ± 0.32 g). Four experimental diets were formulated to feed fish for 60 days. They were control diet without any additive (C), diet added with beads without probiotic (E), a probiotic sprayed to the diet (L.r), and encapsulated probiotic supplemented diet (E-L.r). The results indicated that feeding with E-Lr significantly improved weight gain (84.98 g) and feed conversion ratio (0.95) compared to the other groups (P

The yeast cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) is a ubiquitous serine–threonine kinase, encompassing three catalytic (Tpk1–3) and one regulatory (Bcy1) subunits. Evidence suggests PKA involvement in DNA damage checkpoint response, but how DNA repair pathways are regulated by PKA subunits remains inconclusive. Here, we report that deleting the tpk1 catalytic subunit reduces non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) efficiency, whereas tpk2-3 and bcy1 deletion does not. Epistatic analyses revealed that tpk1, as well as the DNA damage checkpoint kinase (dun1) and NHEJ factor (nej1), co-function in the same pathway, and parallel to the NHEJ factor yku80. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and resection data suggest that tpk1 deletion influences repair protein recruitments and DNA resection. Further, we show that Tpk1 phosphorylation of Nej1 at S298 (a Dun1 phosphosite) is indispensable for NHEJ repair and nuclear targeting of Nej1 and its binding partner Lif1. In mammalian cells, loss of PRKACB (human homolog of Tpk1) also reduced NHEJ efficiency, and similarly, PRKACB was found to phosphorylate XLF (a Nej1 human homolog) at S263, a corresponding residue of the yeast Nej1 S298. Together, our results uncover a new and conserved mechanism for Tpk1 and PRKACB in phosphorylating Nej1 (or XLF), which is critically required for NHEJ repair., Graphical Abstract Graphical AbstractCellular model of yeast Tpk1 role with Nej1 and PRKACBwith XLF on NHEJ, as well as the loss of tpk1 in DNA resection and MMEJ.

Aniline exposure leads to neuron and spleen toxicity specifically and makes diverse neurological effects and sarcoma that is defined by splenomegaly, hyperplasia, and fibrosis and tumors formation at the end. However, the molecular mechanism(s) of aniline-induced spleen toxicity is not understood well, previous studies have represented that aniline exposure results in iron overload and initiation of oxidative/nitrosative disorder stress and oxidative damage to proteins, lipids and DNA subsequently, in the spleen. Elevated expression of cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and phosphorylation of pRB protein along with increases in A, B and CDK1 as a cell cycle regulatory proteins cyclins, and reduce in CDK inhibitors (p21 and p27) could be critical in cell cycle regulation, which contributes to tumorigenic response after aniline exposure. Aniline-induced splenic toxicity is correlated to oxidative DNA damage and initiation of DNA glycosylases expression (OGG1, NEIL1/2, NTH1, APE1 and PNK) for removal of oxidative DNA lesions in rat. Oxidative stress causes transcriptional up-regulation of fibrogenic/inflammatory factors (cytokines, IL- 1, IL-6 and TNF-α) via induction of nuclear factor-kappa B, AP-1 and redox-sensitive transcription factors, in aniline treated-rats. The upstream signalling events as phosphorylation of IκB kinases (IKKα and IKKβ) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) could potentially be the causes of activation of NF-κB and AP-1. All of these events could initiate a fibrogenic and/or tumorigenic response in the spleen. The spleen toxicity of aniline is studied more and the different mechanisms are suggested. This review summarizes those events following aniline exposure that induce spleen toxicity and neurotoxicity.

OBJECTIVE The current case-control study aimed to examine the association of circulating neuregulin 4 (NRG-4), a brown fat-enriched endocrine factor, with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS A total of 50 patients newly diagnosed with NAFLD with 50 age-matched and sex-matched subjects without NAFLD were recruited in the present study. Circulating NRG-4 levels were assessed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. SPSS version 23 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS Patients with NAFLD had lower levels of circulating NRG-4 than the control group (P

Aflatoxin is a toxic metabolite produced mainly by Aspergillus spp. which may occur in dairy products because of biotransformation. In this work, a systematic and meta-analysis approach has been considered on the topic of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) content in dairy Iranian products. Based on the literature review, AFM1 was the most common aflatoxin contamination in dairy product. Additionally, studies revealed that higher levels of AFM1 were produced during cold seasons includes winter and autumn. Although, immunochemical technique (ELISA) was the frequent and rapid test, thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and chromatographic methods (HPLC) were commonly used as confirmative techniques to determine the level of aflatoxin. Meta-analyzing of the results showed that AFM1 can be found in the dairy products with overall prevalence percentage of 63.53 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 56.28–70.78) and 54.05 (95% CI: 43.09–65.02) based on the sample type and production process, respectively. The higher prevalence percentage of AFM1 of 73.96 (95% CI: 60.27–87.66) and 69.91 (95% CI: 62.00–78.83) was found in yoghurt and industrial production type of samples, respectively. In general, 17.8% of cheese, 14% of yogurt, 12.63% of kashk, and 2.1% of doogh contained AFM1 in concentrations exceeding the permitted level of standards. Totally, results showed that 88.89% of dairy products were contaminated by AFM1 exceeding from standard limits.

Objectives This study aims to investigate the effect of Famotidine on the recovery process of COVID-19 patients. Trial design This phase III randomized clinical trial was designed with two parallel arms, placebo-controlled, single-blind, and concealed allocation. Participants All COVID-19 patients admitted to Shahid Mohammadi Hospital in Bandar Abbas whose PCR test results are positive for SARS-Cov-2 and sign the written consent of the study are included in the study and immunocompromised patients, end-stage renal disease, moderate renal failure (clearance Creatinine 30 to 50 ml/min) or stage 4 severe chronic kidney disease or need for dialysis (creatinine clearance lesser than 30 ml/min), history of liver disease, hepatitis C infection or alcoholism, Glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency(G6PD), the ratio of Alanine transaminase to Aspartate transaminase 5 times above the normal limit, history or evidence of long QT segment on Electrocardiogram, psoriasis or porphyria, pregnancy, use of oral contraceptives, Dasatinib, Neratinib, Ozanimod, Pazopanib, Rilpivirine, Siponimod and/or Tizanidine and allergies to any study drug are excluded. Intervention and comparator Intervention group receives standard pharmacotherapy according to the treatment protocols of the National Committee of COVID-19 and oral famotidine 160 mg (Manufactured by Chemidarou Pharmaceutical Company) four times a day until the day of discharge, for a maximum of fourteen days. Comparator group receives standard drug therapy according to the treatment protocols of the National Committee of COVID-19 and placebo in the same dosage. Main outcomes Patients’ temperature, respiration rate, oxygen saturation, lung infiltration, lactate dehydrogenase and complete blood count were measured at the baseline (before the intervention) and on day 14 after the intervention or on the discharge day. Randomisation The person who has no role in admitting patients and assigning patients to random codes preparing random sequences using online tools and by permuted block randomization method. Eligibility criteria are monitored by the person responsible for admitting patients. Codes in a random sequence are assigned to patients by the treatment team without knowing that each code is in the intervention or comparator group. Patient codes are then matched to randomly generated sequence information for interventions. Blinding (masking) All participants are unaware of which group of this study they are in and after grouping patients in the groups, Patients receive Famotidine in the treatment group and receive a placebo in the control group. The lead researcher, care givers, data collectors, and outcome assessors are aware of the grouping of patients. Numbers to be randomised (sample size) As there is no prior work on this research question, so no assumptions for the sample size calculation could be made. A total of 20 patients participate in this study, which are randomly divided into two groups of 10 as intervention or control groups. Trial status Version 3 of the protocol was approved by the Deputy of Research and Technology and the ethics committee of Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences on August 2, 2020, with the local code 990245, and the recruitment started on August 17, 2020. recruitment ended on August 31, 2020. Since the recruitment ended earlier than expected (the expected recruitment end date was 21/12/2020), we submitted post recruitment but prior to publication of the results. Trial registration The protocol was registered before starting subject recruitment under the title: The effect of Famotidine on the improvement of patients with COVID-19, IRCT20200509047364N2, at Iranian Registry of clinical trials (https://www.irct.ir/trial/49657) on 17 August 2020. Full protocol The full protocol is attached as an additional file, accessible from the Trials website (Additional file 1). In the interest in expediting dissemination of this material, the familiar formatting has been eliminated; this Letter serves as a summary of the key elements of the full protocol. The study protocol has been reported in accordance with the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Clinical Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) guidelines (Additional file 2).

Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) is a highly conserved mechanism of DNA double-stranded break (DSB) repair. Here we utilize a computational protein-protein interaction method to identify human PRKACB as a potential candidate interacting with NHEJ proteins. We show that the deletion of its yeast homolog, TPK1 that codes for the protein kinase A catalytic subunit reduces the efficiency of NHEJ repair of breaks with overhangs and blunt ends in plasmid-based repair assays. Additionally, tpk1Δ mutants showed defects in the repair of chromosomal breaks induced by HO-site specific endonuclease. Our double deletion mutant analyses suggest that TPK1 and YKU80, a key player in NHEJ could function in parallel pathways. Altogether, here we report a novel involvement for TPK1 in NHEJ.

In this study, the degradation of crystal violet (CV) was investigated by different oxidation processes; ozone (OZ), peroxone (PO), electrolysis (E), electrolysis/H2O2 (ECP), electroperoxone (EPO), and electrolysis/peroxene/H2O2 (EPOP). Main parameters including contact time, pH, CV concentration, and effect of scavengers were studied. The results showed that all processes were capable of CV decolorization. Among these processes, peroxone and electrolysis/peroxene/H2O2 with efficiency about > 90% were more effective than other ones. A significant decrease in oxidation rate of CV was observed by adding scavengers. This fact was due to higher affinity to react with free radicals. To confirm degradation of CV, FTIR spectra and nitrate ion level were taken. Also, to recognize toxicity the treated wastewater was tested against coliform bacteria. Growths of Escherichia coli in EMB medium were observed. As a result, it confirms that the treated effluent can be discharged to environment.

Today, the use of bottled water has increased significantly for various reasons, such as the low quality of tap water, presence of hazardous chemicals in piped water, ease of transport, and accessibility. Therefore, considering the quality features of bottled water is of utmost importance. The present study was conducted in the two stages of questionnaire and laboratory with the aim of determining the correlation between the quality of hardness when bottled water is purchased and evaluate the calcium and magnesium contents in the laboratory. The applied questionnaire was designed based on water hardness in four sections of knowledge and attitude, and its validity and reliability were confirmed. The calcium and magnesium contents were determined using standard methods and the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry apparatus. The obtained results indicated that the most important indicators of purchasing bottled water were softness availability, brand, and coldness. Contrary to consumer claims, the most commonly used bottled water (60% of the brands) were observed to be those with high hardness. Therefore, it could be concluded that factors such as availability, marketing, and percentage of the consumption market are the most important influential factors in the consumption rate of bottled water.

Summary Synthetic proteins with high affinity and selectivity for a protein target can be used as research tools, biomarkers, and pharmacological agents, but few methods exist to design such proteins de novo. To this end, the In-Silico Protein Synthesizer (InSiPS) was developed to design synthetic binding proteins (SBPs) that bind pre-determined targets while minimizing off-target interactions. InSiPS is a genetic algorithm that refines a pool of random sequences over hundreds of generations of mutation and selection to produce SBPs with pre-specified binding characteristics. As a proof of concept, we design SBPs against three yeast proteins and demonstrate binding and functional inhibition of two of three targets in vivo. Peptide SPOT arrays confirm binding sites, and a permutation array demonstrates target specificity. Our foundational approach will support the field of de novo design of small binding polypeptide motifs and has robust applicability while offering potential advantages over the limited number of techniques currently available., Graphical Abstract, Highlights • InSiPS engineers synthetic binding proteins (SBPs) using primary protein sequence • SBPs are designed to a bind a target protein and avoid “off-target” interactions • Binding and functional inhibition of two of three target proteins in yeast is demonstrated • Our new approach offers advantages over alternative tools that rely on 3D models, Biological Sciences; Bioinformatics; Protein Family Determination

In this paper, we aimed to develop magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) conjugated ten generation oxime dendrimer terminated with polyethylene glycol as the drug extractant for letrozole and some affecting parameters in this process like contact time, pH and reusability, were also optimized. The PEGylated dendrimer-based MNPs/SiO2 were characterized in details by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and vibration sample magnetometer. The range of particle size of the compound was 10 to 70 nm. The magnetic nanoparticles were mesoporous and superparamagnetic and therefore, researched for their possible use in the extraction of a cancer drug, letrozole. It can be expected that this nano-sorbent has the potential to be applied for separation and determination of letrozole in biological fluids and pharmaceutical samples, due to its high yield and cycling stability.

Recurrence of hydatidosis may results from cyst fluid spillage during surgery. To inactivate the cyst content, different scolicidal agents have been introduced. Nevertheless, novel and more effective treatments are needed due to the associated complications. In the current study, we examined the scolicidal effects of gold nanoparticles on Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces. Hydatid cysts of sheep liver were collected in this study. The cyst fluid containing protoscoleces was aspirated aseptically. The protoscoleces were exposed to gold nanoparticles at different concentrations (250, 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 μg/mL). Eosin staining method was applied to determine the viability of protoscoleces at 5, 10, 20, 30, and 60 min. Moreover, cytotoxicity analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of ultrastructural changes, DNA fragmentation, were performed, and protoscoleces were studied following treatment. The significant scolicidal effects of gold nanoparticles were observed at all concentrations compared to the control group. A total of 4000 μg/mL of gold nanoparticles could destroy 76% of protoscoleces in 60 min. Cytotoxic effects of gold nanoparticle on J774 macrophage cell line, in minimum and maximum concentration (500 and 4000 μg/mL), were 1 and 11%, respectively. After treatment of protoscoleces with gold nanoparticles in different times and concentrations, considerable alteration in size, ultrastructure changes in tegument and shape of sucker, as well as DNA fragmentation of parasite were seen. Based on the results, gold nanoparticles could exert scolicidal effects on hydatid cyst protoscoleces; therefore, they can be applied in hydatid cyst treatment.

Herein, thermo/pH/magnetic-triple sensitive nanogel comprised of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl) methacrylate), sodium alginate, and magnetic graphene oxide were synthesized using N,N-methylenebisacrylamide as a crosslinking agent, sodium dodecylsulfate as a surfactant, and ammonium persulfate as an initiator. The size, chemical structure, thermal stability, and morphology of the prepared nanogel were characterized using different methods. Transmittance of the obtained nanogel was investigated at varying pH and temperature in the presence and absence of magnet. The drug loading ability of synthesized nanogel was examined at different times and concentrations of doxorubicin. Additionally, the release rate of doxorubicin as an anticancer drug from the loaded nanogel was studied at different pH and temperature in the presence and absence of magnet. The biological performance of the formed nanogel was evaluated by seeding it onto MCF-7 cells at different times and concentrations. It was found that this triple responsible nanogel might provide a perfect basis for controlled drug delivery systems.

Nanogels have been demonstrated to be desirable for hydrophilic anticancer drug delivery. This study presents a novel nanogel consisting of sodium alginate-modified graphene oxide (SA-GO) and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) for sustained delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) drug. The PNIPAM/SA-GO nanogel was studied by various techniques including scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, dynamic light scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermo-gravimetric analysis. Subsequently, the thermo-responsive behavior of the PNIPAM/SA-GO nanogel was investigated by UV–Vis spectroscopy. DOX was successfully loaded into the PNIPAM/SA-GO nanogel in order to study entrapment efficiency and drug release behavior. Moreover, biocompatibility of the DOX-loaded PNIPAM/SA-GO nanogel was examined against Hella cells and was compared with free PNIPAM/SA-GO nanogel and DOX. This work offers that the nanogels could be developed further as an effective bioactive molecule delivery system.

Soybeans are an important raw material for those seeking vegan, lactose-free products, such as soymilk and tofu. The aim of this review article is to provide an overview of aqueous extraction of protein and other desirable components from whole soybeans. Firstly, a discussion over the microstructure of the soybean is held, including a summary of protein localisation and properties. A detailed review of common whole soybean extraction process is then given, along with extraction process parameters and process intensification steps that can improve yield. A novel extraction model is presented, based on a mass balance of the water phases. The extraction model reveals separation as the main limitation for protein recovery during aqueous soy protein extraction due to the high amount of okara waste stream and its high moisture content. Industrial relevance Typically, the extraction of protein from an intermediate soy-protein ingredient is studied at lab-scale. Within industry, aqueous extract from whole soybeans is commonly used for making consumer products containing both soy protein and soybean oil, and this has been the focus of this review. Key extraction process parameters are presented and challenges of each extraction step are given for the whole soybean extraction process. A novel model for determining the separation efficiency has been presented, which is useful for many other extraction systems that contain components of interest in high amounts of waste stream.

Colored wastewaters are one of the common waste contaminants which are derived from various industries, threatening aquatic environments. Thus, it is necessary to treat them before discharge. Among various remediation technologies, adsorption is one of the popular treatment methods because of its simplicity and cost-efficiency. So, in the present study, the adsorption potential of a natural chitosan/bone char composite was investigated in adsorbing the Direct Brown 166 dye (DB-166) from aqueous solution. To investigate the adsorption potential of the chitosan/bone char composite, the effects of influencing parameters were studied. Accordingly, the optimum removal efficiency was determined at an initial pH of 3, a contact time of 60 min, an initial dye concentration of 20 mg/L, an adsorbent dosage of threatening 4 g, a mixing speed of 150 rpm, and a temperature of 55°C. Also, the maximum adsorption efficiency and capacity were obtained to be 99.8% and 21.18 mg/g, respectively. To evaluate the equil...

Azo dyes are important groups of chromospheres having a particular structure in color-contaminated wastewater. In the present study, Reactive Red 198 (RR198) dye was chosen as a model of azo dyes group. Electrocoagulation technique as an effective and environmental-friendly process for wastewater treatment was applied. Hence; to determine the extent of decolorization process, the main different parameters such as pH (4-11), contact time (80 min), initial concentrations (25-400 mg/L), current density (1.9-23.1 mA/cm2), distance between gaps (1-4 cm), and effect of supporting electrolytes were evaluated. Results show that optimum conditions were 20 min of operation time, 1 cm distance between electrodes, pH equal to 4 and optimum initial concentration of dye equal to 100 mg/L as well as NaCl was identified as the best electrolyte. Under these optimum conditions and also at both aeration and non-aeration operating conditions decolorization efficiency was more than 90%. The results also demonstrated that total organic carbon removal efficiency as (TOC), during 120 min of contact time was about 80.95%. XRF analyses show that a large portion of deposited sludge (58.282%) was aluminum oxide.

Water resources pollution by uncontrolled usage of pesticides is one of the most critical health and environmental problems. However, to protect the ecosystems and to design strategy plans, it is e...

Nanogels (NGs) are three-dimensional water soluble cross-linked hydrogel materials in the nanoscale size range with a high loading capacity for guest molecules and act as drug carrier systems. In the present work, a new type of thermo/pH sensitive NG comprising salep modified graphene oxide (SMGO) with branched N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and acrylic acid (AA) was prepared. The SMGO/P(NIPAM-co-AA) NGs exhibited nanoporous structure and spherical particles with diameters about 82nm as characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The samples were also characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) to further confirm about the formation of NGs. Doxorubicin (DOX) loaded SMGO/P(NIPAM-co-AA) NGs showed thermo/pH dependent releasing behavior: slow drug release at neutral pH and lower temperature but increased significantly in acidic pH and higher temperature, without any burst release. In addition, the NGs exhibited no effect on the cell viability in the tested concentration range up to 410μg/mL and drug release systems enhanced toxicity to HeLa cells when compared to the equivalent dose of the free drug. Overall, our results put forth NGs as potential candidates in the development of a new nanocarrier for anti-cancer drug delivery.

During soymilk production, aqueous extraction conditions are utilised resulting in suboptimal protein extraction yields. This research focuses on the intensification of extraction yields from soybeans using ultrasound and understanding the reasoning behind the results. Milled soybean slurry and okara samples were treated with ultrasound using a lab-scale probe system (20 kHz, 400 W) for 0, 0.5, 1, 5 and 15 min. Ultrasound increased the protein, oil and solids extraction yield from soy slurry by ca. 10% after 1 min treatment, especially due to improved solubility and in a less extent to enhanced separation efficiency. Particles in the size range of 2–35 μm, corresponding to insoluble protein bodies in the continuous phase, were reduced in frequency but surprisingly not a stepwise decline in size upon ultrasound treatment, as shown by both laser diffraction and confocal laser scanning microscopy. No effects of ultrasound were observed on intact cells present in okara solution and soy slurries. Scanning electron microscopy could not reveal a hypothesised internal organisation of protein bodies within cells, although phytic acid stores were localised which have not been reported before. In conclusion, ultrasound has been identified as a technology with promise in soybean extraction systems where solubility requires improvement.

The oxidation of an austenitic FeCr(Ni) steel at 600 C in H2O ?KCl ? O2/H2 ? H2O ? Ar environments is studied up to 168 h. The oxidationbehaviour after ‘‘breakaway’’ is investigated by microstructural investigations, andthermodynamic calculations (Thermo-Calc) on the FeCr(Ni)–O system are used tointerpret the results. The characteristic ‘‘breakaway’’ scale morphology exhibits anoutward-growing iron oxide and a bottom layer consisting of inward-growing spineloxide and reaction zones containing Cr-rich oxide precipitates and Cr-depletedmetal. The equilibrium calculations show that a miscibility gap appears in the FeCrspinel oxide below 665 C influencing the microstructure of the inward-growingscale. Equilibrium calculations on the FeCrNi–O system show that Ni is notexpected to enter the spinel oxide in low oxygen activity conditions, in accordancewith observations QC 20230607

Red-coloured fruit juices, due to their main bioactive components such as phenolic compounds and anthocyanins, have gained much attention. Present study was focused on the evaluation of pasteurization (at 90 °C for 30 s), mild heat treatment (at 60 °C for 8 min), sonication (at amplitude level of 42.7 μm and 25 °C for 8 min) and thermosonication (at amplitude level of 42.7 μm and 60 °C for 8 min) preservation techniques, on physico-chemical and safety attributes of red grape, pomegranate and sour cherry juices. The results indicated that all four treatment methods, had insignificant effects on brix, pH and titratable acidity of the treated fruit. Furthermore, while pasteurization had significant (p

Lithium Chloride (LiCl) toxicity, mode of action and cellular responses have been the subject of active investigations over the past decades. In yeast, LiCl treatment is reported to reduce the activity and alters the expression of PGM2, a gene that encodes a phosphoglucomutase involved in sugar metabolism. Reduced activity of phosphoglucomutase in the presence of galactose causes an accumulation of intermediate metabolites of galactose metabolism leading to a number of phenotypes including growth defect. In the current study, we identify two understudied yeast genes, YTA6 and YPR096C that when deleted, cell sensitivity to LiCl is increased when galactose is used as a carbon source. The 5'-UTR of PGM2 mRNA is structured. Using this region, we show that YTA6 and YPR096C influence the translation of PGM2 mRNA.

Measuring parameters related to gas adsorption on the effective surfaces of solid samples is important in catalyst studies. Further attention on the subject has appeared due to the materials and methods required to concentrate the gaseous biomarkers for detection. The conventional methods are mainly based on the volumetric and gravimetric analyses, which are applicable to bulk samples. No standard method has yet been provided for such measurements on thin films, which are the most commonly used samples for material screening. Here, a novel method is presented for the adsorption coefficient measurement on thin-film samples. This method comprises coating of the inner walls of a microfluidic channel with the thin film under test. The recorded diffusion rates for a trace gas along this microchannel are compared with the solutions of the adsorption-diffusion equation of the channel for determining the adsorption coefficient of the gas molecule to the inner walls of the channel. The high ratio of surface-to-volume in such channels magnifies the gas sorption effects and improves accuracy. The method is fast, versatile, and cost-effective, allowing measurements at different temperatures and atmospheric pressures. The adsorption coefficients of different isomers of butanol on poly(methyl methacrylate) sheets, zinc oxide thick films, and gold thin films are determined as examples.

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are always accompanied by producing highly-reactive hydroxyl radicals (OH) with great potential for the decolorization and mineralization of organic compounds. Todays, dyestuff and pigments are considered a notorious concern for the pollution of aqueous environments. Proposing new methods to dispose of this problem is therefore essential. The present study was conducted to investigate the use of the Fenton process for removing crystal violet (CV) from aqueous solutions. The effectiveness of this method was influenced by several factors, including pH, initial concentration of the dye, different interfering ions and reaction duration. The residual concentration of the dye was determined using spectrophotometry at a maximum wavelength of about 586 nm. The data were analyzed and interpreted in Excel. The optimal pH was obtained as 3, and the optimal initial concentration and Fe/H2O2 ratio as 50 mg/L and 1:10 respectively. Given the effect of the contact duration, the minimum Fenton reaction duration was considered 30 minutes. In next step the effect of interference in the progression of the Fenton process were investigated for KCl, NaCl and NaHCO3. Moreover, the efficiency of CV decolorization was 96% under optimal conditions. Fenton can be therefore considered an appropriate process for removing CV from colored wastewater in textile industries.

Background and Aims: The aim of this study is to clarify nitric oxide (NO)-production by spleen and the importance of spleen in malaria infection in murine model. Materials and Methods: Thirty outbred NMRI female mice were divided into four groups, Group I: No intervention (Healthy control), Group II: With splenectomy (Healthy test), Group III: No intervention, Inoculation of contaminated blood (Infected control), Group IV: With splenectomy, inoculation of contaminated blood (Infected test). The Parasitemia was counted every other day through Giemsa stain examination of animal blood. The parasitemia and survival rates, hepatosplenomegaly and body weight were recorded. After terminal anesthesia, plasma and liver/spleen suspensions were assessed by the Griess micro assay for measurement of NO-levels. Results: At the end of the experiment (on day 16), the parasitemia was 26.99±0.46 % among the group of non-splenectomized animals (Group III) compared with 31.25±0.72% among the group of splenectomized animals (Group IV). The average parasitemia among the groups at the end of the experiment was statistically significant (Group III, Group IV: p= 0.0002). Survival rate was statistically significant (p

Introduction: Probiotics are non-pathogenic strains of organisms. These strains alter the microbial ecology of the gut and improve bowel function. Objectives: In this study, the researchers aimed to evaluate the effect of probiotics on reducing the duration of treatment for neonatal jaundice and the rate of readmission due to recurrence. Patients and Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 88 neonates with jaundice hospitalized for phototherapy in Kowsar hospital from April 2020 to February 2021 were studied. Eligible neonates were randomly divided into probiotic and placebo groups. Both groups received standard conventional phototherapy and the intervention group received 5 drops of probiotic until hospital discharge. The outcome variables were bilirubin, hospitalization days, and readmission. Results: The probiotic group had a significantly lower hospitalization stay in comparison to the placebo group. The hospitalization of the probiotic group was 2.43±0.82 days, while the hospitalization of the placebo group was 5.18±2.05 days. Conclusion: Using oral probiotics in neonates with jaundice has a significant effect on reducing hospitalization days and readmission. Further studies are needed with longer time follow-up. Trial Registration: The trial protocol was approved in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trial website (identifier: IRCT20191022045194N1, https://en.irct.ir/trial/43675, ethical code (#IR.QUMS.REC.1398.041).

Carbide slag generated from industrial sites can contain many organic and inorganic impurities such as toxic metals and organic compounds, which should be treated before disposal. Bioleaching using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and their combination was investigated. The effects of important factors including pH and pulp density were assessed. It was found that under optimal conditions 100% Zn, 41.9% Ba, 98.5% Ni and 97.8% Li were extracted with the mixed culture of Acidithiobacillus at pH 1 with pulp density 0.5% (w/v) after 14 days. To ensure risk reduction of the carbide waste for the soil environment, ecological risk criteria and plant seed germination potentials were evaluated. The results showed that bioleaching significantly reduced slag toxicity, and plant seed germination from leached waste was observed.

Microplastics (MPs) have recently been detected in different products and environmental samples, ranging from wastewater to drinking water, as well as in products consumed by humans. However, few studies have addressed the contamination by MPs in bottled mineral water. Therefore, in the present study, the contamination by MPs was investigated from 11 samples of popular brands of bottled mineral water in Iran. Using a staining method and stereomicroscope analysis, MPs were detected in 9 out of the 11 sample brands. The amount, shape, and color of MPs varied in different bottles. The most detected MPs were in the shape of fragment (93 %) and fiber (7%), with an average concentration of approximately 8.5 ± 10.2 particles/L. In addition, there were no MPs in 20 % of the collected samples, which was the reason for the observed high variation of SD. The presence of MPs was demonstrated by FTIR and Raman stereoscopy and the most likely polymers found were PET, PS, and PP. Finally, four scenarios were investigated for daily and annual human exposure to microplastics. The study results indicate that the human daily and annual intake were negligible when compared using Valmet textures; approximately 0.015 P/kg/bw/day and 5.35 P/kg/bw/year for adults and approximately 0.065 P/kg/bw/day and 23.43 P/kg/bw/year for children.

The purpose of this study was to develop a novel dual thermo- and pH-responsive silver nanocomposite hydrogel (SNH) for drug release applications. This smart SNH was prepared in a facile one-pot method by in situ reduction of silver ions in salep solution and then grafting of poly(vinylpyrrolidone-co-acrylic acid) onto it. The SNH was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM–EDAX), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), UV–Vis spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. The dependence of swelling properties of the prepared SNH on the reaction variables (such as monomer, Ag NO3, and cross-linker concentrations), temperature, pH, and salt was investigated. The potential of obtained SNH was examined for the deferasirox release from prepared hydrogel under different temperatures and pHs. The evaluation of release mechanism and determination of diffusion coefficients were also studied. In addition, SNH showed good antibacterial potentials. The results of this study provide valuable information regarding the development of dual stimuli-sensitive SNH for biomedical applications.

The ultrasonic velocity and density for ternary liquid mixtures containing tetrabutylammonium bromide and some inorganic salts in water as a function of electrolyte concentration were measured in the temperature range 293–318 K. These data have been used to estimate the acoustical parameters. The observed variation of these parameters helps in understanding the nature of ion-solvent and ion-ion interactions in the liquid mixtures. The results are discussed in terms of structure-making tendency of additive inorganic salts in the mixtures.

Almost all microfluidic devices operate at non-equilibrium transient conditions. Quantitative predictions regarding fluid flow within the components of such devices at the assumed conditions are a prerequisite for their systematic design. Here, we present a mathematical model for the transient dynamics of a target molecule (TM) diffusing along a microfluidic channel driven by a time-varying concentration gradient, and experimentally verify its predictions on a number of case studies. The model is the outcome of coupling the free molecular diffusion equation and Langmuir surface adsorption isotherm, both of which hold the specific geometrical and operational features of the microfluidic system at isothermal and isobar conditions. The TM flux fluctuations, caused by a sudden change in the imposed boundary conditions, are predicted to be highly uneven along the microchannel for a long time after the event. In complicated cases, such as a pulse train TM concentration modulation at the inlet of a background gas-filled microfluidic channel, the model correctly predicts the experimental results in both “diffuse-in” and “diffuse-out” conditions.

A polyacrylamide grafted onto kappa-carrageenan biopolymer (κC-g-PAAm) was successfully synthesized and employed for coating of CdS quantum dots (QDs) in aqueous solutions. The as-obtained QDs were...

Isothermal oxidation behavior of an HVAF-sprayed NiCoCrAlY coating on AISI 304L was studied in an Ar-10 %H-2-20 %H2O environment at 600 A degrees C. Techniques such as BIB/SEM, EDS, and XRD were used to comprehensively characterize the coating and the coating/substrate interface to investigate the oxidation mechanisms. Results were also compared with those obtained from an uncoated AISI 304L substrate. The alumina-forming NiCoCrAlY coating was found to exhibit superior oxidation behavior due to the formation of a slow-growing and protective Al2O3 scale, while the chromia-forming bare 304L substrate lost its protective capability due to the formation of a duplex [Fe3O4 on (Fe,Cr)(3)O-4 spinel oxide] corrosion product layer.

Liquid−liquid equilibrium data and phase diagram corresponding to new (salt + salt) aqueous biphasic system composed of tetra-n-butylammonium bromide and trisodium citrate were determined by varying temperature and atmospheric pressure. The effects of temperature and salt induced on the binodals and tie-lines of the investigated ATPS were also studied. It was found that an increase in temperature caused the expansion of the two-phase region and increased the slope and the length of the tie line. In order to obtain further evidence about the salting-out effect produced by the addition of trisodium citrate, Na3Cit to an aqueous solution of water-miscible tetra-n-butylammonium bromide, volumetric and compressibility behavior have been measured at temperatures (298.15 K–318.15 K). The densities and speeds of sound data have been utilized to calculate apparent molar volumes, Vϕ, the apparent molar isentropic compressibility, κϕ, the values of the apparent molar quantity at infinite dilution, V ϕ ο , κ ϕ ο and partial molar characteristics include the volume and compressibility of transfer at infinite dilution, Δ t Y ϕ ο , TBAB from pure water to the aqueous salt solution.

A novel CdTe quantum dots (QDs) were prepared in aqueous phase via a facile method. At first, poly (acrylic amide) grafted onto sodium alginate (PAAm-g-SA) were successfully synthesized and then TGA capped CdTe QDs (CdTe-TGA QDs) were embed into it. The prepared CdTe-PAAm-g-SA QDs were optimized and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermo-gravimetric (TG) analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. The characterization results indicated that CdTe-TGA QDs, with particles size of 2.90 nm, were uniformly dispersed on the chains of PAAm-g-SA biopolymer. CdTe-PAAm-g-SA QDs also exhibited excellent UV-vis absorption and high fluorescence intensity. To explore biological behavior of CdTe-PAAm-g-SA QDs, the interactions between CdTe-PAAm-g-SA QDs and human serum albumin (HSA) (or bovine serum albumin (BSA)) were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, FT-IR, UV-vis, and fluorescence spectroscopic. The results confirmed the formation of CdTe-PAAm-g-SA QDs-HSA (or BSA) complex with high binding affinities. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔG

Density and sound speed measurements have been carried out for the ternary systems consisting of tetra-n-butyl ammonium bromide (TBAB) in 0.1 m aqueous magnesium sulphate heptahydrate (MgSO4.7H2O)-water over the full range of composition from T = 293.15 to 318.15 K by using volumetric method. Using this experimental data, various physical and thermodynamical parameters such as adiabatic compressibility, apparent molal compressibility, apparent molal volume, apparent and limiting partial molar volumes of the electrolytes and ions in these mixtures have been evaluated and split into respective ionic contributions. The results have been discussed in terms of ion–ion and ion–solvent interactions occurring between TBAB and aqueous MgSO4 solutions. Further, structure making/breaking behaviour of MgSO4 has been reported in terms of sign of the partial molar expansibility at infinite dilution.

This article aimed to demonstrate solution hospital wastewater due to more consumption of antibiotics, public concern has been significantly increased for usage, fates and occurrences of these emerging compounds in the environments and biota. Therefore, it does need more discoveries about occurrences and new treatment methods. Since the conventional treatment methods are low efficient on antibiotics, integration and combination of biological systems together or with an additional process has been shown that provided a better result. However, here, the potential of a full scale combined treating system with activated sludge-scoria biofilter (ASSB) was investigated for removal of ceftriaxone (CEF) and amoxicillin (AMX). To determine the potential biodegradability of proposed system, the solid-water distribution coefficient (Kd) was calculated. Overally, 118 samples were collected from three points; wastewater entering, exiting the activated sludge, and exiting the biofilter. To determine the amount of CEF and AMX antibiotics, the samples were analyzed using HPLC-UV. The results showed that the activated sludge system were able to eliminate the AMX and CEF antibiotics about 70.36 and 84.49%, respectively. In compare to activated sludge, the average mean of ASSB system for the removal efficiency were 87.53% (for AMX) and 93.17% (for CEF), respectively. As a result, it can be found that the efficiency of the combined activated sludge-biofilter system in removing of the low levels of antibiotics was more than individual activated system. The result of Kd revealed that AMX (with a Kd about 0.172) has lower tendency to biomass rather than CEF (with a Kd about 0.512). The ecological toxicity assessment guaranteed there is no risk for fish and daphnia when the activated sludge and also ASSB effluents to be discharged into the environment even without any diluting.