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The addition of surfactants and nanoparticles in minimizing wax deposition related problems such as flow assurance is considered an attractive alternative among other techniques but limited researches have been carried out in investigating the method. High viscosity crude oil needs to be treated with viscosity reducer to facilitate transportation and processing. In this study, the efficiency of the viscosity reducer, a Gemini surfactant 2,5,8,11 Tetramethyl 6 dodecyn-5,8 Diol Ethoxylate, three different nanoparticles: silicon dioxide (SiO2), tin oxide (SnO) and nickel (III) oxide (Ni2O3) and their novel blends at different range of concentration, temperature, shear rate and surfactant/nanoparticle loading ratio are assessed in order to study their influence on the viscosity of Malaysian crude oil using Brookfield DV-III viscometer. The separate use of Gemini surfactant and nanoparticles alone resulted in significant reduction in crude oil viscosity. The combined use of Gemini surfactant and nanoparticles showed better performance as compared to their corresponding individual use. The presence of surfactant improves the adsorption of nanoparticles by functionalizing their surfaces. Adsorption and adhesion of wax molecules onto the surface of nanoparticles and surfactants prevents them from aggregating. This results in increment in viscosity reduction. Overall, the viscosity of crude oil was reduced about 85–92% at 10 ℃ with the aid of Gemini surfactant and nanoparticles. The highest viscosity reduction obtained was 92.8% using the blend of Gemini surfactant and silicon dioxide. The findings of the study are expected to contribute to the crude oil industry in improving flow in production and transportation.

The research on jute fiber reinforced polymer composites is an emergent concern with the development of new materials due to their significant properties like economical, partially biodegradable, and environment friendly. It is wondered that the hydrophilic nature of jute fiber negatively affects the interfacial interaction with hydrophobic polymeric materials in the composite, which then affects the resultant mechanical, microstructural and physico-chemical absorption properties. In order to overcome this fact, researchers have carried out some techniques for fiber surface chemical treatments. On the other hand, due to the low processing costs and design flexibility, thermoplastics deal many benefits over thermoset polymers, and polyethylene shows excellent processing behaviors such as low density, low cost, considerable flex life, outstanding surface hardness, scratch resistance and good electrical insulator. Besides the traditional thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers, montmorillonite nanoclay is also receiving attention to manufacturing fiber polymer nanocomposites for industrial and household applications as well. This review is considered to highlight the progress of jute fiber reinforced polymer nanocomposites. The study also focuses on the several features of jute polymer composites and nanocomposites as a function of fiber chemical treatments.

Melastoma malabathricum (M. malabathricum) extracts have been reported to exert various pharmacological activities including antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative activities. The objective of the present study was to determine the anticarcinogenic activity of its methanol extract (MEMM) against the azoxymethane (AOM)-induced early colon carcinogenesis in rats. Rats were randomly assigned to five groups (n=6) namely normal control, negative control, and treatment (50, 250 or 500 mg/kg of MEMM) groups. Colon tissues were harvested for histopathological analysis and endogenous antioxidant system determination. MEMM was also subjected to HPLC analysis. Findings showed that MEMM significantly (p

Carboxyl (−COOH)-stabilized iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) synthesized through co-precipitation were used to modify an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode, which was chemically functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) for heavy metal detection. The effect of soaking time (30, 60, 90, and 120 min) of IONP-COOH self-assembled on an APTES-ITO electrode was studied. Cyclic voltammetry and scanning electron microscopy were applied to analyze the electrochemical properties and morphologies of IONP-COOH/APTES-ITO modified electrode. The modified electrodes were then employed for the simultaneous detection of Cd(II) and Pb(II) by using square wave anodic stripping voltammetry. At 90 min of soaking time, excellent electrochemical performance and larger effective surface area (Ae) were obtained. The linear range for the simultaneous detection of Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions using the modified electrode was 10–100 ppb with limits of detection of 0.90 and 0.60 ppb, respectively. The interference study revealed a low interference effect from Cr(III), Hg(II), Zn(II), Cu(II), Mg(II), Na(I), and K(I) toward the simultaneous detection of Cd(II) and Pb(II). Finally, the IONP-COOH/APTES-ITO-modified electrode was applied to analyze seawater samples and was able to simultaneously detect Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions.

Mitochondria are considered to be the powerhouse of the cell. Normal functioning of the mitochondria is not only essential for cellular energy production but also for several immunomodulatory processes. Macrophages operate in metabolic niches and rely on rapid adaptation to specific metabolic conditions such as hypoxia, nutrient limitations, or reactive oxygen species to neutralize pathogens. In this regard, the fast reprogramming of mitochondrial metabolism is indispensable to provide the cells with the necessary energy and intermediates to efficiently mount the inflammatory response. Moreover, mitochondria act as a physical scaffold for several proteins involved in immune signaling cascades and their dysfunction is immediately associated with a dampened immune response. In this review, we put special focus on mitochondrial function in macrophages and highlight how mitochondrial metabolism is involved in macrophage activation.

Streptococcus agalactiae serotype distribution and its antibiotic susceptibility affect disease prevention strategies, but the serotype distribution varies among patient groups. The objectives of this study were to establish the group B Streptococcus (GBS) serotype distribution in patients from Egypt and to assess antibiotic sensitivity of invasive GBS isolates. A total of 490 patients participated in this multicenter study; 160 had urinary tract infection, 115 complained of diabetic foot ulcers, 125 men had genital tract infections, and 30 women females had genital tract infections. Others had bronchopneumonia, otitis media, synovitis, or meningitis. Serotyping of the isolated GBS was performed at the CDC in the United States. Antibiotic sensitivity patterns were determined using the disk diffusion method. In men, the most common serotypes were II, III, and V, whereas types Ia, II, III, and V were isolated from women. Macrolides (erythromycin) resistance occurred in 4.1% of the isolates; 10.2% were resistant to both clindamycin and inducible resistance of macrolides, lincomycin, and streptogramin; 17.3% were resistant to quinolones; and 95.9% were resistant to tetracyclines. GBS primarily infected the urinary tract, skin, soft tissue, and genital tract in both genders. Isolates were sensitive to beta-lactam drugs, vancomycin, and linezolid; 14.0% were resistant to macrolides with or without clindamycin. Only 6.0% of the strains were sensitive to tetracyclines. Although GBS causes invasive infections in Egyptian adults, it rarely causes neonatal meningitis or sepsis. Future studies should determine whether GBS isolates are transmitted sexually, by performing a follow-up study of the partner of the infected patient.

The isotopic composition of water in Earth’s oceans is challenging to recreate using a plausible mixture of known extraterrestrial sources such as asteroids—an additional isotopically light reservoir is required. The Sun’s solar wind could provide an answer to balance Earth’s water budget. We used atom probe tomography to directly observe an average ~1 mol% enrichment in water and hydroxyls in the solar-wind-irradiated rim of an olivine grain from the S-type asteroid Itokawa. We also experimentally confirm that H+ irradiation of silicate mineral surfaces produces water molecules. These results suggest that the Itokawa regolith could contain ~20 l m−3 of solar-wind-derived water and that such water reservoirs are probably ubiquitous on airless worlds throughout our Galaxy. The production of this isotopically light water reservoir by solar wind implantation into fine-grained silicates may have been a particularly important process in the early Solar System, potentially providing a means to recreate Earth’s current water isotope ratios. Water and hydroxyl enrichment in the solar-wind-irradiated rim of an olivine grain from asteroid Itokawa suggests that its regolith could contain ~20 l m−3 of water from solar wind—a potential water source for airless planetary bodies.

In the present work we have explored a new catalyst prepared with Algerian clay and a new method to synthesise polystyrene and poly(1,3-dioxolane). This technique consists of using Algerian modified clay (Kaolinite-H+) as a green catalyst. Kaolinite-H+ is a proton exchanged clay which is prepared through a simple exchange process. Synthesis experiments are performed in bulk. The polymerization of styrene in bulk leads to the yield of 83 % at room temperature with the reaction time of 3 h. Molecular weight of the obtained polystyrene is calculated by 1H NMR and is about 2196 g/mol. Polymerization of (1,3-dioxolane) is carried out at room temperature with the reaction time of 3 h and polymerization yield of 91 %. The calculated molecular weight of the obtained poly(1,3-dioxolane) is about 573 g/mol. The structure of the obtained polymers is confirmed by FT-IR and 1H NMR. The modified clay (Kaolinite-H+) is characterized by FT-IR, XRD and SEM analysis.

Purpose In this work, the blends of poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA and poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic acid monoethyl ester), PMVEMA-ES are studied as organic coatings to evaluate the impact of intermolecular hydrogen bonding on the physical and thermal characteristics of the prepared coatings. Design/methodology/approach PMMA (Mw = 120,000 g mol-1) was chosen as our binder material. Due to the low adhesion property of PMMA on polar substrates, it was blended with PMVEMA-ES, which contains polar –COOH groups, to improve the adhesion and thermal properties of the coatings by forming intermolecular hydrogen bonds. A cross-hatch adhesion test was carried out to evaluate the adhesion strength of different ratios of PMMA/PMVEMA-ES blends as coatings. In addition, changes in the glass-transition temperature, Tg as the composition varies were studied using Differential Scanning Calorimetry, DSC. Then, glossiness and hiding power tests were also conducted to evaluate the physical properties of the prepared coatings. Findings Upon a closer look at the DSC results, it was found that blends consisting of 12.5, 25.0 and 87.5 wt. % PMMA were completely compatible due to the presence of only a single Tg in their thermograms. Other blend compositions showed two distinct Tgs, indicating partial compatibility. Furthermore, the addition of PMVEMA-ES caused the Tg of PMMA to shift to lower temperatures, a strong indication of intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions between the two components. From the cross-hatch adhesion results, the addition of PMVEMA-ES improved the adhesion properties of PMMA coating, except for blends consisting of 62.5 and 75.0 wt. % PMMA possibly due to the partial incompatibility between the two components. These findings were further corroborated with the results of glossiness and hiding power measurements. The superior result was seen for the blend consisting of 12.5 wt. % PMMA with strong adhesion property, high glossiness, compatibility and high translucency. Practical implications PMVEMA-ES can potentially be used as an adhesion promoter in PMMA-based coating formulations. Originality/value This is the first report on the properties of PMMA/PMVEMA-ES blends as coatings.

Background Liver cirrhosis is a diffuse process in which the anatomical structure and function of the liver are disturbed. Lipid metabolism occurs mainly in the hepatocytes. In liver cirrhosis, it is expected to detect abnormal lipid profile and abnormal neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio due to necro-inflammation and hepatocyte dysfunction. This study aimed to estimate the lipid profile in patients with liver cirrhosis and to assess its relation to the severity of the liver disease based on Child-Pugh Turcotte score and Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR). Methods: This study included 500 cirrhotic patients. All patients are subjected to history taking, clinical examination, liver and renal function tests, lipid profile, and also abdomino-pelvic ultrasound. Child -Pugh score, fibrosis-4 score (FIB4), and neutrophil and platelet lymphocyte ratio were calculated. Results: A total of 500 patients were enrolled in this study; 12 patients were excluded (two patients were on the immunosuppressive drug, three patients had body mass index (BMI) >30, and seven patients took lipid-lowering drugs). Cholesterol level was significantly higher in patients with Child- Score A than B and C. Cholesterol, Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol were significantly higher in Child B than C. A significant negative correlation was found between cholesterol level and each of FIB4 and NLR ratios. Conclusion: There was a significant negative correlation between the severity of liver cirrhosis and lipid profiles (except triglyceride), FIB4 and NLR ratio.

The current study aimed to examine the quality of breast milk in Kenitra city (Morocco), regarding its levels of essential elements Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), and Zinc (Zn) and heavy metals chromium (...

Research on atrazine has expanded over the past decade. Studies focussing on the adverse effects of atrazine, methods for atrazine removal, and evaluation of water quality have been conducted. Atra...

Rotifers are widely used as a live prey for finfish larvae, although their content in minerals such as selenium and zinc is lower than in fish. In the present study, mixed microalgae (i.e., Isochrysis aff. galbana and Nannochloropsis oculata) were enriched with different amounts of Se and Zn either alone (45, 90, and 135 mg L−1 of Zn, 60, 120, and 180 mg L−1 of Se) or mixed (22.5, 45, and 90 mg Zn L−1 and 30, 60, and 120 mg Se L−1). The content of minerals in the microalgae was analysed after 1 and 3 h enrichment and their effect on the growth and mineral composition of the rotifer. Based on the results, 1 h enrichment time and 90 and 120 mg L−1 of Zn and Se, respectively, resulted in the highest amount of Se and Zn in enriched microalgae. The maximum Zn content was detected in the rotifers fed 90 mg L−1 Zn and 90 mg L−1 Zn +120 mg L−1 of Se, but the maximum Se was observed in rotifers fed with 120 and 180 mg L−1 Se. Thus, Se- and Zn-enriched rotifers can be used as a mineral delivery method to cover marine fish larvae nutritional requirements. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

International audience; A dimethyldihydropyrene (DHP) photochromic unit has been functionalized by donor (triphenylamine group) and acceptor (methyl-pyridinium) substituents. This compound was characterized by NMR, absorption and emission spectroscopies as well as cyclic voltammetry and its properties were rationalized by theoretical calculations. The incorporation of both electron donor and withdrawing groups on the photochromic center allows i) an efficient photo-isomerization of the system when illuminated at low energy (quantum yield: Фc-o = 13.3% at λex.= 660 nm), ii) the reversible and quantitative formation of two endoperoxyde isomers when illuminated under aerobic conditions at room temperature and iii) the storage and production of singlet oxygen. The photo-isomerization mechanism was also investigated by spin-flip TD-DFT (SF-TD-DFT) calculations.

Breast milk is an emerging matrix for vitamin D assessment of breastfed infants and their mothers. It is considered a more reliable indicator of infant intake than the assessment of maternal circulating vitamin D. With the improved sensitivity of mass spectrometry-based technologies, this method principle has been the recent mainstay for the quantitation of various vitamin D metabolites in breast milk for population-based clinical trials. There are still several areas across the total testing process (pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical) to be defined and harmonised to translate breast milk vitamin D measurement by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) from population-based research to routine clinical use and public health applications. Pre-analytically, the determination of the best form of vitamin D to measure in breast milk requires more evidence. Analytically, standardisation of the methods to allow for comparability of results is required. Post analytically, breast milk vitamin D decision limits are needed to turn the individual numerical outputs into clinically meaningful results. This review aims to synthesise the current evidence and utility of measurement of breast milk vitamin D by LC-MS/MS and to lead a future discussion on best practices to allow for its clinical utility beyond its current research-based use.

A simple and accurate spectrophotometric method to assay p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) has been suggested. The method based on the diazotization of PABA via reaction with nitrite ions which liberated in the medium through the reaction of sodium nitrite with hydrochloric acid, then coupling the dizotised-PABA(D-PABA)with 1-naphthylamine -7-sulphonic acid (1-NASA) to form an intense colored pink azo dye ,it is water-soluble , very stable and has a maximum absorbance at 525 nm. The absorbance was increase with the increasing of PABA amounts in the solution, and the linearity from 2.5 to70 µg in 10 ml (0.25to7 µg.ml-1).The molar absorptivity and Sandell ҆s sensitivity values have been calculated they equal to 3.6057x104 L.mol-1 cm -1 and 0.0037993 µg. cm-2 respectively. The two values above demonstrated a good sensitivity of the suggested method. The method has been used in estimated PABA resulted from analysis of folic acid in tablet.

Background. Hatikana is a traditional medicinal plant used to treat inflammation, urolithiasis, goiter, cancer, wounds and sores, gastrointestinal, tumor, tetanus, arthritis, hepatic damage, neurodegeneration, and other ailments. The goal of this study is to investigate the antidiabetic properties of Hatikana extract (HKEx) and to construct the effects of its natural constituents on the genes and biochemical indices that are connected with them. Methods. HKEx was evaluated using GC-MS and undertaken for a three-week intervention in fructose-fed STZ-induced Wistar albino rats at the doses of HKEx50, HKEx100, and HKEx200 mg/kg bw. Following intervention, blood serum was examined for biochemical markers, and liver tissue was investigated for the mRNA expression of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD1) by RTPCR analysis. Most abundant compounds (oleanolic acid, 7α, 28-olean diol, and stigmasterol) from GC-MS were chosen for the network pharmacological assay to verify function-specific gene-compound interactions using STITCH, STRING, GSEA, and Cytoscape plugin cytoHubba. Results. In vivo results showed a significant ( P < 0.05 ) decrease of blood sugar, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatinine kinase (CK-MB), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and increase of liver glycogen, glucose load, and serum insulin. Out of three antioxidative genes, catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD1) were found to be few fold increased. Oleanolic acid and stigmasterol were noticed to strongly interact with 27 target proteins. Oleanolic acid interacted with the proteins AKR1B10, CASP3, CASP8, CYP1A2, CYP1A2, HMGB1, NAMPT, NFE2L2, NQO1, PPARA, PTGIR, TOP1, TOP2A, UGT2B10, and UGT2B11 and stigmasterol with ABCA1, ABCG5, ABCG8, CTSE, HMGCR, IL10, CXCL8, NR1H2, NR1H3, SLCO1B1, SREBF2, and TNF. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis revealed the involvement of 25 target proteins out of twenty seven. Cytoscape plugin cytoHubba identified TNF, CXCL8, CASP3, PPARA, SREBF2, and IL10 as top hub genes. Pathway analysis identified 31 KEGG metabolic, signaling, and immunogenic pathways associated with diabetes. Notable degree of PPI enrichment showed that SOD1 and CAT are responsible for controlling signaling networks and enriched pathways. Conclusion. The findings show that antioxidative genes have regulatory potential, allowing the HKEx to be employed as a possible antidiabetic source pending further validation.

Background: Calcium hydroxide is the gold standard medicament for root canal treatment. Enterococcus faecalis, the primary cause of intraradicular persistent endodontic infection, is often identified even after endodontic treatment. Thymoquinone, an active ingredient of Nigella sativa, has an antimicrobial effect on both gram-negative and positive bacteria, including E. faecalis. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of calcium hydroxide combined with Nigella sativa extract and determine the best ratio for the combined material. Methods: This is an experimental study comprised of six groups (n = 4 per group) based on the material and its ratio, namely; (1) calcium hydroxide; (2) Nigella sativa extract; and groups of the combination of calcium hydroxide and Nigella sativa extract with a ratio (3) 70:30, (4) 50:50, (5) 30:70, (6) 10:90. The inhibitory effect against E. faecalis was evaluated by the agar well diffusion method in Muller–Hinton agar. Observation of the inhibitory zone was performed on the first, third, and seventh days. The collected data were analysed by a one-way ANOVA and LSD post hoc test. Results: Calcium hydroxide has the highest inhibitory effect, and the combination of Nigella sativa extract with calcium hydroxide ratio 50:50 was second. The inhibitory zone of these two groups was significantly higher than in any other group (p

Herein, preparation and application of amine functionalized silica (NH2-SiO2)–supported Cu-Ni nanocatalyst are reported. Cu-Ni nanoparticles (NPs) are doped on the NH2-SiO2 support via in situ simultaneous reduction of Cu and Ni ions. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern revealed the face-centered-cubic (fcc) crystalline alloy structure of Cu-Ni NPs in the NH2-SiO2/Cu-Ni nanocatalyst. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses showed that anchored Cu-Ni NPs contained Cu0 and Cu2+ species, while Ni was present at its bivalent state (Ni2+). In comparison to the unsupported Cu-Ni bimetal NPs, the supported NH2-SiO2/Cu-Ni nanocatalyst showed superior catalytic activity in chemical reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP), giving 98.5% conversion at pH 6 within 15 min. The kinetics preferably followed the pseudo-first-order rate model. The NH2-SiO2/Cu-Ni nanocatalyst is recoverable magnetically from the reaction media and can be recycled up to six cycles without much loss in catalytic activity.

BACKGROUND The use of cosmetic products is considered a necessity for beautification in our daily lives. Cosmetic products composed of natural oils or fats as a main ingredient for various beneficial properties. Fats and oils are composed of various type of fatty acids with different compositions. Hence, fatty acids profile can be an effective chemical fingerprint for authentication analysis of cosmetic products. OBJECTIVE This systematic review aims to enlighten the current detection tools developing for fatty acids profile authentication analyses of cosmetic ingredients based on the effectiveness, halal status, safety, advantages and disadvantages of the methods. METHODOLOGY The data were extracted from the scientific literatures published between October 2015 and 2020 in the Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar databases, and analyzed with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). FINDINGS Based on the systemic literature reviews, essential oil, argan oil, mineral oil, vegetable oil, and jojoba oil were among the mostly studied ingredients in cosmetics. Furthermore, a combination of more than one analytical instrument was utilized to profile fatty acids while the determination of the origin of the fatty acids is under scrutiny. The portable mass spectrometer combined with a direct inlet membrane (DIM) probe seems to be the best tool in terms of time consumption, cost, requires no sample preparation with high efficiency. The current review showed that the best cosmetic base is when the oil is composed of high concentration of fatty acids such as linoleic, oleic, stearic acid, and palmitic acids with concentration range from 19.7 - 46.30%, which offers various beneficial properties to cosmetic products.

Purpose: Nitrogen (N) cycle is one of the key biogeochemical cycles in terrestrial ecosystems. Global climate change and soil management practices have disrupted the soil N cycling processes due to increased water and N limitations. Biochar is a soil amendment and improves soil–plant water and N retentions. However, it is uncertain to what extent biochar pyrolysis temperature would affect soil N transformations under two soil moisture regimes. This study aimed to explore how pyrolysis temperature would affect biochar properties and subsequently soil N transformations through a short-term laboratory incubation study at two moisture levels. Materials and methods: An incubation study was carried out for 5 days. Biochar added to the soil at a rate of 5% (w/w) was produced under six different pyrolysis temperatures (e.g., 500, 600, 650, 700, 750, and 850 °C). We used 15N natural abundance (δ15N) of inorganic N (NH4+-N and NO3−-N) to assess the potential of biochar materials in facilitating forest soil N transformations at two different soil moisture levels of 50% and 65% water holding capacity (WHC). Results and discussion: Pyrolysis temperature significantly increased cumulative nitrification and N mineralization initially, peaked between 600 and 700 °C and decreased thereafter. However, both cumulative nitrification and N mineralization were significantly lower in the biochar-amended soils than those of the control soil, with significantly lower δ15N of NH4+-N and δ15N of NO3−-N. The 65% WHC had higher cumulative nitrification and N mineralization compared with those in 50% WHC. This study highlights that application of biochar would reduce N losses and improve soil N retention particularly for forest soil. Conclusions: The present study highlights the importance of biochar pyrolysis temperatures for their use as soil conditioner to increase soil N retention. An optimum pyrolysis temperature range of 600–700 °C was identified for improving soil nitrification and N mineralization under the laboratory incubation conditions.

Background: Patients, their families and the community suffer a heavy burden when it comes to asthma because it is both common and possibly life-threatening. It has been postulated that arachidonic acid's most prevalent cyclooxygenase metabolite, prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), is a mast cell activation marker in asthma. Objective: To evaluate association between PGDR-441 polymorphism with risk factors, laboratory characteristics, and severity of asthma in children. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, Forty Egyptian children were genotyped using allele specific polymerase chain reaction (AS-PCR) to assess single nucleotide polymorphism of PTGDR2 receptors. Selected cases were classified according to GINA guidelines and spirometrically assessed to evaluate pulmonary functions. Results: There is significant difference between mild, moderate and severe asthma regarding total IgE level(P1

Large doses of ionizing radiation delivered to tumors at ultra-high dose rates (i.e., in a few milliseconds) paradoxically spare the surrounding healthy tissue while preserving anti-tumor activity (compared with conventional radiotherapy delivered at much lower dose rates). This new modality is known as “FLASH radiotherapy” (FLASH-RT). Although the molecular mechanisms underlying FLASH-RT are not yet fully understood, it has been suggested that radiation delivered at high dose rates spares normal tissue via oxygen depletion followed by subsequent radioresistance of the irradiated tissue. To date, FLASH-RT has been studied using electrons, photons, and protons in various basic biological experiments, pre-clinical studies, and recently in a human patient. However, the efficacy of heavy ions, such as energetic carbon ions, under FLASH-RT conditions remains unclear. Given that living cells and tissues consist mainly of water, we set out to study, from a pure radiation chemistry perspective, the effects of ultra-high dose rates on the transient yields and concentrations of radiolytic species formed in water irradiated by 300-MeV per nucleon carbon ions (LET ∼ 11.6 keV/µm). This mimics irradiation in the “plateau” region of the depth–dose distribution of ions, i.e., in the “normal” tissue region in which the LET is rather low. We used Monte Carlo simulations of multiple, simultaneously interacting radiation tracks together with an “instantaneous pulse” irradiation model. Our calculations show a pronounced oxygen depletion around 0.2 μs, strongly suggesting, as with electrons, photons, and protons, that irradiation with energetic carbon ions at ultra-high dose rates is suitable for FLASH-RT.

The aim of this work was to study the effect of milk supplementation with lactoferrin on the rheological and sensory properties of yogurt and to evaluate the efficiency of lactoferrin-fortified yogurt in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia (IDA), microcytic hypochromic anemia, in children. For this purpose, yogurt was manufactured from milk fortified with commercial lactoferrin and the yogurt sensory characteristics, pH and concentration of lactic acid of supplemented yogurts, were determined throughout the shelf-life period storage (7 days) at 4°C and compared with a control yogurt. Furthermore, the use of lactoferrin-fortified yogurt in treatment of IDA in comparison to commercial lactoferrin alone (lactoferrin dissolved in water) were assessed with 20 children (2–5 years old) suffering from IDA. Children were divided into two groups (A and B), 10 children each. Group A received lactoferrin-fortified yogurt while, group B received commercial lactoferrin dissolved in water. The blood cells indices, Hb, HCT, MCV, TLC, Platelets, Serum iron, Serum ferritin, TIBC and Transferrin were analyzed before and after treatment for each group. The results showed that manufactured fortified yogurt was firm, with acceptable sensory properties and the Hb and red blood cell indices significantly improved in patients received lactoferrin-fortified yogurt even than patients received lactoferrin only. This study concluded that lactoferrin addition had no significant effect on yogurt manufacture and the yogurt produced from milk fortified with lactoferrin had a vital supportive treatment for the management of IDA in children.

Cosensitization of the semiconducting electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs), with two or more light-harvesting dyes, is a chemical fabrication method that aims to achieve a panchromatic absorption spectrum emulating that of the solar emission spectrum. In this paper, SQ02 and BP-2 cosensitizers have been investigated, as isolated monomers/dimer and adsorbed monomers/dimer on the TiO2 (101) anatase surface, by employing density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT calculations. Computed results showed that the dominant electron injection pathway is direct injection from each dye into the conduction band of TiO2. The almost complete spectral overlap between the simulated absorption spectrum of BP-2 and fluorescence emissions of SQ02 implies that excitation energy transfer occurs between cosensitizers via the trivial reabsorption mechanism. However, the results showed very limited unidirectional intermolecular charge transfer (CT) from SQ02 dye to BP-2 dye (0.04 |e-|). Therefore, this study also presents a stepwise molecular engineering of BP-2 dye, aiming at optimizing the cosensitization functionality. First, 14 redesigned dye candidates are reported to identify dyes with photophysical properties matching the requirements for efficient DSCs. Second, the four most promising dyes are shortlisted for testing as cosensitizers with the SQ02 dye. The molecular design factors of cosensitization that need validation are chemical compatibility, availability of CT between cosensitizers, and complementarity of the absorption spectra. This screening suggests the judicious choice of the modeled difluorenyl amine donor-based dye (BP-D4) as a very promising cosensitizer. In particular, the SQ02/BP-D4 dimer showed 10 times larger (0.53 |e-|) unidirectional CT than that of SQ02/BP-2 dimer, in addition to the maximum increased electron population of acceptor moieties upon photoexcitation.

The interaction between methyl ester sulfonate (MES) surfactant and polyacrylamide (PAM) polymer in alkaline-surfactant-polymer (ASP) flooding due to electrostatic charges and hydrophobicity of both elements at the interface was investigated. In the ASP flooding, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) were used as alkali. At high PAM concentrations, the strong hydrophobic interaction between the PAM backbone and the carbon chain of MES destabilizes surfactant packing at the interface, increasing interfacial tension (IFT). The higher conductivity value of the ASP slug (15 mS/cm) compared to the alkali-surfactant (AS) slug (7 mS/cm) indicates a strong electrostatic interaction caused by the rapid mobilization of free surfactant molecules across the PAM backbone at the water-oil interface. The lowest IFT value for ASP flooding was 0.28 mN/m. Sand pack flooding tests showed that the optimum PAM concentration in ASP flooding was 1,000 ppm, resulting in a 20–35% oil recovery. A negative effect of PAM on the oil recovery was observed at a higher PAM concentration of 9,000 ppm. IFT and mobility ratios were irregularly related to the oil recovery. At 1,000 ppm PAM, the oil recovery for ASP slug with MES and commercial surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was 25% and 20%, respectively, indicating that MES is superior to SDS.

Controlling the release rate of the nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) for the soil fertilized can enhance the fertilizer efficiency and reduce the drawback for the environmental. In this work, a novel slow-release organo-mineral fertilizer was produced from the vinasse, which was blended with the NPK and the chitosan-bentonite matrix. The NPK used as additional nutrients source and the chitosan-bentonite matrix was performed as a barrier to prevent the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium from a rapid dissolving. The NPK release rate was measured and analyzed after 3, 6, 9, and 12 days using the incubation method and leaching test. The most efficient release rate was obtained when a dry vinasse mixed with 9% NPK and 5% chitosan-bentonite matrix with the ratio of 8:2. The vinasse-based slow-release of organo-mineral fertilizer (SR-OMF) was compared to the vinasse organo-mineral fertilizer (OMF). The result indicated that the NPK release rate in the vinasse-based SR-OMF was lower compared to that in the vinasse OMF.

Carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are promising materials for non-metallic pipe applications in the oil and gas industry owing to their high corrosion resistance, specific strength and stiffness. However, CFRP has poor gas barrier performance meaning that a liner has to be inserted. Graphene-based nanomaterials have been demonstrated to improve gas barrier properties in thermoplastic polymers, and thus, a CFRP–graphene hybrid composite could provide an alternative to lined pipes. In this work, a method combining spray coating with vacuum-assisted resin infusion was developed to fabricate CFRP hybrid composites with preferred in-plane aligned graphene nanoplatelets. Tensile and flexural properties, as well as CO2 gas permeability, were evaluated. It was illustrated that both tensile and flexural properties performed better under relatively low GNP loadings ( Graphical abstract

Sweet pepper is one of the most important nutritious vegetable and its demand is increasing day by day in Bangladesh indicating need to characterize and assess morphological variability for varietal improvement programme. Twenty-one sweet pepper genotypes from native and alien sources were characterized for twenty-six morphological traits using vegetative and reproductive appearances at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh from October 2018 to March 2019. Marked variation was exhibited among twenty-six qualitative traits (26) studied. Twenty-two (22) characters showed undeniable variation among the genotypes. The presence of higher percentage (61.90%) of light purple color at node were observed indicated high amount of anthocyanin content. Leaf shape is used as genotypes identifier at vegetative stage and herein three types of leaves were found with dark green color (76.19%) that is highly correlates with yield. In case of flower, same level of stigma exertion (61.90%) with 100% white color corolla indicates higher number of fruit sett were exhibited. Entire genotypes exerted one or more exclusive characters especially fruit shape and color in Bangladesh perspective which could be used as an important breeding tools. Fruit color was observed in various categories at intermediate and mature stage as for instance yellow, green, purple, orange, red etc. in addition higher percentage of blocky fruit shape (38.09%) were observed and these are the consumer fascinating attributes of sweet pepper. However, selection of genotypes with desirable morphological trait can be used for their exploitation of future breeding programme.

ConspectusPathogens have long presented a significant threat to human lives, and hence the rapid detection of infectious pathogens is vital for improving human health. Current detection methods lack the means to detect infectious pathogens in a simple, rapid, and reliable manner at the time and point of need. Functional nucleic acids (FNAs) have the potential to overcome these limitations by acting as key components for point-of-care (POC) biosensors due to their distinctive advantages that include high binding affinities and specificities, excellent chemical stability, ease of synthesis and modification, and compatibility with a variety of signal-amplification and signal-transduction mechanisms.This Account summarizes the work completed in our groups toward developing FNA-based biosensors for detecting bacteria. In vitro selection has led to the isolation of many RNA-cleaving fluorogenic DNAzymes (RFDs) and DNA aptamers that can recognize infectious pathogens, including Escherichia coli, Clostridium difficile, Helicobacter pylori, and Legionella pneumophila. In most cases, a "many-against-many" approach was employed using a DNA library against a crude cellular mixture of an infectious pathogen containing diverse biomarkers as the target to isolate RFDs, with combined counter and positive selections ensuring high specificity toward the desired target. This procedure allows for the isolation of pathogen-specific FNAs without first identifying a suitable biomarker. Multiple target-specific DNA aptamers, including anti-glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) circular aptamers, anti-degraded toxin B aptamers, and anti-RNase HII aptamers, have also been isolated for the detection of bacteria such as Clostridium difficile. The isolated FNAs have been integrated into fluorescent, colorimetric, and electrochemical biosensors using various signal transduction mechanisms. Both simple-to-use paper-based analytical devices and hand-held electrical devices with integrated FNAs have been developed for POC applications. In addition, signal-amplification strategies, including DNA catenane enabled rolling circle amplification (RCA), DNAzyme feedback RCA, and an all-DNA amplification system using a four-way junction and catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA), have been designed and applied to these systems to further increase their detection sensitivity. The use of these FNA-based biosensors to detect pathogens directly in clinical samples, such as urine, blood, and stool, has now been demonstrated with an outstanding sensitivity of as low as 10 cells per milliliter, highlighting the tremendous potential of using FNA-based sensors in clinical applications. We further describe strategies to overcome the challenges of using FNA-based biosensors in clinical applications, including strategies to improve the stability of FNAs in biological samples and prevent their nonspecific degradation from nucleases and strategies to deal with issues such as signal loss caused by nonspecific binding and biofouling. Finally, the remaining roadblocks for employing FNA-based biosensors in clinical applications are discussed.

Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) has been identified as the major link between inflammation and cancer. Natural agents that inhibit this pathway are essential in attenuating inflammation induced by cancer or chemotherapeutic drugs. High intake of Brassicaceae vegetables has been determined to modulate essential pathways related to chronic diseases. In this study, we investigated the anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory effects of the indole glucosinolates; indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and its metabolite 3,3-diindolylmethane (DIM) on the inflammatory biomarkers and miRNAs controlling the NF-κB pathway. In our study, we inoculated Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells in female albino mice, which increased their packed cell volume and induced a significant increase in the levels of several cytokines and inflammatory biomarkers (NF-κB IL-6, IL-1b, TNF-α, and NO). A significant elevation in inflammatory-medicated miRNAs (miR-31 and miR-21) was also noted. Treatment with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) significantly reduced packed cell volume and viable cell count. However, it was accompanied by a significant increase in the levels of inflammatory markers and expression of miR-31 and miR-21. Nevertheless, although treatment with indoles (I3C and DIM) significantly reduced the packed cell volume and viable cell count, their prominent effect was the marked reduction of all inflammatory biomarkers compared to both the EAC untreated group and the EAC group treated with 5-FU. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory effect of I3C or DIM was accompanied by a significant decrease in the expression of miR-31 and miR-21. Our findings have; therefore, revealed that I3C and DIM have strong anti-inflammatory effects, implying that their use as a co-treatment with chemotherapeutic drugs can effectively improve the anti-tumor effect of chemotherapeutic drugs.

Radiation shielding composites based on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) reinforced with different weight ratios of Pb(NO3)2 (5, 10, and 20 wt%) were prepared using the solution-casting technique. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy, and tensile testing method were used to characterize the PVC composite films. FTIR and XRD investigations illustrate the structural change and modification of the as-prepared PVC composites. The morphological analysis of the composite revealed that Pb(NO3)2 was dispersed uniformly within PVC polymer matrix. TGA revealed that the incorporation of Pb(NO3)2 improved the thermal stability of the investigated composites, whereas adding Pb(NO3)2 to the polymer matrix worsened its tensile properties. The as-prepared composite films were investigated for radiation-shielding of gamma-rays radioactive point sources (241Am, 133Ba, 137Cs, and 60Co). Linear attenuation coefficient (μ, cm−1), mass attenuation coefficient (μ/ρ, cm2/g), and half-value layer (HVL, cm) have been estimated from the obtained data using the MicroShield program. Reasonable agreement was attended between theoretical and experimental results. The deviation between the experiment and theoretical values of mass attenuation coefficient is being to be lower than 9%, and this can be correlated to the good distribution of Pb(NO3)2. The results revealed that adding Pb(NO3)2 to PVC polymer composites improved their mass attenuation coefficient.