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Abstract The treatment of tuberculosis is still a challenging process due to the widespread of pathogen strains resistant to antibacterial drugs, as well as the undesirable effects of anti-tuberculosis therapy. Hence, the development of safe and effective new anti-antitubercular agents, in addition to suitable nanocarrier systems, has become of utmost importance and necessity. Our research aims to develop liposomal vesicles that contain newly synthesized compounds with antimycobacterial action. The compound being studied is a derivative of imidazo-tetrazine named 3-(3,5-dimethylpyrazole-1-yl)-6-(isopropylthio) imidazo [1,2-b] [1,2,4,5] tetrazine compound. Several factors that affect liposomal characteristics were studied. The maximum encapsulation efficiency was 53.62 ± 0.09. The selected liposomal formulation T8* possessed a mean particle size of about 205.3 ± 3.94 nm with PDI 0.282, and zeta potential was + 36.37 ± 0.49 mv. The results of the in vitro release study indicated that the solubility of compound I was increased by its incorporation in liposomes. The free compound and liposomal preparation showed antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv (ATCC 27294) at MIC value 0.94–1.88 μg/ml. We predict that the liposomes may be a good candidate for delivering new antitubercular drugs.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the contamination state of the surface soil from 10 parks from Galati, Romania, and the health hazards of the soil. The soil samples, collected in each site from the playing ground and from the edge of the park, were analyzed by using combined Wavelength- (WDXRF) and Energy-Dispersive (EDXRF) X-ray fluorescence techniques. A total number of 27 chemical elements (Ag, Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sn, Sr, Ti, V, Zn and Zr) were quantified in the urban soils, and the results were compared to the normal and alert values from Romanian legislation for toxic trace elements, as well as with European and world average values of element concentrations. The mineralogical analyses were performed by Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Analysis (SEM-EDX) and the Attenuated Total Reflectance–Fourier Transform Infrared technique (ATR-FTIR). To assess the soil contamination and the impact on human health of the presence of potential toxic elements and heavy metals in the soil, a series of pollution and health risk indices were used. All the results indicated an unpolluted to moderately polluted soil. The soil samples collected from the edge of the parks presented higher values for the specific pollutants, which originated from heavy traffic, such as Cu, Cr, Zn and Pb. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk to children was assessed using estimated daily intake (EDI) in relation to the pathways whereby pollutants can enter the human body, such as ingestion, dermal contact, inhalation and vaporization. Using the obtained values for EDI, the hazard quotient and hazard index were determined, which strengthen the formerly issued presumption that soil pollution is moderate and, by itself, does not present any threat to children’s health.

In the event of unanticipated events or emergency situations, such as equipment malfunctions or accidents, it is crucial for radiation shielding materials to preserve their structural integrity. Enhancing the fracture resistance of glasses has a wide range of benefits that extend to safety, durability, cost savings, energy efficiency, environmental considerations, technological innovation, consumer confidence, manufacturing efficiency, and reduced downtime. This research examines the characteristics of sodium-borate glasses with a nominal composition of 25Na2O-xGa2O3-(75-x)B2O3, (where x: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 27.5, and 30 mol%). The aim is to enhance fracture resistant qualities and radiation absorption with the addition of Ga2O3 into the glass composition. In addition to elastic moduli and mechanical properties, gamma-ray and fast neutron removal cross section values are determined for each glass sample. In addition to enhancing mechanical characteristics and elastic moduli, the use of Ga2O3 reinforcement has shown notable improvements in the gamma-ray and fast neutron absorption properties of sodium-borate glass samples. The NGB31.4 sample demonstrated the highest level of improvement in gamma-ray and neutron absorption characteristics. For example, the mass attenuation coefficients were calculated as 1.86645 cm2/g, 1.92189 cm2/g, 1.98875 cm2/g, 2.04052 cm2/g, 2.10506 cm2/g, 2.16271 cm2/g, and 2.17266 cm2/g for NGB5, NGB10, NGB15, NGB20, NGB25, NGB30.5, and NGB31.4 at 15 MeV photon energy, respectively. This enhancement was accomplished by incorporating Ga2O3 into the baseline sample at a mole percentage of 31.4 %. Hence, it can be concluded that the incorporation of Ga2O3 into sodium-borate glasses has the potential to serve as a systematic mechanism, leading to enhancements in mechanical strength and radiation absorption characteristics, thereby making these glasses more suitable for their intended applications. Among these samples, the greatest level of integration observed was 31.4 % mole Ga2O3. The lack of ability to examine the behavioral alterations resulting from higher Ga2O3 content in sodium-borate glasses may be regarded as a limitation of the present study. However, it is very advisable to do more research among the scientific community to thoroughly explore the potential impact of Ga2O3 on sodium-borate glasses.

In various medical, industrial, and nuclear facilities, it is very necessary to have enough shielding against the radiation released by regularly employed isotopes. In this work, we concentrate on nuclear security as well as the radiation shielding against gamma attenuation capabilities of the borate glasses, including Te and Cu. These glasses have the chemical form of (100-x)[30B2O3–70TeO2]-xCuO, where x = 0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.015, 0.02 wt%. The systems were represented by five distinct samples, labelled as BTCu-20, BTCu-15, BTCu-10, BTCu-5, and BTCu-0, where the number refers to the percentage of CuO in the mixture and the remainder is made up of TeO2 and B2O3. Through the use of FLUKA simulations, the basic characteristics associated with gamma shieldings, such as attenuation and transmission factors, were examined for the particular energy range of 238–1408 MeV emitted from 133Ba, 137Cs, 60Co, 152Eu, and 232Th. The effect of the systematic replacement of CuO by B2O3 and TeO2 on the shielding qualities was explored in depth for gamma radiation. In addition, comparison research was carried out between the currently available borate glasses and the traditional shielding materials. According to the findings of the current investigation, the GHVL was found to be its lowest at 238 keV with values of 0.87, 0.92, 0.98, 1.04, and 1.10 (cm) for BTCu-0, BTCu-5, BTCu-10, BTCu-15, and BTCu-20 glasses, respectively. This points to the possibility that the BTCu-0 sample might be used in radiation shielding applications, which would result in increased nuclear safety.

In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the effect of ethanol extract of Annona Muricata (AM) leaves in the prevention of brain damage caused by ionizing radiation (IR). This study was conducted in the Experimental Animal Research Unit of a university with 28 adults female Wistar Albino rats. The experimental groups were as follows: Control group (n = 8), AM group (n = 6), IR group (n = 8), AM + IR group (n = 6). In the IR group, astrocyte hypertrophy, microglial reaction and inflammatory reaction levels were significantly higher than the control and AM groups (P

The study aimed to evaluate for the first time the degree of contamination of soil and crops with major and trace elements (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, F, Na, Mg, Si, P, Cl, Fe, Al) in agricultural lands situated in the Lower Danube Basin, Galati and Braila counties (SE Romania), impacted by the steel industry. Soil samples, as well as leaves and seeds of wheat, corn, and sunflower, were collected from two depths in 11 different sites. Along with elemental and mineralogical analyses, performed by HR-CS AAS, PIGE, SEM-EDX, and ATR-FTIR, the soil pH, texture, organic matter, electric conductivity, and CaCO3 content were investigated. The results showed that the levels of Cr (83.27–383.10 mg kg−1), Cu (17.11–68.15 mg kg−1), Ni (30.16–55.66 mg kg−1), and F (319–544 mg kg−1) in soil exceeded the Romanian regulations for sensitive use of the land. Igeo, EF, PI, and PERI pollution indices indicate that the soil is moderate to highly contaminated with Cr, Ni, and Cu, while the CSI and mERMQ indices suggested a relatively low risk for metal contamination. The elemental concentrations in plant tissues and bioaccumulation factors (BFs) provide valuable insights into the soil–plant relationship, health risks, and the selectivity of plant compartments for different elements. Thus, the results revealed that the wheat plants tended to exclude the bioaccumulation of particular elements in their tissues, while exhibiting a different bioaccumulation pattern for Zn and Cu. In the case of corn, most BFs were below one, indicating a limited phytoaccumulation capacity. However, exceptions were observed for Cd, Zn, and Cu with the sunflower BFs indicating higher bioconcentration of these elements in leaves and seeds compared to other elements. Chromium (Cr) contributes to non-carcinogenic dermal contact and ingestion hazards, children being more susceptible to the adverse effects of this contaminant.

The Pseudomonas aeruginosa OG1 strain was used in the bacterial synthesis of MgSe compound nanoparticles. The obtained samples were subsequently shaped into nanocrystalline MgSe films, and their optical, structural, morphological, and electrical properties were assessed on glass and p-Si substrates. Structural and morphological characterizations showed that the fabricated thin film samples have a polycrystalline structure with high quality and uniform grain sizes. The MgSe films produced on glass substrates exhibit a direct spectral band gap of 2.53 eV, according to optical measurements. The Ag/MgSe/p-Si layered diode structure was fabricated using the produced MgSe nanoparticles and then characterized by electrical properties. Electrical measurements were carried out under these two conditions to assess the effects of dark and illumination conditions on the band dynamics of the heterostructure devices. Under illumination, the barrier height decreased while the interface density states distribution increased. These measurements showed that using bacterial-assisted grown MgSe nanocrystalline films, the developed Ag/MgSe/p-Si device structure exhibited a remarkable photoresponse and stable rectifying property. Green synthesis methods for the production of these nanocrystalline materials have the potential to offer low-cost alternatives for photosensitive applications.

Kab Amiri granites are submitted to post-magmatic hydrothermal solutions through fracture and faults, causing several alteration processes. The most common processes are episyenitization, saussuritization, hematitization, sericitization, kaolinization, albitization, chloritization, silicification, and muscovitization. Kab Amiri granites are vuggy, with the vugs partially to completely refilled with new constituents. The least episyenitized granites have elevated amounts of Fe, P, Zr, Ni, U, Th, Ba, Y, Hf, Nb, and As, which are correlated with their mobilization from biotite, k-feldspar, plagioclase and metamict zircon. These elemental changes are related the partial albitization, muscovitization, desilicification and chloritizatiom, which lead to the mobilization of these elements and forming of specific mineral association in the least altered granites such as autonite, tripiolite, columbite, Zircon and galena. On the second stage, granites were subjected to intense alteration processes by mineralizing fluids, causing wholly muscovitization of biotite and feldspar, albitization of plagioclase, carbonitization and apatitization. Many elements were mobilized from these altered minerals, including Ti, Al, Mn, Mg, Ca, Na, K, Mo, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag, Co, Sr, V, Cr, Sn, Rb, Ta, Li, Sc, W, S, In, and Tl, leading to definite mineralization as kaslite, monazite, xenotime, polycrase and apatite. The mineralizing fluids in the least and highly episyenitized granites are incorporated in some ore minerals like uranophane, fergusonite, bazzite and garnet. Notably, the presence of elements such as U, Th, and other heavy metals in Kab Amiri granites highlights the potential for these rocks in radiation shielding applications. The unique combination of elements and minerals resulting from the alteration processes can be leveraged for developing new materials or enhancing existing materials used in radiation shielding.

In the contemporary, digitally–driven era, the prevalence of electronic devices has drastically escalated electromagnetic (EM) pollution levels, marking a significant environmental challenge. Electrospun fiber composites of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and Barium hexaferrite (BHF) were analyzed for their potential usage in X-band electromagnetic shielding applications (EMSAs). Pure PVDF and BHF-PVDF fiber composite were manufactured by needleless electrospinning. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and EM measurements utilizing a vector network analyzer (VNA) are all used to describe the prepared samples. The XRD and FTIR analyses confirmed the successful incorporation of BHF into the PVDF matrix. The results show that adding PVDF to BHF in fiber form enhances the reflection loss (RL), indicating improved electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EMSE). The SEM analysis revealed that the fiber composite had a uniform fiber diameter distribution. In contrast, the TGA analysis demonstrated good thermal stability of the fiber composite. Polymer samples were evaluated to enhance gamma radiation and neutron particle attenuation. MCNP5 and Phy-X/PSD software were used to study semi-crystalline fluorocarbon polymer (PVDF) and barium hex ferrite BaFe12O19 (30 wt%) with PVDF (70 wt%). The MCNP5 programme simulated 0.015–15 MeV radiation attenuation. Additionally, the Phy-X/PSD programme verified the simulated µ values for the chosen Mxenes materials. The MCNP-5 code and Phy-X/PSD results were agreed. The linear attenuation coefficients for the polymer samples ranged from 3.166 to 0.032 cm2.g−1 for PVDF and from 73.960 to 0.113 cm2.g−1 for PVDF and BHF-PVDF Fiber at photon energies from 0.015 to 15 MeV. Overall, the electrospun fiber composite of PVDF and BHF particles shows promise for EMSAs in the X-band range. The enhanced RL observed in our study suggests that these fiber composites could be used to protect against electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from electronic devices, which is increasingly concerning in today's modern society.

Magnesium ferrite (MgFe2O4) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) are materials known for their versatility in various applications. This study presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of the electrical conductivity and dielectric relaxation of nanostructured MgFe2O4 and its composites with PEG. Through experimentation, it was observed that incorporating PEG into MgFe2O4 did not lead to a high relative observed decrease or increase in electrical conductivity at room temperature. The study revealed that the composites maintained stable electrical behavior at room temperature, with a dielectric constant value of around 9 and a loss tangent value of around 0.1 at high frequency (around 7 MHz). The electron-hole hopping mechanism was identified as the underlying cause for the strong dielectric dispersion with frequency. The low dielectric loss and conductivity of the MgFe2O4 and PEG/ferrite composites make them promising candidates for high-frequency switching applications and microelectronic devices, particularly in scenarios where negligible eddy currents are essential. Additionally, complex impedance data analysis demonstrated that the capacitive and resistive properties of the composites are primarily attributed to grain boundary processes. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the electrical and dielectric properties of MgFe2O4 and PEG composites and highlights their potential for many applications in materials science, particularly in electrical and electronic devices.

The current work aims to describe the physico-mechanical characteristics and shielding efficiency with reference to the mineralogical and geochemical compositions of the Neoproterozoic Um Had composite granitoid pluton in order to deduce their favorability as dimension stones. The Um Had granitoid pluton has an elliptical outline with a mean diameter of about 10 km. This pluton is a composite (ranging from white to reddish pink color), hard, massive, and medium- to coarse-grained granitoid body. It is classified as syenogranite according to their modal and bulk chemical compositions. Geochemically, the granitoid pluton is a highly calc-alkaline, peraluminous granite, formed by low degree partial melting of tonalitic source rock in a post-collisional tectonic setting. The physico-mechanical properties of the granitoid pluton under study satisfy the requirements of dimension stone in terms of their bulk density (from 2561 to 2564 kg/m3), and to some extent water absorption capacity (from 0.38% to 0.55%). However, their compressive strength values (50.4–113.4 MPa) do not achieve the minimum requirement for interior use and light duty exterior use. This study delves into the potential of some of our syenogranite samples (I, IIA, IIS, and 10) as gamma radiation shielding materials. We have assessed the mass attenuation coefficient (GMAC), effective atomic number (Zeff), exposure build-up factor (EBF), and energy absorption build-up factor (EABF) for each of these samples. The GMAC and Zeff calculations were performed using the Phy-X online software, across a photon energy range of 0.015–15 MeV. Our findings suggest an inverse relationship between photon energy and GMAC, with the highest values observed for the (I) granite sample (∼18). This study shows the promising radiation shielding capacity of our samples. The insights derived from GMAC, Zeff, EBF, and EABF can serve as a guide for the development of effective, naturally sourced radiation shielding materials.

WO3 effects on neutron and ionizing radiation defending factors of ternary tellurite-based glass blocks with molecular formula 80TeO2 –(20-x)WO3 – xK2O; x = 0–20 mol% (denoted as TKW-glass) has been reported via Phy-X theoretical calculations and Geant4 simulation code. Correlations between shielding factors and kinetics properties of the investigated glasses at different photon energy have been examined. The highest values of mass (MAC) attenuation coefficient were noted at 15 keV of the examined TKW-glass materials with the values of 38.408, 44.388, 49.855, 54.872, 59.492 cm2/g for TKW-0, TKW-5, TKW-10, TKW-15, and TKW-20, respectively. Generally, these values of the TKW-glasses obey the sequence: (TKW-0)MAC< (TKW-5)MAC < (TKW-10)MAC < (TKW-15)MAC < (TKW-20)MAC. The highest mean free path (MFP) values of TKW-glasses were registered at 15 MeV with the values of 6.101, 5.591, 5.097, 4.647, and 4.302 cm for TKW-0, TKW-5, TKW-10, TKW-15, and TKW-20, respectively. The two parameters half value layer (HVL) and MFP follow the pattern: (TKW-0)HVL, MFP > (TKW-5)HVL,MFP > (TKW-10)HVL,MFP > (TKW-15)HVL,MFP > (TKW-20)HVL,MFP. The maximum values of effective atomic number (EAN) took place at gamma energy of 15 keV corresponding to 44.35, 48.86, 52.63, 55.83, and 58.58 for TKW-0, TKW-5, TKW-10, TKW-15, and TKW-20, respectively. The trend of the buildup factors was similar for all of the glass specimens. The fast neutron removal cross-section (ΣR) enhanced as WO3 content increased in the specimens. Thus, the peaked value of ΣR is 0.1059 cm−1 was noted in the TKW-20 sample. Mechanical properties, neutron and γ-rays protection parameters were observed to improve with enhanced WO3 mol% in the TKW-glasses. The current results bear their utilization for neutron and gamma protection purposes.

We report the functional assessment of tungsten (VI) oxide on gamma-ray attenuation properties of 60Sb2O3-(40-x)NaPO3-xWO3 antimony glasses. The elemental mass-fractions and glass-densities of each glass sample are specified separately for the MCNPX Monte Carlo code. In addition to fundamental gamma absorption properties, Transmission Factors throughout a broad radioisotope energy range were measured. According to findings, holmium (Ho) incorporation into the glass structure resulted in a net increase of 0.3406 g/cm3, whereas cerium (Ce) addition resulted in a net increase of 0.2047 g/cm3. The 40% WO3 reinforced S7 sample was found to have the greatest LAC value, even though seven glass samples exhibited identical behavior. The S2 sample had the lowest HVL values among the glass groups evaluated in this work, computed in the energy range of 0.015–15 MeV. The lowest EBF and EABF values were reported for 40% WO3 reinforced S7 sample with the highest LAC and density values. According to the findings of this research, WO3 will likely make a significant contribution to the gamma ray absorption properties of antimony glasses, which are employed for optical and structural modification. Therefore, it can be concluded that WO3 may be treated monotonically and can be employed successfully in circumstances where gamma-ray absorption characteristics, optical properties, and structural qualities need to be enhanced.

The goal of this investigation is to test the barium boro-silicate glass-ceramics with different additives against gamma radiation using the FLUKA Monte Carlo code. On four different glass-ceramics samples, the effect of an equal quantity of Al2O3, La2O3, Gd2O3, and Dy2O3 with barium borosilicate glass-ceramics on the radiation shielding capabilities of the glass-ceramics was investigated. In the examined glass ceramics, densities were obtained to investigate glass samples. The densities obtained were 3.92, 4.432, 4.52, and 4.88 g/cm3, respectively. BBSDy sample has the highest density which indicates that it is more effective for radiation shielding. The shielding parameters have been calculated at 0.356, 0.662, 1.173, and 1.333 MeV. The obtained results have been compared with the NistXCOM web page and Phy-X/PSD platform. The results showed a good agreement between FLUKA code, NistXCOM, and Phy-X/PSD. The calculated shielding parameters increase with additive (Al2O3, La2O3, Gd2O3, and Dy2O3). Moreover, the 50BaO–15SiO2–30B2O3–5Al2O3-5Dy2O3 specimen has the best radiation shielding features among the other glass-ceramics. In conclusion, the BBSDY sample containing 5 mol per cent 5 mol% Dy–III–Oxide would be the most effective in terms of radiation shielding, based on the results obtained in this study. When Dy-III Oxide concentrations were increased, linear and mass attenuation coefficient values were significantly increased, which contributed directly to the development of radiation shielding characteristics in the glass-ceramic.

Radiation shielding is crucial in many types of medical, industrial, and nuclear facilities due to the widespread usage of radioactive isotopes. In this research, we examine the impact of tellurite 65TeO2–(35-x)V2O5-xSm2O3 glasses, where x ranges from 0.1 to 5 mol%, for its nuclear security and radiation shielding versus gamma attenuation capabilities. For gamma, the effect that the systematic replacement of Sm2O3 with V2O5 has on the shielding qualities was dissected in great depth. In addition, comparative research was carried out using the most recent borate glasses and the typical shielding materials considered the industry standard. In this study, we utilized the FLUKA algorithm and the FLAIR graphical interface to calculate the attenuation coefficients of glass compositions in the 65TeO2–(35-x)V2O5-xSm2O3system. The gamma energies of 0.356, 0.662, 1.332, and 2.614 MeV, commonly used in gamma shielding investigations, were selected as the radiation source. A comparison between the simulation results by FLUKA and theoretical calculations for mass attenuation coefficients demonstrated excellent agreement, confirming the reliability and accuracy of the FLUKA simulation method. The findings of the current research point to the fact that the TVS5 sample has the highest GMAC and lowest GHVL and GMFP, among other glasses. This points to the possibility that the TVS5 sample might be used in radiation shielding activities, which would result in increased nuclear safety.

We report the critical optical properties such as Average Visible Transmittance (AVT), colour, Color Rendering Index (CRI), and Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) of a multicomponent glass system with a nominal composition of 50TeO2–30B2O3-(20-x)Li2O-xCeO2 (x = 0,0.5,1,2,3,4,5,10,15,20 mol%). Various advanced theoretical approaches as well as calculations are utilized in terms of determining the optical properties of studied glasses. The maximum transmittance and AVT values of the glass system exceeded 80% and 79.59%, respectively. The colour coordinates are found extremely near to D65 and the achromatic point without CeO2 contribution. According to our results, the current system has a promising ability to be utilized for coloured window applications in terms of both AVT and colour with 2% CeO2 doping. Our results showed that, the CeO2 additive is able to move the glass colour straight into the red spectrum by shifting the transmittance spectrum to the long-wavelength portion of the visible spectrum. With 10% CeO2 doping, opacity in the visible area and permeability in the NIR region are obtained, and the CCT value changes from 5002 K to 2560 K. It can be concluded that a filter system with modifiable NIR or red optical characteristics may be produced through the CeO2 alterations in borotellurite glass systems.

Using advanced Monte Carlo simulation techniques and theoretical methodologies, a thorough investigation on the gamma-ray shielding properties of several heavy metal oxide glasses were performed. The general-purpose Monte Carlo code MCNPX (version 2.7.0) was used to simulate gamma-ray transmission to determine fundamental attenuation coefficients. The acquired findings were compared to Phy-X/PSD to confirm that the outputs were consistent. Additionally, other gamma-ray shielding parameters were computed and studied throughout a broad photon energy range of 0.015 MeV–15 MeV. From A to F glass samples, a sharp density increase from 5.99 g/cm3 to 8.9 g/cm3 was found. As a result, the F sample was found to have the highest linear attenuation coefficients. Our results indicate that increasing the amount of Bi reinforcement improved the material's overall gamma-ray attenuation properties. The F sample with the highest Bi reinforcement in its glass structure was subsequently shown to have superior gamma-ray shielding characteristics. Finally, we compared the F sample's half-value layer values to those of other commercial glass shields, various concretes, and other glass shields investigated in the literature. As a consequence of the benchmarking procedure, it has been determined that the F sample has better shielding capabilities than other shielding materials. It can be concluded that heavy metal oxide glasses offer apparent benefits in terms of more efficiently attenuating incoming gamma-rays. Additionally, it can be concluded that applying high Bi to heavy metal oxide glasses is a beneficial strategy for improving the gamma-ray attenuation capabilities of heavy metal oxide glasses.

5CaF2–5BaF2 – 60B2O3–10TeO2 – (20-x)Na2O – xDy2O3: (0.5 ≤ x ≤ 2.5 mol percent) glasses were studied for their physical, mechanical, and gamma radiation resistance. The density of Dy0.5 and Dy2.5 glass samples containing 0.5 and 2.5 mol of Dy2O3 was changed from 2.98 to 3.09 g/cm3, respectively. The estimated values of longitudinal (LB-C) were altered from 171.085 to 165.390 GPa, bulk (KB–C) from 105.100 to 102.680 GPa, Young's (EB-C) from 128.602 to 122.674 GPa, and shear (SB–C) from 49.612 to 47.150 GPa for mechanical characteristics (GPa). The Poisson's ratio (σB-C) was varied between 0.296 and 0.300. The MCNPX code and Py-MLBUF online calculation platform were used to calculate mass attenuation coefficients for all Dyx-glasses. In terms of quantitative values, the acquired results are in good agreement. For all photon energies, the Dy2.5 glass sample exhibits the highest linear (μ) and mass (μm) attenuation coefficients. All analyzed Dyx-glasses exhibit a similar trend in half-value layer (T1/2) and mean free path (MFP), (T1/2, λ)Dy0.5 > (T1/2, λ)Dy1.0 > (T1/2, λ)Dy1.5 > (T1/2, λ)Dy2.0 > (T1/2, λ)Dy2.5. Over the whole gamma-ray energy range, the Dy2.5 sample has the highest effective atomic number (Zeff) values. Across the whole photon energy and penetration depth range, the Dy2.5 has the lowest EBF and EABF values. Because of the maximum contribution of Dysprosium (III)-oxide, the Dy2.5 sample can be deemed superior in terms of gamma-ray shielding qualities.

The mechanical properties and radiation attenuation competence of Tb3+ ions doped boro-germanate-aluminiophosphate (BGAP) glasses with codes Tb15, Tb20, Tb25, Tb30, Tb35, and Tb40 have been investigated. Bond compression model (B–C) and Phy-X/PSD software are used to achieve these aims. All elastic moduli were reduced with increasing the Tb2O3 content in the BGAP glasses. Values of bulk (KB–C) elastic modulus were possessed decreasing from 86.676 GPa for Tb15 glass sample to 80.205 GPa for Tb40 sample. The values of Young's (EB-C) modulus were found to decrease from 118.197 to 115.641 Gpa and Poisson's ratio (σB-C) of the BGAP glasses were reduced from 0.272 to 0.259. The highest values of linear (μ) and mass (μm) attenuation coefficients were possessed for the Tb40 glass sample. Therefore, (mass, linear)Tb40 > (mass, linear)Tb35 > (mass, linear)Tb30 > (mass, linear)Tb25 > (mass, linear)Tb20 > (mass, linear)Tb15. Half value layer parameter (T1/2) and mean free path (λ) of BGAP glasses were have a similar trend; (λ, T1/2)Tb40

In this paper the impact of adding the trivalent samarium (Sm3+) rare earth (RE3+) ions on the nuclear shielding performances of borate/sodium/potassium glasses with chemical form B2O3(70–x)/Na2O15/K2O15/Sm2O3; x = 0.0–2.0 mol% was examined. Material densities were enhanced quantitatively from 2.22 to 2.48 g/cm3. Several radiation shielding parameters have been determined in the 0.15–15 MeV photon energy range via MCNPX simulation code and Phy-X/PSD software. Results showed that the addition of Sm3+ ions to the glasses improved the linear (LAC) and mass (MAC) attenuation coefficients. The Sm2.0 sample (rich with Sm3+ ions and with a high density) has the highest LAC and MAC at all photon energy values under investigation. The half-value layer (T1/2) values of the studied Sm-glasses followed the trend: (T1/2)Sm0.0> (T1/2)Sm0.1> (T1/2)Sm0.3> (T1/2)Sm0.5> (T1/2)Sm0.7> (T1/2)Sm1.0> (T1/2)Sm1.5> (T1/2)Sm2.0. The mean free path (λ) has a similar trend as T1/2. The numerical results of effective atomic number (Zeff) were: Sm0.0 = 10.538, Sm0.1 = 10.70646, Sm0.3 = 11.03259, Sm0.5 = 11.28569, Sm0.7 = 11.53882, Sm1.0 = 11.91848, Sm1.5 = 12.42718, Sm2.0 = 12.9175 at 0.015 MeV, and Sm0.0 = 8.36553, Sm0.1 = 8.42831, Sm0.3 = 8.55388, Sm0.5 = 8.67944, Sm0.7 = 8.80502, Sm1.0 = 8.99335, Sm1.5 = 9.28877, Sm2.0 = 9.58377 at 15 MeV. The Sm2.0 glass sample has the greatest Zeff value across all gamma-ray energies. This condition is likewise associated with the highest Sm (Z = 62) content in Sm2.0 when compared to the other studied glasses. In addition, the Sm2.0 sample had the lowest exposure (EBF) and energy absorption (EABF) build-up factors values among the glass samples under investigation. All the obtained observations confirm that the Sm-glass samples can be considered promising materials for attenuation of nuclear radiations.

In this study, we extensively analyzed the structural, physical and gamma-ray attenuation properties of α-TeO2 CMS, which has unexpectedly been observed as a part of Sm2O3 doped TeO2–B2O3–V2O5 glasses synthesis process. The shape of α-TeO2 CMS was obtained from SEM analyses. Moreover, EDX, XRD and Raman examinations were utilized for systematic characterization of α-TeO2 CMS. In addition to experimental physical and structural studies on α-TeO2 CMSs, gamma-ray attenuation properties were also determined and compared with Quartz and some novel glasses such as PNCKM5, C25, SCNZ7 along with some commercial glasses such as RS253, RS253G18, RS323G19, RS360, RS520 using FLUKA general-purpose Monte Carlo code. EDX results indicated that only Te and O elements were available in the α-TeO2 CMS. The finding showed that gamma-ray attenuation competencies of α-TeO2 CMS is higher than many novel and commercial glasses in addition to traditional concrete shields. It can be concluded that further comparison studies can be done between normal glass structure and α-TeO2 CMS (or similar) occurred glass structures in terms of better understanding the total gamma-ray attenuation and the effect of α-TeO2 CMS.

The influence of Bi concentration on the thermal parameters viz temperatures of glass transition (Tgl) and crystallization (Tpc) of binary BixSe100-x glasses were studied experimentally. The activation energy of glass transition (EGl) has been estimated as the averaged value deduced based on Kissenger's relationship and its approximation. On the other hand, Afify and Aly methods help one to estimate the crystallization activation energy (Epc), the frequency factor (k0) and the order of reaction (n) with no approximation. The observed increase in EGl and Epc values resulted from increasing both Tgl and Tpc with increasing of the Bi content. The Lasocka relationship can describe the heating rate dependence of Tgl and Tpc. A good correlation between Tgl and Tpc was investigated. The attained results were discussed according to the distribution of the chemical bonds, the main coordination number (Nr), average heats of atomization (Hs), the mean bond energy (Es), the cohesive energy (CE), and the overall average bond energy () for BixSe100-x glasses.

This study's primary objective is to provide the preliminary findings of novel research on the design of Indium (III) oxide-reinforced glass container that were thoroughly developed for the purpose of a nuclear material container for transportation and waste management applications. The shielding characteristics of an Indium (III) oxide-reinforced glass container with a certain elemental composition against the 60Co radioisotope was thoroughly evaluated. The energy deposition in the air surrounding the designed portable glass containers is measured using MCNPX general-purpose Monte Carlo code. Simulation studies were carried out using Lenovo-P620 workstation and the number of tracks was defined as 108 in each simulation phase. According to results, the indium oxide-doped C6 (TZI8) container exhibits superior protective properties compared to other conventional container materials such as 0.5Bitumen-0.5 Cement, Pb Glass composite, Steel-Magnetite concrete. In addition to its superiority in terms of nuclear safety, it is proposed that the source's simultaneous observation and monitoring, as well as the C6 (TZI8) glass structure's transparency, be underlined as significant advantages. High-density glasses, which may replace undesirable materials such as concrete and lead, provide several advantages in terms of production ease, non-toxic properties, and resource monitoring. In conclusion, the use of Indium (III) oxide-reinforced glass with its high transparency and outstanding protection properties may be a substantial choice in places where concrete is required to ensure the safety of nuclear materials.

IntroductionA lead-acrylic protective screen is suggested to reduce radiation exposure to the unexposed breast during mammography. The presence of toxic lead in its structure may harm the tissues with which it comes in contact. This study aimed to design a CdO-rich quaternary tellurite glass screen (C40) and evaluate its efficiency compared to the Lead-Acrylic protective screen.MethodsA three-layer advanced heterogeneous breast phantom designed in MCNPX (version 2.7.0) general-purpose Monte Carlo code. Lead acrylic and C40 shielding screens were modeled in the MCNPX and installed between the right and left breast. The reliability of the absorption differences between the lead acrylic and C40 glass were assessed.Results and discussionThe results showed that C40 protective glass screen has much superior protection properties compared to the lead acrylic protective screen. The amount of total dose absorbed in the unexposed breast for C40 was found to be much less than that for lead-based acrylic. The protection provided by the C40 glass screen is 35–38% superior to that of the Lead-Acrylic screen. The C40 offer the opportunity to avoid the toxic Pb in the structure of Lead-Acrylic material and may be utilized for mammography to offer superior radioprotection to Lead-Acrylic and significantly lower the dose amount in the unexposed breast. It can be concluded that transparent glass screens may be utilized for radiation protection purposes in critical diagnostic radiology applications through mammography.

Introduction: Graphene-based materials have gained increasing attention for use in radiation attenuation applications. In this study, pristine graphene nanoplatelet-containing (1, 3, 5, and 10 wt%) borate-based bioactive glass composites were prepared.Methods: Structural properties, Vickers microhardness, and gamma-ray radiation shielding properties of the fabricated composites were examined in detail.Results and Discussion: Results revealed that the inclusion of the graphene in the glass matrix led to a decrease in the bulk density of the glass-based composites from 2.41 to 2.31 g/cm3. Similarly, a decrease in Vickers hardness was obtained as the graphene concentration was increased due to a convoluted effect of the non-uniform distribution of graphene nanoplatelets in the bioactive glass matrix and the higher residual porosity. Vickers hardness of the bare and the 10 wt% graphene-containing bioactive glass discs were measured to be 5.03 ± 0.28 GPa and 1.87 ± 0.56 GPa, respectively. On the other hand, the incorporation of graphene starting from 3 wt% decreased the crack propagation after indentation which may be attributed to an increase in fracture toughness. In the study, fundamental gamma ray absorption properties of graphene-containing bioactive glasses were examined in the 0.015–15 MeV incident photon energy range. For this purpose, the Py-MLBUF code was employed to determine gamma ray absorption parameters. Results showed that linear attenuation coefficients of the glass-based composites decreased due to a decrease in the density of the samples. On the other hand, as graphene was incorporated into the bioactive glass structure, exposure buildup factor and energy absorption buildup factor values increased. The growing graphene ratio in the glass structure contributed negatively to the photon’s tendency to interact with the material.

The goal of the current study was to investigate the hormonal modulatory efficiency of hesperidin, through its regulatory potential of immunological, inflammatory, and/or antioxidant changes in on hyperthyroidism modeled adult female albino rats. Both normal and hyperthyroidism modeled rats (140-160g) were randomly divided into four groups (10 animals each) as follows: 1) healthy animals were daily ingested with saline for six weeks, and served as control group, 2) healthy animals were intraperitoneally injected with hesperidin (50 mg/kg/day) for a similar period, 3) hyperthyroidism-modeled animals without any treatment acted as positive control, and 4) hyperthyroidism-modeled animals were treated intraperitoneally with hesperidin for a similar period. The findings showed that hesperidin significantly modulated hyperthyroidism deteriorations, this was evidenced by a remarkable decline in serum T4, FT4, T3, FT3, TNF-α, IL1β-, IL4-, IL-6, and IL-10 levels, with a minor increase in TSH and significant raise in CD4+ level. Similarly, valuable improvement was observed in the oxidative status; serum SOD, GPx, CAT, and GSH levels were dramatically enhanced, associated with remarkable drop in MDA and NO levels. Also, hesperidin demonstrated nephro-hepatoprotective and anti-atherogenic potential, this was achieved from the notable reduction in ALAT and ASAT activities as well as urea, creatinine, cholesterol, and triglyceride close to the corresponding values of healthy group. These findings were supported by histological and immunohistochemical ones that showed a notable decrease in the expression of the calcitonin antibody. In conclusion, hesperidin possesses anti-hyperthyroidism, immunoinflammatory regulatory, and antioxidant activities that evidenced from the improvement of physio-architecture of the thyroid gland, reduction of inflammation and restoration of the impaired oxidative stress. This effect might be mechanized through immunological, inflammatory, apoptotic, and/or antioxidant modulatory pathways.

The current research study is aimed at studying the impact of sodium chloride on the performance of semi-arid soils in the Najran area of Saudi Arabia. Experimental work has been undertaken to investigate how adding salt to the semi-arid soil collected in the Najran area affects the boundaries of Atterberg, compaction characteristics, California bearing ratio, and shear strength. All testing was conducted on soil samples from different zones of the Najran area at varying depths of 1.5, 3, and 4.5 m along the soil profiles. The soil samples were analyzed individually and then compared with the same soil samples mixed with NaCl at different percentages of 5, 10, and 20% by weight of the dry soil. Using advanced techniques, such as the scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive x-ray analysis, and X-ray diffraction analysis, the stabilization process was examined. The findings revealed that NaCl significantly impacts the geotechnical characteristics of semi-arid soils. The maximum dry density increased from 1.995, 1.93, and 1.96 to 2.02, 1.99, and 2.03 g/cm3, and the optimal water content decreased from 9.47, 13.7, and 11.29 to 7.01, 9.58%, and 8.09% with 20% NaCl added at various depths, respectively. Shear resistance parameters were improved by adding 20% NaCl, where the soil cohesion increased from 0.1333, 0.0872, and 0.0533 to 0.1843, 0.1034, and 0.0372 kg/cm2, and the angle of internal friction increased from 24°, 25.5°, and 29° to 27.8°, 30°, and 33°, respectively. The liquid and plastic limits and, in turn, the plasticity index reduced as the added percentage of NaCl increased. Furthermore, the California bearing ratio percentages significantly increased and reached more than 50%. As a result, it is established that NaCl is an excellent stabilizer, especially at 20% concentration, and might be used as a sub-base substance in highway construction.

IntroductionWe report the breast and chest radiation dose assessment for mammographic examinations using a three-layer heterogeneous breast phantom through the MCNPX Monte Carlo code.MethodsA three-layer heterogeneous phantom along with compression plates and X-ray source are modeled. The validation of the simulation code is obtained using the data of AAPM TG-195 report. Deposited energy amount as a function of increasing source energy is calculated over a wide energy range. The behavioral changes in X-ray absorption as well as transmission are examined using the F6 Tally Mesh extension of MCNPX code. Moreover, deposited energy amount is calculated for modeled body phantom in the same energy range.Results and discussionsThe diverse distribution of glands has a significant impact on the quantity of energy received by the various breast layers. In layers with a low glandular ratio, low-energy primary X-ray penetrability is highest. In response to an increase in energy, the absorption in layers with a low glandular ratio decreased. This results in the X-rays releasing their energy in the bottom layers. Additionally, the increase in energy increases the quantity of energy absorbed by the tissues around the breast.

The ceramic and porcelain industry in the Arab Republic of Egypt annually produces a huge amount of by-product waste. Public health is threatened by the accumulated ceramic and porcelain dust and crumbs. In this study, five different ceramic and porcelain waste samples were recycled in glass form of xLiNbO3-(40-x)Waste and investigated with different LiNbO3 contents of x = 8, 16, 20, 24, 32 wt.% for useful nuclear radiation shielding applications. The amorphous structure of prepared samples is assured with XRD analyses. The radiation protection features of the prepared samples were investigated experimentally and compared with theoretical calculations for photon energies in the range of 81–2614 KeV. Moreover, optical parameters of waste glasses such as absorption coefficient, skin depth, and extinction coefficient have been calculated. The radiation protection factors showed that the Waste32 sample with 32 wt.% LiNbO3 is the best shield out of the fabricated Waste-x samples. The insertion of ceramic and porcelain wastes in the glass system reached 32 wt.%.

Introduction: Whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) is still debatable and a source of excessive radiation exposure when screening individuals with suspected blunt multiple trauma. Objective: This study aims to develop institutional Diagnostic Reference Level's (DRL) value and estimate effective organ doses for poly-trauma patients who underwent WBCT examination. Method: Retrospective analysis for patients undergone WBCT scans after being traumatized and admitted to the emergency room. Effective and organ dose estimated for 78 patients. Sequence parameters and CT indices were retrieved from the CT system. Data analysis was done using SPSS 20.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA). Results: 84.3% of the patients were male, while 15.7% were female. 88% of the patients had a road traffic accident, and the rest fell from height. The effective dose was estimated as 34.5–35.3 mSv in males and females, respectively, while the organ doses ranged from 10.2 to 63.7 mGy. Conclusion: WBCT is a standard diagnostic radiological tool for urgent evaluation of patients with serious trauma. However, WBCT scanning comes with significant radiation exposure and the risk of developing cancer. Therefore, the WBCT should be clinically justified, and dosage reduction measures should be applied.

We examine the nuclear safety properties of a newly designed cadmium oxide-rich glass container for nuclear material to a bitumen-reinforced concrete container. Individual transmission factors, detector modelling, and energy deposition (MeV/g) in the air are calculated using MCNPX (version 2.7.0) general purpose Monte Carlo code. Two container configurations are designed with the material properties of cadmium dioxide-rich glass and Concrete + Bitument in consideration. First, individual transmission factors for 60Co and 137Cs radioisotopes are calculated. To evaluate potential environmental consequences, energy deposition amounts in the air for 60Co and 137Cs are also determined. The minimum gamma-ray transmission rates for two container types are reported for a cadmium dioxide-rich glass container. In addition, the quantity of energy deposition is varied depending on the container type, with a lower value for cadmium dioxide-rich glass container. The 40% cadmium dioxide-doped glass container provides more effective safety than the Cement + Bitumen container, according to the overall findings. In conclusion, the utilization of cadmium dioxide-doped glass material along with its high transparency and advanced material properties may be a significant and effective option in areas where concrete is required to assure the safety of nuclear materials.

The nuclear spectroscopy method has long been used for advanced studies on nuclear physics. In order to decrease costs and increase the efficiency of nuclear radiation investigations, quick and efficient solutions are required. The purpose of this research was to calculate the whole energy peak efficiency values for a range of gamma-ray energies, from 30.973 keV to 1408 keV, at various source-detector distances using the MCNPX Monte Carlo code, which is extensively used in nuclear medicine, industry, and scientific research. As a result, the modeled detectors' full-energy peak efficiencies were calculated and compared to both experimental data and Monte Carlo simulations. Experiment results and prior studies using Monte Carlo simulations were found to be very consistent with these results. The counting efficiency against source-detector distance is then calculated using the modeled detectors. The data we have show that LaBr3(Ce) has outstanding detection properties. This study’s findings might be used to improve the design of detectors for use in wide range of high-tech gamma spectroscopy and nuclear research applications.

The ophiolitic rocks, island arc metasediments, and granitic rocks are encountered in the study of the Allaqi province. The present study concentrated on ultramafic rocks and their various forms of hydrothermal alteration. Ophiolites commonly occur as dismembered rock sequences and have different types of hydrothermal alteration products. Ophiolites contain the essential type as serpentinites and talc-carbonate rocks, listwaenites, and amphibolites along shear zones and faults. Listwaenite is one of the most significant rocks in this area because it contains gold. The whole serpentinite rocks are affected by regional metamorphosis into greenschist facies. Geochemically, Neoproterozoic serpentinites fall into SSZ ophiolites, alpine-type peridotite, formed in the forearc peridotite tectonic environment. Regardless, the listwaenite and talc-carbonate rocks revealed that they trend to silica, carbonate, and talc. Listwaenites are classified into two types: carbonate-rich listwaenites and silica–carbonate-rich listwaenites. Magnetite, chromite, galena, and gold are the most typical ores recorded in this research.

PurposeThis study aimed to evaluate Artificial Neural Network (ANN) modeling to estimate the significant dose length product (DLP) value during the abdominal CT examinations for quality assurance in a retrospective, cross-sectional study.MethodsThe structure of the ANN model was designed considering various input parameters, namely patient weight, patient size, body mass index, mean CTDI volume, scanning length, kVp, mAs, exposure time per rotation, and pitch factor. The aforementioned examination details of 551 abdominal CT scans were used as retrospective data. Different types of learning algorithms such as Levenberg-Marquardt, Bayesian and Scaled-Conjugate Gradient were checked in terms of the accuracy of the training data.ResultsThe R-value representing the correlation coefficient for the real system and system output is given as 0.925, 0.785, and 0.854 for the Levenberg-Marquardt, Bayesian, and Scaled-Conjugate Gradient algorithms, respectively. The findings showed that the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm comprehensively detects DLP values for abdominal CT examinations. It can be a helpful approach to simplify CT quality assurance.ConclusionIt can be concluded that outcomes of this novel artificial intelligence method can be used for high accuracy DLP estimations before the abdominal CT examinations, where the radiation-related risk factors are high or risk evaluation of multiple CT scans is needed for patients in terms of ALARA. Likewise, it can be concluded that artificial learning methods are powerful tools and can be used for different types of radiation-related risk assessments for quality assurance in diagnostic radiology.

We present the behavioral changes and symmetrical enhancement on KERMA, mass stopping power and projected range parameters against heavy-charged particles through Indium (In) and Tantalum (Ta) incorporations for various zinc-tellurite glass groups such as TZI and ZTT for nuclear applications. SRIM and PAGEX codes are utilized for the determination of investigated attenuation parameters for alpha and proton particles. In KERMA calculations, the ZTT7 sample is reported to have the greatest release of charged particles because of an increase in kinetic energy. The mass stopping power values of all absorbent glass materials are steadily increased from 0 MeV to 0.1 MeV. TZI and ZTT attained their maximum mass stopping power at a kinetic energy value of 0.1 MeV. While comparable behavior patterns are seen for various energy values on the examined energy scale, the ZTT7 sample is observed with lower mass stopping power and projected range values against proton particles than the other samples. It can be concluded that zinc-telluride glasses through maximum Ta-reinforcement may be considered as promising materials for stopping the proton and alpha particles. Moreover, Ta-reinforcement may be considered as a monotonic tool in terms of providing a symmetry for attenuation enhancement against heavy-charged particles.

The chemical and physical characteristics of several flavonoid compounds such as geraniol, thymoquinone, betaine, apigenin, N-acetylcysteine, catechin, l-carnosine, epigallocatachin, and saponarin were examined in this work. Numerous molecular properties of all flavonoid compounds used in this study were calculated using the Calculate Molecular Properties module of Accelrys Discovery Studio v20.1.0.19295.0. These properties included molecular polar surface area, total solvent accessible surface area, and heat of formation. We used the MCNPX general-purpose Monte Carlo code in combination with the Phy-X PSD software to determine gamma-ray interaction parameters such as attenuation coefficients, effective atomic numbers, and buildup factors. The findings indicate that the flavonoids’ elemental compositions have a direct effect on their chemical and physical properties. Additionally, a synergistic interaction of chemical and physical behaviors has been observed. Among the flavonoids studied, saporanin was shown to have the highest polar surface area and solvent accessible surface area, as well as the highest stability. Additionally, saporanin had the strongest gamma-ray attenuation characteristics across a broad photon energy range. It may be inferred that saporanin’s elemental structure enables a synergistic relationship between its chemical and physical characteristics. The findings of this study may contribute to the evaluation of saporanin’s hypoglycemic, antibacterial, and hepatoprotective effects.

In this study, the monotonic effect of Ta2O5 and ZrO2 in some selected borotellurite glasses was investigated in terms of their impact on gamma-ray-shielding competencies. Accordingly, three niobium-reinforced borotellurite glasses (S1 : 75TeO2 + 15B2O3 + 10Nb2O5, S2 : 75TeO2 + 15B2O3 + 9Nb2O5 + 1Ta2O5, and S3 : 75TeO2 + 15B2O3 + 8Nb2O5 + 1Ta2O5 + 1ZrO2) were modelled in the general-purpose MCNPX Monte Carlo code. They have been defined as an attenuator sample between the point isotropic gamma-ray source and the detector in terms of determining their attenuation coefficients. To verify the MC results, attenuation coefficients were then compared with the Phy-X/PSD program data. Our findings clearly demonstrate that although some behavioral changes occurred in the shielding qualities, modest improvements occurred in the attenuation properties depending on the modifier variation and its magnitude. However, the replacement of 2% moles of Nb2O5 with 1% mole of Ta2O5 and 1% mole of ZrO2 provided significant improvements in both glass density and attenuation properties against gamma rays. Finally, the HVL values of the S3 sample were compared with some glass- and concrete-shielding materials and the S3 sample was reported for its outstanding properties. As a consequence of this investigation, it can be concluded that the indicated type of additive to be added to borotellurite glasses will provide some advantages, particularly when used in radiation fields, by increasing the shielding qualities moderately.

Background and Objectives: Quality assurance is an integral part of brachytherapy. Traditionally, radiographic films have been used for source position verification, however, in many clinics, computerized tomography simulators have replaced conventional simulators, and computerized radiography systems have replaced radiographic film processing units. With these advances, the problem of controlling source position verification without traditional radiographic films and conventional simulators has appeared. Materials and Methods: In this study, we investigated an alternative method for source position verification for brachytherapy applications. Source positions were evaluated using Gafchromic™ RTQA2 and EBT3 film and visually compared to exposed RTQA radiochromic film when using a Nucletron Oldelft Simulix HP conventional simulator and a Gammamed 12-i brachytherapy device for performance evaluation. Gafchromic film autoradiography was performed with a linear accelerator (LINAC) on-board imager (OBI). Radiochromic films are very suitable for evaluation by visual inspection with a LINAC OBI. Results: The results showed that this type of low-cost, easy-to-find material can be used for verification purposes under clinical conditions. Conclusions: It can be concluded that source-position quality assurance may be performed through a LINAC OBI device.

Background: During mammography, a lead-acrylic protective screen is recommended to reduce radiation exposure to the unexposed breast. Objectives: This research study aimed to construct an Indium-(III)-oxide-rich tellurite-glass screen (TZI8) and compare its performance to that of lead acrylic. Materials and Methods: A three-layer heterogeneous-breast phantom was developed, using the MCNPX (version 2.7.0) Monte Carlo code. An MCNPX-simulation geometry was designed and implemented, using the lead-acrylic and TZI8 shielding screens between the right and left breast. Next, the reliability of the phantom and the variations in absorption between the lead-acrylic and TZI8 glass were investigated. Results: The findings show that the TZI8-protective-glass screen offers significantly greater radioprotection than the lead-acrylic material. The quantity of total dose absorbed in the unexposed breast was much lower for TZI8 than for lead-based acrylic. The TZI8-glass screen gives about 60% more radioprotection than the lead-acrylic screen. Conclusion: Considering the toxic lead in the structure that may be hazardous to the human tissues, the TZI8-glass screen may be used in mammography examination to provide greater radioprotection than the lead-acrylic screen, in order to greatly reduce the dose to the unexposed breast.

The main objective of this work is to recycle unwanted industrial waste in order to produce innovative nanocomposites with improved mechanical, tribological, and thermal properties for use in various industrial purposes. In this context, powder metallurgy (PM) technique was used to fabricate iron (Fe)/copper (Cu)/niobium carbide (NbC)/granite nanocomposites having outstanding mechanical, wear and thermal properties. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) examinations were used to investigate the particle size, crystal size, and phase composition of the milled samples. Additionally, it was investigated how different volume percentages of the NbC and granite affected the sintered specimens in terms of density, microstructure, mechanical and wear properties, and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). According to the findings, the milled powders included particles that were around 55 nm in size and clearly contained agglomerates. The results showed that the addition of 4 vol.% NbC and 8 vol.% granite nanoparticles caused a reduction in the Fe–Cu alloy matrix particle sizes up to 47.8 nm and served as a barrier to the migration of dislocations. In addition, the successive increase in the hybrid concentrations led to a significant decrease in the crystal size of the samples prepared as follows: 29.73, 27.58, 22.69, 19.95 and 15.8 nm. Furthermore, compared with the base Fe–Cu alloy, the nanocomposite having 12 vol.% of hybrid reinforcement demonstrated a significant improvement in the microhardness, ultimate strength, Young’s modulus, longitudinal modulus, shear modulus, bulk modulus, CTE and wear rate by 94.3, 96.4, 61.1, 78.2, 57.1, 73.6, 25.6 and 61.9%, respectively. This indicates that both NbC and granite can actually act as excellent reinforcements in the Fe alloy.

Purpose: The study aimed to design and validate computational phantoms (MIRD) using the MCNPX code to assess the impact of shielding on organ doses.Method: To validate the optimized phantom, the obtained results were compared with experimental results. The validation of the optimized MIRD phantom was provided by using the results of a previous anthropomorphic phantom study. MIRD phantom was designed by considering the parameters used in the anthropomorphic phantom study. A test simulation was performed to compare the dose reduction percentages (%) between the experimental anthropomorphic phantom study and the MCNPX-MIRD phantom. The simulation was performed twice, with and without shielding materials, using the same number and locations of the detector.Results: The absorbed dose amounts were directly extracted from the required organ and tissue cell parts of output files. Dose reduction percentages between the simulation with shielding and simulation without shielding were compared. The highest dose reduction was noted in the thymus (95%) and breasts (88%). The obtained dose reduction percentages between the anthropomorphic phantom study and the MCNPX-MIRD phantom were highly consistent and correlated values with experimental anthropomorphic data. Both methods showed Relative Difference (%) ranges between 0.88 and 2.22. Moreover, the MCNPX-MIRD optimized phantom provides detailed dose analysis for target and non-target organs and can be used to assess the efficiency of shielding in radiological examination.Conclusion: Shielding breasts and eyes during cervical radiography reduced the radiation dose to many organs. The decision to not shield patients should be based on research evidence as this approach does not apply to all cases.

This work presents the results from measurements of radon concentrations in primary and high school education institutions—including their gymnasiums—from the Chisinau municipality and various rayons from the central and southern part of the Republic of Moldova. In the research carried out during the years of 2013–2014 and 2021, there were 78 (29 + 49) premises included, respectively, and 149 and 23,805 investigations were performed using RTM-1642 (active measurements) and RadonEye+2 devices (passive measurements). The results show an essential variability for the studied radio-stressogenic factor, depending on the geological conditions of the location of the premises and the age of the building. Thus, during 2013–2014, the minimum concentration of radon detected was 26 Bq m−3, and the maximum detected was 607 Bq m−3. In 2021, the results denote an indicator variability in the range of 17.4–657.9 Bq m−3 for early education institutions, with an average value of 127.6 Bq m−3, and denote a range of 231.8–1129.3 Bq m−3, with an average value of 665.4 Bq m−3), for high school education institutions and their gymnasiums. The effective annual dose for the children in a classroom varies between an interval of 0.21–4.88 mSv y−1 (average 1.19 mSv y−1) and 0.14–9.08 mSv y−1 (average 1.29 mSv y−1) for the 2013–2014 and 2021 surveys, respectively.

A newly synthesized partially phosphorylated polyvinyl phosphate derivative (PPVP) was functionalized to extract Zirconium (IV) from Egyptian zircon sand. The specifications for the PPVP composite were approved effectively via different techniques, namely, FT-IR, XPS, BET, EDX, TGA, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, GC-MS, XRD and ICP-OES analyses, which demonstrated a satisfactory synthesis of PPVP and zircon dissolution from Egyptian zircon sand. Factors controlling parameters, such as pH values, shaking time, initial zirconium concentration, PPVP dose, nitrate ions concentration, co-ions, temperature and eluting agents, have been optimized. At 25 °C, pH 0, 20 min shaking, 0.05 mol/L zirconium ions and 0.5 mol/L nitrate ions, PPVP has an exciting preservation potential of 195 mg/g, equivalent to 390 mg/L zirconium ions. From the extraction–distribution isotherm, the practical outcomes of Langmuir’s modeling are better than the Freundlich model. With a theoretical value of 196.07 mg/g, which is more in line with the experimental results of 195 mg/g. The zirconium ions adsorption onto the PPVP composite follows the pseudo-second-order kinetics with a theoretical capacity value of 204.08 mg/g. According to thermodynamic potential, the extraction process was expected to be an exothermic, spontaneous and beneficial extraction at low temperatures. The thermodynamic parameters ΔS (−0.03 kJ/mol), ΔH (−12.22 kJ/mol) and ΔG were also considered. As the temperature grows, ∆G values increase from −2.948 kJ/mol at 298 K to −1.941 kJ/mol at 338 K. Zirconium ions may be eluted from the working loaded PPVP by 0.025M HNO3, with a 99% efficiency rate. It was found that zirconium ions revealed good separation factors towards some co-ions such as Hf4+ (28.82), Fe3+ (10.64), Ti4+ (28.82), V5+ (86.46) and U6+ (68.17). A successful alkali fusion technique with NaOH flux followed by the extraction with PPVP is used to obtain a high-purity zirconia concentrate with a zircon content of 72.77 % and a purity of 98.29%. As a result of this, the improved factors could finally be used.

Tannery industries are one of the extensive industrial activities which are the major source of chromium contamination in the environment. Chromium contamination has been an increasing threat to the environment and human health. Therefore, the removal of chromium ions is necessary to save human society. This study is oriented toward the preparation of a new triazole Schiff base derivatives for the remediation of chromium ions. 4,4′-((1E)-1,2-bis ((1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl) imino)ethane-1,2-diyl) diphenol was prepared by the interaction between 3-Amino-1H-1,2,4-triazole and 4,4′-Dihydroxybenzil. Then, the produced Schiff base underwent a phosphorylation reaction to produce the adsorbent (TIHP), which confirmed its structure via the different tools FTIR, TGA, 1HNMR, 13CNMR, GC-MS, and Phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance (31P-NMR). The newly synthesized adsorbent (TIHP) was used to remove chromium oxyanions (Cr(VI)) from an aqueous solution. The batch technique was used to test many controlling factors, including the pH of the working aqueous solution, the amount of adsorbent dose, the initial concentration of Cr(VI), the interaction time, and the temperature. The desorption behaviour of Cr(VI) changes when it is exposed to the suggested foreign ions. The maximum adsorption capacity for Cr(VI) adsorption on the new adsorbent was 307.07 mg/g at room temperature. Freundlich’s isotherm model fits the adsorption isotherms perfectly. The kinetic results were well-constrained by the pseudo-second-order equation. The thermodynamic studies establish that the adsorption type was exothermic and naturally spontaneous.

In the current study, we conducted petrographic investigation combined with aeromagnetic data in order to classify variable granitic rocks, delineate structural trends and deduce depth of the basement rocks cropping out in Homrit Waggat area, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt. Field and petrographic investigations revealed that the granitic Homrit Waggat rocks include two groups. The first group includes the older granitic rocks, comprising tonalites and granodiorites. In contrast, the second one includes younger granitic rocks, involving alkali-feldspar granites, syenogranites and albitized granites. Depth as well as subsurface structures can be identified using magnetic method. Two tectonic maps representing the deep-seated and the shallow-seated structural features were constructed to show the structural history of the study area. The major tectonic trends indicate that the regional structures are controlled by deeper structures which have NW–SE, NNE–SSW—NE–SW and N–S directions. On the other hand, we find that the local structure trends are controlled by the local shallow structures that have NNE–SSW, NNW–SSE, ESE–WNW and N–S directions. Depth levels of the economic rare metal-bearing rocks range from 0 km to 1.2 km (Euler deconvolution technique) and from 0 km to 2.3 km (the analytical signal profiles) by using the aeromagnetic data, reflecting large resources of rare metal-bearing rocks.

This study evaluates the geological attributes of rocks within the Abu Ghalaga area using spatial, geochemical, and petrographic approaches. ASTER and Landsat imagery processed using band ratio and principal component analysis were used to map hydrothermal alterations, while a regional tectonic evaluation was based on automated extraction of lineaments from a digital elevation model. Geochemical and petrographic analyses were then employed for discrete scale evaluation of alteration patterns of rocks across the study location. Based on satellite image processing, alteration patterns across the study area are widespread, while evidence from lineament analysis suggests a dominant NW–SE tectonic trend accompanied by a less dominant ENE–WSW direction. The different rock units exposed in the studied district are arranged chronologically from oldest to youngest as arc metavolcanic group (basalt and rhyolite), arc metagabbro–diorite, gneissose granite (granodiorite and tonalite), and dykes (aplite and felsite). Various types of igneous and metamorphic rocks have propylitic, phyllic, and argillic zones. Geochemical data indicate that the studied rocks are classified into granite, granodiorite, gabbroic diorite, and gabbro. Geochemically, the rocks have a sub-alkaline magma type. The granodiorite–tonalite is derived from the calc–alkaline magma nature, while gabbro and diorite samples exhibit tholeiitic to calc–alkaline affinity. The tectonic setting of the studied rocks trends toward volcanic arc granite (VAG). Based on petrographic, geochemical, and remote analyses, sericitization, chloritization, epidotization, kaolinitization, carbonatization, and silicification are the main alteration types present in the study area. As a result of lineaments analysis, the existing fractures and structural planes form valid flow paths for mineral-bearing hydrothermal solutions.

Swelling soil leads to many types of constructional damages, deformations, and failures in the constructions’ roads, shoulders, and foundations. Depending on the amount of swell, they can be insignificant, moderate, or massive. This paper presents a method for swelling soil stabilization by adding rice husk powder (RHP) in variable percentages of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 by weight of dry soil. The properties of swelling soil stabilization were investigated by various lab tests such as consistency limits (plastic limit, liquid limit, and plasticity index), swelling potential, swelling pressure, free swelling, and free swell index. The swelling soil was also mineralogically examined using X-ray diffraction of clay mineralogy. This stabilization reduced the plasticity from 56% (extremely high plasticity) to 4.5% (low plasticity). Swelling potential (S) and swelling pressure (SP) decreased by 48% to 45.5, 44.7, and 34.6%, from 1003 kN/m2 to 800, 653, and 489 kN/m2 for the partial replacement of the soil by 5%, 10%, and 15% RHP, respectively. The results show that the present approach is very efficient for improving the swelling soil properties and that the optimal amount of added RHP of the swelling soil is 15%. It will also be a database aimed at reducing construction risks in the future.

The oil and gas industry is definitely considered the main contributor in the energy sector, acting as the lifeblood of our planet. However, environmental contamination by crude oil and petroleum products due to anthropogenic activities is of great concern. Nestos River springs from Bulgaria and has a total length of 234 km, from which 135 km belong on Greek land. It is globally recognized as nature’s miracle accommodating a variety of habitats, flora, and fauna species at the deltaic area protected by the RAMSAR Convention. In the current study, water and sediment samples from three different sites along the river course and other six sites of the delta region and the surrounding sea area were selected in order to investigate the potential environmental impact of the nearby oil and gas industry in the Prinos-Kavala basin that operates over 40 years. The samples were analyzed by fingerprinting techniques using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Crude oil samples and different petroleum products were also analyzed to disclose specific markers (biomarkers) that characterize the different sources of oil spills. The analytical data revealed that the distribution of biomarkers is a valuable tool in oil spill identification as well as in their correlation to suspected sources. Extract ion chromatograms of the reference samples showed significant differences in the distribution of n-alkane, isoprenoid, sterane, triterpane, and dibenzothiophene compounds. The results on the analyzed water and sediment samples bared no evidence of environmental hazards associated with the hydrocarbon exploration and production activities of the neighboring oil and gas company.