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The present study aims to elucidate the decomposition mechanism and gas evolution characteristics of a promising energy-rich carbamated microcrystalline cellulose nitrate (M3CN). The molecular structure and morphological characteristics of starting microcrystalline cellulose carbamate (MCCC) and its nitrated derivative were examined using FTIR and SEM techniques. Thermal analysis using TGA and DSC revealed distinct decomposition behaviors for MCCC and M3CN. MCCC exhibited endothermic decomposition linked to the degradation of the cellulosic structure. In contrast, an exothermic decomposition event was observed for M3CN, attributed to the cleavage of energetic groups within the nitrated cellulosic chains. Furthermore, the hyphenated TG-FTIR analysis confirmed that the primary gaseous products emitted during the pyrolysis of M3CN included NO, N2O, NO2, CO2, H2O, CH4, HCHO, HCN, and CHNO. The findings of this study enhance our understanding of the pyrolysis mechanism in cellulose-based energetic materials, providing a significant reference for forthcoming research and explorations in this field.

Plastic waste management is a complex problem that has negative effects on the environment, society, and the economy. The development of science has made humanity use plastic materials a lot, and because it does not cost to manufacture and is recyclable, it is used in most industries. Plastic contains polyethylene, most of it does not biodegrade and remains in the environment for long periods, and its abundant accumulation leads to many environmental and health hazards to humans. This research, which aims to recycle plastic bags in the field of construction, is of utmost importance in addressing the pressing issue of plastic waste management. The plastic will likely increase the durability of structures mechanically and increase thermal insulation. In this research, the plastic bag segments are integrated in a ratio of 0% to 0.7% in the compressed clay bricks. Which consists of sand, clay, and gypsum. Some physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of the samples are measured. Preliminary results show that the addition of these strips reduces the value of the bulk density between 3.21% to 13%. The speed of sound transmission also decreases between 2.17% and 21%. The stress strength increases between 5.4% to 25.53%. The thermal conductivity value also decreases between 5.26% to 23.68%. This leads to the clay brick becoming lighter, more solid, and better thermal insulation. Thus, we combine the improvement of the properties of clay structures with a significant reduction in environmental impact, inspiring a more sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calendula arvensis L. (Asteraceae) is a famous ornamental and medicinal plant widely distributed in Mediterranean countries and the southern region of Europe. This reputed species is widely used in traditional medicine in the treatment of many disorders and has various bioactivities, especially anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antimutagenic, antimicrobial, insecticidal, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory activities. The present review was conducted to provide a critical review of the comprehensive and current knowledge regarding C. arvensis species, in particular, its taxonomy and geographical distribution, botanical description, medicinal uses, phytochemical compounds, pharmacological properties, and toxicity investigations. The data collected on C. arvensis were obtained using different scientific research databases such as PubMed, SciFinder, SpringerLink, Web of Science, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Wiley Online, and Scopus. Phytochemical screening of different C. arvensis extracts and essential oils showed their richness in bioactive compounds, particularly in fatty acids, sterols, phenolics, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, alkaloids, and terpenoid compounds. The findings of this review showed that the pharmacological activities of C. arvensis confirm its importance and diversity as a traditional remedy for many diseases. This plant presents a wide range of bioactivities, namely, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antitrypanosomial, antitumoral, antimutagenic, and immunomodulatory activities, as well as hemolytic properties and wound treatment. Nevertheless, pharmacokinetic validation and toxicological examinations are required to detect any possible toxicity for future clinical trials.

Thin films of cadmium oxide (CdO), cobalt oxide (Co3O4), and their composites were deposited on glass substrates at 360 ℃ using the spray pyrolysis method. The films underwent characterization through various techniques, including energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis). Hall Effect measurements were also conducted to assess the structural, optical, and electrical properties. The XRD analysis revealed crystalline structures with cubic symmetry for both CdO and Co3O4, and the Scherrer equation confirmed their nanomaterial nature. EDX results identified the distinct proportions of oxygen, cadmium, and cobalt in the films. On the other hand, the optical band gaps determined via Tauc plots indicated values of Eg1 = 1.54 eV and Eg2 = 2.01 eV for Co3O4, and Eg3 = 2.4 eV for CdO. As for the Hall Effect measurements, they were performed to determine a number of electrical parameters. The results showed that the addition of Co3O4 into CdO increased the sheet resistance of the composite. This research has potential applications in various areas, including the design of solar cells (photovoltaic devices) and the creation of new light-based devices (optoelectronic devices). Additionally, the dielectric functions of composites (CdO)x (Co3O4)1-x with varying compositions (x = 0.7, 0.5, and 0.3) were evaluated. The dielectric properties were experimentally measured from 350 to 2500 nm, and theoretical calculations were performed using mixing equations like Looyenga, Kim, and Bruggman, with the Looyenga model accurately depicting the dielectric properties of the materials studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for natural plant-based molecules as new pharmacological alternatives to treat many human diseases has taken on great importance for research laboratories. Among these compounds, cianidanol has been studied for its numerous biological activities. The aim of this work is to highlight the main reported data about the biological properties of cianidanol. To search for data, several databases were used such as ScienceDirect, Web of Sciences, PubMed, etc. The collected data show that cianidanol has been isolated and purified from several medicinal plants. In terms of biological activities, the data show that cianidanol is characterized by a variety of medicinal effects, such as antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. The reported studies demonstrated the importance of this molecule in alternative medicine, however most of these works are only in vitro tests. In this regard, more in vivo assays should be conducted in order to confirm the bioavailability and the safety of cianidanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collocations usage among translation master students in the University of Algiers II seems rather irregular when it comes to the transfer of English into Arabic. This paper examines the extent and causes of this irregularity through a descriptive field study conducted among students’ assessments. It also inquires the means to consolidate translation data towards their mother tongue first, and to spontaneously and correctly make them use collocations when translating into Arabic. This paper aims at suggesting long-term solutions for undergraduate translators’ culture widening for a future style improvement. In a nutshell, it is admitted that in order to preserve Arabic from weakness and to universally spread its culture, more consideration is to be offered to translation since it is a solid channel for a daily usage of collocations. Purposefully and consequently then, many outstanding books on collocations proved efficient when read by students in a limited period of time; the assessments, full of collocations usage, showed how fruitful the books were and how they bettered the students’ style as far as collocations are concerned.

This study deals with drying properties and focuses on the drying kinetics of potato peels (PP) by two processes, namely convection drying (CD) at various temperatures (40, 60, 80, 100, and 120 °C) and microwave drying (MD) at different powers (200, 400, 600, and 800 W). In addition, the effectiveness of the adopted processes was evaluated in terms of antioxidant contents and antioxidant capacity. A total of 22 mathematical models were undertaken to predict the drying kinetics, and the best model was selected based on the highest R2 values and the lowest χ2 and RMSE values. The Sledz model was the more appropriate for both methods with values of 0.9995 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.9999, χ2 = 0.0000, and 0.0054 ≤ RMSE ≤ 0.0030 for CD, and the results of MD were 0.9829 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.9997, 0.0000 ≤ χ2 ≤ 0.0010, and 0.0304 ≤ RMSE ≤ 0.0053. The best drying rates (DR) of PP were assigned to a temperature of 120 °C and a power of 600 W with values of 0.05 and 0.20 kg water/kg dw min, respectively. A potential explanation is that as PP’s moisture content decreased during the drying process, there was a drop in absorption, which led to a reduction in the DR. The energy consumption of both processes was assessed, and it rose with increasing temperature or power. The microwave process reduced the drying time, consumed lower energy, and presented a higher drying efficiency at a moderate power level compared to the convection process. Furthermore, MD preserved antioxidants better compared to CD and improved the antioxidant capacity. Therefore, the proposed microwave process for drying PP is suggested for its expected use in various fields, including the food processing industries.

Objective: To determin the chemical compounds of Mentha suaveolens (M. suaveolens) and Pinus halepensis (P. halepensis) essential oils (Eos) and evaluate their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Methods: The chemical composition of P. halepensis and M. suaveolens EOs was determined by GC-MS analysis. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays. The antibacterial effect was tested against 6 bacterial strains using the well diffusion method and micro-dilution assay. Results: The major components of P. halepensis EOs were β-caryophyllene (28.04%), myrcene (23.81%) and α-pinene (12.02%). However, piperitenone oxid (56.28%), piperitenone (11.64%) and pulegone (6.16%) were the major components of M. suaveolens EOs. M. suaveolens EOs showed remarkable antioxidant activities compared with P. halepensis EOs, showing antioxidant capacity values of IC50=(64.76±2.24) μg/mL, IC50=(82.73±3.34) μg/mL, and IC50=(93.35±4.45) μg/mL, revealed by DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays, respectively. However, P. halepensis EOs showed interesting antibacterial effects against all bacterial strains. The most sensible strains to P. halepensis EOs were Staphylococcus aureus [(34.00±0.50) mm], Listeria monocytogenes [(31.00±1.50)] mm and Proteus mirabilis [(29.00±2.25)mm]. Furthermore, the lowest minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were revealed by P. halepensis EOs against Staphylococcus aureus [MIC=MBC=0.125% (v/v)] and Listeria monocytogenes [MIC=MBC=0.25% (v/v)]. Conclusions: P. halepensis and M. suaveolens EOs contain bioactive compounds that could have potential applications against bacterial infections and oxidative stress related diseases as well as for food conservation. However, further investigations are necessary to isolate and investigate the action mechanisms of these bioactive compounds.

Eucalyptus globulus is a plant widely used by the world population, including Morocco, in the treatment of several pathologies. The aim of this work is to evaluate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, dermatoprotective, and antimicrobial effects of essential oil and honey from E. globulus, as well as their combination. Chemical composition was determined by GC-MS analysis. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by three tests, namely, DPPH, reducing power, and the β-carotene/linoleic acid assay. The anti-inflammatory activity was investigated in vitro (5-lipoxygenase inhibition) and in vivo (carrageenan-induced paw edema model), while the dermatoprotective activity was tested in vitro (tyrosinase inhibition). Moreover, the antibacterial activity was assessed using agar well diffusion and microdilution methods. The results showed that eucalyptol presents the main compound of the essential oil of E. globulus (90.14%). The mixture of essential oil with honey showed the best antioxidant effects for all the tests used (0.07 < IC50 < 0.19 mg/mL), while the essential oil was the most active against tyrosinase (IC50 = 38.21 ± 0.13 μg/mL) and 5-lipoxygenase (IC50 = 0.88 ± 0.01 μg/mL), which corroborated the in vivo test. Additionally, the essential oil showed the best bactericidal effects against all strains tested, with inhibition diameter values ranging from 12.8 to 21.6 mm. The findings of this work showed that the combination of the essential oil with honey showed important results in terms of biological activity, but the determination of the underlying mechanisms of action remains a major prospect to be determined.

A cutaneous sinus tract of dental origin is relatively uncommon and may easily be misdiagnosed, owing to its uncommon occurrence and absence of dental symptoms. Such a lesion continues to be a diagnostic dilemma. The case described here presented a nasolabial cutaneous sinus tract of dental origin that was treated by a surgical approach with an excellent esthetic improvement.

Silver nanoparticles (Ag-Nps) were grown on the surface of a p-type crystalline silicon (C-Si) substrate using electroless metal deposition. It was found that the Ag-Nps distribution on C-Si was controlled by the silver nitrate (AgNO3) concentrations. Atomic force microscopy observations revealed the formation of a continuous layer at high concentration. In contrast, a distribution of Ag-Nps with a spherical shape was obtained at lower concentration. The samples were also examined by optical microscopy under dark field illumination. The light reflected from Ag-Nps was obtained with different colors. This difference indicates a slight change in particle size. It is demonstrated that a silicon substrate with deposited Ag-Nps shows a significant decrease in reflectance and an increase of the absorption in the region from 200 to 800 nm. Moreover, the behavior of small Ag-Nps while interacting with light (absorbed or scattered light) is theoretically described using the Mie theory based on the Drude model. The introduction of silver nanoparticles on silicon surface is used to improve the efficiency of solar cells by reducing reflection and increasing the light absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acromegaly is a rare disease caused due to hyper secretion of growth hormone. Most of the cases of acromegaly are caused by pituitary adenoma which can be microadenoma or macroadenomas. This condition has a tendency toward overgrowth of the mandible, maxillary widening, tooth separation and skeletal malocclusion which compromises the aesthetics of an individual. Hence dentists have a role in diagnosing this disorder. The aim of this paper is to present a case report of Acromegaly.

Oroantral communication (OAC) or fistula (OAF) is an open pathological communication between the oral cavity and maxillary sinus which mostly occurs as a result of extraction of upper molars and premolars, iatrogenic complications or from dental infections, osteomyelitis, radiation therapy or trauma. Several alternative techniques modalities have been described throughout the years for the management of OAC and OAF which show both advantages and limitations. The most employed surgical flaps are of three types: advanced buccal flap, palatal flap and buccal fat pad flap. The authors present two clinical cases: oroantral communication and oroantral fistula, both were treated by using buccal advancement flap.