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The hydrochemical and isotopic techniques have become one of the most popular and successful methods for determining the hydrogeochemical features of groundwater in recent years. A total of 15 samples were collected during wet (March, 2021) and dry (August, 2021) seasons. An approach with major elements (Cl-, Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and SO4 2=) and multi-isotope (2H, 18O) are used in this study to solve the geochemical variation of salinity in groundwater in Baghdad. The results of the analysis of groundwater samples in the study area showed that the major cations were Ca2+ and Na+, while the major anion was SO4, Cl, and HCO3. The Ca-SO4 and Ca-Na-Cl-SO4. hydrochemical facies are the dominant hydrochemical facies of groundwater on the Al-Karakh and Al-Russafa sides, respectively. Ca-HCO3 was found to be the dominant hydrochemical facies of the Tigris River. Human activities and geochemical processes may have caused differences in hydrochemical Facies. According to isotope analysis, the study area has multiple sources of salinity. This can be attributed to the effects of natural dissolution of the salt compounds, mixing with sewage, and industrial water sink. The results and data from this work can be used to research groundwater recharge and interaction, as well as to protect groundwater quality.

Leea indica (Burm. f.) Merr. (Vitaceae) is used for the treatment of wounds in traditional medicine practiced in Sri Lanka. The current study is carried out to investigate its wound healing potential in terms of in vitro cell migration and proangiogenic activity. The scratch wound assay (SWA) guided fractionation of dichloromethane extract of L. indica led to the isolation of a rare phytosterol, stigmast-5-en-3β,7α,22α-triol (1), betulin (2), lupeol (3), and β-sitosterol (4) all of which showed enhanced cell migration in SWA and significant proangiogenic response in chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. The identities of compounds 1–4 were established by the analysis of NMR spectroscopic data and comparison with those reported. This is the first report of the occurrence of compounds 1 and 2 in L. indica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jeffreycia zeylanica (Asteraceae), a plant endemic to Sri Lanka, is used for the treatment of wounds. The scratch wound assay (SWA) guided fractionation of hexanes extract of J. zeylanica led to the isolation of oleana-9(11),12-diene-3β-ol (1) which showed enhanced cell migration in SWA and significant proangiogenic response in chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Since the reported 1H NMR assignments of 1 were incomplete, and some 13C NMR assignments were inconsistent with our observations, reassignment of NMR spectroscopic data of 1 was carried out. Herein we report unambiguous assignment of NMR data of 1 based on 1D and 2D NMR spectra. This is the first report of 1 in J. zeylanica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Cancer patients are considered susceptible to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) due to an immunosuppressive state. This study determined the prevalence of cancer as a comorbid in COVID-19 patients, severe events, case fatality rate, history of anticancer therapy associated with severe events, and type of cancer in cancer patients with COVID-19 in the world. Methods: This study used a meta-analysis study approach, sourcing studies from various countries related to cancer and COVID-19. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were established to select studies. A PRISMA flowchart was presented to assess the selection process. Data from inclusion studies were analyzed using Review Manager 5.4. Results: The prevalence of cancer as a comorbid in COVID-19 patients was 4.63% (95% CI, 3.78-5.49%) worldwide. The lowest prevalence was the Asian study group with 2.36% (95% CI, 1.86-2.87%) and the highest prevalence was the European study group with 10.93% (95% CI, 6.62-15.24%). About 43.26% (95% CI, 34.71-51.80%) of COVID-19 patients with cancer as comorbid experienced severe events of COVID-19. In total, 58.13% (95% CI, 42.79-73.48%) of COVID-19 patients with cancer as a comorbid who in the last month had a history of anticancer therapy experienced severe events. The prevalence of lung cancer in cancer patients with COVID-19 was 20.23% (95% CI, 7.67-32.78%). Forest plots are also presented related to the results of meta-analysis research. Conclusions: High prevalence of cancer as a comorbid among COVID-19 patients indicates the susceptibility of cancer patients to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cancer as a comorbid in COVID-19 patients and use of anticancer therapy increase severe events of COVID-19.

Background: Cancer patients are considered susceptible to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) due to an immunosuppressive state. This study determined the prevalence of cancer in COVID-19 patients, severe events, case fatality rate, history of anticancer therapy associated with severe events, and type of cancer in cancer patients with COVID-19 in the world. Methods: This study used a meta-analysis study approach, sourcing studies from various countries related to cancer and COVID-19. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were established to select studies. A PRISMA flowchart was presented to assess the selection process. Data from inclusion studies were analyzed using Review Manager 5.4. Results: The prevalence of cancer in COVID-19 patients was 4.63% (95% CI, 3.78-5.49%) worldwide. The lowest prevalence was the Asian study group with 2.36% (95% CI, 1.86-2.87%) and the highest prevalence was the European study group with 10.93% (95% CI, 6.62-15.24%). About 43.26% (95% CI, 34.71-51.80%) of cancer patients with COVID-19 experienced severe events of COVID-19. In total, 58.13% (95% CI, 42.79-73.48%) of cancer patients with COVID-19 who in the last month had a history of anticancer therapy experienced severe events. The prevalence of lung cancer in cancer patients with COVID-19 was 20.23% (95% CI, 7.67-32.78%). Forest plots are also presented related to the results of meta-analysis research. Conclusions: High prevalence of cancer among COVID-19 patients indicates the susceptibility of cancer patients to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cancer in COVID-19 patients and use of anticancer therapy increase severe events of COVID-19.

The bandgap of mixed-halide perovskites can be continuously tuned by changing the halide ratio, but the crystals have poor photo-stability. Here the authors show that photoinduced phase separation is suppressed when perovskite nanocrystals are embedded in a non-perovskite endotaxial matrix.

The interaction between surface water represented by Tigers River, Fish Lake, drainage and groundwater was examined in this study. Samples were collected from Al-Azezeyia city for stable isotope (2H and18O). Samplings of water were taken during January – September 2016 during the period of breeding fish. Two samples were taken from a fish lake, three samples from Tigers River and one sample from water drainage. The aim of this research is to assess the interaction of a fish lake on surface water by using isotopic techniques. The values of stable isotopes of 18O range-7.78 – 8.10‰, -7.43 – -8.11‰, -3.2 – 3.3‰ and -6.0 – 6.2‰. The values of Deuterium range -45 – 45.56‰, -46.7 – -45.72‰, -37.87 – 37.98‰ and -28.4 – -29.7‰ in the fish lake, Tigris river, groundwater and water drainage, respectively. The results show there is no effect of interaction between the fish lake and Tigers River due to a short distance between the river and the lakes, lack evaporation effects and high flow rate.

The environmental isotopes composition of water (δ18O, δ2Hand 3H) and hydrochemistry concentration were measured seasonally at eight stations along Euphrates River within the study area for two periods (January–Augustm, 2014) to study temporal special variations of these isotopes. The results of isotopes values showed there is a little difference between the periods due to the seasonal change and the trend of distribution can be attributed to evaporation and drainage flow. Generally the river water has positive d-excess, which indicates the vapor source of the Mediterranean moisture sources in January, while a low d-excess associated with enriched isotopic values, which typically occurs during August, 2014. The Euphrates River water, is fresh (TDS < 0.39 g/L) and has slight increase in its salinity levels during the last two decades. Generally the chemical facies changes from a calciummagnesium and bicarbonate type towards a sodium-chloride type to calcium sulfate. River salinity increases according to rock type, lake water, evaporation and human activity, and relatively higher toward downstream stations. The absence of management and a working drainage system, together with irrigation under high evaporation rates and low discharge, are the primary reasons for the continuous deterioration of water quality.

Jeffreycia zeylanica (L.) H. Rob., S. C. Keeley & Skvarla is used for the treatment of wounds in indigenous medicine practiced in Sri Lanka. The scratch wound assay (SWA) guided fractionation of hexanes extract of J. zeylanica led to the isolation of ethuliacoumarin (1), stigmasterol (2), β-amyrin (3) and lupeol (4) and a non-resolved triterpene alcohol mixture HF5D1, all of which showed enhanced cell migration. The mixture HF5D1 contained glut-5-en-3β-ol (5) and friedelin-3β-ol (6). The identities of compounds 1–6 were established by the analysis of spectroscopic data and comparison of them with those reported. The compounds 1–4 and the non-resolved triterpene alcohol mixture, HF5D1 also exhibited significant proangiogenic response in chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay in addition to the enhanced cell migration. This is the first report of the occurrence of the compounds 1, 2, 4 and 5 in this plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Iraq the surface water is one of the important sources of potable water. Water chlorination is the disinfection method most widely used, having however the disadvantage of producing Trihalomethanes (THMs) as secondary compounds. THMs formation is influenced by the raw water composition and chlorine from the disinfection process.This research estimated the THMs concentration and the changes in Purification Water Plants and surrounding Feeding Stations. The duration of these monitoring tasks was three months (February, April and August) in 2014. There were forty eight water samples were collected from four Water Purification Water Plants (Qadisiyah, Karama, Al-Wethba and Al-Wehda) and from four Feeding Stations (Karrada, Bab-Almuadam, Utaifiyya and Qadisiyah). The total concentration of THMs ranged between (64 – 84.5 ppb), (68 – 92.6 ppb) and (74.3 –105.9 ppb) at Water Purification Water Plants in February, April and August, respectively. While the total concentration of THMs ranged between (60 – 67.1 ppb), (65 – 75.9 ppb) and (72 – 86 ppb) at the Feeding Stations, respectively. The highest values were recorded in August compared with remaining months (February and April). All the water samples within minimum limits according to WHO, IQS (0.15ppm) for drinking water. Generally, THMs levels increased during Summer and decreased in Winter regardless of disinfection method.

Both Nitrate and Nitrite are naturally occurring in the environment, products by oxidation of nitrogen by microorganism in plants, soil and water. The objective of this study was to investigate and determine the nitrate/ nitrite compounds in groundwater wells of Baghdad city/ Iraq. During a period of three months (January, April and August 2014), 26 samples of water were examined. The results showed that mean Nitrate concentration in water samples were 52.66 ppm, 15.03 ppm, 8.53 ppm, 12.30 ppm, 13.36 ppm, 50.56 ppm for three Months (January, April and August) and Nitrite concentration were 4.05 ppm, 072 ppm, 0.85 ppm, 0.88 ppm, 1.05 ppm, 3.11 ppm at Dyala Ridge, Salikh, Doura, Al-Jadria, Ghazalyia – Ammiria, and Abu-Ghreeb locations, respectively. Both Nitrate, Nitrite in Two area (Abu-Ghreeb, Dyala) had been more than the others locations due to increasing use of artificial fertilizers, the disposal of wastes and changes in land use are the main factors responsible for the progressive increase in nitrate/ Nitrite levels in both locations. One of the important issue that protection these area by apply many actions to reduce or remove nitrate concentration from groundwater.

Understanding the pattern of species distribution and the underlying mechanism is essential for conservation planning. Several climatic variables determine the species diversity, and the dependency of species on climate motivates ecologists and bio-geographers to explain the richness patterns along with elevation and environmental correlates. We used interpolated elevational distribution data to examine the relative importance of climatic variables in determining the species richness pattern of 26 species of gymnosperms in the longest elevation gradients in the world. Thirteen environmental variables were divided into three predictors set representing each hypothesis model (energy-water, physical-tolerance, and climatic-seasonality); to explain the species richness pattern of gymnosperms along the elevational gradient. We performed generalized linear models and variation partitioning to evaluate the relevant role of environmental variables on species richness patterns. Our findings showed that the gymnosperms’ richness formed a hump-shaped distribution pattern. The individual effect of energy-water predictor set was identified as the primary determinant of species richness. While, the joint effects of energy-water and physical-tolerance predictors have explained highest variations in gymnosperm distribution. The multiple environmental indicators are essential drivers of species distribution and have direct implications in understanding the effect of climate change on the species richness pattern.

With the end of Moore’s law in sight, researchers are in search of an alternative approach to manipulate information. Spintronics or spin-based electronics, which uses the spin state of electrons to store, process and communicate information, offers exciting opportunities to sustain the current growth in the information industry. For example, the discovery of the giant magneto resistance (GMR) effect, which provides the foundation behind modern high density data storage devices, is an important success story of spintronics; GMR-based sensors have wide applications, ranging from automotive industry to biology. In recent years, with the tremendous progress in nanotechnology, spintronics has crossed the boundary of conventional, all metallic, solid state multi-layered structures to reach a new frontier, where nanostructures provide a pathway for the spin-carriers. Different materials such as organic and inorganic nanostructures are explored for possible applications in spintronics. In this short review, we focus on the boron nitride nanotube (BNNT), which has recently been explored for possible applications in spintronics. Unlike many organic materials, BNNTs offer higher thermal stability and higher resistance to oxidation. It has been reported that the metal-free fluorinated BNNT exhibits long range ferromagnetic spin ordering, which is stable at a temperature much higher than room temperature. Due to their large band gap, BNNTs are also explored as a tunnel magneto resistance device. In addition, the F-BNNT has recently been predicted as an ideal spin-filter. The purpose of this review is to highlight these recent progresses so that a concerted effort by both experimentalists and theorists can be carried out in the future to realize the true potential of BNNT-based spintronics.