Search

This study explores the gasochromic hydrogen sensing capabilities of Pd-coated Na x WO 3 thin films prepared via Flame Vapor Deposition (FVD) on soda-lime glass substrates. Employing an oxy-hydrogen generator and varying substrate temperatures (100–450 °C) were investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) revealed a transition from Na 0.1 WO 3 to Na 2 W 6 O 19 phases, increased crystallite size (5.4–35.5 nm), and morphological changes from porous to dense structures with temperature. The films exhibited good optical transparency (70–95%) in the visible and near-infrared, with the sample deposited at 350 °C (S 350) showing the maximum transmittance. The gasochromic hydrogen sensing performance of Pd/Na x WO 3 films was evaluated. The sensor response increased with operating temperature, reaching an optimal performance at 300 °C. The sample S 350 exhibited the fastest response (51 s) and recovery (30 s) times with a linear calibration curve limit of detection (LOD) of 46 ppm. Repeated cycling tests indicated stable and reversible performance. Finally, the sensing mechanism was described. [Display omitted] • Na x WO 3 films were deposited by the flame vapor deposition method. • Deposition was performed at different substrate temperatures (100–450 °C). • Structural and morphological phase transition occurred at 350 °C. • Gasochromic hydrogen sensing of Pd/NaxWO 3 films FVD was explored. • The sample deposited at 350 °C displayed the best sensing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-strength concrete is more sensitive to changes in curing conditions and has a higher tendency to crack. To mitigate shrinkage and sensitivity to curing conditions, various methods, such as internal curing (IC) agents, have been proposed. Various types of materials, including pumice, ceramic aggregates, recycled concrete aggregates, perlite, and superabsorbent polymers (SAP), have been used for internal curing. Due to the difference in absorption content and rate of water absorption and desorption between SAP and recycled lightweight aggregate, their effect on the properties of high strength concrete can be different. This study explores the impact of IC using SAP on compressive strength, plastic shrinkage, and restrained shrinkage from drying in HSC, comparing it with IC using recycled lightweight aggregate (LWA).The utilization of pre-soaked SAP as an IC agent resulted in a minor enhancement in the workability of concrete. The use of LAW has reduced the workability of concrete. Because the shape of LAW particles is crushed, unlike SAP spherical particles. The results showed that pre-saturation with a superabsorbent polymer or recycled LWA slightly boosts compressive strength under drying conditions. The compressive strength of compounds with SAP and LAW in drying conditions was lower than that of the control mixture in standard curing conditions. This suggests that despite the favorable impact of IC with SAP and LAW on compressive strength, it does not fully address the decrease in concrete strength resulting from unfavorable curing. Regarding the effect of IC on shrinkage cracks, while IC with a recycled LWA proves more effective in reducing restrained shrinkage, IC with a superabsorbent polymer is more efficient in mitigating plastic shrinkage and minimizing concrete cracking risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTwP or DTaP) as pediatric vaccines are produced from the corresponding inactivated toxins or whole -cell pathogenic bacteria of Corynebacterium diphtheria toxin (Tox), Clostridium tetani toxin (TetX) and Bordetella pertussis. There are major concerns in the classic or acellular DTP (DTaP) vaccine production processes from native live bacterial sources as it may raise concerns on adverse effects and safety issues, complexity of the purifications for each agent as well as cost. Here, we designated a recombinant multi-epitope vaccine candidates by vaccinoinformatics study to address the mentioned issues and to develop a single trivalent fusion protein as a potent recombinant DTP vaccine. To achieve these goals, stages of immunebioinformatics were retrieved using proteinaceous toxins sequences, predicting secondary/tertiary structure and transmembrane topology, energy minimization, and model validation. Then, conformational and linear Bcell epitope prediction by several servers, mapping of consensus linear/discontinuous immunogenic regions and construction synthetic fusion vaccine candidates in respect to optimal immunogenic, physicochemical properties and high expression in prokaryote host were achieved. Finally, reverse translation, codon optimization, addition of cloning tags for pet 28a vector and optimization of physicochemical properties of synthetic trivalent fusion protein were performed. Through various hybrid immuno-informatics and structural bioinformatics analysis of predicted and experimental epitopes finally, 12 new consensus highly immunogenic linear and discontinuous epitopes in Tox, TetX and PTXa proteins were selected. The peptide sequences of these immunogenic regions were as follows: PTXA (AA34-64, AA184-256 and AA98-116), Tox (AA47-76, AA117-159, AA515- 557 and AA245-265) and TetX (AA226-249, AA819-844, AA923-967, AA1009-1067 and AA1225-1315). In addition, the characteristics of the recombinant trivalent fusion construct were; 546 residue length, soluble (Grand average of hydropathicity (GRAVY) was -0.475), estimated half-life was >10 hours in Escherichia coli, pI 5.94 (a little acidic), stable protein (The instability index (II) 35.58) as well as thermally stable (Aliphatic index (AI) 71.67). The putative antigenic epitopes from different organisms in a single protein, as in the current study, will possibly improve the protective efficacy as novel potent, safe, cheap and broad-spectrum vaccines for better prevention of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis infections in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mohammad Hasan Moshafi,1 Mehdi Ranjbar,2,3 Ghazaleh Ilbeigi4 1Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran; 2Food Drug and Cosmetics Safety Research Center Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran; 3Pharmaceutics Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran; 4Student Research Committee, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, IranCorrespondence: Mehdi RanjbarPharmaceutics Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box: 76175-493, Kerman 76169-11319, IranTel +98-34-31325241Fax +98-34-31325003Email Mehdi.Ranjbar@kmu.ac.irPurpose: In this study, for the first time, new nanoparticles of La3+/α-Al2O3 were synthesized with the ultrasonic-assisted hydrothermal method in the presence of honey as an eco-friendly and natural reagent.Methods: The as-synthesized La3+/α-Al2O3 nanoparticles were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transition electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), UV–visible spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. In this work, we report optimum conditions to synthesize La3+/α-Al2O3 nanoparticles as novel material and as a candidate for antibacterial activity in antibacterial drugs.Results and Conclusion: The XRD and SEM micrograph results demonstrate the formation of pure La3+/α-Al2O3 nanoparticles with a particle size in the range of 30–80 nm. The synthesis parameters were systematically examined using analysis of variance (ANOVA) through 2k−1 factorial design, and the factors were an assay for product optimization. Various factors such as hydrothermal time, temperature, ultrasound irradiation and interaction between these factors were investigated on the product size of the products. To investigate antibacterial activity of the La3+/α-Al2O3 nanoparticles with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method, different dilutions of nanoparticles as 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1 and 0.5 μg/mL were dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide and diluted using distilled water and added to the Mueller-Hinton agar medium containing Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratia marcescens as gram-negative bacteria and Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis and Micrococcus luteus as gram-positive bacteria.Keywords: ultrasound-assisted hydrothermal method, antibacterial activity, La3+/α-Al2O3 NPs, nanocomposites

Mohammad Hasan Moshafi,1 Mehdi Ranjbar,1 Ghazaleh Ilbeigi21Pharmaceutics Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran; 2Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, IranBackground: Biotemplates are attractive templates for the synthesis of nanometals and inorganic compound nanostructures.Methods: In this work, for the first time, iron oxide quantum dot nanoparticles (QDNPs) were prepared using egg albumen as a biotemplate. Next, the prepared nanoparticles were characterized using dynamic light scattering for determination and evaluation of the hydrodynamic diameter and zeta potential of the particles. Moreover, optical and scanning electron microscopes were applied to evaluate morphology. Spherically shaped iron oxide QDNPs were obtained with appropriate particle size and distribution. Fe(NO3)3.9H2O and egg whites were used as the source of the Fe element and particle size control agent in the aqueous medium, respectively. Afterward, the effect of calcination temperature parameters on the crystallinity purity and size of Fe nanocrystals were investigated. Also, products were characterized by various detection analyses such as thermogravimetry analysis/DTA, XRD, UV-vis, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR,) transmission electron microscopy, and SEM. In order to investigate the antibacterial effect of the synthesized Fe nanobiological samples against bacterial strains, they were dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide and diluted using distilled water. Then, different serial dilutions of 64 μg/mL, 32 μg/mL, 16 μg/mL, 8 μg/mL, 4 3BCg/mL, 2 μg/mL, 1 μg/mL, and 0.5 μg/mL of nanobiological samples were prepared and added to the Mueller–Hinton agar medium.Results: The minimum inhibitory concentration of the synthesized iron oxide quantum dot nanobiological was determined against pathogenic microbial strains of bacteria including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Klebsiella pneumonia on the culture medium plate.Conclusion: The present nanobiological samples can be considered as a new material candidate for antibacterial drugs.Keywords: iron oxide quantum dots, egg albumen, bio-template, antibacterial effect

Mehdi Ranjbar,1,2 Abbas Pardakhty,1,3 Arezou Amanatfard,1 Ali Asadipour1,3 1Pharmaceutics Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran; 2Student Research Committee, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran; 3Faculty of Pharmacy, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran Abstract: Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are structures made up of inorganic nodes, which can be either single ions or clusters of ions and organic linkers. This study reports on a novel processing route for producing β-estradiol encapsulated in Zn-MOF nanocomposites by microwave-assisted coprecipitation as a facile and fast method. Zn-MOF nanocomposites were synthesized with the aid of Zn(OAc)2·2H2O and 2,6-pyridine dicarboxylic acid ammonium as an organic ligand. Furthermore, we studied encapsulated β-estradiol which is one of the most important classes of estrogenic compounds that are used in the treatment of prostate cancer and breast cancer. The effects of β-estradiol concentration and microwave irradiation on the morphology, particle size, distribution, and in vitro photoluminescence spectroscopy experiments of β-estradiol entrapped in Zn-MOF nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller spectroscopy. These nanostructures can be a good option for thawing hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs over time. Zn-MOF nanocomposites with high porosity, total pore volume (0.04665 cm3g-1), and nanostructures have provided the platform to load β-estradiol such as low soluble drugs. Maximum of drug release was about 82% at pH 8.9 after 8 h. Keywords: nano structures, drug delivery, encapsulation, drug design, β-estradiol