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Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) were developed by alginate hydrogel template for chromium (VI) ions separation. The IONPs were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and magnetic properties analysis. The separation efficiency of the IONPs for Cr(VI) ions investigated under initial Cr(VI) ions concentration, pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time and temperature. Furthermore, the adsorption process data were tested using different kinetic models. The isotherm nature was examined using Freundlich, Langmuir and Temkin models. Besides, the adsorption controlling step was determined using inter-particles and D-W diffusion models. The thermodynamic nature of the process was extracted using Van’t Hoff plot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current work, a highly chelating alginate derivative (phosphorylated alginate [PhAlg]) used as a template for the development of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles for the first time. Zn2+ ions were employed for gelation of the phosphorylated alginate, and then the ZnO nanoparticles were formed via annealing of (Zn-PhAlg) hydrogel. Different particles sizes of the ZnO nanoparticles were obtained by variation of the used PhAlg solution concentration. Properties of the obtained ZnO nanoparticles were verified using characterization tools such as FT-IR, SEM, and surface area measurements. Batch experiments were used to study the ability of the prepared zinc oxide nanoparticles for removing methylene blue (MB) from its aqueous solutions under different operational conditions such as initial MB concentration, pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time and temperature. The results further fitted with different kinetic and isotherm models. Moreover, the thermodynamics of the adsorption process was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An electrochemically integrated Synchrotron Radiation-Grazing Incidence X-Ray Diffraction (SRGIXRD) flow cell for studying corrosion product formation on carbon steel in carbon dioxide (CO2)-containing brines typical of oil and gas production has been developed. The system is capable of generating flow velocities of up to 2 m/s at temperatures in excess of 80 °C during SR-GIXRD measurements of the steel surface, enabling flow to be maintained over the course of the experiment while diffraction patterns are being collected. The design of the flow cell is presented, along with electrochemical and diffraction pattern transients collected from an initial experiment which examined the precipitation of FeCO3 onto X65 carbon steel in a CO2-saturated 3.5 wt. % NaCl brine at 80 °C and 0.1 m/s. The flow cell is used to follow the nucleation and growth kinetics of FeCO3 using SR-GIXRD linked to the simultaneous electrochemical response of the steel surface which were collected in the form of linear polarisation resistance measurements to decipher in situ corrosion rates. The results show that FeCO3 nucleation could be detected consistently and well before its inhibitive effect on the general corrosion rate of the system. In situ measurements are compared with ex situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations showing the development of an FeCO3 layer on the corroding steel surface over time confirming the in situ interpretations. The results presented demonstrate that under the specific conditions evaluated, FeCO3 was the only crystalline phase to form in the system, with no crystalline precursors being apparent. The numerous capabilities of the flow cell are highlighted and presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective To investigate the effects of hemodialysis (HD) and periotoneal dialysis (PD) on oxidative stress in chronic renal failure patients (CRF). Methods 20 HD patients (M/F: 8/12, 36 ± 12 years) and 20 PD patients (M/F: 10/10, 40 ± 8 years) were compared with 20 end stage renal failure patients (CRF) (M/F: 4/16, 61 ± 13 years). Results Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values were elevated in HD and decreased in PD compared to CRF (P < 0.05). TBARS-VLDL and TBARS-HDL2 were decreased in HD and PD, compared to CRF (p < 0.05). TBARS-LDL were higher in HD compared to CRF (p < 0.05). No significant difference in TBARS-HDL3 values between the three groups. Carbonyls were increased in HD (p < 0.05) and PD (p < 0.01) compared to CRF. Plasma superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) was decreased in HD compared to CRF and PD (P < 0.05). Glutathion peroxidase activity (GSH-Px) was decreased in HD and PD (P < 0.005), compared to CRF. Decrease in catalase activity was noted only in PD compared to CRF (P < 0.05). An increase in nitric oxide was noted in HD compared to CRF (p < 0.05). Albumin concentrations were higher in HD and PD compared to CRF (P < 0.001). Whereas uric acid concentrations were decreased in HD (P < 0.001) compared to CRF and PD. Bilirubin values were similar in all groups. Increased values of iron were noted in HD and PD, compared to PD (p < 0.001). Conclusion HD and PD aggravate oxidative stress generated by uremia. HD accentuates lipid and protein peroxidation, while PD aggravates protein oxidation. However, the activity of antioxidant enzymes was altered by both dialysis treatments.

The non-psychoactive cannabinoids cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) are available on the market in different forms, mostly for their anti-inflammatory and potential analgesic properties. These substances are prohibited during equine competitions. CBD and CBDA are naturally present in hemp straw, commonly used as a bedding substitute for wheat straw. Unfortunately, horses can eat it, which therefore could lead to a possible risk of positive findings for CBD/CBDA in biological samples after doping control tests. The goals of this study were, first, to provide recommendations on the use of hemp straw before competition and, second, to assess if discrimination between hemp bedding exposure and CBD oil administration is possible. Several CBD equine in vivo studies have been conducted, including one on hemp straw used as bedding and one after administration of CBD oil by topical and sublingual routes. In hemp straw, CBDA was detected in higher quantities than CBD, and other cannabinoids have been observed. After hemp straw exposure, CBDA was also detected in higher quantities than CBD in all urine samples. It appeared that hemp straw should not be used as bedding for equine competition except if a delay of at least 48 h is respected. Regarding the CBD oil product analysis, CBD was the main compound detected. After administration, 7-hydroxy CBD was identified in the urine. In conclusion, based on these data, we highlighted that it could be possible to discriminate the exposure of a horse to hemp straw from an administration of a CBD oil product thanks to the main presence of CBDA., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) internal corrosion of carbon steel pipelines is a significant challenge and is typically managed by adding corrosion inhibitors. In certain operational conditions, a natural protective layer of iron carbonate (FeCO 3 ) can form on the internal walls of the pipeline, offering inhibition efficiency comparable to that of standard surfactant inhibitors. However, incomplete coverage of the FeCO 3 layer on carbon steel can sometimes trigger localized corrosion. Our previous research demonstrated that poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) can work synergistically with FeCO 3 when the corrosion product partially covers X65 carbon steel surfaces in an aqueous CO 2 corrosion environment. In this study, we utilize rotating cylinder electrode (RCE) tests along with electrochemical measurements to investigate the FeCO 3 -PAH hybrid structure in a dynamic environment. We characterize the general and localized corrosion behavior as well as the surface properties of both naturally formed FeCO 3 and FeCO 3 -PAH hybrid layers using interferometry and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

According to international sport institutions, the use of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR)-δ agonists is forbidden at any time in athlete career due to their capabilities to increase physical and endurance performances. The (PPAR)-δ agonist GW501516 is prohibited for sale but is easily available on internet and can be used by cheaters. In the context of doping control, urine is the preferred matrix because of the non-invasive nature of sampling and providing broader exposure detection times to forbidden molecules but often not detected under its native form due to the organism's metabolism. Even if urinary metabolism of G501516 has been extensively studied in human subjects, knowledge on GW501516 metabolism in horses remains limited. To fight against doping practices in horses' races, GW501516 metabolism has to be studied in horse urine to identify and characterize the most relevant target metabolites to ensure an efficient doping control. In this article, in vitro and in vivo experiments have been conducted using horse S9 liver microsome fractions and horse oral administration route, respectively. These investigations determined that the detection of GW501516 must be performed in urine on its metabolites because the parent molecule was extremely metabolized. To maximize analytical method sensitivity, the extraction conditions have been optimized. In accordance with these results, a qualitative analytical method was validated to detect the abuse of GW501516 based on its most relevant metabolites in urine. This work enabled the Laboratoire des Courses Hippiques (LCH) to highlight two cases of illicit administration of this forbidden molecule in post-race samples., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Photoneutron production, and the dose equivalent, in the head assembly of the 15 MV Elekta Precise medical linac; operating in the faculty of Medicine at Alexandria University were estimated with the MCNP5 code. Photoneutron spectra were calculated in air and inside a water phantom to different depths as a function of the radiation field sizes. The maximum neutron fluence is 3.346×10 -9 n/cm 2 -e for a 30×30 cm 2 field size to 2-4 cm-depth in the phantom. The dose equivalent due to fast neutron increases as the field size increases, being a maximum of 0.912 ± 0.05 mSv/Gy at depth between 2 and 4 cm in the water phantom for 40×40 cm 2 field size. Photoneutron fluence and dose equivalent are larger to 100 cm from the isocenter than to 35 cm from the treatment room wall., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Manual pressure release (MPR) is a popular treatment of trigger points. Yet, treatment response may be influenced by inconsistent application of pressure. Further, it may contribute to increased risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the wrist and hand in therapists. Therefore, this study aimed at introducing a novel method to apply pressure using the algometer and to compare its effectiveness to MPR. Forty-five volunteers with active trigger points of the upper trapezius received algometer pressure release (APR), MPR, or sham ultrasound (US). Pain pressure threshold (PPT) and contralateral active and passive neck side-bending ranges were assessed at baseline and immediately after a single session. Results showed no significant differences in post-treatment PPT between the study groups (p > 0.05). The APR group showed a significant increase in passive side-bending range compared with the two other groups, whereas active range improved in the APR compared with the US group (p < 0.05). Our results show that using algometer to apply pressure release to upper trapezius trigger points is more effective compared with manual release and sham US., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

An electrochemically integrated Synchrotron Radiation-Grazing Incidence X-Ray Diffraction (SR-GIXRD) flow cell for studying corrosion product formation on carbon steel in carbon dioxide (CO 2 )-containing brines typical of oil and gas production has been developed. The system is capable of generating flow velocities of up to 2 m/s at temperatures in excess of 80 °C during SR-GIXRD measurements of the steel surface, enabling flow to be maintained over the course of the experiment while diffraction patterns are being collected. The design of the flow cell is presented, along with electrochemical and diffraction pattern transients collected from an initial experiment which examined the precipitation of FeCO 3 onto X65 carbon steel in a CO 2 -saturated 3.5 wt. % NaCl brine at 80 °C and 0.1 m/s. The flow cell is used to follow the nucleation and growth kinetics of FeCO 3 using SR-GIXRD linked to the simultaneous electrochemical response of the steel surface which were collected in the form of linear polarisation resistance measurements to decipher in situ corrosion rates. The results show that FeCO 3 nucleation could be detected consistently and well before its inhibitive effect on the general corrosion rate of the system. In situ measurements are compared with ex situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations showing the development of an FeCO 3 layer on the corroding steel surface over time confirming the in situ interpretations. The results presented demonstrate that under the specific conditions evaluated, FeCO 3 was the only crystalline phase to form in the system, with no crystalline precursors being apparent. The numerous capabilities of the flow cell are highlighted and presented in this paper.

The objective of any health education program is to inculcate healthy life habits to improve the health status of the target population. The evaluation of an oral hygiene health education program for Moroccan schoolchildren implemented a decade ago by oral surgeons does not reveal any improvement of their dental health. To understand the obstacles to the acquisition of good oral hygiene habits, we conducted a qualitative survey of knowledge, attitude, and practices, based on semi-directive interviews with focus groups of children who had participated in the program. The results show that social and cultural determinants play an important role in the lack of impact of these programs and that Bourdieu's theory of action should be applied to understand the processes by which living conditions affect individuals'practices. Thus to inculcate healthy lifestyle habits, an ecological approach that takes into consideration the social, cultural, and economic environment is most likely to induce the emergence of favourable social conditions.