Characteristic Properties Research Articles

A Pressure-Sensitive, Repositionable Bioadhesive for Instant, Atraumatic Surgical Application on Internal Organs.

Pressure-sensitive adhesives are widely utilized due to their instant and reversible adhesion to various dry substrates. Though offering intuitive and robust attachment of medical devices on skin, currently available clinical pressure-sensitive adhesives do not attach to internal organs, mainly due to the presence of interfacial water on the tissue surface that acts as a barrier to adhesion. In this work, a pressure-sensitive, repositionable bioadhesive (PSB) that adheres to internal organs by synergistically combining the characteristic viscoelastic properties of pressure-sensitive adhesives and the interfacial behavior of hydrogel bioadhesives, is introduced. Composed of a viscoelastic copolymer, the PSB absorbs interfacial water to enable instant adhesion on wet internal organs, such as the heart and lungs, and removal after use without causing any tissue damage. The PSB's capabilities in diverse on-demand surgical and analytical scenarios including tissue stabilization of soft organs and the integration of bioelectronic devices in rat and porcine models, are demonstrated.

Vibrational frequency fluctuations of poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide) in the vicinity of coil-to-globule transition studied by two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations.

Poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide) (PdEA), one of the thermoresponsive polymers, in aqueous solutions has attracted much attention because of its characteristic properties, such as coil-to-globule (CG) transition. We performed two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to understand the hydration dynamics in the vicinity of the CG transition at the molecular level via vibrational frequency fluctuations of the carbonyl stretching modes in the side chains of PdEA. Furthermore, N,N-diethylpropionamide, a repeating monomer unit of PdEA, is also investigated for comparison. From decays of the frequency-frequency time correlation functions (FFTCFs) of the carbonyl stretching modes, we consider that inhomogeneity of the hydration environments originates from various backbone configurations of PdEA. The degree of the inhomogeneity depends on temperature. Hydration water molecules near the carbonyl groups are influenced by the confinements of the polymers. The restricted reorientation of the embedded water, the local torsions of the backbone, and the rearrangement of the whole structure contribute to the slow spectral diffusion. By performing MD simulations, we calculated the FFTCFs and dynamical quantities, such as fluctuations of the dihedral angles of the backbone and the orientation of the hydration water molecules. The simulated FFTCFs match well with the experimental results, indicating that the retarded water reorientations via the excluded volume effect play an important role in the vibrational frequency fluctuations of the carbonyl stretching mode. It is also found the embedded water molecules are influenced by the local torsions of the backbone structure within the time scales of the spectral diffusion.

Role of Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Derived Exosomes in Diseases

Stem cells are divided into embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are one of the most important adult stem cells. These cells possess characteristic plastic adhesion properties, the ability to differentiate into osteoblasts, chondrocytes and adipocytes in vitro, are positive for CD73, CD90 and CD105, major histocompatibility complex class II, and negative for CD11b, CD14, CD31, CD34 and CD45. MSCS can be isolated from different sources, such as umbilical cord, umbilical cord blood, bone marrow (BM), adipose tissue, cervical tissue, placenta, skeletal muscle tissue, liver tissue, dental pulp, synovium, saphenous vein, lung and dermal tissue and periodontal ligament. They have many abilities, such as the ability to differentiate, expand in vitro, produce nutrients and regulate immunity. Therefore, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can help in tissue repair and treatment, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the liver, lung, kidney, nervous system, and other systems, and of course, bone. As a noninvasive method, there is no ethical issues, low immunogenicity, self-renewal ability faster, more stable, doubling time proliferation ability is higher, compared with other sources, the treatment of human umbilical cord MSC is based on cells and regenerative medicine preferred candidates. However, hucMscs have relative limitations in maintaining biological activity, quantifying bioactive substances, and clinical therapeutic logistics. Therefore, it seems necessary to find a cell-free method with the same output and efficacy. Exosomes are one of the members of extracellular vesicles, and due to their many biological activities and cell communication, they have attracted the attention of researchers as a new strategy for cell-based cell-free therapies. In the study of HUCMSCexo, all the advantages of HUCMSC, such as the therapeutic factor transfer of low immunogenicity HUCMSC, the prominent self-renewal and immunomodulatory properties have been reported to be conserved. In addition, no tumorigenic outcome was found in these studies. Therefore, this article reviews the application of HUCMSC-EXO in different diseases.

Recent Progress in the Selective Hydrodeoxygenation of 5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5‐Dimethylfuran With Metal‐Containing Catalysts

AbstractLiquid fuel, such as 2,5‐dimethylfuran (DMF), from biomass, is an efficient, potential alternative to fossil‐based fuels due to its exceptional properties, including lower volatility, a remarkable octane number, heightened energy density, and immiscibility with water. DMF can be the starting substrate for producing bio‐based p‐xylene through the Diels‐Alder reaction with ethylene to produce biobased polyethylene terephthalate (PET). This review, thus, discusses the catalytic role of various precious and non‐precious metals on different supports, such as carbon, metal‐oxide, zeolite, and hydrotalcite, for the production of DMF via catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) based on the previously reported literature. Various characteristic properties of the employed catalytic materials, such as particle size, metal‐support and substrate interaction, surface area, porosity, and acidic and basic sites, are delineated, playing a crucial role in the HDO of HMF to DMF. The influence of various reaction parameters, such as hydrogen atmosphere, solvents‐ including hydrogen donor solvents‐ and temperature are also discussed.

Radical reactivity of antiaromatic Ni(II) norcorroles with azo radical initiators.

Norcorrole is a stable 16π-antiaromatic porphyrinoid that exhibits characteristic reactivities and physical properties. Here, we disclose the reaction of Ni(II) norcorroles with alkyl radicals derived from azo radical initiators. The radical selectively attacked the distal α-position relative to the meso-position to construct a nonaromatic bowl-shaped structure. The photophysical and electrochemical properties of the obtained radical adducts were compared to those of the parent Ni(II) norcorrole. The radical reactivity of Ni(II) norcorroles was investigated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

Novel Nanocatalysts for Simultaneous Ammonia Oxidation and Nitrate Reduction

Throughout recent years, nitrate reduction to ammonia has gained popularity in the scientific world to produce a carbon-free fuel [1]. However, research has primarily focused on low-concentration nitrate reduction, specifically for wastewater remediation. High-concentration effluents, such as ANSOL (Ammonium Nitrate), have emerged as a significant waste byproduct and a threat [2], with explosive characteristics and increasing production rates over the years [3]. This research seeks solutions to incorporate onsite waste treatment for generating electrical power, emphasizing the integration of waste streams as a distinctive opportunity. The integration aims to facilitate both power generation and the provision of clean water, with a focus on developing prototype systems designed to convert challenging Department of Defense (DoD) waste streams containing ANSOL into usable fuels for onsite energy generation.In this presentation, results from two distinct systems employing nanoparticle catalysts for the reduction of nitrates to ammonia, while simultaneously oxidizing ammonia to nitrogen and hydrogen, are discussed. This is particularly relevant in the presence of a high concentration of ammonium nitrate in waste (>0.5 M) with industrially relevant electrochemical performance (>300 mA/cm2 with Faradaic Efficiencies higher than 50%). The initial approach involves the integration of CuNi/C and Pt3Ir/C catalysts for reduction and oxidation, respectively [4]. The subsequent approach underscores pulsed electrodeposition of CuNi [5] for nanoparticle synthesis in the reduction process, coupled with the use of Pt3Ir/C catalyst for oxidation. The effect of different applied potentials was studied for the conversion of NO3 - to NH3 and subsequent H2 production. Electrode stability and process integration were investigated.[1] Kani, N. C., Nguyen, N. H. L., Markel, K., Bhawnani, R. R., Shindel, B., Sharma, K., Kim, S., Dravid, V. P., Berry, V., Gauthier, J. A., Singh, M. R., “Electrochemical Reduction of Nitrates on CoO Nanoclusters-Functionalized Graphene with Highest Mass Activity and Nearly 100% Selectivity to Ammonia,” Adv. Energy Mater. 2023, 13, 2204236.[2] United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Environmental Protection Agency, "Chemical Advisory: Safe Storage, Handling, and Management of Solid Ammonium Nitrate Prills," EPA 550-F-15-001, June 2015.[3] Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) and Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP), "Conversion of Ammonium Nitrate Solutions to Useful Products," SERDP and ESTCP Website, April 5, 2021. [Online].[4] Hariri, M.B., and Botte, G.G., "Simultaneous Removal of Ammonia and Nitrate from Wastewater Using a Pulse Electrolysis Technique," Journal of The Electrochemical Society 170.5. 2023.[5] I. Baskaran, T.S.N. Sankara Narayanan, and A. Stephen, "Pulsed electrodeposition of nanocrystalline Cu–Ni alloy films and evaluation of their characteristic properties," Materials Letters, vol. 60, no. 16, pp. 1990-1995, July 2006.

Adsorption behavior of helium in quartz slit by molecular simulation

Due to the multiple influences of unique physicochemical properties of helium, petrographic characteristics and temperature and pressure conditions, little is known about the helium adsorption behaviors in minerals and rocks at geological conditions. Based on the grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations, this study revealed the adsorption characteristics of pure helium and the competitive adsorption of binary mixtures with different proportions of methane and helium under geological temperature and pressure conditions in quartz slit model. Molecular simulation of pure helium shows that physical adsorption of helium exists in mineral surfaces, which indicates a preservation mechanism of helium in helium source rocks. Binary mixtures simulations indicate that the adsorption capacity of methane in quartz is stronger than that of helium, and the competitive adsorption of methane increases with decreasing burial depth. This means that during the upwards migration processes of natural gas, the adsorbed helium that distributed in the migration pathway will be gradually displaced by methane, then concentrate in the hydrocarbon gases and subsequently accumulate together in favorable traps to form helium-rich natural gas reservoirs. Our results provide a molecular-scale insight into the preservation and accumulation of helium in helium source rocks and are significant for assessing the helium resource potential.

Evaluation of NETmix geometrical properties on gas-liquid mass transfer performance

The unit cells of the micro/meso-structured static mixer NETmix consist of cylindrical chambers connected by prismatic half-channels. These elements are defined by their characteristic geometrical properties: chamber diameter, channel length and width, as well as depth. This study analyses the effect of two geometrical properties, channel length and depth, on the gas-liquid mass transfer performance of the NETmix. Four NETmix plates were constructed with different dimensions to experimentally assess the volumetric mass transfer coefficients under different operating conditions. Coupling the experimental data with bidimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations enabled a separate evaluation of the mass transfer coefficient and the specific interfacial area. Based on the simulation and an algorithmic image processing methodology, a model to describe the interfacial area generation phenomenon in the static mixer was proposed, resulting in a maximum deviation of 11 %. Although a reduction in the channel length from 4 mm to 1 mm decreased the interfacial area (a), the mass transfer coefficient (kL) increased by 27 %, leading to a global improvement in the volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa) by 12 %. Furthermore, reducing the NETmix depth value from 4 mm to 2 mm enabled a 31 % increase in the volumetric mass transfer coefficient. However, gas-liquid pressure drop measurements showed that each 1 % improvement in the gas-liquid mass transfer achieved by the depth reduction required a 10 % increase in energy consumption.

Effects of Sn and Mn additions on microstructural characteristics and tensile properties of Mg-1Gd alloy

Effects of Sn, Mn, and their combined additions on microstructural characteristic and tensile properties of extruded Mg-1Gd (G1) alloy are explored. Compared to the sole Sn or Mn addition, an excellent grain refining is happened with the Sn and Mn combined addition. The average grain size of G1, Mg-1Gd-0.8Sn (GS10), Mg-1Gd-0.7Mn (GM10) and Mg-1Gd-0.8Sn-0.7Mn (GSM100) alloys is ∼21.3, 10.1, ∼12.8 and ∼6.8 μm, respectively. The sole Mn addition enhances the strength and ductility of G1 alloy. The forming the fine α-Mn particles and grain refining are attributed to the improved properties of GM10 alloy. The sole Sn addition increases the yield strength of G1 alloy along extrusion direction (ED), but it decreases along transverse direction (TD), The inhomogeneous distribution of coarse GdMgSn particles and formation of TD-split texture should play an important role. The combined effects of Sn and Mn additions guarantee high strength-ductility synergy of GSM100 alloy. The GSM100 alloy exhibits the ultimate strength, yield strength and ductility of ∼276, ∼158 MPa and 24.7 % along ED, and ∼253, ∼157 MPa and 17.5 % along TD, respectively. The jointly effect of the fine grains, a lot of fine GdMgSn and α-Mn particles, the texture weakening and Sn solute atom contributes to the enhancement of properties of GSM100 alloy.

Exploring Catalytic Intermediates in Pd-Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidative Amination of 1,3-Dienes: Multiple Metal Interactions of the Palladium Nanoclusters.

Metal nanoclusters (NCs) have unique properties because of their small size, which makes them useful as catalysts in reactions like cross-coupling. Pd-catalyzed oxidative amination, which involves dehydrogenative C-N bond formation, uses Pd complexes as the active species. It is known that the catalytic conditions involve the formation of Pd(0) species from Pd NCs, but the precise role of Pd NCs in the transformations has not been established. In this study, we investigated the characteristic properties of Pd NCs in oxidative amination of 1,3-dienes. The reaction achieved direct amination of commercially accessible 1,3-dienes with secondary aromatic amines, providing a variety of nitrogen containing 1,3-dienes. The compound was applicable to radical polymerization to provide the nitrogen-fabricated 1,3-diene-based polymer, which exhibited a different thermal stability compared to aliphatic nitrogen-fabricated diene polymers. In addition to the synthetic utility, by combining X-ray absorption fine structure and small-angle X-ray scattering analysis, we revealed amines and 1,3-dienes affected metal leaching from the Pd nanoparticles and stabilization of Pd NCs in the catalytic reaction. Additionally, DFT calculation suggested that the catalytic intermediate contained multiple adjacent Pd atoms and was responsible for formation of an σ-allylic intermediate that is difficult to form with the use of Pd complexes. These results could be used to understand the underlying phenomenon in the oxidative coupling reaction and develop Pd NCs-based dehydrogenation.

An Update on Pentacyclic Triterpenoids Ursolic and Oleanolic Acids and Related Derivatives as Anticancer Candidates.

Cancer is a global health problem, with the incidence rate estimated to reach 40% of the population by 2030. Although there are currently several therapeutic methods, none of them guarantee complete healing. Plant-derived natural products show high therapeutic potential in the management of various types of cancer, with some of them already being used in current practice. Among different classes of phytocompounds, pentacyclic triterpenoids have been in the spotlight of research on this topic. Ursolic acid (UA) and its structural isomer, oleanolic acid (OA), represent compounds intensively studied and tested in vitro and in vivo for their anticancer and chemopreventive properties. Since natural compounds can rarely be used in practice as such due to their characteristic physico-chemical properties, to tackle this problem, their derivatization has been attempted, obtaining compounds with improved solubility, absorption, stability, effectiveness, and reduced toxicity. This review presents various UA and OA derivatives that have been synthesized and evaluated in recent studies for their anticancer potential. It can be observed that the most frequent structural transformations were carried out at the C-3, C-28, or both positions simultaneously. It has been demonstrated that conjugation with heterocycles or cinnamic acid, derivatization as hydrazide, or transforming OH groups into esters or amides increases anticancer efficacy.

Engineering model for seismic analysis of flexible rail‐bound structures with uplift

AbstractIn this paper, a highly simplified two‐dimensional three‐mass oscillator model is presented, which reproduces the typical behaviour of flexible structures of large mobile equipment transverse to the rail under seismic excitation. The typical rocking motion of the machine found in previous investigations, which is reproduced in the simplified analytical model, is taken into account together with the characteristic properties of the load‐bearing structure of the complete model. The three‐mass oscillator model is designed in such a way that it is able to provide information about uplift, rocking and tilting as a function of the model parameters and the excitation. A novel approach for the coefficient of restitution is derived, which takes into account the impact of wheel on rail and at the same time includes the stiffness of the subsoil. Also, a non‐linear ground stiffness could be captured with this approach, and thus the influence of the ground could be investigated. This approach is of generic character, so it may be useful to a wide range of other engineering fields than mobile equipment as well. Structural parameters are determined for a range of bucket wheel machines and stackers, producing rocking and tilting spectra under sinusoidal excitations and generating tilting delimitations under seismic excitations. Using a numerical beam‐mass model corresponding to the engineering model, the simplified multi‐mass model can be validated.

Topographic variation and fluid flow characteristics in rough contact interface

Understanding flow characteristics of fluid near rough contact is important for the design of fluid-based lubrication and basic of tribology physics. In this study, the spreading and seepage processes of anhydrous ethanol in the interface between glass and rough PDMS are observed by a homemade optical in-situ tester. Digital image processing technology and numerical simulation software are adapted to identify and extract the topological properties of interface and thin fluid flow characteristics. Particular attention is paid to the dynamic evolution of the contact interface morphology under different stresses, the distribution of microchannels in the interface, the spreading characteristics of the fluid in contact interface, as well as the mechanical driving mechanism. Original surface morphology and the contact stress have a significant impact on the interface topography and the distribution of interfacial microchannels, which shows that the feature lengths of the microchannels, the spreading area and the spreading rate of the fluid are inversely proportional to the load. And the flow path of the fluid in the interface is mainly divided into three stages: along the wall of the island, generating liquid bridges, and moving from the tip side to the root side in the wedge-shaped channel. The main mechanical mechanism of liquid flow in the interface is the equilibrium between the capillary force that drives the liquid spreading and viscous resistance of solid wall to liquid. In addition, the phenomenon of “trapped air” occurs during the flow process due to the irregular characteristics of the microchannel. This study lays a certain theoretical foundation for the research of microscopic flow behavior of the liquid in the rough contact interface, the friction and lubrication of the mechanical system, and the sealing mechanism.

Electron beam irradiation developed cinnamon oil- (polyvinyl alcohol/gum tragacanth)/graphene oxide dressing hydrogels: Antimicrobial and healing assessments

This study aimed to develop hydrogel dressings for wound healing composed of gum tragacanth (TG) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) loaded with Graphene oxide (GO) and Cinnamon oil (CMO) using electron beam irradiation. The impact of the preparation conditions and the incorporation of GO and CMO on the characteristic properties of the prepared CMO-(PVA/TG)-GO wound dressings was evaluated. The healing-related characteristics were assessed, including fluid absorption and retention, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), hemolytic assay, and antimicrobial potential. Wound healing efficacy was evaluated using a scratch wound healing assay. FTIR analysis verified the chemical structure, whereas scanning electron microscopy demonstrated an appropriate porosity structure necessary for optimal wound healing. The gel content increases with the initial total polymer concentration and the irradiation dose increases. Higher GO and CMO content improve the gel content and decreases swelling. WVTR decreases with the rise in CMO content. In vitro, cytotoxicity and hemolytic potency assessments confirmed their biocompatibility. The incorporation of GO and CMO enhances the antimicrobial activity and wound-healing capability. Based on the above findings, CMO-(PVA/TG)-GO dressings show promising potential as candidates for wound care.

Complementary testing and machine learning techniques for the characterization and prediction of middle Permian tight gas sandstone reservoir quality in the northeastern Ordos Basin, China

In this study, an integrated approach for diagenetic facies classification, reservoir quality analysis and quantitative wireline log prediction of tight gas sandstones (TGSs) is introduced utilizing a combination of fit-for-purpose complementary testing and machine learning techniques. The integrated approach is specialized for the middle Permian Shihezi Formation TGSs in the northeastern Ordos Basin, where operators often face significant drilling uncertainty and increased exploration risks due to low porosities and micro-Darcy range permeabilities. In this study, detrital compositions and diagenetic minerals and their pore type assemblages were analyzed using optical light microscopy, cathodoluminescence, standard scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Different types of diagenetic facies were delineated on this basis to capture the characteristic rock properties of the TGSs in the target formation. A combination of He porosity and permeability measurements, mercury intrusion capillary pressure and nuclear magnetic resonance data was used to analyze the mechanism of heterogeneous TGS reservoirs. We found that the type, size and proportion of pores considerably varied between diagenetic facies due to differences in the initial depositional attributes and subsequent diagenetic alterations; these differences affected the size, distribution and connectivity of the pore network and varied the reservoir quality. Five types of diagenetic facies were classified: (ⅰ) grain-coating facies, which have minimal ductile grains, chlorite coatings that inhibit quartz overgrowths, large intergranular pores that dominate the pore network, the best pore structure and the greatest reservoir quality; (ⅱ) quartz-cemented facies, which exhibit strong quartz overgrowths, intergranular porosity and a pore size decrease, resulting in the deterioration of the pore structure and reservoir quality; (ⅲ) mixed-cemented facies, in which the cementation of various authigenic minerals increases the micropores, resulting in a poor pore structure and reservoir quality; (ⅳ) carbonate-cemented facies and (ⅴ) tightly compacted facies, in which the intergranular pores are filled with carbonate cement and ductile grains; thus, the pore network mainly consists of micropores with small pore throat sizes, and the pore structure and reservoir quality are the worst. The grain-coating facies with the best reservoir properties are more likely to have high gas productivity and are the primary targets for exploration and development. The diagenetic facies were then translated into wireline log expressions (conventional and NMR logging). Finally, a wireline log quantitative prediction model of TGSs using convolutional neural network machine learning algorithms was established to successfully classify the different diagenetic facies.

Biochemical characterization of hasB, a UDP-glucose dehydrogenase from the hyaluronic acid high-yield producer Streptococcus zooepidemicus CR003

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is widely used in food and pharmaceutical industries. As a UDP-glucose dehydrogenase, hasB catalyzes the conversion of UDP-Glc to UDP-GlcUA in HA biosynthesis. However, little is known about structural characteristic and enzymatic property of hasB. Owing to high-yield HA production by Streptococcus zooepidemicus CR003, an in-depth analysis of hasB from CR003 was investigated in this work. HasB contains 401 amino acids with a molecular weight of 44.96 kDa, which exhibited 62.69 % homology with that from S. pyogenes. The optimal reaction condition for the purified hasB by heterologous expression was 30 °C and pH 9.0. Cu2+ and Zn2+ significantly inhibited hasB activity, whereas Mg2+ had a stimulatory effect. Km values of hasB for UDP-Glc and NAD+ were 0.1378 and 0.7583 mM, and Vmax were 391.3 and 548.8 μmol/min/mg, respectively. To our knowledge, it is currently the highest reported enzyme catalytic activity of hasB. Molecular docking showed that the binding energies of hasB with UDP-Glc and NAD+ were −731.01 and −314.17 kcal/mol, respectively, and the interaction forces between hasB and the substrate play a crucial role in stabilizing the conformation of protein-substrate complexes. Conclusively, hasB from CR003 showed high catalytic efficiency, which has great application potential for HA production.

Exploring a Cheese Ripening Process That Hinders Ochratoxin A Production by Penicillium nordicum and Penicillium verrucosum.

A lack of control of the technological abiotic parameters apparent during cheese manufacture, including temperature and relative humidity, results in this dairy product being prone to mold contamination. Sometimes, inoculant molds are used to obtain the characteristic sensory properties of this type of product. However, during the maturation process, some unwanted molds can colonize the ripening cheese and produce mycotoxins. Mycotoxigenic molds such as Penicillium nordicum and Penicillium verrucosum can colonize ripened cheeses, contaminating them with ochratoxin A (OTA), a nephrotoxic 2B toxin. Thus, the presence of OTA in cheeses could represent a hazard to consumers' health. This study has evaluated the growth and OTA production of P. nordicum and P. verrucosum on a cheese analogue under simulated ripening conditions of 10 and 15 °C and 0.96 water activity (aw). Ecophysiological, molecular, and analytical tools assessed the mold growth, gene expression, and OTA production under these environmental conditions. Both species were able to effectively colonize the cheese under these ripening conditions. However, neither species expressed the otapks and otanps biosynthetic genes or produced phenotypic OTA. Therefore, these results suggest a relatively low risk of exposure to OTA for consumers of this type of cheese product. The conditions used were thus appropriate for cheese ripening to minimize the potential for contamination with such mycotoxins. An appropriate adjustment of the technological ripening parameters during such cheese manufacture could contribute to OTA-free cheeses.

Evaluating various properties of nanohydroxyapatite synthesized from eggshells and dual-doped with Si4+ and Zn2+: An in vitro study

BackgroundThis study aimed to evaluate morphological, chemical and biocompatible properties of nanohydroxyapatite (N-HA) synthesized from eggshells and dual-doped with Si4+ and Zn2+. MethodsIn the current study, N-HA was synthesized from chicken eggshells using the wet chemical precipitation method and doped with Si4+ and Zn2+. The physical assessment was carried out using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Crystal size was calculated using the Scherrer equation. Cytotoxicity was studied in vitro using the MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide) cytotoxicity assay. The optical density (OD) of each well was obtained and recorded at 570 nm for 24 h (t1), 48 h (t2), 72 h (t3), and 5 days (t4) using a microplate reader. ResultsThe results of Si–Zn-doped HA showed a high specific surface area with an irregular nano-sized spherical particle structure. The atomic percentage provided the ratio of calcium to phosphate; for non-doped HA, the atomic Ca/P ratio was 1.6, but for Si–Zn-doped HA, where Zn+2 Ca and Si + replaced 4 substituted P, the atomic ratio (Ca + Zn)/(P + Si) was 1.76. The average crystal size of Si–Zn-doped HA was 46 nm, while for non-doped HA it was 61 nm. both samples were non-toxic and statistically significantly less viable than the control group After 5 days, the mean cell viability of Si–Zn-doped HA (79.17 ± 2.18) was higher than that of non-doped HA (76.26 ± 1.71) (P = 0.091). ConclusionsThe MTT assay results showed that Si–Zn-doped HA is biocompatible. In addition, it showed characteristic physiochemical properties of a large surface area with interconnected porosity.

Study of characteristic properties of electromagnetic radiation in the presence of earth's atmosphere

Study of characteristic properties of electromagnetic radiation in the presence of earth's atmosphere

The interaction of light with oxygen-vacancy-rich W18O49 nanoparticles synthesized using different acid molarities for acidic and neutral water treatments

Toxic industrial compounds as a global difficulty can adversely impact people's health and the environment which motivates studies on the interaction of light and metal oxide nanoparticles to treat the water through adsorption or photocatalysis mechanism by nanoparticles. In the paper, oxygen-vacancy-rich W18O49 nanorods are successfully synthesized by a facile one-pot hydrothermal method using different molarities of hydrochloric acid (HCl) (2–12 M) as proposed candidates to treat the wastewater and solve the global difficulty related to treating the acidic water. The results declare that the change in acid molarity leads to noteworthy changes in the characteristic properties of the produced W18O49 nanorods, and the lowest acid molarity (2 M) causes the formation of uniform and pure monoclinic W18O49 nanorods with the high specific surface area (SSA) of 51.33 m2/g. Furthermore, the nanorods exhibit indirect and direct band gap energies in the range of 2.52–2.68 eV and 2.54–3.08 eV, respectively, as influenced by varying acid molarities (2–12 M). Furthermore, the impressive effects of acid molarity on the methylene blue removal efficiency of the nanorods under ultraviolet (UV) light are observed. The highest efficiency is obtained for W18O49 nanorods synthesized using the acid molarity of 2 M which can be explained by its high SSA, small band gap energy, generation of a large number of electron-hole pairs, and its efficient charge separation. The efficiencies of water treatment reach up to 99 % and 99.5 % at pH of 7 and 5, respectively, which is an excellent achievement and leads to proposing the mentioned W18O49 nanorods as an excellent candidate for treating wastewater and acid factory effluent which represents an appreciable breakthrough in addressing the issue.