Rod-shaped Structures Research Articles

A semiconducting supramolecular Co(II)-metallogel based resistive random access memory (RRAM) design with good endurance capabilities.

A highly efficient approach for synthesizing a supramolecular metallogel of Co(II) ions, denoted as CoA-TA, has been established under room temperature and atmospheric pressure conditions. This method employs the metal-coordinating organic ligand benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid as a low molecular weight gelator (LMWG) in DMF solvent. A comprehensive analysis of the mechanical properties of the resulting supramolecular Co(II)-metallogel was conducted through rheological investigation, considering angular frequency and thixotropic study. The hierarchical rocky network structure of the supramolecular Co(II)-metallogel was unveiled using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analysis showed rod-shaped structures via low-magnification high angle annular dark field (HAADF) bright field scanning transmission electron microscopic (STEM) imaging, while energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) elemental mapping confirmed its primary chemical constituents. The formation mechanism of the metallogel was examined via fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy. The nature of the synthesized CoA-TA metallogel was affirmed through powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis. Furthermore, this study involved fabrication of Schottky diode structures in a metal-semiconductor-metal geometry based on cobalt(II) metallogel (CoA-TA), enabling observation of charge transport behavior. Remarkably, a resistive random access memory (RRAM) device utilizing cobalt(II) metallohydrogel (CoA-TA) demonstrated bipolar resistive switching at room temperature and under ambient conditions. The switching mechanism was investigated, revealing the formation and rupture of conductive filaments between metal electrodes that govern the resistive switching behavior. This RRAM device exhibited an impressive ON/OFF ratio (~ 414) and exceptional endurance over 5000 switching cycles. These structures offer great potential for diverse applications such as non-volatile memory design, neuromorphic computing, flexible electronics and optoelectronics. Their advantages lie in their fabrication process, reliable resistive switching behavior and overall performance stability.

Synthesis and characterization of erbium silica glass and glass-ceramics for potential low-emissivity coating applications

Silica glasses co-doped with varying concentrations of Er3+ (0.8, 1.5, 4, and 8 mol %) were fabricated employing the sol-gel technique. The effects of erbium concentration were evaluated through several characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-visible transmission spectroscopy, and photoluminescence analysis. The incorporation of erbium ions significantly altered the structural, optical, and photoluminescence properties of the doped glasses. XRD analysis revealed the presence of SiO2 in both tetragonal and hexagonal forms, along with Er2SiO5 crystalline phases. SEM images showed irregular rod-shaped structures with agglomeration and micro-flake cubic shapes. FTIR spectroscopy provided insights into the structural characteristics of the materials. Notably, the optical band gap energy of the glassy films increased, accompanied by fluctuating Urbach energy and a slight reduction in the refractive index, attributed to structural changes within the glass network. Photoluminescence spectra indicated strong emissions at 523 and 543 nm, corresponding to the transitions 2H11/2 → 4I15/2 and 4S3/2 → 4I15/2, respectively. Additionally, a notable near-infrared emission at 1532 nm was observed, linked to the transition 4I13/2 → 4I15/2. The color coordinates of the produced glasses were found to be near the green or yellow regions, suggesting potential applications in optical amplifiers, lasers, and low-emissivity coatings.

The influence of CeO2 different morphologies effects on hydrodeoxygenation for guaiacol on Ni/CeO2 catalysts

Catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) is an effective way to produce high–value products from lignin-derived phenolic compounds. In this work, three different morphologies of Ni/CeO2 catalysts (amorphous, cubic, and rod-shaped) have been prepared through the conventional wet impregnation method. They can be used for the HDO of guaiacol to prepare cyclohexanol, an important chemical raw material. The influence of different morphologies of CeO2 on catalytic activity was explored. The research results indicate that Ni/CeO2–r catalysts with rod-shaped structures exhibit excellent catalytic properties. As a result, a 100 % conversion rate and 96.9 % cyclohexanol yield were achieved on the Ni/CeO2–r catalyst at 240 °C. The catalytic performance of the three catalysts follows this order: Ni/CeO2–r (rod-shaped) > Ni/CeO2–c (cubic) > Ni/CeO2–p (amorphous). The results of Raman and XPS indicate significant differences in the surface oxygen vacancy in catalysts with different morphologies. The Ni/CeO2–r catalyst has the highest oxygen vacancy concentration and defect. In addition, Ni/CeO2–r also has the largest specific surface area (SBET) and the highest nickel dispersion, and forms more Ni0 because of the strong interaction of Ni species and CeO2 support. Therefore, Ni/CeO2–r exhibits the most excellent catalytic performance for the hydrogenation of guaiacol than the other two catalysts. Moreover, the cycling activity test was also investigated over the Ni/CeO2–r catalyst. After five cycles, the conversion rate of guaiacol and the yield of cyclohexanol hardly decrease. This work provides vital ideas for the development of higher-activity, higher-stability, and low-cost catalysts for the conversion of lignin-derived phenolic compounds in the future.

Controllable preparation and morphology regulation of nanocelluloses from waste paper by a green hydrolysis method

This study focused on the morphology regulation of nanocelluloses (NCs) aiming at preparing NCs with the controllable properties. NCs with rod-shaped, spherical, and rod-shaped and spherical composite structures were prepared from waste paper by a green enzymatic hydrolysis. The critical enzyme concentration for the transition of NCs from one morphology to another was explored. Several analytical methods, including TGA, XRD, SEM, TEM, DSC and WCA, were employed to characterize the prepared NCs. The results showed that with the cellulase enzyme concentration lower than 6 μ/ml or higher than 30 μ/ml, the prepared NCs had a single rod-shaped or spherical structure. When the cellulase concentration was between 6 and 30 μ/ml, the prepared NCs had a composite morphology of rods and spheres. Besides, NCs with a composite morphology dominated by rod-like or spherical structures had a higher thermal stability. Moreover, NCs prepared with cellulase enzyme concentration of 6 and 35 μ/ml had the highest and lowest crystallinity of 81.7 % and 59.3 %, respectively. Hence, this work achieved the morphology and property regulation of NCs by a green method which expanded the application scope of NCs and realized the high value utilization of waste paper.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of a novel folate-based amphiphilic multifunctional stabilizer for targeting tumors with paclitaxel nanosuspensions

In order to improve the targeted delivery of the drug, a novel folic acid-modified paclitaxel nanosuspensions (FA-PEG-PTX NCs) delivery system was designed in the present study, and its target delivery ability was verified in vitro and in vivo models. Paclitaxel nanosuspensions were prepared by antisolvent precipitation using folic acid-modified polyethylene glycol monostearate (FA-PEG-MA) and D - α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) as functional stabilizers. The FA-PEG-PTX NCs had an average particle size of 195.33 ± 13.31 nm, a PDI of 0.182 ± 0.022 and a zeta potential of - 12.4 ± 0.62 mV. The drug loading (DL) and encapsulation efficiency (EE) of FA-PEG-PTX NCs were 48.45 ± 3.34 % and 96.90 ± 1.81 %. Particle morphology showed that FA-PEG-PTX NCs had a rod-shaped structure with a smooth surface. XRD and DSC indicated that PTX existed mainly in an amorphous structure in the nanocrystals. FTIR showed no chemical reaction between PTX and stabilizer but rather physical interactions. In vitro dissolution experiments showed that nanocrystals significantly improved the PTX dissolution rate. Cytotoxicity assay and apoptosis assay showed that FA-PEG-PTX NCs had a stronger inhibitory effect on the proliferation and apoptosis of folate receptor-positive cells, Bel-7402 cells, compared with PEG-PTX NCs. In vivo studies showed that FA-PEG-PTX NCs and PEG-PTX NCs had long-lasting and targeted effects. In conclusion, FA-PEG-MA seems to be a promising stabilizer with targeting properties.

Emergence of Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. masoucida MHJM250: unveiling pathological characteristics and antimicrobial susceptibility in golden mahseer, Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822) in India.

Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. masoucida, designated as laboratory strain MHJM250, was characterized from a naturally infected farmed golden mahseer, Tor putitora. The infected fish exhibited clinical signs of erosion at the caudal fin and hemorrhage onx the ventral body surface. Molecular identification through 16S rDNA and phylogenetic analysis revealed 100% similarity with a known strain A. salmonicida subsp. masoucida (MT122821.1). MHJM250 exhibited positive reactions for oxidase, catalase, esculin, MR-VP, O/F and utilized arginine and lysine. It also demonstrated siderophore activity, thrived at various NaCl concentrations, hydrolyzed gelatinase, skimmed milk and casinase. In vitro studies exhibited its hemolytic nature, significant biofilm production in glucose-rich tryptone soya broth and beta-hemolysis. MHJM250 didn't produce slime and was non-precipitated upon boiling. It showed crystal violet binding characteristics and auto-agglutination with relatively weak hydrophobicity (25%). In the challenge assay, intraperitoneal administration of MHJM250 to T. pitutora fingerlings at 108 CFU mL-1 resulted in pathogenicity with 3% mortality and mild hemorrhagic symptoms. Histopathological analysis revealed degenerative changes in gill, kidney, liver, muscle, and intestine samples. The bacterium displayed resistance to several antibiotics (µg/disc); ampicillin (10µg), ampicillin/ sulbactam (10/10 µg), clindamycin (2µg), linezolid (30µg), penicillin G (10µg) and rifampicin (5µg) and varied minimum inhibitory concentrations against oxytetracycline, erythromycin and florfenicol. Transmission electron microscopy showed its rod-shaped structure with single polar flagellum and lophotrichous flagella. An investigation on the molecular basis for virulence factors of A. salmonicida subsp. masoucida MHJM250 may offer crucial understandings to formulate disease prevention and control strategies in aquaculture.

Preparation and exploration of anti-tumor activity of Poria cocos polysaccharide gold nanorods

With the continuous advancement of nanotechnology, the application of gold nanorods (AuNRs) functionalized with polysaccharides in the realm of cancer photothermal therapy is garnering increasing attention. To harness photothermal therapy for cancer treatment, FLP-MPBA-AuNRs were successfully synthesized in this study for the first time, utilizing Poria cocos polysaccharides (FLP), mercaptophenylboronic acid (MPBA), and gold nanorods (AuNRs). FLP-MPBA-AuNRs are a nanomaterial characterized by a unique rod-shaped structure, featuring a long diameter of 29.3 nm and a short diameter of 6.5 nm, which conferred exceptional photothermal stability and remarkable photothermal conversion efficiency. Under near-infrared light irradiation, FLP-MPBA-AuNRs elicited significant photothermal effects, effectively curtailing the proliferation of various cancer cells. Additionally, FLP-MPBA-AuNRs impeded cancer progression by inducing cell apoptosis and releasing reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, FLP-MPBA-AuNRs suppressed the metastasis and growth of cancer cells in zebrafish models. In summary, FLP-MPBA-AuNRs showcased immense potential in cancer therapy by inhibiting tumor cell growth through photothermal and photodynamic mechanisms.

Evaluation of biogenic bismuth oxide nanoparticles from Rubus niveus leaves and fruits extract for antimicrobial and photocatalytic activity

The present study focused on producing bismuth oxide nanoparticles (Bi2O3 NPs) using methanolic extracts from Rubus niveus fruits and leaves. These extracts were used as both a capping and reducing agent. The properties of the Bi2O3 NPs were determined using advanced characterization methods such as XRD, FTIR, SEM, TEM, XPS, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The findings demonstrated the formation of spherical and rod-shaped structures in Bi2O3 nanoparticles synthesized using methanol extracts derived from leaves and fruits, respectively. The average diameters of the crystallites were measured as 69.39 nm for RNF-NPs and 62.85 nm for RNL-NPs in Bi2O3 nanoparticles. The grain sizes were observed to be 130 ± 0.25 nm for RNF-NPs and 320 ± 1.22 nm for RNL-NPs, with corresponding D-spacings of 0.314 nm and 0.617 nm. Additionally, the presence of a weak band in the FTIR spectra at 717.29 cm−1 for RNL-NPs and 715.25 cm−1 for RNF-NPs indicated the monoclinic morphology of the synthesized α-Bi2O3 nanoparticles. The antibacterial activity of the samples was assessed using the agar well diffusion technique for bacteria and the poisoned food method for fungus. The antibacterial findings demonstrate that the nanoparticles derived from the methanolic extract of leaves (Methicillin resistance S. aureus [ZOI: 23 ± 0.57 mm] and fruits (MDR P. aeruginosa [ZOI: 26.5 ± 0.57 mm]) exhibit comparable zone of inhibition against multi-drug resistant pathogens. Moreover, the antifungal efficacy of Bi2O3 nanoparticles derived from the methanol extract of the fruits (R. necatrix [59.29 ± 0.80 %]) was shown to be superior to that of nanoparticles obtained from the methanol extract of the leaves. Addition, the methanol extract of the flower demonstrated a superior photocatalytic activity, specifically 94.44 %, using Bi2O3 nanoparticles.

Transcriptional responses and secondary metabolites variation of tomato plant in response to tobacco mosaic virus infestation

The present study focused on the impact of infection with the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Specifically, changes in phytochemicals and gene activity related to pathogenesis-related and phenylpropanoid pathway genes in tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) during a period of 2–14 days post-inoculation (dpi). According to TEM investigation and coat protein sequence analysis, the purified TMV Egyptian AM isolate (PP133743) has a rod-shaped structure with a diameter of around 110 nm. The RT-qPCR analysis revealed that PR-1 showed an initial increase after TMV infection, as seen in the time-course analysis. In contrast, PR-2 was consistently elevated throughout the infection, suggesting a stronger reaction to the virus and suppressing PAL expression at 6 to 14 dpi. The expression levels of HQT and CHS transcripts exhibited alternating patterns of up-regulation and down-regulation at different time intervals. The HPLC and GC–MS analysis of control- and TMV-infected tomato extracts revealed that different phenolic, flavonoid, and fatty acid compounds were increased (such as naringenin, rutin, flavone, ferulic acid, and pyrogallol) or significantly decreased (such as salicylic acid and chlorogenic acid) after TMV infection. The ability of TMV to inhibit most polyphenolic compounds could potentially accelerate the viral life cycle. Consequently, focusing on enhancing the levels of such suppressed compounds may be critical for developing plant viral infection management strategies.

Probing the Synergy of Calcium Sulfonate Complex Soap and Polyurea Complex Thickener Towards Good Lubrication and Rheological Properties

Abstract Polyurea complex thickener was introduced into calcium sulfonate complex grease (CSCG) to prepare a new type of grease. The microstructure, rheological properties, and tribological properties of new greases were studied in detail. The experimental results show that the combination of calcium sulfonate complex soap and polyurea complex thickener can form a new thickener system, which combines the layered structure of calcium sulfonate complex soap and the rod-shaped structure of polyurea complex thickener. The thermal decomposition temperature of new greases is reduced, but its fluidity is improved and the friction coefficient is lower. Their synergistic effect is related to the special structural skeleton of the new thickener system, and calcium sulfonate and urea molecules share the same calcium ion, which may be an important reason for maintaining the stability of this special structure skeleton.

Preparation and characterization of microcrystalline cellulose from rice bran.

Rice bran, a by-product of rice processing, has not been fully utilized except for the small amount used for raising animals. The raw material source requirements of microcrystalline cellulose are becoming increasingly extensive. However, the characteristics of preparing microcrystalline cellulose from rice bran have not been reported, which limits the application of rice bran. Microcrystalline cellulose was obtained from rice bran by alkali treatment, delignification, bleaching and acid hydrolysis. The morphology, particle size distribution, degree of polymerization, crystallinity, and thermal stability of rice bran microcrystalline cellulose were analyzed. The chemical compositions, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared analysis for rice bran microcrystalline cellulose showed that the lignin and hemicellulose were successfully removed from the rice bran fiber matrix. The morphology of rice bran microcrystalline cellulose was shown to be of a short rod-shaped porous structure with an average diameter of 65.3 μm. The polymerization degree of rice bran microcrystalline cellulose was 150. The X-ray diffraction pattern of rice bran microcrystalline cellulose showed the characteristic peak of natural cellulose (type I), and its crystallization index was 71%. The rice bran microcrystalline cellulose may be used in biological composites with temperatures between 150 °C and 250 °C. These results suggest the feasibility of using rice bran as a low-price source of microcrystalline cellulose. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

A feasible strategy for fabricating pH-responsive SN-38 loaded europium metal-organic framework delivery for promising treatment for breast cancer

One of the significant challenges in cancer therapy is the development of biocompatible drug delivery systems (DDS) with enhanced penetration retention effect (EPR) and precision targeting. The current study aimed to establish a one-pot synthesis of 7-ethyl-10-hydroxy camptothecin (SN-38) loaded europium-metal-organic framework (SN-38@Eu-MOF) and evaluate its anticancer potential against breast cancer. High drug loading efficiency (85.3 ± 0.02 % in 48 h at pH 5.0) and pH-sensitive regulated release of drug SN-38 were two characteristics of the fabricated Eu-MOFs. According to material characterization, the material's surface formed a monodispersed homogeneous rod-shaped structure adorned with SN-38, with an average particle size of 72 ± 0.23 nm. Results of anticancer assays demonstrated that when compared to SN-38 alone, SN-38@Eu-MOFs showed improved anticancer potential in breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231). According to the mechanism of anticancer potential, SN-38@Eu-MOFs increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and caused mitochondrial malfunction and DNA damage, which resulted in apoptosis. The study's findings indicate that SN-38@Eu-MOFs is a potentially biocompatible nanomaterial for drug delivery systems for treating breast cancer and other pharmaceutical applications.

Role of morphology in improving the catalytic performance of ZnCo2O4 for soot oxidation

The extent of interaction between carbon and catalyst profoundly shapes soot oxidation results. The catalyst configuration notably influences the frequency of contact points in solid–solid interactions. This investigation studies the impact of three distinct ZnCo2O4 catalyst morphologies and their redox property on soot oxidation. The formation of the cubic phase of ZnCo2O4 via three distinct methods was revealed during XRD analysis. SEM analysis unveiled varying morphologies, including rod-shaped, rose petal-shaped, and bead-like structures. Notably, ZnCo2O4 exhibiting bead-like morphology demonstrated heightened levels of chemisorbed oxygen species which was observed during XPS analysis. The presence of Co2+ and Co3+ occupied at octahedral site ZnCo2O4 acted as the active sites for soot oxidation. With continuous redox property (Co 3+ → Co 2+) leading to the generation of active oxygen species and with an added advantage of surface morphology, the M2 sample (with bead-like morphology) exhibited superior soot oxidation activity, which is evident by its T50% value of 402 °C. This study underscores the essential role of catalyst morphology in influencing soot oxidation activity. Through a comprehensive array of structural, morphological, and catalytic analyses, this work sheds light on the correlation between catalyst architecture and enhanced soot oxidation performance.

Incorporation of Nanostructural Hydroxyapatite and Curcumin Extract from Curcuma longa L. Rhizome into Polylactide to Obtain Green Composite.

This study showed that a polylactide (PLA)-based composite filled with nanostructured hydroxyapatite (HAp) and a natural extract from the rhizome of Curcuma longa L. could provide an alternative to commonly used fossil-based plasticsfor food packaging. The incorporation of HAp into the PLA matrix had a positive effect on improving selected properties of the composites; the beneficial effect could be enhanced by introducing a green modifier in the form of an extract. Prior to the fabrication of the composite, the filler was characterized in terms of morphology and composition, and the composite was then fully characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and the mechanical, thermal, thermomechanical, and optical properties were investigated. The proposed material exhibits antioxidant properties against DPPH radicals and antibacterial performance against Escherichia coli (E. coli). The results showed that the nanocomposite has the highest antioxidant and antibacterial properties for 10 wt% HAp with an average diameter of rod-shaped structures below 100 nm. In addition, the introduction of turmeric extract had a positive effect on the tensile strength of the nanocomposites containing 1 and 5% HAp. As the resulting material adsorbs light in a specific wavelength range, it can be used in the medical sector, food-packaging, or coatings.

Gompherna globosa flower extract-driven ZnO nanoparticles for enhanced antimicrobial and photocatalytic properties

The aqueous extract of Gomphrena globosa flowers was utilized for the first time as an effective capping and reducing agent for the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs). The synthesized nanoparticles were examined using x-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDAX), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and UV–vis spectroscopy. XRD revealed the single-phase wurtzite structure of ZnO nanoparticles with a P63mc space group with an average size of 23 nm. The band gap of synthesized ZnO nanoparticles was determined as 3.16 eV from UV–vis spectroscopy. The rod-shaped structure of the synthesized ZnO NPs was revealed by SEM. The presence of the elements Zn & O was confirmed by EDAX. TEM and SAED confirmed that the average particle size was 26 nm and that the material was polycrystalline. The bio-inspired ZnO NPs achieved outstanding degradation activity of 95.4% against Malachite Green dye after 20 min of UV illumination. The antibacterial properties of the green synthesized nanoparticles were assessed in relation to gram-positive (Staphylococcus sp., Bacillus sp.,) and gram-negative (E. coli, Klebsiella sp.) bacteria. ZnO nanoparticles possess strong antifungal property against a pathogenic fungus Aspergillus niger. This study shows that green-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles derived from Gomphrena globosa flower extract are recommended for use in anti-microbial and photocatalytic applications.

Zinc Oxide/Polypyrrole particle-decorated rod structure for NO2 detection at low temperature

In this study, Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles with a size of about 50 - 70 nm were green-synthesized using tea leaves and ZnO/Polypyrrole (ZnO/Ppy) nanocomposites were obtained by ultrasonic-assisted chemical polymerization method using pyrrole monomer and the nanoparticles. The characterization of the materials is conducted using several analytical techniques, including Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Ultraviolet visible spectrum (UV-Vis). The synthesized PPy material exhibits have a rod-shaped structure, diameter ranging from 100 to 200 nm. The ZnO/PPy nanocomposite system, consisting of PPy rods surrounded by ZnO particles. The gas sensing characteristics of the materials have also been investigated by measuring their sensitivity, response time, and stability to NO2 at low temperature and different humidity. Notably, the material exhibits considerable sensitivity to NO2 gas at low temperatures and the parameters related to response and recovery times are relatively rapid. Furthermore, a potential gas-sensing mechanism based on changes in the width of the depletion region is proposed.

Synthesis and characterization of lead-doped copper ferrite nanoparticles

Magnetic nanoparticles of lead-doped copper ferrite, PbxCu1−xFe2O4, where x = 0.0, 0.1, and 0.2, were synthesized by the combustion method. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine crystallographic phases and crystallite sizes. The results showed the presence of trigonal and tetragonal phases for x = 0, with crystallite sizes of 37 nm and 72 nm, respectively, and for x = 0.2, with crystallite sizes of 23 nm and 21 nm, respectively. For x = 0.1, only the trigonal phase was observed, with a crystallite size of 27 nm. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed cubic, hexagonal, and rod-shaped structures for all values of x, indicating a polycrystalline material with various spatial orientations. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) identified the chemical elements present in the samples and Mössbauer spectroscopy revealed the formation of spinel-type ferrite. Vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) displayed typical ferrimagnetic behavior and the Jahn-Teller effect was observed in all samples.

Characterization of cellulose nanocrystals from Zhombwe (Neorautanenia brachypus (harms) CA Sm.) bagasse.

Increased awareness of environmental pollution has changed focus to the use of biodegradable materials because they lack persistence in the environment. This article focused on the production of cellulose nanocrystals from Zhombwe, Neorautanenia brachypus (Harms) CA Sm. bagasse using steam explosion, alkaline treatment, bleaching, purification, and acid hydrolysis. The chemical composition after the treatments was determined using TAPPI standards. Further characterization was done using x-ray Diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The nanoscale dimensions and morphology of the extracted nanocrystals was determined through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). FTIR spectroscopy and DSC confirmed the removal of noncellulosic compounds. XRD revealed that N. brachypus bagasse contained cellulose type I, which partly endured morphological change to polymorph II after purification and hydrolysis. FE-SEM revealed elliptical to rod-shaped structures after acid hydrolysis, which had a mean length and width of 1103 nm and 597 nm respectively. TAPPI tests revealed that successive chemical treatments increased crystallinity by 29.7%, enriched cellulose content by 74.2%, reduced lignin content by 21.7%, and reduced hemicellulose to less than 1%. The semicrystalline nature of the material produced in our work is a promising candidate for swelling hydrogel applications in areas such as wound dressing, heavy metal removal, controlled drug delivery, agriculture, and sanitary products. Future studies may focus on surface modification of nanocrystals to improve their thermal stability and therefore expand their range for potential industrial applications.

Charting the importance of filamin A posttranslational modifications.

Filamin A is an essential protein in the cell cytoskeleton because of its actin binding properties and unique homodimer rod-shaped structure, which organises actin into three-dimensional orthogonal networks imperative to cell motility, spreading and adhesion. Filamin A is subject to extensive posttranslational modification (PTM) which serves to co-ordinate cellular architecture and to modulate its large protein-protein interaction network which is key to the protein's role as a cellular signalling hub. Characterised PTMs include phosphorylation, irreversible cleavage, ubiquitin mediated degradation, hydroxylation and O-GlcNAcylation, with preliminary evidence of tyrosylation, carbonylation and acetylation. Each modification and its relation to filamin A function will be described here. These modifications are often aberrantly applied in a range of diseases including, but not limited to, cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurological disease and we discuss the concept of target specific PTMs with novel therapeutic modalities. In summary, our review represents a topical 'one-stop-shop' that enables understanding of filamin A function in cell homeostasis and provides insight into how a variety of modifications add an extra level of Filamin A control.

Analysis of coherent structures over interacting barchan dunes based on tomographic particle image velocimetry

The influence of barchan dune interaction upon unsteady flow separation and wake dynamics around the fixed-bed downstream barchan dune (DBD) model are experimentally investigated at a Reynolds number of 2640 based on the tomographic particle image velocimetry (PIV) system. The time-averaged statistics including the mean velocities, recirculation area, vortex spatial topology, Reynolds stress, and turbulent kinetic energy were used to characterize the flow field and large-scale anisotropy. It was found that arch-shaped vortex “chains” with strong spanwise coherence shedding from isolated barchan crestline populate the whole wake region, while elongated rod-shaped vortex structures with strong streamwise coherence induced by the up-downwash flow around the DBD were found to fill the whole measurement range, which is closely related to “sheltering” effect on the incoming flow acting at DBD due to the presence of upstream barchan dune (UBD). Additionally, in order to study the complex dynamic features of these predominated vortex structure transformations, time-resolved planar particle image velocimetry was applied. This technique allows for providing complementary insights into the temporal behavior of the unsteady coherent flow structures populating the wake field in different experimental configurations. It was found that the basic unsteady flapping motion, vortex roll-up, and complex vortex interactions including vortex pairing, merging, and breaking up can all be analyzed by dividing into certain scales with ease in a combination wavelet and Lagrangian framework.