Safety Properties Research Articles

Exploring the probiotic potential of Lactiplantibacillus pentosus SM1: Resistance, anti-microbial activity, anti-biofilm, cytotoxic activity, and safety properties

Lactiplantibacillus pentosus SM1 displayed notable resistance to acidic environments, with over 76% survival after 3 h in low pH conditions, and demonstrated viability in simulated gastrointestinal fluids. The Lpb. pentosus SM1 exhibited surface hydrophobicity, auto-aggregation, co-aggregation, and adhesion values of 59.60%, 38.80%, 44.90%, and 13.10% respectively. The anti-adhesion capability of Lpb. pentosus SM1 against Listeria monocytogenes adhesion to Caco-2 cells was demonstrated by its ability to compete with, inhibit, and displace at rates of 54.10%, 48.80%, and 23.90%, respectively. The Lpb. pentosus SM1 exhibited broad-spectrum anti-microbial activity, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria, and inhibited biofilm formation. The strain also showcased antioxidant activity, effectively scavenging DPPH (57.60%) and ABTS (60.54%) radicals. Notably, it absorbed 51.60% of cholesterol, highlighting its potential for cholesterol-lowering benefits. The cytotoxicity values were measured at 36.57 mg/mL for HT-29 and 38.20 mg/mL for Hela cancer cell lines. Importantly, Lpb. pentosus SM1 was free of hemolytic activity and biogenic amines, demonstrating a favorable safety profile. Lpb. pentosus SM1 exhibited the strongest resistance to ampicillin, while its resistance to erythromycin was the weakest, with inhibition zones measuring 15.50 mm and 26.40 mm, respectively. These findings suggest that Lpb. pentosus SM1 has promising applications as a probiotic candidate for promoting gut health and preventing pathogenic infections.

Linear polydichlorophosphazene and Ti3C2Tx MXene nanohybrids: Synthesis and application to epoxy resin to improve the fire safety and mechanical properties

Enhancing the fire safety of epoxy resins (EPs) typically requires a significant amount of flame retardants, which often results in considerable degradation of their mechanical properties. To address this issue, a novel flame retardant known as PDCP@DPA@MXene was synthesized and integrated into EP to achieve notable improvements in flame retardancy, smoke suppression, and mechanical strength. By incorporating 1.5 wt% PDCP@DPA@MXene, the impact strength, tensile strength, and elongation at break of the resulting PDM-1.5 %/EP composite reached 12.1 kJ/m2, 57.4 MPa, and 13.0, respectively, reflecting enhancements of 63.5 %, 18.4 %, and 17.1 % compared to the pure EP. The enhancement in tensile strength may be attributed to the high rigidity of Ti3C2Tx MXene, which reinforces the EP matrix. Additionally, the intertwined structure of PDCP@DPA@MXene chains effectively mitigates material fracturing and absorbs impact forces, thus toughening the EP. The presence of phosphorus, nitrogen, and titanate in PDCP@DPA@MXene contributes to the formation of a more compact char layer. The PDM-1.5 %/EP sample achieved a V-0 rating in the vertical UL-94 test and exhibited a high limiting oxygen index of 32.0. Furthermore, the sample containing 2 wt% PDCP@DPA@MXene showed a significant reduction in peak heat release rate (p-HRR) and total heat release (THR), recording values of 689 kW/m2 and 71.9 MJ/m2, which are decreases of 45.1 % and 26.9 %, respectively, compared to pure EP. Additionally, the incorporation of PDCP@DPA@MXene led to a reduction in CO production. These flame-retarded EPs demonstrate strong potential for various applications due to their elevated glass transition temperature and robust thermal stability.

Encapsulating Azolates Within Cationic Metal-Organic Frameworks for High-Energy-Density Materials.

Despite the synthesis of numerous cationic metal-organic frameworks (CMOFs), their counter anions have been primarily limited to inorganic Cl-, NO3 -, ClO4 -, BF4 -, and Cr2O7 2-, which have weak coordination abilities. In this study, a series of new CMOFs is synthesized using azolates with strong coordination abilities as counter anions, which are exclusively employed as ligands for coordinating with metals. Owing to the unique nitrogen-rich composition of azolates, the CMOFs demonstrate significant potential as high-energy-density materials. Notably, CMOF(CuTNPO) has an exceptionally high heat of detonation of 7375kJ kg-1, surpassing even that of the state-of-art CL-20 (6536kJ kg-1). To further validate the advantages of employing azolates as counter anions, analogues with azolates serving as ligands are also synthesized. The comparison study indicates that encapsulating azolates within the cationic frameworks confers both high energy and safety properties. X-ray data and quantum calculations indicate that their enhanced performance stems from stronger H─bonds and π-π interactions. This study introduces new roles for azolates in MOFs and expands possibilities for structural diversity and potential applications of framework materials.

Microbiological Safety and Functional Properties of a Fermented Nut-Based Product

Fermented nut-based products, obtained after soaking and fermentation, are gaining increasing interest as animal food substitutes because of ethical, environmental and health reasons. In these products, Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) perform the fermentation, leading to matrix acidification and contributing to controlling spoilage and pathogenic microbiota. In this work, LAB strains isolated from an artisanal product and combined with a commercial strain were added as starter cultures during nut soaking to produce a cheese-like fermented plant-based product. Three different LAB consortia were used in challenge tests at laboratory scale against Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli or Salmonella Enteritidis, inoculated in nuts at 5 log CFU/g, and monitored for pathogen survival and matrix acidification. The combination of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 82 and Leuc. carnosum 4010 resulted in faster acidification (pH value < 4.4 after 18 h instead of 48 h) and the reduction of target pathogens; L. monocytogenes was already absent after seven days from production, and the counts of E. coli or S. Enteritidis were lower with respect to other samples. Thus, this microbial consortium was used for a pilot-scale production in which, beyond safety, the fermented plant-based product was also characterized for aroma profile and phenolic compounds, parameters that are known to be affected by LAB fermentation. The results showed an enhancement of the aroma profile, with an accumulation of molecules able to confer cheese-like notes (i.e., acetoin and diacetyl) and higher phenolic content, as well as the presence of compounds (i.e., phenyllactic acid and hydroxyphenyllactic acid) that could exert antimicrobial activity. This study allowed us to set up a guided fermentation for a cheese-like vegan product, guaranteeing safety and improving aromatic and functional features.

Structural design and experimental verification of a thin-walled plastic chairs based on the finite element method

This study focuses on the design and preparation of a thin-walled plastic chair, and its mechanical properties were investigated by high load, cyclic load and drop impact. The finite element method (FEM) was employed to accurately evaluate the chair’s safety under these forces. Additionally, the effects of important structural parameters on the loading process in different states were investigated. Furthermore, a solid plastic chair prototype was created for experimental analysis. The findings revealed that increasing the thickness of the key structural parameters enhanced the safety properties of the chair under various load conditions. Optimal results were obtained when both dimensions were set to 5 mm. The deformation errors in FEM, experimental strength analysis, fatigue analysis, and drop impact analysis were measured at 3.7%, 3.6%, and 11.7%, respectively. Similarly, the stress errors were determined to be 5.9%, 5.2%, and 6.5%. These results suggest that the structural design of the chair demonstrates excellent reliability. Studying the crucial structural parameters of a plastic chair can provide valuable insights for the scientific design and safety evaluation of thin-walled furniture.

Synergic effect between La-MOF and MXene: Revolutionizing TPU with improved mechanical strength and fire safety

Two-dimensional MXene nanosheets with lamellar structure and high specific surface area are considered promising flame retardants for polymers. However, MXene easily accumulates in polymer materials, resulting in the impairment of their mechanical properties. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) not only address this issue effectively but also improve compatibility with polymer materials due to their organic components. In this work, lanthanide rare-earth MOF (La-MOF) were successfully grown in-situ on the MXene surface to prepare hybrid flame retardants (La-MOF@MXene), then added to thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The La-MOF suppressed the accumulation of MXene in TPU, and the synergistic effect between them improved the fire safety and mechanical strength of TPU composites. The peak heat release rate of the TPU composites with the addition of 3 wt% La-MOF@MXene was 473.3 kW/m2, which represented a 49.4 % decrease compared to that of pure TPU. Besides, due to the synergic properties of MXene and La-MOF, La-MOF@MXene further reduced total smoke, CO2, and CO of TPU composites in fires. Moreover, with the addition of 3.0 wt% La-MOF@MXene, the tensile strength and elongation at break of TPU composites dramatically improved to 42.4 MPa and 686 %, respectively. Therefore, this study provides a novel paradigm for preparing hybrid flame retardants that can improve the fire safety and mechanical properties of TPU composites, exhibiting broad application prospects.

Construction of electrospun multistage ZnO@PMIA gel electrolytes for realizing high performance zinc-ion batteries

As an important component of ZIBs, flexible gel electrolytes offer the advantages of solid/liquid electrolytes and good interfacial bonding. However, limited by poor ionic conductivity and mechanical properties, traditional gel electrolytes are still unable to meet realistic applications. To solve the above problems, in this paper, poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide) (PMIA) nanofiber membranes were prepared by electrospinning, and then ordered zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods were grown on their surfaces by hydrothermal method, and ZnO@PMIA nanofiber membranes were combined with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) gel to obtain ZnO@PMIA-PVA (ZPP) composite electrolytes. On the one hand, thanks to the advantages of large specific surface area and good electrical conductivity of PMIA nanofibers and ZnO nanorods, they can provide continuous and uniform transmission channels for Zn2+ .On the other hand, ZPP combines the nanofiber layer with the gel layer, which possesses excellent mechanical properties and produces a well-bonded interface with the electrode, which can effectively reduce the internal resistance and resist the penetration of the dendrimer into the electrolyte during long cycling. The results show that the ZPP composite electrolyte has a high ionic conductivity (18.3 mS·cm-1) and exhibits obvious advantages in inhibiting hydrogen precipitation and oxidative decomposition of Zn anode, and the Zn/ZPP/Zn symmetric battery can be recycled for >1000 h at 3 mA·cm-2, and the full battery Zn/ZPP/MnO2 can still maintain 159.3 mAh·g-1 residual capacity after 1000 cycles with stable long-cycle performance and high coulombic efficiency (CE) (99 %). This flexible composite electrolyte has high safety, mechanical and electrochemical properties, which can realize high-performance ZIBs, and is expected to provide a new strategy for next-generation wearable energy storage devices.

Ga-ion migration during co-sintering of heterogeneous Ta- and Ga-substituted LLZO solid-state electrolytes

Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) is an attractive solid-state electrolyte for next-generation lithium solid-state batteries (SSB) because of its high ionic conductivity, and safety properties. Only the cubic LLZO phase has sufficient ionic conductivity, which is stabilized by substitution with elements like Ta or Ga. Ga-substituted LLZO has the highest ionic conductivity but is not stable towards metallic Li anodes, while Ta-substituted LLZO has a slightly lower conductivity but excellent reduction stability towards Li anodes. The combination of LLZO:Ga as a catholyte and LLZO:Ta as a ceramic separator for Li anodes would significantly enhance the performance of SSBs, but both materials have different processing parameters. In this work, the possibility of co-sintering LLZO:Ga|LLZO:Ta components is investigated with varying Li-excess of the LLZO:Ta phase, while the results are compared with pure references. The experiments showed a changed sintering activity, secondary phase formation, Ta- and Ga-ion diffusion, and a changed ionic conductivity when co-sintering LLZO:Ga|LLZO:Ta.

Targeting Polyprotein to Design Potential Multiepitope Vaccine against Omsk Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (OHFV) by Evaluating Allergenicity, Antigenicity, and Toxicity Using Immunoinformatic Approaches.

Omsk Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (OHFV) is an RNA virus with a single-stranded, positive-sense genome. It is classified under the Flaviviridae family. The genome of this virus is 98% similar to the Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever virus (AHFV), which belongs to the same family. Cases of the virus have been reported in various regions of Saudi Arabia. Both OHFV and AHFV have similarities in pathogenic polyprotein targets. No effective and licensed vaccines are available to manage OHFV infections. Therefore, an effective and safe vaccine is required that can activate protective immunity against OHFV. The current study aimed to design a multiepitope subunit vaccine against the OHFV utilizing several immunoinformatic tools. The polyprotein of OHFV was selected and potent antigenic, non-allergenic, and nontoxic cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL), helper T-lymphocyte (HTL), and linear B-lymphocyte (LBL) epitopes were chosen. After screening, eight (8) CTL, five (5) HTL, and six (6) B cell epitopes were joined with each other using different linkers. Adjuvant human beta defensin-2 was also linked to the epitopes to increase vaccine antigenic and immunogenic efficiency. The designed vaccine was docked with Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) as it activates and induces primary and secondary immune responses against OHFV. Codon optimization was carried out, which resulted in a CAI value of 0.99 and 53.4% GC contents. In addition, the construct was blindly docked to the TLR4 immune receptor and subjected to conformational dynamics simulation analysis to interpret the intricate affinity and comprehend the time-dependent behavior. Moreover, it was predicted that immune responses to the developed vaccine construct reported formation of strong humoral and cellular immune cells. Therefore, the proposed vaccine may be considered in experimental assays to combat OHFV infections. Laboratory experiments for the above predictions are essential in order to evaluate the effectiveness, safety, and protective properties of the subject in question.

Exploring the Wound Healing Potential of Hispidin.

Hispidin, a polyphenol component mainly derived from the medicinal mushroom species Phellinus and Inonotus, shows promise for biomedical applications, yet its potential in wound healing remains largely unexplored. This research investigates the wound healing effects of hispidin through in vitro and in vivo experiments, while also evaluating its antimicrobial properties and safety profile. In vitro scratch assays were conducted to evaluate the impact of hispidin on the migration of NIH-3T3 cells. The wound healing potential of hispidin was assessed in rats using excision wounds, dead space wounds, and linear incisions, treated with various topical ointments including a simple ointment, 2.5% (w/w) and a 5% (w/w) hispidin ointment, and a 0.2% (w/w) nitrofurazone ointment, administered at 0.2 g daily for 14 days. Hispidin demonstrated antimicrobial properties and was particularly effective against Staphylococcus epidermidis. Hispidin enhanced NIH-3T3 cell viability, and promoted wound closure in scratch assays, correlating with increased levels of FGF21, TGF-β1, EGF, and VEGF. In excision wound models, the 5% (w/w) hispidin ointment improved wound contraction, epithelialization, tissue regeneration, fibroblast activity, and angiogenesis. In the granulation tissue from dead space wound models, hispidin reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β) and lipid peroxidation, while increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10) and antioxidant activities (SOD, GPx, CAT), along with connective tissue markers like hydroxyproline, hexosamine, and hexuronic acid. Hispidin also enhanced wound breaking strength in incision models. Acute dermal toxicity studies indicated no adverse effects at 2000 mg/kg. These findings highlight hispidin's potential in wound care, demonstrating its antimicrobial, regenerative, and safety properties.

Synthesis of a novel biomass-based flame retardant featuring vinyl-terminated chemical cross-linking and application in flame retardancy, smoke suppression, toxicity reduction and mechanical enhancement of PAN composite fibers

To develop green and efficient polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers with excellent fire safety properties, a new biomass-based flame retardant (PPC@VA) with vinyl-terminated groups was prepared based on the reaction of hexachlorocyclotriphosphonitrile, teat polyphenols, ethylenediamine and vinylphosphonic acid. Subsequently, it was mixed with spinning solution to obtain PPC@VA/PAN through wet spinning, which were then chemically cross-linked via thermal initiation to achieve CC-PPC@VA/PAN fibers. CC-PPC@VA/PAN showed a significant improvement in flame retardancy with a limiting oxygen index value of 32.5 %. The peak of smoke production rate, total smoke production and CO production rate were lowered by 81.9 %, 77.8 % and 91.3 %. Besides, the hazardous gas HCN was greatly suppressed. Owing to the macromolecular entanglement, hydrogen bonding and covalent cross-linking, CC-PPC@VA/PAN improved elongation at break and tensile strength by 19.2 % and 72.1 %. Also, chemical cross-linking contributed to decrease the migration of P/N-based flame retardants, lower the potential risk of water eutrophication and increased the service life of the fibers.

MoS2@Fe3O4 prepared by γ-ray in situ reduction for enhancing the fire safety and mechanical properties of EVA/MCA composites

The high flammability of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA) limits its important applications in fire safety, and the addition of highly effective flame retardants can improve this deficiency. Melamine cyanurate (MCA) has limited carbon-forming ability and therefore is often combined with other flame retardants to achieve synergistic flame retardant effects and thus improve the flame retardancy of EVA. Therefore, in this study, MoS2@Fe3O4 hybrid materials were synthesized by in-situ growth of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and ferric oxide (Fe3O4) and their structures were characterized using various techniques. The hybrids were blended with melamine cyanurate (MCA) into ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) by melt blending method to reduce the fire hazard. The EVA composites with 1.0 wt% MoS2@Fe3O4 blends significantly improved the coke residue and limiting oxygen index values to 22.5 % and 23.2 %, while their peak heat release rate, total heat release, and total smoke release were reduced by 62.5 %, 11.7 %, and 35.3 %, respectively, as compared to pure EVA. The results suggest that the use of MoS2@Fe3O4 hybrids in combination with MCA is a promising strategy for the development of advanced flame-retardant materials.

Formal Modelling and Model Checking of a Flood Monitoring and Rescue System: A Case Study of Safety-Critical System

The flood incidents are becoming more often and severe, thus extreme events require efficient and effective means of controlling and saving lives and property. The reason for this paper is to use Formal Modelling and Model Checking to analyse a new safety critical Flood Monitoring and Rescue System (FMRS) that shall form the basis for the efficient response to floods. Employing the TLA+ analysis, which outlines the FMRS’s dynamic behavior and operational specifications comprehensively. It is important to stress that in our work we address one of the most exciting directions of applying formal methods for the first time in collaboration with real-world safety-critical system designers and offer a powerful and transparent systematic approach to verifying safety-critical systems’ correctness, safety, and reliability. The TLA+ specifications are very carefully designed to represent multiple aspects of the FMRS, such as sensor systems, communication interfaces, as well as the rescue activity itself. To this end, we use model checking methodologies in order to assess the system’s compliance with the required safety properties, including timely detection of floods, correct delivery of data, and synchronization of rescue operations. The performed model checking demonstrates the presence of essential information about the system’s potential failure and weaknesses, which can be used for FMRS architecture improvement and development. Thus, this case shows that the best use of formal methods exist not as ad hoc methods for resolving some issues in the development of safety-critical systems, but a structured template that could be applied in other domains where high degree of assurance in the reliability of a system is needed. Besides the novel method for the better future of the field of formal verification, the proposal also sketches functional relevance of integrating the effective and efficient approaches for monitoring floods and emergency rescue operations in real-world contexts.

Natural Food Components as Biocompatible Carriers: A Novel Approach to Glioblastoma Drug Delivery.

Efficient drug delivery methods are crucial in modern pharmacotherapy to enhance treatment efficacy, minimize adverse effects, and improve patient compliance. Particularly in the context of glioblastoma treatment, there has been a recent surge in interest in using natural dietary components as innovative carriers for drug delivery. These food-derived carriers, known for their safety, biocompatibility, and multifunctional properties, offer significant potential in overcoming the limitations of conventional drug delivery systems. This article thoroughly overviews numerous natural dietary components, such as polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids, used as drug carriers. Their mechanisms of action, applications in different drug delivery systems, and specific benefits in targeting glioblastoma are examined. Additionally, the safety, biocompatibility, and regulatory considerations of employing food components in drug formulations are discussed, highlighting their viability and future prospects in the pharmaceutical field.

The healing effect of nano emulsified Plantago major L extract on oral wounds in a wistar rat model

IntroductionOral lesions are a common clinical symptom arising from various etiologies and disrupt the patient’s quality of life. However, no definite treatment is not yet possible, due to the constantly changing environment of the mouth. In recent years, herbal treatments have gained popularity among patients and physicians due to their availability, safety, affordability, and antimicrobial properties. This research aims to investigate the therapeutic effects of a nano-emulsion of Plantago major standardized extract (PMSE) on oral ulcers in a Wistar rat model using histomorphometry and stereological parameters.Materials and MethodsThe study involved 72 Wistar rats divided randomly into 24 groups of 3 each: groups A1 to A4 received one dose to 4 doses of 5% PMSE nano emulsion, groups B1 to B4 received one dose to 4 doses of 10% PMSE nano emulsion, and groups C1 to C4 received one dose to 4 doses of 20% PMSE nano emulsion, groups D1 to D4 received one dose to 4 doses of nano-emulsion without PMSE, groups E1 to E4 received one dose to 4 doses of PMSE, and group F served as the control group. An incision measuring 2 mm in diameter was made in the animals’ hard palate using a biopsy punch. A swab containing the necessary material was used to administer the medication orally to the wound. Histological samples were collected on days 2, 4, 6, and 8 and sent to the pathology laboratory for examination. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 26 and setting statistical significance at p < 0.05.ResultsGroup A showed a high rate of complete and normal re-epithelialization of the wound at 66.7%, compared to the other groups. Group D had a re-epithelialization rate of 50%, while groups C, E, and F had rates of 7.41% and group B had 7.16%. In terms of inflammation reduction, 23.88% of group A had no inflammation, a higher percentage compared to the other groups. Group B and D had no inflammation in 3.33% of cases, lower than the other groups. The study evaluated frequency of re-epithelialization and inflammation levels in different groups on days 2, 4, 6, and 8 after four doses of the drug with no significant differences found among the groups.ConclusionNone of the nano emulsions or PMSE enhanced the healing rate of oral ulcers. However, a 5% PMSE nano emulsion displayed an increase in lesion re-epithelialization.

Neural networks in closed-loop systems: Verification using interval arithmetic and formal prover

Machine Learning approaches have been successfully used for the creation of high-performance control components of cyber–physical systems, where the control dynamics result from the combination of many subsystems. However, these approaches may lack the trustworthiness required to guarantee their reliable application in a safety-critical context. In this paper, we propose a combination of interval arithmetic and theorem-proving verification techniques to analyze safety properties in closed-loop systems that embed neural network components. We show the application of the proposed approach to a model-predictive controller for autonomous driving comparing the neural network verification performance with other existing tools. The results show that open-loop neural network verification through interval arithmetic can outperform existing approaches proving properties with a smaller time overhead. Furthermore, we demonstrate the capability of combining the two approaches to construct a formal model of the network in higher-order logic of the controlled system in a closed-loop.

Psidium guajav-mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles as a multifunctional, microbicidal, antioxidant and antiproliferative agent against destructive pathogens.

Bio-inspired zinc oxide nanoparticles are gaining immense interest due to their safety, low cost, biocompatibility, and broad biological properties. In recent years, much research has been focused on plant-based nanoparticles, mainly for their eco-friendly, facile, and non-toxic character. Hence, the current study emphasized a bottom-up synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) from Psidium guajava aqueous leaf extract and evaluation of its biological properties. The structural characteristic features of biosynthesized ZnO NPs were confirmed using various analytical methods, such as UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The synthesized ZnO NPs exhibited ahydrodynamic shape with an average particle size of 11.6-80.2nm. A significant antimicrobial efficiency with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 40 and 27µg/ml for Enterococcus faecalis, followed by 30 and 40µg/ml for Staphylococcus aureus, 20 and 30µg/ml for Staphylococcus mutans, 30µg/ml for Candida albicans was observed by ZnO NPs. Additionally, they showed significant breakdown of biofilms of Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans indicating their future value in drug-resistance research. Furthermore, an excellent dose-dependent activity of antioxidant property was noticed with an IC50 of 9.89µg/ml. The antiproliferative potential of the ZnO NPs was indicated by the viability of MDA MB 231 cells, which showed adrastic decrease in response to increased concentrations of biosynthesized ZnO NPs. Thus, the present results open up vistas to explore their pharmaceutical potential for the development of targeted anticancer drugs in the future.

Statistical analysis of fuel combustion and emissions considering the adverse effects of investment economic environment: Exploring alternatives amid oil prices Swings, digital economy, and local market inflation

The depletion of natural gas reserves, combined with rising oil prices, local market inflation, and concerns about pollution, has accelerated the search for alternative energy sources. As a result, research on turbines and internal combustion engines for electricity generation is increasingly focusing on using vaporized ethanol as a fuel substitute. However, the high cost of analyzing the chemical composition of these fuels often leads to an oversight of their impact on combustion characteristics, such as flame behavior, emission profiles, and temperature distribution.This study employs a statistical approach to assess the combustion and emission characteristics of biofuels, aiming to find suitable alternatives to petroleum-based fuels. By integrating considerations of oil price fluctuations and the digital economy's impact, the research proposes a cost-effective method for evaluating the chemical makeup of vaporized fuels and their effects on post-combustion pollution.Experimental data reveal that alternative fuels can offer stable ignition performance and lower pollution levels, contingent on their specific properties. Fuels with high aromatic content and viscosity tend to produce significant CO emissions, while reducing these characteristics may increase CO2 production. The study also highlights the challenge of simultaneously reducing both CO and NOx emissions. Additionally, the findings show that petroleum gasoline, due to its lower volatility, has favorable fire safety properties and generates fewer pollutants.In the context of economic pressures from rising oil prices and inflation, this research underscores the importance of exploring biofuels as viable, sustainable alternatives for the future energy landscape.

A versatile ionic liquid enables epoxy resin with excellent fire safety and mechanical properties but ultra-low loading

The emergence of ionic liquids provides an effective way to construct new advanced multifunctional epoxy resin (EP) composites with excellent fire retardancy and mechanical properties. In this study, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dibutyl phosphate (BDBP) was synthesized via a facile strategy and then incorporated into the EP matrix. The results showed that ultra-low loading of BDBP (1 wt%) enabled EP composite to achieve a V-0 rating (3.2 mm) in the UL-94 test. When increasing the loading to 4 wt%, the limiting oxygen index (LOI) of EP/BDBP4 composites was improved to 31.9 %. Meanwhile, the peak heat release rate (PHRR), total heat release (THR), and total smoke production (TSP) significantly decreased by 48.1 %, 21.9 %, and 13.5 %, respectively, compared to neat EP. Moreover, the presence of BDBP increased the tensile strength of EP/BDBP2 by more than 7 %, while all EP/BDBP composites maintained high transparency. In summary, this work provides a feasible and low-cost idea for constructing multifunctional EP composites, paving the way for their applications in aerospace, wind turbines, and electronic and electrical fields.

Nutritional, safety, and starch properties of flour from selected sweet cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) varieties grown in Nakuru County Kenya

Cassava plays a critical role in food security, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa due to its drought-resistant nature, high-yielding potential, and multipurpose application. This study analyzed ten cassava varieties recently introduced in Nakuru County, Kenya for their proximate composition, mineral content, anti-nutritional factors, and starch digestibility. The results showed significant variations in these factors among the varieties. The main component of cassava flour was total digestible starch, accounting for approximately 84.86 %, with low levels of crude fat and protein. Cassava flour showed low calcium, iron, and zinc levels, and a wide variation in phytates, potentially reducing their bioavailability. All the flour from the ten cassava varieties met safety limits for cyanide levels <10 mg/kg, with the Selele variety having the lowest cyanide. The starch analysis showed higher levels of Slowly Digestible Starch (41.1–53.0 %) and lower levels of Rapidly Digestible Starch (29.5–36.0 %). Cassava flour also showed significant levels of resistant starch ranging between 4.56 % and 7.23 %, supporting its beneficial impact on human health. The study provides valuable insights for cassava breeders to develop targeted nutritional qualities and empowers consumers to make informed choices.