Uniform Size Research Articles

Transformative Dynamics: Self-Assembly of Iron Oxide Hydroxide Nanorods into Iron Oxide Microcubes for Enhanced Perfluoroalkyl Substance Remediation.

We report the controlled synthesis of iron oxide microcubes (IOMCs) through the self-assembly arrays of ferric oxide hydroxide nanorods (NRs). The formation of IOMCs involves a complex interplay of nucleation, self-assembly, and growth mechanisms influenced by time, thermal treatment, and surfactant dynamics. The self-assembly of vertically aligned NRs into IOMCs is controlled by dynamic magnetism properties and capping agents like cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), whose concentration and temperature modulation dictate growth kinetics and structural uniformity. These controlled structural growths were obtained via a hydrothermal process at 120 °C at various intervals of 8, 16, 24, and 32 h in the presence of CTAB as the capping agent. In this hydrothermal method, the formation of vertically oriented NR arrays was observed without the presence of ligands, binders, harsh drying techniques, and solvent evaporation. The formation of the self-assembly of NRs to IOMCs is obtained with an increase in saturated magnetization to attain the most stable state. The synthesized IOMCs have a uniform size, quasi-shape, and excellent dispersion. Due to its excellent magnetic and catalytic properties, IOMCs were employed to remove the various emerging pollutants known as per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS). Various microscopic and spectroscopic techniques were employed for the characterization and interaction studies of IOMCs with various PFAS. The interaction between IOMCs and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) was investigated, revealing strong adsorption tendencies facilitated by electrostatic interactions, as evidenced by UV-vis and FT-IR spectroscopic studies. Furthermore, the higher magnetic and positive surface charge of IOMCs is responsible for an effective remediation eliminating any secondary pollution with ease of recovery after the sorption interaction studies, thereby making it practically worthwhile.

Investigation of the speckle pattern effect for displacement assessments by DIC

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the effect of speckle pattern on displacement measurements using different speckle diameters and coverage ratios.Design/methodology/approachIn order to compare the coverage ratio and speckle diameter during the evaluation of the correlation of digital images (DIC) study, template speckle plates were produced on a computer numerical control (CNC) punch press with 600 punches per minute. After the speckle plates were manufactured, the speckled pattern was randomly painted on a plain white side through the manufactured template plates, and then tensile tests were performed under the same loading conditions for each sample to observe displacement variation via correlation parameters.FindingsDuring the manufacturing of templates with thin plates, a punch diameter of less than 1.7 mm will cause tool failure; therefore, uniform speckle size can be assessed before operation. A higher coverage ratio resulted in more accurate and reliable results in displacement data. With smaller coverage, the facet size should be increased to achieve favorable results.Research limitations/implicationsIf thick template plates are selected, speckle painting cannot be done properly; therefore, template thickness shall also be assessed before operation.Practical implicationsFor randomly distributed DIC templates, increasing coverage beyond 50% does not make sense due to difficulties in the production process in the punch press.Originality/valueEvaluating DIC results via templates manufactured in a punch press with different speckle diameters and coverage ratios is a new topic in literature.

Effects of carboxymethyl cellulose concentration on mechanical, viscoelastic properties, and thermal properties of starch/plant fiber foaming tableware materials with foam structure

In this study, a novel bio-based composite of starch/plant fiber foaming tableware material was prepared by the hot-pressing foaming method. The influence of the content of carboxymethyl cellulos (CMC) as a new type of film-forming agent filler on the properties of foam materials was systematically investigated. The results showed that the foam material with 10 wt% CMC had excellent cell morphology and uniform cell size (the average cell size reached the minimum value of 465.7 μm), relatively high porosity (57.01%), and excellent thermal insulation properties (thermal conductivity: 0.0541 W/m·K). The tensile strength of foam increased from 4.289 MPa for 0 wt% CMC to 5.714 MPa for 10 wt% CMC loading. Similarly, the flexural strength also increased from 11.609 MPa to 15.719 MPa for the foam material with 10 wt% CMC. The thermal stability and viscoelastic properties of the foam material reached the highest after adding 10 wt% CMC. In addition, the increase of CMC content is beneficial to improve the oil resistance and biodegradability of the material. The research shows that CMC is an effective filler to improve the properties of starch/plant fiber foaming tableware materials, which can greatly promote the development of bio-based polymer foam materials.

Facile synthesis of super-microporous mesoporous MgO-ZrO2 composites and their adsorption properties for CO2

The composite adsorbents with super-microporous mesoporous structure were synthesized via one-step process. The results showed that the composite adsorbents exhibited uniform spherical particles which formed uniform pore size distribution in the range of 1.48–4.15 nm. When the molar ratio of magnesium to zirconium is 0.5, the composite adsorbent showed the biggest CO2 adsorption capacity of 3.01 mmol/g at the adsorption temperature of 75 ℃ and the intake flow rate of 60 mL/min with the fixed-bed catalytic reaction device under atmospheric pressure. After three cycle tests, the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent for CO2 was still 97.3 %, indicating that good adsorption stability.

Preparation of silymarin-loaded zein polysaccharide core–shell nanostructures and evaluation of their biological potentials

Abstract Silymarin-loaded zein polysaccharide core–shell nanoparticles (SZPCS-NPs) were synthesized where sodium alginate and pectin offer stability and controlled release qualities to zein, a maize protein, having excellent biocompatibility. The present study is an attempt to develop zein–silymarin polysaccharide core–shell nanostructures to enhance water solubility, thereby improving bioavailability and producing enhanced biological responses in living systems. SZPCS-NPs were prepared using pH-induced antisolvent precipitation method. Five different types of SZPCS-NPs were synthesized using different combinations of sodium alginate and pectin, namely P100–A00 (non-uniform size ranging from 20 to 100 nm), P70–A30 (spherical and uniform size measuring approximately 80 nm in diameter), P50–A50, P30–A70, and P00–A100 exhibited irregular shapes with the presence of some triangular and oval structures and non-uniform size ranging from 20 to 100 nm. The SZPCS-NPs P70–A30 possessed the best results in terms of shape, size, and other characterization studies. Furthermore, the SZPCS-NPs possessed a percent drug loading of 72.5% and entrapment efficiency of 51.7%, respectively. The resulting SZPCS-NPs exhibited an excellent relative bioavailability percentage of 97.4% in comparison to commercial silymarin, having 58.1%, and crude silymarin, having 46.97% bioavailability percentage, correspondingly. In addition, SZPCS-NPs possessed an almost two folds’ increase in antioxidant activity in comparison to crude and commercially available silymarin. Similarly, SZPCS-NPs also showed better stabilization in hepatic biomarker enzymes and possessed better hepatoprotective activity for a period of 6 weeks, in contrast to commercial and crude silymarin formulations.

Abstract ED02-02: The Challenges of Lobular Carcinoma

Abstract Infiltrating lobular carcinoma (ILC) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) were first described in the1940s by two Memorial Hospital pathologists, Foote and Stewart. They were most intrigued by the infiltrative appearance of these lobular cancers which they described as demonstrating large numbers of isolated, loose or dyscohesive cells of rather uniform size but of varying shape. We now recognize that this dyscohesive growth pattern is the result of loss of a functional e-cadherin protein; a distinguishing feature between ILC and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Several studies comparing clinical features and outcomes between ILC and IDC have generated consistent findings. Lobular cancers are more likely to be ER+, larger, lower grade, less likely to be detected on MMG and more likely to have positive margins at breast conserving surgery (BCS), or to require mastectomy. Yet importantly, if BCS is successful, local recurrence and rates of contralateral breast cancer are equal for ILC and IDC. Although lobular cancers represents only 5-15% of all breast cancer, numerically, if ILC was an independent cancer in women, it would rank as the 6th most common cancer in women. Notably the incidence of ILC rose sharply in the late 80s throughout the 90s, and it has become clear that there is a strong relationship between ILC and hormone replacement therapy. Perhaps the “strongest” risk factor for ILC, is LCIS. Classic LCIS is an incidental finding – there are no pathnogmonic features on breast imaging or gross examination of tissue. On microscopic examination it is often multicentric and bilateral. Although originally considered a precursor to ILC and treated with mastectomy, over the years it was realized that rates of ipsilateral cancer in women who were not treated for LCIS were lower than expected and were quite similar to rates of contralateral breast cancer – and this combined with the fact that only 50% of the cancers were of the lobular phenotype led to a movement to consider LCIS as a high risk lesion. Contemporary data continue to support this management approach as rates of cancer development in women with a diagnosis of LCIS are consistently reported at 1-2% per year and the risk is conferred bilaterally, with a slightly higher representation of ILC in the ipsilateral breast. In this presentation we will review areas of clinical controversy, including the use of MRI, the safety of breast conservation, the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the utility of genomic assays in patients with ILC. Citation Format: T. King. The Challenges of Lobular Carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr ED02-02.

Comparing magnetic characteristics of CoSe3xFe2–4xO4 (x ≤ 0.10) spinel ferrite nanoparticles synthesized via Sol-Gel and hydrothermal approaches

In this study, Se substituted Co spinel ferrite nanoparticles (CoSe3xFe2–4xO4 (x ≤ 0.10), CoSe SFNPs) have been synthesized via sol-gel (SG) and hydrothermal (HT) routes and their structural, magnetic and morphological features have been compared. The effect of both the Se substitution and the method of synthesis on the structural, morphological and magnetic features of the host CoFe2O4 have been investigated. The structure and morphology of the SFNPs were examined using XRD, EDX, SEM, TEM and HR-TEM methods. XRD analysis confirmed the single-phase formation of CoSe SFNPs for both HT and SG routes. A TEM study for the HT process demonstrated the development of spherical nanoparticles with uniform size, whereas the SG procedure produced NPs with an indeterminate shape. By examining the hysteresis loops at 300 and 20 K and analysing the temperature-dependent changes in magnetization (M), the magnetic characteristics of CoSe (x ≤ 0.10) SFNPs prepared by the SG and HT methods were investigated. CoSe SFNPs possess magnetically soft and hard natures at 300 and 20 K, respectively. Under each synthesis condition, at 20 K, the SQR values are above 0.5, which signifies well-ordered magnetic domains at this temperature. Across all the materials, as the temperature decreases, zero field cooling (ZFC) branches exhibit a non-linear decline in magnetization which becomes nearly stable in the field cooling (FC) branches. The deviation of the ZFC curve with respect to FC one is more pronounced in the case of SFNPs prepared by the HT process. Our findings demonstrate that by employing the desired synthesis method, Se dopants can be applied to achieve particular magnetic characteristics of CoFe2O4 NPs.

Gold Nanorod-Loaded Nano-Contrast Agent with Composite Shell-Core Structure for Ultrasonic/Photothermal Imaging-Guided Therapy in Ischemic Muscle Disorders.

This study aims to broaden the application of nano-contrast agents (NCAs) within the realm of the musculoskeletal system. It aims to introduce novel methods, strategies, and insights for the clinical management of ischemic muscle disorders, encompassing diagnosis, monitoring, evaluation, and therapeutic intervention. We developed a composite encapsulation technique employing O-carboxymethyl chitosan (OCMC) and liposome to encapsulate NCA-containing gold nanorods (GNRs) and perfluoropentane (PFP). This nanoscale contrast agent was thoroughly characterized for its basic physicochemical properties and performance. Its capabilities for in vivo and in vitro ultrasound imaging and photothermal imaging were authenticated, alongside a comprehensive biocompatibility assessment to ascertain its effects on microcirculatory perfusion in skeletal muscle using a murine model of hindlimb ischemia, and its potential to augment blood flow and facilitate recovery. The engineered GNR@OCMC-liposome/PFP nanostructure exhibited an average size of 203.18±1.49 nm, characterized by size uniformity, regular morphology, and a good biocompatibility profile. In vitro assessments revealed NCA's potent photothermal response and its transformation into microbubbles (MBs) under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, thereby enhancing ultrasonographic visibility. Animal studies demonstrated the nanostructure's efficacy in photothermal imaging at ischemic loci in mouse hindlimbs, where NIR irradiation induced rapid temperature increases and significantly increased blood circulation. The dual-modal ultrasound/photothermal NCA, encapsulating GNR and PFP within a composite shell-core architecture, was synthesized successfully. It demonstrated exceptional stability, biocompatibility, and phase transition efficiency. Importantly, it facilitates the encapsulation of PFP, enabling both enhanced ultrasound imaging and photothermal imaging following NIR light exposure. This advancement provides a critical step towards the integrated diagnosis and treatment of ischemic muscle diseases, signifying a pivotal development in nanomedicine for musculoskeletal therapeutics.

Effect of normalizing treatments on microstructure and electrochemical corrosion properties of U75V-welded joints in an acidic environment

Corrosion poses a significant threat to the structural integrity of steel rails, especially in an acidic environment. In this study, we evaluate the corrosion properties of U75V-welded joints using potentiodynamic polarization curves, electrochemical impedance measurements, and corrosion morphology studies under simulated acidic conditions. Compared to non-normalized joints, the normalized joints exhibit a higher self-corrosion current (4.65 × 10−5 A/cm2) and a more negative self-corrosion potential (−0.56919 mV). The smaller and more uniform grain size obtained after normalizing provides multiple active sites on the surface for polarization reactions. Furthermore, owing to significant erosion caused on the rail surface by the acidic solutions, normalizing treatment enhances the passivation effects on the surface, resulting in increased corrosion resistance (221.96 Ω cm2). Our findings provide insights into the impact of normalizing treatments on the corrosion mechanism of U75V rail joints under acidic conditions.

Thermally stable Tb3+/Sm3+-doped Lu2O2S phosphors with tunable multicolor luminescence under light and X-ray excitation

Lu2O2S has high density, high melting temperature, and favorable thermal stability, making it an excellent matrix material for rare earth luminescence and X-ray sensitization screens. However, achieving high quality fluorescent powders with high crystal quality on a large scale is still challenging. By employing an optimized solid phase approach, Lu2O2S:Tb3+/Sm3+phosphors with a hexagonal shape and uniform particle size and showing high crystallization have been successfully synthesized. Spectral analysis reveals energy interaction between Sm3+ and Tb3+ in the Lu2O2S system (multistage interaction), indicated by spectral overlap, relative changes in luminescence intensity, and lifetime decay. By changing the excitation wavelength and dopant concentration, multicolor phosphors such as yellow-–green, orange–red, and orange–yellow could be created. Temperature-dependent emission spectroscopy shows that the system shows good luminescence performance even at high temperatures. X-ray excitation spectroscopy further confirm that the phosphors emit different colors (yellow, green and red) depending on the doping concentrations of Tb3+ and Sm3+ ion, indicating that the system has wide application potential in color displays and other relevant fields.

Preparation of high-performance zirconia toughened alumina doped with Cr2O3 and SrO for artificial joints by spray granulation

Zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA) ceramics have attracted much attention in the medical field as joint replacement materials due to their good mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, the flexural strength of conventional ZTA is still slightly insufficient in traditional preparation techniques. In this study, by improving the slurry system, the effects of the solid content of the slurry, additives, and the pH of the slurry on the slurry system were investigated. ZTA powders with a uniform particle size distribution, high degree of sphericity and high flowability were prepared by spray granulation. The mechanical properties, microstructure and biocompatibility of the ZTA pressing were investigated after degreasing and sintering processes. The results showed that the hardness of the prepared ZTA ceramics was 1658.24 ± 28.04 HV, the fracture toughness was 4.016 ± 0.027 MPa·m1/2, and the biaxial bending strength was 501.43 ± 21.44 MPa, and the three-point bending strength reached 635 MPa. The ZTA ceramics also possessed good biocompatibility and a low haemolysis rate, which aligns with the requirements of clinical biomedical implant materials.

Controlled release of vitamin A palmitate from crosslinked cyclodextrin organic framework for dry eye disease therapy

Controlled release drug delivery systems of eye drops are a promising ophthalmic therapy with advantages of good patient compliance and low irritation. However, the lack of a suitable drug carrier for ophthalmic use limits the development of the aforementioned system. Herein, the crosslinked cyclodextrin organic framework (COF) with a cubic porous structure and a uniform particle size was synthesized and applied to solidify vitamin A palmitate (VAP) by using the solvent-free method. The VAP@COF suspension eye drops were formulated by screening co-solvents, suspending agents, and stabilizing agents to achieve a homogeneous state and improve stability. According to the in vitro release study, the VAP@COF suspension exhibited a controlled release of VAP within 12 h. Both the ex vivo corneal contact angle and in vivo fluorescence tracking indicated that the VAP@COF suspension prolonged the VAP residence time on the ocular surface. This suspension accelerated the recovery of the dry eye disease (DED) model in New Zealand rabbits. Furthermore, the suspension was non-cytotoxic to human corneal epithelial cells and non-irritation to rabbit eyes. In summary, the particulate COF is an eye-acceptable novel carrier that sustains release and prolongs the VAP residence time on the ocular surface for DED treatment.

Use of a mechanical crimper for mounting covered stents in aortic coarctation

BackgroundDespite the continued evolution in use of covered stents in congenital cardiology, no standard technique is available for crimping stents onto balloons. ObjectivesWe aimed to describe the use of a mechanical crimper to mount covered stents and its effects on stent integrity, uniformity, and sheath size for intervention. MethodsSingle-center retrospective review of patients with coarctation of the aorta (CoA) and variants of arch obstruction undergoing stent angioplasty with covered stents between January 2019 and December 2022. Sheath size used for intervention was recorded and compared to the manufacturers' IFU. A bench testing model was then performed to confirm the decrease in sheath size by mechanically crimping six covered stents. Percent reduction in size after crimping, stent uniformity, and PTFE integrity after balloon inflation were recorded. ResultsTwenty-five events were identified for review. Median age at procedure was 18 years, and the most common diagnosis was isolated CoA (80 %). 76 % (n = 19) of stents were mechanically crimped, and 24 % (n = 6) were manually crimped. The median sheath size for mechanically crimped stents was −2 Fr compared with a median of 0 Fr for manually crimped stents (p = 0.007). Bench testing revealed a median 12.8 % reduction in stent diameter after mechanical crimping. All mechanically crimped stents were successfully introduced through sheaths 2 Fr smaller than the IFU. ConclusionThe use of mechanical crimpers for mounting covered endovascular stents allows the delivery of these devices through smaller profile sheaths, facilitating intervention in smaller patients and reducing the risk of vascular access related injuries without affecting stent performance.

Tailored surface wettability and pore structure of hydrophobic SiO2/SiC membranes for preparing monodisperse emulsion with high-efficiency

The combustion efficiency of diesel can be significantly improved in the form of emulsion, contributing to the reduced emission of nitrogen oxides. It is thus worthwhile to develop an energy-efficient way to prepare stable diesel emulsions with uniform droplet size. Ceramic membranes with hydrophobic surface are highly desirable for high-efficient membrane emulsification process. We proposed a novel and straightforward approach of immersing silicon carbide (SiC) membrane into hydrophobic silica solutions obtained by co-hydrolysis to tailoring hydrophobic SiO2/SiC membranes. The effects of methyltriethoxysilane addition and aging days on the hydrophobicity of these silica particles were systematically investigated. Then, the deposition of silica particles on the SiC substrates was further controlled by regulating the dipping duration and dipping times. The membranes (M2-SiO2/SiC) prepared with 240 s and dipping 4 times showed an increased contact angle (136°), mean pore size of 0.4 μm, open porosity of 30 %, and pure water permeance of ∼ 1500 L·m−2·h−1·bar−1. Moreover, the modified membranes were demonstrated to be mechanically stable. Furthermore, monodisperse diesel emulsions with an average droplet size of 2.1 μm and droplet size distribution of 0.61 can be generated by using the optimized M2-SiO2/SiC membranes at high emulsifying flux (1910 L·m−2·h−1). This work proposed an efficient strategy to simultaneously optimize the surface wettability and pore structure of ceramic membranes, satisfactorily for membrane emulsification applications with high efficiency.

Characterization of Yeast Protein Hydrolysate for Potential Application as a Feed Additive.

Yeast protein can be a nutritionally suitable auxiliary protein source in livestock food. The breakdown of proteins and thereby generating high-quality peptide, typically provides nutritional benefits. Enzyme hydrolysis has been effectively uesed to generate peptides; however, studies on the potential applications of different types of enzymes to produce yeast protein hydrolysates remain limited. This study investigated the effects of endo- (alcalase and neutrase) and exotype (flavourzyme and prozyme 2000P) enzyme treatments on yeast protein. Endotype enzymes facilitate a higher hydrolysis efficiency in yeast proteins than exotype enzymes. The highest degree of hydrolysis was observed for the protein treated with neutrase, which was followed by alcalase, prozyme 2000P, and flavourzyme. Furthermore, endotype enzyme treated proteins exhibited higher solubility than their exotype counterparts. Notably, the more uniform particle size distribution was observed in endotype treated yeast protein. Moreover, compared with the original yeast protein, the enzymatic protein hydrolysates possessed a higher content of β-sheets structures, indicating their higher structural stability. Regardless of enzyme type, enzyme treated protein possessed a higher total free amino acid content including essential amino acids. Therefore, this study provides significant insights into the production of protein hydrolysates as an alternative protein material.

Size-controlled synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles with a supercritical hydrothermal synthesis method

Supercritical hydrothermal synthesis (SCHS) is a promising technique for the preparation of copper oxide nanoparticles with fast reaction rate, green efficiency and low cost. In this paper, nanoparticles of copper oxide ranging from 53.0 to 94.0 nm were synthesized by supercritical hydrothermal method. The effects of different precursor concentrations, alkali addition, reaction pressure, reaction temperature and reaction time on the particle size, morphology and particle uniformity of copper oxide nanoparticles were also investigated, and the mechanism of each parameter was analyzed. The growth kinetic equation of copper oxide nanoparticles under supercritical hydrothermal conditions was established by analyzing the influence laws of temperature and reaction time on the grain size of the products. Further, the growth activation energy and the growth mechanism controlled by the grain surface process was obtained. The formation mechanism of copper oxide nanoparticles in rod form was analyzed by TEM results.

Commissioning and first operation of East Japan Heavy Ion Center at Yamagata University

A world smallest carbon ion radiotherapy facility, East Japan Heavy Ion Center, Yamagata University, started treatment operations in February 2021. The treatment system consists of an ECR ion source, an RFQ and IH-type drift tube linac, a 430 MeV/u synchrotron and a spot-scanning irradiation system. It has two treatment rooms, one is a fixed horizontal beam port and the other is a rotating gantry beam port with superconducting magnets. The ECR ion source is the Kei2-type permanent magnet 10 GHz ECR ion source with a maximum field of 0.8 T. All the improvements of the previous facilities are applied to the ion source, such as helium gas-assisted operation and changes in the shape of an anode electrode and an extraction electrode to reduce the discharge. Owing to these improvements, the ion source has been operated stably during the commissioning and clinical operation. The irradiation system of Yamagata University eliminated the plastic block range shifter to realize a compact gantry, and has 600 energy levels to control the beam range in step of 0.5 mm. In order to optimize the beam transport parameters quickly, automation tools for orbit correction were developed. Machine commissioning and clinical commissioning were carried out in parallel to allow treatment to begin earlier. First, the horizontal fixed beam port was commissioned by verifying the dose distribution of the treatment planning system. Then, the gantry beam port was commissioned by full beam distribution measurement for representing beam angle of 90 degree, and other angles were sequentially released after the compatibility measurement of beam position, beam size, and two-dimensional uniformity. In September 2022, we were able to accept all treatment sites. By August 2023, 1151 cancer patients had been treated. Further improvements to increase available gantry angle and to increase beam efficiency are ongoing.

Synthesis and characterization of novel Cu3Bi3S7 nanoparticle by combustion using green fuel for photocatalytic degradation and electrochemical sensing applications

In this study, we used an environmentally friendly green fuel combustion synthesis method to create Cu3Bi3S7 (CBS) nanoparticles (NPs). A thorough characterization was carried out, including XRD, UV spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, PL spectroscopy, zeta potential analysis, BET Spectra and XPS Spectra. The formation of single-phase CBS NPs with average diameters of 50 nm was unequivocally confirmed by XRD analysis. UV spectroscopy revealed that the NPs absorbed significant visible light, highlighting their potential for use in photocatalytic degradation processes. The images from SEM and TEM clearly showed NPs with uniform size distribution and spherical morphology. The CBSNPs' defect state presence may be determined from the PL spectra. CBS NPs were particularly effective in photo-catalyzing the degradation of the indigo carmine (IC) dye when exposed to Uv light. Additionally, during an electrochemical sensing examination, the NPs demonstrated extraordinary sensitivity to glucose. Overall, our results highlight the tremendous potential for CBS NPs produced using ecologically friendly green fuel combustion synthesis to advance photocatalytic degradation and electrochemical sensing applications.

Facile green synthesis of silver nanoparticles derived from the medicinal plant Clerodendrum serratum and its biological activity against Mycobacterium species

The emergence of multidrug-resistant mycobacterial strains is a significant crisis that has led to higher treatment failure rates and more toxic and expensive medications for tuberculosis (TB). The urgent need to develop novel therapeutics has galvanized research interest towards developing alternative antimicrobials such as silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The current study focused on the anti-mycobacterial activity of green-synthesized AgNPs and its polyethylene glycol encapsulated derivative (PEG-AgNPs) with improved stability using the leaves extract of Clerodendrum serratum. Different characterization methods were used to analyze them. DLS analysis revealed a lower polydispersity index of PEG-AgNPs, suggesting a more uniform size distribution than that of AgNPs. The HR-TEM results revealed that the AgNPs and PEG-AgNPs have predominantly spherical shapes in the size range of 9–35 nm and 15–60 nm, respectively, while positive values of Zeta potential indicate their stability. FTIR-ATR analysis confirmed the presence of functional groups responsible for reducing and capping the bio-reduced AgNPs, whereas the XRD data established its crystalline nature. Impressively, the PEG-AgNPs exhibited maximum inhibitory activity against different Tubercular and Non-Tuberculous Mycobacterium species i.e., Mycobacterium smegmatis, Mycobacterium fortuitum and Mycobacterium marinum, relative to those of AgNPs and Linezolid. The flow cytometry assay showed that the anti-mycobacterial action was mediated by an increase in cell wall permeability. Notably, the results of AFM confirm their ability to inhibit mycobacterial biofilm significantly. We demonstrated the nontoxic nature of these AgNPs, explicated by the absence of hemolytic activity against human RBCs. Overall, the results suggest that PEG-AgNPs could offer a novel therapeutic approach with potential anti-mycobacterial activity and can overcome the limitations of existing TB therapies.

Preparation of inorganic salt particles by reactive crystallization in an annular swirling flow reactor

This study investigates the performance of an annular conical swirling flow reactor in liquid–liquid reactions for the preparation of inorganic salt particles. Utilizing Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, it was observed that the conical design effectively inhibited the attenuation of swirling flow intensity along the axial direction, with the primary mass transfer region close to the central conical wall. In comparison to a stirred reactor, calcium carbonate particles synthesized in the swirling flow reactor exhibited more uniform morphology, smoother and defect-free surface. Notably, the average particle size remained consistently within 5–6 μm (excluding the 0.3 M feedstock), whereas stirring led to particles with an average size ranging from 8-11 μm. Analysis of the residence time distribution curve revealed minimal back mixing in the swirling flow reactor, ensuring nearly equal growth time for salt particles, thus yielding particles with a uniform size distribution. As a result, the swirling flow reactor presents compelling prospects for applications in reactive crystallization.