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Sputtering is an effective technique for producing ultrathin films with diverse applications. The review begins by providing an in-depth overview of the background, introducing the early development of sputtering and its principles. Consequently, progress in advancements made in recent decades highlights the renaissance of sputtering as a powerful technology for creating thin films with varied compositions, structures, and properties. For the first time, we have discussed a thorough overview of several sputtered thin film materials based on metal and metal oxide, metal nitride, alloys, carbon, and ceramic-based thin film along with their properties and their applicability in various fields. We further delve into the applications of sputter-coated thin films, specifically emphasizing their relevance in environmental sustainability, energy and electronics, and biomedical fields. We critically examine the recent advancements in developing sputter-coated catalysts for eliminating water pollutants andhydrogen generation. Additionally, the review sheds light on advantages, shortcomings, and future directions for developing sputter-coated thin films utilized in biodegradable metals and alloys with enhanced corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. This review is a comprehensive integration of recent literature, covering diverse sputtering thin film applications. We delve deeply into various material types and emphasize critical analysis of recent advancements, particularly in environmental, energy, and biomedical fields. By offering insights into both advancements and limitations, the review provides a nuanced understanding essential for practical utilization., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Shallow coastal lagoons are vital ecosystems for many aquatic species and understanding their biodiversity is essential. Very little is known about the distribution and abundance of globally threatened marine megafauna in coastal lagoons of the Arabian Gulf. This study combined underwater and aerial surveys to investigate the distributions and relative abundance of marine megafauna in a large lagoon. We identified 13 species of megafauna including sea turtles, sharks, and rays. Eleven of these are globally threatened according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Critically Endangered Halavi guitarfish (Glaucostegus halavi), and the Endangered green turtle (Chelonia mydas) were the most frequently occurring species. Results demonstrate the value of combining aerial and underwater video surveys to obtain spatially comprehensive data on marine megafauna in shallow coastal lagoons. This new information emphasises the importance of Umm Al Quwain lagoon for biodiversity conservation to protect threatened marine species and their habitats., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Acanthamoeba are ubiquitously distributed in the environment and can cause infection of the central nervous system as well a sight-threatening eye infection. Herein, the potential anti-amoebic activity of a series of sulfonate/sulfamate derivatives against pathogenic A. castellanii was evaluated. These compounds were tested using several assays namely amoebicidal, adhesion, excystation, cytotoxic, and cytopathogenicity. Amoebicidal assays revealed that the selected compounds reduced amoebae viability significantly (P < 0.05), and exhibited IC 50 values at two-digit micromolar concentrations. Sulfamate derivatives 1j & 1k inhibited 50% of amoebae at 30.65 μM and 27.21 μM, respectively. The tested compounds blocked amoebae binding to host cells as well as inhibited amoebae excystation. Notably, the selected derivatives exhibited minimal human cell cytotoxicity but reduced parasite-mediated host cell damage. Overall, our study showed that sulfamate derivatives 1j & 1k have anti-amoebic potential and offer a promising avenue in the development of potential anti-amoebic drug candidates., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The rapid increase in the global population and its ever-rising standards of living are imposing a huge burden on global resources. Apart from the rising energy needs, the demand for freshwater is correspondingly increasing. A population of around 3.8 billion people will face water scarcity by 2030, as per the reports of the World Water Council. This may be due to global climate change and the deficiency in the treatment of wastewater. Conventional wastewater treatment technologies fail to completely remove several emerging contaminants, especially those containing pharmaceutical compounds. Hence, leading to an increase in the concentration of harmful chemicals in the human food chain and the proliferation of several diseases. MXenes are transition metal carbide/nitride ceramics that primarily structure the leading 2D material group. MXenes act as novel nanomaterials for wastewater treatment due to their high surface area, excellent adsorption properties, and unique physicochemical properties, such as high electrical conductivity and hydrophilicity. MXenes are highly hydrophilic and covered with active functional groups (i.e., hydroxyl, oxygen, fluorine, etc.), which makes them efficient adsorbents for a wide range of species and promising candidates for environmental remediation and water treatment. This work concludes that the scaling up process of MXene-based materials for water treatment is currently of high cost. The up-to-date applications are still limited because MXenes are currently produced mainly in the laboratory with limited yield. It is recommended to direct research efforts towards lower synthesis cost procedures coupled with the use of more environmentally friendly materials to avoid secondary contamination., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as a promising biomedical material due to its unique features such as high surface area, pore volume, variable pore size, flexible functional groups, and excellent efficiency for drug loading. In this review, we explored the use of novel and smart metal organic frameworks as drug delivery vehicles to discover a safer and more controlled mode of drug release aiming to minimize their side effects. Here, we systematically discussed the background of MOFs following a thorough review on structural and physical properties of MOFs, their synthesis techniques, and the important characteristics to establish a strong foundation for future research. Furthermore, the current status on the potential applications of MOF-based stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems, including pH-, ion-, temperature-, light-, and multiple responsive systems for the delivery of anticancer drugs has also been presented. Lastly, we discuss the prospects and challenges in implementation of MOF-based materials in the drug delivery. Therefore, this review will help researchers working in the relevant fields to enhance their understanding of MOFs for encapsulation of various drugs as well as their stimuli responsive mechanism., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: This aim of this study was to assess anti-parasitic properties of deep eutectic solvents against eye pathogen, Acanthamoeba, often associated with the use of contact lens., Methods: Assays were performed to investigate the effects of various Methyltrioctylammonium chloride-based deep eutectic solvents on Acanthamoeba castellanii, comprising amoebicidal assays, encystment assays, excystment assays, cytotoxicity assays by measuring lactate dehydrogenase release from human cells, and cytopathogenicity assays to determine parasite-mediated host cell death., Results: In a 2 h incubation period, DES-B, DES-C, DES-D, and DES-E exhibited up to 85 % amoebicidal activity at micromolar doses, which was enhanced further following 24 h incubation. When tested in encystment assays, selected deep eutectic solvents abolished cyst formation and were able to block excystment of A. castellanii. All solvents exhibited minimal human cell cytotoxicity except DES-D. Finally, all tested deep eutectic solvents inhibited amoeba-mediated cytopathogenicity, except DES-B., Conclusions: Deep eutectic solvents show potent antiamoebic effects. These findings are promising and could lead to the development of novel contact lens disinfectants, as well as opening several avenues to explore the molecular mechanisms, various doses and incubation periods, and use of different bases against Acanthamoeba castellanii., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The emergence of antibiotics in water has been globally recognized as a critical pollution issue. Antibiotics (such as Ciprofloxacin (CPFX) pose a serious threat to humans and to the ecosystem due to its accumulation in water sources which can lead to chronic health problems and endanger aquatic life. It is therefore crucial to properly remove them from water. In this work, a nano-composite adsorptive membrane based on Zirconium Phosphate (ZrP) adsorbent supported on Polyethersulfone (PES) was synthesized and evaluated for the removal of CPFX from synthetic aqueous solutions. The membranes described here showed a very high antibiotic removal rate. The effect of various parameters such as the initial concentration of the antibiotic, the adsorbent dosage, contact time, pH, and temperature was studied. The equilibrium data were found to reasonably best fit with the Temkin isotherm model. The membranes showed a high ciprofloxacin removal (99.7%) as opposed to (68%) when PES membrane alone was used. Moreover, a significant improvement in the membrane's water flux (100.84 L/m 2 .h) and permeability (97.62 L/m 2 .hr.bar) were noticed as opposed to pure PES membrane's flux and permeability. The adsorptive membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The results confirmed the successful formation of ZrP nanoparticles adsorbent within the membrane matrix, and with enhanced hydrophilic properties. The membrane was successfully regenerated and reused up to 5 times. The results of this work showed the potential of such membranes for the removal of ciprofloxacin and at a high efficiency., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this work, liposome-coated iron (III) benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate (Fe-BTC) metal-organic framework is examined as a promising pH/Ultrasound dual-responsive nanocarriers for doxorubicin (DOX) delivery. The successful coating of the MOF particles (Lip-Fe-BTC) with the phospholipid bilayer (PBL) was established by direct fusion into the synthesized liposomes. The liposome coating was verified using several techniques, including dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The DLS measurements showed an increase in the average particle diameter of liposomes from 150 nm to 163.1 nm for Lip-Fe-BTC particles. The Fe-BTC particles had the highest average particle diameter (287.3 nm). These results demonstrated that the PBL reduced the aggregation of the particles and improved their dispersity in the release medium. The TGA results demonstrated the MOF's excellent thermal stability. Furthermore, the nanocarrier's loading efficiency and capacity were determined to be ~90% and ~13.5 wt%, respectively. The in-vitro DOX release experiments demonstrated that the DOX-loaded Fe-BTC and liposome-coated Fe-BTC particles showed good pH and US dual-responsive capability, making them promising nanocarriers for drug delivery. The application of US enhanced DOX release from both Fe-BTC and liposome-coated Fe-BTC. In the case of Fe-BTC-DOX particles, the application of US enhanced the DOX release to around 38% and 67%, at pH levels of 7.4 and 5.3, respectively. Similarly, DOX release from the Lip-Fe-BTC-DOX particles reached ~35% and ~53%, at pH levels of 7.4 and 5.3, respectively. The MTT assay showed the biocompatibility and low cytotoxicity of these nanocarriers below 100 µg/ml., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

There is scarce information on the current importance of oyster beds as fishing grounds in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study aims to understand the socio-economic value of oyster bed fisheries through questionnaire-based surveys with fishers. Of 106 Emirati fishers interviewed, 67 % use oyster beds due to the proximity to shore, better catch quality, and species abundance. Oyster bed fisheries are recreational and commercial, with handline and fish traps the most common used gears. They provide food for local consumption and cash income. All respondents noticed a fish abundance and size decrease throughout the last decade. Fishers suggest establishing marine protected areas and updating fishing regulations to improve fishing stock status. During the Covid-19 pandemic, oyster fisheries increased, highlighting the value of these fishing grounds for food availability. These fisheries support the local economy and heritage, and urgently need management to ensure the protection of these often-overlooked habitats., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Coral reefs across the southern Arabian Gulf have declined in the past two decades, with extensive loss of formerly Acropora table corals, which are now functionally extinct in nearshore reefs. This study documents the coral community at Sir Bu Nair (SBN), an offshore island buffered by less extreme environmental conditions, which contains the last remaining large stands of Acropora in the southern Gulf. We found that Acropora is a major reef-building coral throughout SBN. Mean coral cover was 27% (range: 6%-49%) across all sites and depths, of which more than half was comprised by Acropora. This varied around the island, with the highest densities to the south and southwest in shallow waters. Our study provides essential information for the management and conservation of these highly valuable and vulnerable corals., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, the ionic liquid (Aliquat-336) and anionic surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTAB) bi-functionalized chitosan beads were prepared and characterised using different techniques, including FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDS and BET surface area analysis. The characteristic analysis confirmed the successful conjugation of chitosan beads with both surfactant and ionic liquid. The novel fabricated beads (CS-CTAB-AL) were efficiently employed, as a high-performance adsorbent, for the removal of Tartrazine (TZ), an anionic food dye, from polluted water. The optimum adsorption of TZ onto the CS-CTAB-AL was found at 2 g L -1 of adsorbent in the wide pH range of 4-11, whereas just 45 min was required to reach more than 90% adsorption efficiency in the studied conditions. Also, the adsorption and kinetic studies showed that the experimental data well fitted the pseudo-first-order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum adsorption capacity of prepared beads was found to be 45.95 mg g -1 at 45 °C. The adsorption properties of enabling CS-CTAB-AL conjugation introduced a new type of adsorbents, exploited the combination of ionic liquid and surfactant capabilities for wastewater treatment., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) target the endocrine system by interfering with the natural hormones in the body leading to adverse effects on human and animal health. These chemicals have been identified as major polluting agents in wastewater effluents. Pharmaceuticals, personal care products, industrial compounds, pesticides, dyes, and heavy metals are examples of substances that could be considered endocrine active chemicals. In humans, these chemicals could cause obesity, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, autism, reproductive abnormalities, and thyroid problems. While in wildlife, dysfunctional gene expression could lead to the feminization of some aquatic organisms, metabolic diseases, cardiovascular risk, and problems in the reproductive system as well as its levels of hatchability and vitellogenin. EDCs could be effectively removed from wastewater using advanced technologies such as reverse osmosis, membrane treatment, ozonation, advanced oxidation, filtration, and biodegradation. However, adsorption has been proposed as a more promising and sustainable method for water treatment than any other reported technique. Increased attention has been paid to biodegradable polymers and their nano-composites as promising adsorbents for the removal of EDCs from wastewater. These polymers could be either natural, synthetic, or a combination of both. This review presents a summary of the most relevant cases where natural and synthetic biodegradable polymers have been used for the successful removal of EDCs from wastewater. It demonstrates the effectiveness of these polymers as favorable adsorbents for novel wastewater treatment technologies. Hitherto, very limited work has been published on the use of both natural and synthetic biodegradable polymers to remove EDCs from wastewater, as most of the studies focused on the utilization of only one type, either natural or synthetic. Therefore, this review could pave the way for future exploration of biodegradable polymers as promising and sustainable adsorbents for the removal of various types of pollutants from wastewater., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A cost-effective and sustainable Calligonum polygonoides biomass based activated carbon (AC) was synthesized. The prepared AC was utilized in the fabrication of carbon-alginate beads for the adsorption of methylene blue (MB) textile dye from aqueous solution. The surface morphology, surface functional groups, elemental analysis and thermal behavior of the prepared beads were investigated using different analytical techniques. Batch adsorption experiments were performed to investigate the adsorption capacity of the beads. Effect of different parameters such as initial pH of MB solution, dose of adsorbent, contact time, initial concentration of MB and temperature were evaluated. The kinetic studies identified pseudo-second order model. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied and fitted to the experimental equilibrium data. The beads showed a maximum adsorption capacity of 769 mg/g in basic pH at 30 °C while using 400 mg·L -1 of MB solution. The adsorption process was found to be endothermic and spontaneous as confirmed by the thermodynamic data. The fabricated beads were subjected to recycling which exhibited same adsorption efficiency after six regeneration cycles. The results showed that the AC-alginate beads impregnated with SDS have high adsorption capability and would be used for the efficient removal of cationic dyes from wastewater., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We wish to confirm that there is no conflict of interest associated with this publication., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Industrial processes generate toxic organic molecules that pollute environment water. Phenol and its derivative are classified among the major pollutant compounds found in water. They are naturally found in some industrial wastewater effluents. The removal of phenol compounds is therefore essential because they are responsible for severe organ damage if they exist above certain limits. In this study, ground Ziziphus leaves were utilized as adsorbents for phenolic compounds from synthetic wastewater samples. Several experiments were performed to study the effect of several conditions on the capacity of the Ziziphus leaves adsorbent, namely: the initial phenol concentration, the adsorbent concentration, temperature, pH value, and the presence of foreign salts (NaCl and KCl). The experimental results indicated that the adsorption process reached equilibrium in about 4 h. A drop in the amount of phenol removal, especially at higher initial concentration, was noticed upon increasing the temperature from 25 to 45 °C. This reflects the exothermic nature of the adsorption process. This was also confirmed by the calculated negative enthalpy of adsorption (-64.8 kJ/mol). A pH of 6 was found to be the optimum value at which the highest phenol removal occurred with around 15 mg/g at 25 °C for an initial concentration of 200 ppm. The presence of foreign salts has negatively affected the phenol adsorption process. The fitting of the experimental data, using different adsorption isotherms, indicated that the Harkins-Jura isotherm model was the best fit, evident by the high square of the correlation coefficient (R 2 ) values greater than 0.96. The kinetic study revealed that the adsorption was represented by a pseudo-second-order reaction. The results of this study offer a basis to use Ziziphus leaves as promising adsorbents for efficient phenol removal from wastewater., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Photovoltaic (PV) systems are regarded as clean and sustainable sources of energy. Although the operation of PV systems exhibits minimal pollution during their lifetime, the probable environmental impacts of such systems from manufacturing until disposal cannot be ignored. The production of hazardous contaminates, water resources pollution, and emissions of air pollutants during the manufacturing process as well as the impact of PV installations on land use are important environmental factors to consider. The present study aims at developing a comprehensive analysis of all possible environmental challenges as well as presenting novel design proposals to mitigate and solve the aforementioned environmental problems. The emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) from various PV systems were also explored and compared with fossil fuel energy resources. The results revealed that the negative environmental impacts of PV systems could be substantially mitigated using optimized design, development of novel materials, minimize the use of hazardous materials, recycling whenever possible, and careful site selection. Such mitigation actions will reduce the emissions of GHG to the environment, decrease the accumulation of solid wastes, and preserve valuable water resources. The carbon footprint emission from PV systems was found to be in the range of 14-73 g CO 2 -eq/kWh, which is 10 to 53 orders of magnitude lower than emission reported from the burning of oil (742 g CO 2 -eq/kWh from oil). It was concluded that the carbon footprint of the PV system could be decreased further by one order of magnitude using novel manufacturing materials. Recycling solar cell materials can also contribute up to a 42% reduction in GHG emissions. The present study offers a valuable management strategy that can be used to improve the sustainability of PV manufacturing processes, improve its economic value, and mitigate its negative impacts on the environment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this work, the technical feasibility of an all-air vehicle is investigated. A test rig has been built for this purpose in order to assess the proposed system experimentally. The operating pressures selected are deliberately low to mitigate the heat generated/dissipated during charging and discharging of the air cylinders driving an air motor, respectively. The experimental setup consists of three cylinders charged up to 5 bar and operated via solenoid valves to control the discharge of the cylinders via a programmable logic controller. The operating modes vary according to the expected load demand on the vehicle during startup and also during cruise. The three cylinders are discharged in tandem if the demand calls for high power density, then they are operated sequentially to augment the operational range of the vehicle. A simple sprocket-chain mechanism is used for its simplicity in this proof-of-concept stage to better understand the parameters pertinent to vehicle operation, which will later be replaced by a continuously variable transmission (CVT) gear. The results show a great potential for such mode of transport, especially for vast locales, such as a hospital, golf course or a university campus, with top velocities estimated to be around 14 km/h velocities and driven sprocket powers of 0.7 hp. Other combinations of drive gear ratio and cylinder discharge sequences result in a wide range of output power and maximum speed possibilities., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Amid the ever growing interest in operational supply chain models that incorporate environmental aspects as an integral part of the decision making process, this paper addresses the dynamic lot sizing problem of a cold product while accounting for carbon emissions generated during temperature-controlled storage and transportation activities. We present two mixed integer programming models to tackle the two cases where the carbon cap is imposed over the whole planning horizon versus the more stringent version of a cap per period. For the first model, a Lagrangian relaxation approach is proposed which provides a mean for comparing the operational cost and carbon footprint performance of the carbon tax and the carbon cap policies. Subsequently, a Bisection based algorithm is developed to solve the relaxed model and generate the optimal ordering policy. The second model, however, is solved via a dynamic programming based algorithm while respecting two established lower and upper bounds on the periodic carbon cap. The results of the computational experiments for the first model display a stepwise increase (decrease) in the total carbon emissions (operational cost) as the preset cap value is increased. A similar behavior is also observed for the second model with the exception that paradoxical increases in the total emissions are sometimes realized with slightly tighter values of the periodic cap., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Surfactants are widely used in the industry of detergents, household products, and cosmetics. SAPDMA is a cationic surfactant that is used mostly in cosmetics, conditioning agents and has recently gained attention as a corrosion inhibitor in the sea pipelines industry. In this regard, literature concerning the ecotoxicological classification of SAPDMA on aquatic animals is lacking. This study aims to evaluate the potential ecotoxicity of SAPDMA using the aquatic zebrafish embryo model. The potential toxic effects of SAPDMA were assessed by different assays. This includes (i) mortality/survival assay to assess the median lethal concentration (LC 50 ); (ii) teratogenicity assay to assess the no observed effect concentration (NOEC); (iii) organ-specific toxicity assays including cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity (using locomotion assay), hematopoietic toxicity (hemoglobin synthesis using o-dianisidine staining), hepatotoxicity (liver steatosis and yolk retention using Oil Red O (ORO) stain); (iv) cellular cytotoxicity (mitochondrial membrane potential) by measuring the accumulation of JC-1 dye into mitochondria. Exposure of embryos to SAPDMA caused mortality in a dose-dependent manner with a calculated LC 50 of 2.3 mg/L. Thus, based on the LC 50 value and according to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Acute Toxicity Rating Scale, SAPDMA is classified as "moderately toxic". The No Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC) concerning a set of parameters including scoliosis, changes in body length, yolk, and eye sizes was 0.1 mg/L. At the same NOEC concentration (0.1 mg/L), no organ-specific toxicity was detected in fish treated with SAPDMA, except hepatomegaly with no associated liver dysfunctions. However, higher SAPDMA concentrations (0.8 mg/L) have dramatic effects on zebrafish organ development (eye, heart, and liver development). Our data recommend a re-evaluation of the SAPDMA employment in the industry setting and its strictly monitoring by environmental and public health agencies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Acanthamoeba spp. are free living amoeba (FLA) which are widely distributed in nature. They are opportunistic parasites and can cause severe infections to the eye, skin and central nervous system. The advances in drug discovery and modifications in the chemotherapeutic agents have shown little improvement in morbidity and mortality rates associated with Acanthamoeba infections. The mechanism-based process of drug discovery depends on the molecular drug targets present in the signaling pathways in the genome. Synthetic libraries provide a platform for broad spectrum of activities due to their desired structural modifications. Azoles, originally a class of synthetic anti-fungal drugs, disrupt the fungal cell membrane by inhibiting the biosynthesis of ergosterol through the inhibition of cytochrome P450 dependent 14α-lanosterol, a key step of the sterol pathway. Acanthamoeba and fungi share the presence of similar sterol intermediate, as ergosterol is also the major end-product in the sterol biosynthesis in Acanthamoeba. Sterols present in the eukaryotic cell membrane are one of the most essential lipids and exhibit important structural and signaling functions. Therefore, in this review we highlight the importance of specific targeting of ergosterol present in Acanthamoebic membrane by azole compounds for amoebicidal activity. Previously, azoles have also been repurposed to report antimicrobial, antiparasitic and antibacterial properties. Moreover, by loading the azoles into nanoparticles through advanced techniques in nanotechnology, such as physical encapsulation, adsorption, or chemical conjugation, the pharmacokinetics and therapeutic index of the drugs can be significantly improved. The current review proposes an important strategy to target Acanthamoeba using synthetic libraries of azoles and their conjugated nanoparticles for the first time., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Habitat mapping is essential for the management and conservation of coastal marine habitats. However, accurate and up-to-date habitat maps are rarely available for the marine realm. In this study, we mapped the coastal marine habitats of >400 km of coastline in the north-western United Arab Emirates (UAE) using a combination of data sources including remote sensing, extensive ground-truthing points, local expert knowledge and existing information. We delineated 17 habitats, including critical habitats for marine biodiversity such as coral reefs and mangroves, and previously unreported oyster beds and deep seagrasses. This innovative approach was able to produce a coastal marine habitat map with an overall accuracy of 77%. The approach allowed for the production of a spatial tool well-suited for the needs of environmental management and conservation in a previously data-deficient area of the United Arab Emirates., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The treatment of olive mill wastewater (OMW) in Jordan was investigated in this work using ultrasound oxidation (sonolysis) combined with other advanced oxidation processes such as ultraviolet radiation, hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and titanium oxide (TiO 2 ) catalyst. The efficiency of the combined oxidation process was evaluated based on the changes in the chemical oxygen demand (COD). The results showed that 59% COD removal was achieved within 90 min in the ultrasound /UV/TiO 2 system. A more significant synergistic effect was observed on the COD removal efficiency when a combination of US/UV/TiO 2 (sonophotocatalytic) processes was used at low ultrasound frequency. The results were then compared with the COD values obtained when each of these processes was used individually. The effects of different operating conditions such as, ultrasound power, initial COD concentration, the concentration of TiO 2 , frequency of ultrasound, and temperature on the OMW oxidation efficiency were studied and evaluated. The effect of adding a radical scavenger (sodium carbonate) on the OMW oxidation efficiency was investigated. The results showed that the sonophotocatalytic oxidation of OMW was affected by the initial COD, acoustic power, temperature and TiO 2 concentration. The sonophotocatalytic oxidation of OMW increased with increasing the ultrasound power, temperature and H 2 O 2 concentration. Sonolysis at frequency of 40 kHz combined with photocatalysis was not observed to have a significant effect on the OMW oxidation compared to sonication at frequency of 20 kHz. It was also found that the OMW oxidation was suppressed by the presence of the radical scavenger. The COD removal efficiency increased slightly with the increase of TiO 2 concentration up to certain point due to the formation of oxidizing species. At ultrasound frequency of 20 kHz, considerable COD reduction of OMW was reported, indicating the effectiveness of the combined US/UV/TiO 2 process for the OMW treatment., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The coastlines of many Arabian cities are now dominated by structures such as seawalls, breakwaters and jetties as urbanization has expanded rapidly in the region. Coastal development has substantially degraded the mangrove forests, saltmarshes, seagrass meadows, oyster beds and coral reefs that traditionally provided invaluable ecosystem goods and services to coastal trading villages of the Arabian Gulf. Regional awareness of environmental issues is growing, however, and local governments are increasingly promoting more sustainable urban development. The use of ecological engineering approaches, along with improved environmental policies, may mitigate some past impacts, and will potentially create new development projects with greater ecological benefits for more sustainable growth in the future. In this paper, we discuss past coastal development in the Gulf, and offer advice on how ecological engineering could be used to enhance the ecological benefits of coastal infrastructure, particularly by encouraging the colonization of juvenile corals and fishes. Such approaches can encourage more sustainable development of this increasingly urbanized seascape., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The purpose of this article was twofold. We aimed to both clarify the multidimensional notion of patient empowerment (PE) and conduct a comprehensive survey of PE-related literature in the specific context of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)., Study Design: The study objectives were achieved by means of a two-phased systematic review of the literature on PE and associated dimensions., Methods: The first phase consisted in the database search for recent review articles on the construct of PE that were published in the past five years. The second phase focused on the identification of extant empirical research on PE and related concepts in UAE settings. In total, 13 review articles and 17 empirical studies were eligible and included in our analysis., Results: The retained PE review articles pointed to two major themes and four topics on 'conceptual clarification' and 'contextual embeddedness', where PE was tackled in relation to national health-care system, health-care governance, information technology, and therapeutic continuum. Our analysis of UAE-based PE studies unveiled three themes on 'chronic disease care' (with three topics of 'general inquiries', 'diabetes management', and 'diabetic complications'), 'self-medication with drugs', and 'non-therapeutic interventions'. By juxtaposing the identified PE themes and topics, we derived three promising opportunities for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to consolidate, expand, and initiate relevant PE interventions in the UAE., Conclusion: This review article found that PE represents an emergent and underexplored notion in the UAE health-care system. As UAE ambitions to become a sought-after medical hub in the global arena, the design and implementation of adequate PE strategies and reforms play a critical role in the development of a world-class patient-centered health care in the country., (Copyright © 2019 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Dokha is known to be one of the most rapidly spreading alternative tobacco products (ATPs) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It is smoked using a pipe known as Midwakh. There is no scientific research published on the chemical composition of dokha and only very little was done to investigate its impact on human health. Three different types of dokha were included in this study. The trace metals content in the dokha samples were analyzed using inductively-coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy-scanning electron microscope. Dokha smoke was generated using a device that simulates human smoking/puffing. The smoke samples were collected on Tenax and activated carbon adsorbent tubes followed by chemical analysis using thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed the presence of toxic metals in dokha samples such as cobalt, cadmium, chromium, and lead in amounts classified as harmful to human health. In addition, the presence of several potentially harmful and even toxic organic compounds in dokha smoke was identified based on the available clinical data. These included 22 irritants, 3 known carcinogens, and 5 central nervous system (CNS) depressants in addition to several other compounds with miscellaneous effects. The findings of this work demonstrate evidence for the presence of potentially harmful and toxic metals and compounds in dokha tobacco as well as dokha smoke. More research is required to further investigate the clinical impact of dokha on human health., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hookah (waterpipe) smoking is a very common practice that has spread globally. There is growing evidence on the hazardous consequences of smoking hookah, with studies indicating that its harmful effects are comparable to cigarette smoking if not worse. Charcoal is commonly used as a heating source for hookah smoke. Although charcoal briquettes are thought to be one of the major contributors to toxicity, their composition and impact on the smoke generated remains largely unidentified. This study aims to analyze the elemental composition of five different raw synthetic and natural charcoals by using Carbon-Hydrogen-Nitrogen (CHN) analysis, inductively coupled plasma (ICP), and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-Ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS). Elemental analysis showed that the raw charcoals contain heavy metals such as zinc, iron, cadmium, vanadium, aluminum, lead, chromium, manganese and cobalt at concentrations similar, if not higher than, cigarettes. In addition, thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) was used to analyze the chemical composition of the smoke produced from burning the charcoal samples. The smoke emitted from charcoal was found to be the source of numerous compounds which could be hazardous to health. A total of seven carcinogens, 39 central nervous system depressants and 31 respiratory irritants were identified., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The use of naturally-occurring agents to regulate tumorigenesis is on the rise. Several herbal extracts, pure plant-derived active constituents, and food additives have been reported to possess potent anti-cancer properties and cancer-ameliorating effects. The wide-range anti-cancer effects of Nigella sativa, also known as black seed or black cumin, have been extensively studied using different in vitro and in vivo models. Here, we provide a comprehensive, analytical review of the reported anti-cancer properties of N. sativa seed extracts. This review focuses on analyzing experimental findings related to the ability of N. sativa to exert anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-oxidant, cytotoxic, anti-mutagenic, anti-metastatic, and NK cytotoxic activity enhancing effects against various primary cancer cells and cancer cell lines. Moreover, we underline the molecular mechanisms of action and the signal transduction pathways implicated in the suppression of tumorigenesis by N. sativa. The major signaling pathway utilized by N. sativa to manifest its anti-cancer activity is the iNOS signaling pathway. This review underscores the recent developments that highlight an effective therapeutic potential of N. sativa to suppress tumor development, reduce tumor incidence, and ameliorate carcinogenesis. In sum, experimental findings reported in the last two decades strongly suggest that N. sativa fractions could serve, alone or in combination with known chemotherapeutic drugs, as effective agents to control tumor initiation, growth, and metastasis, and hence, treatment of a wide range of cancers., (Copyright © 2016 Transdisciplinary University, Bangalore and World Ayurveda Foundation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

An investigation into the pyrolysis kinetics of PVC mixed with electric arc furnace dust (EAFD) was performed. Mixtures of both materials with varying PVC ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:3) were prepared and pyrolyzed in a nitrogen atmosphere under dynamic heating conditions at different heating rates (5, 10, 30 and 50 °C/min). The pyrolysis process proceeded through two main decomposition steps; the first step involved the release of HCl which reacted with the metal oxides present in the dust, subsequently forming metal chlorides and water vapor. Benzene was also found to release as detected by TGA-MS. The remaining hydrocarbons in the polymer backbone decomposed further in the second step releasing further volatile hydrocarbons. Different models were used to fit the kinetic data namely the integral, the Van Krevelen, and Coats and Red fern methods. The presence of EAFD during PVC decomposition resulted in a considerable decrease in the activation energy of the reaction occurring during the first decomposition region. Furthermore, iron oxides were retained in the pyrolysis residue, whilst other valuable metals, including Zn and Pb, were converted to chlorides that are recoverable by leaching in water. It is believed that EAFD can be utilized as an active catalyst to produce energy gases such as propyneas evident from the TGA-MS., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Humic substances (HSs) are precursors for the formation of hazardous disinfection by-products (DBPs) during chlorination of water. Various surrogate parameters have been used to investigate the generation of DBPs by HS precursors and the removal of these precursors by activated carbon treatment. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC)- and ultraviolet absorbance (UVA254)-based isotherms are commonly reported and presumed to be good predictors of the trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP). However, THMFP-based isotherms are rarely published such that the three types of parameters have not been compared directly. Batch equilibrium experiments on activated carbon were used to generate constant-initial-concentration sorption isotherms for well-characterized samples obtained from the International Humic Substances Society (IHSS). HSs representing type (fulvic acid [FA], humic acid [HA]), origin (aquatic, terrestrial), and geographical source (Nordic, Suwannee, Peat, Soil) were examined at pH6 and pH9. THMFP-based isotherms were generated and compared to determine if DOC- and UVA254-based isotherms were good predictors of the THMFP. The sorption process depended on the composition of the HSs and the chemical nature of the activated carbon, both of which were influenced by pH. Activated carbon removal of THM-precursors was pH- and HS-dependent. In some instances, the THMFP existed after UVA254 was depleted., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Burning Arabian incense (Bakhour) is a common practice in the Middle East and Arabian Gulf. Although the incense generates large amounts of chemicals and air pollutants, little is known with regard to the nature of these chemicals and their potential health risks. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive characterization of the chemical constituents emitted in Bakhour smoke, and subsequently to examine the associated health implications of these components. Thermo-gravimetric analysis was used to investigate the presence and the thermal profile of volatile organic compounds in three different samples of Bakhour smoke. Thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was then applied to isolate all the volatile and semi-volatile compounds present in the Bakhour smoke samples. Using a spectral library and an extensive literature search, all organic compounds detected were analyzed for potential health risks. A total of 859 compounds were emitted from burning the different Bakhour samples. The novel finding of this research shows that 42 detected compounds are suspected/known carcinogens, 20 are known to have toxic effects, and at least 200 compounds are known irritants to the eyes, skin, respiratory and digestive tracts, as reported in human and/or animal studies. Our study suggests that inhaled Bakhour smoke contains a substantial number of adverse compounds, which are known to be detrimental to human health. Moreover, the evidence presented shows that incense burning is a significant source of environmental pollution; with the potential of significant health concerns particularly with long term exposure. As the majority of the compounds detected have no reported clinical data, there is an urgent need for significant research in this field., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Obesity is a national epidemic that imposes direct medical and indirect economic costs on society. Recent scholarly inquiries contend that obesity also contributes to global warming. The paper investigates the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and obesity., Study Design: Cross-sectional state-level data for the year 2010., Methods: Multiple regression analysis using least squares with bootstrapped standard errors and quantile regression., Results: States with higher rates of obesity are associated with higher CO2 and CH4 emissions (p < 0.05) and marginally associated with higher N2O emissions (p < 0.10), net of other factors. Reverting to the obesity rates of the year 2000 across the entire United States could decrease greenhouse gas emissions by about two percent, representing more than 136 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent., Conclusions: Future studies should establish clear causality between obesity and emissions by using longitudinal data while controlling for other relevant factors. They should also consider identifying means to net out the potential effects of carbon sinks, conversion of CH4 to energy, cross-state diversion, disposal, and transfer of municipal solid waste, and potentially lower energy consumption from increased sedentariness., (Copyright © 2014 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ionic liquids (ILs) were utilized in preparing carbon paste electrodes with improved sensitivity, linearity, and stability. In order to overcome the large capacitance encountered with these pastes which affects the measured signal, microelectrodes were used to minimize the background current and improve the signal to background response. A number of ILs were tested including those having the same anions, such as butyl, hexyl, and octyl hexafluorophosphate (PF(6)), and those having the same cation, including hexyl-imide, trifluorophosphate (PF(3)) and PF(6). Based on the structure of each ILs, different responses were obtained. Several probes were utilized for those studies including hydrogen peroxide, acetaminophen, and ascorbic acid. The butyl-methyl-imidazolium (BMI)-PF(6) displayed the highest response among other ILs with similar anions and the smallest peak separation. The optimum ILs loading in terms of electrode resistance, capacitance, and peak separation was 30-40%. Improved resistance to surface fouling was observed at the ILs-carbon paste electrode compared to that using mineral oil when tested for NADH detection. Very good linearity up to 1mM hydrazine (correlation coefficient 0.996) was obtained using the ILs-carbon paste electrode.

A size selective approach to improving selectivity in semiconducting metal oxides (SMO) sensors was obtained by tailoring the architecture of WO(3) powders. The key for achieving high selectivity is based on using a dual sensor configuration where the response on a porous WO(3) powder sensor was compared to the response on a nonporous WO(3) powder sensor. Detection selectivity between methanol and dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) is obtained because the access of a gas molecule in the interior pore structure of WO(3) is size dependent leading to a size dependant magnitude change in the conductivity of SMO sensor.

In this study, zero-valent metal dehalogenation of mirex was conducted with amine solvents at high temperatures. Mirex was treated with excess amine in sealed glass tube reactors under nitrogen. The amines used were n-butyl amine (l), ethyl amine (l), dimethyl amine (g), diethyl amine (l), triethyl amine (l), trimethyl amine (g) and ammonia (g). The metals used were copper, zinc, magnesium, aluminum and calcium. The most suitable amine solvent and metal were selected by running a series of reactions with different amines and different zero-valent metals, in order to optimize the conditions under which complete degradation of mirex takes place. These dehalogenation reactions illustrated the role of zero-valent metals as reductants, whereas the amine solvents acted as proton donors. In this study, we report that mirex was completely degraded with diethyl amine (l) in the presence of copper at 100 degrees C and the hydrogenated products accounted for more than 94 of the degraded mirex.

A new method of analyzing kohl, a cosmetic eyeliner, using confocal Raman microscopy is reported. This technique offers an important alternative to conventional spectroscopic techniques that provide elemental/atomic composition. Raman spectra of three kohl samples have been measured between 150 and 3000 cm(-1) at room temperature. The main component of two kohl samples was found to be lead(II) sulfide (PbS). Kohl is used as a traditional cosmetic and remedy in the Middle East, Far East, and Northern Africa. Since kohl products contain very high concentrations of lead, they constitute a risk for public health, particularly for children.