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The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is one of the most fundamental and critical reactions in renewable energy conversion. The recent advancement in various platinum (Pt) nanocatalyst designs has led to greatly improved HER activity. It is well recognized that the HER kinetics is drastically slower in alkaline media compared to acidic media, but the descriptors of the HER kinetics are still elusive. Specifically, in the presence of alkali metal cations and hydroxyl anions, the electrode–electrolyte (platinum–water) interface in an alkaline electrolyte is far more complex than that in an acidic electrolyte. The effects of different alkali metal cations (AM+) and pH on these reactions are poorly understood due to a lack of suitable experimental methods. We are combining surface-sensitive electrical transport spectroscopy (ETS) with other electrochemistry techniques and computational studies to probe and understand the fundamental role of different AM+ and pH on the reaction kinetics of HER. Our study provides fundamental insights into how and why AM+ and pH influence the HER in alkaline media. We expect that this research will provide the molecular-level understanding that will shed new insights into electrolyte engineering as an alternative pathway to control electrochemical reaction kinetics.

A non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) process was used to fabricate a series of sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) membranes blending with different concentrations of SBA-15-g-PSPA with the applications in the ultrafiltration (UF) process. SBA-15 was modified with 3-methacrylate-propyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) to form SBA-15-g-MPS. It was further modified with the charge tailorable polymer chains by reacting with 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium salt. The nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed and finger-like channels were developed within the membrane. The adding of surface modified SBA-15-g-PSPA nanoparticles has significantly improved membrane water permeability, hydrophilicity, and antifouling properties. The pure water fluxes of the composite SPES membranes were significantly higher than the pristine SPES membrane. For the membrane containing 5% (mass) of SBA-15-g-PSPA (MSSPA5), the pure water flux was increased dramatically to 402.15 L∙m–2∙h–1, which is ∼ 1.5 times that of MSSPA0 (268.0 L∙m–2∙h–1). The high flux rate was achieved with 3% (mass) of SBA-15 nanoparticles with retained high rejection ratio 98% for natural organic matter. The results indicate that the fashioned composite membrane comprising SBA-15-g-PSPA nanoparticles have a promising future in ultrafiltration applications.

This research investigated the impact of aluminum sulfate (AS) as amendment to different types of litter (new, reused, and mixed litters) for reducing ammonia emission and improving productive performance of local dual-purpose breeding hens. A total of 450 hens and 60 cocks from the Inshas strain were randomly assigned to six groups (five replicates each of 15 hens + 2 cocks) raised in pen floor furnished with a wheat straw litter. The groups included: (1) new, (2) reused, (3) mixed (50% new + 50% reused) litter; the other groups (4, 5 and 6) were respectively housed on the same litter as groups 1, 2 and 3 but with the addition of 495 g of AS/m2 litter. The feed conversion ratio was better for layers raised on new litter with or without AS than other groups. Different kinds of litter had different moisture (p < 0.05) and pH (p < 0.05) values. Birds raised on litter types treated with AS significantly (p < 0.05) decreased intestinal pH and decreased total bacterial count compared to the same litter types without AS at the end of the experiment. Birds raised on new litter supplemented with AS had the highest plasma T3, total protein, globulin, Hgb, and PCV% and the lowest levels of uric acid and cholesterol at the end of the experimental period. Therefore, litter amendment with AS, also the mixed or reused one, could be recommended to reduce ammonia and, in turn, increasing plasma T3 and decreasing total bacterial count, leading to increasing bird’s performance.

The methanol decomposition reaction has gained substantial attention due to the wide range of applications that its intermediates offer. In this work, methanol (CH3OH) decomposition on Copper-embedded graphene (CuG) surface has been investigated via density functional theory with Grimme-D2 dispersion correction. The charge density of the CuG surface has been analyzed and the redistribution of the electron density of the surface has been represented via the electron density difference (EDD) map. Moreover, the decomposition reaction mechanism of CH3OH on the CuG surface through the cleavage of C–H, O–H and C–O bonds has been investigated in detail. In the initial state, the C–O and O–H bonds of CH3OH have similar activation barriers, thereby the adsorption and degradation mechanism of the intermediate states arising through O–H bond cleavage on the CuG surface has been investigated. In addition, the charge density calculations of the transition state geometries have been conducted and examined with EDD maps. The results have revealed that the previously adsorbed oxygen molecule exhibited high catalytic activity towards O–H decomposition compared to the bare surface. The CuG surface has offered higher activity on the C–H bonds compared to the C–O bonds of the intermediate states generated by CH3OH decomposition. The results revealed that the proposed CuG structure can be utilized as an alternative electrode catalyst that can prevent the CO poisoning issue in direct methanol fuel cells. © 2021 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC

In this paper, Titanium Dioxide was prepared, from Titanium Isopropoxide (TIP) (C12H28O4Ti) with a purity of 98.1% and acetic acid (CH3COOH) with a purity of 99.5% and ethanol (C2H5OH) with a purity of 99.7%. all these materials are from (Aldrich Chemicals Company) by using the (Sol–gel) method, Then Tio2 was prepared and deposited on glass slides with Spin Coating technology at three different speeds ranging from 1000 to 3000 rpm. a thin film was obtained with a certain thickness according to the speed, as the faster the speed, the less the thickness of the film and vice versa after Completing the sedimentation process, the prepared samples are inserted into a programmed electric oven, The oven starts at room temperature, then stabilizes at 550 °C, for 30 min, Because the anatase phase is formed at this temperature, and then begins to decline for every minute, until it reaches room temperature, and by making optical measurements on the prepared films and matching it with what was prepared in advance, good results were obtained.

The present work focuses on the upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian-early Campanian) carbonate successions in selected wells from northwestern Iraq. These successions are represented by Gir Bir (Cenomanian-early Turonian), Wajna (late Santonian) and Mushorah (early Campanian) Formations. The succession has affected by early burial near-surface, unconformity-related and deep burial diagenesis represented by cementation, neomorphism, dolomitization, dedolomitization, silicification, authigenesis of glauconite and pyrite, compaction, micritization, solution and porosity formation. The common porosity types are intergranular, fenestral, intercrystalline, moldic, vuggy, channel and fracture. Three porosity zones (I, II, and III) are identified depending on variation in gamma ray which reflects their shale content. The upper part of zone (II) is highly porous and regarded on the main reservoir unit in the middle and upper parts of the Gir Bir Formation. Fracture and moldic and vuggy dissolution features in addition to karstic and fissure features are responsible for the porosity increase in the fractured reservoir unit.

In this study, porous carbon has been prepared through potassium hydroxide (KOH) activation of coconut fiber (CF) and subsequent carbonization in the presence of an inert gas. The activated carbons (AC) were prepared via carbonization of the precursor at different temperatures. Subsequently, their electromagnetic wave absorption (EMWA) performance was investigated at X-band frequency. The phase crystallinity, porous features, and degree of graphitization of the activated carbons were studied using XRD, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm, and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. Using the BET method, the activated carbon prepared at 750 °C displayed a high specific surface area of 602.9 m2 g−1 and an average pore size of 6 nm, which confirms the extant of mesopores. The EMWA was studied using COMSOL Multiphysics software based on the finite element method. Results show that the activated carbon prepared at 750 °C attained an optimal reflection loss of −45.6 dB at 10.96 GHz with a corresponding effective bandwidth of 3.5 GHz at a thickness of 3.0 mm. In conclusion, this study interestingly shows that porous carbon obtained from coconut fiber has great potential for attenuating electromagnetic waves.

Background Climate change, population growth, water pollution, and mismanagement of water resources all contribute to freshwater depletion. To cleanse dirty water, efficient and long-lasting technology is required. Membrane technologies are being developed to provide a cost- effective and efficient water treatment option to meet the ever-increasing demand for high quality- water. Methods A facile method was performed to develop outstanding hydrophilicity, fouling resistance, high rejection rate and water flux ultrafiltration (UF) membrane. The membranes were made using a non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) approach by combination of sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) and Titania nanotubes (TNTs) modified with sulfopropyl methacrylate (TNTs-g-PSPA) as a nanofiller. The fouling resistance of the fabricated membranes was explored using various foulants, comprising humic acid (HA), sodium alginate (SA), bovine serum albumin (BSA), and natural organic matter (NOM) solution. Significant findings The results revealed that the membranes surface charge concentration, porosity, and textural properties were improved. The hybrid membrane's pure water flux containing 5 wt% TNTs-g-PSPA hybrid was 402 L m−2 h−1, around 2-fold that of the pristine membrane. The fashioned membrane with 4 wt% TNTs-g-PSPA removed greater than 98% of NOM, without a rejection rate loss.

Streptococcus agalactiae serotype distribution and its antibiotic susceptibility affect disease prevention strategies, but the serotype distribution varies among patient groups. The objectives of this study were to establish the group B Streptococcus (GBS) serotype distribution in patients from Egypt and to assess antibiotic sensitivity of invasive GBS isolates. A total of 490 patients participated in this multicenter study; 160 had urinary tract infection, 115 complained of diabetic foot ulcers, 125 men had genital tract infections, and 30 women females had genital tract infections. Others had bronchopneumonia, otitis media, synovitis, or meningitis. Serotyping of the isolated GBS was performed at the CDC in the United States. Antibiotic sensitivity patterns were determined using the disk diffusion method. In men, the most common serotypes were II, III, and V, whereas types Ia, II, III, and V were isolated from women. Macrolides (erythromycin) resistance occurred in 4.1% of the isolates; 10.2% were resistant to both clindamycin and inducible resistance of macrolides, lincomycin, and streptogramin; 17.3% were resistant to quinolones; and 95.9% were resistant to tetracyclines. GBS primarily infected the urinary tract, skin, soft tissue, and genital tract in both genders. Isolates were sensitive to beta-lactam drugs, vancomycin, and linezolid; 14.0% were resistant to macrolides with or without clindamycin. Only 6.0% of the strains were sensitive to tetracyclines. Although GBS causes invasive infections in Egyptian adults, it rarely causes neonatal meningitis or sepsis. Future studies should determine whether GBS isolates are transmitted sexually, by performing a follow-up study of the partner of the infected patient.

Limited availability of phosphorus (P) in agricultural soils is a major cause of poor growth and yield of crops throughout the world. Optimization of crops productivity can be achieved by increasing the bioavailability of P via phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), however, their effectiveness may vary with changing agro-climatic conditions That’s why current experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential of phosphate solubilizing bacteria (with PSB and without PSB) in improving growth and yield of wheat under different P levels (0, 25, 50, and 100 % of recommended P). The PSB with 100% recommended P significantly enhanced wheat tillers m−2, grains spike-1, grains and biological yield compared to the rest of the treatment’s combination. A significant improvement in 100 grains weight and rate of photosynthesis also validated the efficacious functioning of PSB and full recommended P. Furthermore, PSB were effective in optimizing wheat yield attributes at respective P level compared to Without PSB. Our findings imply that, PSB application along with 100% recommended P as inorganic phosphorus has potential to enhance wheat growth and yield over sole application of P fertilizers or PSB.

Aim and objective: In this work, we have prepared two bis-dicationic ionic liquids with the same cationic core (Bis-imidazole) and different counter-anions using sulfuric acid and perchloric acids. After that, the efficiency and ability of these compounds as catalysts were investigated and compared with respect to the promotion of Knoevenagel condensation and synthesis of benzo[ b] pyran derivatives to see the effect of the anionic counter-part in the reaction. Material and method: In a 25 mL round-bottomed flask, a mixture of aldehyde (1.0 mmol), 1,3-- cyclo dicarbonyl (2.0 mmol), and the desired amount of the above-mentioned acidic ionic liquids was heated at 90°C in the absence of solvent (Reaction A). In a 25 mL round-bottomed flask, a mixture of aldehyde (1.0 mmol), 1,3-cyclo dicarbonyl (1.0 mmol), malononitrile, (1.1 mmol) and calculated amounts of the ionic liquid in water (3.0 mL) was heated at 80°C (Reaction B) for the appropriated time. After the completion of the reaction which was monitored by TLC of (n-hexane: EtOAc; 3:1). 10 mL of water was added and the mixture was stirred for 2 minutes. Then, the products were separated by filtration and washed several times with water, after drying, the pure products were obtained. Results: Comparison of the obtained results from both the ionic liquids revealed that [H2- Bisim][HSO4]2, because of its more acidic structure, had shown a more catalytic activity in the preparation of 1,8-dioxo-octahydro-xanthene derivatives but [H2-Bisim][ClO4]2 was relatively more efficient for the synthesis of tetrahydrobenzo[b]pyran derivatives. Because the stronger acidic nature of [H2-Bisim][HSO4]2 may prevent the simple activation of malononitrile in the reaction media. Conclusion: In this study, we have introduced efficient methods for the synthesis of 1,8-dioxo-octahydro- xanthene and tetrahydrobenzo[b]pyran derivatives in the presence of catalytic amounts of [H2-Bisim][ClO4]2 and [H2-Bisim][HSO4]2. These methods have several advantages such as ease of preparation and handling of the catalysts, high reaction rates, excellent yields, eco-friendly procedures, and simple work-up.

Background: Abelmoschus esculentus (AE) (okra), is an edible plant used in many food applications. Objective: This study explored whether sulfated AE (SAE) has promising cancer chemopreventive activities that may recommend it as a functional food supplement instead of (or in addition to) AE for the population at risk of cancer and in the health food industry. Methods: Cytochrome P450-1A (CYP1A) was estimated by fluorescence enzymatic reaction, using β-naphthoflavone-treated cells (CYP1A inducer). Peroxyl and hydroxyl radical scavenging was assayed by oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay. Flow cytometry was used to analyze apoptosis/necrosis in MCF-7 cells, cell cycle phases in MCF-7 cells, and macrophage binding to fluorescein isothiocyanate-lipopolysaccharide (FITC-LPS). Nitric oxide was determined by Griess assay in LPS-stimulated macrophages, and cytotoxicity was determined by MTT assay. Diethylnitrosamine (DEN) was used to induce hepatic tumor initiation in rats. Placental glutathione-S-transferase (GSTP; an initiation marker) was stained in a fluorescence immunohistochemical analysis of liver sections, and histopathological changes were examined. Results: SAE exhibited strong antitumor initiation and antitumor promotion activities. It suppressed CYP1A, scavenged peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals, induced macrophage proliferation, suppressed macrophage binding to FITC-LPS, inhibited nitric oxide generation, showed specific cytotoxicity to human breast MCF-7 adenocarcinoma cells, and disturbed the cell cycle phases (S and G2/M phases) in association with an increased percentage of apoptotic/necrotic MCF-7 cells. Over a short time period, DEN stimulated liver cancer initiation, but SAE treatment reduced the DEN-induced histopathological alterations and inhibited CYP1A and GSTP. Conclusion: SAE extract has the potential for use as an alternative to AE in health foods to provide cancer chemoprevention in populations at risk for cancer.

Background: Oxidative stress is one of the main contributing factors involved in cerebral biochemical impairment. The higher susceptibility of the central nervous system to reactive oxygen species mediated damage could be attributed to several factors. For example, neurons use a greater quantity of oxygen, many parts of the brain have higher concentraton of iron, and neuronal mitochondria produce huge content of hydrogen peroxide. In addition, neuronal membranes have polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are predominantly vulnerable to oxidative stress (OS). OS is the imbalance between reactive oxygen species generation and cellular antioxidant potential. This may lead to various pathological conditions and diseases, especially neurodegenerative diseases such as, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s diseases. Objectives: In this study, we explored the involvement of OS in neurodegenerative diseases. Methods: We used different search terms like “oxidative stress and neurological disorders” “free radicals and neurodegenerative disorders” “oxidative stress, free radicals, and neurological disorders” and “association of oxidative stress with the name of disorders taken from the list of neurological disorders. We tried to summarize the source, biological effects, and physiologic functions of ROS. Results: Finally, it was noted that more than 190 neurological disorders are associated with oxidative stress. Conclusion: More elaborated studies in the future will certainly help in understanding the exact mechanism involved in neurological diseases and provide insight into revelation of therapeutic targets.

This paper presents a quantitative study of dinoflagellate cysts (dinocysts) and palynofacies of the Campanian–Danian marly succession at the village of Tattofte (western External Rif, northwestern Morocco). The paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic interpretations, inferred from this palynologic analysis, are compared to coeval sequences of other areas in the Northern Hemisphere. Changes in the relative abundances of dinocyst taxa, which are paleoenvironmental indicators, throughout the section suggest a deposition in a marine inner to outer neritic setting. The upper Campanian dinocyst assemblage is characterized by the presence of outer neritic-oceanic and low productivity indicator taxa (e.g., Spiniferites spp., Odontochitina spp.) and cold-water taxa (e.g., Manumiella spp., Chantangiella spp., Laciniadinium spp.), whereas, the lower Maastrichtian assemblage is characterized by inner neritic, high productivity and warm-water indicator taxa (e.g., Palaeocystodinium spp., Andalusiella spp.). The upper Maastrichtian dinocyst assemblage displays a return to an outer neritic environment under a transgressive regime, but with a cooling pulse and a moderate productivity. However, the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K/Pg) boundary interval records remarkable changes in the relative abundances of dinocyst taxa, indicating an inner neritic (coastal) setting, which is the most proximal in the study section; such changes reflect instable paleoenvironmental conditions which may be related to global cooling periods, likely caused by the Deccan volcanism in India and/or the Chicxulub asteroid impact in Mexico at the K/Pg boundary. In the Danian, the dinocyst relative abundances indicate a gradual return to stable environmental conditions. A quantitative analysis of the kerogen plots (palynomorphs, phytoclasts and amorphous organic matter (AOM)) reveals five types of palynofacies, generally indicating oxic to suboxic marine environments. The upper Campanian and upper Maastrichtian (lowermost part) strata are characterized by a playnofacies (V), indicating a distal shelf, while the lower Maastrichtian and lower Danian (uppermost part) strata record a playnofacies (III), reflecting an intermediate inner-outer neritic environment. However, the K/Pg boundary transition is characterized by playnofacies types (I) and (II), indicating a proximal (coastal) environment.

The dynamic oxidation of molten Mg–Al alloy was investigated via the oxide /metal/oxide (OMO) sandwich method. The characteristics of sandwiches were explored using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analyses. The results showed the formation of porous oxide films with varying thicknesses from 0.43 to 16.7 mm. Both the measurements and calculations confirmed the literature findings that the oxidation product consists mainly of MgO and MgAl2O4 compounds. The increase in thickness and amount of folds formed on the oxide films implies the significant effect of aluminum in reducing the oxidation resistance of magnesium.

Objective: Linezolid is a significant antibiotic used against severe infections initiated by multi-resistant bacterial pathogens. Method: The aim of this study is to develop and validate a simple, selective and accurate highperformance liquid chromatographic HPLC method for the analysis of linezolid LZD. Method: Linezolid extraction from plasma is obtained using methanol. Chromatographic separation is achieved isocratically on a C18 column [Zorbax C18, 5 μm particle size, 150 mm˟ 4.6 mm] making use of a mobile phase of acetonitrile / 0.05 M phosphate buffer, pH = 4.5 (30: 70 v/v) at a flow rate of 1.2 mL/min with photodiode array detector DAD, at a wavelength of 256 nm. Results : The retention time of linezolid was 2.5 min. The analytical method was linear (r2 > 0.998) over the calibration range of 0.30 to 50.0 μg/mL. The extraction recoveries of linezolid range from 71.03 to 91.93 %. The limit of quantification and the limit of detection were 0.112 μg and 0.037 μg, respectively. The RSDs for intraday and interday assays were < 7.77 and 4.32 %, respectively. The intraday and interday accuracies were in the range 80.6-112 % and 77.44- 104.85 %, respectively. Conclusion: The applied method is precise, accurate and appropriate for pharmacokinetic studies and therapeutic drug monitoring of linezolid in routine clinical practice.

Graphical abstract, Impact of environmental perturbations i.e., nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and rice straw (Rs) on the dynamics of soil bacterial and archaeal communities are multifactor dependent and seeks a contemporary approach to study underlying mechanisms. The current study investigates the effect of pure and mixed fertilizers on soil physicochemical properties, the microbial community structure, and their functional metabolic predictions. It involved amendments with distinct combinations of N as C(H2N)2O, P and K as KH2PO4, K as KCl, and Rs in paddy soil microcosms with concentrations common in rice fields agriculture. Soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), organic matter (OM), available K (AK), and total extractable P (TEP) were evaluated. To comprehend community variation and functional predictions, 16S rRNA-based high throughput sequencing (HTS) and phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states (PICRUSt) were employed, respectively. Our findings showed enhanced community richness and diversity in all amendments compared to control. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes were dominant bacterial phyla. Regarding relative abundance, Chloroflexi, Bacteroidetes, and Verrucomicrobia showed positive while Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Gemmatimonadetes showed negative trends compared to controls. Thaumarchaeota and Euryarchaeota were dominant archaeal phyla and exhibited increasing and decreasing trends, respectively. The PICRUSt analysis indicated functional prediction more towards amino acid, carbohydrate, energy, and lipid metabolism while less towards others. Concerning energy metabolism, most and least responsive treatments were KP and controls, respectively. These outcomes enhanced our understanding regarding soil quality, fertilizer composition and application, and functional metabolomics of archaea and bacteria.

This study aimed to evaluate the regenerative capacity of a newly-developed polycaprolactone (PCL)-based nanofibrous composite scaffold either alone or in combination with adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) as a treatment modality for class II furcation defects. After ADSCs isolation and scaffold characterization, the mandibular premolars of adult male mongrel dogs were selected and randomly assigned into three equal groups. In group I, class II furcation defects were surgically induced to the inter-radicular bone. While class II furcation defects of group II were induced as in group I. In addition, the defects were filled with the prefabricated scaffold. Moreover, class II furcation defects of group III were induced as in group II and instead the defects were filled with the prefabricated scaffold seeded with ADSCs. The dogs were sacrificed at 30 days or at 60 days. Periodontal wound healing/regeneration was evaluated by radiological examination using cone beam computed tomography and histologically using ordinary, histochemical, and immunohistochemical staining. In the two examination periods, group II defects compared to group I, and group III compared to the other groups showed a decrease in defect dimensions radiographically. Histologically, histochemically, and immunohistochemically, they significantly demonstrated better periodontal wound healing/regeneration, predominant collagen type I of newly formed bone and periodontal ligament with a significant increase in the immunoreactivity of vascular endothelial growth factor and osteopontin. The newly fabricated nanofibrous scaffold has enhanced periodontal wound healing/regeneration of class II furcation defects with further enhancement achieved when ADSCs seeded onto the scaffold before implantation. The implementation of our newly-developed PCL-based nanofibrous composite scaffolds in class II furcation defect either alone or in conjunction with ADSCs can be considered as a suitable treatment modality to allow periodontal tissues regeneration.

Nanoparticles are frequently used as targeting delivery systems for therapeutic and diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals. Polyethylene oxide-polyacrylic acid (PEO-PAAc) nanogel was prepared via γ-radiation-induced polymerization. Variable factors affecting nanoparticles size were investigated. The nanogel was radiolabeled with the imaging radioisotope 99m Tc and finally conjugated with folic acid to target folate receptor actively. PEO-PAAc-folic acid gel was characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Biodistribution was studied in normal mice and solid tumor-bearing mice via intravenous and intratumor injections of the radiolabeled PEO-PAAc-folic acid nanogel. Results of biodistribution showed high selective uptake of the prepared complex in tumor muscle compared with normal muscle for both intravenous and intratumor injections. The T/NT ratio was found to be 6.186 and 294.5 for intravenous and intratumor injections, respectively. Consequently, 99m Tc-PEO-PAAc-folic acid complex could be a promising agent for cancer diagnostic imaging.

In this study, the effect of pectin extraction method on the properties of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) isolated from sugar beet pulp (SBP) was studied. Pectin was extracted by the industrially practiced method by sulfuric acid hydrolysis or by enzymatic hydrolysis using a cellulase/xylanase enzymes mixture. The CNFs were then isolated by high-pressure homogenization and investigated in terms of their chemical composition, crystallinity, size, degree of polymerization, and re-dispersion in water after freeze-drying. The mechanical properties and surface characteristics of CNF films were also studied. The results showed that fibrillation of the de-pectinated SBP was more efficient for the acid hydrolyzed SBP. CNFs from the acid-hydrolyzed SBP had a slightly wider diameter, higher crystallinity, viscosity, and α-cellulose content but a lower degree of polymerization than CNFs from the enzyme-hydrolyzed SBP. Owing to the presence of more residual hemicelluloses in the CNFs from the enzyme-hydrolyzed SBP, the CNFs had higher re-dispersion ability in water. CNF films from enzyme-hydrolyzed SBP displayed slightly better mechanical properties and higher water contact angle than acid-hydrolyzed CNF films. Graphic abstract

Renal ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) is a common clinical problem involving oxidative stress and gap junction protein defects. Abscisic acid (ABS), a phytohormone regulating physiological functions in plants against various stresses, has been identified in mammalian tissues, too. We aimed to assess the role of synthetic ABS in management of renal IRI in comparison or combined with Metformin and whether it can modulate the gap-junction protein; CX43, and the oxidative stress related factors; NOX4, MDA and GSH; and apoptosis markers; BAX, BCL2 and P53. Rats were assigned to five groups ;1, Saline: 2, I/R+Sal., 3 I/R+Metformin, 4, I/R +ABS and 5, I/R + Metformin + ABS. Serum creatinine and K+, mRNA for CX43, NOX4 and P53, western blotting for CX43 and P53 in renal tissue, immunohistochmistry for renal BAX and BCL2 with H&E and PAS staining were performed. Adminstration of Metformin, ABS or their combination led to a significant attenuation of the I/R induced renal injury with significant decrease in serum creatinine, K⁺ levels, and in the expression of P53, BAX, NOX-4 and caused a significant increase in CX43 and BCL2 expressions with attenuation of renal histopathological changes e.g. glomerular atrophy, tubular necrosis, tubular dilatation, sloughing of tubular epithelium, loss of brush border, cast formation and the inflammatory infiltration. Moreover, the combined therapy of Metformin and ABS produced more significant improvement. Our results approved a possible protective role of ABS especially when combined with Metformin in I/R renal injury

Considering the highly important biological and medicinal properties of naphthofurans, the synthesis of these heterocycles has attracted the interest of medicinal and organic chemists. This review aims to describe the different strategies developed so far for the synthesis of naphthofurans and their applications and the literature reports for the period of 2000 to early 2020. After a brief introduction of the types of naphthofurans and their biological activities, the different synthetic approaches such as chemical and photochemical, methods are described and organized on the basis of the catalysts and the other reagents employed in the syntheses. Some of the reactions have been applied successfully to the synthesis of biologically important compounds.

Background Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common illnesses in aging men. Recent studies found that bone morphogenetic protein 5 (BMP5) is upregulated in BPH tissues, however, the role of BMP5 in the development of BPH has not been examined. The current study aims to elucidate the potential roles of BMP5 and related signaling pathways in BPH. Methods Human prostate cell lines (BPH-1, WPMY-1) and human/rat hyperplastic prostate tissues were utilized. Western blot, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescent staining, and immunohistochemical staining were performed. BMP5-silenced and -overexpressed cell models were generated and then cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and proliferation were determined. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was also quantitated. And rescue experiments by BMP/Smad signaling pathway agonist or antagonist were accomplished. Moreover, BPH-related tissue microarray analysis was performed and associations between clinical parameters and expression of BMP5 were analyzed. Results Our study demonstrated that BMP5 was upregulated in human and rat hyperplastic tissues and localized both in the epithelial and stromal compartments of the prostate tissues. E-cadherin was downregulated in hyperplastic tissues, while N-cadherin and vimentin were upregulated. Overexpression of BMP5 enhanced cell proliferation and the EMT process via phosphorylation of Smad1/5/8, while knockdown of BMP5 induced cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and blocked the EMT process. Moreover, a BMP/Smad signaling pathway agonist and antagonist reversed the effects of BMP5 silencing and overexpression, respectively. In addition, BMP5 expression positively correlated with prostate volume and total prostate-specific antigen. Conclusion Our novel data suggest that BMP5 modulated cell proliferation and the EMT process through the BMP/Smad signaling pathway which could contribute to the development of BPH. However, further studies are required to determine the exact mechanism. Our study also indicated that BMP/Smad signaling may be rediscovered as a promising new therapeutic target for the treatment of BPH.

In this work, we explore the addition of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) decorated with copper (Cu@RGO) as hole transport layer (HTL) into carbon/CH3NH3PbI3/TiO2/FTO perovskite solar cell (PSC). Numerous instrumentations characterized the fabricated composites. The deposited Cu on RGO showed spherical metallic particles with diameters of 22–30 nm. Current density–voltage curves and Incident photon-to-electron conversion explore the impact of Cu@RGO on the photoconversion efficiency (PCE). The fashioned Cu@RGO nanocomposite showed improved PCE at 13.55% compared to 11.3 and 5.5% for the PSCs with Ag@RGO and pure RGO as HTL, respectively. These impacts are due to the significant hole extraction that proved by the photoluminescence quenching. Moreover, the produced devices with Cu@RGO displayed shelf stability at 88.8% of its initial PCE after two months. This work marks an important milestone towards the development of solar cells with reliable and high-performance perovskites.

Meat producing broiler chickens may needs dietary amino acids of animal origin to obtain high growth, good health, muscles yield and healthy immune response. To investigate the effects of the amino acids mixture from animal origins rich in glycine on performance and immunity of broiler chickens an in vivo experiment was conducted at which T1 andT2 groups supplemented with amino acid mixture in every 10 days for successive 3 days, 8 hr. daily interval at dose 1 ml/L in drinking water and the second ( T2 group) was experimentally challenged with avian pathogenic E.coli (APEC) and the third group (T3) had no supplementation. The obtained results showed that amino acids mixture treated groups( T1 and T2) had a remarkable immune-modulation as noticed by significant elevation of phagocytic count and activities(lysozymes and nitric oxide production) ,expression of IL-4, IL-10 and interferon- gamma-genes using RT-PCR. Performance studies proved that there was an improvement of body weight gain and lowered mortality rate in amino acids treated group.

Aliyu, H. & Talib, C. A. (2023). A systematic review of 21st-century chemistry laboratory experiments and classroom instructions facilitated/aided with digital technologies and e-resources. International Journal of Current Education Studies (IJCES), 2(1), 18-36.

The adsorption of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on metallic substrates has been of interest in the field of optoelectronics due to the possibility of designing complex materials with tunable properties through surface functionalization with organic molecules. Much of the modelling research in this field has focused on perfectly symmetrical (idealized) substrates. Limited research has investigated the effect of substrate irregularities, such as adatoms, on the binding of PAHs onto substrates. Here, we examine how the presence of substrate-bound adatoms affects the binding of coronene and hexahelicene monomers and dimers onto Au(111) and Cu(111) substrates using a density functional theory approach. We found that helicene monomers were more effectively able to adapt to the presence of the adatoms than coronene by coiling around the adatoms. Whereas upon adsorption on an ideal (111) surface, coronene can establish significantly stronger dispersive interactions than helicenes, adatom defects reverse the trend. For helicenes, the degree of flattening near the surface and molecular coiling were strongly influenced by the extent of the adatom defect, as a result of the interplay between the molecule’s drive to maximize overlap with the underlying surface and the enhanced reactivity of lower-coordinated adatoms.