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The pectinase enzymes are involved in several industrial applications, and industrial waste is one of the largest environmental pollutants, so this study aims to Endo-polygalacturonase (endo-PG) producing using Aspergillus niger AUMC 4156, Penicillium oxalicum AUMC 4153 and P. variotii AUMC 4149 by using some agro-industrial wastes (dried orange peel and sugar beet pulp) as a sole raw carbon source for degradation these waste in the process of urban wastes disposal. The fermentation process was carried out as a submerged culture technique under both shaken and static culture conditions. A. niger AUMC 4156 was the most promising producer of endo-PG under static conditions while P. oxalicum AUMC 4153 was the highest producer of endo-PG under shaken conditions. Sugar beet pulp proved to be the most preferable to orange peel as the only source of carbon in both shaken and static cultures. The medium that encompassing orange peel as a single carbon source afforded the highest protein content with all tested fungal strains in stirred and static cultures in comparison with sugar beet pulp. The highest activity of endo-polygalacuronase that produced using A. niger AUMC 4156 and P. oxalicum AUMC 4153 was achieved by using sugar beet pulp at 3% concentration under static cultures, meanwhile maximal enzyme activity produced by both fungal strains required 2% sugar beet pulp under shaken cultures. Sugar beet pulp showed promised potential as a good inducer for endo-polygalacturoase production, and enzymes production depended on fungal strains, culture medium, and submerged fermentation conditions.

This study presents the main method of in situ reduction for the preparation of Poly(vinyl chloride) coated membrane with silver nanoparticles by using cloves aromaticum extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction, and UV–Vis spectroscopy were used to analyze the structure and grain size of the produced particles. SEM study was appeared that no significant difference in the morphology of uncoated and coated membranes. However, some substance on the surface of the Poly(vinyl chloride) coated membranes was recognized as AgNPS. The antimicrobial activity of coated membrane and AgNP solution was investigated against Escherichia Coli (E. coli) by using disk diffusion and well diffusion test. As a result AgNP have high inhibition zones for each concentration.

Microbial resistance and other emerging health risk problems related to the side effects of synthetic drugs are the major factors that result in the research regarding natural products. Fruits, leaves, seeds, and oils-based phyto-constituents are the most important source of pharmaceutical products. Plant extract chemistry depends largely on species, plant components, solvent utilized, and extraction technique. This study was aimed to compare the ethanolic extracts of a mangrove plant, i.e., Avicennia marina (1E: Lower half of A. marina‘s pneumatophores, 2E: A. marina‘s leaves, 3E: Upper half of A. marina‘s pneumatophores, and 4E: A. marina‘s shoots), with non-mangrove plants, i.e., Phragmites australis (5E: P. australis‘s shoot), and Moringa oleifera (6E: M. oleifera‘s leaves) for their antimicrobial activities, total phenolic contents, antioxidant activity, and cytotoxicity potential. The antimicrobial activity assays were performed on gram-positive bacteria (i.e., Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus), gram-negative bacteria (i.e., Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and fungi (i.e., Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, and Rhizopus spp.). We estimated antioxidant activity by TAC, DPPH, and FRAP assays, and the cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT assay. The results of antimicrobial activities revealed that B. subtilis was the most sensitive to the tested plant extracts compared to S. aureus, while it only showed sensitivity to 6E and Imipenem. 5E and 6E showed statistically similar results against P. aeruginosa as compared to Ceftazidime. E. coli was the most resistant bacteria against tested plant extracts. Among the tested plant extracts, maximum inhibition activity was observed by 6E against A. niger (22 ± 0.57 mm), which was statistically similar to the response of 6E against C. albicans and 3E against Rhizopus spp. 2E did not show any activity against tested fungi. We found that 6E (208.54 ± 1.92 mg g−1) contains maximum phenolic contents followed by 1E (159.42 ± 3.22 mg g−1), 5E (131.08 ± 3.10 mg g−1), 4E (i.e., 72.41 ± 2.96 mg g−1), 3E (67.41 ± 1.68 mg g−1), and 2E (48.72 ± 1.71 mg g−1). The results depict a significant positive correlation between the phenolic contents and the antioxidant activities. As a result, phenolic content may be a natural antioxidant source.

‏Shilajit is used commonly as Ayurvedic medicine worldwide which is Rasayana herbo-mineral substance and consumed to restore the energetic balance and to prevent diseases like cognitive disorders and Alzheimer. Locally, Shilajit is applied for patients diagnosed with bone fractures. For safety of the patients, the elemental analysis of Shilajit is imperative to evaluate its nutritional quality as well as contamination from heavy metals. The elemental composition of Shilajit was conducted using three advanced analytical techniques (LIBS, ICP, and EDX). For the comparative studies, the two Shilajit kinds mostly sold globally produced in India and Pakistan were collected. Our main focus is to highlight nutritional eminence and contamination of heavy metals to hinge on Shilajit therapeutic potential. In this work, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was applied for qualitative and quantitative analysis of the Shilajit. Our LIBS analysis revealed that Shilajit samples composed of several elements like Ca, S, K, Mg, Al, Na, Sr, Fe, P, Si, Mn, Ba, Zn, Ni, B, Cr, Co, Pb, Cu, As, Hg, Se, and Ti. Indian and Pakistani Shilajits were highly enriched with Ca, S, and K nutrients and contained Al, Sr, Mn, Ba, Zn, Ni, B, Cr, Pb, As, and Hg toxins in amounts that exceeded the standard permissible limit. Even though the content of most elements was comparable among both Shilajits, nutrients, and toxins, in general, were accentuated more in Indian Shilajit with the sole detection of Hg and Ti. The elemental quantification was done using self-developed calibration-free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (CF-LIBS) method, and LIBS results are in well agreement with the concentrations determined by standard ICP-OES/MS method. To verify our results by LIBS and ICP-OES/MS techniques, EDX spectroscopy was also conducted which confirmed the presence above mentioned elements. This work is highly significant for creating awareness among people suffering due to overdose of this product and save many human lives.

Algae comprise a large group of Thallophyta, which may be used as direct nutrition of human beings. Molasses is the by-product of the sugar manufacturing facility. In this study, a locally isolated Scendsmus quadricauda from the environment of Mosul in the Shalalat region was obtained. Biomass of Scenedsmus was measurement by carried out and filtration then drying in an oven for 24 h and weighed, Estimation of chlorophyll and protein and carbohydrate content of Scenedsmus. The research has proved that the best growing period for Scendsmue quadricauda is 15 days when using sugar factory waste as a carbon source, the growth reached (1.42 nm) as optical density, biomass (1525 mg /L), chlorophyll (green), pigment (18 mg /l) protein content (396 mg /l ) and carbohydrates ( 501 mg / l ). The research showed that the use of sugar factory waste as a nutritional medium for algal growth in the dark (11.5%) achieved good growth of Scendesmues quadricauda ( 0.632 nm), biomass (820 mg / L), green pigment (Chlorophyll) (18 mg /L) protein content (235 mg / L ) and carbohydrates (401 mg/L). while using phosphor (0.018%) of K2HPO4 in dark medium achieved highest growth rate (0.91 nm) , biomass (1110 mg / L) chlorophyll ( 22 mg/L) protein (301mg/L) and carbohydrate (461 mg/L) . It is noted too , that using IAA (0.5 g/L) in dark medium support best growth (0.888 nm) , biomass (1010 mg/L) chlorophyll (25 mg/L) , protein (230mg/L) and carbohydrate (440 mg//L) . The study showed that thiamine (1 g/L) in dark medium achieved highest growth (0.750 nm) biomass (218 mg/L), chlorophyll (29mg/L), protein (220 mg/L), carbohydrate (340mg/L). Therefore, using Molasses can enhance the growth, biomass, chlorophyll, protein, and carbohydrate content in the S. quadricauda.

Stress granules (SGs) are assemblies of selective messenger RNAs (mRNAs), translation factors, and RNA-binding proteins in small untranslated messenger ribonucleoprotein (mRNP) complexes in the cytoplasm. Evidence indicates that different types of cells have shown different mechanisms to respond to stress and the formation of SGs. In the present work, we investigated how human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs/IMR90-1) overcome hyperosmotic stress compared to a cell line that does not harbor pluripotent characteristics (SH-SY5Y cell line). Gradient concentrations of NaCl showed a different pattern of SG formation between hiPSCs/IMR90-1 and the nonpluripotent cell line SH-SY5Y. Other pluripotent stem cell lines (hiPSCs/CRTD5 and hESCs/H9 (human embryonic stem cell line)) as well as nonpluripotent cell lines (BHK-21 and MCF-7) were used to confirm this phenomenon. Moreover, the formation of hyperosmotic SGs in hiPSCs/IMR90-1 was independent of eIF2α phosphorylation and was associated with low apoptosis levels. In addition, a comprehensive proteomics analysis was performed to identify proteins involved in regulating this specific pattern of hyperosmotic SG formation in hiPSCs/IMR90-1. We found possible implications of microtubule organization on the response to hyperosmotic stress in hiPSCs/IMR90-1. We have also unveiled a reduced expression of tubulin that may protect cells against hyperosmolarity stress while inhibiting SG formation without affecting stem cell self-renewal and pluripotency. Our observations may provide a possible cellular mechanism to better understand SG dynamics in pluripotent stem cells.

Filter-feeders play an important role in regulating nutrient availability in coastal systems, with important implications for phytoplankton community composition, primary production, and food web structure. The role of filter-feeding bivalves in the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles is relatively well established, but their impact on coastal silicon (Si) cycling remains poorly understood. To help reduce this uncertainty, we quantified rates of Si recycling and the size of various Si pools at an oyster (Crassostrea virginica) farm. We found that oysters drive rapid recycling of dissolved Si (DSi) to the water column, primarily by altering rates of sediment Si flux. Sediments beneath oyster aquaculture recycled DSi to the water column at more than twice the rate (2476.06 µmol DSi m-2 h-1) of nearby bare sediments (998.75 µmol DSi m-2 h-1). Oysters consume DSi at a low rate (-0.06 µmol DSi ind.-1 h-1), and, while we were unable to determine the fate of that Si, we hypothesize that at least some of it may be stored in the shell and tissue, which are both small Si pools (0.55 and 0.13% Si by mass respectively). Si held in oysters is removed from the system when oysters are harvested, but this removal is small compared to oyster-mediated enhancements in sediment Si recycling. In a broader context, coastal systems with larger oyster populations are likely to have a more rapid Si cycle, with more Si available to primary producers in the water column than those with no oysters.

The current study was aimed to synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) using aqueous extract of olive leaves (OLE), which is very simple and eco-friendly method. ZnONPs were formed by dissolving of OLE in zinc oxide solution with adjusted pH to 12. Zinc acetate dehydrate reduced to ZnONPs during mixing with OLE associated with change of the color solution from white to pale yellow color within a few minutes. The synthesized OLEZnONPs were separated by centrifugation (4000rpm/ 5min) , then characterized by Fourier Transmission Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Field emission-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) methods. The results of FT-IR showed that the functional group related to Zn-O at (433.98 to 416.67 cm_1), whereas X-RD at 2 theta diagnose the type of oxide formation as ZnO and determined particle size in range (20 – 30 nm). Besides, SEM image was showed the presence of hexagonal shape of ZnO nanoparticles (42.87nm). Therefore, the biogenic synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles using Olea Europaea leaves was simple, low coast, can be an alternative to chemical synthesis and the possibility of using in biomedicine field

The synthesis and structural characterisation (Fourier transform infrared, FTIR spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, SEM and energy-dispersive X-ray, EDX) of amino-modified silicates (unloaded L1, and aspirin-loaded, L2) are reported. The optimal conditions for the extraction of aspirin from water by the modified silicate material were determined as a function of the mass of the extracting agent and the pH of the aqueous solution. The optimum mass was found to be 0.08–0.10 g with 99.9% removal of aspirin. Maximum extraction of aspirin by the material was observed at pH 4. The kinetics, the removal capacity of the material, as well as its recycling, were investigated. The results indicate that (i) the process is fast and (ii) the removal capacity for the drug is greater than that of previously reported materials and (iii)the modified silicate can be easily recycled. These data along with the low cost involved in the production of the material led to the conclusion that the modified silicate has the required potential for industrial use. Molecular simulation calculations suggest that one unit of aspirin interacts with one unit of the modified silicate L1 through hydrogen bond formation between the amine functional group of the silicate and the oxygen donor atoms of aspirin. Final conclusions are given.

Environmental contamination caused by various pollutants due to automobile emissions is an alarming issue. One important type of the pollutants are heavy metals, including chromium (Cr) added by the exhaust of toxic smoke of vehicles. These pollutants are added to forage crops cultivated near roadsides, soil and irrigation water. However, rare studies have been conducted to infer Cr accumulation near heavy automobile emission areas. This study was conducted to determine Cr concentration in irrigation water, soil and forage. Water, forage and soil samples were collected from area impacted by heavy traffic. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to appraise Cr values in the collected samples. Chromium values ranged from 0.50 to 1.14 mg/kg in water samples and from 0.04 to 2.23 mg/kg in soil samples. It was highest in Zea mays grown soil, whereas minimum in Brassica campestris soil. The Cr values in forages ranged from 0.09 to 1.06 mg/kg. Z. mays observed the highest Cr accumulation, whereas the lowest Cr accrual was noted for B. campestris. The pollution load index (PLI) was the highest for Trifolium alexandrinum, while the lowest for Z. mays. Bio-concentration factor (BCF) ranged from 0.14 to 8.63. The highest BCF was noted for T. alexandrinum, while the lowest for Z. mays. The highest and the lowest daily intake of metal (DIM) was noted for Z. mays at different sites. Health risk index (HRI) was highest for Z. mays and lowest for B. campestris. The results add valuable information on heavy metal accumulation in water, soil and forage samples near to automobile emission area.

In this paper, a functionally graded polymer nanocomposite (FGPNC) was arranged via mixing the Alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles (50 – 100 nm) with an epoxy matrix through five layers of 1.2 mm thickness for each layer using hand lay–up technique. Different volume fractions were taken (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4) % of the used nanoparticles and were cast in molds made from acrylic for creating the graded composite sheet in the thickness direction. The prepared isotropic specimen was tested by tensile and compressive test. The results showed that the (4% Vf of Al2O3) has the best enhancement of the ultimate tensile strength (85.25% from neat epoxy) and decreased thereafter. Flexural properties of three different types of functionally graded materials (FGMs), including FGM1, FGM2 and FGM3, isotropic nanocomposite (2% Al2O3) and pristine epoxy were obtained. Flexural strength and flexural modulus of the functionally graded polymer nanocomposite for each type of FGMs enhanced by (51.7%) and (67%), respectively for the FGM1 loaded from the neat epoxy side, whereas for the FGM1 loaded from the (4%) side, the improvement in these properties was (17.8%) and (29.4%), correspondingly over those for the neat epoxy. For FGM2, the improvement in the flexural strength was (27%) and (71.8%) for the flexural modulus as compared with pristine epoxy. The enhancement in the flexural strength of FGM3 was (27%) and flexural modulus (57.7%). Design Modeler (ANSYS Workbench) was used to verify the experimental flexural test results. A very good agreement was found between the experimental and numerical results with a maximum error of (3.92%) in the flexural modulus for FGM1 loaded from the composite side.

Organic matter (OM) loading drives benthic metabolism and controls nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and carbon (C) cycling in coastal sediments. To better understand the influence of OM on benthic metabolism, we conducted sediment core incubations in Long Island Sound, NY (USA), an estuary heavily influenced by anthropogenic nutrient loading. Cores were collected during the summer and winter at five stations along a west to east transect representing a gradient of high to low nutrient inputs and subsequent OM deposition. Here we provide a comprehensive analysis of environmental drivers of benthic fluxes as well as the first directly measured rates of sediment denitrification and N-fixation, thus providing a missing piece of the N budget for Long Island Sound. Our findings show greatest sediment oxygen demand (SOD) in the western basin during the summer. Sediments were a source of dissolved inorganic N and P. Compared to historic SOD and ammonium fluxes, our measurements were about 50% lower, potentially reflecting larger scale perturbations (e.g., warming temperatures, decrease wind speed) or reduced N loading through improved management of wastewater treatment facilities. Sediments were a source of nitrous oxide (mean (± standard error): 8.63 ± 3.18 nmol m−2 h−1) and methane (23.80 ± 18.05 nmol m−2 h−1). Net sediment denitrification rates were low (10.34 ± 7.61 µmol N2–N m−2 h−1) and did not vary significantly across stations or seasons. These sediments have a N removal efficiency of ~ 30% with the potential to remove approximately 9% of the total land-based N load entering Long Island Sound.

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) poses a formidable challenge to public health due to its inherent resistance to multiple antibiotics coupled with the ability to transfer genetic determinants to dangerous pathogens like Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of vancomycin resistance in enterococci among clinical isolates at a tertiary care military hospital in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia and to detect van genes using multiplex-PCR. Overall, 246 isolates of enterococci were collected from various clinical specimens. The isolates were identified, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done using the Vitek 2 system. Multiplex PCR was performed on the VRE isolates, thus identified to determine the van genes harbored. A total of 15 VRE were identified, of which 14 (93.3%) were Enterococcus faecium, and 1(6.7%) was Enterococcus casseliflavus with intrinsic vanC resistance. Of the 14 vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, 8 (57.1%) harbored vanB genes, while 6 (42.8%) harbored vanA genes. All the VRE were susceptible to linezolid and tigecycline. Our study detected a low prevalence (6.1%) of VRE among clinical isolates of enterococci and that the vanB gene predominates in such strains. Susceptibility profiles indicated that linezolid and tigecycline are still effective against these multidrug-resistant pathogens. Pus specimens yielded the highest percentage (53.3%) of isolates from which VRE was obtained, and this finding is novel among studies done in Saudi Arabia.

Soil salinity adversely affects the growth, yield, and quality parameters of sugar beet, leading to a reduction in root and sugar yields. Improving the physical and chemical properties of salt-affected soils is essential for sustainable cultivation and sugar beet production. A field experiment was conducted at the Delta Sugar Company Research Farm, El-Hamool, Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt, to evaluate the response of sugar beet to the application of beet sugar filter cake treated with sulfuric and phosphoric acid-treated, phosphogypsum (PG), desaline, humic acid, and molasses under saline soil conditions. The application of treated filter cake enhanced root length, diameter, and leaf area. The application of molasses enhanced root length, diameter, and leaf area as well. Application of molasses increased sugar content and root yield. The application of either treated filter cake or molasses produced the highest recoverable sugar yield. Linear regression analysis revealed that the root yield, quality index, and recoverable sugar yield increased in response to the increased availability of either Ca2+ or K content in the soil which increases in response to the application of soil amendments and molasses. The application of treated beet sugar filter cake and molasses increased the calcium, magnesium, and potassium availability in the soil. Treated filter cake is a promising organic soil amendment that enhanced the yield by 29% and yield-related traits of sugar beet by improving the physical and chemical properties of the soil.

Objectives. Natural folk medicines with antimicrobial effects have been under investigation during the past decades. The aim of this study was to evaluate the teeth whitening and antimicrobial effects of ethanol extract of Persian walnut “Juglans regia” barks. Materials and Methods. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using a broth microdilution assay which was conducted through a 2-fold serial dilution method, and a whitening experiment was done in vitro on extracted teeth, with a pH test being performed on 2-fold dilutions of the ethanol extract. Result. It was found that the MIC for Enterobacter and E. coli and Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas was found to be 5 mg/ml and 2.5 mg/ml, respectively. Both dilutions were found to be acidic, and the extract of Juglans regia bark also demonstrated the ability of teeth whitening. Conclusion. This study supports the use of Juglans regia bark as a natural product in dentistry because of the confirmed antimicrobial ability as well as its whitening effect. Clinical Relevance. Herb extract might be incorporated within commercially available kinds of toothpaste to enhance its whitening and antimicrobial effects.

American foulbrood (AFB) and European foulbrood (EFB) are the two major bacterial diseases affecting honeybees, leading to a decrease in viability of the hive, decreasing honey production, and resulting in significant economic losses to beekeepers. Due to the inefficiency and/or low efficacy of some antibiotics, researches with nanotechnology represent, possibly, new therapeutic strategies. Nanostructure drugs have presented some advantagesover the conventional medicines, such as slow, gradual and controlled release, increased bioavailability, and reduced side-effects. In this study, different infected larvae were collected from two apiaries; the combs that had symptoms of American and European foulbrood were isolated. In vitro antimicrobial activity of camphor tree silver nano-particles against foulbrood diseases were characterized using UV-Vis spectrophotometry and scanning electron microscope (SEM) that proves the formation of silver nanoparticles with size range 160-660 nm. The antimicrobial activity of the silver nanoparticles was tested using agar diffusion assay and proved their ability to effectively cease the pathogenic bacterial growth in both AFB and EFB. DGGE-PCR technique has been applied for the identification of un-common bacterial infections honeybees depending on 16S rRNA amplification from their total extracted DNA and has been identified as Serratia marcescens (TES), deposited in GenBank with a new accession number (MT240613). The results were confirmed strain has been detected by DGGE-PCR analysis causing uniquely infected brood that was attacked by the American Foulbrood It could be concluded that greenly synthesized silver nanoparticles is projected to be used as effective treatment for honeybee bacterial diseases. These material need more investigations under field conditions and study the possibility of its residues in honeybee products such as honey, and beeswax.

In this paper, through the instrument of the well-known Chebyshev polynomials and subordination, we defined a family of functions, consisting of Bazilević functions of type α, involving the Ruscheweyh derivative operator. Also, we investigate coefficient bounds and Fekete-Szegö inequalities for this class.

This work aims preparation of polymer-based biocomposite coating by electrostatic spray method onto 316L stainless steel substrate, the present work will compare the effects of incorporation of Al2O3 and TiO2 particles at a different percentage of (10,15 and 20 % wt. from Al2O3 and TiO2 with (90,85 and 80% wt. PMMA - based electrostatic deposition coating is studied. The structure and chemical composition of composite coatings were studied by using (SEM) & (EDS) and mechanical properties (Microhardness and adhesion strength) of Al2O3-TiO2-PMMA composite coating. The SEM&EDX result showed that the composite coating to be dense with uniform dispersants and continuous with a well homogenous mixture within coating exhibits a much-increased Microhardness and remarkably improved adhesion strength.

The present study evaluated the microbiological, chemical, and organoleptic aspects of irradiated fresh fish and its products to extend their shelf life. Fresh fish and its products were irradiated at three doses (1.5, 3.0, and 4.5 kGy) used for preservation to study the effects of irradiation on their microbiological properties, fatty acid composition, and organoleptic properties. Irradiated fresh bolti fish, smoked herring, and smoked mackerel were evaluated microbiologically, chemically, and organoleptically. Radiation treatment not only reduced the counts of aerobic bacteria, fecal streptococci, molds, and yeasts but also destroyed all the Staphylococcus aureus cells, improving the hygienic quality of the fresh and smoked fish samples. Irradiation increased the peroxide, acid, and thiobarbituric acid values, but they remained within acceptable levels. No new fatty acids or other artifacts due to irradiation were observed. Irradiation of 4.5 kGy greatly reduced the organoleptic quality scores of fresh bolti fish, indicating that the optimum radiation dose for this fish was 3.0 kGy. Smoked herring and mackerel could be irradiated with up to 4.5 kGy without adverse effects on their organoleptic properties.

In the present paper, the analysis has been constructed for thermoelastic homogeneous isotropic nanobeams. A generalized model of the viscothermoelasticity theory of one relaxation time with variable thermal conductivity has been used under simply supported conditions for fixed aspect ratios. Laplace transform has been applied for the governing differential equations. The inverse of the Laplace transform has been calculated by using the Tzou approximation method. The numerical results have been validated for a thermoelastic rectangular nanobeam of silicon nitride as a case when it is subjected to ramp-type heating and simply supported. The numerical results have been shown in figures to stand on the viscothermoelastic parameter's effects and the ramp-type heat parameter. The effect of the variability of thermal conductivity is a very significant consideration. The nanobeam thickness has a significant impact on all the studied state functions.

Generally, chemical fertilizer is considered as a one of the most significant materials for increasing food production. However, the fast release of the conventional fertilizer could effect negatively on the plants. Thus, the idea of using controlled release method in the agriculture application has emerged recently due to the efficiency of fertilizers can be improved by the controlled-release method. The objective of this work is to synthesize a new Slow Release Fertilizer from three different materials; the first one is urea, which is the conventional fertilizer, the second one is the rice husk (RH), which represents the carrier material, and the third one is epoxidized natural rubber (ENR-50), which represents the coating material. This work was divided into three series. The first series is the production of RH/Urea beads. RH was treated with alkaline NaOH at 1wt.% according to the weight of RH. The treated RH was then mixed with urea that produced treated RH/urea beads. In the second series, 200 mg of ENR-50 was applied to produce thicknes of coating material for treated RH/urea beads. In the third series, treated RH/urea beads coated with 200 mg of ENR-50 were subjected to the released behavior at different temperature in the water. After that, the prepared samples were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and UV-visible spectroscopy. Results suggested that the increasing of temperature has increased the rate of urea release of SRF samples in the water. Furthermore, the SRF sample at 35, 45, and 55 °C showed shorter time of release at 40, 34, and 17 day as compared to 47 day of SRF at room temperature.

The current study was conducted to investigate the role of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) against testicular toxicity- induced by lead acetate (PbAc) in rats. Four groups of adult Wistar albino rats (8 for each) were intubated daily for 56 days as follows; control (C)received dislled water; lead acetate at dose of 5mg/kg b.w (T1); ALA at dose of 60mg/kg b.w (T2) and and group T3 received both of PbAc + ALA at the same doses of above. Blood samples were collected at 0, 28 and 56 day of the experiment, then the sera were collected for determination of testosterone(T) and follicular stimulating hormone (FSH). At the end of the experiment, body weight, testes weight and epididymal sperm parameters was studied. Furthermore, histo-morphometric and histopathological study changes were examined. The results revealed a significant decrease in testes weight to body weight ratio, serum testosterone, sperm concentration and motility, diameters of seminiferous tubules, height of seminiferous epithelia and number of Leydig cells, moreover the results showed a significant increase in serum FSH, dead sperm and abnormal sperm morphology in group T1 when compared with the other groups. Comparing to lead acetate treated rats, group T3 showed an improvement at the level of the studied parameters, accompanied with mild congestion in the interstitial tissue with a marked developing proliferation of spermatogenic cells, as well as presence of mature spermatozoa in the seminiferous tubules. In conclusion, subchronic exposure of rats to lead acetate showed an amelioration of all reproductive parameters near to normal values due to the antioxidant effects of ALA and the histological changes of the testes confirmed such change in serum parameters and the beneficial role of ALA.

Introduction:A sensitive analytical method based on functionalized multi walled carbon nanotubes reinforced hollow fiber solid/liquid phase microextraction (F-MWCNTs-HF-SLPME) forwarded with HPLC-DAD for analyzing phenazopyridine from urine is presented.Materials and Methods:The extraction of phenazopyridine is performed using specially designed FMWCNTs- HF-SLPME device constructed as follows: the functionalized multi walled carbon nanotubes (F-MWCNTs) were immobilized into the pores of 2.5 cm hollow fiber micro-tube using capillary forces and ultrasonication, then, the lumen of the micro-tube was filled with 1-octanol with two ends sealed. Subsequently, the device was placed into 10-mL of urine sample containing the analyte with agitation. After ending extraction, the device was removed, rinsed, sonicated in 250 µL of organic solvent and analyzed directly by the separation system.Results and Conclusion:Different parameters affecting the performance of the developed method were optimized. The method showed good linearity with (R2) 0.999 and good repeatability with (RSDs) from 3.7 to 0.9% at analyte concentration ranged from 0.01 to 10 µg L-1 of spiked urine samples. The limit of detection/ quantitation, LODs/LOQs was 0.02/0.09 µg L-1. In comparison with reference methods, the developed method is considered as a promising microextraction technique for determination of trace phenazopyridine in human urine using a common HPLC without further cleanup procedures.

Chelation therapy drug is an established treatment for heavy metal toxicity. Chelation therapy agents that remove toxic metal ions such as Lead, Nickel, Zinc, iron and copper from the body by removing them from intracellular or extracellular spaces. The present study create all the experiment were performed at different temperature (303, 308, 313, 318, 323)°K. The UV-Vis measurements were carried out for the metal-drug complex by Spectrophotometric method. The absorption Spectrum of the mixture of drug and Nickel ion shows a batho chromic (red) shift in λmax, the absorbance change caused by complex arrangement between the Nickel ion and drug. The stoichiometry of the formed complex was investigated by the method of continuous variation and it was found (1: 1), In the present work we investigate the stability constant of therapy drug with Ni(II) ion using water at (298K, 303, 308K, 313, 318)°K, We employed to determine (Ni(II)-ligand) complex stability constant (logK) values. It is observed that Ni (II) ion forms 1: 1 complex. The thermodynamic parameter ΔGo, ΔHo and ΔSo were calculated from values of stability constant at different temperatures. The formations of (Ni(II)-drug) complex were found to be spontaneous and indothermic in nature. Chemical kinetics show, the Complication of drug with Ni ion was found to follow the second order reaction.

Objective Genetic and environmental factors have important roles in the development of periodontitis. We aimed to assess the relation of vitamin D receptor (VDR) ApaI and TaqI polymorphisms and the susceptibility of periodontitis in Saudi population in Makkah region. Materials and Methods In total, 86 unrelated patients with moderate-to-severe periodontitis and 86 controls were enrolled in this study. Evaluation of the periodontal state was performed by using plaque index, bleeding on probing, probing depth, and attachment loss. Extraction of genomic DNA from peripheral blood and genotyping of VDR gene ApaI G/T (rs7975232) and TaqI T/C (rs731236) polymorphisms were performed by utilizing polymerase chain reaction and restriction digestion. Results There were statistically significant differences between both groups regarding the mean bleeding on probing, mean probing depth, mean plaque index, and the mean attachment level (p < 0.001) indicating that the matching based on the investigated groups was adequate. The examined populations were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Analysis of the genotype and allele frequencies of both VDR ApaI and TaqI single nucleotide polymorphisms revealed that they were statistically indifferent between the control group and the periodontitis subjects (p> 0.05). Conclusion These results suggested that VDR ApaI and TaqI polymorphisms might not be related to the susceptibility of periodontal disease in the Saudi subjects in Makkah region.

Micellar catalysis exhibited by mixed surfactant systems and gemini surfactants was reviewed. The review focused on mixed surfactant systems and tried to correlate the changes in the physico-chemical properties of these systems to the variations of their catalytic activities. Mixed surfactant systems are promising as the catalytic efficiency of some single surfactants was significantly enhanced in the presence of other critically selected surfactants. The selection should consider the charge, size, and structures of the head group as well as an appropriate length of hydrocarbon tail. The overall conclusion has arrived the mixed surfactant systems could be a tool by which the reaction rate can be tuned by changing the composition and/or the components’ structures. The higher catalytic activity of gemini surfactants compared to conventional ones, their facile synthesis and liability for structure control made them of superior choice for micellar catalysis.

The world economy depends heavily on crude oil. With a conventional oil recovery process, only one-third of crude oil is extracted. Various technologies have been developed to maximize the recovery of oil resources from natural reservoirs. Polymer technology has been used in many oil fields around the world. The biopolymer pullulan, produced by some Aureobasidium species, has been used in many industrial applications, but no research has been conducted regarding its use in the microbial enhancement of oil recovery (MEOR). Here, we investigate the potential of pullulan produced by newly isolated species Aureobasidium mangrovei SARA-138H for enhancement of oil recovery. Our results indicate that under optimized conditions, that is, sucrose as the carbon source in the medium, a pH of 9, incubation at 25 °C, and 250 rpm agitation, the fungus was able to produce 10 g/L of pullulan. The maximum viscosity achieved under these conditions was 318 cP after 15 days of incubation. Pullulan solution (10 g/L) showed the ability to recover 36.7% of heavy crude oil after 34.2% of secondary oil recovery. However, diluted pullulan in brine at the ratio (1:1) resulted in the recovery of 20.23% of oil from the residual oil in the core after 22.6% of secondary oil recovery. A 20-day injectivity test revealed that pullulan passed smoothly through the core, causing no blockage. It was concluded that pullulan from A. mangrovei SARA-138H was able to increase oil recovery to a degree comparable to that achieved with many polymers used in oil fields around the world. KEY POINTS: • First report of biopolymer "pullulan" from A. mangrovie. • Optimum conditions for pullulan production were obtained. • Pullulan recovered 36.7% of heavy oil from residual oil in place, with good injectivity.

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is a Potential nephrotoxin that causes severe and prolonged chemical toxicity. Investigations have been accomplished on numerous species of genus Artemisia, but the plant Artemisia brevifolia has hardly been used in this respect. The present study was considered to ascertain the effects of “Artemisia brevifolia plant extract” against CCl4 prompted nephrotoxicity in male albino rats. Forty-eight male albino rats were allocated into eight groups containing 6 rats in each. Group I was the control group. Group II was given dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (1 ml/kg) orally. Group III was treated with dissolved CCl4 in olive oil (1 ml/kg). Group IV was given CCl4 + Silymarine. Group V and VI were administered with Artemisia brevifolia extract (150 and 300 mg/kg respectively) + CCl4. Group VII and VIII were provided with only 150 and 300 mg/kg extract of Artemisia brevifolia respectively. Results displayed that CCl4 administration significantly (p

(E)-1-((((1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)methyl)imino)methyl)naphthalen-2-ol, ligand was synthesized by condensation of (1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl) methanamine, with 2-hydroxynaphthaldehyde. The ligand and the metal complexes were characterized by various spectroscopic techniques. Interpretation of spectra confirmed that the ligand adopted either a neutral tridentate or a monobasic tridentate mode, bonded to the metal ions through the nitrogen atom of the heterocyclic benzimidazole, azomethine nitrogen atom and deprotonated phenolic oxygen atom forming either a square planer geometry. X-ray powder diffraction analysis of complexes indicated that the complexes were crystalline in nature with triclinic structures. The antibacterial and the antifungal activities of the ligand and its complexes were examined against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus niger by well- diffusion method. The results showed that Cd (II) complex exhibits the highest antifungal and antibacterial activities among the tested complexes. The in vitro antitumor activityies of the different complexes were tested and the results revealed an important cytotoxicity of cadmium complex against MCF-7, Hep G2 and HCT 116 cell. Iron complex showed also a strong toxicity towards Hep G2 and HCT cell whereas moderate activity against MCF-7. The bioassay study of different complexes against mosquito larvae demonstrated strong activity of zirconium complex with 0.172 values of LC50.

The objective of this study was to compare and assess the quality and study the hydrochemistry of groundwater in the Al-Baha and Al-Qassim areas, representing the Arabian Shield and Arabian Shelf, respectively, of the Arabian Peninsula. The chemical and microbiological constituents of the groundwaters of the two sites were acquired and compared. The Al-Baha analyses indicated that the underground water near urban area is subject to contamination by E. coli and nitrate. However, the dissolved salts and soluble ions were at an acceptable level according to WHO standards. In Al-Qassim, 77% of the studied groundwater samples were inappropriate for drinking because of high salinity; however, 60% had slight to moderate salinity hazard for use in irrigation. At both regions, trace elements were found to be within acceptable limits for irrigation and drinking. Piper, Schoeller, and Durov diagrams showed that the majority of the investigated groundwaters in Al-Baha were calcium–magnesium, chloride–sulfate water type. However, 51% of the studied waters in Al-Qassim were sodium, chloride, sulfate water type. The geology of Al-Baha is comprised of gypsum, anhydride, and dolomite. The geology of Al-Qassim is dominantly comprised of halite. The saturation index indicated that the Al-Baha groundwaters are undersaturated with respect to halite, gypsum, and anhydrite; however, the groundwaters of Al-Qassim are undersaturated with respect to halite. The approach utilized in this investigation could be useful in similar environments worldwide.

A simple, precise and sensitive indirect spectrophotometric method is described for the assay of Paracetamol in its pure form and pharmaceutical formulations in the aqueous medium. The method is based on the oxidation of the Paracetamol with an excess of N-Bromosuccinimide (NBS) in alkaline medium and the residual oxidizing agent bleaches the purple-colored Eriochrom black-T (EBT) to colorless species which is measured at 516 nm at room temperature. Calibration graph is linear over 0.5-9 µg mL-1 and molar absorptivity is 3.7×104 L.mol-1.cm-1. The detection and quantification limits were 0.068 and 0.229 µgmL-1 respectively. The accuracy (Average recovery %) is 98.57, and Precision (RSD) is ≤ 1.5. No interference effect has been observed from the excipients that exist in drug formulations. The method has been applied successfully in the determination of the Paracetamol in its commercial formulations (injection, syrup, and tablet), and compared favorably with other spectrophotometric methods used different reagents. The reaction mechanism for the oxidation of Paracetamol and EBT was postulated.

The current study analyzes the surface, mechanical, biocorrosion, and antibacterial performances of a nanocrystalline TiN ceramic coating synthesized using cathodic arc-physical vapor deposition (PVD) on biomedical Ti6Al4V substrates. The surface hardness and modulus of elasticity were assessed using the microindentation method. The adhesion, friction coefficient, and antibacterial properties of the coating were evaluated. The in vitro corrosion of the prepared coated Ti alloy substrate was analyzed in simulated body fluid (SBF) via cyclic potentiodynamic polarization (CPP), dynamic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (DEIS), and scanning vibrating electrochemical technique (SVET). The results demonstrated that a nanocrystalline TiN coating with a crystallite size of 10.33 nm and a thickness of 5 μm was formed with good adhesion on the alloy surface. The coating had an enhanced surface hardness of 38.63 GPa and a modulus elasticity of 358 GPa, and exhibited enhanced resistance to plastic deformation compared with the substrate – features that can enhance the service life of an implant. The antibacterial experiments indicated an upgraded antibacterial performance of the TiN coating compared to the bare alloy. The in vitro corrosion-resistance analyses confirmed the enhanced surface protective performance of TiN ceramic coatings against biocorrosion in SBF. The results showed higher impedance values in DEIS, a higher passive region in the CPP analysis, and a lower anodic current density in the SVET analysis compared with the bare substrate.

Oyster aquaculture is expanding globally, and there has been a recent research surge examining how oyster farms alter coastal ecosystems. Yet, until now, the role of time in these studies has largely been missing. Here we used an in situ chronosequence approach to determine how the presence of oyster aquaculture (Crassostrea virginica) altered sediment nitrogen (N), oxygen (O2), and phosphorus (P) cycling. Overall we found that the sum of nitrogen fluxes increased significantly following addition of aquaculture, and switched from net N consumption (i.e. net nitrogen fixation: -14.41 µmol N m-2 h-1) to production (i.e. net denitrification: 553.57 µmol N m-2 h-1). Ammonium (NH4+) fluxes did not differ between bare sediment and oyster aquaculture. Additionally, both the magnitude of N2 and NH4+ fluxes oscillated on an annual scale of aquaculture age, but not predictably so. We observed significantly more variance (σ2) in dinitrogen and NH4+ fluxes in sediments beneath aquaculture, indicating increased non-linearity. O2 fluxes increased from Years 4 to 6, before returning to baseline conditions. There were no differences in sediment P cycling. This study demonstrates that sediment biogeochemical processes can become non-linear under the pressure of oyster aquaculture, and this non-linearity likely has important implications for ecosystem function.

Mechanical Engineering Department/ University of Technology- Baghdad. Confinement layer is considered as the most important parameter during the laser shock peening (LSP) treatment. In this paper, its effect on the surface treatment effectivity of composite materials was investigated. The composite used in this research was fabricated using hand lay-up as a manufacturing process. The matrix material was built from unsaturated polyester resin and reinforced with 2.5% volume fraction of micro particles of aluminum powder. Fatigue test was conducted at room temperature with constant amplitude stress and a stress ratio of R =-1, before and after LSP treatment. LSP was applied with and without confinement layer at the same level of energy after the specimens were coated with a black paint. The results manifested that the laser peening without confinement layer increased the endurance limit by about 13.296% compared with the untreated state. Whereas using water as a confinement layer during treatment reduced the endurance strength by about 18.133% compared to the untreated state. Also, it was observed that the difference between confined and unconfined LSP effects on the endurance limit was about 31.429%.

This study involves a development method for spectrophotometric analysis of sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) with vanillin reagent in acidic medium. The reaction mechanism was proposed by Schiff's base reaction of the amine group in SMZ with the carbonyl group in vanillin. The spectrum of SMZ complex showed high absorbance at 399.09 nm following the Beer–Lambert law in the concentration levels ranging from 5 to 80 µg.mL-1 with good sensitivity. The stability constant of the product was determined. The values of relative standard deviation (≤ 6.63) and recovery (> 98.73%) indicated a reasonably precise and accurate method with a good limit of detection and quantification. The present method was compared with other spectrophotometric methods in the literature. The procedure of the method showed to be simple since no need for temperature control and solvent extraction. The suggested method was used to determine of SMZ in commercial pharmaceutical drops and compared with the certified method.

Purpose: Over 60% of patients with melanoma respond to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy, but many subsequently progress on these therapies. Second-line targeted therapy is based on BRAF mutation status, but no available agents are available for NRAS, NF1, CDKN2A, PTEN, and TP53 mutations. Over 70% of melanoma tumors have activation of the MAPK pathway due to BRAF or NRAS mutations, while loss or mutation of CDKN2A occurs in approximately 40% of melanomas, resulting in unregulated MDM2-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of p53. Here, we investigated the therapeutic efficacy of over-riding MDM2-mediated degradation of p53 in melanoma with an MDM2 inhibitor that interrupts MDM2 ubiquitination of p53, treating tumor-bearing mice with the MDM2 inhibitor alone or combined with MAPK-targeted therapy. Experimental Design: To characterize the ability of the MDM2 antagonist, KRT-232, to inhibit tumor growth, we established patient-derived xenografts (PDX) from 15 patients with melanoma. Mice were treated with KRT-232 or a combination with BRAF and/or MEK inhibitors. Tumor growth, gene mutation status, as well as protein and protein–phosphoprotein changes, were analyzed. Results: One-hundred percent of the 15 PDX tumors exhibited significant growth inhibition either in response to KRT-232 alone or in combination with BRAF and/or MEK inhibitors. Only BRAFV600WT tumors responded to KRT-232 treatment alone while BRAFV600E/M PDXs exhibited a synergistic response to the combination of KRT-232 and BRAF/MEK inhibitors. Conclusions: KRT-232 is an effective therapy for the treatment of either BRAFWT or PANWT (BRAFWT, NRASWT) TP53WT melanomas. In combination with BRAF and/or MEK inhibitors, KRT-232 may be an effective treatment strategy for BRAFV600-mutant tumors.

Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are a group of newly-developed drugs that bind and activate endocannabinoid system receptors. Angiogenesis is a biological process in which new blood vessels are formed from preexistent blood vessels. It plays a vital role in tissue growth, wound healing, and embryogenesis. This study aims to investigate the effects of the synthetic cannabinoid XLR-11 on specific cellular functions such as viability and angiogenesis in vitro. Human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) were cultured in DMEM/F12 medium supplemented with an endothelial cell growth kit. The MTT assay was used to investigate the viability of endothelial cells. An endothelial cell migration assay was used to investigate migration ability, while a tube formation assay was used to investigate the angiogenic capacity of the endothelial cells. XLR-11 was found to enhance the viability of HBMECs. Moreover, the migration rate and angiogenic capacity significantly increased in the presence of various concentrations of XLR-11 compared to the control. The current study shows that XLR-11 increases the viability of human brain microvascular endothelial cells and enhances angiogenesis in the brain in vitro, suggesting that XLR-11 could potentially be used as a therapeutic angiogenic drug in human brain injury treatment.

Both methotrexate and vitamin D3 are used in combination for the treatment of various diseases. The aim of this study is to highlight the effect of vitamin D3 on methotrexate-induced jejunum damage using biochemical and histopathological studies. Seven groups of both sexes of rats were selected and treated as follows: (Group I and Group II) : control 1,control 2 (I.P normal saline) daily for 14 and 21 days respectively ; (Group III and Group IV) :vitamin D3 groups (500 IU/rat/day) orally for 14 and 21 days, respectively;(Group V): once daily dose of methotrexate 20mg/kg, I.P injected for 4 days;(Group VI):vitamin D3 (500 IU/rat/day) once daily for 14 days and methotrexate (20 mg/kg I.P) injected only at day 10;.(Group VII) vitamin D3 (500 IU/rat/day) orally for 21 days and methotrexate (20 mg/kg I.P) injected only at day 17; then the jejunum was removed and used for measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) content, total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) level; in addition histopathological study of jejunum tissue. Administration of vitamin D3 for 21 days and a single dose of methotrexate at day 17 resulted in non-significant difference (P>0.05) in MDA; while significant reduction (P

Mitoxantrone is an antitumor agent used in the treatment of breast and prostate cancer, acute leukemia, lymphoma, and also in the treatment of multiple sclerosis due to its immunosuppressive properties. The mitoxantrone's cardiotoxicity is irreversible, dose-dependent, and it may occur years after treatment. Zinc is considered as an essential mineral for cell division and the synthesis of DNA and protein; furthermore, such mineral has an important role in states of cardiovascular diseases; and may have protective effects in coronary artery disease and cardiomyopathy. Objective: The current study is designed to investigate effects of two different doses of zinc sulfate on mitoxantrone-induced cardiotoxicity in rats. Methods: Forty-eight (48) adult rats of both sexes were utilized in this study; the animals were randomly divided into six groups of 8 animals each. Group I: distilled water (negative control). Group II: orally-administered zinc sulfate (15mg/kg/day) Group III: orally-administered zinc sulfate (30mg/kg/day) Group IV: Intraperitoneally injected with a mitoxantrone at a dose (2.5 mg/kg) to reach total cumulative dose of 7.5 mg/kg on day 20. Group V: Orally-administered zinc sulfate at a dose (15mg/kg/day) and an intraperitoneal injection of mitoxantrone at a dose (2.5 mg/kg) was administered to reach total cumulative dose of 7.5 mg/kg on day 20. Group VI: Orally-administered zinc sulfate at a dose (30 mg/kg/day), and an intraperitoneal injection of mitoxantrone at a dose (2.5 mg/kg) to reach total cumulative dose of 7.5 mg/kg on day 20. Forty-eight (48) hr after the end of treatment duration (i.e. at day 22 nd), each animal was euthanized by diethyl ether and ketamine. Then, after cervical dislocation, blood was obtained by intracardiac puncture and then serum was prepared to estimate cardiac troponin I 3 enzyme activity levels; and the heart of each animal was excised for homogenate preparation to estimate of malondialdehyde contents. Results: Oral administration of zinc sulfate [(15mg/kg/day with total cumulative dose (7.5 mg/kg) of mitoxantrone] (Group V) resulted in a non-significant (P>0.05) difference in serum activity level of troponin I 3 enzyme and malondialdehyde contents in cardiac tissue homogenate compared to the corresponding serum enzyme activity level and contents in group of rats intraperitoneally injected with total cumulative dose of 7.5 mg/kg of mitoxantrone (Group IV). In contrast, there were significant reduction (P

A simple and efficient cloud point spectrophotometric method has been used for the determination of salbutamol sulphate and methyldopa both in pure and pharmaceutical preparations. The procedure was based on the ion association formation with eosin Y. The extraction of ion association, drown to Triton X-114 micelles, was measured spectrophotometrically. The phase separation was studied and optimized. Beer's law was rectilinear over the concentration ranges of 0.1-20 and 0.3-10 µg/mL with molar absorptivity 4x104 and 5.7x104 L.mol-1 cm-1 and average recovery 98.21% and 101.27% for the above drugs, respectively. The method was applied successfully for the determination of salbutamol sulphate and methyldopa in pharmaceuticals.

In this study, a novel method to prepare ZnO nanostructures was proposed by irradiation zinc acetate with nanosecond laser in a liquid medium. Nd-YAG laser was used with energy of 180 mJ and 6000 pulses. As well as, the effects of using various liquids such as ethanol, deionized water, and ethylene glycol on the properties of the prepared ZnO were investigated. Structural, morphological, and optical properties were studied for all samples. Specifically, the X-ray diffractometer results revealed the presence of ZnO with hexagonal crystallization. Most importantly, as indicated by micrographs of scanning electron microscopy, the laser irradiation caused the immediate growth of ZnO nanorods in aqueous solution on the contrary of nanospheres which were grown in the other used solutions. Notably, the optical properties of the prepared ZnO showed that the highest absorption was obtained by ZnO nanospheres. Meanwhile, the energy gap was also studied and found to be between 3.5 and 3.59 eV. The incorporation of all these investigations provides a clear vision for growth mechanisms. This mechanism revealed the one-step growth of ZnO nanostructures with interesting properties that prepared by laser irradiation method. The splendid properties of nanorods structures enhance the photocatalytic performance of ZnO rather than spherical structures. The photocatalyst results revealed that the maximum decomposition of 5 ppm MB by the ZnO nanorods was greater than 98% which achieved after 40 min under UV light irradiation with a fixed catalyst concentration of 12 mg / L.

Background The presence of phenolic acids in edible products for human consumption is considered in relation to the production of odorant substances, with a variety of different aromas. Objective Phenolic substances anthocyanidins, anthocyanins, flavanols, flavones and isoflavones, flavones, flavonols, etc. – are extremely interesting as flavor additives, anti-aging or maturing agents, and color and aroma enhancers. Method The connection between flavoring properties on one hand and the presence of phenolic compounds on the other can be discussed in terms of food acceptance by consumers, especially with relation to the “Mediterranean Diet” lifestyle. Results The health perspectives of these and other food products related to Mediterranean Diet should be evaluated in the geographical ambit of the Mediterranean Basin, including several particular food and vegetable preparations – herbs and medicinal plants - of the Middle East. Conclusions The aim of this paper is to give a presentation on these specialties in relation to Jordan. Highlights Medicinal herbs have interesting health properties against digestive problems, parasitic worms, liver diseases, diabetes, skin problems, nervous, cardiocirculatory, and respiratory diseases.

Magnetism is one of the physical methods affecting water properties. It is considered as an environmental factor that plays a role in the physiological and biochemical reactions. A hydroponic experiment was conducted using four types of treated water (distilled water, magnetically treated distilled water, magnetically treated tap water, and tap water). Tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum var. Turkish) were placed in a growth chamber for three weeks. Plants irrigated with magnetically treated distilled water had a significant increase in the physiological parameters including shoot height and root length (P

The Objectives of the present study were undertaken to prepared hydroxyapatite powder from eggshell and seashell and convert them in Nano size. Hydroxyapatite (HA) is a biomaterial with osteoconductive properties and is prepared by the precipitation method. The properties of HA can be enhanced when the material is synthesized in the Nanoscale range to use in the mandibular bone of the rabbit to examine the influence of (HA) on bone healing.The eggshell and seashell were cleaned, and the phosphoric acid was added. The product inserts in the oven then calcined at 700˚C for 1 hour in the muffled furnace to evaporate CO2 and to get the white crystalline powder, which indicated the presence of HA, this powder was converting to nanoparticle by attraction method. The product was applied in the groove of the rabbit's mandibular bone after surgical procedures to show the bone healing in histological examination. The results of IR Spectroscopy for the eggshell and seashell hydroxyapatite powder showed that the two compounds showed the same IR spectrum and the location of bands is approximately the same in the two compounds compared with the commercial hydroxyapatite powder by using FT-IR spectroscopy after dried at 100˚C. Histologically show that eggshell and seashell hydroxyapatite powder accelerated the bone healing in the mandibular bone of the rabbits. It can be concluded that, hydroxyapatite nanoparticles can successfully be produced by chemical precipitation techniques from eggshells and seashells with a phosphoric acid solution. Eggshell and seashell hydroxyapatite powder was used successfully in bone healing