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This study was designed to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) on the ovarian epithelium of female CD1 mice.Twenty-four female mice at 7 months with irregular estrus cycles were randomly divided into four groups of 6 mice each. Group one was considered as a control group and received a daily dose of 0.5ml of propylene glycol, for three weeks, while those in the treatment groups received a daily dose of 14μg/kg, 28μg/kg and 56μg/kg conjugated equine estrogens, respectively.The results from this study showed a strong correlation between elevated concentrations of CEE and histological changes in ovarian surface epithelium (OSE). They also showed that administration of high-dose estrogen created the conditions for excessive proliferation of OSE which may progress into the development of cysts in the ovaries.This study concluded that high concentrations of CEE may increase the chances of developing epithelial ovarian cancer.

Atmospheric aerosols play essential roles in regional energy balance, hydrological cycle, and air quality, thus greatly influencing the global climate and public health. Rapid economic expansion, industrialization, urbanization, and energy demand have significantly enhanced anthropogenic emissions over the Middle East (ME) that received the utmost scientific attention. Therefore, we present the temporal variability of atmospheric aerosols over the ME for a period of 15 years (2005–2019). Here, the long-term measurements from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on Aqua, Cloud Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) onboard Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) and Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) on Aqua are analyzed in order to understand the spatio–temporal variability of aerosols and their impacts on radiation budget over the ME. On average, a significant increase in aerosol optical depth (AOD) trend is observed by ~0.01 per year over ME. The peak aerosol loading was observed in summer (March–September) followed by the winter (October–February). A similar trend was observed in the CALIOP-derived extinct aerosol coefficients over ME. In addition, MODIS retrievals are validated against the AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET)’s ground-based sun photometers. Overall, MODIS AOD showed good agreement against AERONET AOD, with ~70% of the retrievals falling within the expected error and high correlation coefficient (R > 0.8). Furthermore, the associated changes in clear-sky Shortwave (SW) radiative flux indicates the enhanced aerosol loading over ME further increases the surface cooling (~1.2 W m−2 per year) and atmospheric warming (~1.8 W m−2 per year). Overall, the results suggest that enhanced aerosol emissions have significantly impacted the regional energy budget over ME during 2005–2019. The assessment also demonstrates the potential of synergetic use of multi-platform measurements for climate system studies.

Non-thermal plasma, also named cold plasma, finds applications in industrial, environmental and health sectors. Non-thermal plasma is a remarkable catalysing and dissociating agent because the gas occurs at room temperature with energies ranging from 1 to 10 electron volts. Here, we studied the activation of carbon granules from peat soil by a flying jet plasma torch. Samples of peat soil were collected from 50- to 70-cm-deep layer and dried for two nights at 70 °C, then carbonized for 4 h at 800 °C and sieved at 2 mm. The carbon particles were then treated by the jet plasma torch. Surface morphology of the raw and treated granules was monitored by a scan electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and transition electron microscopy (TEM). Results show considerable changes in the surface morphology and chemical composition. Oxygen mass percentage increased, suggesting an increase of carbonyl C=O groups and thus higher polarity and solubility in polar liquids. BET data show an increase in the active surface area from 1069 to 1270 m2/g. TEM images display carbon nanostructures resembling carbon nanotubes. Overall, our findings reveal a cost-effective technique, operated at room temperature, to produce carbon nanoparticles, compared with traditional heating activation processes.

A flying jet plasma torch (FJPT) was applied to treat raw polymers before the end use process. Specimens of the raw polymers (polypropylene, polystyrene, and two grades of polyethylene) were treated for a few minutes. The examined specimens were analyzed by using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results indicated that FJPT effectively stimulated the topographical modifications and changed the chemical composition of the surface, which consequently affected the roughness of the surface. Machinability of the examined high-density polyethylene (HDPE) was investigated through measuring the melt mass flow rate index (MFI). The results showed that MFI increased around 30% after 5 min treatments. Longer treatment periods resulted in reductions of MFI attributed to thermal effects. Measured MFI for treated HDPE slightly decreased for 3 days after treatment. Hence, FJPT proved useful for treating polymer surface homogeneously and tailoring the sur...

Background The development of anti-cancer drugs with the ability to inhibit brain metastasis through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is substantially limited due to the lack of reliable in vitro models. Main methods In this study, the Geltrex™-based Transwell® and microfluidic BBB models were applied to screen the effect of β-boswellic acid (β-BA) on the metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells through the BBB in static and dynamic conditions, respectively. Major results The toxicity assay revealed that β-BA deteriorates MDA-MB-231 cells, while β-BA had no detectable toxic effects on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and astrocytes. Trans-endothelial electrical resistance evaluation showed sustainable barrier integrity upon treatment with β-BA. Vimentin expression in HUVECs, evaluated using western blot, confirmed superior barrier integrity in the presence of β-BA. The obtained results were confirmed using an invasion study with a cell tracker and a scanning electron microscope. β-BA significantly inhibited metastasis by 85%, while cisplatin (Cis), a positive control, inhibited cancer cell migration by 12% under static conditions. Upon applying a dynamic BBB model, it was revealed that β-BA-mediated metastasis inhibition was significantly higher than that mediated by Cis. Conclusions and implications In summary, the current study proved the anti-metastatic potential of β-BA in both static and dynamic BBB models. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.