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We examine the interactions between polyelectrolytes (PEs) and uncharged substrates under conditions corresponding to a dielectric discontinuity between the aqueous solution and the substrate. To this end, we vary the relevant system characteristics, in particular the substrate dielectric constant ɛs under different salt conditions. We employ coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations with rodlike PEs in salt solutions with explicit ions and implicit water solvent with dielectric constant ɛw = 80. As expected, at low salt concentrations, PEs are repelled from the substrates with ɛs < ɛw but are attracted to substrates with a high dielectric constant due to image charges. This attraction considerably weakens for high salt and multivalent counterions due to enhanced screening. Furthermore, for monovalent salt, screening enhances adsorption for weakly charged PEs, but weakens it for strongly charged ones. Meanwhile, multivalent counterions have little effect on weakly charged PEs, but prevent adsorption of highly charged PEs, even at low salt concentrations. We also find that correlation-induced charge inversion of a PE is enhanced close to the low dielectric constant substrates, but suppressed when the dielectric constant is high. To explore the possibility of a PE monolayer formation, we examine the interaction of a pair of like-charged PEs aligned parallel to a high dielectric constant substrate with ɛs = 8000. Our main conclusion is that monolayer formation is possible only for weakly charged PEs at high salt concentrations of both monovalent and multivalent counterions. Finally, we also consider the energetics of a PE approaching the substrate perpendicular to it, in analogy to polymer translocation. Our results highlight the complex interplay between electrostatic and steric interactions and contribute to a deeper understanding of PE–substrate interactions and adsorption at substrate interfaces with varying dielectric discontinuities from solution, ubiquitous in biointerfaces, PE coating applications, and designing adsorption setups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A non-polarizable force field for lithium (Li+) and bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (TFSI−) ions solvated in diglyme at around 0.2 mol fraction salt concentration was developed based on ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations and a modified polymer consistent force field model. A force–torque matching based scheme, in conjunction with a genetic algorithm, was used to determine the Lennard-Jones (LJ) parameters of the ion–ion and ion–solvent interactions. This force field includes a partial charge scaling factor and a scaling factor for the 1–4 interactions. The resulting force field successfully reproduces the radial distribution function of the AIMD simulations and shows better agreement compared to the unmodified force field. The new force field was then used to simulate salt solutions with glymes of increasing chain lengths and different salt concentrations. The comparison of the MD simulations, using the new force field, with experimental data at different salt concentrations and AIMD simulations on equimolar concentrations of the triglyme system demonstrates the transferability of the force field parameters to longer glymes and higher salt concentrations. Furthermore, the force field appears to reproduce the features of the experimental x-ray structure factors, suggesting accuracy beyond the first solvation shell, for equimolar salt solutions using both triglyme and tetraglyme as the solvent. Overall, the new force field was found to accurately reproduce the molecular descriptions of LiTFSI-glyme systems not only at various salt concentrations but also with glymes of different chain lengths. Thus, the new force field provides a useful and accurate tool to perform in silico studies of this family of systems at the atomistic level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diffusion of cations in organic solvent solutions is important for the performance of metal-ion batteries. In this article, pulsed field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance experiments and fully atomistic molecular dynamic simulations were employed to study the temperature-dependent diffusive behavior of various liquid electrolytes representing 1M propylene carbonate solutions of metal salts with bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (TFSI−) or hexafluorophosphate (PF6−) anions commonly used in lithium-ion batteries and beyond. The experimental studies revealed the temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficients for the propylene carbonate (PC) solvent and for the anions following an Arrhenius type of behavior. It was observed that the PC molecules are the faster species. For the monovalent cations (Li+, Na+, K+), the PC solvent diffusion was enhanced as the cation size increased, while for the divalent cations (Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+), the opposite trend was observed, i.e., the diffusion coefficients decreased as the cation size increased. The anion diffusion in LiTFSI and NaTFSI solutions was found to be similar, while in electrolytes with divalent cations, a decrease in anion diffusion with increasing cation size was observed. It was shown that non-polarizable charge-scaled force fields could correspond perfectly to the experimental values of the anion and PC solvent diffusion coefficients in salt solutions of both monovalent (Li+, Na+, K+) and divalent (Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+) cations at a range of operational temperatures. Finally, after calculating the radial distribution functions between cations, anions, and solvent molecules, the increase in the PC diffusion coefficient established with the increase in cation size for monovalent cations was clearly explained by the large hydration shell of small Li+ cations, due to their strong interaction with the PC solvent. In solutions with larger monovalent cations, such as Na+, and with a smaller solvation shell of PC, the PC diffusion is faster due to more liberated solvent molecules. In the salt solutions with divalent cations, both the anion and the PC diffusion coefficients decreased as the cation size increased due to an enhanced cation–anion coordination, which was accompanied by an increase in the amount of PC in the cation solvation shell due to the presence of anions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional or other thin materials have high potential for use in next-generation electronic and optoelectronic devices. Recently, tellurium has gained much interest due to its broad applicability prospects. In this work, the physical properties of thin tellurium layers fabricated using two relatively simple and inexpensive technologies based on the deposition from a chemical solution and by thermal evaporation were compared. The morphology of the grown surfaces was analyzed using atomic force microscopy. The chemically deposited tellurium surface consists of nanometer-sized flakes, while polycrystalline layers are formed in the case of deposition by thermal evaporation. Additionally, the characteristics of the fabricated samples varied depending on their thickness, as observed in both Raman spectroscopy and THz spectroscopy measurements. Furthermore, the non-contact optical pump THz probe technique revealed that the layers had different carrier lifetimes and mobilities. The carrier lifetime of samples deposited by thermal evaporation is short, less than 40 ps, with mobility up to a few hundred cm2/V s. In contrast, chemically deposited samples have a longer carrier lifetime, ranging more than 500 ps, and superior mobility up to 1000 cm2/V s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermophoresis, or thermodiffusion, is becoming a more popular method for investigating the interactions between proteins and ligands due to its high sensitivity to the interactions between solutes and water. Despite its growing use, the intricate mechanisms behind thermodiffusion remain unclear. This gap in knowledge stems from the complexities of thermodiffusion in solvents that have specific interactions as well as the intricate nature of systems that include many components with both non-ionic and ionic groups. To deepen our understanding, we reduce complexity by conducting systematic studies on aqueous salt solutions. In this work, we focused on how guanidinium salt solutions behave in a temperature gradient, using thermal diffusion forced Rayleigh scattering experiments at temperatures ranging from 15 to 35 °C. We looked at the thermodiffusive behavior of four guanidinium salts (thiocyanate, iodide, chloride, and carbonate) in solutions with concentrations ranging from 1 to 3 mol/kg. The guanidinium cation is disk-shaped and is characterized by flat hydrophobic surfaces and three amine groups, which enable directional hydrogen bonding along the edges. We compare our results to the behavior of salts with spherical cations, such as sodium, potassium, and lithium. Our discussions are framed around how different salts are solvated, specifically in the context of the Hofmeister series, which ranks ions based on their effects on the solvation of proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss key parameters that affect the reliability of hybrid simulations in the aqueous phase based on an efficient multi-scale coarse-grained polarizable pseudo-particle approach, denoted as pppl, to model the solvent water, whereas solutes are modeled using an all atom polarizable force field. Among those parameters, the extension of the solvent domain (SD) at the solute vicinity (domain in which each solvent particle corresponds to a single water molecule) and the magnitude of solute/solvent short range polarization damping effects are shown to be pivotal to model NaCl salty aqueous solutions and the hydration of charged systems, such as the hydrophobic polyelectrolyte polymer that we have recently investigated [Masella et al., J. Chem. Phys. 155, 114903 (2021)]. Strong short range damping is pivotal to simulate aqueous salt NaCl solutions at moderate concentration (up to 1.0M). The SD extension (as well as short range damping) has a weak effect on the polymer conformation; however, it plays a pivotal role in computing accurate polymer/solvent interaction energies. As the pppl approach is up to two orders of magnitude computationally more efficient than all atom polarizable force field methods, our results show it to be an efficient alternative route to investigate the equilibrium properties of complex charged molecular systems in extended chemical environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To analyze the effect of disinfectants on the roughness and mechanical properties of CAD/CAM polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) dentures. Materials and Methods: Two groups of denture base resins were tested--heat-polymerized and milled blocks. For each resin, 120 specimens were produced for flexural strength (FS) and flexural modulus (FM) analyses (total: 240 specimens), and 40 were produced for microhardness and surface roughness evaluations (total: 80 specimens). They were categorized into the following groups based on immersion: control (deionized water); H1 (1% sodium hypochlorite); H05 (0.5% sodium hypochlorite); and C2 (2% chlorhexidine) groups. The immersion periods were 0 (T0), 130 (T1), and 260 (T2) cycles. Statistical analyses were performed for flexural properties using threeway ANOVA. Microhardness (KHN) and surface roughness (Ra) were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. A significance level of 5% was set. Results: CAD/CAM PMMA showed higher FS (P = .001) and FM (P < .001) than conventional PMMA. The KHN value was superior to the conventional PMMA (P < .001). The chemical solution affected the surface roughness of both resins (P = .007). The CAD/CAM PMMA block showed increased Ra values when H1 was used. Cycling separately increased the FS of conventional PMMA (T1 vs baseline; P < .05). However, the FM of CAD/CAM PMMA was higher (T1 and T2 vs baseline; P < .05). The time factor increased the microhardness of both resins (T2 vs baseline; P < .05). Conclusions: The CAD/CAM resin showed higher values compared to conventional PMMA in all tests, regardless of the chemical solution used; however, the values obtained for both resins were clinically acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water ubiquitously exists with dissolved salt in both natural and engineered porous media, such as soil, rock, concrete, and tissue; therefore, its freezing temperature depression behavior is of particular interest to various scientific communities tackling with mechanics and physics of porous media. To date, it remains elusive which physical mechanism accounts for its freezing temperature depression and how dissolved ions affect it. Herein, a series of pore-scale experiments were designated to investigate the freezing temperature of salt solutions in tubes with varying pore diameters, pore solution volumes, solid–liquid interfacial areas, ion concentrations, and ion types. The results reveal two main findings: (i) the freezing temperature depression of pore solutions is governed by the heterogeneous ice nucleation (HIN) at the water–solid interface, as evidenced by the observation that the freezing temperature decreases with the decreasing solid–liquid interfacial areas, regardless of pore diameter and pore solution volume; (ii) the dissolved salts alter HIN processes via changing the osmotic potential across the ice embryo–liquid water interface, as indicated by the observation that the freezing temperature is mainly determined by the salt concentration irrespective of salt types. Furthermore, the classical nucleation theory model is adapted for the freezing behavior of pore solutions by including an osmotic potential term. The model shows excellent performance in capturing experimental data with various pore solution concentrations, further substantiating the HIN as the physical mechanism governing pore solution freezing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrostatic double layer force is key to determining the stability and self-assembly of charged colloids and many other soft matter systems. Fully understanding the attractive force between two like-charged surfaces remains a great challenge. Here, we apply the modified Gaussian renormalized fluctuation theory to study ion correlation-driven like-charge attraction in multivalent salt solutions. The effects of spatially varying ion correlations on the structure of overlapping double layers and their free energy are self-consistently accounted for. In the presence of multivalent salts, increasing surface charge or counterion valency leads to a short-range attraction. We demonstrate that although both overcharging and like-charge attraction are outcomes of ion correlation, there is no causal relationship between them. Our theory also captures the non-monotonic dependence of like-charge attraction on multivalent salt concentration. The reduction of attraction at high salt concentrations could be a contributing factor toward the reentrant stability of charged colloidal suspensions. Our theoretical predictions are consistent with the observations reported in experiments and simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, the multisolute osmotic virial equation with the combining rules of Elliott et al. has been shown to make accurate predictions for multisolute solutions with only single-solute osmotic virial coefficients as inputs. The original combining rules take the form of an arithmetic average for the second-order mixed coefficients and a geometric average for the third-order mixed coefficients. Recently, we derived generalized combining rules from a first principles solution theory, where all mixed coefficients could be expressed as arithmetic averages of suitable binary coefficients. In this work, we empirically extended the new model to account for electrolyte effects, including solute dissociation, and demonstrated its usefulness for calculating the properties of multielectrolyte solutions. First, the osmotic virial coefficients of 31 common salts in water were tabulated based on the available freezing point depression (FPD) data. This was achieved by polynomial fitting, where the degree of the polynomial was determined using a special criterion that accounts for the confidence intervals of the coefficients. Then, the multisolute model was used to predict the FPD of 11 ternary electrolyte solutions. Furthermore, models with the new combining rules and the original combining rules of Elliott et al. were compared using both mole fraction and molality as concentration units. We find that the mole-fraction-based model with the new combining rules performs the best and that the results agree well with independent experimental measurements with an all-system root-mean-square error of 0.24 osmoles/kg (0.45 °C) and close to zero mean bias for the entire dataset (371 data points). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an exploration of a specific type of a generalized multicomponent solution model, which appears to be first given by Saulov in the current explicit form. The assumptions of the underlying theory and a brief derivation of the main equation have been provided preliminarily for completeness and notational consistency. The resulting formulae for the Gibbs free energy of mixing and the chemical potentials are multivariate polynomials with physically meaningful coefficients and the mole fractions of the components as variables. With one additional assumption about the relative magnitudes of the solvent–solute and solute–solute interaction exchange energies, combining rules were obtained that express the mixed coefficients of the polynomial in terms of its pure coefficients. This was done by exploiting the mathematical structure of the asymmetric form of the solvent chemical potential equation. The combining rules allow one to calculate the thermodynamic properties of the solvent with multiple solutes from binary mixture data only (i.e., each solute with the solvent), and hence, are of practical importance. Furthermore, a connection was established between the osmotic virial coefficients derived in this work and the original osmotic virial coefficients of Hill found by employing a different procedure, illustrating the equivalency of what appears to be two different theories. A validation of the combining rules derived here has been provided in a separate paper where they were successfully used to predict the freezing points of ternary salt solutions of water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) can be described as an alternative to traditional liquid-liquid extraction systems, typically consisting of a polymer and a salt solution. An alternative polymer called polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) has emerged as a viable option for ATPS due to its low cost, stability, and potential. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the molecular weight of poly (vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) (K17, K25, and K30) and the temperature (298.15, 303.15, and 308.15 K) in the system ATPSs composed of PVPs and sodium sulfate/potassium sulfate/tri sodium citrate. The tie-line data were determined by measuring the density (ρ) and refractive index (nD). Moreover, the phase compositions and plait point are investigated for different PVPs molecular weight, temperature, and salt type. In addition, the effect of these parameters on the binodal curve, tie-line length (TLL), and slope of tie line (STL) are analyzed in detail by comparing them with the literature data. The impact of the parameters on the binodal curves was investigated by utilizing the values of the effective excluded volume parameter (EEV) that were calculated from the LLE data. Furthermore, the binodal curves and the tie-line compositions were well-fitted by using some semi-empirical equations. The phase separation ability is enhanced with temperature and PVPs molecular weight. The modified UNIFAC-NRF is used to correlate the liquid-liquid equilibrium data of the studied systems and the optimized binary group interaction parameters were determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The Bi/Bi 2 O 3 nanoscale particles embedded in N -doped carbon sheets was fabricated. • Two-phase of Bi/Bi2O3 give an alloying/transformation dual-channel mechanism. • The Bi/Bi 2 O 3 @CN-700 anode exhibits visible potassium storage performance. Bismuth-based materials have attracted interest in potassium-ion batteries (PIBs). However, the large volume expansion prevents further use of bismuth-based materials for potassium storage. This work employs a two-step synthesis method to innovatively synthesize of Bi/Bi 2 O 3 nanoparticles assembled on N -doped porous carbon sheets (Bi/Bi 2 O 3 @CN). The layered structures with uniformly shaped and N -doped porous carbon skeleton buffer the expansion of Bi and the Bi/Bi 2 O 3 particles increase the capacity of potassium storage. In brief, the Bi/Bi 2 O 3 @CN served as anode in half-cell of PIBs have a good rate capacity of more than 234.7 mAh/g at 20 A/g. The specific capacity retention was 73 % compared with 322.16 mAh/g at 1 A/g, demonstrating good holding capacity for diverse current densities. The cycle also displays 163 mAh/g after 1500 cycles at 2 A/g in the KPF 6 metal salt solution, showing its potential as one of the anode materials in PIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bladder cancer (BCa) poses a significant health challenge, particularly affecting men with higher incidence and mortality rates. Addressing the need for improved predictive models in BCa treatment, this study introduces an innovative 3D in vitro patient-derived bladder cancer tumor model, utilizing decellularized pig bladders as scaffolds. Traditional 2D cell cultures, insufficient in replicating tumor microenvironments, have driven the development of sophisticated 3D models. The study successfully achieved pig bladder decellularization through multiple cycles of immersion in salt solutions, resulting in notable macroscopic and histological changes. This process confirmed the removal of cellular components while preserving the native extracellular matrix (ECM). Quantitative analysis demonstrated the efficacy of decellularization, with a remarkable reduction in DNA concentration, signifying the removal of over 95% of cellular material. In the development of the in vitro bladder cancer model, muscle invasive bladder cancer patients' cells were cultured within decellularized pig bladders, yielding a three-dimensional cancer model. Optimal results were attained using an air–liquid interface technique, with cells injected directly into the scaffold at three distinct time points. Histological evaluations showcased characteristics resembling in vivo tumors derived from bladder cancer patients' cells. To demonstrate the 3D cancer model's effectiveness as a drug screening platform, the study treated it with Cisplatin (Cis), Gemcitabine (Gem), and a combination of both drugs. Comprehensive cell viability assays and histological analyses illustrated changes in cell survival and proliferation. The model exhibited promising correlations with clinical outcomes, boasting an 83.3% reliability rate in predicting treatment responses. Comparison with traditional 2D cultures and spheroids underscored the 3D model's superiority in reliability, with an 83.3% predictive capacity compared to 50% for spheroids and 33.3% for 2D culture. Acknowledging limitations, such as the absence of immune and stromal components, the study suggests avenues for future improvements. In conclusion, this innovative 3D bladder cancer model, combining decellularization and patient-derived cells, marks a significant advancement in preclinical drug testing. Its potential for predicting treatment outcomes and capturing patient-specific responses opens new avenues for personalized medicine in bladder cancer therapeutics. Future refinements and validations with larger patient cohorts hold promise for revolutionizing BCa research and treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium‐based batteries have garnered significant attention due to their high energy density, excellent intrinsic safety, and low cost. However, the application process has been hindered by the high Mg2+ ions diffusion barrier in solid‐state structures and solid‐liquid interphase. To address this issue, a hybrid battery technology based on Mg anode and Fe‐based Prussian Blue Analogue cathode doped with functional transition metal ions and N═O bonds is proposed. Combined multiscale experimental characterizations with theoretical calculations, the subtle lattice distortion can create an asymmetric diffusion path for the active ions, which enables reversible extraction with significantly reduced diffusion barriers achieved by synergistic doping. The optimized cathode exhibits a working potential of 2.3 V and an initial discharge capacity of 152 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1. With the preferred electrolyte combined with equivalent concentration [Mg2(µ‐Cl)2(DME)4][AlCl4]2 and NaTFSI salt solution, the hybrid system demonstrates superior cycling performance over 200 cycles at a high current density of 200 mA g−1, maintaining ≈100% coulombic efficiency with superior ion dynamic. The findings are expected to be marked an important step in the further application of high‐voltage cathodes for Mg‐based hybrid batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural zeolite is commonly used as an adsorbent for road dust suppression due to its excellent moisture absorption properties. However, during the formation process, natural zeolite tends to accumulate some zeolite water, organic impurities, and metal cations that occupy the pore channels and cavities, thereby blocking the passage of water molecules and hindering their adsorption. This study aims to improve the weak moisture absorption rate and capacity of dust suppression asphalt mixtures caused by clogged pores and impurities in natural zeolite. To achieve this different concentrations of salt solutions (NH4Cl, NaCl, MgCl2, and CaCl2) are used as modifiers for the treatment of natural zeolite. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy are used to study the interface and functional group changes between the modified zeolite substrate and asphalt mixture. The nitrogen adsorption/desorption curves of asphalt mixtures with different dosages were obtained using a nitrogen adsorption instrument. Based on this, parameters such as the specific surface area and adsorption pore volume of natural zeolite and modified zeolite asphalt mixtures were calculated using the BET and BJH methods. A macroscopic dust suppression test was further conducted to evaluate the dust suppression effect of the modified zeolite asphalt mixture on PM10. The results show that the moisture absorption rate and capacity of the modified zeolite are significantly improved. 20wt.%CaCl2 modification performs the best, and the moisture absorption capacity of the modified zeolite can reach up 10 times that of natural zeolite. Compared to the natural zeolite asphalt mixture, the specific surface area of the modified zeolite asphalt mixture is increased by 16.52%, and the adsorption pore volume is increased by 44.9%. The addition of modified zeolite powder significantly improves the dust suppression performance of the asphalt mixture. When the dosage of modified zeolite powder reaches 80%, the dust suppression effect reaches its peak, with an improvement of 16.34%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, nanostructured and transparent cellulose aerogels are synthesized via a purely salt induced approach from non‐modified microcrystalline cellulose type II. The production process requires in contrast to state of the art methods no pretreatment of cellulose or use of expensive cellulose‐solvents: it consists of hydrogel formation via cross‐linking of cellulose with calcium ions, a solvent exchange and a supercritical drying step. A systematic multiparameter study reveals that a high level of structural control is achievable: ratios of macro‐ to mesoporosity and the size of mesopores can be tailored by adjustment of the calcium ion content, while keeping a high overall porosity in the range of 92% – 96 %. The build‐up of homogeneous, fine pore structures results in a significant increase of the specific surface area as compared to conventional calcium‐free aerogels (684 vs. 300 m2 g−1). Remarkably, the Ca2+‐cross‐linking renders aerogels transparent, with Rayleigh scattering being the dominant scattering mechanism. Additional ion exchange to Ca2+ in the hydrogel‐state leads to further reduction of the pore size and to products with optimized optical properties, e.g., light transmission of 91% at an incidents light wavelength of 800 nm and a substrate thickness of 1.5 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, studies showed that hydrogels can be produced through synthetic route to overcome the limitations in obtaining natural-based hydrogels. Biomass resources offer potential alternatives as renewable feedstocks due to their outstanding biodegradability and biocompatibility. Oil palm mesocarp fiber (MF) is the biomass residue obtained after the pressing of palm fruits during palm oil extraction. There is approximately 11 % MF generated from palm fruits after oil extraction. However, the applications of MF are limited. This study aimed to investigate the development of hydrogels from holocellulose MF instead of commonly used cellulose which involving several pretreatment steps, through acid cross-linkers. Holocellulose MF was selected as polymer for chemical cross-linking with two inexpensive and nontoxic hydrophilic organic acids, citric acid and acetic acid for hydrogel production. Comparison study was carried out to evaluate the physicochemical properties, and degree of swelling, as well as gel content in different media for both acids in the production of hydrogel from holocellulose MF. Results indicated that the optimum concentrations of citric acid and acetic acid for gel content and degree of swelling were 5 M and 2 M, respectively. Both optimized hydrogels exhibited comparable profiles in terms of morphology, thermal stability and functional groups, in addition to showing similar degree of swelling profile in different media, i.e., salt solution, acidic, neutral to alkaline, implying their distinctive characteristics. In summary, holocellulose MF is suitable for the production of hydrogel with citric acid and acetic acid as crosslinkers for different desired applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landfill cover systems should exhibit low gas permeability to minimize the overflow of greenhouse gases and subsequent air pollution. Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP), a biocementation technique, has been applied for subsurface soil stabilization by improving the shear strength of the soil. However, the impact of MICP on the gas permeability of unsaturated soils remains unknown. Considering the role of biocementation in the modification of soil interpores, this study investigated the feasibility of using the MICP technique to reduce the gas permeability of granite residual soils in response to unsaturated conditions. The biocemented soil samples were prepared by mixing soils with MICP chemical solutions at different chemical concentrations. Water retention tests and measurements of gas permeability were performed, in which suction, volumetric water content and gas permeability were continuously monitored. Additionally, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses were performed to investigate the formation of CaCO3 precipitates; scanning electron microscopy was used to study the impact of MICP on the soil interpore structure, and the acid washing method was used to determine the CaCO3 content. The results showed that soils treated with higher concentrations of MICP chemical solutions had higher air entry pressures and residual water contents. This indicates the improvement of water retention due to the presence of MICP, which increases the microstructural porosity and enhances the capillarity, as observed via microscopy. Furthermore, the results revealed that biocementation significantly reduced the gas permeability of the soil and that the change in the maximum gas permeability strongly correlated with the MICP chemical solution concentration and the CaCO3 content. This study highlights the role of MICP in soil–water–air interface studies and the potential application of this biocementation technique to minimizing gas emission issues in landfill cover systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cuban coastal line is reported to be one of the most aggressive in the world. Three ways to estimate corrosivity category of the atmosphere were considered. The influence of meteorological parameters on chloride deposition rate (Sd) $({S}_{d})$ in saline solution form was considered as a first way. Corrosion rate (rcorr) $({r}_{\text{corr}})$ calculated by dose response function is considered a second way. It was confirmed that atmospheric corrosion of AISI‐1020 carbon steel is influenced by Sd ${S}_{d}$ and Pd ${P}_{d}$ in salt solution form. A critical Sd ${S}_{d}$ level from which rcorr ${r}_{\text{corr}}$ could increase was estimated. The presence of typical crystalline phases of carbon steel confirmed that formation mechanism led to cracking of the corrosion products layer. It justified the increase of rcorr as a function of time until reaching a very high (C5) corrosivity category as the third assessment way. rcorr ${r}_{\text{corr}}$ was predicted up to 20 years of exposure. A correspondence between the three assessment ways existed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Impella microaxial ventricular assist devices require a dextrose-based purge solution in combination with heparin or sodium bicarbonate to prevent device dysfunction and stoppage, but the dextrose in these solutions can interfere with positron emission tomography (PET) scans, necessitating an alternative approach. Summary We describe the short-term use in 2 cases of an alternative purge solution for patients with an Impella 5.5 ventricular assist device undergoing PET scans to rule out infection and malignancy. Sodium chloride solutions cannot be used with Impella ventricular assist devices even for short periods of time due to the potential for motor corrosion. We therefore selected a sterile water–based sodium bicarbonate purge solution, incorporating a short dextrose-free period before and during the PET scan. Imaging was successfully performed with this alternative solution, with monitoring of Impella performance levels and purge parameters throughout the procedure indicating no adverse effects on pump function. Conclusion Our sterile water–based bicarbonate purge solution coupled with a short-term restriction of dextrose is a practical option for PET imaging in patients with an Impella ventricular assist device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water stability of asphalt pavements has been a focus of attention in coastal municipal areas. This work thoroughly examined the adhesion and stripping properties of the asphalt–aggregate system under salt solution freeze–thaw cycle conditions. The investigation was conducted utilizing the differential capillary rise test, surface free energy (SFE) theory, and modified water boiling test. The experimental findings suggest that the surface tension of asphalt increases in a linear manner as the temperature exceeds 100°C. The asphalt surface layer experiences irreversible fatigue degradation after completing five freeze–thaw cycles, resulting in a complete breakdown of adhesion capabilities. During the third freeze–thaw cycle, the proportion of asphalt binder that was stripped off the slide rose by 83% due to the NaCl solubility surpassing 21%. Upon reaching seven freeze–thaw cycles, the asphalt's stripping area ratio on the slide increased by approximately 50%. The correlation study indicates that the adhesion of asphalt to the surface of the slide cannot be explained by the work of adhesion. These findings offer valuable insights for future research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to prepare alkyd–melamine–ketone combinations from short‐oil alkyd resins synthesized using coconut oil fatty acid and waste poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) intermediate (bis(2‐hydroxyethyl) terephthalate, BHET) for coating applications with a green technology approach. For this aim, waste PET flakes obtained from post‐consumer water bottles were depolymerized by the glycolysis reaction. Purified depolymerization intermediate (BHET) was incorporated into the formulation of the four‐component alkyd resin, completely instead of the diol. For comparison, reference alkyds without waste PET were also synthesized. Then, ketone modifications of alkyd resins were carried out using cyclohexanone formaldehyde (CHF) resin by blending method. For this, firstly, melamine formaldehyde (MF) resin was added to the alkyd resin at a ratio of 40% by weight to obtain alkyd–melamine formaldehyde (Alkyd–MF) resin. Then, ketone‐modified blends were prepared at ratios of Alkyd–MF/CHF of 80/20, 70/30, 60/40, and 50/50 by weight. The effect of using ketone (CHF) resin at different ratios and the presence of BHET on the coating properties and thermal behaviors of alkyd–ketone blend films were investigated. At the end of the study, high‐gloss (151–154 GU) and medium‐hard (71–120 König second) films exhibiting excellent adhesion (100%) were obtained from alkyd–ketone blends. In both the reference and PET‐based blend series, adding CHF resin to the alkyd–amino (Alkyd–MF) resin improved all physical coating properties. Moreover, with increasing CHF resin ratios, hardness, gloss, and abrasion properties increased in both series. Although acceptable and usable results have been obtained in all ratios of CHF resin (20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%), the optimum CHF resin ratio for each physical coating properties has changed depending on the desired properties and expectations. These blend films resisted corrosive chemicals such as concentrated alkali, acid, and salt solutions for 72 h without damage, and at the end of the 18 h not affected by water. Acetone, toluene, methanol, and ethyl acetate did not affect these films in any way. All films performed excellently in repeated environmental resistance testing over 10 cycles, simulating changing climate conditions. In the chemical coating tests, superior results were obtained with all CHF resin ratios. The thermal resistance of Alkyd–MF/CHF blend films was found to be quite high. The incorporation of CHF resin into the alkyd–amino (Alkyd–MF) resin improved thermal resistance, and as the amount of CHF resin increased the thermal stability increased in both blend series. Moreover, the thermal resistance of PET‐based blend films was higher than their counterparts in reference blends due to the use of long‐chain BHET having an aromatic unit. Highlights: Alkyd–MF/CHF blends using alkyds with and without PET were prepared.Good physical/excellent chemical coating properties/high thermal resistance.Incorporation of CHF into Alkyd–MF improved coating/thermal properties.CHF significantly improved the individual alkali resistances of the alkyd.As CHF increased, physical coating properties/thermal resistance increased.The thermal stabilities of the PET‐based blend were even higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanotechnology is a field of science that deals with manipulating matter at the atomic and molecular level, on a scale of one billionth of a meter. This review paper highlights using a microwave-assisted green approach to synthesize metallic nanostructures in a smaller, finer and cost-effective manner using metallic salt and plant-based extract solutions. The metallic salt solution acts as a reaction precursor, while the plant-based extract is a capping, reducing and stabilizing agent. This process can synthesize various metallic nanostructures and metal oxide nanocomposites, including silver, nickel, copper, sulphur, iron, etc. Synthetic nanostructures have numerous applications due to their small size and large surface area-to-volume ratio. They act as catalysts, anticancer, antibacterial, electro-catalytic, phytochemical, physiochemical and antimicrobial agents. These synthesized nanostructures are characterized using various microscopic instruments such as SEM, TEM, UV-Vis, XRD, FTIR, XPS, DLS and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of high-performance oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts based on earth-abundant elements is of great significance for the production of hydrogen fuel through water electrolysis. Herein, defect rich NiO nanosheet arrays were synthesized on nickel foam (NF) by rapidly quenching NiO in Al salt solution at 0 °C and followed by partially etching Al in alkaline solution. With the approach, the quenching can simultaneously achieve the required surface metal doping and generation of abundant oxygen vacancies. Moreover, more active sites can be provided for OER due to the leaching of Al during the etching process. As a result, the quenching-etching surface engineering endows the NiO catalyst with the desired advantages, including high conductivity and large specific surface area. The as-obtained optimal electrode (72h Al–NiO/NF) with an etching time of 72 h exhibited much enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards OER in alkaline solution, which needs a low overpotential of 277 mV to achieve 10 mA cm−2 water oxidation current. Furthermore, the catalyst also showed a very low Tafel slope of 51.8 mV dec−1 and excellent durability. The synthesis of defect rich NiO nanosheets through the quenching-etching route confirms the importance of elaborate engineering of material surface for high-performance OER. • Defect rich NiO nanosheet arrays grown on NF were successfully fabricated by a quenching-etching surface engineering route. • The obtained electrode successfully combined the desired merits, including high conductivity and large specific surface area. • The as-obtained 72h Al–NiO/NF shows superior activity, favorable reaction kinetics and robust durability for OER in alkaline media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document titled "Supplementary Material" from the journal Frontiers in Microbiology provides detailed information on the composition of media used in a study, MIQE guidelines for experimental details, and the inactivation rate of IAV in different experimental conditions. The study explores discrepancies in virus inactivation rates between aerosol particles and microliter droplet experiments, speculating on factors such as initial virus titer, pH of the solution, and surface tension forces. The document emphasizes the need for further research to fully understand these discrepancies. [Extracted from the article]

Objectives: The primary objective of this study is using an anodizing intermediate layer to improve corrosion resistance and adhesion of hydroxyapatite coated AZ31 alloy for applications in biodegradable implants. Methods: An anodizing intermediate layer was formed on the surface of AZ31 substrate at various anodizing voltage of 10, 20, 30, and 40 V respectively by anodizing process. HAp was grow on the surface of AZ31 substrate at 90°C and pH solution of 7.5 by chemical solution treatment method for 2 h. The coated samples were evaluated their corrosion behavior by Electrochemical measurements and biodegradation behavior by immersion test in Hank's balanced salts solution (HBSS) for 28 days via amount of Mg2+ ion released. While, their adhesion strength were evaluated by pull-off method. The amount of Mg2+ ions released of the samples was quantified by the Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Results: An anodizing intermediate layer was successfully synthesized at various voltages by anodizing process and HAp coatings were prepared by chemical solution treatment method. The corrosion rate of hydroxyapatite coated AZ31 alloy with an anodizing intermediate layer decreased 4.4 times, while adhesion strength increased about two times compared to the HAp coated AZ31 specimen without an anodizing layer and achieved ~14.70, ~6.92 MPa, respectively. After immersion test in HBSS, the adhesion strength of HAp/AZ31-HBSS-specimen decrease to 45% because of large corroded areas with depth holes of hundreds of micrometers. The slighter decrease in adhesion strength of HAp/30V/AZ31-HBSS-specimen to 22% is due to the contribution of the anodizing intermediate layer. Conclusion: HAp coated AZ31 alloy specimen with the existence of a porous structure with an elliptical shape, uniform and high density of MgO on the surface at anodizing voltage of 30 V resulted in a significant increase in corrosion resistance and the adhesion strength of HAp coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic-rich hot Qusaiba shale is the primary source rock of most of the Paleozoic hydrocarbon reservoirs of eastern and central Arabia. Representative near-surface Qusaiba shale samples were collected and characterized from one of its outcrop sections at the Tayma quadrangle in northwest Saudi Arabia. The petrophysical and geochemical characterization indicated porosity and permeability of 8.2% and 2.05 nD, respectively, with good total organic carbon (TOC) of 2.2 mg/g and mature kerogen of gas-prone type III. The tight characteristics of the formation can lead to high capillary pressure and extensive post-fracking water retention, leading to flow blockage and a reduction in gas productivity. Three different surfactants and one ionic liquid, namely, Triton X-100, Triton X-405 and Zonyle FSO surfactants and Ammoeng 102 ionic liquid, were tested as additives to fracking fluid to investigate their effectiveness in optimizing its performance. The chemical solutions exhibited no sign of instability when exposed to solution salinity and temperatures up to 70 °C. The investigated chemicals' performance was examined by measuring methane/chemical solutions' surface tension and their ability to alter shale's wettability. The results indicate that Zonyl FSO is the most effective chemical, as it is able to significantly reduce surface tension and, hence, capillary pressure by 66% when added at critical micelle concentration (CMC). Using Zonyl FSO surfactant at a maximum tested concentration of 0.2% induced a relatively smaller capillary pressure drop (54%) due to the drastic drop in the contact angle rendering shale very strongly water-wet. Such a drop in capillary pressure can lower the fracking fluid invasion depth and therefore ease the liquid blockage removal during the flowback stage, enhancing gas recovery during the extended production stage. Triton X-100 at CMC was the second most effective surfactant and was able to induce a quite significant 47% drop in capillary pressure when added at the maximum tested concentration of 0.05%. This was sufficient to remove any liquid blockage but was less likely to alter the wettability of the shale. Based on the findings obtained, it is suggested to reduce the blockage tendency during the fracking process and elevate any existing blockage during the flowback stage by using Zonyl FSO at CMC where IFT is at its minimum with a higher contact angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein adsorption behavior was examined on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-sodium methacrylate)-based hydrogels at different temperatures: 5, 20, and 37 °C, and pH: 4.5, 7, and 9.2. The hydrogels, whose covalent skeleton contains pendant anionic units due to the presence of the sodium methacrylate co-monomer, exhibited both thermo- and pH-sensitivity with different extents, which depended on the content of ionizable moieties and the cross-linker density. The hydrogel composition, temperature, and pH influenced the zeta potential of the hydrogels and their swelling properties. The proteins selected for the study, i.e., bovine serum albumin (BSA), ovalbumin (OVA), lysozyme (LYZ), and a monoclonal antibody (mAb2), differed in their aminoacidic composition and conformation, thus in isoelectric point, molecular weight, electrostatic charge, and hydrophobicity. Therefore, the response of their adsorption behavior to changes in the solution properties and the hydrogel composition was different. LYZ exhibited the strongest adsorption of all proteins with a maximum at pH 7 (189.5 m g   g g e l − 1 ); adsorption of BSA and OVA reached maximum at pH 4.5 (24.4 and 23.5 m g   g g e l − 1 ), whereas mAb2 was strongly adsorbed at 9.2 (21.7 m g   g g e l − 1 ). This indicated the possibility of using the hydrogels for pH-mediated separation of proteins differing in charge under mild conditions in a water-rich environment of both the liquid solution and the adsorbed phase. The adsorption affinity of all proteins increased with temperature, which was attributed to the synergistic effects of attractive electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. That effect was particularly marked for mAb2, for which the temperature change from 5 to 37 °C caused a twentyfold increase in adsorption. In all cases, the proteins could be released from the hydrogel surface by a reduction in temperature, an increase in pH, or a combination of both. This allows for the elimination of the use of salt solution as a desorbing agent, whose presence renders the recycling of buffering solutions difficult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetone detection is of significant importance in various industries, from cosmetics to pharmaceuticals, bioengineering, and paints. Sensor manufacturing involves the use of different semiconductor materials as well as different metals for doping and functionalization, allowing them to achieve advanced or unique properties in different sensor applications. In the healthcare field, these sensors play a crucial role in the non-invasive diagnosis of various diseases, offering a potential way to monitor metabolic conditions by analyzing respiration. This article presents the synthesis method, using chemical solutions and rapid thermal annealing technology, to obtain Al-functionalized and Ni-doped copper oxide (Al/CuO:Ni) nanostructured thin films for biosensors. The nanocrystalline thin films are subjected to a thorough characterization, with examination of the morphological properties by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The results reveal notable changes in the surface morphology and structure following different treatments, providing insight into the mechanism of function and selectivity of these nanostructures for gases and volatile compounds. The study highlights the high selectivity of developed Al/CuO:Ni nanostructures towards acetone vapors at different concentrations from 1 ppm to 1000 ppm. Gas sensitivity is evaluated over a range of operating temperatures, indicating optimum performance at 300 °C and 350 °C with the maximum sensor signal (S) response obtained being 45% and 50%, respectively, to 50 ppm gas concentration. This work shows the high potential of developed technology for obtaining Al/CuO:Ni nanostructured thin films as next-generation materials for improving the sensitivity and selectivity of acetone sensors for practical applications as breath detectors in biomedical diagnostics, in particular for diabetes monitoring. It also emphasizes the importance of these sensors in ensuring industrial safety by preventing adverse health and environmental effects of exposure to acetone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar saline water splitting is a promising approach to sustainable hydrogen production, harnessing abundant solar energy and the availability of brine resources, especially in the Atacama Desert. Bischofite salt (MgCl2·6H2O) has garnered significant attention due to its wide range of industrial applications. Efficient hydrogen production in arid or hyper arid locations using bischofite solutions is a novel and revolutionary idea. This work studied the electrochemical performance of Mn2O3 electrodes using a superposition model based on mixed potential theory and evaluated the superficial performance of this electrode in contact with a 0.5 M bischofite salt solution focusing on the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) that occur during saline water splitting. The application of the non-linear superposition model provides valuable electrochemical kinetic parameters that complement the understanding of Mn2O3, this being one of the novelties of this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Secondary metabolites of several plants, including esculin and digitoxin, which are cardiac glycosides, were previously employed for their therapeutic effects. The current study aims to investigate the functions of the main Na+ /K+ transport inhibitor digitoxin and the antioxidant esculin for enhancing flax plant growth and production under salinity. Methodology: Flax plants were irrigated with distilled water supplemented with 0.0 and 5000 mg/L salt solution starting from 15 DAS from sowing. Then exogenous treatment with digitoxin and esculin with 50 mg L− 1 and 100 mg L− 1 were used for this work. Results: According to the results of this work, foliar spraying of esculin or digitoxin increased the salinity tolerance of flax plants.The foliar application of either esculin or digitoxin induced an elevation in the contents of photosynthetic pigments, osmolytes including soluble sugar and proline as well as the total phenols in salt-stressed flax plants. Moreover, esculin and digitoxin in particular counteract oxidative stress by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, and tyrosine ammonia lyase, leading to a decrease in reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation levels and electrolyte leakage. The efficiency of esculin and digitoxin to sustain ion homeostasis by inhibiting Na+ absorption and increasing potassium, calcium, and phosphorus in flax plants may be the reason for their protective actions towards salinity.As a consequence, esculin and digitoxin increased yield quantity and quality as shown by increases in all investigated yield criteriaas shoot height, root length, their fresh and dry weights as well asseed yield/plant (g), and 1000 seeds weight, especially those that improved the desired oil properties. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study concluded that digitoxin was more effective in inhibiting Na+ build-up and increasing flax salinity tolerance, particularly at the high investigated dose as compared to esculin. In this study, we reported the recent findings of exogenousapplication of either digitoxin or esculin glycosides which are new investigated salt alleviators never used before for improving the salt tolerance in flax plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing of transition metal sulfides (TMS) enables the creation of complex 3D structures, significantly expanding their applications. However, preparing 3D‐structured TMS remains challenging due to difficulties in developing suitable inks. In this study, a supramolecular micelle hydrogel as the ink to fabricate 3D‐structured TMS is utilized. Initially, the hydrogels are printed and infused with metal salt solutions to stabilize the structures, which are then calcined to convert into miniaturized 3D‐TMS replicas. The micellar hydrogels crosslink via hydrophobic interactions, with sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS) micelles providing both a hydrophobic environment and sulfur sources. During calcination, the decomposed sulfur precursors coordinate with metal ions to form various TMS, including FeS2, Cu2S, Ni3S2, and Co9S8, along with several metal sulfides like PbS and SnS. Additionally, the method also allows for the preparation of transition metal dichalcogenides such as MoS2 and WS2. The formation mechanism is demonstrated using Ni3S2 as an example which exhibits notable catalytic activity in oxygen evolution reactions (OER) and hydrogen evolution reactions (HER). Given its simplicity and versatility, this dynamic micellar hydrogel‐derived strategy offers a promising pathway for creating advanced TMS materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To present a novel intraoperative application technique of basic salt solution (BSS) perfusate to address residual epiretinal perfluorocarbon liquid (PFCL) droplets. Methods: Following standard liquid-gas exchange and aspiration of visible PFCL using a flute needle, the adjuvant drip-irrigative method is employed. A 2mL needle containing BSS is introduced and maneuvered circumferentially around the posterior pole while injecting BSS intermittently to obviate droplet presence. Subsequently, droplets lying flat to the surface drain via the flute needle, and the process if repeated until no droplets are visible. Results: Among 112 consecutive patients diagnosed with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RDD) with at least 3 months follow-up, 109 patients (109 eyes, [97%]) experienced no PFCL-related complications follow pars plana vitrectomy. Among three patients with PFCL-related complications, two (2 eyes) presented with residual droplets on the retinal surface during silicone oil retrieval, and one (1 eyes) had PFCL migration to the anterior chamber. No patients experienced sub-retinal/ sub-foveal PFCL or iatrogenic injury. Conclusion: This adjuvant drip-irrigative technique offers enhanced droplet visibility, reduced risk of iatrogenic retinal damage, and ease of application. Findings reported suggest the potential of this approach as a standard practice when using PFCL to mitigate complications. Key summary point: This study introduces a drip-irrigative technique using a novel saline application method to enhance visibility and drainage of residual droplets during surgery, thereby reducing the risk of iatrogenic damage and migration. A case series supports its effectiveness, highlighting its potential as a safe adjuvant practice for vitreoretinal surgeons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the influence of surfactant concentration on the pore structure and permeability of coal samples during the chemical enhancement of coalbed methane production, different kinds and different concentrations of surfactants were added to the chemical solution, and the coal samples were soaked. Methods such as low-field nuclear magnetic resonance testing (NMR), fractal theory, permeability testing, surface tension testing, and contact angle testing were employed to analyze the variation patterns of coal sample pore structure, fractal characteristics, and permeability, and to explore the correlation between surface tension, contact angle, and the degree of pore structure development. The results show that the increase in total porosity of coal samples, the increase in the seepage pore porosity, the decrease in Dt, and the growth rate of permeability increase with the increase in surfactant concentration, and are negatively correlated with the surface tension of the solution and the contact angle of the coal-solution interface, while the decrease in Ds is not significantly correlated with surfactant concentration, surface tension, or contact angle. In terms of the erosion effect of a chemical solution on coal samples, the influence of contact angle is greater than that of surface tension, while surface tension has the greatest impact on the development of adsorption pores. By adding different surfactants, the surface tension of the chemical solution and the contact angle of the coal-solution interface can be controlled, further promoting the erosion of coal samples, which is of positive significance for the chemical enhancement of coalbed methane production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal nanoparticles have extraordinary properties, but their integration into mesostructures has been challenging. Producing uniformly dispersed nanoparticles attached to substrates in industrial quantities is difficult. Herein, a "plasmashock" method was developed to synthesize metal nanoparticles anchored on different types of carbonaceous substrates using liquid salt solution precursors. These self-supporting, nanoparticle-loaded carbon fabrics are mechanically robust and have been tested as antibacterial substrates and electrocatalysts for reducing carbon dioxide and nitrite. A piece of silver–carbon nanotube paper with a silver loading of ~0.13 mg cm−2 treated after a few-second plasmashock presents good antibacterial and electrocatalytic properties in wastewater, even after 20 bactericidal immersion cycles, due to the strong bonding of the nanoparticles to the substrate. The results prove the effectiveness of this plasmashock method in creating free-standing functional composite films or membranes. A "plasmashock" method was developed to synthesize metal nanoparticles anchored on different kinds of carbonaceous substrates using liquid salt solution precursors. These self-supporting, nanoparticles-loaded carbon fabrics are mechanically robust and tested as antibacterial substrate and electrocatalysts for reducing carbon dioxide and nitrite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We sought to streamline cataract surgery post-operative care when COVID-19 hit by discontinuing the 1-day post-operative visit. We wanted to know if this change was safe and beneficial to our patients by reducing patients' time and transportation burden, opening appointment slots allowing providers to see more patients and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By minimising intraoperative use of dispersive viscoelastic, increasing irrigation/aspiration time at the end of the surgery and using intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering medications such as carbachol, brimonidine and acetazolamide routinely, we posit that post-operative day 1 IOP spikes can be avoided, thereby eliminating the need for the 1st post-operative day visit. We also sought to show the positive environmental impact of eliminating that 1st day. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed cataract surgeries performed before COVID-19 to determine the incidence of serious pathology discovered at the post-operative day 1 visit. Subsequently, we examined all the cataract surgeries performed in 2023 by our practice. Results: One hundred and ninety-three cataract surgeries performed before COVID-19 and 832 performed in 2023 were reviewed. We found that the post-operative day 1 visit after cataract surgery is unnecessary in most routine uncomplicated cases. Conclusion: By eliminating hundreds of post-operative day 1 visits for a busy rural practice annually, patients, their friends and relatives are spared an extra trip to the office (that can be 100 km each way), the office schedule is open to accommodate more patients, and the patients' carbon footprint of travel to the office is reduced. Introduction: Nous avons cherché à rationaliser les soins postopératoires de la chirurgie de la cataracte lors de l'arrivée de la Covid en supprimant la visite postopératoire d'un jour. Nous voulions savoir si ce changement était sécuritaire et bénéfique pour nos patients en réduisant le temps et la charge de transport des patients, en ouvrant des créneaux de rendez-vous permettant aux prestataires de voir plus de patients et en réduisant les émissions de gaz à effet de serre. En minimisant l'utilisation peropératoire de viscoélastique dispersif, en augmentant le temps d'irrigation/aspiration à la fin de l'opération et en utilisant systématiquement des médicaments abaissant la PIO, tels que le carbachol, la brimonidine et l'acétazolamide, nous pensons que les PIO postopératoire du premier jour peuvent être évitées, éliminant ainsi la nécessité d'une première visite de jour postopératoire. Nous avons également cherché à démontrer l'impact environnemental positif de l'élimination de ce premier jour. Méthodes: Nous avons examiné rétrospectivement opérations de la cataracte réalisées avant la Covid afin de déterminer l'incidence des pathologies graves découvertes lors de la visite postopératoire du premier jour. Par la suite, nous avons examiné toutes les opérations de la cataracte réalisées en 2023 par notre cabinet. Résultats: 193 opérations de la cataracte réalisées avant la Covid et 832 réalisées en 2023 ont été examinées. Nous avons constaté que la visite postopératoire du premier jour après la chirurgie de la cataracte n'est pas nécessaire dans la plupart des cas de routine sans complications. Conclusion: En éliminant des centaines de visites postopératoires du premier jour dans une région rural, les patients, leurs amis et leurs proches n'ont pas à SE rendre au cabinet (ce qui peut représenter des centaines de kilomètres aller-retour). L'emploi du temps du cabinet est libéré pour accueillir davantage de patients et l'empreinte carbone des patients liée à leur déplacement au cabinet est réduite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that super-hydrophobic materials have a wide application prospect. However, many methods for preparing super-amphiphobic coatings are too complicated or have poor stability, which limits the practical application of super-amphiphobic materials. In this paper, a stable and durable super-amphiphobic coating is prepared on the fabric surface via a simple sol-gel method. The water and vegetable oil contact angles of this coating are 160.5 ± 0.8° and 154.8 ± 2.6°, respectively. Specifically, the super-amphiphobic coating is prepared by grafting nano-silica on the surface of the fabric by a simple sol-gel method, and then grafted 1H, 1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltrimethoxysilane (FAS-17) as a hydrophobic modifier. After various chemical and mechanical stability tests, including concentrated ammonia solution soaking, saturated sodium hydroxide solution soaking, concentrated salt solution soaking, and THF soaking with stirring, the coating still maintains hydrophobicity. And the coating has excellent air permeability, which is expected to have great potential in the field of special protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study involves the preparation of various organic compounds. Ethylnyl 2-((5-chloroquinolin8-yl)oxy)acetate compound (A1) was synthesized by adding Potassium carbonate to quinoline and ethyl chloroacetate. The 2-((5-Chloroquinolin-8-yl)oxy) acetohydrazide (A2) was prepared by reacting compound (A1) with hydrazide. Complex of (A3) were obtained by reacting equimolar amounts of compound (A2) with the Platinum salt solution of using ethanol as the solvent. Phosphinate complexes were prepared by reacting equal moles of the complex (A3) with the various phosphines used and using ethanol as a solvent. The synthesized compounds and complexes were characterized using various spectroscopic techniques, including Fourier-Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Uv-Vis spectrum and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (31P, ¹H, and 13C-NMR) spectroscopy. Additionally, their melting points, purity, molar conductivity, and magnetic susceptibility were determined. The impact of some prepared compounds and complexes on the growth of two antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains, namely the Gram- positive Staphylococcus and the Gram- negative Escherichia coli, was studied. Ciprofloxacin was used as control antibiotics. Some of the synthesized compounds exhibited significant inhibitory activity against the tested bacterial strains [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoporous membranes offer significant advantages in direct contact membrane distillation applications due to their high flux and strong resistance to wetting. This study employs molecular dynamics simulations to explore the performance of membrane distillation in a single nanopore, mainly focusing on wetting behavior, liquid entry pressure, and membrane flux variations across different concentrations and types of salt solutions. The findings indicate that increasing the NaCl concentration enhances the wetting of membrane pores, thereby decreasing the entry pressure of the solution. However, at the same salt concentration, the differences in wetting and liquid entry pressure among various salts, including CaCl2, KCl, NaCl, and LiCl, are minimal. The presence of hydrated ions significantly reduces membrane flux. As the concentration of NaCl solutions increases, the number of hydrated ions rises, thereby lowering the membrane flux of the salt solution. Furthermore, the type of salt has a pronounced effect on the structure of hydrated ions. Solutions with Ca2+ and Li+ exhibit the smallest first-layer radius of hydrated ions. Under the same salt concentration, KCl solutions demonstrate the highest membrane distillation flux, while CaCl2 solutions show the lowest flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this work is to establish the influence of the nature of solid alginate gels (alginic acid, AAG; calcium alginate, CAG) and the conditions of methylene blue (MB) introduction to alginate matrices upon its release into aqueous media. MB is an active photosensitizer, which is used in the photodynamic therapy of tumors and purulent wounds. Solid alginate gels based on AAG and CAG were obtained by adding hydrochloric acid and calcium chloride to sodium alginate. The dye was introduced into the matrix either at the stage of gelation or by immersing the gel in an aqueous solution of the dye. It has been shown that the strength of the dye's attachment to AAG is higher than that of CAG, which leads to a higher rate of MB release from CAG into aqueous media. It has also been shown that, when introduced at the stage of gel formation, MB is released into both the water and buffer solutions. When MB is introduced by gel immersion into an MB solution, the dye may be released only into salt solutions. An alginate gel with immobilized MB can be used as a solid photosensitizing system with the controlled release of the photoactive agent into the wound cavity for photodynamic treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zwitterionic polymers are an important class of polymers with far‐ranging applications. In the widely studied poly(meth)acrylate and poly(meth) acrylamide‐based zwitterions, properties can be tuned by changing the nature of substituents attached to ammonium ions. However, these changes influenced salt tolerance of zwitterionic polymers only to a limited extent. Upon adding salt these polymers expanded in solution initially. Further increase in salt concentration caused the polymer chains to shrink similar to the common water soluble, uncharged polymers thereby deteriorating the viscosity of aqueous solutions. In contrast to the conventional poly(meth)acrylate and poly(meth)acrylamide‐based zwitterions, zwitterionic copolymaleimides showed substituent dependent salt‐tolerant nature. In the absence of any substituent on the polymer backbone such as zwitterionic poly(ethylene‐alt‐maleimide) (ZI‐PEMA) the viscosity of salt solutions increased both with the increasing salt concentration as well as the concentration of polymer. This is likely due to the continuous expansion of polymer coil in salt solutions with increasing salt concentration caused primarily by the rigidity of the polymer backbone. ZI‐PEMA also enhanced the saturation limit of mono‐ and divalent salts like sodium chloride and hydrated calcium bromide in water. This property is useful for various applications like fish curing, for making high‐density fluids, refrigeration, etc. across various industrial sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of metal ion's role in the biological processes of Alzheimer's disease has spurred investigations into the coordination chemistry of amyloid beta peptide and its fragments. Nano‐electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (nESI‐MS) has been utilized to examine the stabilization of bound anions on multiprotein complexes without bulk solvent. However, the effects of anions on metal ion binding interactions with amyloid beta peptide have not been explored. This study directly examined metal‐peptide complexes using nESI‐MS and investigated the effects of various anions on the binding ratio and stability of these complexes from ammonium salt solutions. The results indicate that different anions have distinct effects on the binding ratio and stability of various metal‐peptide complexes. Of these, the bicarbonate ion exhibits the highest binding ratios for metal‐peptide complexes, while binding ratios for these complexes in phosphate are comparatively low. Our results suggest that acetate, formate, bicarbonate, and phosphate have weak affinities and act as weak stabilizers of the metal‐peptide complex structure in the gas phase. Intriguingly, chloride and sulfate act as stabilizers of the metal‐peptide complex in the gas phase. The rank order determined from these data is substantially different from the Hofmeister salt series in solution. Although this outcome was anticipated due to the reduced influence of anions and water solvation, our findings correlate well with expected anion binding in solution and emphasize the importance of both hydration layer and anion‐metal‐peptide binding effects for Hofmeister‐type stabilization in solution. This approach proved useful in examining the interactions between metal ions and amyloid beta peptide, which are relevant to Alzheimer's disease, using direct ESI‐MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexagonal boron nitride (HBN), an artificial material with unique properties, is used in many industries. This article focuses on the extent to which hexagonal boron nitride and silica nanoparticles (MSN) affect the physicochemical and mechanical properties and antimicrobial activity of prepared dental composites. In this study, HBN, and MSN were used as additives in dental composites. 5% and 10% by weight of HBN are added to the structure of the composite materials. FTIR analysis were performed to determine the components of the produced boron nitride powders, hexagonal boron nitride-containing composites, and filling material applications. The structural and microstructural properties of dental composites have been extensively characterized using X-ray diffractometry (XRD). Surface morphology and distributions of nano boron nitride were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-EDS. In addition, the solubility of dental composites in water and their stability in water and chemical solution (Fenton) were determined by three repetitive experiments. Finally, the antimicrobial activity of dental composites was detected by using Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) measurement, as well as Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) method against yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) method against bacteria strains, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Since the HMP series have better antimicrobial activity than the HP series, they are more suitable for preventing dental caries and for long-term use of dental composites. In addition, when HMP and HP series added to the composite are compared, HMP-containing dental composites have better physicochemical and mechanical properties and therefore have a high potential for commercialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The global concern over microplastic pollution has been on the rise, primarily due to its detrimental effects on marine ecosystems and the potential health risks it poses to humans. Tourism activities are the main sources of plastic waste that deteriorates into microplastics. This study monitors microplastic contamination in marine environments at tourist destinations and suggests policies and initiatives that encourage tourism operators, locals, and tourists to adopt practices that reduce microplastic pollution. This endeavor is in line with the journal's objective to oversee the environmental consequences and advocate for improved environmental management strategies. This study aims to quantify microplastics in beach sediments, seawater, and the gastrointestinal tract and muscles of three fish species, Selar crumenophthalmus, Auxis thazard, and Sardina pilchardus, which are commonly found in the municipalities of Moalboal and Badian, tourist destinations in Southern Cebu Province, Philippines. METHODS: This study followed the approved procedures outlined in prior studies for gathering, handling, and examining microplastics found in sediment, seawater, and fish tissue samples. Sediment and seawater were collected from four sampling points at each study site using sterilized bottle containers. Sediment samples underwent oven-drying, passed through a 5-millimeter mesh, underwent density separation with a saturated salt solution, and were then filtered with filter paper. For seawater, the bottle grab method was utilized for sampling, followed by gravity filtration performed in triplicate to ensure thorough extraction of microplastics. The selection of fish species was determined by their common presence in nearby markets. Samples of gastrointestinal tract and muscle tissues were meticulously processed, treated with chemicals, and digested in order to aid in the isolation of microplastics. The quantification of microplastics was conducted under a stereomicroscope. FINDINGS: Moalboal exhibited higher average microplastic counts in sediments (0.12 items per gram) and seawater (0.06 items per gram) than Badian, which had 0.08 items per gram in sediments and 0.04 items per gram in seawater. There was no significant difference in the microplastic levels found in sediments and seawater between the two towns, as indicated by a p-value greater than 0.05. Similarly, there were no significant differences in microplastic abundance in fish between these sites. Significant disparities were noted in the abundance of microplastics across distinct fish species and anatomical segments. Auxis thazard showed significantly the highest microplastic particles (0.33 ± 0.10 in muscles; 0.077 ± 0.04 in the gastrointestinal tract) than other species. The microplastic abundance between Selar crumenophthalmus (0.20 ± 0.09; 0.055 ± 0.03), and Sardinella pilchardus (0.16 ± 0.03; 0.050 ± 0.04) did not significantly differ. In each fish sample, the presence of microplastics was notably more pronounced in the gastrointestinal tract than in the muscle tissue, demonstrating a statistically significant difference at a significance level of p<0.05. The average daily microplastic intake ranged from 4.75 to 7.60 particles based on consuming these fish species, using a per capita fish consumption rate of 34.27 kilograms per year. CONCLUSION: Moalboal and Badian, popular tourist destinations, are contaminated with microplastics, as evidenced by the presence of microplastic particles in samples of beach sediments, seawater, and fish species from these areas. The potential impacts of microplastic pollution on human health have raised concerns due to the estimated intake of microplastics through the consumption of contaminated fish. This study highlights the urgent need for strategies to address microplastic pollution and reduce human exposure. Recommendations comprise of educating the general public, implementing stringent policy measures, and conducting thorough surveillance that involves tourists, tourism operators, and the local community. These measures aim to safeguard human health, preserve the marine environment, and protect biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tibial bone tunnel widening (TW) is a common postoperative phenomenon after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Purpose: To compare the physical, biomechanical, osteoinductive, and histological characteristics of 2 fabricated bioabsorbable interference screws: (1) a modified poly(l -lactide- co - d, l -lactide) and hydroxyapatite (mPLA/HA) screw and (2) a poly(l -lactide- co -glycolide) and β-tricalcium phosphate (PLGA/β-TCP) screw; and to evaluate the effect of the PLA/HA screw on ameliorating postoperative TW in a canine ACLR model. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: In vitro, the physical and biomechanical properties of the mPLA/HA and PLGA/β-TCP screws were tested. The osteoinductive activity of the screws was studied by cell experiments. In vivo, ACLR was performed on 48 beagle dogs, divided into the mPLA/HA group and the PLGA/β-TCP group. The femoral and tibial ends of the graft were both fixed with screws. Six animals in each group were sacrificed after live computed tomography (CT) scanning at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. For six knee samples of each group, three knee samples underwent biomechanical testing, and 1 of them, along with the other 3 samples, underwent micro-CT and histological examination to evaluate tibial TW. Results: The mPLA/HA screw exhibited better particle dispersion, bending strength, desirable self-locking effect, and optimized degradation behavior both in vivo and in vitro. Histologically, the mPLA/HA screw had comparative osteoinductive activity. There was good screw-bone integration using the mPLA/HA screw, while most fibrous scar healing was in the PLGA/β-TCP group. There were significant differences between the mPLA/HA and PLGA/β-TCP groups in tibial bone tunnel diameter at the screw body (6 months postoperatively: 5.09 ± 0.44 vs 7.12 ± 0.67; 12 months postoperatively: 4.83 ± 0.27 vs 6.23 ± 0.56; P <.01 for both) and the screw tail (6 months postoperatively: 4.84 ± 0.28 vs 5.97 ± 0.73; 12 months postoperatively: 4.77 ± 0.29 vs 5.92 ± 0.56; P <.01 for both). Conclusion: Compared with the PLGA/β-TCP screw commonly used in clinics at present, the mPLA/HA screw had comparative biosafety and mechanical properties, satisfactory biomechanical properties, and osteoinductive activity in vivo and in vitro. It effectively ameliorated the postoperative tibial TW in a canine ACLR model and increased the quality of screw-bone integration. Clinical Relevance: The good mechanical and biological properties of the mPLA/HA screws may provide an option to reduce the incidence of complications after ACLR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective water management in oil reservoirs is crucial for maximizing hydrocarbon recovery while minimizing environmental degradation. This paper investigates the potential of innovative chemical techniques to control water production in oil reservoirs and compares these methods with traditional mechanical strategies. By reviewing over 70 case studies extensively, this research provides a detailed evaluation of different approaches to managing water cut. The study reveals that chemical methods, particularly those utilizing advanced polymer-based gels, are generally more effective than mechanical techniques. These methods are especially advantageous in settings with high water cuts and geologically complex reservoirs. Chemical treatments provide greater adaptability and cost-efficiency, significantly reducing the environmental impact compared to mechanical approaches. The primary aim of this research is to analyze the sources of water cut and evaluate common water shutoff operations to enhance reservoir management based on specific challenges, reservoir characteristics, and economic considerations. Our findings suggest using a two-step strategy: starting with mechanical control methods and then applying chemical treatments specifically designed for the reservoir's unique physical properties. This not only improves oil recovery rates but also enhances economic efficiency by extending the reservoirs' lifespan. Future research should focus on developing cost-effective, environmentally friendly chemical solutions suitable for various geological settings. Such advancements could significantly refine water management practices in oil fields, leading to better economic and environmental outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The deposition of Cl-containing harmful salts on the surface of service materials critically influences their corrosion process. The Qinshan Nuclear Power Station, located near the sea, has encountered corrosion issues due to the deposition of these harmful salts. Although researchers have conducted numerous in-depth studies on the corrosion behavior and mechanisms of materials in nuclear power plants, only limited literature addresses the deposition patterns of harmful salts on the surfaces of nuclear-grade materials. [Methods] A field environmental investigation was conducted to understand nuclear material corrosion in salty environments, and then a harmful salt solution for salt spray deposition experiments was formulated based on the investigation results following the ASTM standard. To investigate the deposition patterns of harmful salts on the surface of spent fuel storage canister materials, this solution was used for salt spray deposition on nuclear-grade materials. Tests were conducted at 90 °C to simulate the coastal service environment of the Qinshan Nuclear Power Station. [Results] The analysis of seawater composition revealed that the seawater near the Qinshan Nuclear Power Station is diluted by freshwater, as it is located near the Yangtze River estuary. Despite this dilution, a comparison with the global average sodium content of seawater indicated that the seawater near the Qinshan Nuclear Power Station retains the typical characteristics of normal seawater. The design results for the harmful salt solution indicated that, based on the total chloride content of substitute ocean water according to the ASTM D1141-98 standard (2021 edition), the concentration of each compound in the seawater near the Qinshan Nuclear Power Station must be multiplied by 4.075 26 for amplification. This adjustment allows the formulation of a harmful salt simulation solution for salt spray deposition that complies with ASTM standards. The experimental results of harmful salt deposition on the surface of nuclear-grade material at 90 °C indicated the following: By setting the sedimentation rate of the salt spray at 1.75 mL/(h·80 cm2) and establishing a single salt spray period as "1 min of salt spray followed by 15 min of standing," one salt spray period was necessary for the average harmful salt concentration on the surface of the sample to reach 0.1 g/m² (using thin slice samples measuring 100 mmx100 mmx 0.1 mm). To achieve a concentration of 1.0 g/m², 12 salt spray cycles were required (using flat samples measuring 50 mmx25 mmx2 mm). Finally, 112 salt spray cycles were needed to reach a concentration of 10.0 g/m² (also using flat samples measuring 50 mmx25 mmx2 mm). [Conclusions] The seawater near the Qinshan Nuclear Power Station retains the characteristics of normal seawater. This paper proposes a laboratory design concept and serves as a reference for evaluating the service life and performance of materials used in nuclear power plants operating in actual service environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molybdenum is an important material in modern industry, widely used in extreme environments such as rocket engine nozzles and microelectrodes due to its high melting point, excellent mechanical properties, and thermal conductivity. However, as a difficult-to-machine metal, traditional machining methods struggle to achieve the desired microstructures in molybdenum. Electrochemical machining (ECM) offers unique advantages in manufacturing fine structures from hard-to-machine metals. Studies have shown that molybdenum exhibits a fast corrosion rate in alkaline or acidic solutions, posing significant environmental pressure. Therefore, this study investigates the electrochemical machining of molybdenum in neutral salt solutions to achieve high-precision microstructure fabrication. First, the polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of molybdenum in NaNO3 solutions of varying concentrations were measured to determine its electrochemical reaction characteristics. The results demonstrate that molybdenum exhibits good electrochemical reactivity in NaNO3 solutions, leading to favorable surface erosion morphology. Subsequently, a mask electrochemical machining technique was employed to fabricate arrayed microstructures on the molybdenum surface. To minimize interference between factors, an orthogonal experiment was used to optimize the parameter combination, determining the optimal machining process parameters. Under these optimal conditions, an array of micro-groove structures was successfully fabricated with an average groove width of 110 μm, a depth-to-width ratio of 0.21, an aspect ratio of 9000, and a groove width error of less than 5 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Semen Cuscutae is a traditional Chinesemedicine (TCM) that tonifies the kidneys and preventsmiscarriage. According to Chinese medicine theory, kidney deficiency is one of the main causes of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). The previous studies showed that raw product of Semen Cuscutae (SP) and Semen Cuscutae processed with salt solution (YP) have ameliorative effects on RSA, and that YP is superior to SP.However, the active components of YP to ameliorate RSA remain unclear and require further studies. The objective of this study is to investigate the active components of YP in ameliorating RSA. Methods: First, a rat model of RSA was established using hydroxyurea in combination with mifepristone. Aqueous decoction of YP was given by gavage to rats. Second, pregnant rats were sampled on days 5, 7, 9, 10 and 12 during the modelling period. The content of Hyperin (HY), astragalin (AS) and kaempferol-3-O-ß-D-glucuronide (KA) in blood and liver, heart, spleen, lung and kidney tissues were detected by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The pharmacodynamic indicators including progesterone (P), chorionic gonadotropin ß (ß-HCG), estradiol (E2), tumor necrosis factor-a (TFN-a), interleukin 4 (IL-4), and tryptophan (TRP) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) Pearson's correlation analysis and grey relational analysis were used to establish the relationship between the pharmacodynamic indexes and chemical constituents. Results: The pharmacokinetic results showed that the area under curve (AUC) value of KA was the largest. The tissue distribution results showed that astragalin was widely distributed in liver, heart, spleen, lung and kidney in the RSA model rats, while HY was detected only in the uterus, and KA was detected only in the kidney. The pearson correlationl analysis showed that KA was significantly and positively correlated with the contents of E2, P, ß-HCG and TRP. Both AS and HY were significantly negatively correlated with the content of TNF-a, respectively. Discussion: This study reveals the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of KA, AS and HY in rats with RSA. It was elucidated that all three were involved in the regulation of progesterone levels and immune function. It initially revealed the mechanism of action of YP in enhancing the improvement of RSA, and it provided a theoretical basis for the quality assessment of YP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]