Volume 19, Issue 1

Tibetan hulless barley (“qingke” in Chinese) is a valuable food in Tibet. Purple qingke (PQK) and black qingke (BQK), two special pigmented types of hulless barley, have traditionally been widely cultivated and consumed in Tibet for thousands of years. The composition and contents of anthocyanins of two cultivars are unknown. This study aimed to explore the composition and contents of anthocyanins of two cultivars and their antioxidant capacities. Six anthocyanins were identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry from barley, most of the anthocyanins were acylated by malonyl group. The total anthocyanin contents ranged from 141 to 2,304 μg/g in PQK and from 248.7 to 2902.9 μg/g in BQK. Furthermore, qingke has strong antioxidant activity against DPPH, ABTS˙ + , and FRAP. Qingke may be useful for treating or preventing diseases caused by the overproduction of radicals.

Salt stress is one of the important adverse conditions affecting bacterium growth. How bacteria isolated from greenhouse soil cope with salt stress and regulate the genes responsible for salt tolerance are still unclear. We conducted RNA transcriptome profiling of genes contributing to the salt tolerance of a Bacillus sp. strain (“SX4”) obtained from salinized soil. Results showed that NaCl effectively regulated the growth of “SX4” in terms of cell length and colony-forming unit number decrease. A total of 121 upregulated and 346 downregulated genes were detected under salt stress with reference to the control. The largest numbers of differential expression genes were 17 in carbon metabolism, 13 in the biosynthesis of amino acids, 10 in a two-component system, and 10 in ABC transporter pathways for adapting to salt stress. Our data revealed that cation, electron and transmembrane transport, and catalytic activity play important roles in the resistance of bacterial cells to salt ions. Single-nucleotide polymorphism and the mutation of base pair T:A to C:G play potential roles in the adaptation of “SX4” to high NaCl concentrations. The findings from this study provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of strain “SX4” and will be helpful in promoting the application of salt-tolerant bacteria.

Mango stem bark extracts (MSBE) have been used as bioactive ingredients for nutraceutical, cosmeceutical, and pharmaceutical formulations due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effects. We performed the MSBE preparative column liquid chromatography, which led to the resolution and identification by GC-MS of 64 volatile compounds: 7 hydrocarbons, 3 alcohols, 1 ether, 3 aldehydes/ketones, 7 phenols, 20 terpenoids (hydrocarbons and oxygenated derivatives), 9 steroids, 4 nitrogen compounds, and 1 sulphur compound. Major components were β -elemene, α -guaiene, aromadendrene, hinesol, 1-octadecene, β -eudesmol, methyl linoleate, juniper camphor, hinesol, 9-methyl (3 β ,5 α )-androstan-3-ol, γ-sitosterol, β -chamigrene, 2,5-dihydroxymethyl-phenetylalcohol, N -phenyl-2-naphtaleneamine, and several phenolic compounds. The analysis of MSBE, Haden variety, by GC-MS is reported for the first time, which gives an approach to understand the possible synergistic effect of volatile compounds on its antioxidant, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effects. The identification of relevant bioactive volatile components from MSBE extracts, mainly terpenes from the eudesmane family, will contribute to correlate its chemical composition to previous determined pharmacological effects.

Nanoparticles (25–50 nm) of chemically modified calcium phosphates Ca 10− x − y M ii x Na y (PO 4 ) 6− z (CO 3 ) z (OH) 2 (M ii  – Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ ) were synthesized via a wet precipitation method at room temperature. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy data confirmed the partial substitution of PO 4 3 − {\text{PO}}_{4}^{3-} → CO 3 2 − {\text{CO}}_{3}^{2-} (B-type) in apatite-type structure. The influence of prepared phosphates on biofilm formation by pathogenic microorganisms was investigated. It was found that the samples Na + , CO 3 2 − {\text{CO}}_{3}^{2-} -hydroxyapatite (HAP) and Na + , Zn 2+ , CO 3 2 − {\text{CO}}_{3}^{2-} -HAP (5–20 mM) had the highest inhibitory effect on biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus strains. The sample Na + , CO 3 2 − {\text{CO}}_{3}^{2-} -HAP had the slight influence on the formation of the biofilm by Pseudomonas aeruginosa , while for the samples Na + , Cu 2+ , CO 3 2 − {\text{CO}}_{3}^{2-} -HAP and Na + , Zn 2+ , CO 3 2 − {\text{CO}}_{3}^{2-} -HAP such an effect was not detected. According to transmission electron microscopy data, a correlation between the activity of synthesized apatite-related modified calcium phosphates in the processes of biofilm formation and their ability to adhere to the surface of bacterial cells was established. The prepared samples can be used for the design of effective materials with antibacterial activity for medicine.

Storage of wastes leads to severe problems of water pollution and neighboring matrices due to the infiltration of landfill leachate. Uncontrolled landfill and waste storage can lead to groundwater pollution, which can lead to serious health problems for the living. Engineered barriers can be a solution to these pollution problems. The purpose of this study was to develop novel composite materials – clay-based, activated carbon, cement, and PVA polymer. These composites were intended for the containment of waste in landfill. The clay (70–80%) and activated carbon (5–15%) contents were varied to obtain three different geomaterials – GM1, GM2, and GM3. In the preparation of GM3, the content of activated carbon used was higher than for GM1 and GM2, paracetamol removal capacity tested by adsorption, experiments were influenced by parameters such as the adsorbent mass, the initial solute concentration, contact time, temperature, and pH effect. The parameter of initial paracetamol concentrations was studied using a range of 50, 100, and 150 mg L −1 . For a GM3 mass of 80 mg, the adsorbed amount is 14.67 mg g −1 , and the contact time is 180 minutes. This study revealed that composites are efficient for the treatment of landfill leachates.

A human intoxication incident attributed to pesticide abuse was investigated using cutting-edge analytical methodologies. An LC-ESI-MS/MS method, based on a hybrid solid-phase extraction protocol (hybrid-SPE), was applied for the detection and quantification of several pesticides and metabolites in human biological fluids. Concomitantly, an UHPLC-HRMS method was applied to investigate potential metabolites, assisted by a complementary GC-MS method to elucidate the presence of plausible pesticides co-formulants. The LC-ESI-MS/MS method exhibited acceptable mean recoveries at the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) and three additional levels, varying from 85 to 106% for all analytes and matrices. In serum, urine, and gastric fluid samples, the suspect compounds, namely chlorpyrifos and myclobutanil, predominated. Gastric fluid samples contained the highest concentrations of chlorpyrifos (39,800 ng/mL) and myclobutanil (18,800 ng/mL), while the neonicotinoid imidacloprid was also quantified, below 30 ng/mL. Notwithstanding, the UHPLC-HRMS analysis unveiled several metabolites of chlorpyrifos and myclobutanil. In parallel, GC-MS analysis, corroborated the presence of several co-formulants in gastric fluid samples, exemplified by m - and o -xylene, and cyclohexanone. Overall, three analytical methods were implemented to elucidate the chemical causality of a human intoxication incident. The presence of suspected active substances, one additional, and several metabolites and co-formulants were documented.

Different phytochemicals from various plant species exhibit promising medicinal properties against cancer. Juniperus phoenicea is a plant species that has been found to present medicinal properties. Herein, crude extract and fractions of J. phoenicea were examined to determine its anticancer properties against several cancer cells. The active fraction was chosen to assess its activity on cell cycle progression and apoptosis induction by annexin and propidium iodide (PI) biomarkers. Further, phytochemical screening for possible contents of active fraction using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was conducted. It was demonstrated that cell proliferation was suppressed, and the MCF-7 cell line was the most sensitive to J. phoenicea chloroform fraction (JPCF), with the IC 50 values of 24.5 μg/mL. The anti-proliferation activity of JPCF in MCF-7 cells was linked to the aggregation of cells in the G1 phase, increases in early and late apoptosis as well as necrotic cell death. Contents analysis of JPCF using GC-MS analysis identified 3-methyl-5-(2′,6′,6′-trimethylcyclohex-1′-enyl)-1-penten-3-ol (16.5%), methyl 8-oxooctanoate (15.61%), cubenol (13.48%), and 7-oxabicyclo [2.2.1] heptane (12.14%) as major constituents. Our present study provides clear evidence that J. phoenicea can inhibit cell proliferation, trigger cell cycle arrest, and induce apoptosis in tested cancer cells.

To comprehensively reuse copper ore tailings, the recovery of γ-Fe 2 O 3 from magnetic roasted slag after sulfur release from copper ore tailings followed by magnetic separation is performed. In this work, after analysis of chemical composition and mineralogical phase composition, the effects of parameters in both magnetization roasting and magnetic separation process with respect to roasting temperature, residence time, airflow, particle size distribution, magnetic field intensity, and the ratio of sodium dodecyl sulfonate to roasted slag were investigated. Under optimum parameters, a great number of γ-Fe 2 O 3 is recycled with a grade of 66.86% and a yield rate of 67.21%. Meanwhile, the microstructure, phase transformation and magnetic property of copper ore tailings, roasted slag, and magnetic concentrate are carried out.

Currently, the extraction technology of blueberry anthocyanin includes solvent extraction, enzyme extraction, and ultrasonic extraction. Different methods may damage the internal structure of anthocyanin in the extraction process, and hence the extracted anthocyanin cannot have the maximum nutritional and medicinal value. Therefore, this article analyzes the effects of different extraction methods on the antioxidant properties of blueberry anthocyanin and uses solvent extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis, and ultrasonic extraction methods to extract blueberry anthocyanin. The antioxidative properties of anthocyanins from blueberry by different extraction methods were compared and analyzed. The solvent extraction method, the enzymatic hydrolysis method, and the ultrasonic extraction method were used as experimental comparative extraction methods. The antioxidant properties of blueberry anthocyanins were measured from various angles such as resistance to oil oxidation, reducing power, and ability to scavenge hydroxyl radicals (˙OH) performance. From the perspective of antioxidation of fats and oils, the average inhibition rate of the solvent extraction method can reach 90%, and the corresponding inhibition rate of the anthocyanins obtained by the other two extraction methods is about 80%. The measurement results are also consistent with the measurement results of oxidation resistance of oils and fats. Conclusion: Among three different extraction methods of blueberry anthocyanins, the solvent extraction method can preserve the antioxidant properties of blueberry anthocyanins to the greatest extent.

In this study, a model to improve the degradability of methylene blue (MB) dye using graphene oxide/TiO 2 /SiO 2 nanocomposite under sunlight irradiation is investigated. The effect of operative parameters comprising catalyst concentration, initial dye concentration, and pH on the photocatalytic batch during removal of MB is studied. Fractional factorial design (FFD) and response surface methodology (RSM) are used to design the experiment layout. Graphene oxide (GO)/TiO 2 /SiO 2 nanoparticles are synthesized through sonication and sol–gel methodologies. In the experiments, three levels of catalyst varied in the percentage of TiO 2 pointed as (I) TiO 2 :GO (100%), (II) TiO 2 :GO:SiO 2 (50%), and (III) TiO 2 :GO:SiO 2 (25%) are used. The irradiation interval was 7 h at solar radiation energy 6.35–5.00 kW h/m 2 /day. In the experiments, three levels of catalyst varied in the percentage of TiO 2 pointed as (I) TiO 2 :GO (100%), (II) TiO 2 :GO:SiO 2 (50%), and (III) TiO 2 :GO:SiO 2 (25%) are used. The synthesized catalysts are characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. ANOVA under 2 3 FFD is conducted to evaluate the effect of independent factors depending on the value of F as pH of solution, weight of catalyst, and concentration of MB. The adsorption kinetics, experimental design with FFD, and RSM are investigated in this study. The Surface Adsorption kinetics were statistically analyzed, the model that best described the results of each experiment was determined out of the two evaluated kinetics (pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order), for the three photocatalyst composites I, II, and III with the parameters; weight of the catalyst, pH, and initial MB concentration, also percentage degradation is evaluated. RSM results are consistent with the kinetic model; first, the pH is considered as the most significant parameter affecting the removal of the organic pollutant, and second, catalyst II gives the highest percentage removal efficiency of MB. FFD results are consistent with both models where the effect of the independent factor depending on the value of F was pH of solution > weight of catalyst > initial concentration of MB. The percentage removal was in the range from 30 to 99%.

This study was designed to investigate chemical and antioxidant properties, as well as the antimicrobial and antibiofilm behaviour of Cinnamomum cassia essential oil (CCEO). MALDI-TOF MS Biotyper mass spectrometry was applied to evaluate the biofilms of Stenotrophonomonas maltophilia and Bacillus subtilis , while the antibiofilm ability of CCEO was assessed on wooden and glass surfaces. The antimicrobial activity by disc diffusion method, microdilution method, and vapour phase for two biofilm-producing bacteria and three Penicillium spp. were used. Antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties were assessed using the agar microdilution protocol. The vapour phase of Penicillium citrinum, P. crustosum, P. expansum, S. maltophilia, and B. subtilis on bread, carrot, potato, sweet potato, and apple in situ was studied. Specific molecular variations related to the biofilm formation and genetic analogies were evaluated with MSP spectra dendrograms of S. maltophilia and B. subtilis profiles were grown on different days. The results of disc diffusion and broth diffusion methods showed that CCEO was strongly effective against all tested microorganisms and the vapour phase method was effective and active against all Penicillium spp., but not strongly effective against bacteria in food preservation of food matrices.

Five various chemometric methods were established for the simultaneous determination of azilsartan medoxomil (AZM) and chlorthalidone in the presence of azilsartan which is the core impurity of AZM. The full spectrum-based chemometric techniques, namely partial least squares (PLS), principal component regression, and artificial neural networks (ANN), were among the applied methods. Besides, the ANN and PLS were the other two methods that were extended by genetic algorithm procedure (GA-PLS and GA-ANN) as a wavelength selection procedure. The models were developed by applying a multilevel multifactor experimental design. The predictive power of the suggested models was evaluated through a validation set containing nine mixtures with different ratios of the three analytes. For the analysis of Edarbyclor ® tablets, all the proposed procedures were applied and the best results were achieved in the case of ANN, GA-ANN, and GA-PLS methods. The findings of the three methods were revealed as the quantitative tool for the analysis of the three components without any intrusion from the co-formulated excipient and without prior separation procedures. Moreover, the GA impact on strengthening the predictive power of ANN- and PLS-based models was also highlighted.

Autoimmune diseases are pathological conditions in which the immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues. This study evaluates the performance of two techniques, which are identifiers of autoantibody specifics: immunoblot and immunodot. This study was conducted in 300 patients of whom 62 were tested positive for antinuclear antibodies. The patients were initially screened for antinuclear antibodies using indirect immunofluorescence. Then, the identification of specific autoantibodies such as anti-extractable nuclear antigens (ENAs) was carried out using the immunoblot and immunodot techniques. The results showed that immunoblot and immunodot did not present a significant difference in their sensitivity against anti-SSA/52, SSB, CENP-B, PCNA, U1-snRNP, Jo-1, Pm-scl, and Mi-2 ( p > 0.05). However, the two techniques showed a significant difference in their sensitivity toward autoantibodies anti-DNAn, anti-histone, anti-SmD1, and anti-ds-DNA ( p < 0.05). The immunoblot data were in complete accordance with the immunodot data (100%) regarding the detection of autoantibodies such as anti SSA/52, SSB, CENP-B, PCNA, U1-snRP, Jo-1, Pm-scl, and Mi-2, 80% regarding SmD1, and 75% concerning ds-DNA. We should certainly pay closer attention to the efficiency of the techniques used in the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases.

The COVID-19 outbreak is a matter of concern worldwide due to unavailability of promising treatment comprising medication or vaccination till date. The discovery of antiviral drug is of immense importance in the existing spread of novel coronavirus. The goal of the present study was to evolve an opposite antiviral drug against the novel COVID-19 virus. A directly succeeding perspective would be to use the prevailing influential drugs from several antimicrobial and chemotherapeutic agents. The encouraging approach is to identify promising drug molecules and compounds through virtual screening via molecular docking of FDA-approved drugs and some previously synthesized pyridone and coumarin derivatives for probable therapeutic outcome. In this conceptual milieu, an effort has been made to propose a computational in silico relationship among FDA-approved drugs and coronavirus-associated receptors and proteins. The study results were evaluated on the basis of a dock score by using molecular operating environment. Out of 15 compounds screened, the compounds with the best docking scores toward their targets was 3d . Therefore, compound 3d deserves further investigations and clinical trials as a possible therapeutic inhibitor of the COVID-19 caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2.

In this work, we present a novel method for the synthesis of ester and amide derivatives containing furan rings (furfural derivatives) under mild synthetic conditions supported by microwave radiation. N -(Furan-2-ylmethyl)furan-2-carboxamide and furan-2-ylmethyl furan-2-carboxylate were produced using 2-furoic acid, furfurylamine, and furfuryl alcohol. The reactions were carried out in a microwave reactor in the presence of effective coupling reagents: DMT/NMM/TsO − or EDC. The reaction time, the solvent, and the amounts of the substrates were optimized. After crystallization or flash chromatography, the final compounds were isolated with good or very good yields. Our method allows for the synthesis of N -blocked amides using N -blocked amino acids (Boc, Cbz, Fmoc) and amine. As well as compounds with a monoamide and ester moiety, products with diamides and diester bonds ( N , N -bis(furan-2-ylmethyl)furan-2,5-dicarboxamide, bis(furan-2-ylmethyl) furan-2,5-dicarboxylate, and furan-3,4-diylbis(methylene) bis(furan-2-carboxylate)) were synthesized with moderate yields in the presence of DMT/NMM/TsO – or EDC, using 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid and 3,4-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan as substrates.

This study explores the possibility of applying high-gravity rotating packed bed (HGRPB) in removing H 2 S and CO 2 from biogas. Ca(OH) 2 aqueous solution was used as the absorbent in this study. Different experimental conditions including solution pH, rotating speed ( R S ) of HGRPB, gas flow rate ( Q G ), and liquid flow rate ( Q L ) were investigated with respect to the removal efficiency ( E ) of H 2 S and CO 2 . The experimental and simulated results show that the optimal removal efficiency of H 2 S and CO 2 using HGRPB achieved nearly the same as 99.38 and 99.56% for removal efficiency of H 2 S and 77.28 and 77.86% for removal efficiency of CO 2 , respectively. Such efficiencies corresponded with the following optimal conditions: a solution pH of 12.26, HGRPB reactor with the rotating speed of 1,200 rpm, the gas flow rate of 2.46 (L/min), and the liquid flow rate of 0.134 (L/min).

On the basis of our consideration to design and to develop antitumor activities of heterocyclic compound derivatives, especially in fused ring system, we refer to the possibility of the heterocyclic extension of one of the most important steroid compounds used as a medicinal drug. The reaction of dydrogesterone with each of the malononitrile or ethylcyanoacetate containing elemental sulfur afforded thiophene derivatives 1a , b . Also, dydrogesterone was reacted with a mixture of ethylcyanoacetate–hydrazine, ethylcyanoacetae–urea, or ethylcyanoacetate–thiourea to produce pyrazole derivative 4 and pyrimidine derivatives 5a , b . Thienopyrimidine derivatives 2a – d were introduced from the reaction of thiophene derivatives 1a , b with either phenylisothiocyanate or benzoylisothioyanate. Furthermore, compounds 1a , b were directed toward the reaction with ethylcyanoacetate to produce compounds 6a , b , and the last compounds 6a , b were directed toward cyclization to obtain thienopyridine derivatives 7a , b . In addition, compounds 6a , b were subjected to react with different carbonyl compounds, such as salicylaldehyde, cyclopentanone-elemental sulfur, malonaldehyde, and acetylacetone to produce coumarin derivatives 8a , b , fused thiophene derivatives 9a , b , and pyridine derivatives 10a – d . Isooxazole derivatives 12a , b were afforded through the reaction of compounds 6a , b with hydroxylamine hydrochloride. Finally, 2-pyridone derivatives 14a , b were obtained through the reaction of compounds 6a , b with benzoylacetonitrile. Conformation structure of the synthesized compounds was established by applying IR, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, and mass spectrometry, and their antitumor activity was examined. Some compounds showed promising growth inhibitory effects on the three different cell lines. Graphical abstract

Blaps rynchopetera Fairmaire has a long history of use as a folk medicine in China for treating fever, cough, gastritis, boils, and tumors. In the present study, the content analyses, monosaccharide composition analyses, and the macrophage phagocytic activity of rynchopetera polysaccharides (RPS) were reported. B. rhynchoptera is rich in polysaccharides (content value 3.97%). Through PMP (1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone) pre-column derivatization and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) testing, the results showed that RPS consist of 8 known monosaccharides, including D-mannose (Man), Rhamnose (Rha), D-glucuronic acid (GlcUA), D-galacturonic acid (GalUA), D-glucose (Glc), D-galactose (Gal), Arabinose (Ara), and Fucose (Fuc), with the total content of 171.70 mg g −1 and Glc has the highest content of 45.40 mg g −1 . The phagocytic ability of mouse peritoneal macrophages was investigated after RPS stimulating alone and combined with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). RPS played an important role in the engulfment of mouse peritoneal macrophages and can significantly enhance the phagocytic ability of macrophages. However, no synergistic effects were observed when RPS combined with LPS.

In an effort to identify potent aldose reductase (AR) inhibitors, 5-(arylidene)thiazolidine-2,4-diones ( 1 – 8 ), which were prepared by the solvent-free reaction of 2,4-thiazolidinedione with aromatic aldehydes in the presence of urea, were examined for their in vitro AR inhibitory activities and cytotoxicity. 5-(2-Hydroxy-3-methylbenzylidene)thiazolidine-2,4-dione ( 3 ) was the most potent AR inhibitor in this series, exerting uncompetitive inhibition with a K i value of 0.445 ± 0.013 µM. The IC 50 value of compound 3 for L929 mouse fibroblast cells was determined as 8.9 ± 0.66 µM, pointing out its safety as an AR inhibitor. Molecular docking studies suggested that compound 3 exhibited good affinity to the binding site of AR (PDB ID: 4JIR). Based upon in silico absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion data, the compound is predicted to have favorable pharmacokinetic features. Taking into account the in silico and in vitro data, compound 3 stands out as a potential orally bioavailable AR inhibitor for the management of diabetic complications as well as nondiabetic diseases. Graphical abstract 5-(2-Hydroxy-3-methylbenzylidene)thiazolidine-2,4-dione ( 3 ) was identified as the most potent AR inhibitor in this series, exerting uncompetitive inhibition with a K i value of 0.445 ± 0.013 µM.

Curcumin has been known and used in the medical and industrial world. One way to improve its stability, bioavailability and its medical applications is using encapsulation method. In this research, we studied cocoliposome (coconut liposome) as the encapsulation material. The encapsulation efficiency (EE), loading capacity (LC), release rate (RR), as well as the free radical scavenging activity, measured by inhibition ratio (IR), of curcumin in encapsulation product were studied on varying cholesterol compositions and in simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH 1.2) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, pH 7.4) conditions. We found that curcumin encapsulation in cocoliposome (CCL) formulation was influenced by cholesterol composition and pH conditions. The EE, LC and free radical scavenging activity diminished under both the SIF and SGF conditions when the cholesterol concentration enhanced. However, the RR increased as the cholesterol intensified. The condition to acquire the most favorable encapsulation parameter values was at 10% cholesterol composition. Furthermore, the IR results at 10% cholesterol concentration of CCL was 67.70 and 82.13% in SGF and SIF milieu, respectively. The CCL formulation thrived better under SIF conditions for free radical scavenging activities.

Two new rare 30-norisodinosterol derivatives, 23,24-dimethylcholest-16-ene-3β,5α,6β,11α,20( R )-pentol 3-monoacetate ( 1 ) and 23,24-dimethylcholest-16-ene-3β,5α,6β,20( R )-tertrol 3-monoacetate ( 2 ), along with a known steroid, 3β,5α,6β,11α,20β-pentahydroxygorgosterol ( 3 ), were identified from Xenia umbellata . The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by analyses of the measured spectra (1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and infrared). The biosynthetic pathway of the new norisodinosterols was proposed. Compound 1 exhibited potent cytotoxicity against HepG2, PC-3, and HT-29 with IC 50 values of 4.70 ± 0.2, 5.60 ± 0.6, and 4.00 ± 0.4 μg/mL, respectively. On the contrary, compound 3 showed less potent cytotoxicity against HepG2 with IC 50 value of 22.20 ± 1.0 μg/mL. Two DNA-binding dyes have been used for the morphological detection of viable, apoptotic, and necrotic cells. The early apoptotic cell death was observed in all types of treated tumour cells. The late apoptotic cells are highly present in HepG2 cells with compound 3 compared with other cancer cells except for compound 1 . The anti-proliferative activity of compounds 1 and 3 warranted further investigation. Graphical abstract

The nutrient contents of Raphanus sativus L. (white radish) leaves (RSLs) and roots are known to have promising vital effects. We comparatively investigated the leaves and roots of R. sativus grown in Saudi Arabia to estimate the total phenol and flavonoid contents using the standard colorimetric methods. The antioxidant activity of RSLs and R. sativus roots (RSRs) were measured by 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays. Both extracts’ cytotoxic activity was assessed by MTT assay against several human cancer cell lines (A549, HepG2, MDA-MB-231, and MCF-7). High-performance thin-layer chromatography was used to identify and quantify the biomarker compound rutin in both extracts. The total phenolic content in RSLs (125.3 mg of gallic acid equivalent [GAE]/g) was higher than that in roots (95.8 of GAE/g), whereas the flavonoid content (44.5 mg of quercetin equivalent [QE]/g) was almost double compared in RSR extract (24.4 of QE/g). Similarly, RSLs exhibited a higher antioxidative activity than RSRs in both DPPH (IC 50 216.8 vs 359.7 µg/mL) and ABTS (IC 50 326.7 vs 549 µg/mL) models. RSLs also demonstrated the highest antiproliferative efficiency against all cell lines, with IC 50 values of 217–453 µg/mL. The reversed-phase-high-performance thin-layer chromatography results showed the presence of rutin (5.2 µg/mg) only in RSLs. Our study indicates RSLs as a promising source of bioactive compounds compared with roots.

Adsorption properties of Silica gel (commercial silica), rice husk ash (RHA) silica, and their hydrothermally treated products towards water molecules were studied in this work. RHA silica was prepared by heating rice husk to 650°C for 4 h after pretreatment with hydrochloric acid. Portions of the samples of silica were evacuated at 200℃ and then allowed to adsorb water molecules from the surrounding air at either 42 or 50% humidity. The near infrared spectra of these samples were measured at different time intervals during their adsorption of water molecules. The evolved near infrared spectra were analyzed using second derivative techniques. Adsorption properties of these samples were further studied by gravimetric analysis. Surface functionalities and adsorption evolution of water molecules on silica samples studied showed that the adsorption of water molecules on commercial silica gel sample and RHA silica Samples takes place readily with hydrogen-bonded silanol groups on the surfaces of the samples. This adsorption arising from the OH stretching and bending vibrations of these water molecules gives rise to a band at 5,270 cm −1 in the near infrared region. The adsorbed water molecules then continue at the free silanol groups which is indicated by the absorption around 5,314 cm −1 . The results clearly show that the silica made from rice husk adsorb water in the same manner as the commercial silica, but the quantity of water molecules adsorbed is less compared to commercial silica used in this experiment. However, the study clearly shows that the rice husk silica can replace the commercial silica as a substitute for desiccant purposes in industry.

Energy storage is an integral part of the modern world. One of the newest and most interesting concepts is the internal hybridization achieved in metal-ion capacitors. In this study, for the first time we used sodium borohydride (NaBH 4 ) as a sacrificial material for the preparation of next-generation sodium-ion capacitors (NICs). NaBH 4 is a material with large irreversible capacity of ca. 700 mA h g −1 at very low extraction potential close to 2.4 vs Na + /Na 0 . An assembled NIC cell with the composite-positive electrode (activated carbon/NaBH 4 ) and hard carbon as the negative one operates in the voltage range from 2.2 to 3.8 V for 5,000 cycles and retains 92% of its initial capacitance. The presented NIC has good efficiency >98% and energy density of ca. 18 W h kg −1 at power 2 kW kg −1 which is more than the energy (7 W h kg −1 at 2 kW kg −1 ) of an electrical double-layer capacitor (EDLC) operating at voltage 2.7 V with the equivalent components as in NIC. Tin phosphide (Sn 4 P 3 ) as a negative electrode allowed the reaching of higher values of the specific energy density 33 W h kg −1 (ca. four times higher than EDLC) at the power density of 2 kW kg −1 , with only 1% of capacity loss upon 5,000 cycles and efficiency >99%.

Gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrum (GC-IMS) is used to analyze and compare the differences in aroma among different tobacco samples. The aroma substances in tobacco samples in Jilin Changchun are the richest, while those in Guangdong Nanxiong are the lowest. The concentrations of aroma substances such as decanal, 1-hydroxy-2-propanone, and 2-methylbutanol were the highest in Guangdong Nanxiong of the three. The concentration of 1-hexanol, cyclohexanone, pentanoic acid, and other aroma substances in Fujian Nanping was high. The concentration of 2-acetylfuran, 2-octanol, isopentanol, 3-methylvaleric acid, phenylacetic acid, and other aroma substances in Changchun area of Jilin Province was low. Through principal component analysis and similarity research, both tobaccos can be distinguished by their production areas and grades from the same.

Due to the impacts of climate change and the reduction in the flow of the Mekong River, saline intrusion into the inland has been an emergent and pressing issue. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of various saline conditions (0–25‰) on changes in some soil properties under laboratory conditions. Ten topsoil samples were collected from a depth of 0–20 cm in the dry seasons in the rice–corn rotation fields with low salinity, in Thanh Phu district, Ben Tre province, Vietnam. The examined criteria consisted of soil pH, soil electrical conductivity of the saturated paste extract (ECe), exchangeable Na, percentage of exchangeable Na, and content (%) of nitrogen and phosphorus. The results revealed that the pH range of soil decreased from 5.14–5.72 to 4.08–5.14 when the soil salinity increased from 0 to 25‰. At the salinity of 10‰ and higher, the available nitrogen began to decline. Meanwhile, the available phosphorus tended to decrease as the salinity increased past 12‰. Some measures are also discussed, with the aim of ensuring sustainable rice farming in the circumstances of increased salinity.

Composites comprising MoVTeNbO mixed oxide and zirconia-pillared montmorillonite clays (PilCs) were prepared. XRD and TEM with EDX studies confirmed the preservation of M1 MoVTeNbO phase in these composites responsible for high activity and selectivity in ethane oxidative dehydrogenation into ethylene. For composites with PilC content of 10 wt%, the best ethylene yield exceeding that of bulk MoVTeNbO oxide was demonstrated for clays with zirconia pillars doped with Ce and Al possessing the highest specific surface area. This is explained by optimized chemical interaction of these clays with MoVTeNbO mixed oxide improving its bulk oxygen mobility and reactivity by structure disordering while blocking surface sites responsible for combustion due to the stabilization of the reactive terminal oxygen species.

This study is about the synthesis of N,N′ -bis(4-chlorophenyl)thiourea N,N -dimethylformamide (C 16 H 17 Cl 2 N 3 OS) compound. Single crystals of the compound were obtained by slow evaporation of N,N′ -bis(4-chlorophenyl)thiourea (C 13 H 10 Cl 2 N 2 S) in N,N -dimethylformamide (C 3 H 7 NO; DMF) through recrystallization under mild condition. Important classical N–H⋯O links the two molecules together. Results revealed that C 16 H 17 Cl 2 N 3 OS crystallized in the monoclinic space group P 2 1 / c with the respective cell parameters of a = 92,360 (4) Å, b = 7.2232 (3) Å, 25.2555 (11) Å, β = 91.376 (3), α = γ = 90°, V = 1684.40 (12) Å 3 , T = 119.94 (13) K and Z = 4 and Z′ = 1.

The aim of this work was to investigate the volatile compositions of four Chinese functional liquors. For this purpose, volatile compounds of four liquors were extracted with head-space solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and analyzed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) along with the determination of odor activity value (OAV) and relative odor contribution (ROC). Sixty volatiles were tentatively identified and categorized into the following seven groups: alcohols, esters, fatty acids, carbonyl compound, hydrocarbons, phenols, and other components. The differences in chemical composition of volatile compounds were visualized with heat maps. Odorants were compared with different samples using a statistical analysis of Venn diagrams and a multivariate principal component analysis, and ethyl hexanoate, ethyl acetate, and ethyl octanoate were found to be the key odorants. Besides, abundant phenolic contents and high antioxidant ability of four Chinese functional liquors could potentially bring better health-boosting effects.

The acidic wastewater produced by the wet production of activated clay contains valuable components such as iron and aluminum. The precipitation method was successfully introduced to separate iron and aluminum from the activated clay production wastewater step by step, which can not only recover the valuable components, but also avoid environmental pollution. In the separation process, gypsum, iron aluminum phosphate, alumina, and sodium sulfate were prepared, and the phase compositions of separation products were analyzed by XRD and IR. The main influencing factors in the separation of iron and aluminum components were studied by single factor experiment. The results show that at the optimized conditions, phosphorus/iron molar ratio 6.0, the system pH 3.0, the reaction temperature 343 K, and the reaction time 90 min, the iron( iii ) ion in the system can form a sodium-containing aluminum iron phosphate double salt, and the filtrate after separating Fe 3+ and part of Al 3+ can meet the requirements for forming high-purity Al 2 O 3 . During the phosphate precipitation process, the hypothesis should be correct that Al 3+ reacts with PO 4 3 − {\text{PO}}_{4}^{3-} to form an AlPO 4 skeleton, Fe 3+ isomorphically replaces Al 3+ in the [AlO 4 ] tetrahedron, and adsorption occurs simultaneously, with Na + occupying the terminal acid sites, P(Al)–OH.

In the study of chemical graph theory, an enormous number of research analyses have confirmed that the characteristics of chemicals have a nearby connection with their atomic structure. Topological indices were the critical tools for the analysis of these chemical substances to consider the essential topology of chemical structures. Topological descriptors are the significant numerical quantities or invariant in the fields of chemical graph theory. In this study, we have studied the crystal structure of copper oxide ( Cu 2 O {{\rm{Cu}}}_{2}{\rm{O}} ) chemical graph, and further, we have calculated the ev-degree- and ve-degree-based topological indices of copper oxide chemical graph. This kind of study may be useful for understanding the atomic mechanisms of corrosion and stress–corrosion cracking of copper.

Medicinal plants are used as an important source of medicines in pharmaceutical industry. Rubia cordifolia is widely used to cure diabetes mellitus. Present study was aimed to investigate the antihyperglycemic effects of different fractions of R. cordifolia leaves and to analyze its antioxidant effect and phytochemical composition. Male albino mice were randomly distributed into seven groups ( n = 7). Group-I was normal control, group-II was Alloxan (100 mg/kg)-induced diabetic control, and group-III was standard drug (Glibenclamide 0.5 mg/kg)-treated group. Animals in groups IV–VII were treated with n -hexane fraction, ethyl acetate fraction, n -butanol fraction and aqueous fraction of R. cordifolia , orally administered (100 mg/kg) once daily up to 28 days after Alloxan induction, respectively. Methanolic extract (ME) and fractions of R. cordifilia were analyzed for antioxidant activity and quantification of total phenolic content and total flavonoid content. HPLC of ME and most active fractions were performed. The results showed that RCEF (G-V) and RCBF (G-VI) have significantly ( P < 0.05) reduced the increased level of glucose as compared to toxicant control group. It was further revealed that EF and BF have higher antioxidant activity (having IC 50 34.9, 36.86 (µg/mL)) owing to phenolic and flavonoid identified by HPLC.

Diazepam (DZP) is a benzodiazepine drug used as an anti-drug and sedative. It is often misused to induce or create euphoria in combination with other drugs (high or fly sensation) or administered alone. So far, screening for DZP abuse with sensitive analytical methods is needed, as its small concentrations make it difficult to detect. Increased sensitivity of the analytical method can be obtained by using a preparation method that selectively separates the analyte from the sample matrix. Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) is one of the preparation solutions with good selectivity, specificity, and sensitivity. MIP was made from DZP as a template, itaconic acid, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate in a composition of 1:4:20. MIP was made by precipitation polymerisation to obtain microsphere polymer type. MIP had a binding capacity value of 0.0557 mg/g and followed the Freundlich isotherm. Application of the microsphere MIP on spiked blood serum resulted in a recovery of 105.63 ± 1.0% for MIP compared to 21.28 ± 0.4% for non-imprinted polymer, with the imprinting factor value reaching 4.96. Hence, MIP DZP with itaconic acid as a functional monomer and propanol as a porogen, fabricated by the precipitation polymerisation method, is a promising sorbent for DZP extraction in biological fluids.

Background JS-K is a nitric oxide (NO)-releasing prodrug of the O 2 -arylated diazeniumdiolate group that shows pronounced cytotoxicity and antitumor properties in numerous cancer models, including in vitro as well as in vivo . Reactive oxygen species (ROS) induce carcinogenesis by altering the redox status, causing increment in vulnerability to oxidative stress. Material and methods To determine the effect of JS-K, a glutathione S-transferase (GST)-activated NO-donor prodrug, on the induction of ROS accumulation, proliferation, and apoptosis in human renal carcinoma cells, we measured the changes of cell proliferation, apoptosis, ROS growth, and initiation of the mitochondrial signaling pathway before and after JS-K treatment. Results In vitro , dose- and time-dependent development of renal carcinoma cells were controlled for JS-K, and JS-K also triggered ROS aggregation and cell apoptosis. Treatment with JS-K induces the levels of pro-apoptotic proteins (Bak and Bax) and decrease the number of anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-2). In fact, JS-K-induced apoptosis was reversed by the antioxidant N -acetylcysteine, and oxidized glutathione, a pro-oxidant, improved JS-K-induced apoptosis. Finally, we demonstrated that in renal carcinoma cells, JS-K improved the chemosensitivity of doxorubicin. Conclusion Our data indicate that JS-K-released NO induce apoptosis of renal carcinoma cells by increasing ROS levels.

A digital microfluidic system based on electrowetting-on-dielectric is a new technology for controlling microliter-sized droplets on a plane. By applying a voltage signal to an electrode, the droplets can be controlled to move, merge, and split. Due to device design, fabrication, and runtime uncertainties, feedback control schemes are necessary to ensure the reliability and accuracy of a digital microfluidic system for practical application. The premise of feedback is to obtain accurate droplet position information. Therefore, there is a strong need to develop a digital microfluidics system integrated with driving, position, and feedback functions for different areas of study. In this article, we propose a driving and feedback scheme based on machine vision for the digital microfluidics system. A series of experiments including droplet motion, merging, status detection, and self-adaption are performed to evaluate the feasibility and the reliability of the proposed scheme. The experimental results show that the proposed scheme can accurately locate multiple droplets and improve the success rate of different applications. Furthermore, the proposed scheme provides an experimental platform for scientists who focused on the digital microfluidics system.

This paper introduces a steam-foam drive profile modification technology for heavy oil development in Block Qi40 based on an in-depth study of the characteristics of heavy oil reservoir and cross flow characteristics of injected steam in Block Qi40 of Liaohe Oilfield. The performance evaluation was carried out indoors for foaming agents. Influencing factors affecting profile modification and foam injection mode selection are studied. The results show that the CX-4 foaming agent system has excellent foaming properties and foam stability at 300°C. The plugging pressure difference of core can be increased by more than 15 times at 240°C. When a 0.5 PV foaming agent system is injected, the oil displacement efficiency can reach more than 68%. The optimal concentration of the foaming agent is 0.5% and the change of resistance factor is the largest in the range of oil saturation between 15 and 20%. Foam has better plugging ability in high permeability and large pores. Furthermore, after field application effect analysis, it confirms that the steam-foam profile modification technology has an obvious effect on enhancing oil recovery.

Ethanol steam reforming catalyst’s precursors, i.e., nanocomposites of complex oxides with the general formula [Pr 0.15 Sm 0.15 Ce 0.35 Zr 0.35 O 2 + LaMn 0.45 Ni 0.45 Ru 0.1 O 3 ] (1:1 by mass), were synthesized by three different methods. It was shown that two synthesis methods – ultrasonic dispersion and sequential polymeric method, lead to the formation of the nanocomposite perovskite–fluorite system with the specific surface area up to 50 m 2 /g. Reduction of samples at 400–500°C lead to the formation of Ni–Ru alloy nanoparticles strongly bound with the surface of oxide nanocomposite. Catalytic tests in ethanol steam reforming reaction at 500–600°C showed the highest specific activity of the sample prepared by the sequential polymeric method due to the location of Ni- and Ru-containing perovskite mainly on the surface of the composite providing a high concentration of active metal centers. At higher temperatures for all samples, ethanol conversion approached 100% with hydrogen yield varying in the range of 65–75%. A study of spent catalysts confirmed the absence of carbon deposits after long-term catalytic tests at 650°C.

In this study, the nanocomposites from biomass (soybean straw) and layered double hydroxides (LDHs), denoted as B/LDHs, were fabricated using the mechanical-hydrothermal method. The obtained B/LDHs nanocomposites were characterized by TEM, SEM, FT-IR, and N 2 adsorption–desorption techniques. Adsorption of the heavy-metal ions Pb( ii ) on the B/LDHs was determined at 25°C and pH 6.0 using a batch technique. The experimental results demonstrated that biomass contributed to the sorption process. The pseudo-second-order, Langmuir, and Freundlich models well fitted the sorption process, indicating chemisorption and monolayer adsorption were the main adsorption mechanisms. Meanwhile, it is found that there is an obvious effect of adsorbent concentration in the studied adsorption system. In comparison with soybean straw and Mg–Al LDHs, the B/LDHs nanocomposites exhibit significantly enhanced sorption capacities. It is evident from this study that the construction of B/LDHs nanocomposites is an effective strategy for improving the sorption capacity of LDHs, and the modified LDH-based adsorbent shows a good potential in the removal of heavy metals from water. More importantly, it solves the problem of a large number of agricultural waste disposals. And, it achieved the goal of a win-win situation.

Metformin is one of the most effective drugs for the treatment of type II diabetes. Two new mixed ligand complexes of vanadyl( ii ) and chromium( iii ) ions with the general formula [VOL 1 L 2 ]SO 4 and [CrL 1 L 2 (Cl) 2 ]Cl, respectively, where L 1 is the metformin and L 2 is the glycine amino acid, have been synthesized in MeOH solvent with 1:1:1 stoichiometry and characterized by several spectroscopic techniques. The spectroscopic data suggested that the [VOL 1 L 2 ]SO 4 complex possesses a square pyramidal geometry, where the [CrL 1 L 2 (Cl) 2 ]Cl complex possesses an octahedral geometry. The L 1 ligand coordinated to the VO( ii ) and Cr( iii ) ions via the N atoms of the imino (‒C═NH) groups, where the L 2 ligand coordinated via the O atom of the carboxylate group (COO) and the N atom of the amino group (NH 2 ). The interaction of ligands L 1 and L 2 with the metal ions leads to complexes that have organized nanoscale structures with a main diameter of ∼14 nm for the [CrL 1 L 2 (Cl) 2 ]Cl complex and ∼40 nm for the [VOL 1 L 2 ]SO 4 complex.

The extensive abuse of chemical synthetic additives has raised increased attention to food safety. As substitutes, probiotics play an important role in human health as they balance the intestinal microbes in host. This study was aimed to isolate and evaluate the potential probiotic activities of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from a local pickled leaf mustard (PLM) from Wuwei city in Anhui province through in vitro experiments. A total of 17 LAB strains were obtained as probiotics. All the isolates were sensitive to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, erythromycin, and doxycycline but exhibited resistance to antibiotics (e.g., streptomycin, kanamycin, gentamicin, and vancomycin). Out of the 17 strains, 9 were sensitive to most of the antibiotics and had no cytotoxic activity on human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (HT-29) cells. The isolated AWP4 exhibited antibacterial activity against four indicator pathogen strains (ATCC8099: Escherichia coli , ATCC6538: Staphylococcus aureus , ATCC9120: Salmonella enteric , and BNCC192105: Shigella sonnei ). Based on the phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene, AWP4 belonged to Lactiplantibacillus plantarum . This study indicated that the Wuwei local PLM could be a potential resource to isolate beneficial LAB as probiotics. The data provide theoretical guidance for further animal experiments to estimate the probiotic effect and safety of Lpb. plantarum AWP4 in vivo .

This article aimed at the synthesis and molecular docking assessment of new diimine Schiff base ligand, namely 2-(( E )-(2-(( Z )-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-hydroxyvinyl)hydrazono) methyl)-6-methoxyphenol (methoxy-diim), via the condensation of 1-(4-chloro-phenyl)-2-hydrazino-ethenol compound with 2-(( E )-(2-(( Z )-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-hydroxy vinyl) hydrazono)methyl)-6-methoxyphenol in acetic acid as well as the preparation of new binuclear complexes of Co( ii ), Ni( ii ), Cu( ii ), and Zn( ii ). The following synthesized complexes were prepared in a ratio of 2:1 (metal/ligand). The 1 H-NMR, UV-Vis, and FTIR spectroscopic data; molar conductivity measurements; and microanalytical, XRD, TGA/DTG, and biological studies were carried out to determine the molecular structure of these complexes. According to the spectroscopic analysis, the two central metal ions were coordinated with the diamine ligand via the nitrogen of the hydrazine and oxygen of the hydroxyl groups for the first metal ions and via the nitrogen of the hydrazine and oxygen of the phenol group for the second metal ions. Molecular docking for the free ligand was carried out against the breast cancer 3hb5 -oxidoreductase and the 4o1v -protein binding kidney cancer and COVID-19 protease, and good results were obtained.

Pit-1 (POU1F1) is a POU-homeodomain transcription factor, and it is one of the most important tissue-specific transcription factors in pituitary development. Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) is a protein kinase that can phosphorylate many key transcription factors, but the mechanism under which CDK5 phosphorylates Pit-1 is unclear. To investigate whether CDK5 can regulate cell proliferation and promote hormone secretion through phosphorylation of Ser126-Pit-1 in prolactinomas, we generated an antibody that specifically recognizes phosphorylated serine at position 126 of Pit-1 (Ser126-Pit-1). We used western blotting to detect the level of Pit-1 phosphorylation and observed the proliferation and apoptosis of GH3 cells with different levels of Pit-1 phosphorylation by clone formation experiments, cell viability assays, and flow cytometry. ELISA was used to measure the level of PRL in the supernatant of GH3 cells. Tissue microarrays and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate the expression of the phosphorylation level of Ser126-Pit-1 (pSer126-Pit-1) in prolactinomas. Our data indicated that Ser126-Pit-1 is specifically phosphorylated by CDK5 and high-level pSer-126-Pit-1 can promote cell proliferation and PRL secretion. In addition, a higher level of pSer-126-Pit-1 correlates with a worse prognosis in patients with prolactinoma. Our results show that CDK5 mediated Ser126-Pit-1 phosphorylation and regulated prolactinoma progression and PRL secretion.

High levels of urea and creatinine in the blood are a sign of decreased kidney function. To remove these substances from the blood, hemodialysis which utilizes membranes could be used. In this study, a molecularly imprinted membrane (MIM) was synthesized for the selective transport of urea. The synthesis is initiated with the polymerization of eugenol into polyeugenol and then into polyeugenoxy acetate (PA). The PA is then contacted with urea and then used as the functional polymer in the synthesis of MIM with polysulfone as the membrane base, and polyethylene glycol as the cross-linking agent. The result was later analyzed with FTIR and SEM-EDX. The membrane is then used in the transport of urea, creatinine, and vitamin B 12 and then compared with the non-imprinted membrane (NIM) performance. By using UV-Vis spectrophotometry, the results showed that the membrane with 10 h heating variation is able to transport more urea and is more selective than NIM; this proves that the urea template on the MIM enables it to recognize urea molecules better than creatinine and vitamin B 12 . The order of transport from the best results is urea > creatinine > vitamin B 12 .

Glycosmis stenocarpa is a species of shrub found in the Northern provinces of Vietnam. Its roots contain different carbazolic derivatives, mainly Murrayafoline A (Mu-A), which exhibits valuable biological activities. In this study, we performed an extraction of Mu-A from the roots of G. stenocarpa and optimized this process using response surface methodology (RSM) according to a central composite design, with three independent parameters including extraction time (min), extraction temperature (°C), and solvent/material ratio (mL/g). Two dependent variables were the Mu-A content (mg/g raw materials) and extraction efficiency (%). The optimal conditions to extract Mu-A were found to be as follows: extraction temperature, 67°C; extraction time, 165 min; and solvent/material ratio, 5:1. Under these conditions, the Mu-A content and extraction efficiency were 38.94 ± 1.31 mg/g raw materials and 34.98 ± 1.18%, respectively. Mu-A exhibited antiproliferation and antitumor-promoting activity against the HepG-2 cell line. The present optimization work of Mu-A extraction from G. stenocarpa roots contributed to the attempt of designing a large-scale extraction process for the compound and further exploitation of its potential in vivo applications.

A simple, highly sensitive, and selective differential pulse voltammetry method for the determination of α-lipoic acid (LA) in pharmaceutical preparations was developed and validated. The method is based on a quasi-reversible, diffusion-controlled, one-electron anodic oxidation of LA on a boron-doped diamond electrode (BDDE) in a McIlvaine (citrate-phosphate, C-PB) buffer solution at pH 3.0. For the first time, this environment was used for LA determination. A linear calibration curve was obtained within the concentration range 5.82 × 10 −8 to 4.00 × 10 −4  mol L −1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.9999. The limits of detection was estimated to be 1.94 × 10 −8  mol L −1 , which is one of the lowest values characteristic of voltammetric and chromatographic methods of LA determination. The proposed procedure is sensitive, accurate, and precise. Its utility was demonstrated in the determination of LA in pharmaceuticals without the need for its separation from the matrices. The results were comparable to those obtained by high performance liquid chromatography reference method and were in good accordance with the once declared by manufacturers. Thus, our method can be considered as an alternative to the dominant chromatographic determinations of α-LA in real samples.

The current study aimed to design and synthesize a novel series of fluorophenyl-isoxazole-carboxamide derivatives and evaluate their antiproliferative activities. Anticancer activities of the novel compounds were evaluated by MTS assay against four cancer cell lines, including liver (Hep3B, HepG2), cervical (HeLa), and breast (MCF-7), and α -fetoprotein tumor marker, cell cycle analysis, and annexin V tests. Chemo-informatics analysis showed that all synthesized derivatives 2a–2f obeyed Lipinski’s rule. Compound 2f was the most potent compound against Hep3B and Hep-G2 cancer cell lines with IC 50 values of 5.76 and 34.64 µg/mL, respectively. Moreover, compounds 2a–2c and 2e showed potent inhibitory activity against Hep3B with an IC 50 value range of 7.66–11.60 µg/mL. Hep3B secretions of α -fetoprotein ( α -FP) results showed that compound 2f reduced the secretion of Hep3B to 168.33 ng/mL and compound 2d reduced the secretion to value approximately 598.33 ng/mL, in comparison with untreated cells’ value of 1116.67 ng/mL. Furthermore, cell cycle analysis showed that the 2f compound induced arrest in the G2-M phase in 6.73% of the total cells and that was lower than the activity of the positive control doxorubicin (7.4%). Moreover, 2b and 2f compounds reduced the necrosis rate of Hep3B to 4-folds and shifted the cells to apoptosis.

Numerous compounds derived from natural sources such as microbes, plants, and insects have proven to be safe, efficacious, and cost-effective therapeutics for human diseases. This study examined the bioactivities of propolis, a structural sealant and antibacterial/antifungal agent produced by honey bees. Chinese propolis was extracted in methanol or hexane. Propolis significantly reduced the numbers of viable cancer cells when applied as a methanol extract (IC 50 values in μg/mL for the indicated cell line: MDA-MB-231, 74.12; LoVo, 74.12; HepG2, 77.74; MCF7, 95.10; A549, 114.84) or a hexane extract (MDA-MB-231, 52.11; LoVo, 45.9; HepG2, 52.11; MCF7, 78.01; A549, 67.90). Hexane extract also induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells according to activated caspase-3/7 expression assays (17.6 ± 2.9% at 150 μg/mL and 89.2 ± 1.9% at 300 μg/mL vs 3.4 ± 0.4% in vehicle control), suppressed the growth of Candida albicans and multiple multidrug-resistant and nonresistant Gram-positive bacteria, and inhibited croton oil-induced skin inflammation when applied as topical treatment. GC-MS identified hexadecanoic acid methyl ester as a major constituent (33.6%). Propolis hexane extract has potential anticancer, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities.

The topological index of graph has a wide range of applications in theoretical chemistry, network design, data transmission, etc. In fuzzy graph settings, these topological indices have completely different definitions and connotations. In this work, we define new Wiener index and connectivity index for bipolar fuzzy incidence graphs, and obtain the characteristics of these indices by means of the definition of fuzzy membership functions. Furthermore, the interrelationship between Wiener index and connectivity index is considered.

In order to solve the problems of low recovery, low availability, and high cost in the synthesis of rosin glycol ester, a series of supported ZnO magnetic catalysts were prepared with Fe 3 O 4 as the magnetic center, and their structures and compositions were characterized by TEM, XRD, and XPS. Through screening, the results show that Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 –ZnO has the best catalytic effect, far better than other catalysts, and has good stability. At the same time, the effects of zinc source and its load and different reaction conditions on the synthesis of rosin glycol ester were also investigated. The results showed that: When zinc chloride was used as zinc source, theoretical loading of zinc source was 0.45 g, reaction temperature was 270°C, reaction time was 5 h, and catalyst dosage was 0.2 g, the esterification rate of rosin-glyceryl ester was 87.2% and acid value was 26.5 mg KOH g −1 . Graphical abstract In our paper, the optimal process conditions for rosin glyceride were obtained as follows: zinc acetate is the zinc source, the theoretical load of zinc source is 0.25 g, the reaction temperature is 240°C, the reaction time is 5 h, and the amount of catalyst is 0.2 g. The esterification rate was 81.5%, and the acid value was 38.2 mg KOH g −1 . The catalytic activity of the catalyst remained basically unchanged after 5 times use, indicating that it has good stability, and an available catalyst was added for the rosin esterification reaction.

A novel porous Cd( ii ) metal–organic framework (MOF) with the chemical composition of {[H 3 O][Cd(bci)]} n ·2 n (H 2 O) ( 1 , H 3 bci = bis(2-carboxyethyl)isocyanurate) was prepared via hydrothermal responses of H 3 bci and Cd(NO 3 ) 2 ·4H 2 O. Luminescent property investigations indicated that compound 1 had high sensitivity toward Fe 3+ , and the detection limit of Fe 3+ was as low as 2.15 × 10 −4  M. The application values of Fe 3+ on Hepatitis B were assessed, and its associated mechanism was identified simultaneously. First, the cytotoxic mediator (TNF-α) substance released into plasma was measured through the ELISA. In addition, real-time RT-PCR was employed to determine the Hepatitis B viral replication gene relative expression levels. Finally, the novel compound’s toxicity against human normal liver cells was tested by using the CCK-8 assay.

Depending upon the metal coordination capacity and the binding sites of proteins, interaction between metal and proteins leads to a number of changes in the protein molecule which may include the change in conformation, unfolding, overall charge, and aggregation in some cases. In this study, Cu( ii ) and Ag( i ) metal ions were selected to investigate aggregation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) molecule upon interaction by measuring the size and charge of the aggregates using nano-Zetasizer instrument. Two concentrations of metal ions were made to interact with a specific concentration of BSA and the size and zeta potential of BSA aggregates were measured from 0 min upto 18 h. The Cu( ii ) and Ag( i ) metal ions showed almost similar behavior in inducing the BSA aggregation and the intensity of peak corresponding to the normal-sized protein decreased with time, whereas the peak corresponding to the protein aggregate increased. However, the effect on zeta potential of the aggregates was observed to be different with both metal ions. The aggregation of protein due to interaction of different metal ions is important to study as it gives insight to the pathogenesis of many neurological disorders and would result in developing effective ways to limit their exposure.

Different iron oxides were evaluated for the discoloration of methylene blue (MB) at neutral pH by heterogeneous photo-Fenton-like reactions with a UV-LED lamp. Fe 3 O 4 , α-Fe 2 O 3 , and a-FeOOH catalysts were synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and adsorption isotherms of N 2 . The results show high crystallinity and relatively low surface areas for Fe 3 O 4 and α-Fe 2 O 3 , and amorphous structure with high surface area for the case of a-FeOOH. The discoloration of MB by iron oxides as catalysts was studied using UV-Vis spectroscopy. Despite the relative high adsorption of MB for magnetite (12%) compared to the other oxides, it shows a slow discoloration kinetics. Besides, amorphous oxide (named a-FeOOH) shows a higher discoloration kinetics with negligible adsorption capacity. The pseudo first-order kinetic constant values for Fe 3 O 4 , α-Fe 2 O 3 , and a-FeOOH are 5.31 × 10 −3 , 6.89 × 10 −3 , and 13.01 × 10 −3  min −1 ; and the discoloration efficiencies at 120 min were 56, 60, and 82%, respectively. It was testified that low crystallinity iron oxide can be used in the efficient discoloration of MB by photo-Fenton process with a hand UV-A lamp.

In the present study, the optimized solvent extraction conditions with regards to the total polyphenol content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity of rosemary leaf extract (RLE) were determined. The one-factor-at-a-time method was used to independently investigate the effect of several extraction parameters, including ethanol concentration (0–100% v/v), extraction temperature (50–80°C), extraction period (15–60 min), material–solvent ratio (1:5–1:10 g/mL), and extraction cycles (1, 2, and 3 times) on polyphenol content. Response surface methodology (RSM), in combination with a central composite design, was used to perform optimization. The following optimal conditions that gave maximal TPC were determined and experimentally verified: ethanol concentration of 65% (v/v), extraction temperature of 65°C, material–solvent ratio of 1:7.5 g/mL, extraction time of 15 min, and 2 cycles of extraction. These parameters corresponded with the TPC yield of 87.42 ± 0.25 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dried feed material (mg GAE/g DW). The optimal conditions gave a high extraction yield (337 ± 6 mg dried extract/g dried feed material) with 197.28 ± 3.11 mg GAE/g dried extract. The estimated models were strongly significant ( p < 0.05) for TPC values with significant regression coefficients ( R 2 ) of 0.9979. The obtained RLE was supposed to be the top grade of natural antioxidant with the IC 50 (DPPH assays) value of 9.4 ± 0.1 μg/mL, which is higher than that of the vitamin C by just three times (IC 50 = 3.2 ± 0.1 μg/mL). Current results justify RLE as a potential agent in food preservation applications.

A new series of urea and thiourea derivatives containing benzimidazole group as potential anticancer agents have been designed and synthesized. The structures of the synthesized compounds were characterized and confirmed by spectroscopic techniques such as 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, and mass spectrometry. In vitro anticancer assay against two breast cancer (BC) cell lines, MDA-MB-231 ER(−)/PR(−) and MCF-7 ER(+)/PR(+) , revealed that the cytotoxicity of 1-(2-(1 H -benzo[ d ]imidazol-2-ylamino)ethyl)-3- p -tolylthiourea ( 7b ) and 4-(1 H -benzo[ d ]imidazol-2-yl)- N -(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine-1-carboxamide ( 5d ) were higher in MCF-7 with IC 50  values of 25.8 and 48.3 µM, respectively, as compared with MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, 7b  and  5d  were assessed for their apoptotic potential using 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole, acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining, and Caspase-3/7. After incubation with MCF-7, the compounds 7b  and  5d  induced apoptosis through caspase-3/7 activation. In conclusion, the compounds 7b  and  5d  are potential candidates for inducing apoptosis in different genotypic BC cell lines.

This study assessed the antimicrobial, toxicity, and phytochemical profiles of Myristica fragrans extracts. Different solvent extracts were tested for antimicrobial activity against clinical and reference microbial strains, using disc and well diffusion assays and microdilution techniques. Antioxidant potential was investigated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) assays. Cytotoxicity assay was conducted against human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Acute toxicity was assessed in laboratory Swiss albino mice at a single dose of 2,000 mg/kg body weight for 14 days. To assess the phytochemical constituents, spectrophotometric and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods were used. The chloroform extract revealed antimicrobial potencies against the Gram-positive bacteria and C. albicans with minimum inhibitory concentrations. In the DPPH assay, the IC 50 value of the chloroform extract was determined to be 1.49 mg/mL. The phenolic and flavonoid contents were 26.64 ±  0.1 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g and 8.28  ± 0.1 mg quercetin equivalents/g, respectively. The IC 50 value was determined to be 49 µg/mL against the HUVEC line. No mortality or morbidity was observed. GC-MS analysis indicated the presence of 2-cyclopenten-1-one (44.72%) as a major compound. The current results provide scientific support for the use of M. fragrans in folk medicine.

Recently, the biggest challenge in agriculture is the search for new, effective, and ecological methods of protecting plants against diseases. One of the fastest-growing and prospective strategies is a method based on activating the plant’s natural defenses. The use of suitable substances (elicitors) stimulates the immune system of plants, which makes them resistant to infections even before the first symptoms appear. This article presents preparation, characterization, phytotoxicity, and plant resistance induction efficacy of 28 ester derivatives of nicotinic, isonicotinic, and 2,6-dichloroisonicotinic acids as potential inducers of plants’ natural immune system. Plant resistance induction efficacy tests were performed on tobacco Nicotiana tabacum var. Xanthi infected by the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV).

Zinc sulphide nanoparticles represented as ZnS1, ZnS2 and ZnS3 have been prepared from Zn( ii ) N -methyl- N -ethanoldithiocarbamate (1) complex and its 2,2′-bipyridine (2) and 1,10′-phenanthroline (3) adducts, respectively. Both the parent complex (1) and the adducts (2) and (3) were characterised by spectroscopic techniques and elemental analysis. In the solid state, the structures of complexes (1) and (2) were established using single-crystal X-ray analysis. Complex (1) possessed a distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry about the zinc centre, whilst forming a dimer via bidentate bridging coordination between two opposite dithiocarbamate motifs. On the other hand, complex (2) formed a trigonal prismatic geometry about the Zn centre with a ZnS4N2 chromophore. The decomposition of the complexes in hexadecylamine afforded spherical-shaped ZnS nanoparticles of the cubic sphalerite crystal phase. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrographs showed that the average particles size of ZnS1, ZnS2 and ZnS3 were 2.63, 5.27 and 6.52 nm, respectively. In the optical study, the estimated bandgap energies were found in the range between 4.34 and 4.08 eV, which indicated a blue shift when compared with the bandgap energy of bulk ZnS. Graphical abstract

Acacia honey is characterized by high nutritional, antioxidant, antibacterial and immuno-modulatory values. This work investigated the presence of short and cyclic peptides in Acacia and Ziziphus honey samples. Acacia honey samples ( Acacia tortilis and Acacia hamulosa ) and three Ziziphus honeys ( Ziziphus spina-christi ) were screened for their short and cyclic peptide contents using the LC-MS and the chemical structure databases. Moreover, the total protein content was determined using the Bradford method. The A. tortilis honey contained three short peptides; HWCC, DSST, and ECH, and the A. hamulosa honey sample contained five short peptides and one cyclic peptide. The short peptides of the A. hamulosa honey were Ac-GMGHG-OH (Ac-MGGHG-OH), Boc-R(Aloc)2-C(Pal)-OH, H-C (1)-NEt2·H-C (1)-NEt2, APAP (AAPP), and GAFQ (deamino-2-pyrid-4-yl-glycyl- dl -alanyl- dl -norvalyl- dl -asparagine). The cyclic peptide of the A. hamulosa honey was cyclo [Aad-RGD- d -F] ( cyclo [Aad-Arg-Gly-Asp- d -Phe]). The Ziziphus honey was characterized by the presence of either Almiramide B or Auristatin-6-AQ. A. tortilis , A. hamulosa, and Ziziphus honeys are characterized by the presence of short and cyclic peptides which may contribute to their medicinal values.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide. Albuminuria is the most sensitive marker for the early recognition of DN. Therefore, we aimed to study the risk factors of albuminuria as a marker of DN among diabetic patients. The study included 41 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), 50 type 2 diabetic nephropathy (T2DN) patients with macroalbuminuria, 43 T2DN patients with microalbuminuria and 38 healthy controls. Logistic regression was used to detect the most significant risk factors for albuminuria. A high statistically significant difference was found between the groups regarding age, sex, body mass index (BMI), diabetes mellitus (DM) duration, glucose, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), creatinine, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), lipid profile, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), the albumin–creatinine ratio (ACR), vitamin D, total parathyroid hormone (PTH), urea, total calcium and chemerin ( p < 0.001). It was found that the duration of DM, BMI, glucose, GFR, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), TNF-α, IL-6, CRP, ACR, vitamin D, PTH and chemerin are significant albuminuria risk factors in DN. Vitamin D deficiency and associated inflammatory mediators such as chemerin, TNF-α, IL-6 and CRP are the most essential risk factors for albuminuria in T2DM patients.

Quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) study has been conducted on 36 terpene derivatives with anticonvulsant activity in timed pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) infusion test. QSAR models for anticonvulsant activity prediction of hydrazones and esters of some monocyclic/bicyclic terpenoids were developed using simplex representation of molecular structure (SiRMS; informational field [IF]) approach based on the SiRMS and the IF of molecule. Four 2D partial least squares QSAR consensus models were developed with the coefficient of determination for test sets R test 2 > 0.62 {R}_{\text{test}}^{2}\gt 0.62 . Based on the established QSAR models, we found that carvone and verbenone cores possess the most significant contribution to antiseizure action examined on the model of PTZ-induced convulsions at 3 and 24 h after oral administration of terpene derivatives. Moreover, carbonyl and hydroxy group substitution in terpenoid molecules followed by hydrazones and esters formation leads to enhancement and prolongation of antiseizure action due to the contribution of additional molecular fragments. The presented QSAR models might be utilized to predict anticonvulsant effect among terpene derivatives for their oral administration against onset seizures.

This study aimed to investigate the key role and mechanism of GADD45B in the radiation resistance of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell lines. Radiotherapy-resistant HONE1 (HONE1-R) cells with stable genetic radioresistance were cultured under continuous radiation stimulation. CCK-8 and clone formation assays were used to verify the radioresistance of the cell line. Transcriptome sequencing was used to identify the most important differential signaling pathway in the cell line. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot analysis were used to verify the sequencing results. GADD45B-siRNA was used to knock down the key gene so as to verify the downstream gene expression and analyze its mechanism. The transcriptome analysis showed that 702 genes were upregulated and 772 genes were downregulated in the HONE1-R cell lines. The core differential signaling pathway was mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, and the core differential gene was GADD45B. After GADD45B was knocked down, the cell viability and proliferation ability of HONE1-R cell lines significantly decreased under radiation, and the expression of cyclin B1 and p-CDK1 decreased significantly. MAPK is the core signaling pathway in radioresistance of NPC. GADD45B plays an important role by affecting cell viability and proliferation in NPC radioresistance. GADD45B is a potential target of radioresistance in NPC.

This study contributes to anti-malarial research effort by conducting in silico assessment of 125 compounds originated from Cannabis sativa L. against plasmodium falciparum dihydrofolate reductase-thymidinesynthase (pfDHFR-TS) enzyme for potential inhibition activity. Drug-like and pharmacokinetic criteria were used to assess the drug-like properties of the studied compounds. AutoDock4.2.6 and AutoDock Vina software were used to calculate the possible binding pose of the studied compounds to pfDHFR-TS enzyme. The docking procedure was validated using two known inhibitors cycloguanil and WR99210. 65 out of 125 compounds violated no more than 2 of Lipinski’s rule of five and were sorted out as favorable for drug development. Amongst these 65 compounds, pharmacokinetic properties and toxicity evaluation identified 60 compounds that meet the criteria of drug-like properties and were subjected to further docking studies. Docking outcomes identified 10 compounds including compounds 4 , 9 , 19 , 22 , 23 , 25 , 30 , 42 , 43 , and 59 as potential candidates for inhibiting the function of pfDHFR-TS at the active site through hydrogen bonds with Ile14, Asp54, and Ile 164 residues. Compound 9 is considered as the top “hit” with docking energy far more exceeding those of the standard compounds. High correlation coefficient between the docking energy of AutoDock4.2.6 and AutoDock Vina was recorded with the value of R 2 = 0.74.

Temperature has a significant influence on the action of pyrethroids, and their effect increases with decreasing ambient temperature. Using gas chromatography, we assessed the degradation rate of λ-cyhalothrin, active ingredients (AI) of Karate Zeon 050 CS from pyrethroid group, in bees incubated for 48 h under different temperature conditions. With RT-qPCR method, we studied expression levels of selected cytochrome P450 genes after exposure to the plant protection product (PPP). The half-life of λ-cyhalothrin decreased from 43.32 to 17.33 h in the temperature range of 21–31°C. In animals incubated at 16°C, the AI half-life was even shorter and amounted to 10.19 h. The increase in temperature increased the expression of Cyp9Q1, Cyp9Q2, and Cyp9Q3 in the group of control bees. We showed a two-fold statistically significant increase in gene expression after treatment with PPP bees. The obtained results indicate that honey bees are characterized by susceptibility to pyrethroids that vary depending on the ambient temperature. This may be due to the different expressions of genes responsible for the detoxification of these PPPs at different temperatures.

The samples of plant material suspected to contain new psychoactive substances are very often the subject of chemical-toxicological analyses. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (MS), liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight-MS, and liquid chromatography-tandem MS were applied with the aim to identify synthetic cannabinoid, methyl 2-{[1-(cyclohexylmethyl)-1 H -indol-3-yl] formamido}-3-methylbutanoate (MMB-CHMICA) without the analytical standard, which is very often the case when a new drug arrives. The structure of compound was also confirmed by one-dimensional and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and conformational analysis. After identification, methanolic extract of plant material containing MMB-CHMICA was successfully used for developing a multiple reaction monitoring method on liquid chromatography-tandem MS instrument. The optimization procedure is shown in detail. The complete fragmentation pattern and also the optimization of the extraction procedure of MMB-CHMICA from plant material were shown. The obtained data are useful for forensic, toxicological, and clinical purposes. Graphical abstract

Arsenic (As) accumulated in genuine medicinal materials will not only deteriorate the original medicinal properties of the medicinal materials but also harm the eater’s body. In this study, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technology was used to investigate the total As content of honeysuckle in four regions, namely Fengqiu, Henan, Xinmi, Shandong, and Julu, Hebei, as well as the speciation and content of As in the roots, stems, and leaves of honeysuckle. This research shows that the total As content of honeysuckle in the four regions was 0.25–0.3 mg/kg. At 1.5 mol/L H 3 PO 4 , 200 W, we performed ultrasonic extraction for 30 min at 60°C and adopted high performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS) to analyze the As speciation of honeysuckle plants. The soil As speciation mainly exists in the form of As( v ). In the medicinal part of honeysuckle, the amount of different As speciation is ranked in the descending order as As( v ) > As( iii ) > dimethyl As acid > monomethyl As acid > AsC. As( v ) is the main speciation, accounting for 64.5% of the total, followed by the most toxic As( iii ), which is 18.8%. As( v ) absorbed by the root system of honeysuckle from the soil tends to transform to As( iii ) when transported upwards, and the transformation process mainly occurs in the roots.

Two new Cu( ii )-based coordination polymers (CPs) with the chemical formulae of [CuL(bimmb) 0.5 ] n ( 1 , bimmb is 4-bis(imidazole-1-ylmethyl)benzene) and [CuL(bbibp)] n ( 2 , bbibp is 4,4'-bis(benzoimidazo-1-yl)biphenyl) have been successfully prepared by the reaction of 3,3'-azodibenzoic acid (H 2 L) ligand and metal salt Cu(NO 3 ) 2 ·3H 2 O in the presence of different nitrogen-donor coligands. In the bioactive evaluation experiments, the treatment activity of the prepared CPs against periodontitis was examined. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detection was used to test interleukin-18 (IL-18) and IL-6 contents released into the gingival crevicular fluid after the treatment of above CPs, and the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was subsequently performed to measure the relative expression level of HmuY gene in the Porphyromonas gingivalis .

The one-pot acid-catalyzed the conversion of furfuryl alcohol (FA) to ethyl levulinate (EL) was investigated in the presence of mesoporous aluminosilicate (TUD-1) with a high surface area (up to 579 m 2 g −1 ) and well-interconnected mesospheres synthesized via a solvothermal process and characterized using scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, 27 Al-NMR, and N 2 sorption isotherm. The resulting solid acid catalyst was tested for the alcoholysis of FA with ethanol, affording 87.8% EL yield under the optimal reaction conditions of 120°C and 4 h. Moreover, the catalyst showed a good reusability with less loss of activity after a simple solvent washing and calcination procedure.

One of the first biological fields to achieve a formal chemical wing is believed to be immunology, and in the early twentieth century, many investigators have studied this field in terms of chemical reactions. Hsien Wu was one of China’s outstanding biochemist leaders during the first half of the twentieth century, an influential immunology scientist. By introducing his academic and scientific background, I elaborate on Hsien Wu’s achievements in the immunochemical period. Wu has solved one of the most serious issues on the accurate perception of immunology, and he made quick and universal attention in this regard. Hsien’s most fundamental contribution to this field is his concentration on quantitation, chemical approaches, and physicochemical, opening a new window for other scientists to find out more about the chemical approaches and theories.

The misuse of psychoactive substances is attracting a great deal of attention from the general public. An increase use of psychoactive substances is observed among young people who do not have enough awareness of the harmful effects of these substances. Easy access to illicit drugs at low cost and lack of effective means of routine screening for new psychoactive substances (NPS) have contributed to the rapid increase in their use. New research and evidence suggest that drug use can cause a variety of adverse psychological and physiological effects on human health (anxiety, panic, paranoia, psychosis, and seizures). We describe different classes of these NPS drugs with emphasis on the methods used to identify them and the identification of their metabolites in biological specimens. This is the first review that thoroughly gives the literature on both natural and synthetic illegal drugs with old known data and very hot new topics and investigations, which enables the researcher to use it as a starting point in the literature exploration and planning of the own research. For the first time, the conformational analysis was done for selected illegal drugs, giving rise to the search of the biologically active conformations both theoretically and using lab experiments.

The oil discovery in the Arab Gulf, and particularly in Kuwait, has led to rapid urbanization, population development, industrialization, and, with it, many problems of oil and nonoil pollution. The rapid growth of the manufacturing sector in Kuwait occurred mainly along its coastal margins. Natural oil sequestration areas have been established and are deemed as critical point pollution sources at different locations along the coast. This has allowed the release of a variety of toxins directly into the marine ecosystem, including petroleum hydrocarbons. The ecotoxicological effects of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the aquatic environment have been causing a significant concern. Much work concentrated primarily on hydrocarbon emissions from petroleum/combustion, with few papers authenticating other target POPs (PCBs, PBDEs, and dioxins). This study aims to reflect past ideas on the production and sources of POPs in the marine environment in Kuwait and their comparison with worldwide outcomes. Much of the literature reviewed reported that while Kuwait’s aquatic ecosystem has been exposed to a wide variety of incidents of pollution, overall emission rates remain relatively low. Nonetheless, soil pollution hotspots are also associated with point sources of chemical waste, such as those from the Shuaiba industrial area, in a variety of areas along the coast.

Cerebral ischemia is an extremely complex disease that can be caused by a variety of factors. Cerebral ischemia can cause great harm to human body. Sevoflurane is a volatile anesthetic that is frequently used in clinic, and has a lot of advantages, such as quick induction of general anesthesia, quick anesthesia recovery, no respiratory tract irritation, muscle relaxation, and small cycle effect. The mechanism of sevoflurane preconditioning or post-treatment induction is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to illustrate the mechanism underlying sevoflurane-induced protection in cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury and also provide theoretical guidance for future research.

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) emerged as a unique type of pneumonia outbreak in the Wuhan city of China in 2019 and spread to all its provinces in a matter of days and then to every continent of the world except Antarctica within 3–4 month. This paper aims to comprehensively consolidate the available information about COVID-19 and present all the possible information about this disease in form of a single paper to readers. Unparalleled research and exhaustive studies of everything about the disease and its causative virus, i.e., severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), are underway since its emergence. The genome sequence of the virus was made available within a record short time by China, making possible immediate study of its structure and characteristics. The routes of transmission of the disease, signs and symptoms, incubation period, pathogenesis, and pathophysiology have been extensively studied and presented in an organized way in this review paper. The number of confirmed cases and case fatality and mortality rates are updated regularly. The different diagnostic mechanisms have been characterized. Testing and management criteria and protocols have been adopted. Extensive efforts are underway for finding a treatment of the disease and developing a vaccine against it. A number of vaccines are available even in markets in different countries. More and more ways of personal protection, prevention, and mitigation of the disease are being explored and shared. While the outbreak has been declared as pandemic, the response of scientists was timely and enormous; thousands of publications about various aspects and impact of the diseases and its causative virus are there on the World Health Organization database and many more studies are underway. The purpose of writing this review article is to provide a comprehensive summary of the major aspects and important scientific findings so far, about COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2, in a single article for ready reference.

The aim of this review study was to assess the past significant events on diabetes mellitus, transformations that took place over the years in the medical records of treatment, countries involved, and the researchers who brought about the revolutions. This study used the content analysis to report the existence of diabetes mellitus and the treatments provided by researchers to control it. The focus was mainly on three main types of diabetes (type 1, type 2, and type 3 diabetes). Ethical consideration has also helped to boost diabetic studies globally. The research has a history path from pharmaceuticals of organic-based drugs to metal-based drugs with their nanoparticles in addition to the impacts of nanomedicine, biosensors, and telemedicine. Ongoing and future studies in alternative medicine such as vanadium nanoparticles (metal nanoparticles) are promising.

In the last years, supercapacitors (SCs) have been proposed as a promising alternative to cover the power density deficiency presented in batteries. Electrical double-layer SCs, pseudocapacitors, and hybrid supercapacitors (HSCs) have shown very attractive features such as high-power density, long cycle life, and tunable specific capacitance. The advances of these energy storage devices made by transition metal oxides (TMOs) and their production in pseudocapacitors and HSCs depend on chemical composition, crystalline structure, morphology, theoretical capacitance, and oxidation states. In this way, this critical review considers several metal oxides (RuO 2 , MnO 2 , V 2 O 5 , and Co 3 O 4 ) and their different configurations with diverse carbon-based materials. Energy storage mechanisms and fundamental principles to understand the promising effect of metal oxides in SCs devices are thoroughly described. Special attention as regards to the energy storage mechanisms relative to the specific capacitance values is presented in the reviewed articles. This review envisages the TMO as a key component to obtain high specific capacitance SCs.

Diversification of products that are derived from essential oils carries important implications in reducing agricultural waste and promoting the medicinal materials industry. In this study, we formulated a shampoo and a body wash product incorporated with lemongrass ( Cymbopogon citratus ) essential oils (LEOs) and evaluated their color stability and the LEO compositional change. We first determined the color change and chemical composition of bare LEO under different storage conditions. Afterward, the washing product base was formulated, and its formulation process was optimized to minimize the color change by varying a wide range of parameters including pH, the inclusion of preservatives and antioxidants, LEO/antioxidant ratio, and emulsification temperature. The base product was then used in body wash and shampoo formulation following our previously reported procedure. The results indicated that direct incorporation of the LEO into the cosmetic products resulted in better color stability and citral retention in comparison with emulsion formation. In addition, shampoo and body wash products showed no detectible presence of compounds resulting from citral decomposition such as 3,7-dimethyl-1,3,6-octatriene, p -mentha-1,5-dien-8-ol, and p -cymene-8-ol. The current findings are expected to aid in diversifying LEO-derived commodities and justifying scalability of the cosmetics production process with a focus on the incorporation of naturally derived ingredients.

Dithiocarbamate complexes are of immense interest due to their diverse structural properties and extensive application in various areas. They possess two sulfur atoms that often act as the binding sites for metal coordination in a monodentate, bidentate, or anisodentate fashion. These different coordination modes enhance the possibility for complex formation and make them useful in different areas especially in biomedical fields. A synergy exists in the metal ions and dithiocarbamate moieties, which tends to exert better properties than the respective individual components of the complex. These improved properties have also been attributed to the presence of the C–S bonds. Zinc and nickel ions have been majorly found to bind to the dithiocarbamate in bidentate modes, and consequently different geometries have resulted from this interaction. The aim of this review is to present some studies on the synthesis, structural chemistry, and the relevance of zinc and nickel dithiocarbamates complexes especially in biological systems.

There has been an increase in the reported cases of tuberculosis, a disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis , which is still currently affecting most of the world’s population, especially in resource-limited countries. The search for novel antitubercular chemotherapeutics from underexplored natural sources is therefore of paramount importance. The renewed interest in studies related to natural products, driven partly by the growing incidence of MDR-TB, has increased the prospects of discovering new antitubercular drug leads. This is because most of the currently available chemotherapeutics such as rifampicin and capreomycin used in the treatment of TB were derived from natural products, which are proven to be an abundant source of novel drugs used to treat many diseases. To meet the global need for novel antibiotics from natural sources, various strategies for high-throughput screening have been designed and implemented. This review highlights the current antitubercular drug discovery strategies from natural sources. Graphical abstract

Direct urea fuel cell (DUFC) has attracted many researchers’ attention due to the use of wastewater, for example urine, which contains urea for the fuel. The main factor to improve the electrochemical oxidation performance of urea and further enhance the performances of DUFC is the use of a good anode catalyst. Non-noble metal catalyst, such as nickel, is reported to have a good catalytic activity in alkaline medium towards urea electro-oxidation. Besides optimizing the anode catalyst, the use of supporting electrode which has a large surface area as well as the use of H 2 O 2 as an oxidant to replace O 2 could help to improve the performances. The recent progress in anode catalysts for DUFC is overviewed in this article. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages as well as the factors that could help to escalate the performance of DUFC are discussed together with the challenges and future perspectives.

Most dental implants used in dental practices are made of titanium or titanium alloys so that the essential differences promoted by the various manufacturers are at the level of their surface; through specific surface treatments, the aim is to obtain improved results regarding osseointegration. This study attempts to identify the differences between a series of used brands of dental implants by analyzing the chemical composition and the morphology of their surface and is particularly significant for the potential users as it highlights the manner of performances of the aforementioned implants, providing them with a tool in choosing the proper dental implant to suit their needs. It was found that, as the technology evolved and the costs were reduced, there is a net preference for using pure titanium or its alloys in the manufacture of dental implants versus the stainless steel titanium alloys, considered now a thing of the past.

The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate whether the fermentation process affects the antioxidative properties of honeys. Therefore, the total antioxidant potential (TAP) of eleven meads was examined. TAPs were estimated using DPPH, hydroxyl radicals, and amperometric measurements in the flow-through HPLC system. The results were correlated with the total content of polyphenols and anthocyanins. Additionally, the concentrations of ethanol, sugars, and hydrogen peroxide were measured. The influence of side reactions and the presence of hydrogen peroxide, glucose, ethanol, and anthocyanins on the free radicals generation were also tested. The use of HPLC electrochemical detection for TAP measurements is particularly preferred. Depending on the potential used, different antioxidants can be measured. It turned out that fruit and species meads are characterized by much higher TAPs measured at high potential of the working electrode than at lower potential due to the high concentration of weak antioxidants which do not provide signals at low potentials. It was found that dark honeys (buckwheat, honeydew) are characterized by much higher TAP values than light ones (acacia, linden, multi-floral). The concentration of anthocyanins decreased during fermentation. They are removed together with the sediment.

The composite of tin oxide-reduced graphene oxide (SnO 2 /rGO) was prepared via a green synthesis of rGO using Pometia pinnata leaf extract followed by the dispersion of the SnO 2 precursor. The composite was employed as a photocatalyst for the removal of methylene blue (MB) under UV and visible light. A variety of spectroscopic and analytical techniques, consisting of X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared, scanning transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and a transmission electron microscope, was used to characterize the physical properties of the photocatalyst. The characterizations represent the dispersed SnO 2 nanoparticles in the rutile phase with the mean particle size of 72 nm. The photocatalytic activity experiments revealed the superiority of the composite for photodegradation application under the visible light source compared to UV light. This visible light-responsive property is fit with photoluminescence intensity in the visible light range. It was found that SnO 2 /rGO yields the degradation efficiency of ca. 98.28% within 90 min.

This study aimed to identify the effectiveness of SNEDDS of Pegagan Leaf Ethanol Extract (PLE) to reduce fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels in zebrafish. Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. or pegagan is among the medicinal plants widely used to treat diabetes in Indonesia. Maceration was employed with 70% ethanol to obtain a viscous extract for the formulation of SNEDDS with Capryol 90, Tween 80, and PEG 400 (1:6:3). Antihyperglycemic testing was conducted on five groups, consisting of normal, positive control, negative control, P I treatment, and P II treatment. On Day 1, all except the normal group was induced with 300 mg alloxan and soaked in 2% glucose solution for 7 days. On day 8, the treatment consisted of 25 mg/2 L metformin for the positive control, 100 mg/2 L SNEDDS for P I, 200 mg/2 L SNEDDS for P II, and no treatment for the negative control. The SNEDDS characterization obtained 100.6 ± 3.12 nm particle size and −7.93 ± 0.66 mV zeta potential, indicating that the SNEDDS had fulfilled the requirements of good preparation. The antidiabetic activity test found a 69.90% decline in FBG levels in 100 mg/2 L SNEDDS and 72.20% in 200 mg/2 L SNEDDS.

In the last few decades, the energy crisis has been one of the main concerns related to the lack of long-term petroleum-based reserves as primary energy resources. Biodiesel emerged as a promising alternative. Nowadays, it is produced from edible vegetable oil, thereby causing commodity prices and food security disruption. In this case, microalgae serve as a sustainable and renewable feedstock for their fast growth, high lipid content, and CO 2 absorbing agent. Five processes are applied on the production of microalgae-based biodiesel, namely cultivation, harvesting, extraction, conversion, and refinement. There is currently limited study on technology selection on industrial-scale technology for oil extraction from Chlorella spp. of microalgae. Therefore, this study aims to review and select the most suitable technology using simple multi-attribute rating technique extended to ranking – multi-criteria decision analysis (SMARTER-MCDA). Preliminary studies showed that conventional organic solvent extraction (COE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), electric pulse extraction (EPE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) were the most promising technologies. These technologies required a series of evaluations using SMARTER-MCDA with several criteria, including easy scalability, extraction productivity, energy input, additional compound, and environmental impact. The result ranking showed that MAE technology was selected as the most suitable technology for oil extraction from Chlorella spp. Graphical abstract

This paper reports the synthesis and in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation of isatin-pyrrole derivatives 5–8 , obtained from the appropriate isatins with pyrrole, with good yields and purity. The product structures were confirmed through spectroscopy methods. Furthermore, the MTT assay on the human liver cancer HepG2 cell lines revealed moderate activity in all compounds, which was highest in sample 6 (IC 50 0.47 µM). The anticancer activity was affiliated with the presence of a nitro group at C-5 and N -methyl of the isatin scaffold.

The excessive use of natural gas and other fossil fuels by the industrial sector leads to the production of great quantities of gas pollutants, including CO 2 , SO 2 , and NO x . Consequently, these gases increase the temperature of the earth, producing global warming. Different strategies have been developed to help overcome this problem, including the utilization of separation membrane technology. Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) are hybrid membranes that combine an organic polymer as a matrix and an inorganic compound as a filler. In this study, MMMs were prepared based on polyethersulfone (PES) and a type of metal–organic framework (MOF), Materials of Institute Lavoisier (MIL)-100(Al) [Al 3 O(H 2 O) 2 (OH)(BTC) 2 ] (BTC: benzene 1,3,5-tricarboxylate) using a phase inversion method. The influence on the properties of the produced membranes by addition of 5, 10, 20, and 30% MIL-100(Al) (w/w) to the PES was also investigated. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis indicated that no chemical interactions occurred between PES and MIL-100(Al). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed agglomeration at PES/MIL-100(Al) 30% (w/w) and that the thickness of the dense layer increased up to 3.70 µm. After the addition of MIL-100(Al) of 30% (w/w), the permeability of the MMMs for CO 2 , O 2 , and N 2 gases was enhanced by approximately 16, 26, and 14 times, respectively, as compared with a neat PES membrane. The addition of MIL-100(Al) to PES increased the thermal stability of the membranes, reaching 40°C as indicated by thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). An addition of 20% MIL-100(Al) (w/w) increased membrane selectivity for CO 2 /O 2 from 2.67 to 4.49 (approximately 68.5%), and the addition of 10% MIL-100(Al) increased membrane selectivity for CO 2 /N 2 from 1.01 to 2.12 (approximately 110.1%).

The properties of three types of CoMo/USY catalysts with different synthesized methods have been studied. The sequential and co-impregnation methods followed by activation using calcination and reduction process have been conducted. The properties of the catalysts were examined using Fourier-transform-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) with refinement, and surface area analyzer (SAA). The FTIR spectrum study revealed the enhanced intensity of its Bronsted acid site, and the XRD diffractogram pattern verified the composition of pure metals, oxides, and alloys in the catalyst. The SAA demonstrated the mesoporous features of the catalyst. Scanning electron microscopy showed an irregular particle morphology. Additional analysis using the transmission electron microscopy indicated that the metal has successfully impregnated without damaging the USY structure.

In this study, the electrochemical behavior of sulpiride (SUL) was examined deeply by using pyrolytic graphite electrode modified with graphene oxide (GO) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). The developed nanosensor indicated considerable impact by significantly increasing the signal of SUL compared with the bare electrode. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and square wave voltammetry (SWV) methods were utilized to investigate the SUL electrochemical analysis in aqueous solutions. Under optimum experimental conditions, calibration plot for SUL with a limit of detection of 2.83 × 10 −9  M was obtained at accumulation time of the 30 s using square wave adsorptive stripping voltammetric technique (AdSSWV) in the range of 1.0 × 10 −7 to 5.0 × 10 −5  M. The effects of accumulation potential, accumulation time, pH, scan rate, electrolyte, and interfering agents were studied to obtain the intensive peak signal of the analyte. The presented method is validated and successfully performed for the determination of the SUL tablet and capsule. The fabricated nanosensor was carried out for the detection of SUL in the urine. Excellent recoveries among 104.37, 103.82, and 101.95% were obtained for tablet and capsule forms and urine analysis.

Flavonoids are common bioactive components in plants. Quercetin is the most abundant flavonoid in the human diet, accounting for more than half of the total daily consumption of flavonoids. In this study, adsorption and electrocatalytic activities of quercetin isolated from Zanthoxylum bungeanum on an electrode was studied via homemade electrodes. An in situ UV-Visible thin-layer spectroelectrochemical method was used to study the electrochemical behavior of quercetin in detail and to explore its electrochemical reaction mechanism. This experiment proves that UV-Vis thin-layer spectroelectrochemistry is a feasible way for studying the electrochemical reaction mechanism of flavonoids in plants.

Protein is a kind of basic substance that constitutes a life body. The determination of protein is very important for the research of biology, medicine, and other fields. Lysozyme is relatively small and simple in structure among all kinds of proteins, so it is often used as a standard target detector in the study of aptamer sensor for protein detection. In this paper, a lysozyme electrochemical sensor based on aptamer competition mechanism is proposed. We have successfully prepared a signal weakening electrochemical sensor based on the lysozyme aptamer competition mechanism. The carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were modified on the glassy carbon electrode, and the complementary aptamer DNA with amino group was connected to MWCNTs. Because of the complementary DNA of daunomycin into the electrode, the electrochemical signal is generated. When there is a target, the aptamer binds to lysozyme with higher binding power, and the original complementary chain breaks down, resulting in the loss of daunomycin inserted into the double chain and the weakening of electrochemical signal. Differential pulse voltammetry was used to determine lysozyme, the response range was 1–500 nM, the correlation coefficient was 0.9995, and the detection limit was 0.5 nM. In addition, the proposed sensor has good selectivity and anti-interference.

This study displays the facile and fluent electrochemical determination of uric acid (UA) through exceptional copper oxide nanostructures (CuO), as an effective sensing probe. The copper oxide nanostructures were fabricated via an aqueous chemical growth method using sodium hydroxide as a reducing agent, which massively hold hydroxide source. Copper oxide nanostructures showed astonishing electrocatalytic behavior in the detection of UA. Different characterization techniques such as XRD, FESEM, and EDS were exploited to determine crystalline nature, morphologies, and elemental composition of synthesized nanostructures. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) was subjected to investigate the electrochemical performance of UA using copper oxide nanostructures modified glassy carbon electrode CuO/GCE. The CV parameters were optimized at a scan rate of 50 mV/s with −0.7 to 0.9 potential range, and the UA response was investigated at 0.4 mV. PBS buffer of pH 7.4 was exploited as a supporting electrolyte. The linear dynamic range for UA was 0.001–351 mM with a very low limit of detection observed as 0.6 µM. The proposed sensor was successfully applied in urine samples for the detection of UA with improved sensitivity and selectivity.

To establish a method for fast discrimination of avocado oil for different extracted methods, the headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy (HS-GC-IMS) combined with principal component analysis (PCA) was used to analyze non-target volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The results showed that 40 VOCs were identified, and the VOCs of the extraction method had a significant difference and had been well distinguished in PCA. The species and content of avocado oil obtained by squeeze method were more than the aqueous methods and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction methods (SC CO 2 ). In addition, the different avocado oil had their characteristic compounds: the 2-acetylthiazole and ethyl propionate were the unique compounds in the avocado oil obtained by SC CO 2 . A rapid method for the determination of avocado oil obtained by different extraction methods based on HS-GC-IMS had been established, and the method was fast and simple and had a good application prospect in the prediction of avocado oil processing methods.

The surface-modified zinc oxide quantum dots (ZnO QDs) have broad application prospects in the field of biomedicine because of their good water solubility, dispersibility, and high fluorescence stability. The alkali bases play important roles in controlling the morphology, size distribution, dispersity, and fluorescence intensity of the synthesized ZnO QDs. In this article, ZnO QDs were synthesized to induce hydrolysis–condensation reaction. The influences of alkali bases (LiOH, NaOH, and KOH) and the ratio of n (Zn 2+ ): n (OH − ) on the properties of synthesized ZnO QDs were investigated. The results show that the particle size of the ZnO QDs prepared using LiOH and NaOH as raw materials are smaller than that using KOH. ZnO QDs prepared at the ratio of n (Zn 2+ ): n (LiOH) = 1:1 have the best fluorescence performance and dispersibility.

A proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomic study was used to characterize 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon wines from Ningxia, which were vinified using the same fermentation technique. The pattern recognition methods of principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), and orthogonal PLS-DA (OPLS-DA) clearly distinguished between the different vintages of wine driven by the following metabolites: valine, 2,3-butanediol, ethyl acetate, proline, succinic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, glycerol, gallic acid, and choline. The PLS-DA loading plots also differentiated among the metabolites of different vintages. In the 2009 vintage wines, we found the highest levels of gallic acid, valine, proline, and 2,3-butanediol. The 2011 vintage wines contained the highest levels of lactic acid, and the highest levels of ethyl acetate, succinic acid, glycerol, and choline were observed in the 2012 vintage wines. We selected eight metabolites from the 1 H NMR spectra that were quantified according to their peak areas, and the concentrations were in agreement with the results of PLS-DA and OPLS-DA analyses.

The diatomaceous earth (DE), collected from the Mariovo region in North Macedonia, was characterized and thermally modified. The material represents a sedimentary rock of biogenic origin, soft solid that can be easily disintegrated, with white to grayish color, with bulk density of 0.51–0.55 g/cm 3 , total porosity of 61–63%, and specific gravity of 2.25 g/cm 3 . The chemical composition is as follows: SiO 2, 86.03; Al 2 O 3 , 3.01; Fe 2 O 3 , 2.89; MnO, 0.06; TiO 2, 0.20; CaO, 0.76; MgO, 0.28; K 2 O, 0.69; Na 2 O, 0.19; P 2 O 5 , 0.15; and loss of ignition, 5.66 (wt%). The mineralogy of the raw DE is characterized by the predominant presence of amorphous phase, followed by crystalline quartz, muscovite, kaolinite, and feldspar. Significant changes in the opal phase are observed in the 1,000–1,200°C temperature region. At 1,100°C, the entire opal underwent solid–solid transition to cristobalite. Further ramp of the temperature (1,100–1,200°C) induced formation of mullite. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy depict the presence of micro- and nanostructures with pores varying from 260 to 650 nm. SEM analysis further determined morphological changes in terms of the pore diameters shrinkage to 120–250 nm in comparison to the larger pores found in the initial material. The results from this investigation improve the understanding of mechanism of silica phase transition and the relevant phase alterations that took place in DE upon calcination temperatures from 500 to 1,200°C.

In this study, a simple voltammetric method was reported for independent determination of propranolol (PROP) and atenolol (ATN) in pharmaceutical tablets using carbon paste electrode modified with natural Ilmenite (CPE-I). The analytical performance of the modified sensor was evaluated using the square wave voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry for determination of both β(beta) blockers in 0.1 mol L −1 of sulfuric acid solution (H 2 SO 4) . The signal obtained with modified carbon paste electrode in 0.1 mol L −1 of H 2 SO 4 showed a good electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidations of PROP and ATN compared with the bare one. The enhanced oxidation peak current response can be attributed to the catalytic effect of the ilmenite nanomaterial incorporated into the carbon paste electrode. Under optimal condition, good linear calibration curves were obtained ranging from 0.20 to 8.9 mmol L −1 for PROP and 2.0 to 9.9 µmol L −1 for ATN, with detection limits of 80 and 0.31 µmol L −1 , respectively. The CPE-I sensor had good repeatability and reproducibility (RSD ≤ 3.2%) and high sensitivity for the detection of both ATN and PROP. The proposed sensor was applied for detection of these drugs in pharmaceutical tablets. The obtained results indicate that the voltammetric CPE-I sensor could be an alternative method for the routine quality control of the β blockers in complex matrices.

Environmental pollution by mercury is a local problem in Poland and concerns mainly industrial sites. Foundry waste are usually characterized by low mercury content compared to other heavy metals. Spent foundry sands with low content of Hg are the main component of foundry waste. However, Hg may be present in foundry dust, which may also be landfilled. Due to Hg toxicity, even a minimal content may have a negative impact on biota. This study focuses on assessing the mercury content of landfilled foundry waste (LFW), to assess its toxicity. Currently tested waste is recovered and reused as a road aggregate. The results were compared with the mercury content of local soils as the reference level. Waste samples were taken from foundry landfill. The mercury content, fractional composition, organic matter (OM) and total organic carbon content, pH and elementary composition of waste were analysed. It was found that the mercury content in LFW was very low, at the level of natural content in soils and did not pose a threat to the environment. The statistical analysis shows that mercury was not associated with OM of the waste, in contrast to soils, probably due to different types of OM in both materials.

The article shows the consumption of primary energy carriers in selected European Union (EU) countries, including Poland. The trend of consumption of primary energy carriers was compared with the global trend, which is different from that observed in the EU. The consumption of primary energy sources has been increasing steadily for many decades, due to the growth of the world population and the aspirations of developing countries to raise the standard of living of their citizens. In the EU, the opposite trend, i.e., a decrease in primary energy consumption, has been observed since 2007. This article presents tables and graphs showing these phenomena. The authors tried to answer the following questions: (a) What influences the decrease in demand for primary energy in highly developed countries? (b) Why the demand in less-developed countries is constantly growing? The trends in countries, such as Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Poland, i.e., countries with the most developed economies in the EU and the home country of the authors, were analyzed.

Petroleum plasticisers are applied as softening additives in rubber vulcanisation processes and as components of rubber mixtures in the production and vulcanisation process. They contain polycyclic aromatic compounds exhibiting carcinogenic and mutagenic effects. Since 2010, the European Union has banned the use of high-aromatic DAE plasticisers. The petroleum industry and tyre manufacturers are developing new types of petroleum plasticisers. The best alternative to the DAE is the TDAE plasticisers, obtained mainly by selective solvent refining. The solvent dewaxing process of classic TDAE plasticisers was studied in order to improve the chemical composition as well as the rheological and low-temperature properties of deparafinate. This article presents the results of an examination of the TDAE plasticiser samples subjected to solvent dewaxing process on a laboratory scale with three types of solvents, MEK–TOL, MEK–MIBK and MEK–MTBE. It was demonstrated that solvent dewaxing of the TDAE plasticiser with positive pour points maintains good process selectivity and allows for a significant reduction of the plasticiser pour point, thus improving the rheological and low-temperature properties. In all dewaxing attempts, the pour point in the deparaffinate decreased significantly to the range −12 to −22°C, compared to the positive pour points of the raw materials. The application tests for two types of the TDAE plasticisers, used to produce oiled rubber and a standard rubber compound, meet the quality requirements for those products.

Lactic acid is a naturally existing organic acid, which may be used in many different branches of industrial application. It can be made in the sugar fermentation process from renewable raw lactic acid, which is an indispensable raw material, including in the agricultural, food, and pharmaceutical industries. It is an ecological product that has enjoyed great popularity in recent years. In 2010, the US Department of Energy published a report about lactic acid to be a potential building element for future technology, whose demand grows year by year. The lactic acid molecule naturally exists in plants, microorganisms, and animals and can also be produced by carbohydrate fermentation or chemical synthesis from coal, petroleum products, and natural gas. In industry, lactic acid can be produced by chemical synthesis or fermentation. Although racemic lactic acid is always produced chemically from petrochemical sources, the optically pure L(+) – or D(−) – lactic acid forms can be obtained by microbial fermentation of renewable resources when an appropriate microorganism is selected. Depending on the application, one form of optically pure LA is preferred over the other. Additionally, microbial fermentation offers benefits including cheap renewable substrates, low production temperatures, and low energy consumption. Due to these advantages, the most commonly used biotechnological production process with the use of biocatalysts, i.e., lactic acid bacteria. The cost of raw materials is one of the major factors in the economic production of lactic acid. As substrate costs cannot be reduced by scaling up the process, extensive research is currently underway to find new substrates for the production of LA. These searches include starch raw materials, lignocellulosic biomass, as well as waste from the food and refining industries. Here, the greatest attention is still drawn to molasses and whey as the largest sources of lactose, vitamins, and carbohydrates, as well as glycerol – a by-product of the biodiesel component production process. Focusing on the importance of lactic acid and its subsequent use as a product, but also a valuable raw material for polymerization (exactly to PLA), this review summarizes information about the properties and applications of lactic acid, as well as about its production and purification processes. An industrial installation for the production of lactic acid is only planned to be launched in Poland. As of today, there is no commercial-scale production of this bio-raw material. Thus, there is great potential for the application of the lactic acid production technology and research should be carried out on its development.

Energy of a molecule plays an important role in physics, chemistry and biology. In mathematics, the concept of energy is used in graph theory to help other subjects such as chemistry and physics. In graph theory, nullity is the number of zeros extracted from the characteristic polynomials obtained from the adjacency matrix, and inertia represents the positive and negative eigenvalues of the adjacency matrix. Energy is the sum of the absolute eigenvalues of its adjacency matrix. In this study, the inertia, nullity and signature of the aforementioned structures have been discussed.

In recent years, several structure-based properties of the molecular graphs are understood through the chemical graph theory. The molecular graph G G of a molecule consists of vertices and edges, where vertices represent the atoms in a molecule and edges represent the chemical bonds between these atoms. A numerical quantity that gives information related to the topology of the molecular graphs is called a topological index. Several topological indices, contributing to chemical graph theory, have been defined and vastly studied. Recent inclusions in the class of the topological indices are the K-Banhatti indices. In this paper, we established the precise formulas for the first and second K-Banhatti, modified K-Banhatti, K-hyper Banhatti, and hyper Revan indices of silicon carbide Si 2 C 3 {{\rm{Si}}}_{2}{{\rm{C}}}_{3} - III [ n , m ] {\rm{III}}\left[n,m] . In addition, we present the graphical analysis along with the comparison of these indices for Si 2 C 3 {{\rm{Si}}}_{2}{{\rm{C}}}_{3} - III [ n , m ] {\rm{III}}\left[n,m] .

The objective of this study was the estimation of the content of 13 mycotoxins (diacetoxyscirpenol, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, nivalenol, deoxynivalenol, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, fusarenone X, aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin B2, aflatoxin G1, aflatoxin G2, ochratoxin A, and zearalenone) in various products from the eastern part of Poland. The content of mycotoxins in the analysed samples was assayed using the extraction method combined with HPLC-MS/MS analysis. We found mycotoxins in 25 of the 92 samples tested (27%). Contamination with mycotoxins was noted most frequently in samples of cereals – 56% – and also in samples of flour and cocoa, in which a content of mycotoxins was noted in 24 and 16% of the samples, respectively. The most frequently identified were the following – deoxynivalenol detected in 18 samples (72%), zearalenone detected in eight samples (32%), toxin HT-2 detected in four samples (16%), ochratoxin A identified in three samples (12%), and toxin T-2 detected in one sample (4%). In one analysed sample of mixed flour and in one analysed sample of wheat and rye flour, the maximum allowable concentration was exceeded in the case of two identified mycotoxins – deoxynivalenol (2,250 μg/kg) and ochratoxin A (15.6 and 17.1 μg/kg).

Berberis hispanica Boiss. & Reut ( B. hispanica) belongs to the family Berberidaceae, which is currently used in traditional medicines. This article aimed to study the phytochemical composition and acute and subacute toxicity of B. hispanica extract in rats. The phytochemical composition of B. hispanica extract was characterized using GC-MS. The acute toxicity was investigated in vivo via the oral administration of single doses including 400, 800, 1,000, 1,200, and 1,400 mg/kg for 14 days. The subchronic toxicity was studied through oral administration of 400 mg/kg for 60 days. The findings of the phytochemical analysis of B. hispanica extract showed the presence of various phytochemical compounds. Acute toxicity results revealed serious clinical symptoms and mortalities in rats treated with 800 mg/kg up to a maximum of 1,400 mg/kg. With acute toxicity, subchronic toxicity results showed also serious signs of toxicity including biochemical and histological alterations in animals treated with 1,400 mg/kg. B. hispanica extract revealed to be toxic in rats orally treated under both subacute (>400 mg/kg) and subchronic toxicity conditions (400 mg/kg). The outcome of this study serves the society as it provides toxicological evidence of B. hispanica used in alternative medicines

Curcuma longa L. is a famous spice cultivated in many countries with significant variations reported in its phytochemical contents and biological potential. For the first time, the present work is aimed to identify the major phytochemicals present in methanol:chloroform (MC) and petroleum ether (PE) extracts of Curcuma longa rhizome and leaves (by determining polyphenols and GC/MS analysis), and their in-vitro antioxidant and anti-protein denaturation potential. Results showed that the highest value ( P < 0.05) of polyphenolic content was in MC extract of rhizome (51.46 ± 0.46 mg GAE/g) followed by 31.20 ± 0.53 mg GAE/g in MC leaves extract. The strong antiradical activity was evaluated in MC extract of rhizome with IC 50 value of 92 ± 0.02 µg/mL. MC extracts of both the rhizome and leaves exerted a potent inhibitory effect against protein denaturation with IC 50 values of 106.21 ± 0.53 and 108.06 ± 4.67 μg/mL ( P > 0.5), respectively. GC/MS analysis showed that α-tumerone was the main component in the rhizome oil (32.44%), whereas in the leaf oil, palmitic acid was the prominent constituent (28.33%) and α-phellandrene recorded a comparable percentage (7.29). In conclusion, C. longa is a valuable source of natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatory constituents, as indicated by its high polyphenolic content and by its considerable in vitro antiradical and anti-protein denaturation potential.

Malaria is an intraerythrocytic parasitic disease caused by the genus Plasmodium of which Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum are the major species. The high cost and associated side effects of antimalarial drugs triggered research about medicinal plants to develop alternative and low-cost drugs with lesser side effects. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the antiplasmodial activity of the Eucalyptus obliqua L’Hér. leaf extract against P. vivax and its phytochemicals in in vitro . The methanolic extract of E. obliqua was prepared and different concentrations of the crude extract and phytochemicals were used against P. vivax . The methanolic extract of E. obliqua showed profound antiplasmodial activity (LD 50 0.084 mg/mL; 80.04%) at 0.1 mg/mL concentration after 24 h. Alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, and tannins were found in the E. obliqua methanolic extract. Only alkaloids at the concentration (0.1 mg/mL) exhibited 60.93% inhibition of P. vivax. The methanolic extract of E. obliqua exhibits antiplasmodial activity in vitro . However, in vivo efficacy is an important aspect in the testing of medicinal plants against parasitic infections and should be evaluated in future.

The study assessed the health-promoting properties and the content of minerals in the bark of bird cherry ( Prunus padus L.), which was then used as an ingredient in functional teas. The infusions were made with the use of Matricaria chamomilla L., Tilia cordata Mill., and Calendula officinalis L., and then combined with the bark in various proportions. The prepared infusions were tested for antioxidant activity, ability to reduce copper ions and iron ions, as well as the ability to scavenge hydroxyl radicals. In the next stage, the antimicrobial activity and the ability to inhibit the enzyme cycloxygenase-2 were assessed. Bird cherry bark contains a high potassium content of 19.457 ± 762 mg/kg d.m. In all the tests evaluating the antioxidant activity, infusions from the bark of bird cherry alone and with its 30% addition had the strongest properties. The analyzed infusions also have the ability to reduce Cu( ii ) ions; they are active to reduce Fe( iii ) ions and scavenge hydroxyl radical. The highest antimicrobial activity was found for teas with 20 and 30% bark, especially against Listeria monocytogenes (25.0–27.0 mm) (±3.0). The bark infusion was also found to have the highest inhibitory activity against cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) – 77.0%.

Artemisia absinthium (AA) is an indigenous medicine used for treatment of inflammation of the liver and chronic fever, and is studied as an antimalarial and anticancer agent. The focus of the current investigation was to determine the action and effect of AA on microRNAs (miRNAs) from breast cancer cell lines. Molecular docking is a structure-based drug design process that studies the interaction of small molecule ligands with receptor biomacromolecules to predict binding mechanism and affinity. MiRNA expression profiling was done using microarray technology. Validation of transcripts with regulated expression pattern was done by SYBR-based quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR). AutoDock 4.2 programming allots polar hydrogens, bound together total Kollman charges, solvation borders, and fragmental volumes to the protein using auto dock devices in docking research (ADT). As confirmed by SYBR-based RT-PCR, our investigation discovered an upregulation of the miRNA-22 articulation and a downregulation of miRNA-199a*. These findings support and demonstrate the role of AA as a miRNA articulation-influencing factor in human breast cancer progression. AA’s tetramethoxy hydroxyflavone (p7F) molecule was found to be effective in the treatment of cancer. Changes in miRNA expression patterns could be a key pathogenic component in AA’s physiological action on cancer cells.

This study investigated the production of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanofibers containing cypress (CUP) essential oil (EO) via electrospinning. The nanofibers were produced from polymer solution prepared with different percentages of cypress EO. Cypress EO-containing PLA nanofibers were characterized and some mechanical and thermal properties were examined using thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and dynamic mechanical analysis. The thermal stability of the nanofibers was reduced depending on the percentage of the cypress EO. As the ratio of the cypress EO to polymer matrices was increased, it was observed that the glassy transition temperatures of the nanofibers decreased and their flexibility increased. The T g value was determined to be 53.74°C for the neat PLA nanofiber, while 51.83°C for the PLA-CUP nanofiber (containing 15% cypress EO). According to the results of releasing trial, the increased amount of cypress EO resulted in less cypress EO releasing from polymer matrices. The nanofibers were observed to exhibit antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus . The inhibition zone diameter of the nanofibers containing 10% cypress EO was 20 mm for S. aureus and 16 mm for E. coli , while 10 mm in the presence of Kanamycin.

In many plastic applications, improvement of the flame retardancy is a very significant topic. Polypropylene (PP) is used in many applications such as housing industry due to its cost performance efficiency. Enhancement of flame retardancy properties of PP is necessary in many applications. In this study, the investigation focuses on the synergistic effect of mica mineral and IFR in enhancing the flame retardancy properties of PP in order to achieve cost competitive solution, so as to provide that different/various ratios of IFR and mica mineral were added into PP to compose 30 wt% of the total mass of the polymeric compounds. The synergistic effect of mica mineral with IFR in PP was investigated by limiting oxygen index (LOI), glow wire test (GWT), UL-94 test, thermal gravimetric analyses (TGA), and mechanical tests. The results from LOI, UL 94, and GWT tests indicated that mica added to PP/IFR compound has a synergistic flame retardancy effects with the IFR system. When the content of mica was 6 wt%, LOI value of PP compound reaches to 34.9% and becomes V-0 rating (3.2 mm) in UL 94 flammability tests and compounds pass GWT tests both at 750 and 850°C.

Thermoplastic elastomer foams based on styrene–ethylene–butylene–styrene (SEBS)/polypropylene (PP) were produced by using different processing techniques such as extrusion and injection molding to achieve optimized mechanical and thermal properties in terms of strength, elongation, and damping capability. Foaming is a method of introducing gas-filled cells into the material and it is considered an effective way to meet the requirements for higher impact resistance with low density and relatively low hardness. In this study, microspheres were used as a foaming agent and were introduced to the system by using an injection molding machine. They were used in different percentages and ranged from 1 and 3%. They decrease the density of the product thereby lowering the weight and cost. Besides improving damping abilities and decreasing the density, inorganic fillers such as talc, silica, and calcium carbonate were used to increase the mechanical strength, and their effectivity was also investigated. It was observed that a higher amount of foaming agent lowered the density by creating voids in the blend, as expected. The introduction of fillers increases the mechanical properties; however, the density had a negative effect even in the presence of foaming agents. About 3% density reduction can be achieved in the presence of talc and a foaming agent whereas the other fillers had an opposite effect on the density. Accordingly, the impact resistance was affected negatively because of the stiffness of the filler materials, and the highest Izod impact value was 50.2 kJ/m 2 . The elastic modulus values for foamed samples and filled with CaCO 3 , talc, and silica were 808, 681, and 552 MPa respectively. Combining foaming and thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) offers a wide variety of possibilities to new and existing applications. In addition to low hardness and density, foaming provides better damping ability thanks to its morphological structure.

Fungal pathogens can significantly reduce the potential yield of agricultural crops, especially cereals. One of the most dangerous are pathogens of the Fusarium genus. They contribute to the infestation of plants, reduction of yields, and contamination of agricultural crops with mycotoxins, which are harmful to human beings and animal health. The absence of active substances, the problem of pathogen resistance to fungicides, and the pressure of society to limit the use of chemical plant protection products are the most important issues in agriculture. This has resulted in research aimed at finding natural methods to control plant pathogens gaining importance. One of them is the use of essential oils. In laboratory experiments, clove essential oil and pine essential oil were used. The influence of different concentrations of the above-mentioned substances on the development of the mycelium of Fusarium species ( F . equiseti , F . poae , F . culmorum , and F . avenaceum ) was analyzed and the germination of wheat and maize seeds infected with the pathogens of the genus Fusarium was assessed. Clove oil significantly inhibited the growth of mycelium of the Fusarium species and reduced germination parameters than pine oil.

The study presents the results of research on the influence of a mineral growth stimulant containing titanium (Ti) in the form available to plants, applied to reduce the effects of biotic stresses caused by agrophages, namely fungal pathogens and selected insect pests. The study was conducted in 2014 and 2015 on winter oilseed rape, winter wheat, and maize. The purpose of the study was to determine the influence of the Ti-containing stimulant on the degree of damage caused by major pests occurring in the crops (cabbage seed weevil, cereal leaf beetle, and European corn borer), the degree of infestation with fungal diseases (gray mold, Alternaria disease, eyespot, foot rot, sooty mold, glume blotch, Fusarium head blight, Fusarium stalk rot, maize smut, and brown spot), and yield parameters. The study showed that the stimulant containing Ti successfully reduced the occurrence of pest damage to winter rapeseed and winter wheat plants and the occurrence of diseases in winter rapeseed, winter wheat, and maize crops. Thus, the application of the Ti stimulant resulted in an increased yield of the crops being tested. The main factor explaining this phenomenon is unknown, and it is probably the result of several factors. The study contains the discussion on this phenomenon.

The results of studies published in recent years indicate the broad biological activity of potato juice (PJ), which is a byproduct of the starch production process. Among the most frequently described activities are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cytotoxic effects. Nevertheless, this waste juice is produced by the processing of many varieties of potatoes with different proportions, which does not allow to conclude on the biological activity of individual varieties. This article is a report on the antioxidant activity of PJ from seven selected potato varieties, their profile of polyphenolic compounds, and the content of glycoalkaloids (GAs). The use of similar cultivation conditions allowed to eliminate the influence of environmental factors on the content of the analyzed compounds. The influence of PJ on the growth of probiotic, commensal, and pathogenic bacteria was also assessed. It was shown that the varieties significantly influenced the differences in antioxidant activity as well as the content of GAs, but despite the observed differences, none of them showed antimicrobial activity. Therefore, it can be concluded that an appropriately selected variety will make it possible to obtain PJ that will be characterized by high antioxidant activity and, at the same time, will be safe from the toxicological point of view.

Growing Najdi lambs were randomly selected from lambs weaned at 30, 45, and 60 days old which were treated with 3 doses of direct-fed microbial (DFM) at 5, 10, and 15 days old to investigate the carryover effect of early weaning and DFM supplementation on their growth performance and carcass characteristics. Ten lambs from each group were transferred to individual pens for a feeding trial using the total mixed ration (Wafi). Lambs treated with DFM and weaned at 60 days old showed numerically higher body weight and average daily gains compared to other groups. Concerning the carcass and meat quality, there were significant differences between all groups in all carcass and tissue measurements, except for the back-fat and body wall thickness. In conclusion, treatment did not have any significant negative effect on body weight, feed intake, and conversion ratio compared with the control, but positively affected Zn and Cu absorption. DFM also played an important role in fat metabolism, which affects fat deposits in carcasses. The most important finding was that early weaning can be performed using DFM supplementation without any negative effect on the lambs’ performance during growth.

The electrochemical redox mechanism of polyphenolic compounds (gallic acid [GA], caffeic acid [CA], ferulic acid [FA], and vanillic acid [VA]) were investigated by electrochemical methods at the inlaid multi-walled carbon nanotubes-modified graphite electrode (MWCNTs/GCE). The obtained micro-information such as the number of electrons and protons were used to deduce the electrochemical oxidation mechanism of four polyphenolic compounds. The antioxidation activities of these compounds were also studied by two methods. The radical scavenging activity followed the order: GA > CA > FA > VA, which was in agreement with the result from the spectrophotometry method. The result indicated that compounds with lower oxidation peak potential ( E pa ) showed stronger antioxidation activity. At the same time, compounds with high E pa showed lower antioxidant activity. The greater the number of hydroxyls linked to the aromatic ring, the greater the antioxidation activities of four compounds. Structural analysis of these phenolic-based compounds suggested that multiple OH substitutions and conjugations determine their free radical scavenging activity and electrochemical behavior.

In order to decrease the difficulty in trace mercury determination, an adsorption method for trace mercury based on Bacillus subtilis cells was proposed in this article. The adsorption process was characterized by optical microscopy and SEM. The adsorption mechanism was analyzed by IR. The adsorption performance was studied by measuring the concentration of supernate and calculating the adsorption efficiency. When adsorbing Hg 2+ , Bacillus subtilis cells gathered and their structure turned coarse. The IR results illustrated that functional groups bound with Hg for complexation during adsorption. Bacillus subtilis completed adsorption for trace Hg 2+ in 15 min. The adsorption efficiency was maintained above 80% under low Hg 2+ concentrations (<200 µg/L). The proposed study illustrates that Bacillus subtilis cells are highly efficient and easily obtained material for the adsorption of trace mercury, which shows potential to be further used in the pretreatment of trace Hg 2+ detection.

A biofuel cell (BFC) system can transform chemical energy to electrical energy through electrochemical reactions and biochemical pathways. However, BFC faced several obstacles delaying it from commercialization, such as biofouling. Theoretically, the biofouling phenomenon occurs when microorganisms, algae, fungi, plants, or small animals accumulate on wet surfaces. In most BFC, biofouling occurs by the accumulation of microorganisms forming a biofilm. Amassed biofilm on the anode is desired for power production, however, not on the membrane separator. This phenomenon causes severities toward BFCs when it increases the electrode’s ohmic and charge transfer resistance and impedes the proton transfer, leading to a rapid decline in the system’s power performance. Apart from BFC, other activities impacted by biofouling range from the uranium industry to drug sensors in the medical field. These fields are continuously finding ways to mitigate the biofouling impact in their industries while putting forward the importance of the environment. Thus, this study aims to identify the severity of biofouling occurring on the separator materials for implementation toward the performance of the BFC system. While highlighting successful measures taken by other industries, the effectiveness of methods performed to reduce or mitigate the biofouling effect in BFC was also discussed in this study.

Evaluating the mechanical properties of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) is essential to measure its resistance to permanent deformation from an applied force. These mechanical ePTFE properties must be comparable to the properties of real tissue. Various hydrophilic comonomers 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), N -isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAM), and N -vinylcaprolactam were used individually for copolymerization with acrylic acid (AA) to be grafted onto ePTFE using the gamma irradiation-induced grafting method. After surface modification, the hydrophobic and mechanical properties of ePTFE were altered. The water uptake and contact angle measurement showed that the modified ePTFE was less hydrophobic (∼500%, θ < 90°) than the unmodified ePTFE (0%, θ = 140°). Moreover, the mechanical properties of ePTFE changed after the modification process due to the polymer grafted onto the ePTFE surface. The data from mechanical tests, such as Young’s modulus (74–121 MPa), ultimate tensile strength (5–9 MPa), and elongation at break (56–121%), obtained for the sample AA- co -HEMA and AA- co -NIPAAM remain within the ranges and are considered desirable for use as a biomaterial. The mechanical strength correlates well with the percentage of the grafting yield after the modification process and is dependent on the parameters used, such as irradiation dose and type of comonomer. Graphical abstract