Band 8, Heft 9

The use of new types of intelligent materials is becoming increasingly widespread. These include magnetoactive elastomers with hard magnetic filling components, which offer the unique chance to adapt active and passive material properties. In this context, this paper presents an overview of the experimental results on the study of the magnetic properties of elastic composites with a magnetic hard component. First-order reversal curves, which are recorded with a vibrating sample magnetometer, are used as method to characterize the magnetic material behavior. The influence of various parameters on the process of magnetization of composites is considered, including the stiffness of the polydimethylsiloxane-based matrix polymer, the particle ratio and the particle size as well as the so-called training effect.

Mössbauer spectroscopy is a well-known technique to study complex magnetic structures, due to its sensitivity to electronic and magnetic interactions of the probed nucleus with its electronic surrounding. It has also been applied to the emerging fields of magnetic hybrid materials as well as to ferrofluids, as information on the magnetic alignment and the velocity of the probed nucleus, i.e. of the particle it is embedded in, can be inferred from the spectra in addition to the above-mentioned quantities. Considering the wide range of preparation methods and sample properties, including fluids, particle powders, sintered pellets, polymer matrices and viscoelastic hydrogels, a considerable advantage of Mössbauer spectroscopy is the usage of γ-photons. This allows measurements on opaque samples, for which optical experiments are usually not feasible, also making the technique relatively independent of specific sample geometries or preparation. Using iron oxide nanoparticles in glycerol solution as an exemplary material here, the variety of system parameters simultaneously accessible via Mössbauer spectroscopy can be demonstrated: Spectra recorded for particles of different sizes provided information on the particles’ Brownian dynamics, including the effect of the shell thickness on their hydrodynamic diameter, the presence (or absence) and ballpark frequency of Néel superspin relaxation as well as the particles’ average magnetic orientation in external magnetic fields. For single-core particles, this resulted in the observation of standard Langevin-type alignment behavior. Mössbauer spectra additionally provide information on the absolute degree of spin alignment, also allowing the determination of the degree of surface spin canting, which limits the maximum magnetization of ferrofluid samples. Analyzing the alignment behavior of agglomerated particles for comparison, we found a completely different trend, in which spin alignment was further hindered by the competition of easy magnetic directions. More complex particle dynamics are observed when going from ferrofluids to hybrid materials, where the particle mobility and alignability depends not only on the particles’ shape and material, but also on the matrices’ inner structure and the acting force-transfer mechanism between particles and the surrounding medium. In ferrohydrogels for example, particle mobility in terms of Mössbauer spectroscopy was probed for different crosslinker concentrations, resulting in widely different mesh-sizes of the polymer network and different degrees of freedom. While a decrease in particle dynamics is clearly visible in Mössbauer spectroscopy upon rising crosslinker density, complementary AC-susceptometry experiments indicated no Brownian motion on the expected timescales. This apparent contradiction could, however, be explained by the different timescales of the experiments, probing either the relatively free Brownian motion on ultrashort timescales or the more bound state preventing extensive particle motion by interaction with the trapping mesh walls in the millisecond regime. However, it should also be considered that the effect of the surroundings on particle rotation in AC-susceptometry may also differ from the variation in translational motion, probed by Mössbauer spectroscopy. Being sensitive mainly to translational motion also results in a wide range of particles to be accessible for studies via Mössbauer spectroscopy, including larger agglomerates embedded in polymers, intended for remote-controlled heating. Despite the agglomerates’ wide distribution in effective diameters, information on particle motion was found to be in good agreement with AC-susceptometry experiments at ultralow frequencies in and above the polymer melting region, while additionally giving insight into Néel relaxation of the individual nanoparticles and their magnetic structure.

Recycling of recovered paper is an inevitable process for saving resources and the environment. Due to strict forest conservation regulations and limitations of the agro-forestry sector, the paper industry is facing the woody fiber crisis for decades. The recycling of waste paper for its utilization as a source of cellulosic fibers for papermaking is a resource-saving and eco-friendly approach and is a need of time. Deinking is an important stage in the recycling of recovered paper. In the conventional deinking process, chemicals have been used for removal of inks and other impurities from waste paper pulp slurry with some certain drawbacks like deinking inefficiency, fiber damage and generation of chemicals and fiber-rich effluent. The application of enzymes for deinking purposes is known as biodeinking and is considered as the potent and environmentally friendly deinking approach. The present write-up provides comprehensive information on various aspects of biodeinking.

With the advances of green chemistry and nanoscience, the synthesis of green, homogenous bio-based waterborne polyurethane (WPU) dispersions with high performance have gained great attention. The presented chapter deals with the recent synthesis of waterborne polyurethane with the biomass, especially the vegetable oils including castor oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, linseed oil, jatropha oil, and palm oil, etc. Meanwhile, the other biomasses, such as cellulose, starch, lignin, chitosan, etc., have also been illustrated with the significant application in preparing polyurethane dispersions. The idea was to highlight the main vegetable oil-based polyols, and the isocyanate, diols as chain extenders, which have supplied a class of raw materials in WPU. The conversion of biomasses into active chemical agents, which can be used in synthesis of WPU, has been discussed in detail. The main mechanisms and methods are also presented. It is suggested that the epoxide ring opening method is still the main route to transform vegetable oils to polyols. Furthermore, the nonisocyanate WPU may be one of the main trends for development of WPU using biomasses, especially the abundant vegetable oils.

The presented chapter deals with structure, morphology, and properties aspects concerning cellulose-based polymers in both research and industrial production, such as cellulose fibers, cellulose membranes, cellulose nanocrystals, and bacterial cellulose, etc. The idea was to highlight the main cellulose-based polymers and cellulose derivatives, as well as the dissolution technologies in processing cellulose-based products. The structure and properties of cellulose are introduced briefly. The main attention has been paid to swelling and dissolution of cellulose in order to yield various kinds of cellulose derivatives through polymerization. The main mechanisms and methods are also presented. Finally, the environmental friendly and green cellulose-based polymers will be evaluated as one of the multifunctional and smart materials with significant progress.

Polymers have recently been making media headlines in various negative ways. To combat the negative view of those with no polymer experience, sustainable and biodegradable materials are constantly being researched. Shape-memory polymers, also known as SMPs, are a type of polymer material that is being extensively researched in the polymer industry. These SMPs can exhibit a change in shape because of an external stimulus. SMPs that are biodegradable or biocompatible are used extensively in medical applications. The use of biodegradable SMPs in the medical field has also led to research of the material in other applications. The following categories used to describe SMPs are discussed: net points, composition, stimulus, and shape-memory function. The addition of fillers or additives to the polymer matrix makes the SMP a polymer composite. Currently, biodegradable fillers are at the forefront of research because of the demand for sustainability. Common biodegradable fillers or fibers used in polymer composites are discussed in this chapter including Cordenka, hemp, and flax. Some other nonbiodegradable fillers commonly used in polymer composites are evaluated including clay, carbon nanotubes, bioactive glass, and Kevlar. The polymer and filler phase differences will be evaluated in this chapter. The recent advances in biodegradable shape-memory polymers and composites will provide a more positive perspective of the polymer industry and help to attain a more sustainable future.

Owing to anticancer properties of selected natural substances, it is assumed that they have potential to be used in oncological therapy. Here, the recently proven effects of the selected natural polyphenols, resveratrol and curcumin, are described. Secondly, the potential of probiotics and prebiotics in modulation of immunological response and/or enhancing the chemotherapeutic treatments is reported based on the recent clinical trials. Further, the chapter presents current knowledge regarding the targeted supplementation of the patient with probiotic bacteria and known efficacy of probiotics to support immunotherapy. The major clinical trials are listed, aiming to verify whether, and to which extent the manipulation of patient’s microbiome can improve the outcome of chemotherapies. In the end, a potential of natural substances and feed ingredients to pose epigenetic changes is highlighted. The chapter provides an insight into the scientific proofs about natural bioactive substances in relation to cancer treatment, leaded by the question – do they really work?

Biomarker is defined as indicator of normal or pathogenic biological process or response to an intervention or exposure. There are several categories of biomarkers but predictive biomarkers play the most important role in the treatment of neoplasms. In some cancers there may be more than one potential biomarker, and their identification determines the treatment of the patient. Identification of predictive biomarkers allows the development of novel targeted therapies resulting in tailored treatment. In this chapter we discuss most important predictive biomarkers used in contemporary oncology for which there is approved therapies.

Overactivity of histone deacetylases (HDACs) is the underlying cause of some cancers, thus, inhibiting their overactivities is a rational treatment option. However, endeavors to employ current anti-HDACs agents in cancer treatment have yielded limited success. Consequently, there is need to explore anti-HDACs natural products, especially from plants sources, because of the intimate relationship plant products and drug discovery have enjoyed over the centuries. To identify possible HDACs inhibitors, Garcinia kola (Guttiferae) seed-derived compounds were screened in silico for HDAC-inhibitory tendencies because of their reported anticancer potentials. Fifteen G. kola -derived compounds and givinostat were docked with five selected HDACs using AutodockVina, while the binding interactions of the compounds with high binding affinities for the five HDACs were viewed with Discovery Studio Visualizer BIOVIA, 2016. Results indicated that four of the compounds studied, including amentoflavone, Garcinia biflavonoid 1, Garcinia biflavonoid 2 and kolaflavanone have higher binding propensity for all the five HDACs relative to givinostat, the standard HDAC inhibitor. This study indicated that inhibition of HDAC might be another key mechanism accountable for the bioactivities of G. kola and its intrinsic compounds. The results from this study implied that the compounds could be further investigated as drugable HDAC inhibitors with potential pharmacological applications in the treatment of cancers.

The surfactant flooding becomes an attractive method among several Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) processes to improve the recovery of residual oil left behind in the reservoir after secondary oil recovery process. The designing of a new effective surfactant is a comparatively complex and often time consuming process as well as cost-effective due to its dependency on the crude oil and reservoir properties. An alternative chemical computational approach is focused in this article to optimize the performance of effective surfactant system for EOR. The molecular dynamics (MD), dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) and density functional theory (DFT) simulations are mostly used chemical computational approaches to study the behaviour in multiple phase systems like surfactant/oil/brine. This article highlighted a review on the impact of surfactant head group structure on oil/water interfacial property like interfacial tensions, interface formation energy, interfacial thickness by MD simulation. The effect of entropy in micelle formation has also discussed through MD simulation. The polarity, dipole moment, charge distribution and molecular structure optimization have been illustrated by DFT. A relatively new coarse-grained method, DPD is also emphasized the phase behaviour of surfactant/oil/brine as well as polymer-surfactant complex system.

The study examined the awareness level of social networking site and how it is applied for learning in an era of coronavirus by Chemistry students in tertiary institutions in Rivers State Nigeria. Three research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted the analytic descriptive survey design. One hundred and sixty undergraduate students from Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) and Rivers State University (RSU) were randomly selected for the study. The instrument for data collection was a researcher made questionnaire titled social media awareness and application for learning in COVID-19. The consistency coefficient of the instrument was determined by Pearson product moment as a measure of its stability over time. The reliability coefficient of the instruments was 0.95. The instrument was administered to the students online via their numerous class social media platforms. Mean, standard deviation and t -test were the statistical tools used for data analysis. The result reveals that students are aware of social media for learning such as Zoom, WhatsApp, Facebook etc. A second outcome of this investigation showed that there is poor application or used of social networking site for learning among Chemistry students in Rivers State owned universities, it was also found out that finance, travel restriction, assessment and evaluation, poor internet reception, availability of electricity and others were identified as challenges while mental health of student, lack of pre-class preparation and associating with real friends were not considered to be challenges to the use of social media for learning. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the level of awareness between IAUE students and those of RSU in the use of social network site for learning. The extent to which students apply social media for learning does not depend on university type. Based on the above results, it was recommended among others that universities in Rivers State should endeavor to engage their students in training that will avail them the opportunity to apply or utilize effectively social media in their learning activities.

In recent years, the diverse industrial practices and human inputs widely disseminated emerging contaminants (ECs) throughout environmental matrices, which is of great concern. Even at low concentrations, ECs pose major ecological problems and threaten human health and the environment’s biota. Consequently, people’s interest and concerns on the widespread dissemination of environmentally connected ECs of great concern as developed due to their scientific understanding, technical innovation, and socioeconomic awareness. Increased detection of contaminants may occur from climatic, socioeconomic, and demographic changes and the growing sensitivity of analytical techniques. Hence, this article reviews the determination of ECs in ecological specimens, from aquatic setup (river water, marine water, and wastewater), sludge, soil, sediment, and air. Sample collection and the quality measures are summarized. The preparation of samples, including extraction and cleanup and the subsequent instrumental analysis of ECs, are all covered. Traditional and recent extraction and cleanup applications to analyze ECs in samples are reviewed here in this paper. The detection and quantification of ECs using gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (LC) linked with various detectors, particularly mass spectrometry (MS), is also summarized and explored, as are other possible techniques. This study aims to give readers a more excellent knowledge of how new and improved approaches are being developed and serve as a resource for researchers looking for the best method for detecting ECs in their studies.

Activities that were developed for better/modern living conditions of humans are the primary source of contaminants to the natural ecosystem. Some of the compounds involved in urbanization and industrialization are termed emerging contaminants (ECs) or contaminants of emerging concern. ECs are either chemical or derived from natural sources which environmental concerns and public health have been raised in recent years. ECs enter wastewater treatment systems and migrate from here to different ecosystems as direct or by-products. They are persistent and also stay for a long duration due to their less biodegradation and photodegradation nature. Also, ECs accumulated in living cells and transformed through trophic levels. Technological developments and their application/utility in daily life led to the production of various components that are being added to the natural ecosystem. The treated/untreated wastewater enters into fresh/marine water bodies and gets accumulated into fauna, flora, and sediments. These pollutants/contaminants that are getting added on an everyday basis bring about changes in the existing ecosystem balances. ECs have been found in almost every country’s natural environment, and as a result, they became a global issue. The present review discusses the route and transport of selected ECs into the terrestrial ecosystem through water and other means and how they influence the natural process in an ecosystem. The ECs such as personal care products, pharmaceuticals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, endocrine disruptors, nanoparticles, and microplastics are highlighted in this review.

Quinoline motifs have befallen significant molecules due to their assortment of interest in medicine, chemical synthesis, coordination chemistry, also in the field of applied chemistry. Therefore, various researchers have produced these molecules as objective structures and studied their natal potential. The current chapter endows with concise attention about cancer, anticancer agents, sources (natural) of quinoline, and together with an innovative scope of quinoline-related medicines. Further, the present section gives knowledge concerned with the anticancer activity of synthesized quinolines and their derivatives.

Modernization and modern ways of living demands more improved products from pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food processing industries. Moreover, industries like pesticides, fertilizers, dyeing, paints, detergent etc., also needs improvised products as per demand. As the new product emerges, the pollutants from these industries also constitute new type of danger to the environment and serious health risks to the living organisms. These emerging contaminants (ECs) are from different category of sources such as personal care products (PCPs), pharmaceuticals (Phcs), endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), etc. These ECs can easily escape from the conventional water treatment and eventually get discharged in to the surface water and thus enters in to the ground water, soil, sediments, and also into the oceans. When these contaminants emerge we also require progress in tremendous process for preventing these hazardous chemicals by effective removal and treatment. For the past 50 years, both developed and developing countries are working on this treatment process and found that Microbial degradation and bioremediation are very useful for effective treatment to prevent their emissions. This treatment can be designed for any sort of ECs since the microbial members are so versatile to redesign their metabolic pathways when subject to exposure. However, implementing bioremediation is not alone efficient to degrade ECs and hence, combination of bioremediation, nanotechnology and physical treatment method will also provide sustainable, potent and fast degradation process. In this Book Chapter, we discuss in detail about the ECs, sources of microbial degradation process and its usefulness in the bioremediation of these ECs.

Solar energy plays a crucial role in helping cities to decentralize energy production and thus decarbonize the energy mix. Reliable resource assessments are needed to support the deployment of solar power systems, especially in cities of developing countries where large solar potential remains untapped. The aim of this work is to assess the potential of rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) in three populated cities in Ecuador’s mainland (Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca) and in the Galapagos Islands. The assessment involves (i) the estimation of the available rooftop area based on geographic information system data, (ii) the calculation of energy yield based on hourly satellite-derived irradiance and meteorological data, and (iii) the economic feasibility assessment in terms of levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) compared to representative electricity tariffs. In addition, a sensitivity analysis is carried out to assess the variability of the estimated technical and economic potential with respect to changes in the input parameters. The results reveal a total available rooftop area of about 144 km 2 , mainly concentrated in urban parishes. The estimated energy yield is 16.94 ± 3.38 TWh/a, which could cover almost twice the annual energy consumption in 2019 of the study areas. The economic assessment shows that the LCOE ranges between 7.65 and 21.12 USD cents/kWh. However, the comparison of LCOE against representative residential tariff suggests that rooftop PV technology is not cost-competitive under most of the financial scenarios. The findings from this study will be of interest for local authorities and other decision makers to design policies and financing strategies to increase the penetration of rooftop PV and thus exploiting the large potential assessed in the study areas. The described methodology can be used for assessing the potential in other regions of Ecuador and thereby support the diversification and decarbonization of the energy mix in the country.

Phytoremediation is a process which effectively uses plants as a tool to remove, detoxify or immobilize contaminants. It has been an eco-friendly and cost-effective technique to clean contaminated environments. The contaminants from various sources have caused an irreversible damage to all the biotic factors in the biosphere. Bioremediation has become an indispensable strategy in reclaiming or rehabilitating the environment that was damaged by the contaminants. The process of bioremediation has been extensively used for the past few decades to neutralize toxic contaminants, but the results have not been satisfactory due to the lack of cost-effectiveness, production of byproducts that are toxic and requirement of large landscape. Phytoremediation helps in treating chemical pollutants on two broad categories namely, emerging organic pollutants (EOPs) and emerging inorganic pollutants (EIOPs) under in situ conditions. The EOPs are produced from pharmaceutical, chemical and synthetic polymer industries, which have potential to pollute water and soil environments. Similarly, EIOPs are generated during mining operations, transportations and industries involved in urban development. Among the EIOPs, it has been noticed that there is pollution due to heavy metals, radioactive waste production and electronic waste in urban centers. Moreover, in recent times phytoremediation has been recognized as a feasible method to treat biological contaminants. Since remediation of soil and water is very important to preserve natural habitats and ecosystems, it is necessary to devise new strategies in using plants as a tool for remediation. In this review, we focus on recent advancements in phytoremediation strategies that could be utilized to mitigate the adverse effects of emerging contaminants without affecting the environment.

Any material when utilized for a required period of time and segment, the leftover residues of those materials are known as waste. Enormous waste is generated during such wear and tear process of materials depending on the usage and functions in a routine lifestyle. Those generated waste when overloaded beyond the capacity of natural recycling processes, would influence the environment and human health. Hence, the waste generated from used materials should be managed according to the environmental impact. Even though wastes are also sometimes rich in organic compounds, nutrients, and energy resources, they are not experimented and managed appropriately. Recently, different feasible techniques are invented and followed to recover and reuse the efficient resources that can create and support sustainable livelihood by creating green economy effects by reducing waste. In this chapter, the emphasis has been given to providing an overview of recent advancements on bio-based waste management and product recoveries such as microbes mediated approaches, biorefineries for waste valorization, and bioenergy from industrial waste.

This work presents a novel methodology for integrated multi-objective superstructure optimization and multi-criteria assessment. The method is tailored for sustainable process synthesis utilizing mixed-integer linear programming (MILP). The six-step algorithm includes 1) superstructure formulation, 2) criteria definition and implementation, 3) criteria weighting, 4) single-criterion optimization, 5) reformulation and 6) multi-criteria optimization. It is automated in the O pen s U perstruc T ure mo D eling and O ptimizati O n f R amework (OUTDOOR) and tested on integrated power-to-X and biomass-to-X processes for methanol production. Three criteria are considered, namely net production costs ( NPC ), net production greenhouse gas emissions ( NPE ) and net production fresh water demand ( NPFWD ). The optimization indicates NPC of 1307 €/t MeOH with NPE of −2.23 tCO2/tMeOH${\text{t}}_{{\text{CO}}_{2}}/{\text{t}}_{\text{MeOH}}$ and NPFWD of −3.42 tH2O/tMeOH${\text{t}}_{{\text{H}}_{2}\text{O}}/{\text{t}}_{\text{MeOH}}$ for an optimal trade-off plant. The plant configuration features low-pressure alkaline electrolysis for hydrogen supply, absorption-based CO 2 capture and steam production from methanol purge gas for internal heat supply. Conducted variation and sensitivity analyses indicate that methanol costs can drop to about 500 €/t MeOH if electricity is free of charge, or to 805 €/t MeOH if biogas is available at large quantities, if a least-cost process layouts are considered. However, all performed multi-criteria analyses imply a robust optimal process design utilizing electricity-based methanol production.

The Hückel method (HM) is based on quantum mechanics and it is used for calculating the energies of molecular orbitals of π electrons in conjugated systems. The HM involves the setting up of the secular determinant which is expanded to obtain a polynomial which is to be solved. In general, the polynomial is one which may be factorized. However, in May 2020, students brought to my attention that the secular determinant of methylenecyclopropene could not be factorized completely. As a result of this, we used a combination of online tools, technology and visualization to calculate the roots of the secular determinant. This write-up, in a playwriting format, describes the conversation between the facilitator and the students.

Cancer is the uncontrolled growth and development of abnormal cells which is a major cause of death in both advanced and emerging countries. Although currently chemotherapy is most broadly used among an extensive range of anti-cancer therapies, it includes many demerits, such as highly toxic, side-effects, expensive and partial lack of targeting specificity. So the design and synthesis of new molecules that perform specifically on target proteins in tumor cells is a focus of contemporary research. So many researchers aim for new drugs that will be more efficient, more selective, and less toxic. Because of the interesting structures and significant biological profile, naturally occurring acridines and xanthines as well as their analogues have attracted considerable interest in researchers and technologists. Natural and synthetic acridine derivatives form a significant category of heterocycles having nitrogen that is of considerable interest for organic chemists and biological communities due to their attractive anti-cancer activity. Another important class of therapeutic agents with diverse biological properties including cytotoxic effects is xanthine derivatives which are collectively called xanthines (a group of alkaloids). Among many significant molecules based on the structure of the purine, there is a group of natural xanthines, involving theobromine, caffeine, and theophylline and analogues of xanthine display anti-cancer activity. Hence the present chapter wishes to concentrate the attention on the synthesis and anti-cancer activity of acridine and xanthine-based compounds brilliantly.

VEGFR-2 enzyme known for physiological functioning of the cell also involves in pathological angiogenesis and tumor progression. Recently VEGFR-2 has gained the interest of researchers all around the world as a promising target for the drug design and discovery of new anticancer agents. VEGFR2 inhibitors are a major class of anticancer agents used for clinical purposes. In silico methods like virtual screening, molecular docking, molecular dynamics, pharmacophore modeling, and other computational approaches help extensively in identifying the main molecular interactions necessary for the binding of the small molecules with the respective protein target to obtain the expected pharmacological potency. In this chapter, we discussed some representative case studies of in silico techniques used to determine molecular interactions and rational drug design of VEGFR-2 inhibitors as anticancer agents.

Rational approaches towards drug development have emerged as one of the most promising ways among the tedious conventional procedures with the aim of redefining the drug discovery process. The need of current medical system is demanding a much precise, faster and reliable approaches in parallel to faster growing technology for development of drugs with more intrinsic action and fewer side effects. Systematic and well-defined diagnostic studies have revealed the specific causes of disease and related targets for drug development. Designing a drug as per the specific target, studying it in-silico prior to its development has been proved as an added benefit to the studies. Many approaches like structure based drug design, fragment based drug design and ligand based drug design are been in practice for the drug discovery and development with the similar fundamental theory. Fragment based drug design utilizes a library of fragments designed specifically for the concerned target and these fragments are studied further before screening with virtual methods as well as with biophysical methods. The process follows a well-defined pathway which moulds a fragment into a perfect drug candidate. In this chapter we have tried to cover all the basic aspects of fragment based drug design and related technologies.

The insertion of a molecule between the bases of DNA is known as intercalation. A molecule is able to interact with DNA in different ways. DNA intercalators are generally aromatic, planar, and polycyclic. In chemotherapeutic treatment, to suppress DNA replication in cancer cells, intercalators are used. In this article, we discuss the anticancer activity of 10 intensively studied DNA intercalators as drugs. The list includes proflavine, ethidium bromide, doxorubicin, dactinomycin, bleomycin, epirubicin, mitoxantrone, ellipticine, elinafide, and echinomycin. Considerable structural diversities are seen in these molecules. Besides, some examples of the metallo-intercalators are presented at the end of the chapter. These molecules have other crucial properties that are also useful in the treatment of cancers. The successes and limitations of these molecules are also presented.

Life science is the study of living organisms, including bacteria, plants, and animals. Given the importance of biology, chemistry, and bioinformatics, we anticipate that this chapter may contribute to a better understanding of the interdisciplinary connections in life science. Research in applied biological sciences has changed the paradigm of basic and applied research. Biology is the study of life and living organisms, whereas science is a dynamic subject that as a result of constant research, new fields are constantly emerging. Some fields come and go, whereas others develop into new, well-recognized entities. Chemistry is the study of composition of matter and its properties, how the substances merge or separate and also how substances interact with energy. Advances in biology and chemistry provide another means to understand the biological system using many interdisciplinary approaches. Bioinformatics is a multidisciplinary or rather transdisciplinary field that encourages the use of computer tools and methodologies for qualitative and quantitative analysis. There are many instances where two fields, biology and chemistry have intersection. In this chapter, we explain how current knowledge in biology, chemistry, and bioinformatics, as well as its various interdisciplinary domains are merged into life sciences and its applications in biological research.

The virtual environment within the computer using software performed on the computer is known as in-silico studies. These drugs designing software play a vital task in discovering new drugs in the field of pharmaceuticals. These designing programs and software are employed in gene sequencing, molecular modeling, and in assessing the three-dimensional structure of the molecule, which can further be used in drug designing and development. Drug development and discovery is not only a powerful, extensive, and an interdisciplinary system but also a very complex and time-consuming method. This book chapter mainly focused on different types of in-silico approaches along with their pharmaceutical applications in numerous diseases.

The important developments in membrane techniques used in the dairy industrial processes to whey manufacturing are discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on the description of membrane processes, characterization of protein products, biological issues related to bacteriophages contamination, and modeling of the processes. This choice was dictated by the observed research works and consumer trends, who increasingly appreciate healthy food and its taste qualities.

This work emphasizes the synthesis strategies and antiproliferative related properties of fused pyrrolo-pyridine (including indolizine and azaindoles) and pyrrolo-(iso)quinoline derivatives recently reported in literature.

Current trends in the food industry for the application of membrane techniques are presented. Industrial solutions as well as laboratory research, which can contribute to the improvement of membrane efficiency and performance in this field, are widely discussed. Special attention is given to the main food industries related to dairy, sugar and biotechnology. In addition, the potential of membrane techniques to assist in the treatment of waste sources arising from food production is highlighted.

The most important developments in membrane techniques used in the beverage industry are discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on the production of fruit and vegetable juices and nonalcoholic drinks, including beer and wine. This choice was dictated by the observed consumer trends, who increasingly appreciate healthy food and its taste qualities.

In silico toxicology is one type of toxicity assessment that uses computational methods to visualize, analyze, simulate, and predict the toxicity of chemicals. It is also one of the main steps in drug design. Animal models have been used for a long time for toxicity testing. Animal studies for the type of toxicological information needed are both expensive and time-consuming, and to that, ethical consideration is added. Many different types of in silico methods have been developed to characterize the toxicity of chemical materials and predict their catastrophic consequences to humans and the environment. In light of European legislation such as Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and the Cosmetics Regulation, in silico methods for predicting chemical toxicity have become increasingly important and used extensively worldwide e.g., in the USA, Canada, Japan, and Australia. A popular problem, concerning these methods, is the deficiency of the necessary data for assessing the hazards. REACH has called for increased use of in silico tools for non-testing data as structure-activity relationships, quantitative structure-activity relationships, and read-across. The main objective of the review is to refine the use of in silico tools in a risk assessment context of industrial chemicals.

Carbon–carbon and carbon-heteroatom bond forming reactions are strategically employed for the generation of a variety of heterocyclic systems. This class of compounds represents the most general structural unit, present in many natural compounds. They are recognized for their valuable biologically properties and wide range of applications in medicinal, pharmaceutical, and other related fields of chemistry. This is an updated review on the use of dicarbonyl compounds under environmentally friendly conditions to access a series of heterocyclic structures, e.g., quinoxaline, quinazolinones, benzochalcogenazoles, indoles, among others. Synthetic protocols involving copper-catalyzed, multicomponent and cascade reactions, decarboxylative cyclization, recycling of CO 2 , and electrochemical approaches are presented and discussed.

Modified nucleosides are the core precursors for the synthesis of artificial nucleic acids, and are important in the field of synthetic and medicinal chemistry. In order to synthesize various triazolo-compounds, copper and ruthenium catalysed azide–alkyne 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions also known as click reaction have emerged as a facile and efficient tool due to its simplicity and convenient conditions. Introduction of a triazole ring in nucleosides enhances their therapeutic value and various photophysical properties. This review primarily focuses on the plethora of synthetic methodologies being employed to synthesize sugar modified triazolyl nucleosides, their therapeutic importance and various other applications.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a natural biochemical process that converts organic materials into combustible biogas. AD has been long practiced for agricultural and urban waste management; however, this process is getting more attention as an alternative energy source nowadays. Additionally, various biogas-derived value-added chemicals and transportation fuels are turning AD into a profitable biorefinery business model. Despite its numerous potentials, AD technologies still face challenges in conversion efficiency, process stability, product quality, and economic feasibility. Researchers have been devising various mechanisms to tackle these challenges. However, a widespread adoption of commercial-scale AD is yet to be visible. The development of AD technology requires a concerted effort of scientists from different backgrounds to ensure rapid expansion.

Consider a simple idea describing the time, space and relationship scales of survival. Engineering has been going along with the current paradigm that growth in wealth and material consumption can continue through innovation and technology development. The proposed survival continuum concept represents a new way to think about sustainability that has clear implications for influencing engineering projects in all fields. The argument for survival as the driver for adaptation is developed sequentially, building on theory, definition, examples and history. The key idea is that sustainability will be effectively addressed by a new engineering discipline furthering development of the field of safety engineering with longer time scale, broader space scale and more complex relationship scale. The implication is that the past 100-year development of safety engineering can be leveraged to fast-track the inclusion of sustainability risk management throughout the entire engineering profession. The conclusion is that a new, interdisciplinary field, Transition Engineering, is emerging as the way our society will achieve sustainability-safety through rapid reduction in fossil fuel use and reduction in detrimental social and environmental impacts of industrialization.