Functional BiO/GdO Silica-Coated Structures for Improvement of Early Age and Radiation Shielding Performance of Cement Pastes.

This study presents a new approach towards the production of sol-gel silica-coated BiO/GdO cement additives towards the improvement of early mechanical performance and radiation attenuation. Two types of silica coatings, which varied in synthesis method and morphology, were used to coat BiO/GdO structures and evaluated as a cement filler in Portland cement pastes. Isothermal calorimetry studies and early strength evaluations confirmed that both proposed coating types can overcome retarded cement hydration process, attributed to BiO presence, resulting in improved one day compressive strength by 300% and 251% (depending on coating method) when compared to paste containing pristine BiO and GdO particles.

Molecular docking analysis of novel quercetin derivatives for combating SARS-CoV-2.

Quercetin belongs to the flavonoid family, which is one of the most frequent types of plant phenolics. This flavonoid compound is a natural substance having a number of pharmacological effects, including anticancer and antioxidant capabilities, as well as being a strong inhibitor of various toxicologically important enzymes. We discuss the potential of newly recently synthesized quercetin-based derivatives to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 protein.

Studying the Biological Activity of Trans-[Cu (quin)2(EtOH)2] as Potent Antimicrobial Cu(II) Complex through Computational Investigations: DFT, ADMET and Molecular Docking.

Background: Trans-[Cu (quin)2(EtOH)2], a new copper (II) complex, was characterized using a variety of computational techniques to explore its biological role in pharmacological applications.

Methods: The computational methods included density functional theory (DFT), ADMET and molecular docking.

Results: The optimized geometrical parameters revealed that the plane containing the Cu ion and the Quinaldinate ligands was confirmed to be nearly planar.

Gamma / neutron radiation shielding, structural and physical characteristics of iron slag nanopowder.

The current study explores the effectiveness of an iron slag nanopowder (ISNP), which prepared from local iron steel industry, against gamma/neutron shielding. The structural and physical characteristics were experimentally determined. The crystal structure, morphology and elemental composition of the ISNP were studied using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX).