Design of Thermo-Responsive Pervaporation Membrane Based on Hyperbranched Polyglycerols and Elastin-like Protein Conjugates.

This paper reports the development of a highly crosslinked hyper-branched polyglycerol (HPG) polymer bound to elastin-like proteins (ELPs) to create a membrane that undergoes a distinct closed-to-open permeation transition at 32 °C. The crosslinked HPG forms a robust, mesoporous structure (150-300 nm pores), suitable for selective filtration. The membranes were characterized by FTIR, UV-visible spectroscopy, SEM, and AFM, revealing their structural and morphological properties.

Antiproliferative and ROS Regulation Activity of Photoluminescent Curcumin-Derived Nanodots.

Recently, various types of nanomaterials have been employed to design delivery vehicles for curcumin to address the problems of poor bioavailability, low aqueous solubility, and rapid metabolism. The present study focuses on a direct one-pot synthesis of curcumin-derived nanoparticles and exploits their potential therapeutic properties in cancer cells without additional delivery vehicles. The nanoparticles, named E-Curc-dots, are synthesized using three precursor molecules, ethylenediamine (EDA), curcumin, and citric acid.

Ameliorative Effect of Sodium Selenite on Silver Nanoparticles-Induced Myocardiocyte Structural Alterations in Rats.

Background: The application of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is growing exponentially, and its potential damage to the cardiac remains to be elucidated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ameliorative effect of sodium selenite on silver nanoparticles-induced myocardiocyte structural alterations in rats.

Materials And Methods: Forty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups: control group, AgNPs group, Se control group, and AgNPs + Se group.

Silver Nanoparticle Exposure Causes Pulmonary Structural Damage and Mitochondrial Dynamic Imbalance in the Rat: Protective Effects of Sodium Selenite.

Background: With the increased application of Silver nanoparticles (AgNP), its potential concerns to the health of human beings remain to be defined. This study aims to explore the harmful effects of AgNP on lung tissue in animals and to examine the mechanisms of protection achieved by sodium selenite.

Methods: Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats were exposed to AgNP (200 μL,1mg/mL) through a single intratracheal instillation.

Spectral characteristics of caries autofluorescence obtained from different locations and caries severities.

Dental caries usually occurs at interproximal and occlusal surfaces. The purpose of the present study was to determine if characteristic spectral factors extracted from autofluorescence (AF) spectra are informative regarding caries detection and the determination of caries stage as compared with DIAGNOdent results. AF spectra were obtained from caries lesions of different severities at two locations using a 405 nm laser.

Effect of mixing on reductive dechlorination of persistent organic pollutants by Fe/Pd nanoparticles.

Herein, we report the comparison of two different mixing methods for reductive dechlorination of gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH), aldrin, and p, p'-dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane (p, p'-DDT), using iron/palladium (Fe/Pd) bimetallic nanoparticles. A noticeable enhancement of the reaction rate was found when the reductive dechlorination reaction was carried out in an ultrasound bath as compared with a platform shaker. These enhancements could be attributed to (a) the continuous cleaning and chemical activation of the surfaces of nanoscale Fe/Pd bimetallic nanoparticles by the combined chemical and physical effects of acoustic cavitation; and (b) the accelerated mass transport rates of target POPs to the surfaces of the Fe/Pd nanoparticles.

Study on a Nano-Microstructure and Properties of Geopolymer by Recycling Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Coal Ash Slag.

In this study, a geopolymer having a nano-scaled structure was fabricated using recycling fly ash slag discharged from IGCC (Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle), to assess the possibility of employing it to replace high strength concrete. Strength, density, crystal phase, and bonding structure, were measured and the nano-size crystal phase of the geopolymers was observed as a function of experimental parameters such as water-to-solid ratio (w/s ratio), flow of paste, and amount of sodium silicate in the alkali activator, NaOH. The geopolymer prepared with NaOH containing 50~70% sodium silicate and a w/s ratio of 0.

Sulfite-induced protein radical formation in LPS aerosol-challenged mice: Implications for sulfite sensitivity in human lung disease.

Exposure to (bi)sulfite (HSO) and sulfite (SO) has been shown to induce a wide range of adverse reactions in sensitive individuals. Studies have shown that peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of (bi)sulfite leads to formation of several reactive free radicals, such as sulfur trioxide anion (.SO), peroxymonosulfate (OSOO.

PCBs and PCDD/Fs in soil from informal e-waste recycling sites and open dumpsites in India: Levels, congener profiles and health risk assessment.

Growth of informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling sector is an emerging problem for India. The presence of halogenated compounds in e-wastes may result in the formation of persistent organic pollutants like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) during recycling processes. We therefore investigated PCBs and PCDD/Fs in surface soils explicitly from the informal e-waste recycling sites and nearby open dumpsites of major metropolitan cities from four corners of India, viz.

Gelidibacter flavus sp. nov., Isolated from Activated Sludge of Seawater Treatment System.

A Gram-stain-negative bacterial strain designated Con4 was isolated from activated sludge in a seawater treatment system. The strain was rod-shaped, motile, aerobic, and formed yellow-colored colonies on agar medium. Cells contained carotenoid pigments, but flexirubin-type pigments were absent.

Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in River Brahmaputra from the outer Himalayan Range and River Hooghly emptying into the Bay of Bengal: Occurrence, sources and ecotoxicological risk assessment.

River Brahmaputra (RB) from the outer Himalayan Range and River Hooghly (RH), a distributary of River Ganga, are the two largest transboundary perennial rivers supplying freshwater to the northeastern and eastern states of India. Given the history of extensive usage of organochlorine pesticides and increasing industrialization along the banks of these rivers we investigated selected organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the surface water of River Brahmaputra and River Hooghly. Geomean of ΣOCPs (53 ng L) and ΣPCBs (108 ng L) was higher in RH compared with geomean of ΣOCPs (24 ng L) and ΣPCBs (77 ng L) in RB.

Roseomonas rubra sp. nov., isolated from lagoon sediments.

A novel Gram-stain-negative, coccus to oval-shaped, non-motile bacterium, designated strain S5T, was isolated from lagoon sediments collected from North Carolina, USA. Strain S5T was able to grow at 12-45 °C (optima, 30-37 °C) and at pH 6.3-9.

Description of Comamonas sediminis sp. nov., isolated from lagoon sediments.

Strain S3 was isolated from lagoon sediments, and appeared as transparent colonies on agar plates, with cells staining Gram-negative. Catalase and oxidase were positive. S3 hydrolyzed starch, casein and tween-20, while urea, chitin, gelatin and tween-80 were not hydrolysed.

Persistent organic pollutants and obesity: are they potential mechanisms for breast cancer promotion?

Dietary ingestion of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is correlated with the development of obesity. Obesity alters metabolism, induces an inflammatory tissue microenvironment, and is also linked to diabetes and breast cancer risk/promotion of the disease. However, no direct evidence exists with regard to the correlation among all three of these factors (POPs, obesity, and breast cancer).

Brevibacterium ammoniilyticum sp. nov., an ammonia-degrading bacterium isolated from sludge of a wastewater treatment plant.

A Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, chemo-organotrophic, mesophilic, aerobic bacterium, designated A1(T), was isolated from sludge of a wastewater treatment plant. Strain A1(T) showed good ability to degrade ammonia and grew well on media amended with methanol and ammonia. Strain A1(T) grew with 0-11 % (w/v) NaCl, at 20-42 °C, but not <15 or >45 °C and at pH 6-10 (optimum pH 8.

Utilization of selected area electron diffraction patterns for characterization of air submicron particulate matter collected by a thermophoretic precipitator.

A thermophoretic precipitator (TP) that uses a novelty of direct sampling of ambient air particulate matter (PM) onto transmission electron microscopy (TEM) grids was designed and utilized to determine its potential applicability for the collection and consequent qualitative analyses of representative PM in the air, especially those with aerodynamic diameter less than 1 microm (PM1.0). After a calibration process, preliminary field tests were performed under different weather conditions, locations, and time frames.