Deactivation and regeneration dynamics in hierarchical zeolites: Coke characterization and impact on catalytic cracking of vacuum gas oil.

This study investigated the deactivation and regeneration of hierarchical zeolites in vacuum gas oil conversion, aiming to reach the equilibrium state seen in fluidized bed catalytic cracking (FCC). The research utilized various characterization techniques to analyze the properties of zeolites before and after coking and regeneration. Zeolite Y-0.

Urinary metabolomic profiling of a cohort of Colombian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune and multisystem disease with a high public health impact. Lupus nephritis (LN), commonly known as renal involvement in SLE, is associated with a poorer prognosis and increased rates of morbidity and mortality in patients with SLE. Identifying new urinary biomarkers that can be used for LN prognosis or diagnosis is essential and is part of current active research.

Antioxidants in Photoaging: From Molecular Insights to Clinical Applications.

Photoaging (PA) is considered a silent disease affecting millions of people globally and is defined as skin damage due to prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from the sun. Physiologically, the skin is in a state of renewal and synthesis of components of the extracellular matrix (ECM). However, exposure to UVR affects the production of the ECM, and the functioning and response of skin cells to UVR begins to change, thus expressing clinical and phenotypic characteristics of PA.

Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy in urinalysis of hypertension patients with kidney disease.

Arterial hypertension (AH) is a multifactorial and asymptomatic disease that affects vital organs such as the kidneys and heart. Considering its prevalence and the associated severe health repercussions, hypertension has become a disease of great relevance for public health across the globe. Conventionally, the classification of an individual as hypertensive or non-hypertensive is conducted through ambulatory blood pressure monitoring over a 24-h period.

Photodynamic Antimicrobial Activity of a Novel 5,10,15,20-Tetrakis (4-Ethylphenyl) Porphyrin against Clinically Important Bacteria.

The growing emergence of microbes resistant to commercially available antibiotic therapies poses a threat to healthcare systems worldwide. Multiple factors have been associated with the increasing incidence of hospital-acquired infections caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens, including the indiscriminate use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, the massive application of antibiotics in hospitals as a prophylactic measure, self-medication, and nonadherence to pharmacological therapies by patients. In this study, we developed a novel treatment to mitigate the impact of microbial resistance.

The dangerous link between coal dust exposure and DNA damage: unraveling the role of some of the chemical agents and oxidative stress.

Exposure to coal mining dust poses a substantial health hazard to individuals due to the complex mixture of components released during the extraction process. This study aimed to assess the oxidative potential of residual coal mining dust on human lymphocyte DNA and telomeres and to perform a chemical characterization of coal dust and urine samples. The study included 150 individuals exposed to coal dust for over ten years, along with 120 control individuals.

From Cell to Symptoms: The Role of SARS-CoV-2 Cytopathic Effects in the Pathogenesis of COVID-19 and Long COVID.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection triggers various events from molecular to tissue level, which in turn is given by the intrinsic characteristics of each patient. Given the molecular diversity characteristic of each cellular phenotype, the possible cytopathic, tissue and clinical effects are difficult to predict, which determines the heterogeneity of COVID-19 symptoms. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the cytopathic effects of SARS-CoV-2 on various cell types, focusing on the development of COVID-19, which in turn may lead, in some patients, to a persistence of symptoms after recovery from the disease, a condition known as long COVID.

Analysis of the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects in a population chronically exposed to coal mining residues.

During coal mining activities, many compounds are released into the environment that can negatively impact human health. Particulate matter, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), metals, and oxides are part of the complex mixture that can affect nearby populations. Therefore, we designed this study to evaluate the potential cytotoxic and genotoxic effects in individuals chronically exposed to coal residues from peripheral blood lymphocytes and buccal cells.

Comparative Analysis of RT-qPCR Detection of SARS-CoV-2 for Resource-Constrained Settings.

We developed and standardized an efficient and cost-effective in-house RT-PCR method to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We evaluated sensitivity, specificity, and other statistical parameters by different RT-qPCR methods including triplex, duplex, and simplex assays adapted from the initial World Health Organization- (WHO) recommended protocol. This protocol included the identification of the E envelope gene (E gene; specific to the Sarvecovirus genus), RdRp gene of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (specific for SARS-CoV-2), and RNase P gene as endogenous control.

Docking and Molecular Dynamic of Microalgae Compounds as Potential Inhibitors of Beta-Lactamase.

Bacterial resistance is responsible for a wide variety of health problems, both in children and adults. The persistence of symptoms and infections are mainly treated with β-lactam antibiotics. The increasing resistance to those antibiotics by bacterial pathogens generated the emergence of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), an actual public health problem.

API Content and Blend Uniformity Using Quantum Cascade Laser Spectroscopy Coupled with Multivariate Analysis.

The process analytical technology (PAT) initiative proposed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggests innovative methods to better understand pharmaceutical processes. The development of analytical methods that quantify active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in powders and tablets is fundamental to monitoring and controlling a drug product's quality. Analytical methods based on vibrational spectroscopy do not require sample preparation and can be implemented during in-line manufacturing to maintain quality at each stage of operations.

Anomaly Identification during Polymerase Chain Reaction for Detecting SARS-CoV-2 Using Artificial Intelligence Trained from Simulated Data.

Real-time reverse transcription (RT) PCR is the gold standard for detecting Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), owing to its sensitivity and specificity, thereby meeting the demand for the rising number of cases. The scarcity of trained molecular biologists for analyzing PCR results makes data verification a challenge. Artificial intelligence (AI) was designed to ease verification, by detecting atypical profiles in PCR curves caused by contamination or artifacts.

Surface Persistence of Trace Level Deposits of Highly Energetic Materials.

In the fields of Security and Defense, explosive traces must be analyzed at the sites of the terrorist events. The persistence on surfaces of these traces depends on the sublimation processes and the interactions with the surfaces. This study presents evidence that the sublimation process of these traces on stainless steel (SS) surfaces is very different than in bulk quantities.

Classical Least Squares-Assisted Mid-Infrared (MIR) Laser Spectroscopy Detection of High Explosives on Fabrics.

Mid-infrared (MIR) laser spectroscopy was used to detect the presence of residues of high explosives (HEs) on fabrics. The discrimination of the vibrational signals of HEs from a highly MIR-absorbing substrate was achieved by a simple and fast spectral evaluation without preparation of standards using the classical least squares (CLS) algorithm. Classical least squares focuses on minimizing the differences between the spectral features of the actual spectra acquired using MIR spectroscopy and the spectral features of calculated spectra modeled from linear combinations of the spectra of neat components: HEs, fabrics, and bias.

Optical Properties of β-RDX Thin Films Deposited on Gold and Stainless Steel Substrates Calculated from Reflection-Absorption Infrared Spectra.

The optical properties for crystalline films of the highly energetic material (HEM) hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-s-triazine, which is also known as RDX, deposited on gold (Au) and stainless steel (SS) substrates are presented. RDX has two important stable conformational polymorphs at room temperature: α-RDX and β-RDX. The optical properties obtained in the present work correspond to thin film samples of predominantly β-RDX polymorph.

Applications of Quantum Cascade Laser Spectroscopy in the Analysis of Pharmaceutical Formulations.

Quantum cascade laser spectroscopy was used to quantify active pharmaceutical ingredient content in a model formulation. The analyses were conducted in non-contact mode by mid-infrared diffuse reflectance. Measurements were carried out at a distance of 15 cm, covering the spectral range 1000-1600 cm(-1) Calibrations were generated by applying multivariate analysis using partial least squares models.

Standoff detection of highly energetic materials using laser-induced thermal excitation of infrared emission.

A laser-mediated methodology for standoff infrared detection of threat chemicals is described in this article. Laser-induced thermal emissions (LITE) from vibrationally excited residue of highly energetic material (HEM) deposited on substrates were detected remotely. Telescope-based Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy measurements were carried out on substrates containing small amounts of HEM at surface concentrations of 5-200 μg/cm(2).

Mechanism for the uncatalyzed cyclic acetone-peroxide formation reaction: an experimental and computational study.

In this study, a mechanism for the uncatalyzed reaction between acetone and hydrogen peroxide is postulated. The reaction leads to the formation of the important homemade explosives collectively known as cyclic acetone peroxides (CAP). The proposed mechanistic scheme is based on Raman, GC-MS, and nuclear magnetic resonance measurements, and it is supported by ab initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

FT-IR standoff detection of thermally excited emissions of trinitrotoluene (TNT) deposited on aluminum substrates.

A standoff detection system was assembled by coupling a reflecting telescope to a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer equipped with a cryo-cooled mercury cadmium telluride detector and used for detection of solid-phase samples deposited on substrates. Samples of highly energetic materials were deposited on aluminum substrates and detected at several collector-target distances by performing passive-mode, remote, infrared detection measurements on the heated analytes. Aluminum plates were used as support material, and 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) was used as the target.

TNT removal from culture media by three commonly available wild plants growing in the Caribbean.

Plants growing in the Caribbean, Rubia tinctorum, Lippia dulcis and Spermacoce remota, were used in vitro to remove TNT from culture media. Plants were found to be resistant to high TNT levels. S.

Growth of Ag, Au, Cu, and Pt nanostructures on surfaces by micropatterned laser-image formations.

Silver, gold, copper and platinum nanoparticles (NPs) were grown on surfaces in the form of patterns by the exposure of laser radiation onto droplets of metal ion solutions and the aid of a reducing agent. The generation of patterns from metallic NPs was achieved by combining induced growth of NPs and nanostructures by laser incidence directly on surfaces and optical image formation techniques for transferring the patterns. Near-UV (363.

Vibrational spectra and structure of RDX and its 13C- and 15N-labeled derivatives: a theoretical and experimental study.

Unambiguous vibrational band assignments have been made to cyclic nitramine hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-s-triazine, commonly known as the alpha-phase of RDX or alpha-RDX, with the use of (13)C and (15)N (on ring) enriched isotopic RDX analogues. Vibrational spectra were collected using Raman and IR spectroscopy in solid state and ab initio normal mode calculations were performed using density functional theory (DFT) and a 6-311G++** basis set. The calculated isotopic frequency shifts, induced by (13)C and (15)N labeling, are in very good accordance with measures ones.

Vibrational spectroscopy standoff detection of explosives.

Standoff infrared and Raman spectroscopy (SIRS and SRS) detection systems were designed from commercial instrumentation and successfully tested in remote detection of high explosives (HE). The SIRS system was configured by coupling a Fourier-transform infrared interferometer to a gold mirror and detector. The SRS instrument was built by fiber coupling a spectrograph to a reflective telescope.

Molecular parameters responsible for the melting point of 1,2,3-diazaborine compounds.

Quantitative structure-property relationships (QSPR) have been determined to predict the melting point temperatures of 1,2,3-diazaborine compounds (n = 72). Electronic and topological descriptors were computed from molecular structures, and a QSPR model was generated by linear multiple regression using reported melting point temperatures as the dependent variable. The most important molecular descriptors describing this physicochemical property were the sum of the atomic charges for the heteroatoms, the sum of Randić connectivity indexes (0)Chi(0), (0)Chi(1), and (0)Chi(2), the total number of atoms in the molecule, and the volume of the box in which the molecule fits.