Adsorption of Metanil Yellow Azoic Dye from Aqueous Solution onto Mg‐Fe‐NO3 Layered Double Hydroxide

We report the preparation and characterization of a layered double hydroxide (LDH) adsorbent for azoic dye, metanil yellow (yellow GX; YGX) removal. The nanoparticles of Mg‐Fe‐LDH‐NO₃ adsorbent were prepared with Mg/Fe molar ratio of 3:1 by a hydrothermal process and coprecipitation method at pH 9.5 and were characterized by X‐ray powder diffraction (XRPD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), elemental analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR). The size and morphology of nanoparticles were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The XRD patterns indicate that the intercalation of YGX between the LDH layers has not occurred and surface adsorption has happened. In the adsorption experiments, the Gibbs free energy ΔG⁰ values, the enthalpy ΔH⁰, and entropy ΔS⁰ was determined. The isotherms showed that the adsorption of YGX by Mg‐Fe‐LDH‐NO₃ was both consistent with Langmuir and Freundlich equations.     

Effect of Ga-As (904nm) and He-Ne (632.8 nm) laser on injury potential of skin full-thickness wound

Injury potential may have a triggering biological role in wound healing. In this study, the effect of photostimulation to promote wound healing and its effect on injury potential was investigated using the Ga-As and He-Ne lasers. In this study, 30 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a control and two laser groups, He-Ne and Ga-As laser. A 2.5 cm craniocaudal full-thickness skin incision was made on each animal's dorsal region. Differential skin surface potential was measured before and immediately after the injury and also up to the 21st day, every other day. Wound surface area was also measured. Immediately after injury, wound potential significantly increased in all three groups. Maximum positive peak of injury potential was greater in Ga-As group compared to He-Ne laser and control groups (P<0.05) and lasting period of maximum positive potential in two laser groups was longer than that in the control group. There were no significant differences between the mean potential of before wounding and after the 15th, 17th, and 19th day in Ga-As, He-Ne, and control group, respectively (P>0.05). On the other hand, Ga-As and He-Ne laser facilitated the normal distribution of skin potential after wounding. These findings demonstrate that Ga-As laser may be more effective on wound closure and on returning the injury potential to normal level than the He-Ne laser.     

Circular chromatic index of graphs of maximum degree 3

This paper proves that if G is a graph (parallel edges allowed) of maximum degree 3, then χ′_c(G) ≤ 11/3 provided that G does not contain H₁ or H₂ as a subgraph, where H₁ and H₂ are obtained by subdividing one edge of K (the graph with three parallel edges between two vertices) and K₄, respectively. As χ′_c(H₁) = χ′_c(H₂) = 4, our result implies that there is no graph G with 11/3 < χ′_c(G) < 4. It also implies that if G is a 2‐edge connected cubic graph, then χ′_c(G) ≤ 11/3. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 49: 325–335, 2005     

Valley susceptibility of an interacting two-dimensional electron system

We report direct measurements of the valley susceptibility, the change of valley population in response to an applied symmetry-breaking strain, in an AlAs two-dimensional electron system. As the two-dimensional density is reduced, the valley susceptibility dramatically increases relative to its band value, reflecting the system's strong electron-electron interaction. The increase has a remarkable resemblance to the enhancement of the spin susceptibility and establishes the analogy between the spin and valley degrees of freedom.     

Polystyrene‐Gallium Trichloride Complex: A Mild,Highly Efficient,and Recyclable Polymeric Lewis Acid Catalyst for Chemoselective Silylation of Alcohols and Phenols with Hexamethyldisilazane

Polystyrene‐supported gallium trichloride (PS/GaCl₃) as a highly active and reusable heterogeneous Lewis acid effectively activates hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) for the efficient silylation of alcohols and phenols at room temperature. In this heterogeneous catalytic system, primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols as well as phenols were converted to their corresponding trimethylsilyl ethers with short reaction times and high yields under mild reaction conditions. The heterogenized catalyst is of high reusability and stability in the silylation reactions and was recovered several times with negligible loss in its activity or a negligible catalyst leaching, and also there is no need for regeneration. It is noteworthy that this method can be used for chemoselective silylation of different alcohols and phenols with high yields.     

Fabrication of graphene‐silver/polyurethane nanofibrous scaffolds for cardiac tissue engineering

The graphene‐based nanocomposites are considered as great candidates for enhancing electrical and mechanical properties of nonconductive scaffolds in cardiac tissue engineering. In this study, reduced graphene oxide‐silver (rGO‐Ag) nanocomposites (1 and 2 wt%) were synthesized and incorporated into polyurethane (PU) nanofibers via electrospinning technique. Next, the human cardiac progenitor cells (hCPCs) were seed on these scaffolds for in vitro studies. The rGO‐Ag nanocomposites were studied by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscope (TEM). After incorporation of rGO‐Ag into PU nanofibers, the related characterizations were carried out including scanning electron microscope (SEM), TEM, water contact angle, and mechanical properties. Furthermore, PU and PU/nanocomposites scaffolds were used for in vitro studies, wherein hCPCs showed good cytocompatibility via 3‐(4, 5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and considerable attachment on the scaffold using SEM studies. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunostaining studies confirmed the upregulation of cardiac specific genes including GATA‐4, T‐box 18 (TBX 18), cardiac troponin T (cTnT), and alpha‐myosin heavy chain (α‐MHC) in the PU/rGO‐Ag scaffolds in comparison with neat PU ones. Therefore, these nanofibrous rGO‐Ag–reinforced PU scaffolds can be considered as suitable candidates in cardiac tissue engineering.     

High‐Temperature Spray‐Dried Polymer/Bacteria Microparticles for Electrospinning of Composite Nonwovens

Living Micrococcus luteus (M. luteus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) are encapsulated in poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinylpyrrolidone), hydroxypropyl cellulose, and gelatin by high‐temperature spray drying. The challenge is the survival of the bacteria during the standard spray‐drying process at temperatures of 150 °C (M. luteus) and 120 °C (E. coli). Raman imaging and transmission electron microscopy indicate encapsulated bacteria in hollow composite microparticles. The versatility of the spray‐dried polymer bacteria microparticles is successfully proved by standard polymer solution–processing techniques such as electrospinning, even with harmful solvents, to water‐insoluble polyacrylonitrile, polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylate), and poly(vinyl butyrate) nanofiber nonwovens, which opens numerous new opportunities for novel applications.     

Role of bio-derived zinc oxide nanoparticles in antifungal and photocatalytic activities

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are known as a material in the treatment of environmental pollutions. In this study, ZnO-NPs were synthesized using...     

Interaction of different types of nanocages (Al12N12, Al12P12, B12N12, Be12O12, Mg12O12, Si12C12 and C24) with HCN and ClCN: DFT,TD-DFT,QTAIM, and NBO calculations

In this work, the ability of different types of nanocages including Al₁₂N₁₂, Al₁₂P₁₂, Be₁₂O₁₂, B₁₂N₁₂, Si₁₂C₁₂, Mg₁₂O₁₂ and C₂₄ for the adsorption and detection of poisonous gases HCN and ClCN has been investigated, theoretically using the D3 dispersion corrected density functional theory (DFT-D3). The absorption spectra of HCN–nanocage and ClCN–nanocage complexes were calculated by the time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) and compared with the calculated absorption spectrum of isolated nanocage to investigate the ability of nanocage for sensing of HCN and ClCN gases. It was found that the strongest interaction between HCN (ClCN) molecule and nanocage takes place when the molecule is adsorbed via its N atom on the surface of nanocage except for C₂₄. Also, it was shown that the Al₁₂N₁₂ is the best adsorbent for HCN and ClCN gases among the selected nanocages and Si₁₂C₁₂ is the best sensor for the detection of these gases using the electroconductivity and absorption spectroscopy techniques.