Nonthermal Atmospheric Argon Plasma Jet Effects on Escherichia coli Biomacromolecules

Nonthermal atmospheric plasma jet, a promising technology based on ionized gas at low temperatures, can be applied for disinfection of contaminated surfaces. In this study, Escherichia coli cells and their macromolecules were exposed to the nonthermal atmospheric argon plasma jet for different time durations. Total protein, genomic DNA, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels of E. coli were assessed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and silver staining; agarose gel electrophoresis; and measurement of absorbance at 534 nm, respectively. After exposure, the spectroscopic results of liquid samples indicated that the survival reduction of E. coli can reach to 100 % in an exposure time of 600 s. Moreover, inactivation zones of E. coli, DNA degradation, and MDA levels were significantly increased. Additionally, banding patterns of total protein were changed and amino acid concentrations increased following ninhydrin test. The experimental results suggest that the nonthermal plasma could serve as an effective instrument for both sterilizing E. coli and degrading macromolecules from the surface of the objects being sterilized.     

Analytical investigation of boundary layer growth and swirl intensity decay rate in a pipe

In this research, the developing turbulent swirling flow in the entrance region of a pipe is investigated analytically by using the boundary layer integral method. The governing equations are integrated through the boundary layer and obtained differential equations are solved with forth-order Adams predictor-corrector method. The general tangential velocity is applied at the inlet region to consider both free and forced vortex velocity profiles. The comparison between present model and available experimental data demonstrates the capability of the model in predicting boundary layer parameters (e.g. boundary layer growth, shear rate and swirl intensity decay rate). Analytical results showed that the free vortex velocity profile can better predict the boundary layer parameters in the entrance region than in the forced one. Also, effects of pressure gradient inside the boundary layer is investigated and showed that if pressure gradient is ignored inside the boundary layer, results deviate greatly from the experimental data.     

Dipyridylamine-modified nanoporous silicas as new sorbents for the separation and pre-concentration of palladium

Nanoporous silicas of the type SBA-15 (Santa Barbara Amorphous) and MCM-48 (Mobile Composition of Material) were modified with dipyridylamine (dipy) and used as solid phases for the extraction of Pd(II) ions. The experimental conditions (pH, sample and eluent flow rates, type and quantity of eluent) were optimized. The recovery values were ~ 99.7 and ~ 93.4% for dipy-MCM-48 and dipy-SBA-15, respectively, the limits of detection were <0.08 and <0.11 ng L^?1, the pre-concentration factors were 725 and 550, and the adsorption capacity was >78 mg g^?1. The procedure was applied to the preconcentration of Pd(II) in real samples.

On Extensions of Semilocal Prüfer Domains

One of the most important results of Chevalley's extension theorem states that every valuation domain has at least one extension to every extension field of its quotient field. We state a generalization of this result for Prüfer domains with any finite number of maximal ideals. Then we investigate extensions of semilocal Prüfer domains in algebraic field extensions. In particular, we find an upper bound for the cardinality of extensions of a semilocal Prüfer domain. Moreover, we show that any two extensions of a semilocal Prüfer domain are incomparable (by inclusion) in an algebraic extension of fields.     

Co-Crystal of Phenylsuccinic Acid and 4,4'-Bipyridine: Synthesis,Characterization, Crystal Structure,and Supramolecular Interactions

Crystallography Reports - A new co-crystal compound of 4,4'-bipyridine and phenylsuccinic acid was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared and ultraviolet–visible...     

Supported rhodium with low loading in nanoparticles-catalyzed azidolysis of epoxides: optimization of efficient parameters using response surface methodology

Research on Chemical Intermediates - In this study, we examined the catalytic role of low rhodium embedded onto MOF-5 as a hard template, in the ring opening reaction of epoxides with N3?...     

Nano NiO/AlMCM‐41, a green synergistic,highly efficient and recyclable catalyst for the reduction of nitrophenols

Highly ordered mesoporous molecular sieves AlMCM‐41 and a new NiO/AlMCM‐41 nanocomposite were synthesized using a sol–gel method. Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), and N₂ adsorption desorption analyses were used to examine the structure, morphology, size and phase composition of the synthesized NiO/AlMCM‐41 nanocomposites. AlMCM‐41 embedded with NiO nanoparticles was subsequently prepared using different nickel loadings in a direct synthetic route. The results show the successful deposition of NiO nanoparticles onto the framework of AlMCM‐41. AlMCM‐41 provides enormous benefits such as environmentally safe, economic viability and porosity when used as support for NiO nanoparticles. The excellent catalytic activities of AlMCM‐41 and NiO/AlMCM‐41 were investigated for the reduction of nitrophenols (4‐NP, 2‐NP) to aminophenols (4‐AP, 2‐AP) in water at ambient temperature. The best observed performance of reduction of NP with 100% conversion into analogous amino derivatives occurred within 6 min with an estimated rate constant of 0.46 min^?1. The efficiency of reduction was observed to increase as a function of NiO enrichment. The NiO/AlMCM‐41 nanocomposite could be recycled and reused up to five times without noticeable change in its structure and activity. These properties make NiO/AlMCM‐41 nanocomposite an ideal platform to study various heterogeneous catalytic processes which can have application in purification, catalysis, sensing devices, and green chemistry.     

Amino Acids as Additives against Amorphous Aggregation: In Vitro and In Silico Study on Human Lysozyme

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - The effect of 16 amino acids (AA) with various physicochemical properties was investigated on human lysozyme (HL) heat-induced amorphous aggregation....     

Dense coating of surface mounted Cu<Subscript>2</Subscript>O nanoparticles upon silk fibers under ultrasound irradiation with antibacterial activity

The growth of Cu₂O nanoparticles on silk fibers was achieved under ultrasound irradiation. The effect of temperature, reaction time, ultrasound irradiation and solvent in growth of the Cu₂O nanoparticles upon fiber has been studied. These systems depicted a decrease in the size accompanying a decrease in the reaction time. Particle sizes and morphology of nanoparticle depend on power of ultrasound irradiation. Results show that in presence of ultrasound radiation, particle sizes are in a very low range. The susceptibility of the microorganisms to Cu₂O upon fiber was determined by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) using micro dilution method and disk diffusion method. Results suggest that the Cu₂O nanoparticles on silk fibers have antibacterial activity. The Cu₂O nanoparticles upon fibers were characterized with X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRPD analyses indicated that the prepared Cu₂O nanoparticles on silk fibers were crystalline.     

Effect of initial sol concentration on the microstructure and morphology of carbon aerogels

Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology - New carbon aerogels were prepared using Novolac sol as precursor. The elaboration process and the structural characterizations of these porous carbon...