Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in milk and dairy products

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of organic compounds with a structure consisting of carbon and hydrogen atoms that have more than two fused aromatic rings. Most PAHs have carcinogenic effects on animal or humans and induce various cancers. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are a consequence of environmental pollutants, imperfect burning or pyrolysis of organic substances during industrial processing. Additionally, foods can be contaminated during their processing and preparation through different heat treatments. This review highlights the formation, occurrence and health impacts of PAHs in milk and milk products, and analytical technique used for their determination in dairy products.     

Epithelial Membrane Protein 2 Suppresses Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Growth by Inhibition of MAPK Pathway

Epithelial membrane proteins (EMP1-3) are involved in epithelial differentiation and carcinogenesis. Dysregulated expression of EMP2 was observed in various cancers, but its role in human lung cancer is not yet clarified. In this study, we analyzed the expression of EMP1-3 and investigated the biological function of EMP2 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The results showed that lower expression of EMP1 was significantly correlated with tumor size in primary lung tumors (p = 0.004). Overexpression of EMP2 suppressed tumor cell growth, migration, and invasion, resulting in a G1 cell cycle arrest, with knockdown of EMP2 leading to enhanced cell migration, related to MAPK pathway alterations and disruption of cell cycle regulatory genes. Exosomes isolated from transfected cells were taken up by tumor cells, carrying EMP2-downregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) which participated in regulation of the tumor microenvironment. Our data suggest that decreased EMP1 expression is significantly related to increased tumor size in NSCLC. EMP2 suppresses NSCLC cell growth mainly by inhibiting the MAPK pathway. EMP2 might further affect the tumor microenvironment by regulating tumor microenvironment-associated miRNAs.     

Enhancement of β‐Phase Crystalline Structure and Piezoelectric Properties of Flexible PVDF/Ionic Liquid Surfactant Composite Nanofibers for Potential Application in Sensing and Self‐Powering

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is a piezo‐polymer which among its crystalline phases, the β‐phase has been researched for the improvement of piezoelectric properties. In this study, to improve the β‐phase contents and thereby the piezoelectric response of the polymer, the effect of adding self‐synthesized ionic liquid surfactant (ILS) in PVDF nanofibers is studied. This material is added in different weight percentages into the PVDF solution and the nanofibers are produced by electrospinning to prepare active piezoelectric thin layers. SEM, XRD, FTIR, and piezo‐tests are employed for assessing the effect of the ILS on the enhancement of β‐phase in electrospun nanofibers and their piezoelectric performance. The results indicate ≈98.6% β‐phase formation in the sample containing 4 wt% ILS and in comparison with the pure nanofibers, the output voltage and its power density are improved 186.9% and 275%, respectively. Considering the results, it is suggested that the ILS can improve the piezoelectric response of the polymer in the fabricated structure by simple mixing in solution compared to other additives.     

Synthesis and corrosion inhibition evaluation of a new schiff base hydrazone for mild steel corrosion in HCl medium: electrochemical,DFT, and molecular dynamics simulations studies

Abstract

The development of cost-effective, sustainable, eco-friendly and efficient compounds is a renovated science and a demanding assignment for today’s chemists and technology specialists. In this context, the anticorrosion effect of a new Schiff base hydrazone, namely (E)-2-(4-(2-(methyl(pyridin-2-yl)amino)ethoxy)benzylidiene)hydrazine-1-carboxamide (MPAH) against the mild steel (MS) surface in 1.0?M HCl has been analyzed utilizing experimental methods, thermodynamic characterizations, and computational studies. MPAH has proven to be an effective inhibitor in 1.0?M HCl solution. Its inhibition performance improved by raising the concentration of the compound to an optimal concentration of 5?×?10^?3 M, and 97% efficiency was achieved at 303?K. Inhibitor adsorption on the MS has been explicated with both physical and chemical interactions. The adsorption was in accordance with the isotherm of Langmuir. The impact of MPAH on the surface of MS had been confirmed utilizing SEM/EDX, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), gravimetric measurements (WL), and potentiodynamic polarization (PDP). The adsorption of the studied compound on the MS surface has also been investigated by DFT and the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.     

Microscopic techniques for characterization and authentication of oil-yielding seeds

Investigation of alternative energy sources is need of current time due to growing power crisis and associated environmental issues. Biodiesel is considered as sustainable power source and promising alternative to fossil fuels. Therefore, our current investigation aimed to identify micromorphological characters of 10 novel nonedible oil-yielding seeds through scanning electron microscopy. It was revealed from light microscopic study that there is variation in seed size from 3 to 15 mm in length and 2 to 11 mm in width. Likewise, a huge variation in color was observed such as light green, greenish yellow, blackish brown, and various shades of brown. Presence and absence of Hilum was observed, and compression of seeds varied from depressed, lateral, and dorsoventral. Seed's shape differs from ovate, clavate, triangular ovate, cuneiform, ovoid, and elliptical shape. Seed oil content fall in range of 18–58% (wt/wt). Free fatty acid content of the seeds varies from 0.3 to 3.1 mg KOH/g. Ultrastructure of seeds exhibited huge variation in shape, size, periclinal wall, anticlinal wall, and surface ornamentation. Nonedible seeds varied in wall structure from angular, wavy, dentate entire, irregular, puzzled, elongated, even, and polygonal. The periclinal wall arrangements show alteration from flat, looped, raised, depressed, lofty, even, pentagonal, polygonal, and undulate seed margins. Outcomes of this investigation recommended that scanning electron microscopy could act as a helpful tool in disclosing the hidden micromorphological characters among nonedible oil-yielding seeds and subsequently helping in correct, authentic seed identification and classification as potential feedstock for biodiesel.     

Super-crosslinked ionic liquid-intercalated montmorillonite/epoxy nanocomposites: Cure kinetics,viscoelastic behavior and thermal degradation mechanism

Super-crosslinked epoxy nanocomposites containing N-octadecyl-N′-octadecyl imidazolium iodide (IM)-functionalized montmorillonite (MMT-IM) nanoplatelets were developed and examined for cure kinetics, viscoelastic behavior and thermal degradation kinetics. The structure and morphology of MMT-IM were characterized by FTIR, XRD, TEM, and TGA. Synthesized MMT-IM revealed synergistic effects on the network formation, the glass transition temperature (T_g) and thermal stability of epoxy. Cure and viscoelastic behaviors of epoxy nanocomposites containing 0.1 wt% MMT and MMT-IM were compared based on DSC and DMA, respectively. Activation energy profile as a function of the extent of cure was obtained. DMA results indicated a strong interface between imidazole groups of MMT-IM and epoxy, which caused a significant improvement in storage modulus and the T_g of epoxy. Network degradation kinetics of epoxy containing 0.5, 2.0, and 5.0 wt% MMT and MMT-IM were compared by using Friedman, Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS), Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) and the modified Coats-Redfern methods. Although addition of MMT to epoxy was detrimental to the T_g value, as featured by a fall from 94.1°C to 89.7°C detected by DMA method, and from 103.3°C to 97.9°C by DSC method, respectively. By contrast, meaningful increase in such values were observed in the same order from 94.1°C to 94.7°C and from 103.3°C to 104.7°C for super-crosslinked epoxy/MMT-IM systems.     

Adsorptive Removal of Nickel from Different Soil Orders as a Function of Physicochemical Properties

Protection of Metals and Physical Chemistry of Surfaces - Sorption isotherm can explain the ability of soils to retention of heavy metals on solid phases, because of reducing contamination. Nickel...     

Socio-spatial interactions of a cluster-house concept apartment in mehr als wohnen project in Zurich,Switzerland

This article explores the socio-spatial interactions of a micro-community in a cluster-house concept apartment. The apartment has been designed for retreat and co-living by mehr als wohnen housing cooperative in Zurich, Switzerland. The methodology of investigation is a qualitative case study, through which housing narratives of three residents as representatives of this communal household are analyzed. In addition, on-site visits and observations, document analyses, and desktop studies are conducted. The originality of the research is in its approach of examining a micro-society through the residential community's authentic stories, which are in the context of normal times and the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings reveal that the social bonds of the studied cluster cohousing community are significantly maintained through the intermediate zones of the cluster-house arrangement. This socio-spatial interaction has activated the potentials of social innovation and housing resilience in an urban context. The research also highlights points of conflicts and insights for future cluster-concept apartment developments.     

A critical review on the cellular and molecular interactions at the interface of zirconia-based biomaterials

In the past few years, zirconia has gained a great attention among biomedical scientists due to its extraordinary strength and fracture toughness, negligible thermal conductivity, good biocompatibility and chemical inertness. In this regard, there is still room for the manipulation of zirconia-based biomaterials regarding the protein adsorption and subsequently cell responses to the surface. Protein adsorption on biomaterials surfaces start interpreting the construction and also arranging the surface characteristics into a biological language. In this review, the role of adsorbed proteins as key players in starting interactions between cells and zirconia-based biomaterials will be discussed in detail. The discussion will then highlight discussions on the implementation of innovative strategies to engineer the physiochemical properties of this class of biomaterials. It is expected that these promising solutions can better control proteins adsorption and cellular functions after implantation in the body.