A Novel Sprague-Dawley Rat Model Presents Improved NASH/NAFLD Symptoms with PEG Coated Vitexin Liposomes

Chronic liver disease (CLD) is a global threat to the human population, with manifestations resulting from alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) and non-alcohol fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD, if not treated, may progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Furthermore, inflammation leads to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Vitexin, a natural flavonoid, has been recently reported for inhibiting NAFLD. It is a lipogenesis inhibitor and activates lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation. In addition, owing to its antioxidant properties, it appeared as a hepatoprotective candidate. However, it exhibits low bioavailability and low efficacy due to its hydrophobic nature. A novel rat model for liver cirrhosis was developed by CCL4/Urethane co-administration. Vitexin encapsulated liposomes were synthesized by the ‘thin-film hydration’ method. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was coated on liposomes to enhance stability and stealth effect. The diseased rats were then treated with vitexin and PEGylated vitexin liposomes, administered intravenously and orally. Results ascertained the liposomal encapsulation of vitexin and subsequent PEG coating to be a substantial strategy for treating liver cirrhosis through oral drug delivery.     

Heterogeneous catalysts with programmable topologies generated by reticulation of organocatalysts into metal-organic frameworks: The case of squaramide

A well-established strategy to synthesize heterogeneous,metal-organic framework(MOF)catalysts that exhibit nanoconfinement effects,and specific pores with highly-localized catalytic sites,is to use organic linkers containing organocatalytic centers.Here,we report that by combining this linker approach with reticular chemistry,and exploiting three-dimensioanl(3D)MOF-structural data from the Cambridge Structural Database,we have designed four heterogeneous MOF-based catalysts for standard organic transformations.These programmable MOFs are isoreticular versions of pcu IRMOF-16,feu UiO-68 and pillared-pcu SNU-8X,the three most common topologies of MOFs built from the organic linker p.p'-terphenyldicarboxylic acid(tpdc).To synthesize the four squaramide-based MOFs,we designed and synthesized a linker,4,4’-((3,4-dioxocyclobut-1-ene-1,2-diyl)bis(azanedyil))dibenzoic acid(Sq_tpdc),which is identical in directionality and length to tpdc but which contains organocatalytic squaramide centers.Squaramides were chosen because their immobilization into a framework enhances its reactivity and stability while avoiding any self-quenching phenomena.Therefore,the four MOFs share the same organocatalytic squaramide moiety,but confine it within distinct pore environments.We then evaluated these MOFs as heterogeneous H-bonding catalysts in organic transformations:a Friedel-Crafts alkylation and an epoxide ring-opening.Some of them exhibited good performance in both reactions but all showed distinct catalytic profiles that reflect their structural differences.     

Mechanochemical sulfidization of a mixed oxide-sulphide copper ore by co-grinding with sulfur and its effect on the flotation efficiency

Mechanochemical sulfidization of a mixed sulfide/oxide copper ore by co-grinding with sulfur and additives including Mg(NO₃)₂ and Fe(NO₃)₃ salts and iron, aluminum and magnesium powders was investigated for the first time. Also, the influence of sulfidization during the wet-milling process was examined on the separation efficiency and recovery of copper in detail. The results demonstrated that co-grinding with sulfur solely had the best flotation performance at the value of 0.5 wt.% and it was attributed to the possible existence of S-O bonding on copper oxides surfaces. In addition, adding magnesium nitrate salt, magnesium powder, iron nitrate salt and aluminum powder as additive associated with 0.5 wt% sulfur into ball milling caused the flotation improvement at the amounts of 0.2 wt%, 0.2 wt%, 0.5 wt% and 0.5 wt%, respectively. Also, the effect of grinding time and sulfidization pH with 0.5 wt% sulfur solely was determined and pHs of 7.5 to 8.5 gave the best results. The highest recovery (75.76%) and separation efficiency (63.44%) were achieved at pH of 7.5 and 8.5, respectively.     

Solution combustion synthesis of cerium oxide nanoparticles as corrosion inhibitor

In this study, combustion synthesis of cerium oxide nanoparticles was reported using cerium nitrate hexahydrate as starting material as well as urea, glycine, glucose, and citric acid as fuels. The influence of fuel type on structure, microstructure, band gap, and corrosion inhibition was investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and scanning electron microscopy micrographs showed that CeO₂ nanoparticles with different morphologies were obtained depending on the fuel type. Microstructural changes from unreacted gel to sponge-like morphologies were resulted by varying the fuel type from urea, glycine, and glucose to citric acid. In addition to Ce–O bonds, Fourier transform infrared analysis showed carbon bonds of carbonaceous compositions from incomplete combustion which were declined during combustion reaction. Furthermore, corrosion analyses showed that samples synthesized using urea fuel released the most Ce⁺⁴ ions and could have better protection than other samples.     

Embedding Two P+ Pockets in the Buried Oxide of Nano Silicon on Insulator MOSFETs: Controlled Short Channel Effects and Electric Field

Silicon - This paper proposes an efficient structure for nanoscale silicon on insulator (SOI) MOSFETs. Two P+ pockets are considered in buried oxide, a pocket under source region and another under...     

Drug‐loaded microparticles prepared by the one‐step deposition of calcium carbonate/alginate onto cotton fabrics

Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃)/alginate inorganic–organic hybrid particles were synthesized and deposited on to the surface of cotton fabrics with a novel one‐step procedure. The effects of the Ca²⁺/CO₃^2?/alginate molar ratio on the cotton matrix were investigated. The optimization of the process resulted in a regular shaped hybrid microparticles, and scanning electron microscopy revealed that the particles were uniformly distributed on the surface of the fibers. Dynamic light scattering showed that the particles were about 2 μm in diameter. Moreover, transmission electron microscopy images demonstrated that the core–shell structure of the particles existed along with CaCO₃ evenly enfolded into the alginate layer. An X‐ray diffraction pattern displayed that the alginate/CaCO₃ hybrid microparticles were a mixture of calcite and vaterite crystal. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that CaCO₃/alginate hybrid particles formed in situ were the only deposited materials. The thermogravimetric analysis curve indicated a certain mass ratio of the alginate and CaCO₃ in the hybrid particles. Furthermore, the drug‐loading and drug‐release properties of the hybrid microspheres were studied, and the results show that the water‐soluble diclofenac sodium could be effectively loaded in the hybrid microparticles and the drug release could be effectively sustained. Finally, both of the microparticles and modified fabrics had good cytocompatibility. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42618.     

Simultaneously energy production and dairy wastewater treatment using bioelectrochemical cells: In different environmental and hydrodynamic modes

A successful design, previously adapted for treatment of complex wastewaters in a microbial fuel cell (MFC), was used to fabricate two MFCs, with a few changes for cost reduction and ease of construction. Performance and electrochemical characteristics of MFCs were evaluated in different environmental conditions (in complete darkness and presence of light), and different flow patterns of batch and continuous in four hydraulic retention times from 8 to 30 h. Changes in chemical oxygen demand, and nitrate and phosphate concentrations were evaluated. In contrast to the microbial fuel cell operated in darkness (D-MFC) with a stable open circuit voltage of 700 mV, presence of light led to growth of other species, and consecutively low and unsteady open circuit voltage. Although the performance of theMFC subjected to light (L-MFC)was quite lowand unsteady in dynamic state (internal resistance = 100 Ω, power density = 5.15 W·m^-3), it reached power density of 9.2 W·m^-3 which was close to performance of D-MFC (internal resistance = 50 Ω, power density = 10.3 W·m^-3). Evaluated only for D-MFC, the coulombic efficiency observed in batch mode (30%) was quite higher than the maximum acquired in continuous mode (9.6%) even at the highest hydraulic retention time. In this study, changes in phosphate and different types of nitrogen existing in dairy wastewater were investigated for the first time. At hydraulic retention time of 8 h, the orthophosphate concentration in effluent was 84% higher compared to influent. Total nitrogen and total Kjeldahl nitrogen were reduced 70% and 99% respectively at hydraulic retention time of 30 h, while nitrate and nitrite concentrations increased. The microbial electrolysis cell (MEC), revamped from D-MFC, showed the maximum gas production of 0.2 m³ H₂·m^-3·d^-1 at 700 mV applied voltage.