Biological Performance of Calcium Pyrophosphate‐coated Porous Alumina Scaffolds

The present work aims at synthesis and study the bioactivity of porous alumina scaffolds coated with calcium pyrophosphate. Characterization of the formed calcium pyrophosphate and the coated scaffolds was assessed by X‐ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscope examinations. The in vivo studies revealed the ability of the porous scaffolds to regenerate bone tissue in femur defects of albino rats. Histological analysis showed that the defect is almost entirely filled with new bone. The formed bone is characterized as a mature bone. The produced bone grafts are intended to be used as bone substitute or bone filler.     

Tailoring the structural,magnetic and dielectric properties of Ni-Zn-CdFe2O4 spinel ferrites by the substitution of lanthanum ions

In this paper, we have tailored the structural, magnetic and dielectric properties of Ni_0.5Zn_0.3Cd_0.2Fe_2-yLa_yO₄ (y?=?0.0–0.21) nano-structured spinel ferrites by the substitution of La³⁺ ions. The investigated samples were synthesized by Sol-gel auto-combustion method and were characterized using XRD, SEM, VSM, FTIR and dielectric measurements. Single phase nanostructure formation of synthesized material was confirmed by XRD analysis. The effect of La³⁺ ions on crystallite size, grain size, lattice constant and bulk densities was calculated and it was found that lattice constant first increased upto concentration y?=?0.105 then decreased with further substitution of dopant ions. FTIR results for all synthesized samples demonstrated two absorption bands at υ₁ =?540.8?cm^?1 and υ₂ =?490.8?cm^?1 corresponds to tetrahedral and octahedral sites of spinel structure respectively. With the increase in La³⁺ ions concentration, saturation magnetization and remanence both found to be decreased down to lowest M_s value of 34.1?emu/g which is not yet reported in the literature according to best of our knowledge. Dielectric results showed that by decreasing frequency, both dielectric loss and dielectric constant decreases. AC conductivity has two regions, at low frequency region ac conductivity increases while at high frequency region, it decreases with increasing frequency. The measured results for all synthesized nano-ferrites suggested that synthesized nanoferrites are recommended for high frequency and microwave absorbing applications.     

Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases: Mechanisms in Cancer

Protein tyrosine kinases, especially receptor tyrosine kinases, have dominated the cancer therapeutics sphere as proteins that can be inhibited to selectively target cancer. However, protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are also an emerging target. Though historically known as negative regulators of the oncogenic tyrosine kinases, PTPs are now known to be both tumor-suppressive and oncogenic. This review will highlight key protein tyrosine phosphatases that have been thoroughly investigated in various cancers. Furthermore, the different mechanisms underlying pro-cancerous and anti-cancerous PTPs will also be explored.     

Honeycomb-like polyaniline for flexible and folding all-solid-state supercapacitors

Porous polyaniline (PANI) was prepared through an efficient and costeffective method by polymerization of aniline in the NaCl solution at room temperature. The resulting PANI provided large surface area due to its highly porous structure and the intercrossed nanorod, resulting in good electrochemical performance. The porous PANI electrodes showed a high specific capacitance of 480 F·g^-1, 3 times greater than that of PANI without using the NaCl solution. We also make chemically crosslinked hydrogel film for hydrogel polymer electrolyte as well as the flexible supercapacitors (SCs) with PANI. The specific capacitance of the device was 234 F·g^-1 at the current density of 1 A·g^-1. The energy density of the device could reach as high as 75 W·h·kg^-1 while the power density was 0.5 kW·kg^-1, indicating that PANI be a promising material in flexible SCs.     

Radio interference challenges in a multiprotocol compact RF hardware platform for home and building automation applications

In the field of smart home and smart building, there is a wide range of products using various proprietary and open standards for their interconnection. However, the coexistence of those standards imposes serious constraints because of the inherent nature of the radio frequency propagation. A way to investigate this issue is to study the interferences in a compact hardware platform/box in which several radio transceivers work side by side, potentially causing interference and radio link degradation due to antennas coupling. To achieve this analysis and predict the radio issues, a simulation tool was developed, and several experimental tests were conducted indoors and outdoors to validate the simulation model. The compact platform investigated consists of multiprofile KNX‐RF modules for home automation and smart grid control, and a radio alarm module for security needs. Simulations were conducted using MATLAB/Simulink, which are based on a calculation of bit error rate according to the signal to noise ratio in order to deduce the radio coverage range in different interference scenarios. The simulation tool developed was optimized to match the behavior of a specific transceiver commonly used for KNX‐RF devices. Yet the tool can be adapted to simulate other kinds of transceivers. Furthermore, the methodology applied to evaluate the cross‐technology interference can be extended to other technologies like Wi‐Fi, ZigBee, and EnOcean.     

Biological activity during co-composting of sludge issued from the OMW evaporation ponds with poultry manure-Physico-chemical characterization of the processed organic matter

Olive mill sludge (OMS), a by-product resulting from natural evaporation of olive oil processing effluent, poses a major environmental threat. A current cost-effective practice of OMS management is composting. A mixture of OMS (60%) with poultry manure (PM) was successfully composted for 210 days. During the process, effluents of olive oil mill and confectionary were used to keep moisture at optimal level (40-60%). Biological indicators reflecting stability of the compost (microbial biota respiration and enumeration, and germination index) were analysed for the assessment of the product quality. The composted mixture showed a high microbial activity with a succession of microbial populations depending on the temperature reached during the biodegradation. The pathogen content from PM decreased with composting as did phytotoxic compounds. Phenols and lipids were reduced, respectively, by 40% and 84% while germination index increased with composting progress. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis revealed that the final compost improved the aromatic content compared to the starting materials, with a decrease in aliphatic groups and a reduction in the easily assimilated components by the microflora acting during the biological process. The final compost was characterized by relatively high organic matter content (26.21%), a low C/N ratio (16.21), an alkaline pH (8.32), a relatively high electrical conductivity (9.21mS/cm) and a high level of nutrients. The germination index for Lepidium sativum L. was 87.71% after 210 days of composting, showing that the final compost was not phytotoxic.     

Elimination of polyphenols toxicity from olive mill wastewater sludge by its co-composting with sesame bark

Olive mill wastes represent a significant environmental problem in Mediterranean areas where they are generated in huge quantities in a short period of time. Their high phenol, lipid and organic acid concentrations turn them into phytotoxic materials, but these wastes also contain valuable resources such as a large proportion of organic matter and a wide range of nutrients that could be recycled. Composting is one of the technologies used for the valorization of this effluent, producing a fertilizer useful for poor soils.The present work deals with the changes that occur in the content of phenolic compounds and the biotoxicity of the oxidized substrate which result from the composting of olive mill wastewater (OMW) sludge with sesame bark. The total organic matter decreased 52.72% while water-soluble phenol degradation decreased 72% after 7 months of processing. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy was used to confirm the elimination of polyphenols during composting. Initially, the analysis showed three abundant polyphenolic compounds, one of which was identified as the 4-hydroxyphenyl-ethanol (tyrosol), a well-known antioxidant in OMW. After 7 months of composting, all of the phenolic compounds disappeared. The phytotoxic effects of OMW sludge, assessed by the plant index germination, increased during the composting to reach 80% after 210 days. This trend was confirmed by the correlation between physico-chemical and toxicity parameters. The results obtained confirmed the stability of the compost prepared from OMW sludge with sesame bark and indicated a gradual detoxification as the compost matured.     

Laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy of aromatic species produced in atmospheric sooting flames using UV and visible excitation wavelengths

In this work, laser induced fluorescence (LIF) has been applied to probe PAHs in two atmospheric sooting flames: a premixed flat flame of methane and a Diesel turbulent spray one. Different laser excitation wavelengths have been used. UV excitations at 266 and 355 nm have been operated from the fourth and the third harmonic frequencies of an Nd: YAG laser while visible excitations were emitted by an OPO pumped by the third harmonic of the YAG laser.     

Changes in volatile compounds and oil quality with malaxation time of Tunisian cultivars of Olea europea

While there has been considerable work examining the effect of malaxation time on different characteristics of olive oils, there have been few that deal with all the major aspects. Here, the influence of malaxation time was evaluated using major local Tunisian (cv. Chemlali and Chetoui) cultivars. Standard characteristics were measured as well as detailed analyses of volatile compounds were conducted. Headspace solid‐phase microextraction (HS‐SPME) was applied to the analysis of volatile compounds of virgin olive oils from Chemlali and Chetoui varieties with differing malaxation time. Twenty‐seven compounds were characterised by GC‐FID and GC–MS. Compounds belonging mainly to alcohols, esters, aldehydes, ketones and hydrocarbons chemical classes characterized the volatile profile. Significant differences in the proportion of volatiles from oils of different malaxation time were detected. The results suggest that besides genetic factors, malaxation time influences volatile formation. The main variables that were affected by malaxation time were the total amount of phenols and composition of the volatile compounds. At malaxation time of 30 min, Chemlali and Chetoui olive oils presented the highest total phenol content (244.19 and 877.63 mg kg^?1, respectively), while the lowest content was observed at 60 min from regardless of cultivars. In turn, this influenced the oxidative stability and peroxide value. It was also clear that the cultivars behaved differently and this prevented general conclusions being made for all of the quality characteristics.