Passivation and pitting corrosion of nanostructured Sn-Ni alloy in NaCl solutions

The passivation and pitting corrosion of tin-nickel alloy (34% Ni-66% Sn) in NaCl solution was studied using potentiodynamic, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques complemented by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effect of concentration of the chloride ion, the switching potential, scans rate and pH on the electrochemical behavior of Sn-Ni alloy is discussed. The data indicate that the corrosion rate and the pitting corrosion of Sn-Ni alloy increases by the increasing of chloride ion concentration. The observed corrosion resistance of electrodeposited Sn-Ni alloy is due to the formation of a thin passive film from tin and nickel oxides.     

Photofunctional Materials Based on Sheet Polymer Capped Organic Molecules for Visible‐Light‐Responsive Rewritable Paper

Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials - Historically, the recording of information over paper has always been regarded as the most important factor for maintaining records...     

Production of Well-Dispersed Aqueous Cross-Linked Chitosan-Based Nanomaterials as Alternative Antimicrobial Approach

In the current study, chitosan was extracted by deacetylation of chitin, which is extracted from shrimp shell. chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) were prepared by ionotropic gelation technique. chitosan/tripolyphosphate ratio (CS:TPP) was kept at 3:1 to prepare CSNPs. chitosan/silver nanocomposite (CS/AgNCs) were prepared by incorporating silver nanoparticles into CSNPs. The quality of the prepared nanocomposite was evaluated by infrared spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and antibacterial activity. Results showed that chitosan/silver nanocomposite in which, both chitosan and silver are in nanoscale was successfully prepared for the first time in a well-dispersed aqueous form. Whereas CSNPs act as a host material to form the nanocomposite unlike the previously prepared forms of chitosan–silver nanocomposites, that used chitosan bulk as host materials and the dispersion medium was slightly acidic. Moreover, results revealed that the antibacterial activity of CSNPs was significantly enhanced after incorporating trace amount of silver nanoparticles (0.535% w/w AgNPs/CSNPs).     

Rosavin Ameliorates Hepatic Inflammation and Fibrosis in the NASH Rat Model via Targeting Hepatic Cell Death

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents the most common form of chronic liver disease that urgently needs effective therapy. Rosavin, a major constituent of the Rhodiola Rosea plant of the family Crassulaceae, is believed to exhibit multiple pharmacological effects on diverse diseases. However, its effect on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the progressive form of NAFLD, and the underlying mechanisms are not fully illustrated. Aim: Investigate the pharmacological activity and potential mechanism of rosavin treatment on NASH management via targeting hepatic cell death-related (HSPD1/TNF/MMP14/ITGB1) mRNAs and their upstream noncoding RNA regulators (miRNA-6881-5P and lnc-SPARCL1-1:2) in NASH rats. Results: High sucrose high fat (HSHF) diet-induced NASH rats were treated with different concentrations of rosavin (10, 20, and 30 mg/kg/day) for the last four weeks of dietary manipulation. The data revealed that rosavin had the ability to modulate the expression of the hepatic cell death-related RNA panel through the upregulation of both (HSPD1/TNF/MMP14/ITGB1) mRNAs and their epigenetic regulators (miRNA-6881-5P and lnc-SPARCL1-1:2). Moreover, rosavin ameliorated the deterioration in both liver functions and lipid profile, and thereby improved the hepatic inflammation, fibrosis, and apoptosis, as evidenced by the decreased protein levels of IL6, TNF-α, and caspase-3 in liver sections of treated animals compared to the untreated NASH rats. Conclusion: Rosavin has demonstrated a potential ability to attenuate disease progression and inhibit hepatic cell death in the NASH animal model. The produced effect was correlated with upregulation of the hepatic cell death-related (HSPD1, TNF, MMP14, and ITGB1) mRNAs—(miRNA-6881-5P—(lnc-SPARCL1-1:2) RNA panel.     

Effects of Lewis Basicity and Acidity on σ-Hole Interactions in Carbon-Bearing Complexes: A Comparative Ab Initio Study

The effects of Lewis basicity and acidity on σ-hole interactions were investigated using two sets of carbon-containing complexes. In Set I, the effect of Lewis basicity was studied by substituting the X₃/X atom(s) of the NC-C₆H₂-X₃ and NCX Lewis bases (LB) with F, Cl, Br, or I. In Set II, the W-C-F₃ and F-C-X₃ (where X and W = F, Cl, Br, and I) molecules were utilized as Lewis acid (LA) centers. Concerning the Lewis basicity effect, higher negative interaction energies (E_int) were observed for the F-C-F₃∙∙∙NC-C₆H₂-X₃ complexes compared with the F-C-F₃∙∙∙NCX analogs. Moreover, significant E_int was recorded for Set I complexes, along with decreasing the electron-withdrawing power of the X₃/X atom(s). Among Set I complexes, the highest negative E_int was ascribed to the F-C-F₃∙∙∙NC-C₆H₂-I₃ complex with a value of −1.23 kcal/mol. For Set II complexes, E_int values of F-C-X₃ bearing complexes were noted within the −1.05 to −2.08 kcal/mol scope, while they ranged from −0.82 to −1.20 kcal/mol for the W-C-F₃ analogs. However, V_s,max quantities exhibited higher values in the case of W-C-F₃ molecules compared with F-C-X₃; preferable negative E_int were ascribed to the F-C-X₃ bearing complexes. These findings were delineated as a consequence of the promoted contributions of the X₃ substituents. Dispersion forces (E_disp) were identified as the dominant forces for these interactions. The obtained results provide a foundation for fields such as crystal engineering and supramolecular chemistry studies that focus on understanding the characteristics of carbon-bearing complexes.     

A design framework of a smartphone user interface for elderly users

Universal Access in the Information Society - Most smartphones currently in the market have complicated user interfaces (UIs) that elderly users find difficult to use. Such difficulties often lead...