Unveiling the effect of shapes and electrolytes on the electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation activity of self-standing Pd nanostructures.

Morphologically controlled Pd-based nanocrystals are the most efficient strategies for improving the electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) performance; however, their morphological-EOR activity relationship and effect of electrolytes at a wide pH range are still ambiguous. Here, we have synthesized porous self-standing Pd clustered nanospheres (Pd-CNSs) and Pd nanocubes (Pd-NCBs) for the EOR in acidic (H2SO4), alkaline (KOH), and neutral (NaHCO3) electrolytes compared to commercial spherical-like Pd/C catalysts. The fabrication process comprises the ice-cooling reduction of Pd precursor by sodium borohydride (NaBH4) and l-ascorbic acid to form Pd-CNSs and Pd-NCBs, respectively. The EOR activity of Pd-CNSs significantly outperformed those of Pd-NCBs, and Pd/C in all electrolytes, but the EOR activity was better in KOH than in H2SO4 and NaHCO3. This is due to the 3D porous clustered nanospherical morphology that makes Pd active centers more accessible and maximizes their utilization during EOR. The EOR specific/mass activities of Pd-CNSs reached (8.51 mA/cm2/2.39 A/mgPd) in KOH, (2.98 mA/cm2/0.88 A/mgPd) in H2SO4, and (0.061 mA/cm2/0.0083 A/mgPd) in NaHCO3, in addition to stability after 1000 cycles. This study affirms that porous 3D spherical Pd nanostructures are preferred for the EOR than those of 0D spherical-like and multi-dimensional cube-like nanostructures.

A-π-D-π-A-Based Small Molecules for OTFTs Containing Diketopyrrolopyrrole as Acceptor Units.

A-π-D-π-A-based small molecules 6,6'-((thiophene-2,5-diylbis(ethyne-2,1-diyl))bis(thiophene-5,2-diyl))bis(2,5-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3-(thiophen-2-yl)-2,5-dihydropyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione) (TDPP-T) and 6,6'-(((2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxine-5,7-diyl)bis(ethyne-2,1-diyl))bis(thiophene-5,2-diyl))bis(2,5-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3-(thiophen-2-yl)-2,5-dihydropyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione) (TDPP-EDOT) have been designed and synthesized. The diketopyrrolopyrrole acts as an electron acceptor, while the thiophene or 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene acts as an electron donor. The donor-acceptor groups are connected by an ethynyl bridge to further enhance the conjugation. The optoelectronics, electrochemical, and thermal properties have been investigated. Organic thin film transistor (OTFT) devices prepared from TDPP-T and TDPP-EDOT have shown p-type mobility. In as cast films, TDPP-T and TDPP-EDOT have shown a hole mobility of 5.44 × 10-6 cm2 V-1 s-1 and 4.13 × 10-6 cm2 V-1 s-1, respectively. The increase in the mobility of TDPP-T and TDPP-EDOT OTFT devices was observed after annealing at 150 °C, after which the mobilities were 3.11 × 10-4 cm2 V-1 s-1 and 2.63 × 10-4 cm2 V-1 s-1, respectively.

Impact of Macrodiols on the Morphological Behavior of H12MDI/HDO-Based Polyurethane Elastomer.

In this study, we evaluated the morphological behavior of polyurethane elastomers (PUEs) by modifying the soft segment chain length. This was achieved by increasing the soft segment molecular weight (Mn = 400-4000 gmol-1). In this regard, polycaprolactone diol (PCL) was selected as the soft segment, and 4,4'-cyclohexamethylene diisocyanate (H12MDI) and 1,6-hexanediol (HDO) were chosen as the hard segments. The films were prepared by curing polymer on Teflon surfaces. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was utilized for functional group identification in the prepared elastomers. FTIR peaks indicated the disappearance of -NCO and -OH groups and the formation of urethane (NHCOO) groups. The morphological behavior of the synthesized polymer samples was also elucidated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. The AFM and SEM results indicated that the extent of microphase separation was enhanced by an increase in the molecular weight of PCL. The phase separation and degree of crystallinity of the soft and hard segments were described using X-ray diffraction (XRD). It was observed that the degree of crystallinity of the synthesized polymers increased with an increase in the soft segment's chain length. To evaluate hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, the contact angle was measured. A gradual increase in the contact angle with distilled water and diiodomethane (38.6°-54.9°) test liquids was observed. Moreover, the decrease in surface energy (46.95-24.45 mN/m) was also found to be inconsistent by increasing the molecular weight of polyols.

Eco-friendly highly efficient BN/rGO/TiO2 nanocomposite visible-light photocatalyst for phenol mineralization.

Boron nitride (BN) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) of different loadings were composited with commercial P25 TiO2 (Ti) through the hydrothermal method. The as-prepared nanocomposites were characterized using various techniques: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopies, and transmission and scanning electron microscopies. It was observed that 10% and 0.1% of BN and rGO, respectively, loaded on TiO2 (10BNr0.1GOTi) resulted in the best nanocomposite in terms of phenol degradation under simulated sunlight. A 93.4% degradation of phenol was obtained within 30 min in the presence of H2O2. Finally, to ensure the safe use of BNrGOTi nanoparticles in the aquatic environment, acute zebrafish toxicity (acutoxicity) assays were studied. The 96-h acute toxicity assays using the zebrafish embryo model revealed that the LC50 for the BNrGOTi nanoparticle was 677.8 mg L-1 and the no observed effect concentration (NOEC) was 150 mg L-1. Therefore, based on the LC50 value and according to the Fish and Wildlife Service Acute Toxicity Rating Scale, BNrGOTi is categorized as a "practically not toxic" photocatalyst for water treatment.

Facile synthesis, physiochemical characterization and bio evaluation of sulfadimidine capped cobalt nanoparticles.

Due to their less expensive, environment friendly nature, and their natural abundance of cobalt have attained more significant attention for the synthesis of cobalt nanoparticles. In the present study, we report the facile synthesis of cobalt nanoparticles using a straight forward chemical reduction approach of cobalt chloride with sodium borohydride and capping of sulfadimidine. sulfadimidine has strong capping eligibility on the surface of nanoparticles due to its chemical stability and is an applicable as stabilizer due to the existence of an amine bond. The as-synthesized sulfadimidine stabilized cobalt nanoparticles (Co-SD NPs) were characterized by using various spectroscopic and microscopic analysis like UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), High-Resolution Transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The XRD analysis exhibited the triclinic crystal structure of the as-synthesized cobalt nanoparticles and FT-IR analysis confirmed the capping of sulfadimidine via monodentate interaction. The HR-TEM analysis displayed the size of the cobalt nanoparticles approximately 3-5 nm. The antibacterial properties of the sulfadimidine stabilized cobalt nanoparticles (Co-SD NPs) were tested against various bacterial strains such as Klebsiella pneumonia (KP), Escherichia coli (EC) and Pseudomonas syringae (PS) by using agar disc diffusion approach. The results of sulfadimidine capped cobalt nanoparticles displayed the enhanced biological properties against the tested gram-negative bacteria.

Mn3O4 nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization and their antimicrobial and anticancer activity against A549 and MCF-7 cell lines.

Due to their inexpensive and eco-friendly nature, and existence of manganese in various oxidation states and their natural abundance have attained significant attention for the formation of Mn3O4 nanoparticles (Mn3O4 NPs). Herein, we report the preparation of Mn3O4 nanoparticles using manganese nitrate as a precursor material by utilization of a precipitation technique. The as-prepared Mn3O4 nanoparticles (Mn3O4 NPs) were characterized by using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), High-Resolution Transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The antimicrobial properties of the as-synthesized Mn3O4 nanoparticles were investigated against numerous bacterial and fungal strains including S. aureus, E. coli, B. subtilis, P. aeruginosa, A. flavus and C. albicans. The Mn3O4 NPs inhibited the growth of S. aureus with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 40 µg/ml and C. albicans with a MIC of 15 µg/ml. Furthermore, the Mn3O4 NPs anti-cancer activity was examined using MTT essay against A549 lung and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. The Mn3O4 NPs revealed significant activity against the examined cancer cell lines A549 and MCF-7. The IC50 values of Mn3O4 NPs with A549 cell line was found at concentration of 98 µg/mL and MCF-7 cell line was found at concentration of 25 µg/mL.

In vitro antimicrobial activity and comparison of the herbal extracts and sodium hypochlorite against primary plaque colonizers.

NaClO is not suitable as a root canal irrigant because of its cytotoxicity. Good biocompatibility irrigants are required to have antibacterial activity. Many herbal products like Bee glue, Noni juice and Azadirachta indica have such properties. This study aims to investigate the possible effects of propolis, MCJ and Neem on bacterial infections and cytotoxicity in primary plaque colonizers. Direct contact and agar diffusion tests evaluated the antibacterial activity of herbal products against Fusobacterium, Candida albicans and Prevotella. The CCK 8 test determined the influence of these herbal products on the proliferation of human apical papilla stem cells (hSCAPs) and human periodontal fibroblasts (hPDLFs). A migration assay test was performed in addition to quantitative real-time PCR which measured osteogenic differentiation in hSCAPs. All herbal extracts tested in this study exhibited antibacterial activity comparable to NaClO against bacterial infections, while the strongest bacteriostatic effect was shown in the herbal treated group. These extracts had much weaker effects on the proliferation and migration of hSCAPs and hPDLFs as calculated by the CCK-8 assay against NaClO. Bee glue treatment had the most potent effect on osteogenic differentiation, followed by treatment with Noni juice and Azadirachta indica (Neem), while NaClO showed the lowest effect. For primary plaque colonizers of immature or advanced permanent teeth, Bee glue, Noni juice, and Azadirachta indica can be promising irrigants with good biocompatibility. Direct contact process and agar diffusion studies have tested the antibacterial activity against Fusobacterium, Candida albicans and Prevotella. The CCK 8 test determined the influence of these three plants on the proliferation of human apical papilla stem cells (hSCAPs) and human periodontal fibroblasts (hPDLFs). In order to examine migration ability, migration assay test was performed. Alizarin red staining, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and quantitative real-time PCR measured osteo-/odontogenic differentiation in hSCAPs. All herbal extracts tested in this study exhibited antibacterial activity comparable to NaClO against bacterial infections, while the strongest bacteriostatic effect was shown in the treated group. These extracts had much weaker effects on the proliferation and migration of hSCAPs and hPDLFs as calculated by the CCK-8 assay against NaClO. Bee glue treatment had the most potent effect on osteo-odontogenic differentiation, followed by treatment with Noni juice and Azadirachta indica (Neem), while NaClO showed the lowest effect. For primary plaque colonizers of immature or advanced permanent teeth, Bee glue, Noni juice and Azadirachta indica (Neem) can be promising irrigants.

Rational Synthesis of Porous Graphitic-like Carbon Nitride Nanotubes Codoped with Au and Pd as an Efficient Catalyst for Carbon Monoxide Oxidation.

The precise fabrication of efficient catalysts for CO oxidation is of particular interest in a wide range of industrial and environmental applications. Herein, a scalable method is presented for the controlled synthesis of graphitic-like porous carbon nitride nanotubes (gC3N4NTs) codoped with Au and Pd (Au/Pd/gC3N4NTs) as efficient catalysts for carbon monoxide (CO) conversion. This includes the activation of melamine with nitric acid in the presence of ethylene glycol and metal precursors followed by consecutive polymerization and carbonization. This drives the formation of porous one-dimensional gC3N4NT with an outstanding surface area of (320.6 m2 g-1) and an atomic-level distribution of Au and Pd. Intriguingly, the CO conversion efficiency of Au/Pd/gC3N4NTs was substantially greater than that for gC3N4NTs. The approach thus presented may provide new avenues for the utilization of gC3N4 doped with multiple metal-based catalysts for CO conversion reactions which had been rarely reported before.

Angioinvasive lymphomatoid papulosis: another case of a newly described variant.

Lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP) is a chronic recurrent lymphoproliferative disorder characterized clinically by self-regressing cutaneous lesions. Histologically, it is recognized by clusters of CD30 atypical lymphocytes in the background of mixed inflammatory infiltrate. It has been classified as type A, B, C, and D. Recently, a further variant of LyP was described as "angioinvasive LyP" in a series of 16 patients. We report a case of a 73-year-old female presenting with papules and nodules on the extremities evolving into eschar-like necrotic plaques. Histological examination revealed medium- to large-sized atypical lymphoid CD30 cells densely infiltrating the dermis with distinct angioinvasion and angiodestruction. No systemic involvement was identified. The clinicopathologic features conformed to the newly described angioinvasive LyP.

Primary cutaneous CD56 positive lymphoma: a diagnostic conundrum in an unusual case of lymphoma.

We present an unusual case of a CD56-positive T-cell lymphoma exhibiting immunophenotypic characteristics of both γδ T-cell lymphoma and extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal-type. The patient presented with a 2-month history of rapidly progressive, pruritic and cutaneous nodules on his arms. A biopsy showed a dense pan-dermal infiltrate of markedly atypical CD3-positive lymphocytes, compatible with tumor stage cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Retrospective review of a preceding biopsy and flow cytometric analysis, performed at an outside institution, showed strong expression of surface CD3, CD7, CD43 and γδ T-cell receptor (TCR), findings consistent with a diagnosis of cutaneous γδ T-cell lymphoma. In light of these data, we performed additional studies that showed diffuse positive staining of the atypical lymphocytes for CD56, CD4 and CD43 as well as Epstein-Barr virus-encoded small nonpolyadenylated RNA (EBER). Interestingly, this case displays characteristic features of γδ T-cell lymphoma, with strong surface expression of CD3 and γδ-TCR, as well as characteristics of natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma, including expression of CD4 and EBER positivity, that represent two separate categories in the current classification of cutaneous lymphomas. Taken together, these findings underscore the difficulty of rendering an unambiguous classification of the presented neoplasm given the close ontogenetic relationship between NK and cytotoxic T-cells and highlight the need for continued reevaluation of the current classification system.