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Oral health represents a significant factor in general health and life quality. A significant number of people are affected by tooth loss during their lifetimes, especially in the older population. Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) resins are the preferred option for replacing missing teeth due to the material stability, easy handling, low toxicity, and most importantly biocompatibility with human tissue. Even though PMMA is the preferable material for denture preparation, it is susceptible to microbial colonization, which can induce the development of oral infections. This study aimed to increase the antimicrobial effect of PMMA and compare the antimicrobial properties of PMMA incorporated with different amounts (2 and 5 wt %) of zinc oxide (ZnO; primary size 62.4 nm ± 16.7 nm) and copper oxide (CuO; primary size 434.0 nm ± 118.5 nm) nanoparticles to determine their antimicrobial effects on Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and yeast Candida albicans─pathogenic microbes often found on dentures. To understand the adhesion of microorganisms to PMMA-modified surfaces, the following surface properties were measured: roughness, contact angle, and ζ potential. In addition, CIE (the International Commission on Illumination) color parameters of the materials were determined. The bacterial adhesion was measured by viable plate counts and scanning electron microscopy. Our study showed that 5 wt % ZnO added to PMMA yields a promising denture material that is esthetically acceptable and shows antimicrobial properties toward both, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans.

Bioconjugates in electrochemical biosensors can significantly enhance the detection process and sensitivity. In this study, we synthesized a monoclonal antibody-conjugated nanocomposite of graphene oxide and Nafion (GO-Nf-mAb) for application in an electrochemical biosensor as a novel all-in-one bioreceptor. The incorporation of Nafion (Nf) improved the stability, dispersity, and antibody immobilization on the GO surface, thereby increasing the sensitivity of the biosensor. The impact of Nafion on GO stability and antibody conjugation was thoroughly investigated and compared to that of Nafion-free conjugation via various characterization techniques, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and synchrotron radiation near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure. The presence of Nafion during monoclonal antibody (mAb) conjugation resulted in an increased peak intensity of the NH₂ band in XPS analysis and the highest intensity of C═O groups in O–K edge analysis, indicating a greater yield of the antibody. This innovative electrochemical biosensor exhibited a low detection limit of 1.68 ng mL^–1 in spiked urine, a wide linear range, and high reproducibility, outperforming conventional detection methods for Opisthorchis viverrini (OV) antigen detection. Our developed electrochemical biosensor introduces a novel and straightforward fabrication process using an all-in-one bioconjugate that serves as a bioreceptor, transducer, and blocking reagent simultaneously. Overall, this study offers a new insight on Nafion application in bioconjugation, and the GO-Nf-mAb conjugate-based electrochemical biosensor promises high sensitivity and a hassle-free immobilization process for OV antigen quantification.

Within the past decade, much attention has been drawn to antimicrobial textiles due to their vast potential for reducing the spread of infectious diseases and improving hygiene standards in various environments. This review paper discusses recent studies on preparation methods, modes of action, effectiveness against different microorganisms, and applications of antimicrobial textiles in diverse industries. It examines further challenges, including durability, environmental impact, and regulatory considerations, and looks at prospects for developing and integrating these novel materials. This paper intends to provide a broad-based understanding of state-of-the-art technologies and emerging trends in antimicrobial textiles by integrating existing knowledge and highlighting recent advances in this field that contribute much to improved public health and safety.

In 2020, the World Health Organization declared that COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is a pandemic. This led to severe respiratory syndromes and overwhelmed hospital capacities alongside the widespread, yet unproven, use of drugs like ivermectin. Amidst growing concerns over the consequences of frequent ivermectin use, this study aims to examine its toxicological effects following repeated dosage in rats. Female Wistar rats received a daily dose of 12 mg/kg of ivermectin intragastrically for 5 days. Two groups were studied: one euthanized 24 h post the final dose (early protocol) and the other 14 days later (late protocol). The rats underwent tests for locomotion and anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. Additionally, blood and cortex samples were analyzed for acetylcholinesterase and Na+/K+-ATPase activities, oxidative stress levels, and liver and kidney function markers. The early protocol results showed decreased locomotion and increased signs of anxiety and depression in the rats, along with Na+/K+-ATPase inhibition and oxidative stress. In the late protocol, signs of persistent depression-like behavior and hyperlocomotion were observed, coupled with heightened oxidative stress, as indicated by increased reactive oxygen species and disrupted catalase activity. Moreover, the dual inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and Na+/K+-ATPase activities seems to underlie the behavioral alterations seen in the late protocol. The study also noted ivermectin’s potential hepatotoxic effects, corroborating previous findings of elevated liver enzyme levels and severe drug-induced liver injury cases, as well as delayed neuropsychiatric and behavioral changes.

Biobeds are technological tools to minimize point-source contamination on productive farms. A four-step workflow for the efficient setting of biobeds in farms and its proof-of-concept is presented: (1) developing a fit-for-purpose pesticide multiresidue analytical method for pesticides in biomatrix; (2) launching biobeds at lab scale for pesticide degradation evaluation; (3) setting up the biobeds in the field; (4) evaluating the pesticide degradation in the biobed during an agricultural year. An ethyl acetate/sodium tetraborate multiresidue method was adapted and validated for 35 pesticides in the biomixture; lab biobeds were installed, and the degradation of 11 pesticides was confirmed. Then, biobeds were installed in two horticultural farms of different productive profiles, considering farmers’ conditions, and included in the farmers’ routine work. High dissipation rates (∼80%) in both bioreactors were observed for 10 pesticides. This research studies the performance of biobeds in reducing point source contamination and diminishing pesticide concentration from contaminated machinery washings not only at the lab scale but also at in-field experiments performed in productive farms. Moreover, the evaluation of biobeds in actual conditions where different chemical families of pesticides were applied together and the confirmation that repeated applications and accumulation of some compounds throughout the cycle proved biobeds’ versatility in diminishing the point of pesticide contamination in farms.

This study seeks to demonstrate an environmentally friendly approach to synthesizing indenoindolone compounds. Ninhydrin, aniline, and dimedone were combined in a single step using water and ethanol as solvents, offering more environmentally friendly methods. Copper ferrite nanoparticles were used to help with the reaction as a catalyst. Zirconium chloride was stabilized on a Schiff base and placed on the surface of silica-covered copper ferrite magnetic nanoparticles. This was made and used as a reusable acid catalyst to obtain a high yield of product quickly. The structure of the nanocatalyst was checked using several methods such as FT-IR, ATR, XRD, FE-SEM, EDX, VSM, and TGA. The structure of the organic products was looked at by measuring their melting point and using FT-IR, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR tests.

The primary goal of this study is to investigate the effect of inherent calcium on the release of gaseous products during the high-temperature spontaneous combustion of coal. The coal samples were sequentially extracted progressively with water (H₂O), ammonium acetate (NH₄OAc), and hydrochloric acid (HCl) solutions. The amount of Ca in various occurrence modes in coal samples was then evaluated using an inductively coupled plasma equipped atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-MS). The results showed that all of the tested coal samples contained NH₄Ac-soluble Ca, HCl-soluble Ca, and H₂O-soluble Ca. The FTIR of raw and residual coal after H₂O and NH₄OAc extraction indicates that H₂O and NH₄OAc extraction would remove some carboxylate from the coal structure. The high-temperature spontaneous combustion of raw coal and residual coal after H₂O and NH₄OAc extraction was investigated by mass spectrometry and thermogravimetric analysis. H₂O and NH₄OAc extraction resulted in lower initial decomposition and ignition temperature, and no CO₂ was generated during the spontaneous combustion of H₂O and NH₄OAc-treated coal samples at temperatures below 400 °C. Significant CO₂ production was only observed at temperatures above 400 °C. The H₂O-soluble calcium and organically bounded calcium in coal could alter the thermal evolution process of the coal structure, promoting the cracking of aliphatic side chains and therefore increasing the yield of H₂, CH₄, CO, and CO₂. However, for coal with a relatively high H₂O-soluble calcium content, water treatment transforms H₂O-soluble calcium into Ca(OH)₂, which could accelerate the release of gaseous products during spontaneous combustion and increase the emission of H₂, CH₄, and CO. Finally, the mechanism for the effect of inherent calcium on the gaseous product generation was proposed.

Since the discovery of ferroelectricity in HfO₂ thin films, significant research has focused on Zr-doped HfO₂ and solid-solution (Hf,Zr)O₂ thin films. Functional properties can be further tuned via multilayering; however, this approach has not yet been fully explored in HfO₂–ZrO₂ films. This work demonstrates ferroelectricity in a 50 nm-thick, solution-processed HfO₂–ZrO₂ multilayer film, marking it as the thickest multilayer film to date exhibiting ferroelectric properties. The multilayer structure was confirmed through transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, with high-resolution TEM revealing grain continuity across multiple layers. This finding indicates that a polar phase in the originally paraelectric ZrO₂ layer can be stabilized by the HfO₂ layer. The film attains a remanent polarization of 9 μC cm^–2 and exhibits an accelerated wake-up behavior, attributed to its higher breakdown strength, resulting from the incorporation of multiple interfaces. These results offer a faster wake-up mechanism for thick ferroelectric hafnia films.

Kuqa Depression is an important oil-bearing tectonic unit in the Tarim Basin, and the Mesozoic tectonic setting is of great significance for hydrocarbon exploration in the deep-seated strata of the depression. In this paper, the Mesozoic tectonic setting and evolution processes of Kuqa Depression have been studied by using petrology, seismic interpretation, zircon chronology, and geochemistry methods, combined with the analysis of rock properties and age composition of potential provenance areas. The results show that the zircon ages of the sandstones of Triassic Taliqike Formation range from 251 to 2816 Ma, the zircon ages of the sandstones from the Jurassic Yangxia and Ahe formations range from 241 to 2600 Ma, and most of the zircon ages are concentrated in 241–485 Ma. The Mesozoic Triassic and Jurassic strata in the Kuqa Depression are mainly derived from the Yili-Central Tianshan orogenic belt and the Southern Tianshan orogenic belt, and the tectonic background is the passive continental margin. The main provenance of the Cretaceous Kuqa Depression is Southern Tianshan. In the Mesozoic, the provenance of the Kuqa Depression has changed significantly, and there is a trend of strengthening tectonic activity, which is mainly controlled by the interaction between the Central Tianshan and South Tianshan terranes and the Tarim plate. This paper provides a new idea for the tectonic evolution of the Kuqa Depression during the Mesozoic, which will be useful in exploring hydrocarbon accumulations in deep-seated strata.