Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under visible light by cobalt ferrite nanoparticles/graphene quantum dots.

A simple approach was developed to synthesize cobalt ferrite nanoparticles/graphene quantum dots (CF/GQDs). The material was prepared from a homogeneous mixture of iron nitrate, cobalt nitrate, and starch at 140, 180 and 200 °C in a 24 h thermal hydrolysis process. The obtained materials were characterised by using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, vibrating-sample magnetometry, and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms. Cobalt ferrite crystals of around 8-10 nm and graphene quantum dots formed directly at 200 °C. Stacking GQDs sheets onto the CF nanoparticles resulted in CF/GQDs nanoparticles. The nanocomposite exhibits satisfactory fluorescent and superparamagnetic properties, which are vital for catalytic applications. The CF/GQDs catalyse significantly the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light. The catalyst can be recycled with an external magnetic field and displays suitable stability. Also, it was reused in three successive experiments with a loss of efficiency of about 5%. The CF/GQDs are considered as an efficient photocatalyst for MB degradation and other dyes.

Comparison of Clinical Features, Short-Term Outcome of Guillain-Barré Syndrome Between Adults and Children: A Retrospective Study in Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: Despite extensive research on Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in adults and children, there is a lack of comparison regarding short-term outcomes in various age groups. Our study aims to elucidate the differences in clinical features and short-term outcomes in Vietnam. METHODS: After retrospective data collection, we compared clinical features in patients with GBS aged ≤16 years at Children's Hospital 2 and aged >16 years at University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City from 2017 to 2021. A positive short-term outcome was recorded if patients had a GBS Disability Score of 0 to 2 at hospital discharge. RESULTS: We analyzed 109 adults (58.7% males; mean age 50.6 ± 17.7) and 111 children (58.6% males; mean age 7.2 ± 4.9). Comparable antecedent infection and immunization incidence in both groups were observed (35.8% vs 45.9%, P > 0.05). Pain and sensory disturbance were the most common onset symptom in adults (57.8%), whereas lower limb weakness predominated in children (61.3%). Ophthalmoplegia (18.3% vs 5.4%), pain, sensory disturbance (85.3% vs 67.6%), ataxia (33.0% vs 15.3%) were more prevalent in adults (P < 0.05). The axonal subtype was prominent in both adults (51.4%) and children (53.2%). Patients were classified into: classic GBS (49.5% and 68.5%), GBS variants (11.0% and 15.3%), classic Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) (1.8% and 1.8%), MFS variants (2.8% and 0%), and GBS/MFS overlap (34.9% and 14.4%). Short-term outcomes did not significantly differ based on age. CONCLUSIONS: Age-related variations in clinical features were observed, but adults and children exhibited similar short-term functional outcomes.

Predictors of twin pregnancy in in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles with day 3 double embryo transfer.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with twin pregnancy following day 3 double embryo transfer (DET). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study incorporated data from 16,972 day 3 DET cycles. The participants were women aged between 18 and 45 years who underwent in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) at My Duc Assisted Reproduction Technique Unit (IVFMD), My Duc Hospital, located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. RESULTS: Of the 16,972 day 3 DET cycles investigated, 8,812 (51.9%) resulted in pregnancy. Of these, 6,108 cycles led to clinical pregnancy, with 1,543 (25.3% of clinical pregnancies) being twin pregnancies. Factors associated with twin pregnancy included age under 35 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32 to 1.71; p<0.001) and cycles involving the transfer of at least one grade I embryo. Relative to the transfer of two grade III embryos, the risk of twin pregnancy was significantly elevated following the transfer of two grade I embryos (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.16 to 1.69; p<0.001) or a combination of one grade I and one grade II embryo (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.55; p=0.001). CONCLUSION: By analyzing a large number of IVF/ICSI cycles, we identified several predictors of twin pregnancy. These findings can assist medical professionals in tailoring treatment strategies for couples with infertility.

The Theoretical and Experimental Insights into the Radical Scavenging Activity of Rubiadin.

Rubiadin (RBD), an anthraquinone derivative, is obtained from Rubia cordifolia, a plant species classified under the Rubiaceae family. Rubiadin has proven beneficial properties, such as anticancer, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic activity. The antioxidant activity of this molecule was suggested by some experimental results but has not been clearly established thus far. In this study, we employ DFT calculations to comprehensively assess the mechanism and kinetics of the HO•/HOO• radical scavenging activity of this compound in relation to solvents. RBD showed moderate HO• radical scavenging activity, with rate constants of 2.95 × 108 and 1.82 × 1010 M-1 s-1 in lipid and polar media, respectively. In the aqueous solution, the compound exhibited remarkable superoxide anion radical scavenging activity (k = 4.93 × 108 M-1 s-1) but modest HOO• antiradical activity. RBD also showed promising antiradical activity against a variety of radicals (CCl3O•, CCl3OO•, NO2, SO4•-, and N3•), while experimental and computational results confirmed that RBD has moderate activity in DPPH/ABTS•+ assays. Thus, RBD is predicted to be a good, albeit selective, radical scavenger.

Spinal cord ischemia after transcatheter artery chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma: A case-report.

INTRODUCTION: Transarterial hepatic chemoembolization (TACE) has been used to treat unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma and has gained widespread acceptance as a treatment for both primary and secondary hepatic malignancies. CASE REPORT: We report a case of 78-year-old male patient with chronic hepatitis B, diagnosed with HCC. He underwent the second TACE, and right after the procedure, the patient abruptly developed bilateral lower extremities motor weakness and sensory impairment below the T10 dermatome. Spinal magnetic resonance imaging showed T2-weighted scans showed increased intramedullary signal strength at the T1-T12 level. The patient received supportive care, ongoing rehabilitation, and steroid pulse therapy. The motor strength remained unchanged, but the sensory deficiencies practically disappeared. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: The hepatic artery injury or decreased flow at the prior TACE site, which causes collateral recruitment, can explain why spinal cord injury following TACE typically happens after the second or third session. It can occasionally result from accidental embolized spinal branches originating from intercostal or lumbar collateral arteries. In our case, we hypothesize the embolism caused the infarction to the spinal cord travel through the connection between the lateral branches of the right inferior phrenic artery and the intercostal arteries, which supply the spinal cord through the anterior spinal artery. CONCLUSIONS: TACE in rare case can have severe complications. A tailored therapeutic strategy, including consideration of a shunt and selection of the vessels utilized for the Lipiodol infusion prior to TACE, is crucial to achieving an optimal end outcome to avert these significant consequences.

Laparoscopic pancreatic duct exploration, electrohydraulic shock wave lithotripsy combined with internal drainage for pancreatic duct stones: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic pancreatitis is characterized by irreversible structural damage, including fibrosis and compression of the pancreatic ducts, often leading to stones forming in the pancreatic duct and parenchyma. Surgery is indicated when severe obstruction with chronic pain is presented and conventionally drained by pancreatojejunostomy. CASE REPORT: A 56-year-old female patient with epigastric pain for many years. Computed tomography revealed an atrophic pancreas with a dilated pancreatic duct (18 mm) obstructed by a stone sized 1.3 cm. The patient underwent laparoscopic pancreatic duct exploration, used electrohydraulic lithotripsy for pancreatic duct stones, and then placed pancreaticoduodenal internal drainage with primary closure of the pancreatic duct. The operative time was 185 min, and the total blood loss was around 50 ml without intraoperative complication. The patient was discharged from the hospital on postoperative day 5 uneventfully. The epigastric pain symptoms dramatically decreased in the follow-up visit after one month. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: We combined several minimally invasive techniques to treat a chronic pancreatitis patient with a stone forming in the main duct in this patient. We used lithotripsy and internal drainage without the need for anastomosis. To our knowledge, this is the first report on this technique in literature. We found this technique is safe and applicable in selected patients to treat pancreatic stones with the dilated pancreatic duct. CONCLUSIONS: In this case, we demonstrate a novel surgical treatment option for chronic pancreatitis with a simple and effective technique to manage pancreatic stones in chronic pancreatitis patients.

Surface Acoustic Wave Propagation of GaN/Sapphire Integrated with a Gold Guiding Layer.

Gallium nitride (GaN), widely known as a wide bandgap semiconductor material, has been mostly employed in high power devices, light emitting diodes (LED), and optoelectronic applications. However, it could be exploited differently due to its piezoelectric properties, such as its higher SAW velocity and strong electromechanical coupling. In this study, we investigated the affect of the presence of a guiding layer made from titanium/gold on the surface acoustic wave propagation of the GaN/sapphire substrate. By fixing the minimum thickness of the guiding layer at 200 nm, we could observe a slight frequency shift compared to the sample without a guiding layer, with the presence of different types of surface mode waves (Rayleigh and Sezawa). This thin guiding layer could be efficient in transforming the propagation modes, acting as a sensing layer for the binding of biomolecules to the gold layer, and influencing the output signal in terms of frequency or velocity. The proposed GaN/sapphire device integrated with a guiding layer could possibly be used as a biosensor and in wireless telecommunication applications.

The radical scavenging activity of glycozolidol in physiological environments: a quantum chemical study.

Glycozolidol was isolated from the root of Glycosmis pentaphylla (6-hydroxy-2-methoxy-3-methylcarbazole, GLD). This molecule attracted considerable interest due to its beneficial biological activities that likely stem from its antioxidant activity; yet, the radical scavenging action of GLD has not been investigated thus far. In this study, DFT calculations were used to estimate the radical scavenging activity of GLD against a variety of biologically significant radical species in physiological environments. The findings demonstrated that GLD exerts significant antiradical activity in water at pH = 7.40 and in pentyl ethanoate (as a model of lipidic media) with k overall = 8.23 × 106 and 3.53 × 104 M-1 s-1, respectively. In aqueous solution, the sequential proton-loss electron transfer mechanism made the highest contribution to the activity, whereas in nonpolar solvents the formal hydrogen transfer mechanism dominated the activity. GLD is predicted to have strong antiradical activity against CH3O˙, CH3OO˙, CCl3OO˙, NO2, SO4˙-, DPPH and ABTS+˙ k app ≈ 109 M-1 s-1 and k f ≈ 106 M-1 s-1. The results suggest that GLD is a good radical scavenger in physiological environments.

7-O-Galloyltricetifavan: a promising natural radical scavenger.

7-O-Galloyltricetifavan (7OGT), a natural flavonoid, is isolated from the leaves of Pithecellobium clypearia. The compound exhibits a variety of biological activities. This study details the evaluation of the HOO• antiradical activity of 7OGT by quantum chemistry calculations. The HOO• trapping activity of 7OGT in the gas phase (reference state) was discovered to follow the formal hydrogen transfer mechanism with a rate constant of k = 4.58 × 108 M-1 s-1. In physiological environments, 7OGT is predicted to be an excellent HOO• radical scavenger with k overall = 2.65 × 108 and 1.40 × 104 M-1 s-1 in water and pentyl ethanoate solvents, respectively. The HOO• antiradical activity of 7OGT in water at physiological pH is approximately 2000 times that of Trolox and substantially higher than that of other well-known natural antioxidants such as trans-resveratrol or ascorbic acid. Thus, 7OGT is an excellent natural antioxidant in polar environments.

The impact of hyperandrogenism on the outcomes of ovulation induction using gonadotropin and intrauterine insemination in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the impact of hyperandrogenism (HA) on the outcomes of ovulation induction (OI) using gonadotropin and intrauterine insemination (IUI) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study including 415 patients undergoing OI using gonadotropin and IUI treatment between January 2018 and December 2020 at a single infertility center. Baseline characteristics, clinical and laboratory parameters, and pregnancy outcomes were investigated. RESULTS: Among the study population, there were 105 hyperandrogenic (25.3%) and 310 non-hyperandrogenic patients (74.7%). The live birth rate was lower in the HA group than in the non-HA group, but this difference did not reach statistical significance due to the limited sample size (14.3% vs. 21.0%, relative risk=0.68; 95% CI, 0.41-1.14, p=0.153). No predictive factors for live birth were identified through logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: HA did not negatively affect the outcomes of OI using gonadotropin and IUI cycles in Vietnamese women with PCOS. The result may not be applicable elsewhere due to the large variation in the characteristics of women with PCOS across races and populations.

The Dependence of Structure, Morphology, and Photocatalytic Properties of SnO2 Nanoparticles Prepared via In Situ Hydrothermal Method on Annealing Temperature.

New high-performance photocatalytic materials are required to effectively treat water pollution. The effect of annealing temperature on the photocatalytic activities of tin dioxide (SnO2) nanoparticles is investigated in this work. SnO2 nanoparticles are prepared via a hydrothermal method and annealing at various temperatures ranging from as-prepared to 900 °C. The size of SnO2 nanoparticles increases from 4 nm to 10 nm with an increase in annealing temperature. The photocatalytic properties of these nanoparticles are evaluated through the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under sunlight. Photocatalytic activities decrease significantly with an increase in annealing temperature due to an increase in size and a decrease in the surface area of SnO2 nanoparticles.

Effects of annealing temperature on the structure, morphology, and photocatalytic properties of SnO2/rGO nanocomposites.

Water pollution abatement is a problem in today's society that requires urgent attention. Moreover, photocatalysts are an effective method to treat environmental pollution, and SnO2/reduced graphene oxide composite photocatalysts have been extensively studied in recent years. The synthesis parameters for these photocatalysts significantly affect their morphologies, structures, and properties. In this study, we investigated the effects of annealing temperatures on the properties of SnO2/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites, which were hydrothermally fabricated at 180 °C for 24 h and annealed at 200 °C-800 °C. The structural characteristics of the fabricated nanocomposites were studied via x-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and Raman scattering analyses. The observed results indicated that increasing the annealing temperature from 200 °C to 800 °C increased the average SnO2 nanoparticle size from 4.60 nm to 9.27 nm; in addition, the Raman scattering peaks of the SnO2 increased, and those of the reduced graphene oxide significantly decreased as the annealing temperature was increased. Furthermore, the specific surface area of the samples decreased due to the increase in calcination temperature. The amount of reduced graphene oxide content in all the samples was measured using thermo-gravimetric analysis. The optical properties of the samples were studied using ltraviolet-visible absorption spectra, and their photocatalytic activity was evaluated by decomposing methylene blue under visible light using the samples as catalysts. In particular, the photocatalytic properties of nanocomposites decreased significantly with increasing annealing temperature. Among the samples, the photocatalytic activity of that annealed at 200 °C is most satisfactory as it has the smallest particle size and the largest specific surface area. The results of our research could facilitate the production of efficient catalysts with suitable properties.

Correction to Investigation into SARS-CoV-2 Resistance of Compounds in Garlic Essential Oil.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c00772.].

Evaluation of the Inhibitory Activities of COVID-19 of Melaleuca cajuputi Oil Using Docking Simulation.

GC-MS was applied to identify 24 main substances in Melaleuca cajuputi essential oil (TA) extracted from fresh cajeput leaves through steam distilling. The inhibitory capability of active compounds in the TA from Thua Thien Hue, Vietnam over the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein in human body - the host receptor for SARS-CoV-2 and the main protease (PDB6LU7) of the SARS-CoV-2 using docking simulation has been studied herein. The results indicate that the ACE2 and PDB6LU7 proteins were strongly inhibited by 10 out of 24 compounds accounting for 70.9% in the TA. The most powerful anticoronavirus activity is expressed in the order: Terpineol (TA2) ≈ Guaiol (TA5) ≈ Linalool (TA19) > Cineol (TA1) > ß-Selinenol (TA3) > α-Eudesmol (TA4) > γ-Eudesmol (TA7). Interestingly, the synergistic interactions of these 10 substances of the TA exhibit excellent inhibition into the ACE2 and PDB6LU7 proteins. The docking results orient that the natural Melaleuca cajuputi essential oil is considered as a valuable resource for preventing SARS-CoV-2 invasion into human body.

Investigation into SARS-CoV-2 Resistance of Compounds in Garlic Essential Oil.

Eighteen active substances, including 17 organosulfur compounds found in garlic essential oil (T), were identified by GC-MS analysis. For the first time, using the molecular docking technique, we report the inhibitory effect of the considered compounds on the host receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein in the human body that leads to a crucial foundation about coronavirus resistance of individual compounds on the main protease (PDB6LU7) protein of SARS-CoV-2. The results show that the 17 organosulfur compounds, accounting for 99.4% contents of the garlic essential oil, have strong interactions with the amino acids of the ACE2 protein and the main protease PDB6LU7 of SARS-CoV-2. The strongest anticoronavirus activity is expressed in allyl disulfide and allyl trisulfide, which account for the highest content in the garlic essential oil (51.3%). Interestingly, docking results indicate the synergistic interactions of the 17 substances, which exhibit good inhibition of the ACE2 and PDB6LU7 proteins. The results suggest that the garlic essential oil is a valuable natural antivirus source, which contributes to preventing the invasion of coronavirus into the human body.

The antioxidant activity of natural diterpenes: theoretical insights.

Diterpenes that were isolated from Crossopetalum gaumeri (Loes.) Lundell (Celastraceae) plants are reported to exhibit a range of biological activities, in particular as radical scavengers. Thus further insight into the antioxidant activity of diterpenes in physiological environments is much needed but not studied yet. In this study, the antioxidant activity of nine natural diterpenes was evaluated using kinetic and thermodynamic calculations. It was found that the sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET) mechanism is favored in polar environments, whereas formal hydrogen transfer (FHT) is the main pathway for the radical scavenging of these diterpenes in the gas phase as well as in lipid media. The rate constants for the HOO˙ radical scavenging of these compounds in the gas phase, polar and nonpolar solvents are in the range of 2.29 × 10-2 to 4.58 × 107, 9.74 × 10-3 to 1.67 × 108 and 3.54 × 10-5 to 1.31 × 105 M-1 s-1, respectively. 7-Deoxynimbidiol (6), exhibits the highest HOO˙ radical scavenging with k overall = 1.69 × 108 M-1 s-1 and 9.10 × 104 M-1 s-1 in water and pentyl ethanoate solvents, respectively, that is about 1300 times higher than that of Trolox in polar environments. It is thus a promising natural antioxidant in physiological environments.

Konjac glucomannan-templated synthesis of three-dimensional NiO nanostructures assembled from porous NiO nanoplates for gas sensors.

Biopolymer template synthesis has attracted extensive interest for fabricating highly porous metal oxide nanostructures. In this report, a green template-based approach for the synthesis of three-dimensional (3D) NiO nanostructures assembled from porous NiO nanoplates is introduced using a konjac glucomannan (KGM) template. The Ni-KGM composites, which were formed by the immersion of KGM nanofibrils in nickel nitrate solution, were annealed in air at 600 °C to obtain the highly porous NiO nanoplates. The KGM nanofibrils were used as a sacrificial template, which was combusted at a high temperature for the formation of the porous nanostructures. The gas sensor properties of the porous NiO architecture were systematically investigated with four reduced gases including hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The results indicate that the porous NiO nanoplates show a good detection of hydrogen sulfide with a rapid response and recovery speed at low concentrations.

A theoretical study of the radical scavenging activity of natural stilbenes.

Oxidative stress is implicated in aging and aging-related diseases, including cancer. Prevention-focused health management approaches emphasize the importance of dietary antioxidants, which naturally draws attention to the antioxidant capacity of natural products. Several groups of plant-derived antioxidant compounds have been identified and their radical scavenging activity confirmed and measured; it has proven challenging, however, to link the experimentally determined activity quantitatively to a molecular mechanism of action. Based on our success with a computational approach, in this study, the methylperoxyl radical scavenging activity of 12 natural stilbenes was evaluated based on kinetic and thermodynamic calculations. The results suggest that for stilbenes hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) is a main mechanism for the ROO˙ radical scavenging in the gas. Assessing the role of substitutes on the antioxidant properties of stilbenes revealed that the presence of O-H groups in ring B can increase the antioxidant activity due to a decrease in the bond dissociation energy (BDE) of the O4'-H, while the replacement of a H atom in the O-H groups by a methyl group reduces the radical scavenging capacity. Among the studied compounds, astringin is a promising antioxidant with the low BDE(O-H) value (73.4 kcal mol-1) and the high rate constants (3.36 × 106, 4.11 × 103 and 9.31 × 108 M-1 s-1 in the gas phase, pentyl ethanoate and water, respectively) that suggest higher activity than trans-resveratrol.

Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance of Nitrogen-Doped TiO2 Nanotube Arrays Using a Simple Annealing Process.

Nitrogen-doped TiO2 nanotube arrays (N-TNAs) were successfully fabricated by a simple thermal annealing process in ambient N2 gas at 450 °C for 3 h. TNAs with modified morphologies were prepared by a two-step anodization using an aqueous NH4F/ethylene glycol solution. The N-doping concentration (0⁻9.47 at %) can be varied by controlling N2 gas flow rates between 0 and 500 cc/min during the annealing process. Photocatalytic performance of as-prepared TNAs and N-TNAs was studied by monitoring the methylene blue degradation under visible light (λ ≥ 400 nm) illumination at 120 mW·cm-2. N-TNAs exhibited appreciably enhanced photocatalytic activity as compared to TNAs. The reaction rate constant for N-TNAs (9.47 at % N) reached 0.26 h-1, which was a 125% improvement over that of TNAs (0.115 h-1). The significant enhanced photocatalytic activity of N-TNAs over TNAs is attributed to the synergistic effects of (1) a reduced band gap associated with the introduction of N-doping states to serve as carrier reservoir, and (2) a reduced electron‒hole recombination rate.