Synthesis and Catalytic Performance of High-Entropy Rare-Earth Perovskite Nanofibers: (Y0.2La0.2Nd0.2Gd0.2Sm0.2)CoO3 in Low-Temperature Carbon Monoxide Oxidation.

This study investigated the catalytic properties of low-temperature oxidation of carbon monoxide, focusing on (Y0.2La0.2Nd0.2Gd0.2Sm0.2)CoO3 synthesized via a glycothermal method using 1,4-butanediol and diethylene glycol at 250 °C. This synthesis route bypasses the energy-intensive sintering process at 1200 °C while maintaining a high-entropy single-phase structure. The synthesized material was characterized structurally and chemically by X-ray diffraction and SEM/EDX analyses. The material was shown to form nanofibers of (Y0.2La0.2Nd0.2Gd0.2Sm0.2)CoO3, thereby increasing the active surface area for catalytic reactions, and crystallize in the model Pbnm space group of distorted perovskite cell. Using a custom setup to investigate catalytic properties of (Y0.2La0.2Nd0.2Gd0.2Sm0.2)CoO3, the CO oxidation behavior of those high-entropy perovskite oxide was investigated, showing an overall conversion of 78% at 50 °C and 97% at 100 °C. These findings highlight the effective catalytic activity of nanofibers of (Y0.2La0.2Nd0.2Gd0.2Sm0.2)CoO3 under mild conditions and their versatility in various catalytic processes of robust CO neutralization. The incorporation of rare-earth elements into a high-entropy structure could impart unique catalytic properties, promoting a synergistic effect that enhances performance.

High-Entropy Perovskite Thin Film in the Gd-Nd-Sm-La-Y-Co System: Deposition, Structure and Optoelectronic Properties.

Multicomponent equimolar perovskite oxides (ME-POs) have recently emerged as a highly promising class of materials with unique synergistic effects, making them well-suited for applications in such areas as photovoltaics and micro- and nanoelectronics. High-entropy perovskite oxide thin film in the (Gd0.2Nd0.2La0.2Sm0.2Y0.2)CoO3 (RECO, where RE = Gd0.2Nd0.2La0.2Sm0.2Y0.2, C = Co, and O = O3) system was synthesized via pulsed laser deposition. The crystalline growth in an amorphous fused quartz substrate and single-phase composition of the synthesized film was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Surface conductivity and activation energy were determined using a novel technique implementing atomic force microscopy (AFM) in combination with current mapping. The optoelectronic properties of the deposited RECO thin film were characterized using UV/VIS spectroscopy. The energy gap and nature of optical transitions were calculated using the Inverse Logarithmic Derivative (ILD) and four-point resistance method, suggesting direct allowed transitions with altered dispersions. The narrow energy gap of RECO, along with its relatively high absorption properties in the visible spectrum, positions it as a promising candidate for further exploration in the domains of low-energy infrared optics and electrocatalysis.

Removal of MS2 and fr Bacteriophages Using MgAl2O4-Modified, Al2O3-Stabilized Porous Ceramic Granules for Drinking Water Treatment.

Point-of-use ceramic filters are one of the strategies to address problems associated with waterborne diseases to remove harmful microorganisms in water sources prior to its consumption. In this study, development of adsorption-based ceramic depth filters composed of alumina platelets was achieved using spray granulation (calcined at 800 °C). Their virus retention performance was assessed using cartridges containing granular material (4 g) with two virus surrogates: MS2 and fr bacteriophages. Both materials showed complete removal, with a 7 log10 reduction value (LRV) of MS2 up to 1 L. MgAl2O4-modified Al2O3 granules possessed a higher MS2 retention capacity, contrary to the shortcomings of retention limits in pure Al2O3 granules. No significant decline in the retention of fr occurred during filtration tests up to 2 L. The phase composition and morphology of the materials were preserved during filtration, with no magnesium or aluminum leakage during filtration, as confirmed by X-ray diffractograms, electron micrographs, and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. The proposed MgAl2O4-modified Al2O3 granular ceramic filter materials offer high virus retention, achieving the criterion for virus filtration as required by the World Health Organization (LRV ≥ 4). Owing to their high thermal and chemical stability, the developed materials are thus suitable for thermal and chemical-free regeneration treatments.

Reactive Sintering of Dysprosium-Iron Garnet via a Perovskite-Hematite Solid State Reaction and Physical Properties of the Material.

In this paper, we report on a successful synthesis of dysprosium iron garnet Dy3Fe5O12 (DyIG) by a reactive synthesis method involving dysprosium iron perovskite and hematite. Phase formation was traced using dilatometry, and XRD measurements attested to the formation of the desired structure. Samples with relative density close to 97% were fabricated. The samples were characterized using vibrating sample magnetometry, dielectric spectroscopy, and UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy. Magnetic properties were probed in temperatures between 80 and 700 K with a maximum applied field of 1 kOe. The measurements revealed several effects: the compensation of magnetic moments at a certain temperature, the inversion of the magnetocaloric effect, and the ability to measure the Curie temperature of the material. Activation energy was determined from UV-Vis-NIR and dielectric spectroscopy measurements. Characteristic magnetic temperatures and activation energy values of the samples were similar to bulk DyIG obtained using other methods.

The Correlation of Mutations and Expressions of Genes within the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway in Breast Cancer-A Preliminary Study.

There is an urgent need to seek new molecular biomarkers helpful in diagnosing and treating breast cancer. In this elaboration, we performed a molecular analysis of mutations and expression of genes within the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in patients with ductal breast cancer of various malignancy levels. We recognized significant correlations between the expression levels of the studied genes. We also performed a bioinformatics analysis of the data available on the international database TCGA and compared them with our own research. Studies on mutations and expression of genes were conducted using High-Resolution Melt PCR (HRM-PCR), Allele-Specific-quantitative PCR (ASP-qPCR), Real-Time PCR molecular methods in a group of women with ductal breast cancer. Bioinformatics analysis was carried out using web source Ualcan and bc-GenExMiner. In the studied group of women, it was observed that the prevalence of mutations in the studied PIK3CA and AKT1 genes was 29.63%. It was stated that the average expression level of the PIK3CA, PIK3R1, PTEN genes in the group of breast cancer patients is lower in comparison to the control group, while the average expression level of the AKT1 and mTOR genes in the studied group was higher in comparison to the control group. It was also indicated that in the group of patients with mutations in the area of the PIK3CA and AKT1 genes, the PIK3CA gene expression level is statistically significantly lower than in the group without mutations. According to our knowledge, we demonstrate, for the first time, that there is a very strong positive correlation between the levels of AKT1 and mTOR gene expression in the case of patients with mutations and without mutations.

High-Entropy Perovskites as Multifunctional Metal Oxide Semiconductors: Synthesis and Characterization of (Gd0.2Nd0.2La0.2Sm0.2Y0.2)CoO3.

Single-phase multicomponent perovskite-type cobalt oxide containing five cations in equiatomic amounts on the A-site, namely, (Gd0.2Nd0.2La0.2Sm0.2Y0.2)CoO3, has been synthesized via the modified coprecipitation hydrothermal method. Using an original approach for heat treatment, which comprises quenching utilizing liquid nitrogen as a cooling medium, a single-phase ceramic with high configuration entropy, crystallizing in an orthorhombic distorted structure was obtained. It reveals the anomalous temperature dependence of the lattice expansion with two weak transitions at approx. 80 and 240 K that are assigned to gradual crossover from the low- via intermediate- to high-spin state of Co3+. The compound exhibits weak ferromagnetism at T ≤ 10 K and signatures of antiferromagnetic correlations in the paramagnetic phase. Ab initio calculations predict a band gap Δ = 1.18 eV in the ground-state electronic structure with the dominant contribution of O_p and Co_d orbitals in the valence and conduction bands, respectively. Electronic transport measurements confirm the negative temperature coefficient of resistivity characteristic to a semiconducting material and reveal a sudden drop in activation energy at T ∼ 240 K from E a ∼ 1 eV in the low-temperature phase to E a ∼ 0.3 eV at room temperature. The possibility of fine tuning of the semiconducting band gap via a subtle change in A-site stoichiometry is discussed.