Preparation of a polyaniline/ZnO-NPs composite for the visible-light-driven hydrogen generation.

Compositions of ZnO nanoparticles and polyaniline, in the form of emeraldine salt, were manufactured as thin layers by using the spin-coating method. Then, the effect of polyaniline content on their photoelectrochemical characteristics was studied. Results indicate that all the samples are sensitive to light. Besides, with 0.30% of PANI, the composite sample demonstrates the highest photocurrent density; also, its photocurrent increment starts to increase at a voltage of ⁓ 1.23 V (vs. RHE), which is approximately in accordance with the theoretical potential of water electrolysis. Furthermore, since the rate of electron-hole recombination in this composite sample is the lowest, it possesses the highest photoelectrochemical efficiency. Main findings were analyzed with respect to UV-visible absorption and photoluminescence spectra as well as SEM micrographs of the samples and Raman spectral measurements. Besides, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis was applied to both pure ZnO and the sample with the best response. Effects of drying temperature and layer thickness were also investigated.

Domestic Violence Against Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Relationship to Demographic and Family Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study in Iran.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have witnessed increased complaints from third parties about violent conditions through social media. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of domestic violence (DV) against women following exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic and its relevance to some related factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted from July 2020 to May 2021 on married women of Babol, Iran. Eligible women entered into the study in a multi-stage cluster random sampling method. Data collection tools included demographic and family data, questionnaire HITS (Hurt, Insult, Threaten and Scream). Relationships were estimated using the Univariate and multivariate regression models.  Results: The mean age of 488 women and their spouses was 34.62 ± 9.14 and 38.74 ± 9.07, respectively. Of the total female participants, 37 (7.6%), 68 (13.9%), and 21 (4.3%) were victims of total violence, verbal abuse, and physical violence, respectively. Ninety-five women (19.5) had a history of coronavirus infection. Women who were satisfied with their income and husbands were university educated, their chances of DV were reduced by 72% (95% CI (0.09-0.85), OR = 0.28) and 67% (95% CI (0.11-0.92), OR = 0.33) respectively. Drug abuse by husbands increased the likelihood of DV by up to 4 times (OR = 4.00), and more contact with their husbands at home due to home quarantine was more than twice as likely to have DV (OR = 2.64).  Conclusion: Since the level of domestic violence was lower than before the coronavirus pandemic, it seems that most Iranian women were more under the support of their husbands during the coronavirus pandemic to endure the fear and panic caused by the pandemic. Women whose husbands had a university education and sufficient income had less domestic violence.

Increasing-Aeration Strategy: a Practical Approach to Enhance the Schizophyllan Production and Improve the Operational Conditions of Schizophyllum commune Cultivation in the Stirred Tank and Bubble Column Bioreactors.

In the present study, the effect of employing the increasing- aeration strategy (IAS) in the oxygen-limited situation and proportionate to increasing oxygen demand of the fungus Schizophyllum commune (S. commune) has been investigated in both stirred tank (STB) and bubble column (BCB) bioreactors. The purpose was to enhance schizophyllan (SPG) production by preventing oxygen starvation, improve mixing conditions of pseudoplastic culture, and intensify shear stress on fungus pellets to release SPG. At first, a constant-aeration rate of 0.08 vvm was implemented in both bioreactors to evaluate the new strategy compared to the previously studied methods. In the second set of experiments with IAS, along with the increasing oxygen demand of culture, the inlet airflow was increased gradually, while the dissolved oxygen (DO) was maintained higher than zero and below 1%. Using IAS in STB significantly raised productivity by about 100% in 96 h from 0.035 to 0.073 g/L.h. Also, employing this strategy in BCB led to a 30% increase in the maximum SPG production from 3.2 to 4.2 g/L. IAS can effectively help handle the operation of S. commune cultivation on a large scale by improving mixing conditions, mass transfer, and shear stress in both bioreactor types. This method had a significant impact on STB cultivation and its productivity so that it can be a practical approach to SPG's industrial production.

Synthesis of new pyrimidine-containing compounds: 5-(2-(alkylamino)-1,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-2-yl)-6-hydroxypyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione derivatives.

In this study, the one-pot reaction between primary amines, 1,1-bis-(methylthio)-2-nitroethene, ninhydrin, and barbituric acid as an enolizable C-H-activated compound provides a simple method for the preparation of 5-(2-(alkylamino)-1,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-2-yl)-6-hydroxypyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione derivatives with potential synthetic and pharmacological interest. This reaction shows attractive characteristics, such as substrate availability, good yields, existence of numerous hydrogen-bonding possibilities in product, and its mild conditions in ethanol media.

False-positive halo sign on testicular scintigraphy in a 2-year-old boy with epididymo-orchitis.

We reported a case of 2-year-old child where epididymo-orchitis was misdiagnosed as testicular torsion on scrotal scintigraphy. The scan showed that left hemiscrotum demonstrated a rim of increased activity with a photopenic center in the left testis (halo sign). At surgery, epididymo-orchitis was detected and there was no testicular torsion.

Catalyst-free four-component domino synthetic approach toward versatile multicyclic spirooxindole pyran scaffolds.

A new versatile strategy involving a sequential four-component reaction of the nitroketene dithioacetals, alkylamine/benzylamine, isatin and various enolizable active methylene structures (pyrazolone, barbituric acid, 1,3-indandione and 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) as precursors under mild and catalyst-free conditions results in the synthesis of new functionalized spirooxindole pyrans named spiro[indoline-3,4'-pyrano[2,3-c]pyrazol], spiro[indoline-3,5'-pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidine], spiro[indeno[1,2-b]pyran-4,3'-indoline] and spiro[benzo[g]chromene-4,3'-indoline] in moderate to good yields. The use of various active methylene compounds affords a range of skeletally distinct spirooxindole-based heterocycles with potential biological properties. The present strategy has many advantages, such as convenient one-pot operation, simple workup procedures and straightforward isolation without using tedious purification steps such as column chromatography, progress under catalyst-free condition and high molecular diversity.

Evaluation of the catalytic, antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities of the Convolvulus arvensis extract functionalized silver nanoparticles.

In this study, a rapid green synthesis of the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using leaves extract of Convolvulus arvensis was investigated. UV-Visible spectra showed the SPR band at around 430nm which proved the AgNP formation. The reduction of silver ions to nanoparticles was completed within 150min. Particle size analysis verified the formation of AgNPs with average size of 28nm, while their PDI was 0.2. XRD patterns verified the crystalline nature of produced AgNPs. SEM images verified the presence of spherical nanoparticles with no evidence of aggregations. FTIR analysis verified the involvement of the phenolic compounds in AgNP formation. It was found that the biosynthesized AgNPs have the antibacterial activity against human pathogen E. coli. Also, nanoparticles exhibit biofilm degrading activity against both bacterial strains of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, the synthesized AgNPs prevented the coagulation of blood samples. The accelerated reduction of methylene blue (MB) in the presence of AgNPs with rate constant of 0.108min-1, confirmed the catalytic potential of nanoparticles.