Preparation and self-assembly of amphiphilic polylysine dendrons

Polylysine dendrons with lipid tails prepared by divergent solid-phase synthesis showed self-assembling properties in aqueous solutions.</p

Application of the RothC Model in Simulating Effect of Climate Change on CO2 Emissions and Soil Organic Carbon Stocks in Semi-arid Climate of Khorasan-e-Razavi

Introduction  Soil is one of the main drivers of global warming through losing carbon in the form of CO2. On the other hand, its ability to sequester carbon is a suitable option for reducing CO2 emissions. Therefore, even few changes in carbon sequestration or decomposition of soil organic carbon affect the global atmospheric CO2 content. Although the soils of arid and semi-arid regions have low organic carbon content, they can sequester substantial amounts of carbon due to the large area of these regions. So, the Rothamsted carbon model was used to predict the impact of future climate changes on the amount of CO2 emissions and low soil organic carbon stocks in the semi-arid arable lands of Razavi Khorasan province. This model is one of the most widely used models for the study of soil organic carbon turnover and has been evaluated in a variety of ecosystems including grasslands, forests and croplands and in various climate regions. The RothC model is consists of five conceptual soil carbon pools, four active fractions and a small amount of inert organic matter (IOM) that is resistant to decay. The active pools splits into: Decomposable Plant Material (DPM), Resistant Plant Material (RPM), Microbial Biomass (BIO) and Humified Organic Matter (HUM). This model is able to reveal the effect of soil texture, temperature, rainfall, evaporation, vegetation and crop management on the soil organic carbon turnover process. Materials and Methods  The Rothamsted carbon model was calibrated and validated using data measured in 2020 and available data from the long-term field experiments in the semi-arid agricultural lands of Jolge Rokh. Then, by analyzing the climate change of the study area, the impact of climate change until the end of the current century on the amount of CO2 cumulative emissions, total organic carbon (TOC) and active carbon pools model were modeled and compared in the current climate and also climate change conditions. Results and Discussion  The comparison between the measured and simulated soil organic carbon values by the model shows the potential of the model to provide predictions with acceptable accuracy. The outcome of comparisons revealed that R2, Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Difference (MD), Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and Model efficiency were 0.97, 2.78, 2.11, 2.33 and 0.70 respectively. Assessment of climate changes in the region (during 1981-2020) showed a decrease in precipitation and a significant increase in temperature over the past 40 years. Climate change simulation was carried out by temperature increasing and decreasing the precipitation until the end of the current century, indicated the decrease of all active carbon pools. It was found that DPM, RPM, BIO, HUM and TOC decreased respectively to 2.41, 2.72, 2.51, 1.04 and 1.32% compared to the current climatic conditions, while the cumulative CO2 emission increased by 1.26%. Temperature rising leads to increase the rate modifying factor (a) by 2.20%, which enhances microbial respiration and decomposition rate of organic carbon and CO2 emissions (carbon output). However, it also increases the ecosystem's net primary productivity (carbon input). Decreases in rainfall and increase in potential evapotranspiration cause a reduction of the rate modifying factor (b) to 0.23%, which on one side reduces the activity of microorganisms and carbon biodegradation; but on the other side, it decreases the vegetation cover and following that reduces CO2 trapping during the photosynthesis process and transfers it to the soil. It seems that in arid and semi-arid climates where the lack of moisture is the most important limiting factor of the plants growth; the role of precipitation in carbon decomposition and sequestration is greater than temperature. Conclusion  The Rothamsted carbon model is suitable for regional simulations because it requires only easily obtainable inputs. Therefore RothC is an appropriate tool for estimating long-term effects of climate change and agricultural management (such as application of manures, returning plant residues to the soil, crop rotations, conservation tillage etc.). The RothC model validation in the cold semi-arid agricultural lands of the region, shows the ability of model to properly simulate the pattern of organic carbon changes. Also, simulation of soil organic carbon changes under the climate changes conditions indicates an increase in cumulative CO2 emissions and decrease in soil organic carbon pools of the study area. The methodology can be applied to other regional estimations, provided that the relevant data are available. The predictions allowed to identify the land management potential to carbon sequestration. Such information demonstrate a beneficial tool for evaluation of past land management effects on soil organic carbon trends and also estimation of future climate change effects on soil organic carbon stocks and CO2 emissions

Thermal degradation mechanisms of polybenzoxazines

This chapter explains the thermal degradation processes of various Polybenzoxazines and the degradation mechanisms. The structural effects of phenols and amines on the thermal degradation of polybenzoxazines are investigated systematically. The thermal decomposition studies of polybenzoxazines are sometimes difficult because a large number of degradation products are released during the pyrolysis of polybenzoxazines; therefore, model dimmers and oligomers of polybenzoxazines are also examined to have a clear understanding of the thermal degradation mechanisms of polybenzoxazines. Here, the findings related to the thermal degradation processes of polybenzoxazines and the proposed degradation mechanisms for polybenzoxazines are summarized. This chapter explores that among the several techniques used to investigate the thermal characteristics of polymers, thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), TGA interfaced with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and pyrolysis techniques coupled with FTIR, GC-MS, and MS provide information on thermal degradation products. FTIR combined with TGA or a pyrolysis technique provides information about the type and functionality of the degradation products as a function of time and/or temperature. The use of GC-MS instead of FTIR allows the separation and identification of degradation products. However, condensation of high mass pyrolysates and reactions between the decomposition products during the transport of degradation products from TGA or pyrolyzer system to FTIR or GC-MS are highly probable. © 2011 Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Modified Lignocellulosic Waste for the Amelioration of Water Quality: Adsorptive Removal of Congo Red and Nitrate Using Modified Poplar Sawdust

Since the synthetic dye Congo red and nitrate are notorious contributors to water pollution due to their persistent and potentially toxic nature, it is necessary to develop new efficient methods to remove them from water bodies. Native lignocellulosic materials as biosorbents are mostly inferior, i.e., the adsorption capacities of native materials are lower. Therefore, attempts have been made to improve the adsorption capacities of such materials by physical and/or chemical methods, including the production of biochar. In this study, adsorptive removal was investigated using a novel biosorbent (mPWS) obtained by modifying poplar (waste) sawdust through quaternisation. The characterisation of mPWS included SEM/EDX, FTIR, and MIP analysis. The adsorption of CR and nitrate onto mPWS was studied in a batch system, as a function of contact time (1–240 min), biosorbent concentration (1–8 g/dm3), and initial adsorbate concentration (25–200 mg/dm3). In all experiments, a high removal of both adsorbates, from 60 to over 90%, was achieved. Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models were used in order to describe equilibrium adsorption data, while pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models, and the intraparticle diffusion model, were used to describe possible adsorption mechanisms. The Langmuir model fit the adsorption data of CR well, while the nitrate adsorption process was better interpreted with the Freundlich isotherm model. The kinetics data for both CR and nitrate agreed with the pseudo-second-order kinetics model, while analysis using the intraparticle diffusion model indicated two rate-limiting steps during the adsorption process. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the tested novel biosorbent can be effectively used for the removal of CR and nitrate from water (with its adsorption capacities being 70.3 mg/g and 43.6 mg/g, respectively)

Zebrafish embryos allow prediction of nanoparticle circulation times in mice and facilitate quantification of nanoparticle-cell interactions

The zebrafish embryo is a vertebrate well suited for visualizing nanoparticles at high resolution in live animals. Its optical transparency and genetic versatility allow noninvasive, real-time observations of vascular flow of nanoparticles and their interactions with cells throughout the body. As a consequence, this system enables the acquisition of quantitative data that are difficult to obtain in rodents. Until now, a few studies using the zebrafish model have only described semiquantitative results on key nanoparticle parameters. Here, a MACRO dedicated to automated quantitative methods is described for analyzing important parameters of nanoparticle behavior, such as circulation time and interactions with key target cells, macrophages, and endothelial cells. Direct comparison of four nanoparticle (NP) formulations in zebrafish embryos and mice reveals that data obtained in zebrafish can be used to predict NPs' behavior in the mouse model. NPs having long or short blood circulation in rodents behave similarly in the zebrafish embryo, with low circulation times being a consequence of NP uptake into macrophages or endothelial cells. It is proposed that the zebrafish embryo has the potential to become an important intermediate screening system for nanoparticle research to bridge the gap between cell culture studies and preclinical rodent models such as the mouse

Zebrafish as a model system for characterization of nanoparticles against cancer

Animal science

pH duyarlı anti kanser ilaç taşıyıcı nanosistemler.

In the recent years, development of various organic and inorganic nano-sized systems has gained great interests especially for cancer diagnosis and treatment and intense researches are carried out in this area. Regarding to the recent trends for drug delivery system design, the novel approaches for drug carriers are mainly based on development of smart and nano-size drug carriers which are targeted to cancer cells. Hence, for an effective tumor-targeted delivery device, besides its chemical structure further criteria such as detection of tumor site and sensitivity to the higher temperature and lower pH of the tumor compare to rest of the body gains importance. The aim of this study is to design and prepare polysebacic anhydride (PSA) based nanocapsules (NCs) loaded with Doxorubicin (DOX) which is an anti cancer drug. In order to obtain an intelligent delivery system, drug-loaded nanocapsules were coated with pH sensitive poly (L-histidine). PSA nano-carriers were firstly loaded with DOX and then in order to introduce pH sensitivity, they were coated with poly (L-histidine). PLH-coated NCs were modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) to prevent their macrophage uptake. Drug release profile from this system was examined in two different buffer solutions prepared as acidic (pH 4) and physiological (pH 7.4) media. The physical and chemical properties of the nano particles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), ultraviolet and visible absorption spectroscopy (UV-VIS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In vitro studies of the prepared nanocapsules were performed on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells by using WST Kit 8 cell viability test. In order to obtained results, pH sensitive nanocapsules with size 230 nm exhibited cellular uptake and promising intracellular release of drug.Ph.D. - Doctoral Progra

Fenollü ve bisfenollü polibenzoksazinlerin ısısal olarak karakterizasyonu.

Although, several researches on synthesis and characterization of benzoxazines and polybenzoxazines have appeared in the literature, detailed studies on thermal characterization are still limited. In this study, polymerization and thermal degradation mechanisms of benzoxazines were investigated via direct pyrolysis mass spectrometry. Benzoxazine monomers prepared by reactions of phenol or bisphenol- A with aniline or methyl amine were analyzed to investigate the effects of the structures of phenyl and amine groups on both polymerization and thermal degradation behaviours. It has been proposed in the literature that polymerization of benzoxazines occurs by ring opening polymerization of oxazine ring; cleavage of O-CH2 bond of the oxazine ring and attack of n-CH2 group to phenol or bisphenol-A ring. However, the direct pyrolysis mass spectrometry analyses of polymerization and thermal degradation of benzoxazines pointed out that after the cleavage of O-CH2 bond of the oxazine ring, polymerization proceeded through opposing pathways. Strong evidences confirming coupling of (CH3)NCH2 or (C6H5)NCH2 groups yielding dimers involving diamine linkages were detected. Polymerization of the dimer by the reactions with the corresponding monomers was proposed. In case of benzoxazines based on bisphenol-A, the results indicated polymerization of the dimer ii by coupling of both of the oxazine rings. On the other hand, polymerization of the dimer through the ethylene units (vinyl polymerization) in case of benzoxazine monomer based on phenol and methyl amine was also noted. For polybenzoxazines based on aniline another polymerization pathway involved attack of radicals generated by cleavage of the oxazine ring to aniline ring. Multi-step thermal decomposition was observed for all the polybenzoxazines under investigation confirming the presence of units with different structures and stabilities.M.S. - Master of Scienc

The use of pyrolysis mass spectrometry to investigate polymerization and degradation processes of methyl amine-based benzoxazine

In this study, direct pyrolysis mass spectrometry, DP-MS, was applied to investigate curing and polymerization mechanisms of phenol and methyl amine-based benzoxazine monomer, and thermal decomposition and crosslinking characteristics of the corresponding polybenzoxazine. The results indicated opposing polymerization reaction routes besides the generally accepted one. The cleavage of C-O bonds of the oxazine rings either followed by transformation into a polymer constituting ortho or para substituted phenol units or by coupling of -NCH2. Polymerization of the dimer generated by coupling of -NCH2, by either further reactions with benzoxazine monomers or by radicalic vinyl polymerization, yields different polymeric structures. The evolution of alkyl amines and diamines involving more than three carbon atoms at early stages of pyrolysis and the multi-step thermal decomposition detected confirmed this proposal. The formation of char residues were associated with crosslinking of fragments and/or polymer backbone generated by the loss of diamine units and side chains

Removal of antimonate (Sb(V)) from aqueous solutions and its immobilization in soils with a novel Fe(III)-modified montmorillonite sorbent

Over the past decades, contamination of terrestrial environments with antimony (Sb) has aroused a great deal of public concern. In this research, the efficacy of Fe(III)-modified montmorillonite (Mt) (Fe-Mt) for the removal of Sb(V) from aqueous solutions with Sb(V) concentration in the range of 0.2-1 mmol L-1 and immobilization of Sb(V) in soils spiked with 250 mg Sb(V) kg-1 was investigated. The immobilizing mechanisms of the modified clay were assessed by fitting the experimental sorption data with the Langmuir and Freundlich sorption models and a series of single and sequential extraction studies. The results showed that the adsorption data had a better fit with the Langmuir equation (R2: 0.99) and Fe-Mt could efficiently remove up to 95% of Sb(V) at lower concentration ranges. The concentrations of Sb(V) in exchangeable fraction of modified Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction and distilled water extracts of the amended soils decreased dramatically by up to 60%and 92%, respectively. Furthermore, the bioaccessibility of Sb(V) in simulated human gastric juice reduced remarkably by 52% to 60%, depending upon the soil fraction sizes. The results confirmed that Fe-Mt could be a promising candidate for the removal of Sb(V) from aqueous solutions and immobilization of Sb(V) in terrestrial environments