Infections associated with SARS-CoV-2 exploited via nanoformulated photodynamic therapy

Background and purpose The pandemic of COVID-19 has highlighted the need for managing infectious diseases, which spreads by airborne transmission leading to serious health, social, and economic issues. SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped virus with a 60–140 nm diameter and particle-like features, which majorly accounts for this disease. Expanding diagnostic capabilities, developing safe vaccinations with long-lasting immunity, and formulating effective medications are the strategies to be investigated. Experimental approach For the literature search, electronic databases such as Scopus, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science were used as the source. Search terms like \u27Nano-mediated PDT,\u27 \u27PDT for SARS-CoV-2\u27, and \u27Nanotechnology in treatment for SARS-CoV-2\u27 were used. Out of 275 initially selected articles, 198 were chosen after the abstract screening. During the full-text screening, 80 papers were excluded, and 18 were eliminated during data extraction. Preference was given to articles published from 2018 onwards, but a few older references were cited for their valuable information. Key results Synthetic nanoparticles (NPs) have a close structural resemblance to viruses and interact greatly with their proteins due to their similarities in the configurations. NPs had previously been reported to be effective against a variety of viruses. In this way, with nanoparticles, photodynamic therapy (PDT) can be a viable alternative to antibiotics in fighting against microbial infections. The protocol of PDT includes the activation of photosensitizers using specific light to destroy microorganisms in the presence of oxygen, treating several respiratory diseases. Conclusion The use of PDT in treating COVID-19 requires intensive investigations, which has been reviewed in this manuscript, including a computational approach to formulating effective photosensitizers

Determination of some physico-thermal and mechanical characteristics of hydrated Jordanian Lajjun oil shale ash

The hydration of oil shale ash at different water-to-ash weight (W/A) ratios ranging from 0.4 to 0.8 was experimentally investigated. The ash hydrateâs physical characteristics, its particlesâ elemental composition, and the existing crystalline phases were identified using N2 Brunauer-Emmerich-Teller (N2-BET), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRD) measurement techniques. The formed hydration cementitious products were found to be stratlingite (2CaO·Al2O3·SiO2·8H2O), ettringite (6CaO·Al2O3·3SiO3·32H2O), and melilite (2CaO·Al2O3·SiO2 ) in the oil shale ash hydrated at W/A = 0.6. These same phases with different relative amounts were found in the oil shale ash hydrated at W/A = 0.8 in addition to calcium silicate hydrates (CSH). The drop in the physico-thermal properties (bulk density and thermal conductivity) of the hydrated ash was attributed to the formation of cementitious products, mainly to stratlingite, melilite, and ettringite. The hydrated ashâs mechanical properties (bending and compressive strengths) were found to increase at higher W/A due to the formation of cementing materials, particularly CSH

Legionella: Health Impacts, Exposure Evaluation, and Hazard Reduction

Legionella pneumophila is an intracellular pathogen, omnipresent in the nature and seen as opportunistic. It is the main source of legionellosis that can take place in its nonpneumonic form (Pontiac fever) and acute pneumonic form (Legionnaires’ disease). In the aquatic systems, L. pneumophila can conquer and remain alive intracellularly in different protozoans. The faculty to multiply inside biofilms gives more safeguard from natural stresses like disinfection. Human contagion by L. pneumophila happens following the inhalation or aspiration of aerosols carrying the pathogen. This work defines microbiologically Legionella bacteria and presents a brief history relating to their first discovery and following contagions, a short description relating to their metabolism and physiology, a discussion of their clinical characteristics and their subsistence in the nature and growth in a biofilm, and a general examination of numerous technologies employed for their removal. The spread of opportunistic pathogens (OPs) remains the most significant feature of microbial potable water quality besides the generation of disinfection by-products (DBPs). The (re)growth of OPs and the production of DBPs in urban engineered water systems both closely correlate with the injections or concentrations of disinfectant residuals. Nonetheless, OPs and DBPs respond to disinfectant residuals frequently oppositely. An elevated residual concentration efficiently suppresses the (re)growth of OPs while intensifies the production of DBPs. Oppositely, a low or “detectable” disinfectant residual level decreases the generation of DBPs but could not stop OPs from thriving. To guarantee that the overall or combined health risks of OPs and DBPs are minimum, OP (re)growth and DBP generation must be deeply revised while selecting a practical disinfectant residual dosage or level

Influence of chemical reaction on electro-osmotic flow of nanofluid through convergent multi-sinusoidal passages

Aim: In the present study, the influences of chemical reactions on heat transfer and the peristaltic pumping of nanofluid in a convergent channel are analyzed. This mathematical analysis is looked at under the postulates of greater wavelength and smaller Reynold's number. Research methodology: The governing equations are initially transformed from fixed to a wave frame by using linear transformations. Furthermore, these transformed equations are non-dimensioned with the help of similarity variables. Due to the complex form of non-dimensional flow equations, numerical solutions for velocity profile, stream function, temperature profile, and nanoparticle concentration are obtained with the help of Mathematica 11.0 software. These numerical solutions are described via graphs in Mathematica software. These numerical solutions are plotted for numerous rheological parameters. The transportation of nanofluid is based upon multi-sinusoidal natures (cosine wave, sine wave, triangular wave, square wave, sawtooth wave) of peristaltic waves. Outcomes: It is found that with an increasing heat source parameter, the channel flow is decelerated due to the magnitudes of velocity profile and stream function are reduced. While sharp enhancements are noticed in both temperature and nanoparticle concentration by increasing the heat source parameter under chemical reaction effects. The high temperature is obtained with larger chemical reactions. The contrast among viscous and non-viscous fluids is also addressed. A significant enhancement is observed in both velocity profile and stream function by increasing the electroosmotic parameter. Significances and applications: The study is relevant to nano-cooling systems, drug delivery systems, and microfluidic pumps where laminar flows in convergent domains arise. This model is significant for the thermal enhancement of mechanical and chemical rheological processes

Séparation des composés phénoliques de la margine

Les techniques de traitement de la margine pratiquées par les pays producteurs d'huile d'olives (Tunisie, Maroc, Italie…) telles que le traitement par lagunage, le traitement par électrocoagulation et le traitement électrochimique, sont orientées vers la dégradation des composés phénoliques pour réduire leur DCO (demande chimique en oxygène) et leur DBO5 (demande biologique en oxygène). Notre travail constitue un nouvel axe de recherche puisqu'il rentre dans le cadre de la mise au point d'un procédé de récupération de produits valorisables présents dans la margine. Il vise à identifier les composés phénoliques à hautes valeurs commerciales après séparation par trois techniques (extraction, distillation fractionnée et entrainement à la vapeur d'eau), suivies des analyses par chromatographie couplée à la spectrométrie de masse. Ces analyses ont permis de déterminer la teneur de ces composés dans deux qualités de margine de nature et de provenance différentes

Applying Chitin Enhanced Diafiltration Process (CEFP) in Removing Cobalt from Synthetic Wastewater

This research aims to study the removal of Cobalt (Co) using chitin. The optimum conditions for removing Co were ascertained through batch experiments. This study involves the determination of chitin metal-binding efficiency by using a polymer enhanced diafiltration setup that utilizes a membrane process (ultrafiltration) to keep the Chitin. The effects of several parameters on sorption like pH, the concentrations of chitin, and Co were examined. The best efficiency was reached if the setup was run at pH Ka). At acidic conditions and by employing 6 g/L of chitin, Co level (20 mg/L) was decreased at 95%. To further investigate the kinetics of sorption for each gram of chitin, equilibrium experiments were carried out. For 1–100 mM Co, the performed rheological measurements show that chitin was observed to be moderately shear thickening at relatively lower levels (4 and 6 g/L); further, it was moderately shear thinning at slightly more important levels (12 and 20 g/L). Some improvement of the raw polymer will be necessary to enhance sorption to a sustainable limit and make this scheme an economically viable process

Tailoring porous organic polymers with enhanced capacity, thermal stability and surface area for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) elimination from water environment

Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), a perfluoroalkyl substance, has engendered alarm over its presence in water sources due to its intrinsic toxicity. Hence, there is a pressing need to identify efficacious adsorbents capable of removing PFAS derivatives from water. To achieve this, batch adsorption studies under various circumstances were employed to tune amorphous polymer networks regarding their morphological configuration, heat durability, surface area and capacity to adsorb PFOS in water. A facile, one-pot nucleophilic substitution reaction was employed to synthesize amorphous polymer networks using triazine derivatives as building units for monomers. Notably, POP-3 exhibited a superlative adsorption capacity, with a removal efficiency of 97.8%, compared to 90.3% for POP-7. POP-7 exhibited a higher specific surface area (SBET) of 232 m2 g−1 compared to POP-3 with a surface area of 5.2 m2 g−1. Additionally, the study emphasizes the importance of electrostatic forces in PFOS adsorption, with pH being a significant element, as seen by changes in the PFOS sorption process by both polymeric networks under neutral, basic and acidic environments. The optimal pH value for the PFOS removal process using both polymers was found to be 4. Also, POP-7 exhibited a better thermal stability performance (300 °C) compared to POP-3 (190 °C). Finally, these findings indicate the ease with which amorphous polymeric frameworks may be synthesized as robust and effective adsorbents for the elimination of PFOS from waterbodies.Validerad;2023;Nivå 2;2023-10-18 (joosat);CC BY 4.0 LicenseFunder: Deanship of Scientifc Research, King Khalid University, (Grant Number RGP.2/133/44)</p

A passive control approach for simulating thermally enhanced Jeffery nanofluid flows nearby a sucked impermeable surface subjected to buoyancy and Lorentz forces

Owing to the latest progression in the rheology of non-homogeneous composite media, viscoelastic materials have nowadays gained outstanding interest from experimenters because of their practical uses in different scientific areas (e.g., lubrication processing, blood vascular systems, polymer treatment, and petrochemical industry). Keeping in mind these vital applications, a realistic passive control approach has been applied in this numerical scrutinization to explore the aspects of radiating viscoelastic nanofluids during their MHD mixed convective flows nearby a sucked impermeable surface in the existence of an exponentially lessening heat generation. By invoking the constitutive rheological equations of Jeffery’s model and including the convective mass transport contribution along with the thermophoresis and Brownian diffusive mechanisms, the mathematical formulation of the flow model has been derived properly under the boundary layer assumptions. After a specific numerical treatment of the resulting boundary layer equations, several tabular and graphical demonstrations have been drawn accordingly. In this respect, it is demonstrated that Jeffery’s and Deborah’s numbers exhibit dissimilar behaviors toward the nanofluid motion and the resulting transport phenomena. As important findings, it is noticed that the convective heating and radiative heat transfer mechanisms enhance considerably the heat exchange rate with a slight weakening in the drag forces at the vertical surface. Whilst, the suction process shows an advantageous impact on these quantities of interest with a feeble perturbation in the surface temperature and nanoparticles concentration

Towards a novel EMHD dissipative stagnation point flow model for radiating copper-based ethylene glycol nanofluids: An unsteady two-dimensional homogeneous second-grade flow case study

A novel EMHD dissipative second-grade nanofluid flow model is proposed exclusively in this numerical inspection for radiating copper-based ethylene glycol nanofluids to reveal the dynamical and thermal aspects of the studied homogeneous mixture during its unsteady two-dimensional stagnation point flow towards a horizontal electromagnetic actuator. Based on admissible physical assumptions and authenticated experimental correlations, the governing PDEs and BCs are derived appropriately for the nanofluid flow problem under consideration. After numerous rearrangements and non-dimensionalization treatments, the resulting ODEs and BCs are handled computationally with the help of a robust GDQ algorithm under the parametric control of several influencing factors, whose strengthening magnitudes affect probably the flow control process and heat transport mechanism. In this context, it proved graphically that the nanoparticles’ loading process exhibits dissimilar dynamical and thermal impacts as compared with the influences of the nanoparticles’ diameter size. Besides, the resistive dynamical effect of the utilized electromagnetic actuator reinforces thermally the enhancing role of the thermal radiative heat flux and Joule’s heating process within the nanofluidic medium

Simulating two Algerian cities' desalination plants coupled with solar energy systems using TRNSYS

Our study aimed to design a prototype for a desalination unit coupled with a solar collector, utilizing TRNSYS 16, to address the needs of both Bouzaréah in northern Algeria and Ghardaïa in southern Algeria. The desalination unit is composed of vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) coupled with a solar collector, and the photovoltaic has been designed according to the climatic conditions of each region. In this work, the approach adopted is to integrate a model developed in the literature into a simulation environment (TRNSYS) coupled with the CODE-BLOCKS compiler and FORTRAN programming language to create a new component (i.e., VMD process). Simulation results showed that the optimum permeation flux obtained through the desalination unit is relatively higher in Ghardaïa than in Bouzaréah, with a flow exceeding 30 kg/h.m2. The permeation flux and the power to load reached their maximum values with the charge of solar irradiation 48 kg/h.m2 and 6300 kJ/h, respectively, for Ghardaïa at the sun irradiation value 800 W/m2 and temperature of 34 °C. Results showed that Ghardaïa had a higher GOR value than Bouzaréah over the year (10.947 vs. 8.3389). Moreover, both locations recorded thermal recovery ratio values exceeding 1, indicating the high efficiency of the desalination unit. HIGHLIGHTS A model that describes the evolution of feed temperature and permeation flux through the membrane was integrated into TRNSYS as a VMD module.; Empirical correlations were developed based on experimental results recorded at a meteorological station in two different cities.; The plant was designed to conduct annual simulations in two different cities under specific operating conditions.