Recent advancements in the application of new monomers and membrane modification techniques for the fabrication of thin film composite membranes: A review

Thin film composite (TFC) membranes have been experiencing significant modifications recently aiming to improve their structure, properties and separation efficiency. One of the promising modifications to tailor the membranes more efficient is changing the materials used. m-phenylene diamine (MPD), piperazine (PIP), and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) are the most common monomers used to fabricate TFC membranes. Recent studies have introduced several alternatives to these traditional monomers showing significant contribution of these monomers to the physicochemical properties of the membranes (e.g., surface roughness, hydrophilicity, cross-linking density, chemical structure) as well as membranes\u27 separation efficiency. Emergence of more favorable functional groups such as carboxylic and amine groups due to the new materials integration facilitates the polymerization process and is beneficial to the membrane properties. Here, a critical review on the new interfacial polymerization monomers applied for reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes fabrication is presented. The membrane molecular structure and fabrication mechanism are investigated in details. This is followed by a review of the recent surface modification methods including grafting, coating and additive incorporating into the thin layer of membranes. The application of alternative monomers to MPD, PIP and TMC are investigated and the benefits of using these monomers or co-monomers are discussed

Bioinformatics Evaluation of SPATA19 Gene Expression in Different Parts of Brain

Background: Determining the expression pattern of testis genes in the brain is essential for understanding tissue functions and correlation or inter-correlation between testis and the brain. In this study, we examined spermatogenesis-associated 19 (SPATA19 gene) expression in 10 parts of the brain with bioinformatics analysis. Materials and Methods: The public dataset GSE46706, including 1231 samples originated from 134 Caucasian individuals, was downloaded from NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). SPATA19 gene expression in the cerebellar cortex, frontal cortex, hippocampus, medulla, occipital cortex, putamen, substantia nigra, temporal cortex, thalamus, and white matter was examined against each other using R software and the t-test.  Results: Out of 10 brain parts examined, the cerebellar cortex and white matter showed the highest expression, and the temporal cortex showed the lowest expression of the gene. So the cerebellar cortex had a 5.6% and 6.2% increase in gene expression relative to the putamen and temporal cortex with P values of 6.04e-13 and 2.15e-17, respectively. Also, the white matter had a 4% increase in gene expression over the temporal cortex with a P value of 1.89e-13.  Conclusion: SPATA19 had more expression in the cerebellar cortex and white matter than other brain parts. These two parts make up the cerebellum

α-Fe2O3/graphene oxide powder and thin film nanocomposites as peculiar photocatalysts for dye removal from wastewater

In this study, hematite graphene oxide (αFe2O3-GO) powder nanocomposites and thin-film hematite graphene oxide (αFe2O3-GO) were synthesized for application in the removal of Rhodamine B (RhB) from textile wastewater. αFe2O3-GO nanomaterials were placed onto the FTO substrate to form a thin layer of nanocomposites. Different analysis including XRD, FTIR, Raman spectra, XPS, and FESEM were done to analyze the morphology, structure, and properties of the synthesized composites as well as the chemical interactions of αFe2O3 with GO. The photocatalytic performance of two synthesized composites was compared with different concentrations of αFe2O3-GO. The results showed that powder nanocomposites are more effective than thin-film composites for the removal of RhB dye. αFe2O3-GO-5% powder nanocomposites removed over 64% of dye while thin-film nanocomposites had less removal efficiencies with just under 47% removal rate. The reusability test was done for both materials in which αFe2O3-GO-5% powder nanocomposites removed a higher rate of dye (up to 63%) in more cycles (6 cycles)

Spata19 Inactivation as a Cause of Oligospermia

Background: Spermatogenesis associated 19 (Spata19) was introduced as a testis-specific gene that was probably involved in spermatogenesis cell apoptosis. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of Spata19 inactivation on sperm count. Materials and Methods: We generated global Spata19 knockout mice by CRISPR/Cas9 nickase technology. Disability was validated in three levels of DNA, RNA, and protein using PCR, RT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry. Histological studies were performed for testis. Sperm characteristics were also assessed with CASA software. Results: Spata19 knockout mice had a 43 nucleotides deletion in exon 4 of this gene. The presence and absence of Spata19 were confirmed in normal and knockout mice, respectively. The presence of Spata19 in normal NMRI mice was detected in the brain, heart, and thymus by semi-nested RT-PCR and in Leydig cells by immunohistochemistry. Histological studies revealed a decrease in sperm count in knockout mice. Also, CASA parameters were significantly reduced (P<0.05). Conclusion: These data indicate that Spata19 inactivation is a cause of oligospermia, and its role could be beyond an adhesive molecule