Facile synthesis of iron-titanate nanocomposite as a sustainable material for selective amination of substitued nitro-arenes

The fabrication of durable and low-cost nanostructured materials remains important in chemical, biologic and medicinal applications. Particularly, iron-based nanomaterials are of central importance due to the ‘noble’ features of iron such as its high abundance, low cost and non-toxicity. Herein we report a simple sol–gel method for the synthesis of novel iron–titanium nanocomposite-based material (Fe9TiO15@TiO2). In order to prepare this material, we made a polymeric gel using ferrocene, titanium isopropoxide and THF precursors. The calcination of this gel in air at 500◦C produced Fe-Ti bimetallic nanoparticles-based composite and nano-TiO2 as support. Noteworthy, our methodology provides an excellent control over composition, size and shape of the resulting nanoparticles. The resulted Fe-based material provides a sustainable catalyst for selective synthesis of anilines, which are key intermediates for the synthesis of several chemicals, dyes and materials, via reduction of structurally diverse and functionalized nitroarenes. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Energy-Efficient Load Balancing Algorithm for Workflow Scheduling in Cloud Data Centers Using Queuing and Thresholds

Cloud computing is a rapidly growing technology that has been implemented in various fields in recent years, such as business, research, industry, and computing. Cloud computing provides different services over the internet, thus eliminating the need for personalized hardware and other resources. Cloud computing environments face some challenges in terms of resource utilization, energy efficiency, heterogeneous resources, etc. Tasks scheduling and virtual machines (VMs) are used as consolidation techniques in order to tackle these issues. Tasks scheduling has been extensively studied in the literature. The problem has been studied with different parameters and objectives. In this article, we address the problem of energy consumption and efficient resource utilization in virtualized cloud data centers. The proposed algorithm is based on task classification and thresholds for efficient scheduling and better resource utilization. In the first phase, workflow tasks are pre-processed to avoid bottlenecks by placing tasks with more dependencies and long execution times in separate queues. In the next step, tasks are classified based on the intensities of the required resources. Finally, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is used to select the best schedules. Experiments were performed to validate the proposed technique. Comparative results obtained on benchmark datasets are presented. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm over that of the other algorithms to which it was compared in terms of energy consumption, makespan, and load balancing

NMDA receptors in visual and olfactory sensory integration in male Long Evans rats: a role for the orbitofrontal cortex

Peer Reviewe

An Evaluation of Interchangeability of Implant Components Among Dentists

With the advent of implants in dentistry several different systems are successfully launched and there is evidence that a few of the systems are interchangeable. The equivalence provided by the Branemark implant system and the tolerance of the design parameters has allowed several recently commercialized dental implant systems, the provision of interchangeability. On one hand, abutment interchangeability allows a flexible working resource when implant fixtures of other systems are to be restored. However, the extent to which such a practice can be adopted should be a subject of critical analysis. It has been shown that a micro-gap at the implant-abutment interface can potentially act as a gateway for bacteria to colonize the interstice, potentially leading to bone loss around the implant. In order to further investigate this, a question was distributed to the teaching hospitals in Islamabad to be filled out by dentists and surgeons who are currently placing implants. The data was gathered and results were accumulated. This study takes a look at the prevalence of implant interchangeability amongst dentists and the factors that lead to it

The Smart Future; Innovations in Materials

With the advent and innovation in the fields of nanotechnology and biomedicine new and promising frontiers are being introduced regularly, these aim for improved efficiency and reliability by inculcating the use of smart materials and structures. Biomedical applications of smart materials include their use in tissue engineering, cell culture, biomimetic actuators etc. Smart materials have revolutionized many areas of dentistry including orthodontic wires, coils and springs. Cercon smart ceramics, Resin modified glass ionomer cements (RMGIC), Smart composites. These offer natural esthetics coupled with excellent durability and biocompatibility. These innovations in material science have already marked the beginning of the smart future of dentistry. This review provides a selective summary of smart materials in dentistry

Level of Actual Physical Fitness and its Perception among Students of Physiotherapy in Lahore

OBJECTIVE: To assess estimated and measured the physical fitness level of physiotherapy students. METHODOLOGY: This Cross sectional study carried out at Azra Naheed Medical College and School of Allied Health Sciences, Children Hospital Lahore, with Simple convenient sampling technique. The data was collected from 115 students including 42 male and 73 female, from 3rd year to final year. Self-perceived fitness questionnaire was used for estimation of perceived fitness and actual physical fitness level was measured by common clinical tests. Harvard step was used for fitness index measurement. SPSS version 21.0 was used for analysis and Pearson correlation for the correlation of perceived and measured physical fitness level. RESULTS: It was evident that physiotherapy students have good perception about their BMI. Results of perceived and measured body composition were correlated significantly .004 because they have good perception of body composition. Measured strength was low from the perceived, although some males were in average level. The results of strength show significant correlation for upper extremity that was 269 but for lower extremity non-significant. But measured flexibility results were good for lower extremities as compared to the shoulder flexibility for upper extremities, but both variables were different from perceived fitness. Actual fitness index level was very low as compared to the self-estimated. CONCLUSION: Measured fitness was quite different from self-perceived. The students of physiotherapy were not physically fit as they perceived it. They need to improve their physical fitness level as their profession requires

Application of Lateral Wedge in Knee Osteoarthritis for Improving Pain and Quality of Life

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of lateral wedge with and without conventional physiotherapy in relieving knee pain and quality of life in patients of knee Osteoarthritis. METHODOLOGY: This Randomized controlled study was conducted in Madina Clinics, Faisalabad. By using simple random technique 40 patients in range 40-60 years of age with clinically and radiologically diagnosed cases of grade II and III were studied, from February to August 2016. Subjects were divided in two groups with 20 subjects in each group. KOOS knee survey was used for the assessment of Quality of life. RESULTS: Mean total pain score on baseline of experimental group was 79.95±2.5 while the score amongst the control group was 79.95±7.69, after application of lateral wedges along with other treatments, score after 2nd week was 84.65 ± 2.94 while in control group was 80.25±2.9.97. After 4th week the symptoms score in experimental group was 83.00 ± 0.00 while control group was 88.95 ± 2.96. After the 6th week score was 91.5±14.5 of experimental and 81.8±9.5 of control group.These results of insole Wedges is also correlated with a lateral shift in the location of the COP in stance phase. Increase in the knee joint varus moment with insole Wedges suggests that the indication and limitations of laterally wedged insoles in general should be analysed in detail. CONCLUSION: This study concluded that the lateral wedges were significant in reduction of pain and symptoms as well as improve the quality of life

Facile Synthesis of Iron-Titanate Nanocomposite as a Sustainable Material for Selective Amination of Substitued Nitro-Arenes

The fabrication of durable and low-cost nanostructured materials remains important in chemical, biologic and medicinal applications. Particularly, iron-based nanomaterials are of central importance due to the ‘noble’ features of iron such as its high abundance, low cost and non-toxicity. Herein we report a simple sol–gel method for the synthesis of novel iron–titanium nanocomposite-based material (Fe9TiO15@TiO2). In order to prepare this material, we made a polymeric gel using ferrocene, titanium isopropoxide and THF precursors. The calcination of this gel in air at 500 °C produced Fe-Ti bimetallic nanoparticles-based composite and nano-TiO2 as support. Noteworthy, our methodology provides an excellent control over composition, size and shape of the resulting nanoparticles. The resulted Fe-based material provides a sustainable catalyst for selective synthesis of anilines, which are key intermediates for the synthesis of several chemicals, dyes and materials, via reduction of structurally diverse and functionalized nitroarenes

Synthesis and Micromechanistic Studies of Sensitized Bentonite for Methyl Orange and Rhodamine-B Adsorption from Wastewater: Experimental and DFT-Based Analysis

This work reports the formation of a novel adsorbent, prepared by activating bentonite with cinnamic acid, which is highly efficient to remove dyes from wastewater. The adsorption efficiency of the cinnamic acid activated bentonite was compared with unmodified bentonite by removing methyl orange and rhodamine-B from polluted water. The characterization was performed through X-ray diffraction (XRD) Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicated that acidic pH and low temperature were more suitable for the selected dyes adsorption. The analysis of the data was done by the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms; the Freundlich isotherm showed more suitability for the equilibrium data. The data were further analyzed by pseudo-first and pseudo-second-order models to study adsorption kinetics. The results showed that methyl orange and rhodamine-B adsorption obeyed pseudo-order kinetics. The results obtained from this research suggested that acid activation of bentonite with cinnamic acid increased the surface area of the clay and hence enhanced its adsorption efficiency. The maximum adsorption efficiency for the removal of methyl orange and rhodamine-B was up to 99.3 mg g−1 and 44.7 mg g−1, respectively, at 25 °C. This research provides an economical modification technique of bentonite, which makes it cost-effective and a good adsorbent for wastewater treatment

Effects of Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane on the Female Reproductive Tract Leading to Infertility and Cancer: Systematic Search and Review

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) such as dichlorodimethyltrichloroethane (DDT) are present and ubiquitous in the environment due to their resilient nature. DDT is a prevalent endocrine disruptor still found in detectable amounts in organisms and the environment even after its use was banned in the 1970s. Medline and Google Scholar were systematically searched to detect all relevant animal and human studies published in the last 20 years (January 2003 to February 2023) in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. In total, 38 studies were included for qualitative synthesis. This systematic search and review indicated that exposure to DDT is associated with female reproductive health issues, such as reduced fecundability; increased risk of preterm/premature deliveries; increased periods of gestation; alterations in the synthesis of crucial reproductive hormones (Progesterone and Oxytocin) through ion imbalances and changes in prostaglandin synthesis, myometrial and stromal hypertrophy, and edema; and variations in uterine contractions through increased uterine wet weight. There was also limited evidence indicating DDT as a carcinogen sufficient to instigate reproductive cancers. However, this review only takes into account the in vitro studies that have established a possible pathway to understand how DDT impacts female infertility and leads to reproductive cancers. Links between the pathways described in various studies have been developed in this review to produce a summarized picture of how one event might lead to another. Additionally, epidemiological studies that specifically targeted the exposure to DDT of females belonging to various ethnicities have been reviewed to develop an overall picture of prevailing female reproductive health concerns in different nations