The demand for clean water is rapidly growing, which has prompted further development of nanomaterials for environmental purification and biomedical research. Photocatalysis is a highly promising oxidation method for the removal of organic and biological pollutants. It is quite evident that there is a serious and pressing demand to design economic treatment techniques, which are cheap and energy independent. In this study, we described the fabrication of Z-scheme heterostructure Er doped ZrO2/Bi2WO6 that effectively enhances visible-light-driven charge separation and redox ability, leading to superior photocatalytic degradation and antibacterial performance. The dual-functionality and high mineralization efficiency demonstrated in this study highlight the potential of the developed photocatalyst for sustainable wastewater treatment and biomedical-related environmental applications. The composite and its constituents were synthesized by hydrothermal approach and characterized in terms of their structural, optical, functional, morphological, photocatalytic and antibacterial properties. The optimized Er-doped ZrO2/Bi2WO6 nanocomposite exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance, achieving 97.02% degradation of the moxifloxacin (MOX) drug under visible light and showed good antibacterial capability against four bacterial strains the order of Escherichia coli > Bacillus fortis > Staphylococcus aureus > Streptococcus canis. Reactive-species scavenging analysis proved that the role of superoxide radicals (•O2−) and hydroxyl (•OH) plays a significant role in the photocatalytic degradation of MOX. The current study highlights the enhanced photocatalytic and antibacterial activity of the Z-scheme Er doped ZrO2/Bi2WO6 heterostructure due to their design and engineering, with applications in multifunctional industries, particularly environmental cleaning and biomedical research.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a complex human herpesvirus characterized by a protein core, a 162-capsomer nucleocapsid, and a glycoprotein-spiked envelope, which facilitates its transmission through bodily fluids. The virus primarily targets B cells and oropharyngeal epithelial cells, establishing infection through viral gp350/220 binds to the host CD21/CR2 receptor, followed by gp42 interacting with HLA class II molecules to trigger endocytosis. Once infection is established, EBV utilizes two main types of encoded microRNAs to regulate the host environment. The BHRF1 miRNAs are expressed early to promote rapid cell proliferation and prevent B-lymphocyte apoptosis by targeting pro-apoptotic proteins. Meanwhile, the BART miRNA cluster, including miR-BART1, miR-BART2, miR-BART3, miR-BART4, miR-BART7, miR-BART8, and miR-BART22, which are robustly expressed in epithelial malignancies like nasopharyngeal and gastric carcinomas, has been found to significantly suppress caspase-3, a central executioner of apoptosis and target host immune mediators like CXCL-11 to stifle antiviral responses. Moreover, Min et al. discovered that miR-BART1-3p inhibited the expression of Disabled homolog 2 (DAB2), a tumor suppressor gene linked to apoptosis, in EBVaGC cells, allowing them to evade programmed cell death. EBV’s ability to cycle between B cells and epithelial cells, along with its association with the modulation of host cell processes and immune responses, highlights the mechanisms by which EBV establishes infection and contributes to oncogenesis.
Carbon dots/poly(methyl methacrylate) composite nanofibers (CDs/PMMA-CNFs) were fabricated via electrospinning for ultraviolet (UV) photoconductive sensing applications. Carbon dots were synthesized through a microwave-assisted method using citric acid and urea precursors and subsequently embedded within a PMMA nanofibrous matrix. Structural and morphological characterization was performed using FTIR, XRD, and SEM analyses, confirming successful incorporation of CDs into uniform nanofibers. Optical investigations using UV–Vis and photoluminescence spectroscopy revealed characteristic π–π* and n–π* transitions and excitation-independent emission centered near 495 nm. The fabricated composite exhibited measurable photoconductive response under UV illumination ( 395 nm), with current increasing from 4.48 × 10−8 A (dark) to 4.83 × 10−8 A (UV), corresponding to approximately 7.8
In the field of education, computational thinking is important in the twenty first century. This cross-sectional study explores the role of creative self-concept as a mediator between attitudes toward mathematics, attitudes toward technology, and computational thinking. Data were collected from 213 secondary school students through online questionnaires and tests. Structural equation modeling was used for the analysis, confirming the satisfactory validity of the construct and the reliability of the instrument. The empirical model revealed that creative self-concept mediates the relationship between attitudes toward mathematics and technology in computational thinking, with an indirect effect of beta = 0.034 (p < .05), which explains 2.9% of the variance (R2 = 0.029). Additionally, a positive attitude toward mathematics significantly enhances computational thinking, while a negative attitude toward technology has a detrimental effect. These findings emphasize the need to integrate these dimensions into mathematics curricula to prepare students for the challenges of the twenty first century.
This work presents a first-principles investigation of the pressure-dependent structural, elastic, thermal, and optical properties of the layered MAX-phase carbides Sc2XC (X=Tl, Pb) using density functional theory under hydrostatic pressures ranging from 0 GPa to 12GPa. The evolution of elastic wave velocities, Debye temperature, melting temperature, and lattice thermal conductivity is systematically analyzed to assess the thermo-mechanical stability of these compounds under compression. At ambient pressure, Sc2TlC exhibits longitudinal, transverse, and average sound velocities of 4725.66, 2653.43, and 2952.76ms-1, respectively, which increase markedly to 5619.72, 3219.24, and 3576.39ms-1 at 12GPa, accompanied by an enhancement of the Debye temperature from 317.99K to 400.93K. Similarly, Sc2PbC shows a substantial rise in Debye temperature from 275.52K to 372.13K over the same pressure range, indicating improved lattice stiffness and phonon stability. The lattice thermal conductivity at 300K increases significantly with pressure, reaching 73.56W/m & sdot;K for Sc2TlC and 60.24W/m & sdot;K for Sc2PbC at 12GPa, reflecting enhanced phonon transport under compression. Optical properties reveal pronounced anisotropy, characterized by exceptionally high extinction coefficients along the xx-direction (Kxx approximate to 58-60 at 0eV) and negative refractive indices along the zz-direction (nzz approximate to-7.5 at 0eV), indicative of metallic and plasmonic behavior. Overall, the results demonstrate that Sc2TlC and Sc2PbC combine excellent mechanical robustness with pressure-tunable thermal transport and strongly anisotropic optical responses, highlighting their potential for high-temperature structural applications, advanced thermal management, plasmonic devices, and anisotropic optoelectronic technologies.
