In recent times, investigators have conducted extensive studies on carbon nitride-based photocatalytic materials. Earlier research mainly concentrated on the poly-condensation technique and the uses of the produced materials, whereas less attention was given to the starting precursors, which were broadly classified as nitrogen-rich. This research offers a complete examination of the appropriate precursors, highlighting their large-scale, economical, and safe production for carbon nitride-based materials. Safety evaluations of the precursors were examined, and a cost analysis was conducted to refine the choice of accessible precursors. Afterward, the surface area, photophysical, SEM, and electrochemical properties of the materials were characterized. The differences noted in the synthesized samples were addressed and contrasted with the current study. Additionally, the degradation efficiencies of Acetaminophen, Levofloxacin, and Cephalexin were assessed under a uniform UV light source. The toxicity of the resulting degradation solutions from the photocatalytic process was examined against E. coli bacteria. The results show that the selection of the initial precursor greatly affects the performance of the synthesized materials. In the area of water treatment from pharmaceuticals, the graphitic carbon nitride obtained from melamine exhibited better yield and effectiveness, with an appropriate mechanism suggested to clarify the noted results.
We synthesized Bi2WO6 via a hydrothermal approach and subsequently fabricated a Bi2WO6/g-C3N4 heterojunction through grinding process. The resulting composite demonstrated an impressive photocatalytic production rate of hydrogen peroxide at 4809.5 μ mol g-1 h-1, which is nearly double that of CN and 18 times greater than that of BWO. The photocatalytic effectiveness of the BWO/CN composite was thoroughly investigated under different conditions and environmental factors. This enhancement can be primarily attributed to the efficient separation and migration of photogenerated charge carrier pairs facilitated by the S-scheme heterojunction, along with improved redox capability. Photoluminescence spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were utilized to verify the improved efficiency of charge separation. Furthermore, based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analyses, in conjunction with band structure calculations, the underlying mechanism of hydrogen peroxide generation and the key factors contributing to the enhanced photocatalytic performance were elucidated.
Photothermal films used in flexible and wearable devices are inevitably exposed to mechanical deformation, yet their thermal response under such conditions remains poorly quantified. In this work, gold nanoparticle–embedded polydimethylsiloxane (Au@PDMS) films are fabricated and their photothermal behavior is examined under controlled stretching, bending, twisting, and curved-surface attachment. Gold nanoparticles were formed in situ in the PDMS matrix, producing uniformly dispersed, spherical nanocrystals with retained crystallinity. Systematic variation of Au loading reveals a proportional increase in optical absorption and light-to-heat conversion efficiency without significant aggregation. Under near-infrared irradiation (808 nm), the Au@PDMS films exhibit rapid and repeatable temperature modulation. Mechanical deformation alters the photothermal response in a deformation-mode-dependent manner: tensile stretching leads to gradual temperature reduction, and twisting and bending introduce predictable thermal modulation associated with geometric and structural changes. These effects are linked to deformation-induced variation in nanoparticle spacing and effective light absorption. To assess performance under realistic conditions, the film is applied to a curved tumbler surface, where spatial temperature variation reflects local mechanical deformation. By referencing strain–temperature relationships obtained under controlled loading, local stress distribution on the curved surface is inferred. This study demonstrates that photothermal response can serve not only as a heating function but also as a deformation-sensitive signal, offering a practical strategy for evaluating mechanically adaptive photothermal films in soft-device applications.
The corrosion inhibition competency of titanium oxide/graphitic nitride composites coated with stainless steel substrate (TiO2/g-CN/SS) were investigated in 1.0 M of HCl solution. TiO2 nanoparticles of different loads were applied as supplementary ingredients to improve the corrosion resistance of native graphite carbon nitride (g-C3N4) (g-CN). All blended materials were characterized by different analytical tools to investigate their chemical structure, surface morphology, electrochemical property, stability, and corrosion protection capacity. The presence of TiO2 as an energetic modifier plays an important role in improving the g-CN protection proficiency and mitigating the rate of SS corrosion activity. All prepared composite samples displayed good surface protection with an exceptional corrosion resistance by 30% TiO2/g-CN load. The unique corrosion behavior of a 30% TiO2/g-CN loaded sample has a direct impact on tangible merging and compatible dispersion of TiO2 nanoparticles within g-CN material. The experimental data from Nyquist and Bode plots demonstrate the robustness of the 30% load with the highest charge transfer resistance value approaching 3.7 k$\Omega $. The corrosion rate generated by a 30% load approached 0.003 mpy, which is nearly 5 to 8 orders of magnitude lower than those produced by other loadings, demonstrating a robust and complete protection. In addition, it showed a maximum inhibition efficiency of 98.2% which was supported by surface images. The immersion time prior to the stability test of the novel protective composite showed a durable surface material for excellent resistance and steady-state coating observed by small change in icorr and Ecorr over a period of 7 days. The mechanistic protection process involved the characteristic action of TiO2 via blocking corrosion-prone sites on g-CN materials that successfully hindered the diffusion of acidic environment elements to the surface of the metallic substrate.
Cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) are small, nutrient-rich fruits, with vibrant colors, sweet flavor and health-promoting components. This study aims to investigate the fatty acids, mineral content and antioxidant properties of red, orange, yellow, and purple varieties grown in Bahrain, providing the first biochemical assessment of locally cultivated cherry tomatoes under arid conditions. Fatty acids were extracted, methylated, and analyzed using gas chromatography. The mineral content was assessed through sample digestion followed by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analysis. Antioxidant properties, including total antioxidant capacity (TAC), reducing power (RP), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), were evaluated using colorimetric assays. Additionally, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were determined spectroscopically. Fatty acid analysis revealed that the total saturated fatty acids (SFAs) ranged from 20.84% to 23.04%, whereas the monounsaturated (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) ranged from 22.34% to 25.42% and 52.18% to 56.36%, respectively. The mineral content analysis showed potassium (K) as the predominant mineral, ranging from 44.48 to 60.36 mg/100g. Sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) ranged between 1.96 and 3.37 mg/100g. Other minerals, including iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn), were found in trace amounts (0.04 to 0.20 mg/100g). The antioxidant properties examination indicated that TAC values varied from 40.85 to 54.78 mg AAE/g DW, while RP values ranged from 7.18 to 11.53 mg AAE/g DW. FRAP values were between 1.94 and 2.22 mg/g, and %DPPH inhibition ranged from 43.23% to 54.57%. Lastly, TPC and TFC ranged from 0.57 to 0.68 mg GAE/g and 7.92 to 11.00 mg RE/g, respectively. In conclusion, cherry tomato varieties grown in Bahrain contain essential nutrients, including minerals, fatty acids, and antioxidants, with variable yet comparable profiles shaped by arid environmental conditions.
In this paper we study the rate of convergence for a kernel general estimate of the regression function when the observed process is ρ ̃-mixing. The uniform almost sure convergence is obtained over a sequence of compact sets which increases to Rd as n →∞.
Serious health issues, including cancer, redness, skin irritation, and allergic reactions, have been linked to factories releasing Congo red dye into water supplies. Therefore, this study focused on the simple production of NiO/CoO (NCO) metal oxide nanocomposites using the reflux-assisted chemical precipitation method. Subsequently, these metal oxide nanocomposites were employed for effective photocatalytic degradation of Congo red dye. The crystalline structure and phase purity of the synthesized materials were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, confirming the formation of highly crystalline cubic phases of NiO, CoO, and NCO nanocomposite. Morphological studies showed that the NCO composite exhibited a mixed spherical and square-shaped morphology, indicating efficient interfacial interaction between NiO and CoO. The synergistic combination of NiO and CoO in the composite enhances the material's structural and surface characteristics, making it a promising photocatalyst for Congo Red (CR) dye degradation. This work presents a simple, cost-effective synthesis approach for developing efficient metal oxide nanocomposites for environmental cleanup.
The rapid increase in anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and the growing global energy demand have intensified the search for sustainable carbon mitigation and clean energy solutions. Nanomaterials have emerged as promising candidates for carbon capture, energy conversion, and storage technologies due to their high surface area, tunable physicochemical properties, and superior catalytic performance. However, conventional nanomaterial synthesis routes often involve toxic chemicals, harsh reaction conditions, and high energy consumption, limiting their environmental sustainability. In this context, green synthesis of nanomaterials has gained significant attention as an eco-friendly alternative that aligns with the principles of green chemistry. This review presents a comprehensive and critical overview of green synthesis strategies for nanomaterials and their applications in carbon capture and clean energy technologies. Biological, green chemical, and low-energy physical synthesis routes are discussed, along with classification of green-synthesized nanomaterials including metal, metal oxide, carbon-based, and biopolymer-based nanocomposites. The role of these materials in CO2 adsorption, carbon capture and storage (CCS), CO2 conversion, solar energy conversion, energy storage, and hydrogen energy systems is systematically analyzed. Environmental impact, toxicity concerns, life-cycle sustainability, and scalability challenges are critically evaluated. Finally, future research directions and technological opportunities are highlighted, emphasizing the potential of green nanotechnology in achieving carbon neutrality and sustainable energy transitions.
Manganese is a globally significant industrial metal essential for steelmaking, battery technologies, and emerging green-energy applications. As demand increases, understanding the geological diversity, distribution, and economic context of manganese deposits is critical. Manganese deposits occur in a range of tectonic settings and include hydrogenetic, diagenetic, and hydrothermal–exhalative systems associated with ophiolites, mid-ocean ridges, back-arc basins, and sedimentary basins. These genetic types exhibit distinct mineralogical, geochemical, and isotopic signatures that reflect processes such as hydrothermal precipitation, hydrogenetic crust formation, and diagenetic remobilization. These different genetic Mn types have distinct mineralogy, major and trace element compositions, REE geochemistry, and isotopic compositions, reflecting their nature and manner of deposition. This review synthesizes global models of Mn ore formation and evaluates the major deposit types and their geotectonic associations. Emphasis is placed on the manganese occurrences of Oman's Wahrah Formation, which represent sedimentary–hydrothermal Mn accumulations hosted by radiolarian cherts within Hamrat Duru Sub-basin of the Semail Ophiolite and the Batain Basin associated with the Masirah Ophiolite. Given that manganese is now classified as a strategic raw material by the EU and USGS due to its role in low-carbon and battery technologies, this review provides timely insights into the geological controls, resource potential, and economic relevance of Mn deposits worldwide, with a focused assessment of Oman's position within the global manganese landscape
Nanotechnology is essential in many scientific disciplines, particularly materials science, where titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles are widely studied for their stability and high photocatalytic performance in environmental applications. This study reports the green synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles using Clitoria ternatea (butterfly pea) flower extract as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent. Phytochemicals, such as alkaloids, glycosides, and coumarins, facilitate nanoparticle formation and stabilization. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by ultraviolet (UV)–vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), zeta potential analysis, DLS, FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and EDX, confirming their structural, morphological, and surface properties. Biocompatibility was evaluated using MTT, hemolysis, and zebrafish embryos, revealing non-toxicity up to 50 μg/mL. Photocatalytic performance was assessed using Rhodamine 6G dye under sunlight, achieving a 40% reduction in dye intensity. These results demonstrate the dual environmental and biomedical potential of Clitoria ternatea-mediated TiO2 nanoparticles, supporting their application in textile wastewater treatment.
Rising need for quality orthopedic plate implants requires more efficient and sustainable manufacturing techniques. Traditional manufacturing routes for these implants includes gravity casting, forging, and powder metallurgy. Such methods often suffer from limitations such as non-uniform microstructures, high energy consumption, prolonged processing times, and environmental concern. Microwave-assisted casting using the microwave hybrid heating (MHH) approach offers a promising alternative with rapid, uniform, and volumetric heating. Microwave-assisted casting of biomaterials has recently attracted research interest for producing cost-effective, high-quality biomedical implants. This review critically evaluates the current status of microwave-based processing and casting routes for biomedical implant fabrication. It provides a comprehensive perspective on microwave-assisted manufacturing as a viable next-generation approach for the production of orthopedic plate implants.
In this study, we report the successful synthesis of solid solution (SS) cerium bismuth oxide (CBO) photocatalysts via a facile combustion method using urea as starting materials at different calcination temperatures (300–900°C). The prepared CBO exhibited a nanocrystalline fluorite structure with a direct band gap of 3.02 eV, enabling efficient visible light driven photocatalytic water splitting. Under natural solar irradiation, the optimized CBO achieved excellent H2 and O2 evolution rates of 776.3 μmol g-1 and 388.2 μmol g-1 respectively. A high hydrogen evolution rate of 766.3 μ mol g-1 was also obtained under artificial sunlight using methanol as a sacrificial agent. Detailed characterization confirmed the partial conversion of Ce4+ to Ce3+ species and the formation of oxygen vacancies through electron hopping within the solid-solution matrix. These oxygen defects significantly enhance charge separation, carrier migration and surface reaction kinetics. The optimized defect concentration improves electronic structure, charge transport, and photocatalytic active sites. The superior hydrogen generation performance is attributed to the combined effects of high crystallinity, porous architecture, defect-rich surface, suitable band alignment, and efficient charge transfer pathways. This study provides valuable insights into the role of oxygen vacancy engineering in solid solution (SS) photocatalysts for sustainable solar hydrogen production.
The growing demand for safe and controlled application of medicines in biological field has led to the development of using synthetic polymers. Essential oils have been used as green insecticides due to their non-toxic and eco-friendly nature. In this study, a green alternative insecticide based on PVA polymeric nanofibers and lemongrass was successfully prepared using electrospinning technique and was characterised by SEM, FTIR, XRD and TGA measurements. The developed lemongrass loaded PVA mat exhibited strong insecticidal action directed at the test insect saw tooth beetle. These findings demonstrated that the prepared electrospun blend mat might provide a protective atmosphere around the stored product and could be a promising active pest control and food packaging system for potential applications.
The interfacial adhesion between polymer coatings and oxide substrates is a critical issue to improve the durability of the protective systems used in aggressive environments. Despite extensive research on polymer coatings, the atomistic understanding of the temperature-dependent adhesion behavior of polyurea on silica (SiO2) surfaces remains limited. In this study, the adhesion behavior of polyurea on a silica (SiO2) surface as a function of the temperature was investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. Atomistic models were created for the evaluation of interfacial interaction energy at polymer–substrate interface. The results reveal that polyurea forms a thermally stable interface with the silica with the adhesion behavior increasing gradually at elevated temperatures owing to increased mobility of polymer chains and an increasing contact between the interface. The results indicate that the adhesion performance can be further improved by surface pretreatment of silica or functional additives or nanomaterials in the polyurea matrix. This study gives essential knowledge about polymer-oxide interactions and provides a direction for design of advanced coating systems for pipeline marine and infrastructure applications.
Graphene offers tremendous potential for applications in biomedical and pharmaceutical areas, ranging from molecular diagnostics, biosensors, and prosthetics to implants and drug delivery. However, realising the full potential of graphene is blocked by a limited understanding of the nature and detail of its noncovalent interactions with biological molecules in aqueous dispersion, where such applications can be used. Here, we studied the adsorption of amino acids and peptide on graphene in water utilising Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy by observing 1H signals of individual biomolecules when exposed to graphene. The peptide-graphene interactions appeared to be driven by the binding affinity of individual amino acids, when aromatic residues contributed most to the peptide binding to graphene, thus emphasising the predominance of π−π interactions over other forces. The strength of the interaction between some amino acid residues and graphene followed the order: Tryptophan (Trp) > Histidine (His) > Cysteine (Cys) ≈Arginine (Arg). Such strong yet reversible interactions of biomolecules with the graphene monolayer in water could be critical to control their selective binding to and release from the graphene surface, which is a prerequisite for many applications. (e.g., for molecular imaging and/or drug delivery across biological membrane barriers).
This study examines key characteristics of stock market time series, such as regime shifts and non-linearity, which necessitate specialized methods for capturing market volatility. To improve volatility forecasting for the Muscat Securities Market Index (MSMI), the paper proposes a Back-Propagation Neural Network (BPNN) model. The neural network takes as input the volatility estimated by the Markov-Switching GARCH (MS-GARCH) model and uses the Close-Close volatility estimator as the output. The findings indicate that incorporating the neural network enhances the forecasting accuracy of the MS-GARCH model, as measured by Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Mean Absolute Error (MAE). The main contribution of this study lies in the integration of machine learning with traditional econometric models to improve volatility forecasting. Specifically, it demonstrates that augmenting the MS-GARCH model with a BPNN significantly enhances predictive accuracy, offering a hybrid approach well-suited to capturing the complex dynamics of financial time series.
Cytochrome P450 (CYP) monooxygenases are versatile drug-metabolizing enzymes that primarily catalyze the metabolism of drugs, steroids, and carcinogens. CYP comprises a vast subfamily of heme-thiolate proteins engaged in the oxidative metabolism of exogenous and endogenous compounds. CYP2S1 is a dioxin-inducible member of CYP, and its expression has been found in tumors of epithelial origins, including colorectal cancer. The absence of structural information regarding targets has hampered drug design. The present study focuses on generating the 3D structure of the target protein using computational tools and exploring its structural features to identify binding sites, mutational changes, and hydrogen-bonding patterns, thereby facilitating the rational design of drugs. The predicted CYP2S1 model, with a quality factor of 88.9, was subsequently bound to the heme cofactor to support the transport, catalysis, and metabolism of CYP2S1. The heme iron binds to the Cys-440 residue of CYP2S1 at a distance of 2.176 \AA , as observed in NMR 3D structures of the CYP family. Ligand-based pharmacophore modeling is employed to identify novel molecules that target CYP2S1. Drugs and inhibitor-based pharmacophore screening identified four novel compounds, namely ZINC8724186 (–10.0 kcal/mol), ZINC71405941 (–9.1 kcal/mol), ZINC48265078 (–8.7 kcal/mol), and ZINC10342365 (–8.0 kcal/mol), that exhibited higher binding affinity for CYP2S1. Docking analysis revealed that residues F117, Y298, A302, T306, I371, and C440 are crucial for receptor-ligand interactions and effective therapeutics. The screened molecules also have better ADMET properties than drugs and reported inhibitors. It has been concluded that ZINC8724186 is a promising natural compound with better pharmacokinetic properties for effective drug repurposing. The novel findings, based on an in-silico approach, may be significant for the design of potent drugs against colorectal cancer and CYP2S1.
In this paper we report the isolation, purification and characterization of three triterpenes, stigmasterol (1), α -amyrin (2), and lupeol acetate (3) from the hexane extract of Calatropis procera leaves. These three natural compounds have been identified before from C. procera and from other plants. The compounds 1, 2 and 3 were isolated from C. procera in the Sultanate of Oman for first time. The structures of the isolated triterpenes were identified by different spectroscopic methods.
ABSTRACT Nowadays there is evidence that animals are exposed to microplastics (MPs) via food, however there is not much known about their effect on tissue of gastrointestinal tract and on gut microbiome. In this study, adult male rats were fed with polyethylene MPs, mixed with standard pellet food for 24 days at different concentrations ranging from 0 to 1000 μg/day. At the end of experiment, rats were euthanized and histopathological investigation using light and electron microscopy and the gut microbiome was analyzed using MiSeq 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Microscopic analysis revealed significant impact of MPs on the intestine, including visible changes to the crypt area as well as reduction in mucus secretion. Autophagic vacuoles were observed in the livers of the rats fed with MPs at 100 µg/day. Oxidative stress was evident in rats fed with 1000 µg/day of MPs, as indicated by the presence of myeloid bodies in both intestinal and hepatic cells. The gut microbiome was also affected by MPs. Although, no distinct clusters were formed when the bacterial communities in the different treatments were ordinated by multidimensional scaling (NMDS), the diversity indices including operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness and Chao1 exhibited an increasing trend with increasing MPs concentration. Pearson correlations revealed a linear increase in the relative sequence abundance of Clostridia (R=0.036, P=0.003) with increasing MPs concentration, but not in the case of other bacterial groups,. Lactobacillus faecis was the most abundant OTU in the entire dataset, and its relative abundance decreased significantly with increasing MPs concentration. We conclude that exposure to MPs can disrupt cellular function and disturb microbiome balance, and in the event of prolonged exposure, organisms might experience unpredictable effects.
In this paper, we prove uniform convergence of the standard finite element method for a Schwarz alternating procedure for nonlinear elliptic partial differential equations in the context of linear subdomain problems and nonmatching grids. The method stands on the combination of the convergence of linear Schwarz sequences with standard finite element L-error estimate for linear problems.
