Sustainability development and performance evaluation of natural hydraulic lime mortar for restoration

Many efforts have focused on the deterioration of historic buildings, and natural hydraulic lime mortar without admixture is less resistant to environmental agencies than a lime mortar with admixtures. A research study has been carried out to study the effect of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and alccofine (AF) with the natural hydraulic lime mortars in improving the hydraulic properties, durability properties, and freeze-thaw resistance. The performance of lime mortars was evaluated with various additives. The experimental results indicated the combined effect of CMCs and AF in lime mortars' compression testing in different stages. In blended mortars, the early compressive strength was increased. Also, mixed mortar exhibits stronger freeze-thaw resistance with a long healing period. These findings indicate that AF and CMC combination played an essential role in lime mortar (LM) properties, which is generally advantageous for restoration and conservation purposes, especially in historic structures in cold regions.

Aqueous, Non-Polymer-Based Perovskite Quantum Dots for Bioimaging: Conserving Fluorescence and Long-Term Stability via Simple and Robust Synthesis

Perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) offer high photoluminescence quantum yields; however, due to their limited stability in aqueous media, to date their utilization in biomedical applications has been limited. The present work demonstrates highly fluorescent and stable aqueous PQDs that were synthesized using a facile engineered phase transfer method. Ligands were engineered to have a dual functionality, i.e., they could simultaneously mediate the strong binding of PQDs and the interactions with water molecules. The resultant water-soluble PQDs demonstrated robust structural and optical properties. The extracted aqueous PQDs remained stable in pellet form for 8 months, which was the entire test duration. Notably, 100% of their fluorescence was also retained. As a proof-of-concept experiment, the water-soluble PQDs were successfully tagged to polyclonal antibodies and used to image Escherichia coli cells in aqueous media. No structural or optical disturbance in PQDs was detected throughout the process. This work marks the beginning of the use of nonpolymeric aqueous PQDs and shows their strong potential to be used in biological applications.

The Pnictogen Bond, Together with Other Non-Covalent Interactions, in the Rational Design of One-, Two- and Three-Dimensional Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Metal Halide Perovskite Semiconducting Materials, and Beyond

The pnictogen bond, a somewhat overlooked supramolecular chemical synthon known since the middle of the last century, is one of the promising types of non-covalent interactions yet to be fully understood by recognizing and exploiting its properties for the rational design of novel functional materials. Its bonding modes, energy profiles, vibrational structures and charge density topologies, among others, have yet to be comprehensively delineated, both theoretically and experimentally. In this overview, attention is largely centered on the nature of nitrogen-centered pnictogen bonds found in organic-inorganic hybrid metal halide perovskites and closely related structures deposited in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) and the Inorganic Chemistry Structural Database (ICSD). Focusing on well-characterized structures, it is shown that it is not merely charge-assisted hydrogen bonds that stabilize the inorganic frameworks, as widely assumed and well-documented, but simultaneously nitrogen-centered pnictogen bonding, and, depending on the atomic constituents of the organic cation, other non-covalent interactions such as halogen bonding and/or tetrel bonding, are also contributors to the stabilizing of a variety of materials in the solid state. We have shown that competition between pnictogen bonding and other interactions plays an important role in determining the tilting of the MX₆ (X = a halogen) octahedra of metal halide perovskites in one, two and three-dimensions. The pnictogen interactions are identified to be directional even in zero-dimensional crystals, a structural feature in many engineered ordered materials; hence an interplay between them and other non-covalent interactions drives the structure and the functional properties of perovskite materials and enabling their application in, for example, photovoltaics and optoelectronics. We have demonstrated that nitrogen in ammonium and its derivatives in many chemical systems acts as a pnictogen bond donor and contributes to conferring stability, and hence functionality, to crystalline perovskite systems. The significance of these non-covalent interactions should not be overlooked, especially when the focus is centered on the rationale design and discovery of such highly-valued materials.

Simultaneous Interfacial Modification and Defect Passivation for Wide-Bandgap Semitransparent Perovskite Solar Cells with 14.4% Power Conversion Efficiency and 38% Average Visible Transmittance

Perovskite materials offer a great potential in the application of semitransparent solar cells, owing to the tunable bandgap, ease of preparation and excellent photovoltaic property. A majority of works exhibit high average visible-light transmittance (AVT) for semitransparent perovskite solar cells (ST-PSCs) through decreasing perovskite thickness, leading to sacrificing the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the device. Herein, a wide-bandgap (WBG) perovskite of Cs_0.2 FA_0.8 Pb(I_0.6 Br_0.4 )₃ is applied as absorber in ST-PSCs, which is a tremendous progress to balance both large PCE and high AVT. Moreover, a strategy of simultaneous interfacial modification and defect passivation is provided to enhance the performance of WBG ST-PSCs. Consequently, an inverted planar structure WBG perovskite solar cell (PSC) achieves 15.06% of PCE with excellent stability by restraining the interfacial energy loss and suppressing the nonradiative recombination. Furthermore, the ST-PSC obtains high PCE of 14.40% with an AVT of 38% by means of optimizing the transparent electrode. This work provides an efficient and simple method to improve the performance and AVT of ST-PSCs for the application in building-integrated photovoltaics.

Ion exchange to immobilize Cd(II) at neutral pH into silicate matrix prepared by co-grinding kaolinite with calcium compounds

A novel silicate-based composite material was simply prepared by co-milling kaolinite and calcium compounds to endow the well studied clay minerals with active calcium for efficient removal of heavy metals. Batch experiments were carried out to investigate the main affecting factors such as raw material ratio, ball milling time, contact time, etc.. Even at a neutral solution pH, the silicate adsorbent exhibited excellent performance for the adsorption of Cd(II), reaching equilibrium in 30 min with a removal efficiency over 95%, and allowed a direct discharge of the treated solution without the need of acidic neutralization as usually used in the alkaline precipitation. A set of analytical methods including SEM/EDS and ²⁹Si MAS NMR etc. were used to analyze the adsorption mechanism of Cd(II), revealing that the adsorption process was mainly dominated by ion exchange to accommodate Cd ions inside silicate matrix, accompanied with partial hydroxide precipitation, rather than normally reported surface adsorption on pristine minerals. Furthermore, the as-prepared adsorption material exhibited similar excellent immobilization capacity for multiple heavy metals including Cu(II), Zn(II), Ni(II), Cd(II) and Mn(II). These findings provide a novel concept for the activation of the widely available cheap silicate minerals by the same widely available cheap calcium compounds and high contribution may be expected on its potentials to the environmental purification of heavy metal pollution in water and soil.

Halide perovskites enable polaritonic XY spin Hamiltonian at room temperature

Exciton polaritons, the part-light and part-matter quasiparticles in semiconductor optical cavities, are promising for exploring Bose-Einstein condensation, non-equilibrium many-body physics and analogue simulation at elevated temperatures. However, a room-temperature polaritonic platform on par with the GaAs quantum wells grown by molecular beam epitaxy at low temperatures remains elusive. The operation of such a platform calls for long-lifetime, strongly interacting excitons in a stringent material system with large yet nanoscale-thin geometry and homogeneous properties. Here, we address this challenge by adopting a method based on the solution synthesis of excitonic halide perovskites grown under nanoconfinement. Such nanoconfinement growth facilitates the synthesis of smooth and homogeneous single-crystalline large crystals enabling the demonstration of XY Hamiltonian lattices with sizes up to 10 × 10. With this demonstration, we further establish perovskites as a promising platform for room temperature polaritonic physics and pave the way for the realization of robust mode-disorder-free polaritonic devices at room temperature.

In vitro physicochemical characterization of five root canal sealers and their influence on an ex vivo oral multi-species biofilm community

AIM

To evaluate the physicochemical properties of five root canal sealers and assess their effect on an ex vivo dental plaque-derived polymicrobial community.

METHODOLOGY

Dental plaque-derived microbial communities were exposed to the sealers (AH Plus [AHP], GuttaFlow Bioseal [GFB], Endoseal MTA [ESM], Bio-C sealer [BCS] and BioRoot RCS [BRR]) for 3, 6 and 18 h. The sealers' effect on the biofilm biomass and metabolic activity was quantified using crystal violet (CV) staining and MTT assay, respectively. Biofilm community composition and morphology were assessed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), 16S rRNA sequencing and scanning electron microscopy. The ISO6876:2012 specifications were followed to determine the setting time, radiopacity, flowability and solubility. Obturated acrylic teeth were used to assess the sealers' effect on pH. Surface chemical characterization was performed using SEM with coupled energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Data normality was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. One-way anova and Tukey's tests were used to analyze data from setting time, radiopacity, flowability and solubility. Two-way anova and Dunnett's tests were used for the data analysis from CV, MTT and pH. 16S rRNA sequencing data were analyzed for alpha (Shannon index and Chao analysis) and beta diversity (Bray-Curtis dissimilarities). Differences in community composition were evaluated by analysis of similarity (p < .05).

RESULTS

The sealers significantly influenced microbial community composition and morphology. All sealers complied with ISO6876:2012 requirements for setting time, radiopacity and flowability. Although only AHP effectively reduced the biofilm biomass, all sealers, except BRR, reduced biofilm metabolic activity.

CONCLUSION

Despite adequate physical properties, none of the sealers tested prevented biofilm growth. Significant changes in community composition were observed. If observed in vivo, these changes could affect intracanal microbial survival, pathogenicity and treatment outcomes.

A Bionic Interface to Suppress the Coffee-Ring Effect for Reliable and Flexible Perovskite Modules with a Near-90% Yield Rate

The inhomogeneity, poor interfacial contact, and pinholes caused by the coffee-ring effect severely affect the printing reliability of flexible perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, inspired by the bio-glue of barnacles, a bionic interface layer (Bio-IL) of NiO_x /levodopa is introduced to suppress the coffee-ring effect during printing perovskite modules. The coordination effect of the sticky functional groups in Bio-IL can pin the three-phase contact line and restrain the transport of perovskite colloidal particles during the printing and evaporation process. Moreover, the sedimentation rate of perovskite precursor is accelerated due to the electrostatic attraction and rapid volatilization from an extraordinary wettability. The superhydrophilic Bio-IL affords an even spread over a large-area substrate, which boosts a complete and uniform liquid film for heterogeneous nucleation as well as crystallization. Perovskite films on different large-area substrates with negligible coffee-ring effect are printed. Consequently, inverted flexible PSCs and perovskite solar modules achieve a high efficiency of 21.08% and 16.87%, respectively. This strategy ensures a highly reliable reproducibility of printing PSCs with a near 90% yield rate.

Effects of Cu doping on electrochemical NOx removal by La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 perovskites

Electrochemical removal of nitrogen oxides (NO_x) by perovskite electrodes is a promising method due to its low cost, simple operation and no secondary pollution. In this study, a series of La_0.8Sr_0.2Mn_1-xCu_xO₃ (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.15) perovskites are fabricated as the improved electrodes of solid electrolyte cells (SECs) for NO_x removal and the effects of Cu doping are investigated systematacially. Multiple characterization methods are carried out to analyze the physicochemical properties of perovskites firstly. Then the performances of cells based on various perovskites are evaluated by the measurements of electrochemical properties and NO_x conversions. The results show that the Cu-doped electrode has more surface oxygen vacancies and a better redox property, thus having a higher NO_x conversion and smaller polarization resistance. The electrode based on La_0.8Sr_0.2Mn_0.9Cu_0.1O₃ has the maximum 70.8% NO_x conversion and the lowest 36.3 Ω cm² R_p value in the atmosphere of 1000 ppm NO at 700 °C. First-principle calculation reveals that the Cu-doped electrode is easier to form surface oxygen vacancy, while the surface oxygen vacancy plays an important role on electron transfer between electrode and NO_x molecule. This study not only provides a new strategy to enhance the electrode performance for NO_x removal in SECs but reveals the fundamental effect of Cu doping on the properties of La_0.8Sr_0.2MnO₃ perovskites.

In Situ Growth Mechanism for High-Quality Hybrid Perovskite Single-Crystal Thin Films with High Area to Thickness Ratio: Looking for the Sweet Spot

The development of in situ growth methods for the fabrication of high-quality perovskite single-crystal thin films (SCTFs) directly on hole-transport layers (HTLs) to boost the performance of optoelectronic devices is critically important. However, the fabrication of large-area high-quality SCTFs with thin thickness still remains a significant challenge due to the elusive growth mechanism of this process. In this work, the influence of three key factors on in situ growth of high-quality large-size MAPbBr₃ SCTFs on HTLs is investigated. An optimal "sweet spot" is determined: low interface energy between the precursor solution and substrate, a slow heating rate, and a moderate precursor solution concentration. As a result, the as-obtained perovskite SCTFs with a thickness of 540 nm achieve a record area to thickness ratio of 1.94 × 10⁴  mm, a record X-ray diffraction peak full width at half maximum of 0.017°, and an ultralong carrier lifetime of 1552 ns. These characteristics enable the as-obtained perovskite SCTFs to exhibit a record carrier mobility of 141 cm² V^-1 s^-1 and good long-term structural stability over 360 days.

Hydration Intermediate Phase Regulated In-Plane and Out-Plane Epitaxy Growth of Oriented Nano-Array Structures on Perovskite Single Crystals

Fabrication of organic-metal-halide perovskite micro-nano array structures draws attention to the potential application in polarized light, high-resolution X-ray imaging, light-emitting diodes, and lasers. However, it is still challenging to achieve the growth of controllable long-range ordered nanostructure arrays by chemical solution-based techniques. Herein, controllable epitaxial growth of long-range ordered micro-nano arrays on MAPbI₃ single crystal (SC) surface is reported. A hydrated intermediate phase is found that can effectively regulate in-plane and out-plane orientated growth, respectively. This is attributed to the regulation of growth thermodynamics by hydration 0D perovskite intermediate phase enabling free recombination of PbI₄^2- octahedral cages. Further, it is found that the degree of hydration is the key to the realization of in-plane and out-plane growth. Meanwhile, polarization emission and amplified spontaneous emission property are observed in highly oriented nanorod arrays with potential applications in anti-counterfeiting polarized emission.

Slaked lime improves growth, antioxidant capacity and reduces Cd accumulation of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) under Cd stress

Slaked lime has been used to remediate contaminated agricultural soils as an in situ chemical immobilization amendment for a long time. However, the effects of slaked lime on peanut and soil cadmium (Cd) levels remain poorly understood with respect to remediating Cd-contaminated soil. In this study, six rates of slaked lime (e.g., 0, 300, 600, 900, 1200 and 1500 kg ha-1) were applied to evaluate the effects of slaked lime treatments on soil pH and the growth, Cd accumulation and physiology characteristics of peanut, which were in Cd-contaminated soil, and 0 kg ha-1 was taken as the control. The results indicated that slaked lime application significantly increased soil pH and reduced total Cd contents in peanut tissues at all growth stages. As the rates of slaked lime were increased, kernel biomass increased in the maturity stage, which increased peanut yields. The irregular variations in catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities and chlorophyll and malondialdehyde contents that were observed at all growth stages may be due to the interactions among soil pH, Ca nutrients and Cd, etc. In summary, slaked lime is suitable as an in situ chemical immobilization amendment to increase Cd immobilization and peanut yields in Cd-contaminated soil.

Triphenylamine-Based Conjugated Polyelectrolyte as a Hole Transport Layer for Efficient and Scalable Perovskite Solar Cells

π-Conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) have been studied as interlayers on top of a separate hole transport layer (HTL) to improve the wetting, interfacial defect passivation, and crystal growth of perovskites. However, very few CPE-based HTLs have been reported without rational molecular design as ideal HTLs for perovskite solar cells (PeSCs). In this study, the authors synthesize a triphenylamine-based anionic CPE (TPAFS-TMA) as an HTL for p-i-n-type PeSCs. TPAFS-TMA has appropriate frontier molecular orbital (FMO) levels similar to those of the commonly used poly(bis(4-phenyl)-2,4,6-trimethylphenylamine) (PTAA) HTL. The ionic and semiconducting TPAFS-TMA shows high compatibility, high transmittance, appropriate FMO energy levels for hole extraction and electron blocking, as well as defect passivating properties, which are confirmed using various optical and electrical analyses. Thus, the PeSC with the TPAFS-TMA HTL exhibits the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.86%, which is better than that of the PTAA-based device (PCE of 19.97%). In addition, it exhibits negligible device-to-device variations in its photovoltaic performance, contrary to the device with PTAA. Finally, a large-area PeSC (1 cm² ) and mini-module (3 cm² ), showing PCEs of 19.46% and 18.41%, respectively, are successfully fabricated. The newly synthesized TPAFS-TMA may suggest its great potential as an HTL for large-area PeSCs.

Investigation of differential levels of phosphorus fixation in dolomite and calcium carbonate amended red soil

BACKGROUND

The pH adjustment of acidic red soils with lime materials is beneficial for the reduction of phosphorus (P) fixation. However, the reasons for varying levels of P activation after adding different lime materials have not been fully investigated. Therefore, this study examined changes in soil labile P and P forms after phosphate application to calcium carbonate (CaCO₃ ) and dolomite amended red soil during a 120-day incubation period. Also change of P sorption properties in the amended soil samples from day 120 were examined through a sorption-desorption experiment.

RESULTS

The increase of soil H₂ O-P and NaHCO₃ -P in the CaCO₃ and dolomite amended soil treatments was mainly ascribed to the decline of the NaOH-P. However, when compared with the control treatment after 120 days, soil Olsen-P significantly increased by 34% and 66% in the CaCO₃ and dolomite treatments. The Hedley P fractionation results demonstrated that the CaCO₃ application caused a notable increase of HCl-P (stable Ca-P), which was 88.4% higher than that in the dolomite treatment. However, the formation of stable P was strongly suppressed in the dolomite treatment due to the presence of magnesium (Mg), which was identified by the negative relationship between M3-Mg and HCl-P. In line with these findings, P sorption-desorption work showed weaker P binding energy in the dolomite treatment relative to the CaCO₃ treatment.

CONCLUSION

In terms of increasing P availability in red soil, this study suggests that dolomite should be used to substitute CaCO₃ in order to reduce the soil P fixation. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

CaO-B2O3-SiO2 glass fibers for wound healing

It was reported by Jung and Day in 2011 that a cotton-like glass fiber pad made of borate glass 13-93B3 demonstrated a remarkable wound healing effect. It was approved for sale as a novel wound dressing in the management of acute and chronic wounds in 2016. However, the detailed mechanism of its wound healing effect has not been reported. In the present study, glass fibers of different composition in the system CaO-B₂O₃-SiO₂ were prepared and their in vitro properties investigated to determine the role of the constituent components in wound healing. Fine glass fibers that were 0.6-2.0 μm in diameter were obtained by a melt blown method. However, these fibers were accompanied by small glass beads because of the low viscosity of the glass melts. 13-93B3 glass released an appreciable amount of borate and calcium ions into simulated body fluid (SBF). The amounts of these released ions decreased with partial replacement of the B₂O₃ in 13-93B3 with SiO₂. The addition of large amounts of the borate and calcium ions into the culture medium decreased the viability of the L929 fibroblasts. Partial replacement of the B₂O₃ in 13-93B3 with SiO₂ induced the formation of an apatite-like phase amenable to the adsorption of biological components on its surface in SBF. The wound healing effect of these glass fibers of different composition is worth examining in future animal experiments.

SERS-Active Composites with Au-Ag Janus Nanoparticles/Perovskite in Immunoassays for Staphylococcus aureus Enterotoxins

The accurate detection of Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins (SEs) is vital for food safety owing to their high pathogenicity, which may be performed with surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) if SERS-active nanostructures are used. Herein, a Au-Ag Janus nanoparticle (NPs)/perovskite composite-engineered SERS immunoassay was developed for SEC detection. Plasmonic Au-Ag Janus NPs demonstrated inherent SERS activity from the 2-mercaptobenzoimidazole-5-carboxylic acid ligands. CsPbBr₃@mesoporous silica nanomaterials (MSNs) were prepared and transformed into CsPb₂Br₅@MSNs in the aqueous phase. Paired SEC antibody-antigen-driven plasmonic Au-Ag Janus NP-CsPb₂Br₅@MSN composites were prepared. They showed amplified SERS activity, attributed to the depressed plasmonic decay due to electromagnetic field enhancement and the electron transfer mechanism. A positive relationship was established between SERS signals of composites and the SEC concentration. An additive-free SERS immunoassay was developed for simple, sensitive, and reproducible SEC detection. This study will be extended to develop multiple additive-free SERS-active plasmonic NP/perovskite composites that will open up the possibility of exploring more SERS detection probes for food safety monitoring.

Development of Immediate Release Tablets Containing Calcium Lactate Synthetized from Black Sea Mussel Shells

Nowadays, the use of marine by-products as precursor materials has gained great interest in the extraction and production of chemical compounds with suitable properties and possible pharmaceutical applications. The present paper presents the development of a new immediate release tablet containing calcium lactate obtained from Black Sea mussel shells. Compared with other calcium salts, calcium lactate has good solubility and bioavailability. In the pharmaceutical preparations, calcium lactate was extensively utilized as a calcium source for preventing and treating calcium deficiencies. The physical and chemical characteristics of synthesized calcium lactate were evaluated using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis and thermal analysis. Further, the various pharmacotechnical properties of the calcium lactate obtained from mussel shells were determined in comparison with an industrial used direct compressible Calcium lactate DC (PURACAL^®). The obtained results suggest that mussel shell by-products are suitable for the development of chemical compounds with potential applications in the pharmaceutical domain.

Unveiling the Nature of Light-Triggered Hole Traps in Lead Halide Perovskites: A Study with Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory

Structural variations of lead halide perovskites (LHPs) upon light illumination play an important role in their photovoltaic applications. However, density functional theory (DFT)-based simulations have often been performed to unveil the nature of defects in LHPs without light illumination. So far, the nature of traps in LHPs triggered by the light remains largely unexplored. In this work, hole traps induced by the halogen interstitial in LHPs are studied by combining DFT and time-dependent DFT approaches, the latter of which treats electron-hole and electron-nuclei interactions on the same footing. Both a semilocal exchange functional and hybrid functional are adopted to relax the ground-state and excited-state geometries followed by the calculations of energy levels of hole traps. The effect of the self-interaction corrections on the light-triggered geometric deformation and the electronic structure of hole traps is analyzed. Relaxation energies that correspond to the light-triggered geometric deformation are also calculated with different functionals. The relationship between the hole traps and light-triggered geometric variations are then explored.

Significance of the Chemical Environment of an Element in Nonadiabatic Molecular Dynamics: Feature Selection and Dimensionality Reduction with Machine Learning

Using supervised and unsupervised machine learning (ML) on features generated from nonadiabatic (NA) molecular dynamics (MD) trajectories under the classical path approximation, we demonstrate that mutual information with the NA Hamiltonian can be used for feature selection and model simplification. Focusing on CsPbI₃, a popular metal halide perovskite, we observe that the chemical environment of a single element is sufficient for predicting the NA Hamiltonian. The conclusion applies even to Cs, although Cs does not contribute to the relevant wave functions. Interatomic distances between Cs and I or Pb and the octahedral tilt angle are the most important features. We reduce a typical 360-parameter ML force-field model to just a 12-parameter NA Hamiltonian model, while maintaining a high NA-MD simulation quality. Because NA-MD is a valuable tool for studying excited state processes, overcoming its high computational cost through simple ML models will streamline NA-MD simulations and expand the ranges of accessible system size and simulation time.

Biological and antimicrobial properties of the association Ambroxol and a water-soluble viscous liquid as a vehicle for a tricalcium silicate-based sealer

This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial and biological properties of Ambroxol associated with glycerin (GLI), propylene glycol (PG), and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a possible vehicle for an experimental tricalcium silicate sealer, with the intention of developing a new biomaterial. Mouse undifferentiated dental pulp cells (OD-21) were cultured, and the effects of different association on cell proliferation and inflammatory cytokine production were investigated. Antimicrobial adhesion of Enterococcus faecalis to setting sealers at 2 h was evaluated. Polyethylene tubes containing experimental sealers and empty tubes were implanted into dorsal connective tissues of 12 male 3- to 4-months-old Wistar rats (250-280 g). After 7 and 30 days, the tubes were removed and processed for histological and immunohistochemical analyses. ANOVA followed by Bonferroni correction and ANOVA followed by Tukey test was used for parametric data and Kruskal-Wallis followed by Dunn for nonparametric (p < 0.05). Cell proliferation was dose-dependent, since all association were cytotoxic at higher concentrations; however, Ambroxol-PEG showed significantly higher cytotoxicity than other association (p < 0.05). In addition, irrespective of the association, no cytokine production was observed in vitro. Ambroxol-GLI reduced bacterial viability, whereas Ambroxol-PEG increased (p < 0.05). Histological examination showed no significant difference in the inflammatory response (p > 0.05) and mineralization ability in all association. Additionally, IL-1β and TNF-α were upregulated on Ambroxol-PEG in relation to Control at 07 days (p < 0.05). Ambroxol-GLI was the best vehicle for experimental tricalcium silicate sealer, as it promoted an increase in antimicrobial activity without altering the inflammatory response or mineralization ability.

Well-Orientation Strategy Biosynthesis of Cefuroxime-Silver Nanoantibiotic for Reinforced Biodentine™ and Its Dental Application against Streptococcus mutans

Dental caries results from the bacterial pathogen Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and is the maximum critical reason for caries formation. Consequently, the present study aims to evaluate the antibacterial activity of a newly synthesized nanoantibiotic-Biodentine formulation. The silver nanoparticles (ROE-AgNPs) were biosynthesized from the usage of Rosmarinus officinalis L. extract (ROE) and conjugated with cefuroxime to form Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs. Using Biodentine™ (BIOD), five groups of dental materials were prepared, in which Group A included conventional BIOD, Group B included BIOD with ROE-AgNPs, Groups C and D included BIOD with Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs at concentrations of 0.5% and 1.5% cefuroxime, respectively, and Group E included BIOD with 1.5% cefuroxime. The synthesized ROE-AgNPs or Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs were characterized for conjugating efficiency, morphology, particle size, and in vitro release. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the cefuroxime, ROE-AgNPs, and Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs were additionally evaluated against cefuroxime resistant S. mutans, which furthered antibacterial efficacy of the five groups of dental materials. The UV-Visible spectrum showed the ROE-AgNPs or Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs peaks and their formation displayed through transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, and Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) analysis. The end result of Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs showed conjugating efficiency up to 79%. Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs displayed the highest antibacterial efficacy against S. mutans as compared to cefuroxime or ROE-AgNPs alone. Moreover, the MIC of ROE-AgNPs and Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs was detected against S. mutans to be 25 and 8.5 μg/mL, respectively. Consequently, Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs displayed that a decrease in the MIC reached to more than three-fold less than MIC of ROE-AgNPs on the tested strain. Moreover, Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs/BIOD was employed as a novel dental material that showed maximum antimicrobial activity. Groups C and D of novel materials showed inhibitory zones of 19 and 26 mm, respectively, against S. mutans and showed high antimicrobial rates of 85.78% and 91.17%, respectively. These data reinforce the utility of conjugating cefuroxime with ROE-AgNPs to retrieve its efficiency against resistant S. mutant. Moreover, the nanoantibiotic delivered an advantageous antibacterial effect to BIOD, and this may open the door for future conjugation therapy of dental materials against bacteria that cause dental caries.

Super Tough and Spontaneous Water-Assisted Autonomous Self-Healing Elastomer for Underwater Wearable Electronics

Self-healing soft electronic material composition is crucial to sustain the device long-term durability. The fabrication of self-healing soft electronics exposed to high moisture environment is a significant challenge that has yet to be fully achieved. This paper presents the novel concept of a water-assisted room-temperature autonomous self-healing mechanism based on synergistically dynamic covalent Schiff-based imine bonds with hydrogen bonds. The supramolecular water-assisted self-healing polymer (WASHP) films possess rapid self-healing kinetic behavior and high stretchability due to a reversible dissociation-association process. In comparison with the pristine room-temperature self-healing polymer, the WASHP demonstrates favorable mechanical performance at room temperature and a short self-healing time of 1 h; furthermore, it achieves a tensile strain of 9050%, self-healing efficiency of 95%, and toughness of 144.2 MJ m-3 . As a proof of concept, a versatile WASHP-based light-emitting touch-responsive device (WASHP-LETD) and perovskite quantum dot (PeQD)-based white LED backlight are designed. The WASHP-LETD has favorable mechanical deformation performance under pressure, bending, and strain, whereas the WASHP-PeQDs exhibit outstanding long-term stability even over a period exceeding one year in a boiling water environment. This paper provides a mechanically robust approach for producing eco-friendly, economical, and waterproof e-skin device components.

Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals with Enhanced Water Stability for Upconversion Imaging in a Living Cell

Halide perovskite nanomaterials are widely used in optoelectronics and photonics due to their outstanding luminescent properties, whereas their strong multiphoton absorption makes them prospective for bioimaging. Nonetheless, instability of perovskites in aqueous solutions is an important limitation that prevents their application in biology and medicine. Here, we demonstrate fluorescence and upconversion imaging in living cells by employing CsPbBr₃ nanocrystals (NCs) that show an improved water-resistance (at least for 24 h) after their coating as individual particles with various silica-based shells. The obtained phTEOS-TMOS@CsPbBr₃ NCs possess high quality, which we confirm with high-resolution transmission and scanning transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier-transform infrared and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopies, as well as with fluorescence optical microscopy. The developed platform can make the halide perovskite NCs suitable for various bioimaging applications.

Performance and Dry Matter Accumulation of Groundnut in an Ultisol Amended with Phosphorus and Lime

&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; Adequate yield improvement in groundnut may not be achieved in acid sand Ultisol through the application of mineral phosphorus alone, however, a combined application of lime and phosphorus fertilizer may be a better management option in such soils. Hence, this study evaluated the effects of four levels of lime (0, 2.0, 4.0 and 8.0 t ha&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;) and four phosphorus (P) levels (0, 25, 50 and 75 kg ha&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;) on the performance of groundnut (&lt;i&gt;Arachis hypogaea &lt;/i&gt;L.) in the humid rainforest of South Eastern Nigeria. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; The study was a factorial experiment laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and consisted of sixteen treatment combinations replicated three times each. &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; The result obtained showed that the application of phosphorus fertilizer and lime had a significant (p<0.05) effect on plant height, number of leaves per plant, number of branches per plant, 75 kg ha&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; P and 8.0 t ha&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; lime resulted in the highest growth parameter. Similarly, 75 kg ha&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; P and 8.0 t ha&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; lime significantly improved the number of pods per plant 30.67, pod yield 3.58 t ha&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;, biomass yield of 4.68 t ha&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;, seed yield of 2.1 t ha&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; and 100 seed weight of 44.58 g, seed yield of groundnut while curtailing the number of unfilled pods 2.33. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; Application of phosphorus and lime at 75 kg ha&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; P and 8.0 t ha&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; lime is a beneficial agronomic practice that could enhance the productivity of groundnut in the Calabar rainforest zone of Cross River State.