Oxidative stress and energy imbalance strongly correlate in neurodegenerative diseases. Repeated concussion is becoming a serious public health issue with uncontrollable adverse effects in the human population, which involve cognitive dysfunction and even permanent disability. Here, we demonstrate that traumatic brain injury (TBI) evokes oxidative stress, disrupts brain energy homeostasis, and boosts neuroinflammation, which further contributes to neuronal degeneration and cognitive dysfunction in the mouse brain. We also demonstrate that melatonin (an anti-oxidant agent) treatment exerts neuroprotective effects, while overcoming oxidative stress and energy depletion and reducing neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Male C57BL/6N mice were used as a model for repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (rmTBI) and were treated with melatonin. Protein expressions were examined via Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence, and ELISA; meanwhile, behavior analysis was performed through a Morris water maze test, and Y-maze and beam-walking tests. We found elevated oxidative stress, depressed phospho-5′AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) and phospho- CAMP-response element-binding (p-CREB) levels, and elevated p-NF-κB in rmTBI mouse brains, while melatonin treatment significantly regulated p-AMPK, p-CREB, and p-NF-κB in the rmTBI mouse brain. Furthermore, rmTBI mouse brains showed a deregulated mitochondrial system, abnormal amyloidogenic pathway activation, and cognitive functions which were significantly regulated by melatonin treatment in the mice. These findings provide evidence, for the first time, that rmTBI induces brain energy imbalance and reduces neuronal cell survival, and that melatonin treatment overcomes energy depletion and protects against brain damage via the regulation of p-AMPK/p-CREB signaling pathways in the mouse brain. Full article

The influence of full irrigation, double-regulated (RDI) and sustained deficit irrigation (SDI) treatments on almond quality was assessed by analyzing different parameters: sugars, organic acids, antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (TPC), and volatile compounds. Almond quality studies for plants submitted to water stress are scarce, and it is essential to understand the biochemical responses of plants to water stress in maintaining fruit yield and quality. Citric acid, sucrose, antioxidant activity, and TPC were not affected by the application of studied deficit irrigation strategies (DI). An increase in malic acid and a decrease in glucose was observed for stressed samples (T3 and T4), while a higher number of total volatiles compounds was found for moderate RDI (T2). Using deficit irrigation strategies, the almond yield and quality was not changed, and in fact, some parameters, such as glucose and key volatile compounds, slightly increased under moderate RDI. This finding might encourage farmers to implement these strategies and contribute to sustainable agriculture. Full article

The present study aims to evaluate the antiarthritic activity of diacetylcurcumin (DAC), a synthetic derivative where the free phenolic groups of curcumin are derivatized by acetylation, thereby conferring greater lipophilicity to the parent molecule and partially overcoming the limited systemic bioavailability of curcumin. Antiarthritic activity was evaluated on a Freund’s complete adjuvant (FCA)-induced murine model of arthritis. Oral administration of DAC (60 and 120 mg/kg) resulted in a significant inhibition of inflammation in the acute and chronic phases, respectively, demonstrating an improved and sustained anti-inflammatory effect, comparable to that of curcumin (150 mg/kg) in the chronic stage at a lower dose. Phenylbutazone (80 mg/kg) was used as a reference drug. The pharmacological consequence of DAC or curcumin treatment is the prevention of secondary lesions commonly associated with this biological model. Full article

Plates (37 mm thick) of 6005A-T6 aluminum alloy were butt joined by a single-sided and double-sided friction stir welding (FSW). The 3D residual stresses in the joints were determined using neutron diffraction. The microstructures were characterized by a transmission electron microscope (TEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). In the single-sided FSW specimen, there were acceptable mechanical properties with a tensile strength of 74.4% of base metal (BM) and low residual stresses with peak magnitudes of approximately 37.5% yield strength of BM were achieved. The hardness is related to the grain size of the nugget zone (NZ), and in this study, precipitations were dissolved due to the high heat input. In the double-sided FSW specimen, there were good mechanical properties with a tensile strength of 80.8% of BM, but high residual stresses with peak magnitudes of approximately 70% yield strength of BM were obtained. The heat input by the second pass provided an aging environment for the first-pass weld zone where the dissolved phases were precipitated and residual stresses were relaxed. Full article

Makeup chemistries have evolved over the recent years and have become more long-wearing, waterproof and difficult to remove. Thus, many changes have occurred among products designed to remove makeup. Specifically, the facial cleansing/makeup remover wipes category is challenged to establish new strategies and adapt to the changing consumer needs and the evolving competitive landscape. A global product category review can provide the upfront understanding necessary to establish fundamental knowledge. That knowledge can in turn be leveraged when developing future products. A customized descriptive analysis method was applied to address the unique challenges of the category. The method leveraged existing methods and was augmented with new descriptive modalities, specific to the unique developments in the category. A total of seventy-one attributes were identified that spanned visual and tactile cues of the wipes, cleansing performance cues during use, as well as skin look and feel attributes after use. Thirteen facial cleansing/makeup remover wipes from global markets were selected for testing based on commercial and historical insights. Three sensorial perceptual maps were generated displaying the profiles of the thirteen products in three areas of product properties—visual and tactile, cleaning performance, and skin look and feel. These study results combined with existing consumer insights helped the R&D team to establish strategies to guide product development for this category. Full article

Vesicles have recently found widespread use in applications such as conditioning of textiles, paper and hair, as well as transdermal drug delivery. The mode of treatment in several such cases involves the application of droplets of aqueous dispersions of vesicles onto dry porous substrates like paper and textiles. One of the factors which affects the performance of such treatments is the rate at which the droplets spread and imbibe on the porous substrate. Depending upon the specific purpose of the treatment either a fast or slow droplet spreading kinetics could be desired. Therefore, it is important to have a good understanding of the droplet spreading process and the factors which influence it. In this work, an experimental investigation of the simultaneous spreading and imbibition of vesicle dispersion droplets on cellulose filter papers is carried out. Two different types of vesicles which are composed of similar lipid molecules but exhibit contrasting lipid bilayer phase behavior are used. Two different grades of filter papers with comparable porosities but different thicknesses are used as porous substrate. It is found that the droplet spreading behavior is of the “complete wetting” type on the thicker porous substrate, whereas it is of the “partial wetting” type on the thinner substrate. Furthermore, it is observed that the spreading of droplets containing vesicles with liquid-crystalline phase bilayers occurs faster than that of vesicles with solid-gel phase bilayers. The secondary radial penetration which commences after the initial droplet spreading is complete is also investigated and discussed. Full article

Algal bloom significantly alters the physicochemical properties of water due to drastic pH change, dissolved oxygen depletion/super-saturation, and toxicity, which lead to ecosystem destruction. To prevent this, this study evaluated the reduction performance of algal biomass by applying a non-thermal or cold plasma process. We used chlorophyll-a (chl-a), suspended solids (SS), and turbidity as indicators of the biomass. Results demonstrated that their removal efficiencies were in the ranges 88–98%, 70%–90%, and 53%–91%, respectively. Field emission scanning electron microscopy indicated how the cell wall of microalgae was destroyed by cold plasma. Also, the removal kinetics of cold plasma confirmed the enhanced removal rate constants. The estimated required times for 99% removal were 0.4–1.2 d (chl-a), 1.3–3.4 d (SS), and 1.6–6.2 d (turbidity), respectively. Overall, cold plasma could be a useful option to effectively treat pollution associated with algal bloom in surface water. Full article

The molecular structure of alkali metal rosmarinates was studied in comparison to rosmarinic acid using FT-IR, FT-Raman, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, as well as density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) method was used to calculate optimized geometrical structures of studied compounds, atomic charges, dipole moments, energies, as well as the wavenumbers and intensities of the bands in vibrational and NMR spectra. Theoretical parameters were compared to experimental data. Antioxidant activity was determined using two spectrophotometric methods: (i) Assessing the ability to scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) stable radical and (ii) assay of antioxidant power of ferric ions reducing (FRAP). The linear correlations were found between HOMO–LUMO (highest occupied molecular orbital–lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) energy gap and the reducing power expressed as FRAP (R = 0.77) as well as between IC₅₀ values (the ability of quenching DPPH radicals) and Δν_as-s(COO) in IR spectra (differences between asymmetric and symmetric stretching vibrations bands) (R = 0.99). Photochemical properties of studied compounds were also evaluated. The influence of alkali metal on the electronic system of the rosmarinic acid molecule was discussed. Full article

The present work discusses the effect of CeO₂ synthesis method (thermal decomposition (TD), precipitation (PT), hydrothermal (HT), and sol-gel (SG)) on the carbon pathways of dry reforming of methane with carbon dioxide (DRM) applied at 750 °C over 5 wt% Ni/CeO₂. In particular, specific transient and isotopic experiments (use of ¹³CO, ¹³CO₂, and ¹⁸O₂) were designed and conducted in an attempt at providing insights about the effect of support’s preparation method on the concentration (mg g_cat⁻¹), reactivity towards oxygen, and transient evolution rates (μmol g_cat⁻¹ s⁻¹) of the inactive carbon formed under (i) CH₄/He (methane decomposition), (ii) CO/He (reverse Boudouard reaction), and (iii) the copresence of the two (CH₄/CO/He, use of ¹³CO). Moreover, important information regarding the relative contribution of CH₄ and CO₂ activation routes towards carbon formation under DRM reaction conditions was derived by using isotopically labelled ¹³CO₂ in the feed gas stream. Of interest was also the amount, and the transient rate, of carbon removal via the participation of support’s labile active oxygen species. Full article

In aluminum deoxidized medium manganese steel, spinel inclusions are easily to form during refining, and such inclusions will deteriorate the toughness of the medium manganese steel. Rare earth inclusions have a smaller hardness, and their thermal expansion coefficients are similar to that of steel. They can avoid large stress concentrations around inclusions during the heat treatment of steel, which is beneficial for improving the toughness of steel. Therefore, rare earth Ce is usually used to modify spinel inclusions in steel. In order to clarify the modification mechanism of spinel inclusions in medium manganese steel with Ce treatment, high-temperature simulation experiments were carried out. Samples were taken step by step during the experimental steel smelting process, and the inclusions in the samples were analyzed by SEM-EDS. Finally, the experimental results were discussed and analyzed in combination with thermodynamic calculations. The results show that after Ce treatment, the amount of inclusions decrease, the inclusion size is basically less than 5 μm, and the spinel inclusions are transformed into rare earth inclusions. After Ce addition, Mn and Mg in the spinel inclusions are first replaced by Ce, and the spinel structure is destroyed to form CeAlO₃. When the O content in the steel is low, S in the steel will replace the O in the inclusion, and CeAlO₃ and spinel inclusions will be transformed into Ce₂O₂S. By measuring the total oxygen content of the steel, the total Ce content required for complete modification of spinel inclusions can be obtained. Finally, the critical conditions for the formation and transformation of inclusions in the Fe-Mn-Al-Mg-Ce-O-S system at 1873K were obtained according to thermodynamic calculations. Full article

Photocatalysis provides an attractive strategy for synthesizing H₂O₂ at ambient condition. However, the photocatalytic synthesis of H₂O₂ is still limited due to the inefficiency of photocatalysts and decomposition of H₂O₂ during formation. Here, we report SnO₂-TiO₂ heterojunction photocatalysts for synthesizing H₂O₂ directly in aqueous solution. The SnO₂ passivation suppresses the complexation and decomposition of H₂O₂ on TiO₂. In addition, loading of Au cocatalyst on SnO₂-TiO₂ heterojunction further improves the production of H₂O₂. The in situ electron spin resonance study revealed that the formation of H₂O₂ is a stepwise single electron oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for Au and SnO₂ modified TiO₂ photocatalysts. We demonstrate that it is feasible to enhance H₂O₂ formation and suppress H₂O₂ decomposition by surface passivation of the H₂O₂-decomposition-sensitive photocatalysts. Full article

This manuscript contains the development of a one-point family of iterative functions. The family has optimal convergence of a second-order according to the Kung-Traub conjecture. This family is used to approximate the multiple zeros of nonlinear equations, and is based on the procedure of weight functions. The convergence behavior is discussed by showing some essential conditions of the weight function. The well-known modified Newton method is a member of the proposed family for particular choices of the weight function. The dynamical nature of different members is presented by using a technique called the “basin of attraction”. Several practical problems are given to compare different methods of the presented family. Full article