Recently, optical simulation has attracted more attention in different thin film applications. Each layer’s thickness and refractive index are the most essential simulation parameters. This paper discusses and fits the refractive index of aluminum nitride at different geometrical and physical conditions over a wide wavelength range for optical simulations. This study simplifies the use of aluminum nitride in thin film-simulated applications and devices. Plotted curves and fitted equations with MATLAB scripts for aluminum nitride refractive indices at different conditions will be provided to minimize modeling errors.

These days environmental pollutants have become a serious threat to our existence. It has a fast and large entrance to various living and nonliving environmental elements and to the human food chain. One of the most universal environmental pollutants is microplastics. Microplastics are dangerous hazards resulting from the degradation of plastic polymers. It has very small size that helps it to alter the biology of cell proteins and gene expressions, retard brain development, cause unusual feeding behavior, slow cell growth, inflammations, slow cell metabolism, and decrease respiration rates. Although many environmental removal strategies were investigated, biological removal of microplastics is still the best safe, low cost, and ecofriendly strategy for microplastic removal applied under various extreme conditions. Several types of microorganisms like algae, bacteria, and fungi were utilized in the bioremediation process with specific conditions. In this chapter, we will discuss the possible bioremediation strategies of microplastics by bacteria, algae, and fungi. Also, the factors affecting the bioremediation efficiency and the microbial mechanisms are included in the bioremediation process.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy in women globally. Significant progress has been made in developing structural nanoparticles (NPs) and formulations for targeted smart drug delivery (SDD) of pharmaceuticals, improving the precision of tumor cell targeting in therapy.

Significance

Magnetic hyperthermia (MHT) treatment using magneto-liposomes (MLs) has emerged as a promising adjuvant cancer therapy.

Methods

CoFe₂O₄ magnetic NPs (MNPs) were conjugated with nanoliposomes to form MLs, and the anticancer drug quercetin (Que) was loaded into MLs, forming Que-MLs composites for antitumor approach. The aim was to prepare Que-MLs for DD systems (DDS) under an alternating magnetic field (AMF), termed chemotherapy/hyperthermia (chemo-HT) techniques. The encapsulation efficiency (EE), drug loading capacity (DL), and drug release (DR) of Que and Que-MLs were …

Cadmium (Cd) is a dangerous heavy metal that is non-degradable in the environment. Many organs can accumulate Cd
and adversely affect organ function and health. Cd is considered as a teratogenic and embryotoxic agent. This study aims
to evaluate the teratogenicity of Cd at concentrations lesser than the permissible and its effects on the heart during chick
embryogenesis. Fertilized eggs of the chick Gallus domesticus were divided into; control, saline injected and four experimental
groups injected with single doses of 5, 25, 50 or 75 μM of CdCl2.
Histological observations of the heart before hatching
and the cardiomyocytes after hatching were recorded. Morphometric measurements of heart chambers were achieved at 3,
4 and 6 days of incubation. Electrocardiograph and respiratory rate were recorded at tenth day. Different cardiac problems
had been brought on by Cd. In comparison to controls, the heart looked much larger, and in certain cases, growth retardation
was seen. Degeneration in heart walls and malformations of dorsal aorta were noticed. Morphometrically, the width and wall
thickness of heart chambers showed significant changes. Heart beats and respiratory rate significantly decreased compared to
control. The cardiotoxic effect of Cd on heart compartments structure and function was dose dependent. One of Cd toxicity
is its ability to induce cellular oxidative stress. The heart in particular is sensitive to oxidative stress. Cardiac oxidative stress
might intensify heart failure and promote disease progression. Calcium is one of the components that is needed for normal
heart work. Cd might interfere with calcium metabolism by removing it from the body.

Introduction: Arsenic is a standout amongst the most lethal metals
derived from the natural environment. The major reason for human arsenic
toxicity is tainting of drinking water. Arsenic trioxide is inorganic arsenic
that is classified by the US Environmental Protection Agency as a known
human carcinogen. Aim: Illustration of morphological and histological
effects of arsenic trioxide on mice offspring. Methods: Adult female albino
mice were divided into five groups: Control, negative control treated with
Hcl (arsenic trioxide solvent), and three groups daily treated orally with
different doses of arsenic trioxide (0.3, 0.7 and 1 mg/kg). Offspring of 21
day old mice were morphologically examined, weighed and morphometric
measurements were carried out. Liver and kidney were histopathologically
examined. Results: Data showed a significant decrease in body weight and
crown rump length in the arsenic high dose treated group and a significant
decrease in head circumference, thigh and a significant increase in foot
length of all treated groups. Statistics revealed a significant increase in tail
measurements with the lowest dose, while the higher doses showed a
significant decrease. Severe degenerative histopathological changes in
different treatments were also observed. Discussion: Exposure of mice
embryos to arsenic trioxide before and during pregnancy-induced
morphological and histological abnormalities. It is suggested that the
inhibitory effects of arsenic trioxide on embryonic development and body
measurement might be attributed to elevating proapoptotic and decreasing
antiapoptotic gene activity. The increase of foot and tail measurements in
some cases might be explained as a result of increased proliferation rate and
mutation in developing systems.

Algal biomass is a promising renewable feedstock for biofuel production that does not compete with food crops or require complex pretreatment like lignocellulosic biomass. This study examined biofuel production from two algae: Alkalinema pantanalense (cyanobacteria) and Chlorella vulgaris (green alga). Although there was no significant difference in their biomass, A. pantanalense showed a higher carbohydrate content (204.96 mg L⁻¹) than C. vulgaris (156.07 mg L⁻¹). To maximize reducing sugar release, three pretreatments were tested: thermotacidic, biological using the new fungal isolate Trichoderma longibrachiatum, and biological with nanoparticles. Biological pretreatment with MgZn ferrite nanoparticles (MZF-nps) at 60 mg L⁻¹ concentration gave the best results, significantly enhancing cellulase, β-glucosidase and filter paper cellulase activities by 20.94 % (A. pantanalense) and 18.63 % (C. vulgaris). For biohydrogen production, the co-culture of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter cloacae resulted in faster fermentation and improved hydrogen evolution compared to individual cultures. A. pantanalense and C. vulgaris yields were 35.1 mL g⁻¹ and 26.6 mL g⁻¹ dry weight, with maximal cumulative production of 2478 mL L⁻¹ and 1845 mL L⁻¹, respectively. Optimized Saccharomyces cerevisiae bioethanol fermentation conditions included 72 h incubation, 5 % inoculum, 30 °C, pH 5 under shaking condition, yielded 11.2 g L⁻¹ (A. pantanalense) and 7.2 g L⁻¹ (C. vulgaris). Furthermore, MZF-nps hydrolysate significantly increased bioethanol production, by 4.2-fold (A. pantanalense) to 32.45 g L⁻¹ and 3.48-fold (C. vulgaris) to 28.6 g L⁻¹, compared to thermoacidic pretreatment. In summary, biological pretreatment demonstrates the potential of algal biomass as a renewable feedstock for sustainable biofuel production.

Some physiological effects of dietary onion  Allium cepa and garlic  Allium sativum  in alloxan-diabetic mice

Prophylactic effect of fenugreek seeds on some physiological and histological criteria in fish (Clarias gariepinus) treated with glucose and alloxan.

STUDIES ON THE HISTOPATHOLOGY AND OXIDATIVE STRESS OF SOME ORGANS OF MICE INFECTED WITH TOXASCARIS LEONINA (LISTOW, 1902) (NEMATODA)