Optical properties of amorphous Se_65−xAs₃₅Sb_x thin films with different compositions (x = 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 at%) deposited by evaporation technique have been investigated by measuring transmission (T) and reflection (R) in the wavelength range 400–2500 nm. An optical characterization method for uniform films based on Swanepoel’s method has been employed to extract the refractive index n and film thickness d, with high precision (better than 1%). The calculated thickness for all thin films was about 1 µm. In addition, the absorption coefficient was evaluated in the strong absorption region of T and R. The possible optical transition in these films is found to be allowed indirect transition with energy gap  decreases from 1.72 to 1.53 eV with increasing Sb content at expense of Se. The chemical bond approach has been applied to explain the decrease of the optical gap with increasing Sb content …

Vol.:(0123456789) Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics (2020) 31: 10941 https://doi. org/10.1007/s10854-020-03240-x RETRACTED ARTICLE: Synthesis and characterization of Mn‑doped CdS‑diluted magnetic semiconductor nanoparticles AA Gadalla1· AN Aboelkhir1· MG Mahesha2· Ashok Rao2 Received: 20 January 2020/Accepted: 10 March 2020/Published online: 29 March 2020© Springer Science+ Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020 This article [1] has been retracted at the request of the authors. After publication, the authors realized that they accidentally submitted an early draft of their previously pub-lished paper [2]. As this article reports previously published results, this article is redundant. All authors agree to this Retraction. The online version of this article contains the full text of the retracted article as electronic supplementary material.[1] Gadalla, AA, Aboelkhir, AN …

Chalcogenide glasses contain one or more chalcogen element (Se, S, Te) which produces covalent bonds with the network formers like As, Sb, Ge, etc. Because of the high atomic masses and hence the low phonon energies in these elements, the transmission range extends into infrared region making it a suitable candidate for many applications in medical imaging, telecommunication, bio-sensing, infrared waveguides, optical fibers [1-4]. These materials appear a continuous alteration in many physical properties with alteration in chemical composition [5]. Many investigations of the electrical properties [6, 7], photo-conductivity [8], glass formation [9], study of structure [10] and analysis of crystallization kinetics [11-13] of the glassy (As–Se–Sb) system have been made. To our knowledge, less detailed investigations have been performed on their optical properties. In addition, more efforts have been carried out to develop the mathematical formulation describing both the reflectance and the transmittance of different optical systems

Abstract
The current study was aimed to evaluate the effects of variable doses of the weedicide glyphosate on the ileal (the final section of the small intestine) structure of rats of both sexes, using histological, histochemical, and ultrastructural methods. Forty animals were classified into four groups of 10 animals per group (five males and five females). The first group acted as a control, and the remaining groups were treated with glyphosate-Roundup® 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg body weight daily for 15 days. The results indicated extinct histopathological changes manifested in the deformation of villi, foci of leukocytic infiltration in the core of villi, and hyperplasia of goblet cells. Histochemical examination (Alcian blue and Periodic acid–Schiff stain) revealed a strong positive reaction of goblet cells and an increase in their number in all treated groups. In addition, the immunohistochemical investigation revealed the immunoreactivity of matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression.
Furthermore, electron microscopic alternations were represented by the deformation of nuclei, destruction of microvilli, and deposition of lipid droplets. Collectively, the present findings indicate that treatment with glyphosate results in extensive morphological alternations to the ileal structure of rats of both sexes and that female rats are more affected than male rats are.

Key words: glyphosate, histopathology, ileal structure, immunohistochemistry, morphological alternations

In recent years, conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) have become important precursors for environmental and energy applications, compared with inorganic electrode materials, due to their ease of preparation, facile charge storage process, π-conjugated structures, relatively high thermal and chemical stability, abundance in nature, and high surface areas. Therefore, in this study, we designed and prepared new benzobisthiadiazole (BBT)-linked CMPs (BBT–CMPs) using a simple Sonogashira couplings reaction by reaction of 4,8-dibromobenzo(1,2-c;4,5-c′)bis(1,2,5)thiadiazole (BBT–Br₂) with ethynyl derivatives of triphenylamine (TPA-T), pyrene (Py-T), and tetraphenylethene (TPE-T), respectively, to afford TPA–BBT–CMP, Py–BBT–CMP, and TPE–BBT–CMP. The chemical structure and properties of BBT–CMPs such as surface areas, pore size, surface morphologies, and thermal stability using different measurements were discussed in detail. Among the studied BBT–CMPs, we revealed that TPE–BBT–CMP displayed high degradation temperature, up to 340 °C, with high char yield and regular, aggregated sphere based on thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Furthermore, the Py–BBT–CMP as organic electrode showed an outstanding specific capacitance of 228 F g^–1 and superior capacitance stability of 93.2% (over 2000 cycles). Based on theoretical results, an important role of BBT–CMPs, due to their electronic structure, was revealed to be enhancing the charge storage. Furthermore, all three CMP polymers featured a high conjugation system, leading to improved electron conduction and small bandgaps.

A novel simple molecular chemosensor 2 was synthesized and examined for pH, cations and anions detection. At pH values higher than 10, probe 2 switches on a green emission where the excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) is ceased. Also, the probe absorption spectrum shows a clear pH dependence, and the probe aqueous solution (ethanol/water = 1:2, borate buffer) responds selectively and sensitively through its fluorescence spectrum to the presence of Cu²⁺. Job’s plot gave a 2:1 stoichiometry of Probe-2/Cu²⁺ complex, which responds to the presence of S^2- and H₂PO₄^- in aqueous solution (ethanol/water = 1:2, borate buffer) by its absorption and fluorescence spectra. In addition, probe 2 mimics a digital comparator based on three INHIBIT logic gates by different outputs using HO^- and H⁺ as inputs. Moreover, probe 2 also executes AND and NOT TRANSFER logic gates using Cu²⁺ and S^2- as inputs. Graphic Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

In this study, an integrated suite of Remote Sensing (RS) data and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques supported by fieldwork is used to assess the sand dunes movement hazards at El-Kharga Oasis. Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data obtained from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection (ASTER) were integrated with GIS techniques to model the vulnerable locations and to study the terrain characteristics (slope angles and aspects) in the studied area. The risk assessment model output was verified with the field investigations using multi-temporal satellite images recorded between 1990 and 2019. Monthly wind roses showed that the sand drifts in the southeastern direction differed widely from one direction to another depending on the wind direction and velocity. The most important output of the spatial model’s, results was a geo-hazard map that classified the sand dunes hazard zones into low, slight, moderate, and high-risk zones. It is concluded that, the sand dunes pose a serious hazard because of their fast movement and accumulation near the monumental sites, over roads and invading the agricultural fields. The obtained results can serve as a basis for planners and decision-makers to take the necessary precautions and measures to minimize the sand dune hazard’s impact on the monumental sites (e.g., Hibis, El-Nadura, El-Ghueita and El-Zayyan), roads, and the agricultural fields at El-Kharga Oasis and lead to a sustainable development plan.