In this study, we successfully used the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction to prepare three novel conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) that include tetraphenylethene (TPE): TPE-Ph-Th, TPE-Ph-Tha, and TPE-Ph-BSu. Using methods like FTIR and solid-state NMR, we examined the chemical composition and functional groups in the TPE-Ph CMPs. The TPE-Ph-BSu CMP's thermal characteristics were also examined, and they showed remarkable features with a decomposition temperature (T_d10) of 535 °C and a char yield of 73 wt%. We also looked at TPE-Ph-Th CMP, which had a pore size of 2.0 nm and a surface area (S_BET) of 67 m² g⁻¹. We carried out photoluminescence (PL) and electrochemical investigations to evaluate the potential of TPE-Ph CMPs for supercapacitor applications and their capability to detect p-nitrophenol (PNP). According to our electrochemical investigation, the TPE-Ph-Tha and TPE-Ph-BSu CMPs both exhibited exceptional capacitance, reaching 51 and 52 F g⁻¹ at a current density of 0.5 A g⁻¹, respectively. Furthermore, even after 5000 cycles, these CMPs still retained 80% of their capacitance, demonstrating their remarkable capacitance retention. In conclusion, synthetic TPE-Ph CMPs have several benefits, including outstanding electrochemical performance and thermal stability. Additionally, they successfully detect PNP using fluorescence-based sensing without interference, making them adaptable materials suited for a variety of applications, including the detection of pollutants (as PNP has shown) and the usage of supercapacitors.

The development of biodegradable and active cellulosic-based heterogeneous catalysts for the synthesis of different organic compounds would be attractive in pharmaceutical and petrochemical-related industries. Herein, a post-sulfonated composite of one-pot synthesized magnetite (Fe₃O₄) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) was used as an effective and easily separable heterogeneous catalyst for activating the Knoevenagel and Thorpe–Ziegler reactions. The composite was developed hydrothermally from microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), iron chlorides, urea, and hydrochloric acid at 180 °C for 20 h in a one-pot reaction. After collecting the magnetic CNCs (MCNCs), post-sulfonation was performed using chlorosulfonic acid (ClSO₃H) in DMF at room temperature producing sulfonated MCNCs (SMCNCs). The results confirmed the presence of sulfonated Fe₃O₄ and CNCs with a hydrodynamic size of 391 nm (±25). The presence of cellulose was beneficial for preventing Fe₃O₄ oxidation or the formation of agglomerations without requiring the presence of capping agents, organic solvents, or an inert environment. The SMCNC catalyst was applied to activate the Knoevenagel condensation and the Thorpe–Ziegler reaction with determining the optimal reaction conditions. The presence of the SMCNC catalyst facilitated these transformations under green procedures, which enabled us to synthesize a new series of olefins and thienopyridines, and the yields of some isolated olefins and thienopyridines were up to 99% and 95%, respectively. Besides, the catalyst was stable for five cycles without a significant decrease in its reactivity, and the mechanistic routes of both reactions on the SMCNCs were postulated.

The interest in applying plasma catalysis for various applications is significantly growing; therefore, a rapid discovery and optimization of catalysts in the plasma system is highly demanded. In this study, a new operando infrared (IR) thermography system was developed for high-throughput screening of the catalytic reactivity in ozone-assisted oxidation under realistic operating conditions. In the developed system, the gas flow was maintained under laminar conditions in a flow-through catalyst bed using a porous disc, and the enthalpy of the system was directly correlated with the catalyst activity. The performance of the developed system was confirmed for ozone decomposition and CO oxidation over different metal loaded-TiO₂ catalysts at wide operating parameters. Among four metals tested, Ag exhibited the highest activity for both ozone decomposition and CO oxidation, and its loading amount clearly corresponded with the CO oxidation rate and temperature increase measured by the operando IR thermography. Meanwhile, Mn had poor activity for CO oxidation, despite its high activity for ozone decomposition. Therefore, the operando IR thermography provided a rapid screening and deep understanding of catalysts for ozone-assisted oxidation. Unlike conventional point temperature measurements, IR thermography provides a two-dimensional temperature distribution in the catalyst, which can be sensitive in detecting undesirable “hot-spot” formation. Hence, the developed system can be used as a tool for reaction engineering and catalyst design and development.

At two distinctive habitats, the chlorophyll contents (Chl.), its thermostability (CSI) and some metabolic substances in four shrubs were studied. The obtained results revealed that, the Chl. content, Chl. a/b ratio and CSI were variables among the investigated species in response to seasonality, habitat, species and their interactions. Generally, the low Chl. contents were accompanied by an increased in CSI. Statistically, the single factors and their interactions had significant effects on the investigated constituents of plants with some exceptions. It was found that, the seasonality was greatly affected the Chlb, Chl. a/b ratio and total chlorophyll. The species factor had a major role on the Chla and CSI. The same was true in case of the rest constituents in plant tissues, whereas the habitat factor had a dominant role on Mg+2. The results showed that the C. procera was the highest in chlorophyll stability to heat and the lowest in the amount of chlorophyll, and vice versa was in the O. europaea plant. The correlations between CSI and free amino acids were significantly positive. Also, the Chl. contents were positively correlated with soluble sugars. Within species, the specific correlations between different chlorophyll parameters and other components in plant tissues were discussed.

The huge applications of cellulosic and lignocellulosic materials in the various fields of life lead to accumulation of its wastes that became one of the major sources of environmental pollution. In this study, a Gram-positive cellulose-decomposing endophytic bacterium (Chi-04) was isolated from medicinal plant Chiliadenus montanus which inhabitant Saint Catherine (Sinai) region in Egypt. The bacterial strain was identified based on the sequence analysis of 16S rRNA genes as Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus. This isolate was capable of degrading 58% of cellulosic filter paper (100 g/l) within 15 days of incubation. The soluble and reduced sugars were spectrophotometrically determined as cellulose decomposition metabolites. The bacterial isolate exhibited an obvious activity toward cellulase enzyme production. The maximum cellulase activity (0.18 U/min) was detected after 12 days of incubation while the …

To discriminate the specific response of ion toxicity versus osmotic stress on altering leaf solute contents, contributing of organic and/or inorganic components in osmotic adjustment and its reflection on plant performances under ionic and osmotic stresses, two cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) cultivars, Giza 90 and Giza 83, were subjected to iso-osmotic concentration (–0.57 and–1.05 MPa) created by; NaCl, KCl and polyethylene glycol-6000. The three used osmotica altered seedling length, chlorophyll, leaf dry weight, relative water content, organic and inorganic solutes and proline. Contribution of organic solutes to osmotic adjustment tittered among the two cultivars, it was higher in PEG˃ KCl˃ NaCl in Giza 83, suggesting that the character of osmotic adjustment via salt attuned to high yield with moderate ion toxicity is effectively achieved by KCl than NaCl. At high-stress intensities, regardless to cultivar, the salt stress-induced nutritional imbalance, leaf chlorosis than osmotic stress that could be attributed to specific ion toxicity, not to osmotic stress of salt. In salt sensible cultivar only NaCl, among different osmotica, reduced leaf K+ content implying that avoidance of Na-induced K+ deficiency in leaf might stimulate salt tolerance in cotton. In our study, the capacity of plants to regulate their metabolic and physiological functions had superiority in water stress tolerance rather than osmotic adjustment.

The outstanding role of spermine in eliciting defense adaptation of soybean to different levels of water deficit (0, -0.1, -0.5 and -1.1 MPa) was investigated by determining the changes in growth, photosynthetic pigments, osmolytes, water relations, and antioxidants. All the studied traits clearly revealed cultivar-dependent variation in response to water deficit where cv. Giza 111 was tolerant and cv. Giza 21 was sensitive. Both cultivars came in agreement that photosynthetic limitation (chlorophylls reduction) was the troubling shot induced by water deficit. Such limitation was reflected on three directions (a) disturbances of water relations (stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, relative water content and water use efficiency), (b) down regulation of metabolites which affect osmotic adjustment and (c) elevated reactive oxygen species (increased hydrogen peroxide) and destruction of membrane stability (increment of …

The population acceleration and better lifestyle submit new challenges for wheat researchers to breed wheat (Triticum sativum) cultivars with upgraded yield, quality, and resistance against abiotic stresses such as drought, so exploiting all available natural relatives of cultivated wheat and introducing even sensitive ones may be a useful approach to save time and efforts. Normally, the seedling stage is highly drought vulnerable, but for sensitive cultivars, the situation is more frustrating. We examine the potentiality of two regulating hormones in the upregulation of two wheat cultivars varying in their drought susceptibility at the seedling stage comparatively evaluated by morpho-physiological traits as indicators of drought tolerance. All the studied traits revealed cultivar-dependent variation in response to water deficit where cv. Sids 1 was tolerant and cv. Beni-suef 5 was sensitive. Shoot/root ratio, total water content, total dry weight, chlorophyll stability, total osmotic potential, osmoregulatory components, viz., soluble carbohydrates, soluble proteins and proline, membrane damage trait in terms of LOX, antioxidant defense system enzymatically in terms of APX, CAT, POD, SOD, and total antioxidant as drought tolerance indicators were the troubling shot due to water shortage in both cultivars. The damaging impacts of water deficit on these traits were conceived for sensitive cultivar compared with the tolerant one. Exogenous application of jasmonic acid (JA) or kinetin (K) efficiently conferred drought tolerance to sensitive cultivar to withstand harsh conditions in earlier stages and to perform comparably with tolerant ones. Applied hormones prompted unequivocal inversion from a state of downregulation to upregulation regarding all drought tolerance traits via reallocation of photoassimilates to vegetative sinks, thus promoting growth, increasing the accumulation of some osmoregulation compounds and thus increased tissue vigor and regulated the activity of antioxidant enzymes as well as morphological modulation attained by the restoration of shoot/root ratio. The results would promisingly be supportive of research programs seeking to develop anti-drought stress practices for sensitive wheat cultivars.

Potassium use efficiency (KUE) in faba bean production is often low, and the luxury of fertilization has negative environmental impacts. The current study aims to reduce the recommended dose of potassium (K) for faba bean by potassium solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and humic acid (HA). The studied treatments were 50 and 100% of K recommended dose with or without PSB and 40 kg of HA ha⁻¹. The studied treatments were applied to faba bean ((Vicia faba L., cv. Giza 843) plants grown in sandy loam soils for two successive seasons. In this study, the maximum KUE (40%) was obtained in the soil treated with HA and PSB while the lowest one (14%) was found in the case of the full recommended dose of mineral form. Humic acid and PSB that were applied to the plants fertilized with 50% of the recommended dose gave the maximum growth and yield. Humic acid and PSB increased the soil cation exchange capacity (CEC) by 6% and the soil organic matter (SOM) by 12%. Chlorophyll and carbohydrates in the leaves were increased by 36 and 50%, respectively, above the control, as results of HA and PSB application. Adding half of K requirements for faba bean in a mineral form with 40 kg of HA and PSB led to 14% and 19% increases in the seed and straw yield compared to the full mineral fertilization without bacterial inoculation. Humic acid and potassium solubilizing bacteria can be used to improve soil quality and increase the availability and uptake of nutrients, and thus increase the yield of faba bean plants. The experimental results from our 2-year research on faba bean grown on sandy loam soils establish a deductive scientific basis for using bio-fertilizers and organic materials to produce cleaner food and better environment conditions.