Anaerobic digestion (AD) is considered as a widely applied technology for treatment of organic wastes and ammonia inhibition is a critical challenge for AD. Addition of biochar is known as a promising strategy for mitigating ammonia inhibition. The iron-modified biochar (Fe-ABC) possesses superior pore structure and iron could act as electron carriers, activating microbial activity, which could further alleviate the inhibition. However, mechanisms of blue algae biochar (ABC) and iron-modified biochar (Fe-ABC) affect the releasing of N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHLs) and thus lead to the mitigation of ammonia inhibition are unclear. Therefore, the current study explored how ABC and Fe-ABC improve AD performance under high ammonia levels. The results demonstrated that Fe-ABC could improve the secretion of quorum sensing signal molecules (mainly AHLs) under ammonia inhibition. The increase of AHLs was due to the relieving of ammonia stress and enriched functional anaerobic microorganisms by Fe-ABC. Moreover, increased AHLs by adding Fe-ABC could strengthen extracellular polymeric substances secretion. In addition, microbial community changes were also in agreement with the improved methane production under ammonia stress by increased AHLs. Furthermore, critical enzymes responsible for all stages of AD process were reinforced after introducing Fe-ABC. The current study could provide primary insights for mitigating ammonia inhibition by increased AHLs after adding Fe-ABC.

Plant diseases significantly threaten global food security, with viral infections, particularly Watermelon Mosaic Virus (WMV), causing substantial losses in economically important crops such as squash. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of beneficial bacteria isolated from various plants in promoting growth and mitigating the effects of WMV in squash. Understanding the interactions between plants and beneficial microbes could provide sustainable solutions for managing viral infections in agriculture. Sixty-two bacterial isolates were obtained from the rhizosphere of basil, mint, thyme, and squash plants. Among these, six strains exhibited notable plant growth-promoting activities, including the synthesis of indole acetic acid, solubilization of phosphate and zinc, ammonia production, and activity of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase (ACCD). Morphological observations and 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified these isolates as Pseudomonas indica, Bacillus paramycoides, Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus mycoides, Paenibacillus glucanolyticus, and Niallia circulans. In pot experiments, squash plants inoculated with these bacterial strains demonstrated significant reductions in disease severity after being infected with WMV. Specifically, foliar applications of the bacteria resulted in the following reductions in disease severity: B. mycoides (87%), B. thuringiensis (73%), Paenibacillus glucanolyticus (73%), Niallia circulans (70%), B. paramycoides (65%), and Pseudomonas indica (65%). Additionally, plants treated with B. mycoides showed increased plant height and shoot dry weight, indicating enhanced growth performance relative to infected controls. Statistical analysis revealed that these growth promotions and disease severity reduction were significant (p<0.05). GC–MS analysis of the six bacterial strains revealed a diverse array of 73 chemical metabolites, including common compounds such as 9-Octadecenoic acid (Z), benzene derivatives, and cyclopentanones. These findings suggest shared metabolic pathways among the strains and indicate potential roles in ecological interactions, plant defense mechanisms, and antiviral properties. These metabolites likely contribute to the observed reductions in viral severity and enhance plant resilience. The study indicates that inoculating squash plants with specific beneficial bacteria, especially B. mycoides, through foliar or soil application can significantly decrease the severity of WMV and promote plant growth. This approach offers an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical antiviral treatments and may reduce reliance on pesticides. This research highlights the potential of using plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB)as a sustainable approach to control viral infections in crops. Further field trials are necessary to PGPB validate the scalability of these findings and assess their effectiveness under diverse agricultural conditions. Incorporating these beneficial microbes into agricultural practices could enhance the resilience of cropping systems, ultimately fostering sustainable agriculture and enhancing food security.

The rapid development of the Internet of Things (IoT) has accelerated the advancement of indoor photovoltaics (IPVs) that directly power wireless IoT devices. The interest in lead-free perovskites for IPVs stems from their similar optoelectronic properties to high-performance lead halide perovskites, but without concerns about toxic lead leakage in indoor environments. However, currently prevalent lead-free perovskite IPVs, especially tin halide perovskites (THPs), still exhibit inferior performance, arising from their uncontrollable crystallization. Here, a novel adhesive bonding strategy is proposed for precisely regulating heterogeneous nucleation kinetics of THPs by introducing alkali metal fluorides. These ionic adhesives boost the work of adhesion at the buried interface between substrates and perovskite film, subsequently reducing the contact angle and energy barrier for heterogeneous nucleation, resulting in high-quality THP films. The resulting THP solar cells achieve an efficiency of 20.12% under indoor illumination at 1000 lux, exceeding all types of lead-free perovskite IPVs and successfully powering radio frequency identification-based sensors.

Tin halide perovskites (THPs) have demonstrated exceptional potential for various applications owing to their
low toxicity and excellent optoelectronic properties. However, the crystallization kinetics of THPs are less controllable than its lead counterpart because of the higher Lewis acidity of Sn2+, leading to THP films with poor morphology and rampant defects. Here, a colloidal zeta potential modulation approach is developed to improve the crystallization kinetics of THP films inspired by the classical Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory. After adding 3- aminopyrrolidine dihydro iodate (APDI2) in the precursor solution to change the zeta potential of the pristine colloids, the total interaction potential energy between colloidal particles with APDI2 could be controllably reduced, resulting in a higher coagulation probability and a lower critical nuclei concentration. In situ laser light scattering measurements confirmed the increased nucleation rate of the THP colloids with APDI2. The resulting film with APDI2 shows a pinholefree morphology with fewer defects, achieving an impressive efficiency of 15.13%
 

In the current study, two series of catalysts were synthesized and characterized by various physicochemical techniques. In the first series of catalysts, a chemical precipitation method was used for loading 1–20 wt. % ZrO₂ on the surface of sugarcane bagasse fly ash (SCBFA) with the goal of finding out the optimal ZrO₂ loading. In the second series, the 20% ZrO₂/SCBFA composition was modified by (1–10 wt. %) SO₄²⁻ by wet impregnation method. The acidity of these catalysts was determined through the dehydration of isopropyl alcohol and the chemisorption of pyridine and 2,6‐dimethyl pyridine. The catalytic efficiency for the dehydration of methanol to dimethyl ether (DME) in a fixed‐bed reactor at atmospheric pressure was investigated. A ~ 95% yield toward DME is maximized over the 10% SO₄²⁻/20% ZrO₂/SCBFA catalyst at a reaction temperature of 400°C. Additionally, it maintained nearly the same …

This study aims to a more environment eco-friendly approach for producing dimethyl ether (DME), as an alternative fuel, through the dehydration of methanol. The method involves utilizing Egyptian natural red clay (ERC) that has been modified with various percentages of γ-Al₂O₃ (ranging from 3 to 30 wt%) as catalysts. The most active catalyst (10 % γ-Al₂O₃/ERC) was then modified with varying HCl percentages (3–7 wt%). The synthesized catalysts properties were examined by various techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), N₂-sorption analysis, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The surface acidity of the catalysts was assessed using two methods: dehydration of isopropyl alcohol and chemisorption of pyridine and 2,6-dimethyl pyridine. The results of the catalytic activity study reflected that the treatment of ERC by HCl and γ-Al₂O₃ improved its …

Aim: We aimed to investigate the potential inhibitory effects of diterpenes on SARS-CoV-2 main

protease (Mpro). Materials & methods: We performed a virtual screening of diterpenoids against Mpro

using molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation and absorption, distribution, metabolism and

excretion) analysis. Results: Some tested compounds followed Lipinski’s rule and showed drug-like

properties. Some diterpenoids possessed remarkable binding affinities with SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and

drug-like pharmacokinetic properties. Three derivatives exhibited structural deviations lower than 1 A˚ .

Conclusion: The findings of the study suggest that some of the diterpenes could be candidates as potential

inhibitors for Mpro of SARS-CoV-2.