These results confirm that five daily sessions of rTMS over motor cortex using either 1 Hz over the unaffected hemisphere or 3 Hz over the affected hemisphere can enhance recovery. At 3 months, the improvement was more pronounced in 1 Hz group.

Materials that can mimic the molecular recognition-based functions found in biology are a significant goal for science and technology. Molecular imprinting is a technology that addresses this challenge by providing polymeric materials with antibody-like recognition characteristics. Recently, significant progress has been achieved in solving many of the practical problems traditionally associated with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), such as difficulties with imprinting of proteins, poor compatibility with aqueous environments, template leakage, and the presence of heterogeneous populations of binding sites in the polymers that contribute to high levels of non-specific binding. This success is closely related to the technology-driven shift in MIP research from traditional bulk polymer formats into the nanomaterial domain. The aim of this article is to throw light on recent developments in this field and to present a critical discussion of the current state of molecular imprinting and its potential in real world applications.

Novel modified Ni/Fe layered double hydroxides with different morphology of spherical-like shape were fabricated via using urea as a ligand and glycerol (Ni/Fe LDH/GL) with Ni:Fe molar ratios of 2:1 by the simplest co-precipitation method. Also, for comparison purposes, Ni/Fe LDH was synthesized to be used as a control one. A suggested interpretation for the morphology change was also given. The materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), EDX for elemental analysis, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) equation, particle size distributions and Zeta potential measurements. In addition, the synthesized materials were used as adsorbents for removal of potassium dichromate from aqueous solutions under various experimental conditions. The adsorption of Cr (VI) was strongly pH dependant and the pH PZC was studied. Kinetic studies were evaluated through different models including, pseudo first and second orders, mixed 1, 2 orders, intra particle diffusion and Avrami models. For adsorption isotherms, twoparameter models (Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin) and three parameter models (Sips, Langmuir-Freundlich and Tooth) were investigated showing maximum adsorption capacity of 50.43 mg/g and 136.05 mg/g for Ni/Fe LDH and Ni/Fe LDH/GL, respectively. Also, the effect of temperature was investigated at (23, 35, 45, 55 °C) and the thermodynamic parameters (∆H°, ∆S° and ∆G°) were calculated showing exothermic and spontaneous adsorption process. The effect of coexisting anions (cl − , So 4 2− and HPO 4 2−) and humic acid at different concentrations on the removal efficiency of dichromate ions was investigated. Chemical stability and recyclability of these adsorbents were also studied. The intermolecular hydrogen bonds formation between dichromate ion, urea, glycerol, LDH was explored by Monte Carlo simulation This study suggested that the modified Ni/Fe LDH/GL materials were promising nanoadsorbents for efficient potassium dichromate removal. Water is the most precious natural source important for human beings, agriculture, and industrial activities. Recently, water bodies are potentially contaminated and polluted by many hazardous materials such as nuclear and industrial wastes, pharmaceuticals, organic contaminants and heavy metals. Heavy metals like cadmium, zinc, copper, lead, arsenic, mercury and chromium have significant threat to human health due to its potentially toxic effects 1,2. Chromium is one of heavy metals widely used in many industrial processes such as electroplating, dyes, mining, photography, textile and leather 3. Chromium present in water in a trivalent and hexavalent oxidation state, it is established that hexavalent chromium exhibits high toxicity toward living organisms than trivalent chromium which in contrast is a micronutrient 4. Hexavalent chromium is reported as a cause of respiratory cancers 5,6 and mutations and chromosomal dam...

MicrowaveNanostructures Morphology Adsorption Lead ions a b s t r a c t Various morphologies of CuO nanostructures (oval, cluster, leaves, small rod, porus nanosheets) have been synthesized by novel simple method using microwave radiation.The produced CuO nanostructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis technique (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), surface area analyzer (BET) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The ability of CuO nanostructures as adsorbent was investigated for adsorptive removal of Pb(II) ions from aqueous solutions. Various physico echemical parameters such as pH, initial metal ion concentration, and equilibrium contact time were studied. The optimum solution pH for adsorption of Pb(II) from aqueous solutions was found to be 6.5 and the optimum contact time was found to be 4 h. The adsorption isotherms were obtained using concentrations of the metal ions ranging from 100 to 300 mg/l. The adsorption process follows pseudo-second-order reaction kinetics, as well as Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms. The maximum capacity of oval, cluster, leaves, small rod and porus nanosheets CuO nanostructures for Pb 2þ are 125, 116, 117, 120 and 115 mg/g. This study revealed that CuO nano structures was an effective adsorbent for removal of Pb(II) ions from aqueous solutions.

Naturally derived prodrugs have a wide range of pharmacological activities, including anticancer, antioxidant, and antiviral effects. However, significant barriers inhibit their use in medicine, e.g. their hydrophobicity. In this comprehensive study, we investigated simple and effective nanoformulations consisting of amine-functionalized and conjugated with folic acid (FA) mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs). Two types of MSNs were studied: KCC- 1, with mean size 324 nm and mean pore diameter 3.4 nm, and MCM - 41, with mean size 197 and pore diameter 2 nm. Both types of MSNs were loaded with three anticancer prodrugs: curcumin, quercetin, and colchicine. The nanoformulations were tested to target in vitro human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2) and HeLa cancer cells. The amine-functionalized and FA-conjugated curcumin-loaded, especially KCC-1 MSNs penetrated all cells organs and steadily released curcumin. The FA-conjugated MSNs displayed higher cellular uptake, sustained intracellular release, and cytotoxicity effects in comparison to non-conjugated MSNs. The KCC-1 type MSNs carrying curcumin displayed the highest anticancer activity. Apoptosis was induced through specific signaling molecular pathways (caspase-3, H2O2, c-MET, and MCL-1). The nanoformulations displayed also an enhanced antioxidant activity compared to the pure forms of the prodrugs, and the effect depended on the time of release, type of MSN, prodrug, and assay used. FA-conjugated MSNs carrying curcumin and other safe natural prodrugs offer new possibilities for targeted cancer therapy.

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