In this work, a series of Cu/ZnO/ZnAl 2 O 4 catalysts with different metal molar fractions (Cu : Zn : Al) were successfully prepared using a one-pot method via the evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) of Pluronic P123 and the corresponding metal precursors. The catalysts were characterized using N 2 adsorption, H 2 temperatureprogrammed reduction (H 2 -TPR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS). The catalytic properties of the resulting Cu/ZnO/ZnAl 2 O 4 with different molar fractions of metals were investigated for the selective hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PDO). It was observed that the ZnAl 2 O 4 support exerts a strong positive effect on the catalytic activity of the copper-based catalysts, and the presence of ZnO further improves the catalytic activity of the Cu/ZnAl 2 O 4 catalysts. The Cu/ZnO/ZnAl 2 O 4 catalyst (Cu 10 Zn 30 Al 60 , Cu/Zn/Al molar ratio is 10 : 30 : 60), which was the best catalyst, exhibited the highest yield (79%) of 1,2-PDO with 85.8% glycerol conversion and 92.1% 1,2-PDO selectivity at 180 °C reaction temperature in 80 wt% glycerol aqueous solution over 10 h reaction time. The high catalytic activity was attributed to the presence of the ZnAl 2 O 4 support, the strong interaction between ZnO and Cu nanoparticles and the small particle size of ZnO and Cu. Moreover, the Cu/ZnO/ZnAl 2 O 4 catalysts exhibited higher stability than Cu/ZnO and Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 catalysts prepared by a co-precipitation method during consecutive cycling experiments, which is due to the high chemical and thermal stability of crystalline ZnAl 2 O 4 under harsh reaction conditions.

The present work investigates the efficacy of using Artemisia annua in traditional medicine in comparison with chemical extracts of its bioactive molecules. In addition, the effects of location (Egypt and Jericho) on the bioactivities of the plant were investigated. The results showed that water extracts of Artemisia annua from Jericho have stronger antibacterial activities than organic solvent extracts. In contrast, water and organic solvent extracts of the Artemisia annua from Egypt do not have anti-bacterial activity. Furthermore, while the methanol extract of EA displayed high anticancer affects, the water extract of Egypt and the extracts of Jericho did not show significant anticancer activity. Finally, the results showed that the methanol and water extracts of Jericho had the highest antioxidant activity, while the extracts of Egypt had none. The current results validate the scientific bases for the use of Artemisia annua in traditional medicine. In addition, our results suggest that the collection location of the Artemisia annua has an effect on its chemical composition and bioactivities.

Copper is an essential nutrient for the normal development of the brain and nervous system, although the hallmark of several neurological diseases is a change in copper concentrations in the brain and central nervous system. Prion protein (PrP) is a copper-binding, cell-surface glycoprotein that exists in two alternatively folded conformations: a normal isoform (PrP(C)) and a disease-associated isoform (PrP(Sc)). Prion diseases are a group of lethal neurodegenerative disorders that develop as a result of conformational conversion of PrP(C) into PrP(Sc). The pathogenic mechanism that triggers this conformational transformation with the subsequent development of prion diseases remains unclear. It has, however, been shown repeatedly that copper plays a significant functional role in the conformational conversion of prion proteins. In this review, we focus on current research that seeks to clarify the conformational changes associated with prion diseases and the role of copper in this mechanism, with emphasis on the latest applications of NMR and EPR spectroscopy to probe the interactions of copper with prion proteins.

Although silicon nanoparticles dispersed in liquids are used in various applications ranging from bio-labeling to hydrogen production, their reactivities with their solvents and their catalytic properties remain still unexplored. Here, we discovered that, because of their surface structures and mechanical strain, silicon nanoparticles react strongly with their solvents and may act as catalysts for the dehydrogenation, at room temperature, of secondary alcohols (e.g. isopropanol)into ketones and hydrogen. This catalytic reaction was monitored by gas chromatography, pH measurements, mass spectroscopy and solid-state NMR. This discovery provides new understanding of the role played by silicon nanoparticles, and nanosilicon in general, in their reactivity in solvents in general as well as being candidates in catalysis.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) has been widely used in metabonomics analyses of biofluid samples. Biofluids provide a wealth of information about the metabolism of the whole body and from multiple regions of the body that can be used to study general health status and organ function. Blood serum and blood plasma, for example, can provide a comprehensive picture of the whole body, while urine can be used to monitor the function of the kidneys, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) will provide information about the status of the brain and central nervous system (CNS). Different methods have been developed for the extraction of metabolites from biofluids, these ranging from solvent extracts, acids, heat denaturation, and filtration. These methods vary widely in terms of efficiency of protein removal and in the number of metabolites extracted. Consequently, for all biofluid-based metabonomics studies, it is vital to optimize and standardize all steps of sample preparation, including initial extraction of metabolites. In this chapter, recommendations are made of the optimum experimental conditions for biofluid samples for GC-MS, with a particular focus on blood serum and plasma samples.