Search Results (144)

Preparing carbon aerogel in an eco-friendly and inexpensive manner remains a significant challenge. The carbon aerogels derived from food waste (FWCAs) with a three-dimensional connected network structure are successfully synthesized using microwave radiation. The as-prepared FWCA-4 (The KOH/C ratio is 4) has a large specific surface area (1470 m²/g), pore volume (0.634 m³/g), and a high degree of graphitization. Band-like lattice stripes with a spacing of 0.34 nm, corresponding to the graphite plane, are observed. A high specific capacitance of 314 F/g at 1.0 A/g and an excellent capacitance retention (>90% after 10,000 cycles) make the FWCA-4 suitable for high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials. Furthermore, the specific surface area and pore volume of FWCA-4 are larger and the degree of graphitization is higher than in ordinary porous carbon derived from food waste (FWPC). The assembled symmetrical solid capacitor from FWCA-4 exhibits a maximum energy density of approximately 179.9 W/kg in neutral ion electrolytes. Thus, food waste is successfully used to prepare carbon aerogels through a gelation process using microwave radiation. The recycling of waste biomass is achieved, and the results provide insights for the preparation of carbon aerogels using biomass. Full article

To solve the problems of water and air pollution, adsorption functional materials (ASFMs) have been extensively investigated and applied. Among the preparation methods of ASFM, electron beam radiation (EBR) has attracted much attention for its high efficiency, environmental friendliness, and wide applicability. Based on the introduction of the application of EBR technology, the EBR preparation of ASFM is summarized by grafting and cross-linking. Secondly, the application of corresponding ASFM for the adsorption of metal ions, inorganic anions, dyes, drugs and chemical raw materials, and carbon dioxide is summarized systematically. Then, the adsorption mechanisms of ASFM are illustrated, according to the different pollutants. Finally, the progress, issues, and prospects of EBR technology for ASFM preparation are discussed. Full article

Black carbon (BC) aerosols emitted from biomass, fossil fuel, and waste combustion contribute to the radiation budget imbalance and are transported over extensive distances in the Earth’s atmosphere. These aerosols undergo physical and chemical modifications with co-existing aerosols (e.g., nitrate, sulfate, ammonium) through aging processes during long-range transport and are primarily removed from the troposphere by wet deposition. Using precipitation samples collected in North America between 26 October and 1 December 2020 by the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP), we investigated the relationships between BC and both water-soluble ions and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) using Spearman’s rank coefficients. We then attempted to identify the sources of BC in the wet deposition using factor analysis (FA) and satellite data of fire smoke. BC showed a very strong correlation with nitrate (ρ = 0.83). Strong correlations were also found with WSOC, ammonium, calcium, and sulfate ions (ρ = 0.78, 0.74, 0.74, and 0.67, respectively). FA showed that BC was in the same factor as nitrate, ammonium, sulfate, and WSOC, indicating that BC could originate from secondary aerosol formation and biomass burning. Supported by satellite data of fire and smoke, BC and other correlated pollutants were believed to be associated with wildfire outbreaks in several states in the United States (US) during November 2020. Full article

Antimicrobial polymeric coatings rely not only on their surface functionalities but also on nanoparticles (NPs). Antimicrobial coatings gain their properties from the addition of NPs into a polymeric matrix. NPs that have been used include metal-based NPs, metal oxide NPs, carbon-based nanomaterials, and organic NPs. Copper NPs and silver NPs exhibit antibacterial and antifungal properties. So, when present in coatings, they will release metal ions with the combined effect of having bacteriostatic/bactericidal properties, preventing the growth of pathogens on surfaces covered by these nano-enhanced films. In addition, metal oxide NPs such as titanium dioxide NPs (TiO₂ NPs) and zinc oxide NPs (ZnONPs) are used as NPs in antimicrobial polymeric coatings. Under UV irradiation, these NPs show photocatalytic properties that lead to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) when exposed to UV radiation. After various forms of nano-carbon materials were successfully developed over the past decade, they and their derivatives from graphite/nanotubes, and composite sheets have been receiving more attention because they share an extremely large surface area, excellent mechanical strength, etc. These NPs not only show the ability to cause oxidative stress but also have the ability to release antimicrobial chemicals under control, resulting in long-lasting antibacterial action. The effectiveness and life spans of the antifouling performance of a variety of polymeric materials have been improved by adding nano-sized particles to those coatings. Full article

Ion radiotherapy requires accurate relative biological effectiveness (RBE) calculations to account for the markedly different biological effects of ions compared to photons. Microdosimetric RBE models rely on descriptions of the energy deposition at the microscopic scale, either through radial dose distributions (RDDs) or microdosimetric probability density distributions. While RDD approaches focus on the theoretical description of the energy deposition around the ion track, microdosimetric distributions offer the advantage of being experimentally measurable, which is crucial for quality assurance programs. As the results of microdosimetric RBE models depend on whether RDD or microdosimetric distributions are used, the model parameters are not interchangeable between these approaches. This study presents and validates a method to reproduce the published reference biological and clinical dose calculations at NIRS-QST for only carbon ion radiotherapy by using the modified microdosimetric kinetic model (MKM) alongside microdosimetric distributions instead of the reference RDD approach. To achieve this, Monte Carlo simulations were performed to estimate the variation of the radiation quality within and outside the field of pristine and spread-out Bragg peaks. By appropriately optimizing the modified MKM parameters for microdosimetric distributions assessed within water spheres, we successfully reproduced the results of calculations using the reference NIRS-QST RDD, generally within 2%. Full article

Numerous challenges are posed by the extra-terrestrial environment for space farming and various technological growth systems are being developed to allow for microgreens’ cultivation in space. Microgreens, with their unique nutrient profiles, may well integrate the diet of crew members, being a natural substitute for chemical food supplements. However, the space radiation environment may alter plant properties, and there is still a knowledge gap concerning the effects of various types of radiation on plants and specifically on the application of efficient and rapid methods for selecting new species for space farming, based on their radio-resistance. Thus, the hypotheses behind this study were to explore the following: (i) the pattern (if any) of radio-sensitivity/resistance; and (ii) if the morphological parameters in relation with pigment content may be a feasible way to perform a screening of radiation responses among species. To perform this, we irradiated dry seeds of basil, rocket, radish, and cress with iron (⁵⁶Fe; 1550 MeV/(g/cm²)) and carbon (¹²C; 290 MeV/u, 13 keV/µm) heavy ions at the doses of 0.3, 1, 10, 20, and 25 Gy to investigate the growth responses of microgreens to acute radiation exposure in terms of morphological traits and photosynthetic pigment content. Results indicate that the microgreens’ reaction to ionizing radiation is highly species-specific and that radiation is often sensed by microgreens as a mild stress, stimulating the same morphological and biochemical acclimation pathways usually activated by other mild environmental stresses, alongside the occurrence of eustress phenomena. Over extended periods, this stimulus could foster adaptive changes, enabling plants to thrive in space. Full article

This study explores the hydrogen generation potential via water-splitting reactions under UV-vis radiation by using a synergistic assembly of ZnO nanoparticles integrated with MoS₂, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), and crystalline silicon nanowires (SiNWs) to create the MoS₂-SiNWs-SWNTs@ZnONPs nanocomposites. A comparative analysis of MoS₂ synthesized through chemical and physical exfoliation methods revealed that the chemically exfoliated MoS₂ exhibited superior performance, thereby being selected for all subsequent measurements. The nanostructured materials demonstrated exceptional surface characteristics, with specific surface areas exceeding 300 m² g⁻¹. Notably, the hydrogen production rate achieved by a composite comprising 5% MoS₂, 1.7% SiNWs, and 13.3% SWNTs at an 80% ZnONPs base was approximately 3909 µmol h⁻¹g⁻¹ under 500 nm wavelength radiation, marking a significant improvement of over 40-fold relative to pristine ZnONPs. This enhancement underscores the remarkable photocatalytic efficiency of the composites, maintaining high hydrogen production rates above 1500 µmol h⁻¹g⁻¹ even under radiation wavelengths exceeding 600 nm. Furthermore, the potential of these composites for energy storage and conversion applications, specifically within rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, was investigated. Composites, similar to those utilized for hydrogen production but excluding ZnONPs to address its limited theoretical capacity and electrical conductivity, were developed. The focus was on utilizing MoS₂, SiNWs, and SWNTs as anode materials for Li-ion batteries. This strategic combination significantly improved the electronic conductivity and mechanical stability of the composite. Specifically, the composite with 56% MoS₂, 24% SiNWs, and 20% SWNTs offered remarkable cyclic performance with high specific capacity values, achieving a complete stability of 1000 mA h g⁻¹ after 100 cycles at 1 A g⁻¹. These results illuminate the dual utility of the composites, not only as innovative catalysts for hydrogen production but also as advanced materials for energy storage technologies, showcasing their potential in contributing to sustainable energy solutions. Full article

Nanodroplets have demonstrated potential for the range detection of hadron radiotherapies. Our formulation uses superheated perfluorobutane (C4F10) stabilized by a poly(vinyl-alcohol) shell. High-LET (linear energy transfer) particles vaporize the nanodroplets into echogenic microbubbles. Tailored ultrasound imaging translates the generated echo-contrast into a dose distribution map, enabling beam range retrieval. This work evaluates the response of size-sorted nanodroplets to carbon-ion radiation. We studied how thesize of nanodroplets affects their sensitivity at various beam-doses and energies, as a function of concentration and shell cross-linking. First, we show the physicochemical characterization of size-isolated nanodroplets by differential centrifugation. Then, we report on the irradiations of the nanodroplet samples in tissue-mimicking phantoms. We compared the response of large (≈900 nm) and small (≈400 nm) nanodroplets to different carbon-ions energies and evaluated their dose linearity and concentration detection thresholds by ultrasound imaging. Additionally, we verified the beam range detection accuracy for the nanodroplets samples. All nanodroplets exhibited sensitivity to carbon-ions with high range verification precision. However, smaller nanodroplets required a higher concentration sensitivity threshold. The vaporization yield depends on the carbon-ions energy and dose, which are both related to particle count/spot. These findings confirm the potential of nanodroplets for range detection, with performance depending on nanodroplets’ properties and beam parameters. Full article

Objectives: Cancer cells with ‘stemness’ are generally resistant to chemoradiotherapy. This study aims to compare the differences in radiation sensitivity of A549 and CD44⁺A549 stem-like cells to X-rays and carbon ion radiation (C-ions), and to find a target that can kill cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: The study used two cell lines (A549 and CD44⁺A549). The tumorigenicity of cells was tested with animal experiments. The cells were irradiated with X-rays and C-ions. Cell viability was detected using the CCK-8 and EdU assay. A liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer (LC–MS) helped detect metabolic differences. Protein and mRNA expression were detected using a Western blot, reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-qPCR), and PCR array. The autophagic activity was monitored with a CYTO-ID^® Autophagy Detection Kit 2.0. Immunofluorescence and co-immunoprecipitation helped to observe the localization and interaction relationships. Results: First, we verified the radio-resistance of CD44⁺A549 stem-like cells. LC-MS indicated the difference in autophagy between the two cells, followed by establishing a correlation between the radio-resistance and autophagy. Subsequently, the PCR array proved that TGM2 is significantly upregulated in CD44⁺A549 stem-like cells. Moreover, the TGM2 knockdown by small interfering RNA could decrease the radio-resistance of CD44⁺A549 cells. Bioinformatic analyses and experiments showed that TGM2 is correlated with the expression of CD44 and LC3B. Additionally, TGM2 could directly interact with LC3B. Conclusions: We established the CD44-TGM2-LC3 axis: CD44 mediates radio-resistance of CD44⁺A549 stem-like cells through TGM2 regulation of autophagy. Our study may provide new biomarkers and strategies to alleviate the radio-resistance of CSCs in NSCLC. Full article

Mucosal melanoma of the head and neck (HNMM) is a rare but highly aggressive malignancy, often diagnosed at an advanced stage with poor prognosis. This review discusses current treatment strategies, emphasizing the role of radiotherapy in managing this challenging disease. A comprehensive analysis of 33 studies provides updated information on techniques and outcomes, highlighting the consistent benefit of adjuvant radiation in improving local control. Advances in conformal techniques, such as intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), have significantly reduced toxicity rates. Preliminary data on proton and carbon ion therapies suggest the potential for further enhancement of the therapeutic ratio, despite limited availability. Although recent studies report 3-year local control rates as high as 90%, overall survival within the same time frame remains well below 50–60%, underscoring the need for continued improvement in systemic therapies to address the persistent issue of distant metastases. Full article

Human exploration of the solar system will expose crew members to galactic cosmic radiation (GCR), with a potential for adverse health effects. GCR particles (protons and ions) move at nearly the speed of light and easily penetrate space station walls, as well as the human body. Previously, we have shown reactivation of latent herpesviruses, including herpes simplex virus, Varicella zoster virus, Epstein–Barr virus, and cytomegalovirus (CMV), during stays at the International Space Station. Given the prevalence of latent CMV and the known propensity of space radiation to cause alterations in many cellular processes, we undertook this study to understand the role of GCR in reactivating latent CMV. Latently infected Kasumi cells with CMV were irradiated with ¹³⁷Cs gamma rays, 150 MeV protons, 600 MeV/n carbon ions, 600 MeV/n iron ions, proton ions, and simulated GCR. The CMV copy number increased significantly in the cells exposed to radiation as compared with the non-irradiated controls. Viral genome sequencing did not reveal significant nucleotide differences among the compared groups. However, transcriptome analysis showed the upregulation of transcription of the UL49 ORF, implicating it in the switch from latent to lytic replication. These findings support our hypothesis that GCR may be a strong contributor to the reactivation of CMV infection seen in ISS crew members. Full article

Time-dependent deformation in nuclear graphite is influenced by the creation and migration of radiation-induced defects in the reactor environment. This study investigates the role of pre-existing defects such as point defect clusters and Mrozowski cracks in nuclear graphite IG-110. Separate specimens were irradiated with a 2.8 MeV Au²⁺ beam with a fluence of 4.38 × 10¹⁴ cm⁻² and an 8 MeV C²⁺ beam with a fluence of 1.24 × 10¹⁶ cm⁻². Microscopic specimens were either mechanically loaded inside a transmission electron microscope (TEM) or subjected to ex situ indentation-based creep loading. In situ TEM tests showed significant plasticity in regions highly localized around the Mrozowski cracks, resembling slip or ripplocation bands. Slip bands were also seen near regions without pre-existing defects but at very high stresses. Ex situ self-ion irradiation embrittled the specimens and decreased the creep displacement and rate, while heavy ion irradiation resulted in the opposite behavior. We hypothesize that the large-sized gold ions (compared to the carbon atoms) induced interplanar swelling as well as cross-plane channels for increased defect mobility. These findings illustrate the role of pre-existing defects in the dynamic relaxation of stresses during irradiation and the need for more studies into the radiation environment’s impact on the mechanical response of nuclear graphite. Full article

Radiotherapy is one of the main cancer treatments being used for ~50% of all cancer patients. Conventional radiotherapy typically utilises X-rays (photons); however, there is increasing use of particle beam therapy (PBT), such as protons and carbon ions. This is because PBT elicits significant benefits through more precise dose delivery to the cancer than X-rays, but also due to the increases in linear energy transfer (LET) that lead to more enhanced biological effectiveness. Despite the radiotherapy type, the introduction of DNA damage ultimately drives the therapeutic response through stimulating cancer cell death. To combat this, cells harbour cell cycle checkpoints that enables time for efficient DNA damage repair. Interestingly, cancer cells frequently have mutations in key genes such as TP53 and ATM that drive the G₁/S checkpoint, whereas the G₂/M checkpoint driven through ATR, Chk1 and Wee1 remains intact. Therefore, targeting the G₂/M checkpoint through specific inhibitors is considered an important strategy for enhancing the efficacy of radiotherapy. In this review, we focus on inhibitors of Chk1 and Wee1 kinases and present the current biological evidence supporting their utility as radiosensitisers with different radiotherapy modalities, as well as clinical trials that have and are investigating their potential for cancer patient benefit. Full article

Chondrosarcoma is a rare malignant tumor that forms in bone and cartilage. The primary treatment involves surgical removal of the tumor with a margin of healthy tissue. Especially if complete surgical removal is not possible, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are used in conjunction with surgery, but with a generally low efficiency. Ongoing researches are focused on understanding the genetic and molecular basis of chondrosarcoma following high linear energy transfer (LET) irradiation, which may lead to treatments that are more effective. The goal of this study is to evaluate the differential effects of DNA damage repair inhibitors and high LET irradiation on chondrosarcoma versus chondrocyte cells and the LET-dependency of the effects. Two chondrosarcoma cell lines with different IDH mutation status and one chondrocyte cell line were exposed to low LET (X-ray) and high LET (carbon ion) irradiation in combination with an Olaparib PARP inhibitor. Cell survival and DNA repair mechanisms were investigated. High LET irradiation drastically reduced cell survival, with a biological efficiency three times that of low LET. Olaparib significantly inhibited PARylation in all the tested cells. A significant reduction in cell survival of both chondrosarcoma and chondrocyte cells was observed following the treatment combining Olaparib and X-ray. PARP inhibition induced an increase in PARP-1 expression and a reduced effect on the cell survival of WT IDH chondrosarcoma cells. No radiosensitizing effect was observed in cells exposed to Olaparib paired with high LET irradiation. NHEJ was activated in response to high LET irradiation, neutralizing the PARP inhibition effect in both chondrosarcoma cell lines. When high LET irradiation is not available, PARP inhibition could be used in combination with low LET irradiation, with significant radiosensitizing effects on chondrosarcoma cells. Chondrocytes may be affected by the treatment combination too, showing the need to preserve normal tissues from radiation fields when this kind of treatment is suggested. Full article

Some cancers have a poor prognosis and often lead to local recurrence because they are resistant to available treatments, e.g., glioblastoma. Attempts have been made to increase the sensitivity of resistant tumors by targeting pathways involved in the resistance and combining it, for example, with radiotherapy (RT). We have previously reported that treating glioblastoma stem cells with an Nrf2 inhibitor increases their radiosensitivity. Unfortunately, the application of drugs can also affect normal cells. In the present study, we aim to investigate the role of the Nrf2 pathway in the survival and differentiation of normal human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) exposed to radiation. We treated ADSCs with an Nrf2 inhibitor and then exposed them to X-rays, protons or carbon ions. All three radiation qualities are used to treat cancer. The survival and differentiation abilities of the surviving ADSCs were studied. We found that the enhancing effect of Nrf2 inhibition on cell survival levels was radiation-quality-dependent (X-rays > proton > carbon ions). Furthermore, our results indicate that Nrf2 inhibition reduces stem cell differentiation by 35% and 28% for adipogenesis and osteogenesis, respectively, using all applied radiation qualities. Interestingly, the results show that the cells that survive proton and carbon ion irradiations have an increased ability, compared with X-rays, to differentiate into osteogenesis and adipogenesis lineages. Therefore, we can conclude that the use of carbon ions or protons can affect the stemness of irradiated ADSCs at lower levels than X-rays and is thus more beneficial for long-time cancer survivors, such as pediatric patients. Full article