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Recurrent viral diseases often occur after the viruses evade the hosts' immune system, by inducing exhaustion of antiviral T cells. In the present study, we found that functionally exhausted herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) -specific CD8 T cells, with elevated expression of lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3), an immune checkpoint receptor that promotes T cell exhaustion, were frequent in symptomatic (SYMP) patients with a history of numerous episodes of recurrent corneal herpetic disease. Similarly, following UV-B induced virus reactivation from latency the symptomatic wild-type (WT) B6 mice that developed increase virus shedding and severe recurrent corneal herpetic disease had more exhausted HSV-specific LAG-3 CD8 T cells in both trigeminal ganglia (TG) and cornea. Moreover, a therapeutic blockade of LAG-3 immune checkpoint with antagonist antibodies combined with a therapeutic immunization with gB peptide immunodominant epitope of latently infected B6 mice significantly restored the quality and quantity of functional HSV-1 gB specific CD8 T cells in both TG and cornea and protected against UV-B induced recurrent corneal herpes infection and disease. In contrast to dysfunctional HSV-specific CD8 T cells from WT B6 mice, more functional HSV-specific CD8 T cells were detected in LAG-3 deficient mice and were associated with less UV-B induced recurrent corneal herpetic disease. Thus, the LAG-3 pathway plays a fundamental role in ocular herpes T cell immunopathology and provides an important immune checkpoint target that can synergizes with T cell-based therapeutic vaccines against symptomatic recurrent ocular herpes.

Water pollution by hydrocarbon derivatives is one of the significant problems and challenges globally and is one of the leading causes of disease and environmental catastrophes. Increasing oil effluents have become a primary global concern due to damage to living ecosystems and marine life. This oil should be removed from the water or the surface to protect the water and the environment. One of the most important remedies for oil spills is using sorbent materials. Conventional synthetic sorbents for oily water treatment are the most broadly applied materials, although they are not the optimal selection from environmental and economic points of view. However, the utilization of biobased sorbents derived from natural materials with environmentally friendly, low-cost, reusability, abundant, and biodegradability properties can be an ideal alternative for convectional synthetic sorbent, with a positive effect on sustainability and circular economy. These types of sorbents are used with various sizing from micro to nanoscale in different forms (membrane, aerogel, foam, and sponge). The objective of this paper is to review a report on the use of porous biobased sorbents in both natural and modified forms which are available in nature or our lives. Modification strategies for improving hydrophobicity of biobased sorbent were also broadly highlighted. Finally, the challenges and future research directions of this promising research field are briefly discussed.

For the treatment of wastewater and water resources, membrane technologies are rapidly developing. Also, water pollution by heavy metals, dyes, oil, medicinal, and salts leads to lower water quality and water shortages. In this research, thin-film nanocomposite nanofiltration (TFN) membranes were produced via the interfacial polymerization (IP) method between trimesoyl chloride (TMC) and m-phenylenediamine (MPD) monomers at the top surface of PES/(UF) membrane and modified by graphene oxide (GO) and aluminum fumarate (AlFu) metal-organic framework (MOF) nanostructures to remove heavy metal and (divalent and monovalent) salts. The FTIR, NMR, SEM, XRD, and zeta potential analyses investigated the modified thin-film nanocomposite membrane properties. Also, the hydrophilicity of the membrane was determined via contact angle analysis. Compared to the polyamide (PA) and PA/AlFu membranes, the as-synthesized TFN membrane contains 0.3 wt% GO had the highest water flux, 110.86 l/m2·h, rejection of Na2SO4 salt and Cr2+ about 98.94% and 97.5%, respectively. Generally, using nanostructures like GO and AlFu (MOF) opens a novel path to improve hydrophilicity, negative charge, water flux, and rejection of polyamide nanocomposite membrane.

Among carbon-based nanoparticles, graphene has garnered significant attention since its discovery as a carbon allotrope, owing to its unique two-dimensional structure and outstanding characteristics. In this research study, we present an environmentally friendly, cost-effective technique with the potential for mass production of valuable products such as graphene nanosheets. Graphene was derived from a mixture of wood sawdust and polyethylene–terephthalate bottles as the feedstock, along with a combination of sand and plant fertilizer that was modified by oxalic acid acting as a catalyst. The feedstock was successfully converted to graphite using a two-step fluidized-bed co-pyrolysis technology. Firstly, an experiment was conducted under a nitrogen atmosphere, subjecting the mixture to 500 °C for 30 min at a ramping rate of 5 °C/min, resulting in the synthesis of a black-charged residue. In the second step, graphite was obtained by subjecting the residue to 800 °C for 2 h at a ramping rate of 10°C/min, using the acid-modified catalyst in a nitrogen atmosphere. Finally, graphene nanosheets were produced from graphite through microwave-assisted liquid phase exfoliation. Due to the exceptional features of the synthesized graphene, it was used as an adsorbent for the removal of two organic dyes rhodamine B (RB) and malachite green (MG) from an aqueous solution. The effects of various factors on the adsorption capacity were studied in detail. The chemical structure and morphology of the synthesized samples were analyzed using advanced characterization techniques like XRD, FTIR, EDX, TGA, DTGA, and ZETA to determine the structure of graphene nanosheets and the degree of graphitization. The two models (Freundlich and Langmuir) were used to explain the experimental data obtained three different temperatures (298, 318, and 338 K) with a certain amount of graphene concentrate (0.04 g); the result showed the maximum adsorption capacity of RB and MG solution are 6.25 mg/g and 3 mg/g, respectively. The percentage of dye adsorbed for RB and Mg is 62.5 and 30%, respectively, in the optimum temperature 338 K, and optimum concentration for RB and MG is 25 and 12 ppm, respectively; as a result, the graphene considers as an ideal adsorbent (environmentally friendly and cost-effective) for removal of cationic types of dyes.

We investigate the nonequilibrium dynamics of one-dimension spin models in the presence of a uniform force. The linear potential induces delocalization-localization transition in the free particles model which is known as the Wannier-Stark effect. We study dynamical quantum phase transition (DQPT) due to sudden global quenches across a quantum critical point when the system undergoes a localization-delocalization transition. In this regard, we consider the XX and XXZ spin chains and explore two types of quenches with and without ramping through the delocalization-localization point. The XX model was mapped to the free fermion particles, so both analytical and numerical results were provided. Results unveil that the dynamical signature of localization-delocalization transition can be characterized by the nonanalyticities in dynamical free energy (corresponds to the zero points in the Loschmit echo). We also explore the interaction effects considering XXZ spin chains, using the time-dependent extension of the numerical DMRG technique. Our results show that depending on the anisotropic parameter \\(\\Delta\\lessgtr1.0\\), if both the initial and post-quench Hamiltonian are in the same phase or not, DQPTs may happen. Moreover, the interrelation between DQPTs with different correlation measures such as the equilibrium order parameters or entanglement entropy production of the system remains unclear. We provide more analyses on the feature of DQPTs, in both types of quenches, by connecting them to the average local magnetization, entanglement entropy production, and the Schmidt gap.