Electroactive Brevundimonas diminuta consortium mediated selenite bioreduction, biogenesis of selenium nanoparticles and bio-electricity generation.

In this study, highly selenite-resistant strains belonging to Brevundimonas diminuta (OK287021, OK287022) genus were isolated from previously operated single chamber microbial fuel cell (SCMFC). The central composite design showed that the B. diminuta consortium could reduce selenite.

River water pollution in Lebanon: the country's most underestimated public health challenge.

Background: Due to the several interconnected crises that Lebanon has been facing for the past 4 years, many important social and environmental issues have been overlooked until more "pressing" ones are dealt with. Consequently, water pollution in Lebanon continues to worsen.

Aim: This study aimed to describe the microbiological and chemical properties of the 10 main rivers in Lebanon and to assess their suitability for irrigation, while exploring some of the solutions to the problem.

Insights on hexavalent chromium(VI) remediation strategies in abiotic and biotic dual chamber microbial fuel cells: electrochemical, physical, and metagenomics characterizations.

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is one of the most carcinogenic and mutagenic toxins, and is commonly released into the environemt from different industries, including leather tanning, pulp and paper manufacturing, and metal finishing. This study aimed to investigate the performance of dual chamber microbial fuel cells (DMFCs) equipped with a biocathode as alternative promising remediation approaches for the biological reduction of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] with instantaneous power generation. A succession batch under preliminary diverse concentrations of Cr(VI) (from 5 to 60 mg L) was conducted to investigate the reduction mechanism of DMFCs.

Statistical optimization of waste molasses-based exopolysaccharides and self-sustainable bioelectricity production for dual chamber microbial fuel cell by Bacillus piscis.

Background: The application of exopolysaccharide-producing bacteria (EPS) in dual chamber microbial fuel cells (DCMFC) is critical which can minimize the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of molasses with bioelectricity production. Hence, our study aimed to evaluate the EPS production by the novel strain Bacillus piscis by using molasses waste. Therefore, statistical modeling was used to optimize the EPS production.

ECKN: An Integrated Approach for Position Estimation, Packet Routing, and Sleep Scheduling in Wireless Sensor Networks.

Network lifetime and localization are critical design factors for a number of wireless sensor network (WSN) applications. These networks may be randomly deployed and left unattended for prolonged periods of time. This means that node localization is performed after network deployment, and there is a need to develop mechanisms to extend the network lifetime since sensor nodes are usually constrained battery-powered devices, and replacing them can be costly or sometimes impossible, e.

To segment or not to segment: COVID-19 detection for chest X-rays.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been integrated into most technologies we use. One of the most promising applications in AI is medical imaging. Research demonstrates that AI has improved the performance of most medical imaging analysis systems.

Selenium-transition metal supported on a mixture of reduced graphene oxide and silica template for water splitting.

Exploration of economical, highly efficient, and environment friendly non-noble-metal-based electrocatalysts is necessary for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER) but challenging for cost-effective water splitting. Herein, metal selenium nanoparticles (M = Ni, Co & Fe) are anchored on the surface of reduced graphene oxide and a silica template (rGO-ST) through a simple one-pot solvothermal method. The resulting electrocatalyst composite can enhance mass/charge transfer and promote interaction between water molecules and electrocatalyst reactive sites.

Erythromelalgia in a patient with feet erythema and cyanosis.

Erythromelalgia is a rare disease characterised by a triad of a clinical syndrome of redness, warmth and painful extremities. We present the case of a male adolescent with no prior medical history who presents to our family medicine clinic with a 3-month history of bilateral feet erythema followed by episodes of cyanosis in bilateral toes. Given his history, the findings on clinical examination, and the lack of any pathology on the diagnostic testing, the patient is diagnosed with erythromelalgia.

The Role of the JAK/STAT Signaling Pathway in the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease: New Potential Treatment Target.

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. However, emerging evidence suggests that neuroinflammation, mediated notably by activated neuroglial cells, neutrophils, and macrophages, also plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, understanding the interplay between the nervous and immune systems might be the key to the prevention or delay of Alzheimer's disease progression.

Determination of MIC, MPC, and MSW of Ilex paraguariensis against non-typhoidal Salmonella with identification of the mechanisms of resistance and pathogenicity factors.

This study investigated the antibacterial activity of the aqueous extract of Ilex paraguariensis against 32 different strains of nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) through the determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), mutant prevention concentration (MPC), and mutant selection window (MSW) and the detection of virulence genes by multiplex PCR assays. The MIC values of Ilex paraguariensis against Salmonella spp. strains varied between 0.

Evaluation of mixed transition metal (Co, Mn, and Cu) oxide electrocatalysts anchored on different carbon supports for robust oxygen reduction reaction in neutral media.

Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) remains a pivotal factor in assessing the overall efficiency of energy conversion and storage technologies. A promising family of ORR electrocatalysts is mixed transition-metal oxides (MTMOs), which have recently gained a growing research interest. In this study, we developed MTMOs with different compositions (designated as A B O; A = Cu, B = Co or Mn) anchored on two different carbon supports (activated carbon Vulcan XC-72 (AC) and graphene (G)) for catalyzing ORR in neutral media.

The enhancement of microbial fuel cell performance by anodic bacterial community adaptation and cathodic mixed nickel-copper oxides on a graphene electrocatalyst.

Background: Although microbial fuel cells (MFCs) represent a promising technology for capturing renewable energy from wastewater, their scaling-up is significantly limited by a slow-rate cathodic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the development of a resilient anodic microbial community. In this study, mixed transition metal oxides of nickel and copper (Ni and Cu), supported on a graphene (G) (NiO-CuO/G) electrocatalyst, were synthesized and tested as a cost-effective cathode for ORR in MFCs. Electrochemical measurements of electrocatalyst were conducted using a rotating disk electrode (RDE) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) in a neutral electrolyte, and compared with a benchmark Pt/C catalyst.

Heterointerface Engineering of Hierarchically Assembling Layered Double Hydroxides on Cobalt Selenide as Efficient Trifunctional Electrocatalysts for Water Splitting and Zinc-Air Battery.

Engineering of structure and composition is essential but still challenging for electrocatalytic activity modulation. Herein, hybrid nanostructured arrays (HNA) with branched and aligned structures constructed by cobalt selenide (CoSe ) nanotube arrays vertically oriented on carbon cloth with CoNi layered double hydroxide (CoSe @CoNi LDH HNA) are synthesized by a hydrothermal-selenization-hybridization strategy. The branched and hollow structure, as well as the heterointerface between CoSe and CoNi LDH guarantee structural stability and sufficient exposure of the surface active sites.

Anodic and cathodic biofilms coupled with electricity generation in single-chamber microbial fuel cell using activated sludge.

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is used to remove organic pollutants while generating electricity. Biocathode plays as an efficient electrocatalyst for accelerating the Oxidation Reduction Reaction (ORR) of oxygen in MFC. This study integrated biocathode into a single-chamber microbial fuel cell (BSCMFC) to produce electricity from an organic substrate using aerobic activated sludge to gain more insights into anodic and cathodic biofilms.

Osteonecrosis Mandibular Extended to Bisphosphonates: A Very Rare Extensive Case.

After the first report of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) in 2003, it has increased significantly since then. We report a very rare extensive case never seen before in our experience of bone exposure with necrosis reaching the mandibular inferior border. Although the treatment modalities are not yet established, most researchers have recommended conservative approaches.

Cooperative Localization Improvement Using Distance Information in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks.

In vehicular ad hoc networks (VANets), a precise localization system is a crucial factor for several critical safety applications. The global positioning system (GPS) is commonly used to determine the vehicles' position estimation. However, it has unwanted errors yet that can be worse in some areas, such as urban street canyons and indoor parking lots, making it inaccurate for most critical safety applications.

Human Activity Recognition Using Inertial Sensors in a Smartphone: An Overview.

The ubiquity of smartphones and the growth of computing resources, such as connectivity, processing, portability, and power of sensing, have greatly changed people's lives. Today, many smartphones contain a variety of powerful sensors, including motion, location, network, and direction sensors. Motion or inertial sensors (e.

Effect of vitamins and cell constructions on the activity of microbial fuel cell battery.

Construction of efficient performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) requires certain practical considerations. In the single chamber microbial fuel cell, there is no border between the anode and the cathode, thus the diffusion of the dissolved oxygen has a contrary effect on the anodic respiration and this leads to the inhibition of the direct electron transfer from the biofilm to the anodic surface. Here, a fed-batch single chambered microbial fuel cells are constructed with different distances 3 and 6 cm (anode- cathode spacing), while keeping the working volume is constant.

Effect of annealing on LaSrMnO thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition.

La SrMnO (LSM) polycrystalline powder was synthesized using hydrothermal method at 900 °C. High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HR-TEM) showed that the particles were uniform with average particle size of 657 nm. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and lattice fringes indicated rhombohedral structure of LSM particles.

[Craniofacial adulthood rhabdomyosarcoma: a case with poor prognosis].

Rhabdomyosarcoma is the more frequent mesenchymal tumor in children and in adolescents. It accounts for 60 -70% of mesenchymal tumors and approximately 5% of all solid tumors occurring at these ages. Almost half of rhabdomyosarcomas occur in the head and the neck.

Empirical equations and economical study for blending biofuel with petroleum jet fuel.

Distillate of upgraded palm biodiesel was blended in different volume percentages (5, 10, 15, and 20%) with jet A-1. The mixture can be used as a replacement for petroleum Jet fuel. Physical properties of blends were measured and compared with those of jet A-1.

Frontalis suspension using autogenous temporal fascia by Fox technique.

Introduction: Severe ptosis of more than 4mm with poor levator function of less than 4mm is treated via the frontalis muscle suspension technique using autogenous temporal fascia.

Technical Note: The surgery was performed under general anaesthesia. The eyelid crease was incised and the tarsus exposed.

Sarcomatoid Carcinoma of the Maxilla: A Case Report with Literature Review.

Sarcomatoid carcinoma is a very rare malignant and aggressive tumor that can involve the maxillary sinus. We report the case of a 46 y/o male who presented a tumor of the right maxillary sinus with extension to the right nasal cavity. The diagnosis of sarcomatoid carcinoma was set by histology and immunohistochemistry.

Exploring the Bioelectrochemical Characteristics of Activated Sludge Using Cyclic Voltammetry.

Due to the potential interest, bioelectrochemical responses of activated sludge using the three-electrode system are tested. From the cyclic voltammograms, the oxidation current output is increasing due to incubation time increase, whereas 5, 25 and 39.33 μA are obtained after 3, 72 and 96 h, respectively.