Effect of successive recycling and reuse of acid liquor for the synthesis of graphene oxides with higher oxygen-to-carbon ratios.

Graphene has recently drawn exponential attention due to its surprising physicochemical properties and diversified field of applications. Although graphene oxides (GOs), itself is an exclusive material, it is also an intermediate product for the production of reduced graphene oxides (rGOs), graphene and their derivatives, which are other more superficial materials. In this study, GOs with higher oxygen to carbon ratios were synthesized following the Tour method, where the excess feed acid liquor (FAL) of mixed concentrated sulfuric and orthophosphoric acids at a ratio of 90:10 was recovered from the reaction slurries by applying the centrifugation technique.

Salinisation of drinking water ponds and groundwater in coastal Bangladesh linked to tropical cyclones.

Salinity is a widespread problem along the Asian coast, mainly in reclaimed lands where most people live. These low-lying areas are vulnerable to impacts from tropical cyclone induced storm surges. The role of such surges on the long-term salinity of water resources, particularly the salinisation of drinking water ponds, a key water resource, requires further investigation.

Unusual cause of mediastinal tumor: A case of calcified pericardial cyst.

Pericardial cysts are rare benign intrathoracic lesions, and calcified pericardial cysts are even more uncommon. Most pericardial cysts are asymptomatic, but patients may present with chest pain, dyspnea and any complications of pericardial effusion. We present a case of a left-sided calcified pericardial cyst, highlighting its rarity and symptoms in relation to its location.

Someone to Watch Over You: Using Bluetooth Beacons for Alerting Distracted Pedestrians.

In the United States, an estimated 7,005 (crude rate 2.13) pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This statistic is currently increasing annually and research suggests that distraction by smartphones may be a primary reason for the increasing number of pedestrian injuries and deaths.

Natural attenuation processes control groundwater contamination in the Chernobyl exclusion zone: evidence from 35 years of radiological monitoring.

The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ) contains the vast majority of radionuclides released by the accident in nuclear fuel particle form. We present and analyze groundwater measurements collected from the monitoring network in CEZ covering key aquifers over 35 years since the accident. These new data, together with a comprehensive analysis of historical data shows that Sr remains mobile in the subsurface environment, while groundwater concentrations of Cs, Pu isotopes and Am are relatively low, and are not of radiological concern.

Performance of WHO-Endorsed Rapid Tests for Detection of Susceptibility to First-Line Drugs in Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Bangladesh.

The fast and accurate detection of susceptibility in drugs is a major challenge for a successful tuberculosis (TB) control programme. This study evaluated the performance of WHO-endorsed rapid diagnostic tools, such as BACTEC MGIT 960 SIRE (MGIT SIRE), GenoType MTBDR (MTBDR) and Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert), for detecting susceptibility to first-line anti-TB drugs among pulmonary TB patients in Bangladesh. A total of 825 sputum samples with results from drug susceptibility testing (DST) against first-line anti-TB drugs in the MGIT SIRE, MTBDR and Xpert assays were evaluated and compared with the gold standard proportion susceptibility method of the Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium.

StreetBit: A Bluetooth Beacon-based Personal Safety Application for Distracted Pedestrians.

The safety of distracted pedestrians presents a significant public health challenge in the United States and worldwide. An estimated 6,704 American pedestrians died and over 200,000 pedestrians were injured in traffic crashes in 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [1]. This number is increasing annually and many researchers posit that distraction by smartphones is a primary reason for the increasing number of pedestrian injuries and deaths.

Characterization and profiling of bacteriocin-like substances produced by lactic acid bacteria from cheese samples.

Bacteriocins have become biological weapons against harmful food pathogens and have attracted interest as tools for biopreservation. The aim of this study was to isolate, identify and characterize lactic acid bacterial (LAB) strains from cheese samples, partially purify potential bacteriocins and characterize their antimicrobial activity against pathogens. Bacteriocin-producing organisms were screened by Agar spot assay test.

Reducing distracted pedestrian behavior using Bluetooth beacon technology: A crossover trial.

Background: The number of fatal pedestrian injuries in the United States has steadily increased over the past decade. Multiple factors likely contribute to this trend, but the growth of pedestrians distracted by mobile devices is widely hypothesized to play a major role. Existing strategies to reduce distracted pedestrian behavior are few and mostly ineffective.

Solid-liquid distribution coefficients (Kd-s) of geological deposits at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant site with respect to Sr, Cs and Pu radionuclides: A short review.

A review is presented of data on solid-liquid distribution coefficients (Kd-s) of the main radiologically important radionuclides of the Chernobyl release within geological deposits at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) Site. The Kd values for Sr, Cs and Pu for Quaternary sandy deposits that form sedimentary cover at Chernobyl fall within the range of parameters reported in international sorption databases. In agreement with general knowledge on radionuclide geochemical behavior and affinity to soils, Kd-s increase in the sequence: Sr < Cs < Pu.

Drinking Water Salinity and Raised Blood Pressure: Evidence from a Cohort Study in Coastal Bangladesh.

Background: Millions of coastal inhabitants in Southeast Asia have been experiencing increasing sodium concentrations in their drinking-water sources, likely partially due to climate change. High (dietary) sodium intake has convincingly been proven to increase risk of hypertension; it remains unknown, however, whether consumption of sodium in drinking water could have similar effects on health.

Objectives: We present the results of a cohort study in which we assessed the effects of drinking-water sodium (DWS) on blood pressure (BP) in coastal populations in Bangladesh.

Medical Hydrogeology of Asian Deltas: Status of Groundwater Toxicants and Nutrients, and Implications for Human Health.

Drinking water, a fluid primarily for human hydration, is also a source of mineral nutrients. Groundwater, a drinking water source for more than 70% of inhabitants living in Asian deltas, has received much attention because of its naturally occurring arsenic, but the linkage of arsenic toxicity with other water constituents has not been studied. In addition, although nutrients are generally provided by food, in under developed rural settings, where people subsist on low nutrient diets, drinking-water-nutrients may supply quantities critical to human health thereby preventing diseases.