Enhancing Syagrus romanzoffiana lignocellulosic fibers' properties by ecological treatment with sodium bicarbonate for applications in sustainable lightweight biocomposites.

Investigating the fascinating world of natural fibers, where Syagrus romanzoffiana fibers (SrFs) are promising substitutes for glass and synthetic fibers in composite materials, is more than interesting. The improvement of SrFs through an environmentally friendly treatment employing sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) at different concentrations (5 %, 10 %, 20 %, and 30 % by weight) over various durations (24, 72, and 168 h) is the subject of this study. The objective is to provide a sustainable and economical approach to enhancing fiber characteristics.

Evaluation of prostheses retained zygomatic and dental implants in large defects in the maxilla due to tumors or major trauma by biomechanical 3- dimensional finite element analysis.

Background: Zygomatic implants are becoming an ideal treatment approach for implant-supported prosthesis treatment developed for the atrophic maxilla. This study aims to evaluate the amount and distribution of stress in implants and peri-implant bone using different implant-supported prosthesis configurations in Aramany Class I maxillary defects through 3-dimensional finite element analysis.

Methods: A 3-dimensional finite element model of the Aramany class I defect was created.

A comprehensive review of sustainable hydrogels from lignin for advanced wastewater solutions.

Throughout the recent years, water bodies have been significantly contaminated via various industrial and pollution wastes posing threats to the living. To tackle the situation, Lignin-Based Hydrogels have appeared as a material with great potential for wastewater treatment. Biomass-derived polymers for wastewater treatment present a sustainable replacement to plastics based on petroleum owing to its biocompatibility, affordability, eco-friendliness and biodegradability.

Coupled model for one-dimensional large-strain nonlinear consolidation and contaminant transport in underlying clay liner of a dredged sludge dumping site considering different initial effective stress distributions.

To study the contaminant transport behavior in the underlying clay liner of a dredged sludge dumping site, a one-dimensional large strain nonlinear consolidation and contaminant transport coupled model is established, and the corresponding numerical solutions for the proposed coupled model is obtained. The numerical results are compared and investigated with the existing theoretical model to verify the correctness of the coupled model. Furthermore, the effects of dredged sludge landfill method and initial effective stress distribution on the contaminant transport behavior in the underlying clay liner and the breakthrough time of the underlying clay liner are investigated.

Exposure-response relationships between road traffic, railway, and aircraft noise and annoyance in Bulgarian cities.

This study aimed to develop exposure-response relationships (ERRs) between road, rail, and air traffic noise and high noise annoyance (HNA) and to assess the HNA disease burden. In 2023, 4640 adults were cross-sectionally sampled from the five largest cities in Bulgaria. Participants' road, rail/tram, and air traffic HNA was defined as the top two categories (60% cut-off point) of a 5-point scale.

Two-dimensional ZIF-L derived dual Fe/FeN sites for synergistic efficient oxygen reduction in alkaline and acid media.

Fe-N-C catalysts have emerged as the most promising alternatives to commercial Pt/C catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) due to their cost-effectiveness and favorable activity. Herein, a dual-site Fe/FeN-NC catalyst was synthesized via a green, in situ doping strategy using two-dimensional Fe-doped ZIF-L as a nitrogen-rich precursor. The catalyst integrated Fe nanoparticles (NPs) and FeN sites anchored on carbon nanotubes, intertwined with nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanosheets, achieving a high active site density and graphitisation.

Microencapsulation using a novel wall material prepared via Maillard reaction-derived mung bean protein-peach gum conjugates to enhance stability and functionality of chia seed oil.

This study investigated the potential of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) derived from mung bean protein isolate (MBPI) and peach gum (PG) conjugates as wall materials for microencapsulating chia seed oil (CSO). Four formulations (MMRP) were prepared using spray-drying and compared to a commercial sample (CMMRP). The MMRP formulation exhibited the highest encapsulation yield (91 %) and encapsulation efficiency (96 %), along with favorable physical properties, including a spherical shape and smooth surface.

Vanillin and IGF1-loaded dual-layer multifunctional wound dressing with micro-nanofibrous structure for full-thickness wound healing acceleration.

Multifunctional dual-layer wound dressings hold significant promise for comprehensive full-thickness wound management by closely mimicking the native skin structure and features. Herein, we employed an innovative approach utilizing electrospinning techniques to develop a dual-layer dressing comprising a microfibrous Ecoflex®-Vanillin (Ex-Vnil) top layer (TL) and a nanofibrous Soluplus®-Insulin-like growth factor-1 (Sol-IGF1) bottom layer (BL). The tensile properties of dual-layer wound dressings were within the standard range for use in skin tissue regeneration.

Investigating macro marine litter and beach cleanliness along Southern Vietnam beaches.

Plastic contamination is a major issue for marine ecosystems, with macro-litter posing a growing threat globally. This study assesses macro-marine litter on Vung Tau beaches, Southern Vietnam, providing baseline data for marine litter pollution and identifying critical action plans for plastic control. Survey results showed litter density ranging from 0.

Development and laboratory evaluation of a novel IoT-based electric-driven metering system for high precision garlic planter.

In order to address many issues, such as the inconsistent and unreliable seeding process in traditional mechanical garlic seed metering systems (SMS), as well as the lack of ability to monitor the effectiveness of the seeding, a highly accurate electric-driven metering system (EDMS) was developed and created specifically for garlic seed planters. This study provided a description of the overall structure and functioning principle, as well as an analysis of the mechanism for smooth transit and delivery. A combination of an infrared (IR) sensor, Arduino Mega board, stepper motor, speed sensor, and a Wi-Fi module was employed to operate the EDMS, as well as monitor and count the quantity of garlic seeds during the planting process and determine the qualified rate (QR) and missing rate (MR).

Coarse bubble mixing in anoxic zone greatly stimulates nitrous oxide emissions from biological nitrogen removal process.

The biological nitrogen removal process in wastewater treatment inevitably produces nitrous oxide (NO), a potent greenhouse gas. Coarse bubble mixing is widely employed in wastewater treatment processes to mix anoxic tanks; however, its impacts on NO emissions are rarely reported. This study investigates the effects of coarse bubble mixing on NO emissions in a pilot-scale mainstream nitrite shunt reactor over a 50-day steady-state period.

Probing the Active Nitrogen Species in Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanozymes for Enhanced Oxidase-Like Activity.

Nitrogen doping emerges as a potent approach to enhance the oxidase-like activity of carbon nanozymes. However, the unclear knowledge of the active nitrogen species within nitrogen-doped carbon nanozymes hinders the advancement of high-performance carbon nanozymes. Herein, a group of nitrogen-doped carbon (N/C) nanozymes with controllable nitrogen dopants are successfully synthesized via a dicyandiamide-assisted pyrolysis method.

Evaluating energy consumption patterns in novel foamed ternary alkali-activated masonry blocks.

This study endeavors to tackle the energy requirements of the building sector by employing passive design strategies. However, there exists a dearth of comprehension regarding the energy efficiency performance of foamed alkali-activated materials. To bridge this research gap, the study proposes a solution in the form of a thermally proficient wall material crafted from ceramic tile dust (CTD), class C fly ash (FA), and Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag (GGBS), all of which are industrial by-products.

Comparative analysis of deep learning models for crack detection in buildings.

Life-time of the buildings is generally challenged by the act of nature. In-spite of the fact that the constructions provide minimum guarantee on quality and durability, certain mismatch in the composition of the materials, stress on the building, and chemical or physical imbalance of the materials, lead to surface crack. Cracks are also generated due to the shuffle of climatic conditions, which leads to the contraction and expansion of the building surfaces, and other damages.

Merged Red and NIR Light Sources for Photobiomodulation Therapy in Diabetic Wound Healing.

Photobiomodulation (PBM) is considered an effective and safe therapeutic modality in supporting the treatment of complications from a global pandemic-diabetes. In this study, PBM therapy is investigated to accelerate wound healing in diabetic mice (DM), under the combined biological effects of red light from a red organic light-emitting diode (ROLED) and near-infrared (NIR) light from an NIR conversion film (NCF) with dispersed CuInS/ZnS quantum dots (QDs). The QD concentration and the NCF structure were optimized to maximize the optical properties and mechanical stability.

Vehicle-induced air pollutant dispersion and personal exposure in an urban street canyon: Association with air-source heat pump outdoor units combined with building envelope components.

Air-source heat pumps are popular in buildings to provide cooling and heating. However, how the air discharged by air-source heat pump outdoor units affects the dispersion of air pollutants in urban street canyons remains poorly understood. This study used coupled simulations to examine the effects that air-source heat pump outdoor units had on vehicle-induced indoor and outdoor air pollution in an urban street canyon and how these effects varied based on the arrangement of outdoor units or the presence of building envelope components (e.

Detailed analysis of air pollution in the Canadian prairie region: A step toward net-zero emission.

Industrial, agricultural, and natural pollution pose a critical problem for the Prairie provinces of Canada, with significant environmental and health concerns. This study addresses a critical knowledge gap by assessing the cumulative impacts of pollutants in the Prairie region, which hosts 40 % of the Canada's indigenous population, often living near these pollution sources. By innovatively integrating Sentinel-5P satellite data, Google Earth Engine, ArcGIS, and Python, we show the trends in CO, NO₂, HCHO, SO₂, and aerosols from 2019 to 2023 at high resolution for the entire region, which sheds new light on the dynamics that operate beyond conventional air quality monitoring.

Ultrafiltration membrane modelling: Comparing two mathematical models by sensitivity and uncertainty analysis for Palermo and Corleone (Italy) water reuse case studies.

The new EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive requires stricter limits introducing quaternary treatments and poses significant challenges to achieving a sustainable environment. Advanced membrane-based treatment processes combined with mathematical models can be a good solution for facing the challenges above. Most existing literature on membrane filtration models primarily focuses on membrane bioreactors, lacking mechanistic models on ultrafiltration (UF) membranes.

Science tells us that portable air filters reduce infection risk. It's time for public health authorities to make this clear.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian public health advisors and politicians have shared mixed messages about the utility of portable air filters (PAFs) for mitigating the transmission of airborne infectious diseases. Some public health advisors and decision-makers have also suggested that PAFs are cumbersome or require expert advice. We take this opportunity to review evidence and address myths about PAFs.

Mangrove-based carbon market projects: What stakeholders need to address during pre-feasibility assessment.

Mangrove-based carbon market projects (MbCMP) aim to conserve, protect and restore mangrove habitats in order to generate high quality blue carbon credits via a crediting program, as a contribution to climate change mitigation/adaptation, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services provision and local socio-economic development. The blue carbon credits generated are transferable, verifiable and sold through carbon markets to earn additional income for governments and local communities. The main aim of the paper is to provide important considerations for pre-field planning, that is, how challenges associated with fieldwork, project implementation, and monitoring reporting and verification (MRV) can be addressed with proper pre-field planning.

Environmental controls on the conversion of nutrients to chlorophyll in lakes.

Anthropogenic inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus to lakes have increased worldwide, causing phytoplankton chlorophyll concentrations to increase at many sites, with negative implications for biodiversity and human usage of lake resources. However, the conversion of nutrients to chlorophyll varies among lakes, hindering effective management actions to improve water quality. Here, using a rich global dataset, we explore how the relationship between chlorophyll-a (Chla) and nitrogen and phosphorus and inferred nutrient limitation is modified by climate, catchment, hydrology and lake characteristics.

Surface Composition Impacts Selectivity of ZnTe Photocathodes in Photoelectrochemical CO Reduction Reaction.

Light-driven reduction of CO into chemicals using a photoelectrochemical (PEC) approach is considered as a promising way to meet the carbon neutral target. The very top surface of the photoelectrode and semiconductor/electrolyte interface plays a pivotal role in defining the performance for PEC CO reduction. However, such impact remains poorly understood.

Impact of acute and chronic exposure to sulfamethoxazole on the kinetics and microbial structure of an activated sludge community.

The aim of this study was to reveal the microbial and kinetic impacts of acute and chronic exposure to one of the frequently administered antibiotics, i.e., sulfamethoxazole, on an activated sludge biomass.

Predicting Chlorophyll- Concentrations in the World's Largest Lakes Using Kolmogorov-Arnold Networks.

Accurate prediction of chlorophyll- (Chl-) concentrations, a key indicator of eutrophication, is essential for the sustainable management of lake ecosystems. This study evaluated the performance of Kolmogorov-Arnold Networks (KANs) along with three neural network models (MLP-NN, LSTM, and GRU) and three traditional machine learning tools (RF, SVR, and GPR) for predicting time-series Chl- concentrations in large lakes. Monthly remote-sensed Chl- data derived from Aqua-MODIS spanning September 2002 to April 2024 were used.