Tracing microplastics in environmental sources and migratory shorebirds along the Central Asian Flyway.

Microplastic pollution poses a significant threat to coastal ecosystems worldwide. Despite its widespread occurrence, knowledge on the prevalence and fate of microplastics across food webs is limited. To bridge this gap, we conducted an extensive study on microplastic contamination in mudflats, mangroves, and sand beaches being key habitats for wintering shorebirds on the west coast of India.

Peptide-Perovskite Based Bio-Inspired Materials for Optoelectronics Applications.

The growing demand for environmentally friendly semiconductors that can be tailored and developed easily is compelling researchers and technologists to design inherently bio-compatible, self-assembling nanostructures with tunable semiconducting characteristics. Peptide-based bioinspired materials exhibit a variety of supramolecular morphologies and have the potential to function as organic semiconductors. Such biologically or naturally derived peptides with intrinsic semiconducting characteristics create new opportunities for sustainable biomolecule-based optoelectronics devices.

Formulation and clinical evaluation of hyaluronic acid nanogel in treatment of tear trough: Nano-flipping from injectable fillers to topical nanofillers.

Tear trough deformity (TTD) is a significant cosmetic concern, with current treatments relying primarily on invasive injectable fillers, which are costly and carry risks of complications. Despite the widespread use of hyaluronic acid (HA) in cosmetic applications, its poor dermal permeation has limited the development of effective topical fillers for TTD.This study aim to develop and evaluate a novel hyaluronic acid nanogel (nanofiller, NF) as a non-invasive topical filler for TTD.

Novel methods for the detection of glutathione by surface-enhanced Raman scattering: A perspective review.

Detection of biomolecules, Glutathione (GSH) in particular, is important because it helps assess antioxidant capacity, cellular protection, detoxification processes, and potential disease associations. Monitoring glutathione levels can provide valuable information about overall health and well-being. Many medical disorders have been connected to glutathione levels.

Damping Optimization and Energy Absorption of Mechanical Metamaterials for Enhanced Vibration Control Applications: A Critical Review.

Metamaterials are pushing the limits of traditional materials and are fascinating frontiers in scientific innovation. Mechanical metamaterials (MMs) are a category of metamaterials that display properties and performances that cannot be realized in conventional materials. Exploring the mechanical properties and various aspects of vibration and damping control is becoming a crucial research area.

Novel Class-AB Operational Amplifier for Compact and Energy-Efficient Wake-Up Sensor Systems.

This paper presents a novel rail-to-rail Class-AB operational amplifier tailored for wake-up systems in motion sensor applications. By addressing limitations in free Class-AB designs, such as large inrush current, unstable bias conditions, and area ineffiiency, the proposed design achieves a gain of 59 dB and unity gain frequency of 550 kHz driving a 5 pF load. The inrush current is reduced from 1 mA to 7 µA, increasing the battery life.

Enhanced Photoelectrocatalytic Performance of ZnO Nanowires for Green Hydrogen Production and Organic Pollutant Degradation.

With growing environmental concerns and the need for sustainable energy, multifunctional materials that can simultaneously address water treatment and clean energy production are in high demand. In this study, we developed a cost-effective method to synthesize zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires via the anodic oxidation of zinc foil. By carefully controlling the anodization time, we optimized the Zn/ZnO-5 min electrode to achieve impressive dual-function performance in terms of effective photoelectrocatalysis for water splitting and waste water treatment.

Explainable AI in Diagnostic Radiology for Neurological Disorders: A Systematic Review, and What Doctors Think About It.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has recently made unprecedented contributions in every walk of life, but it has not been able to work its way into diagnostic medicine and standard clinical practice yet. Although data scientists, researchers, and medical experts have been working in the direction of designing and developing computer aided diagnosis (CAD) tools to serve as assistants to doctors, their large-scale adoption and integration into the healthcare system still seems far-fetched. Diagnostic radiology is no exception.

Novel enhancement strategy for Hg adsorption in wastewater: Nonthermal plasma-mediated advanced modification of zero-valent iron-carbon galvanic cells with thiol functionalization.

Mercury (Hg) pollution poses a critical threat to human health and the environment, necessitating urgent control measures. This study introduces a novel modification method for the common zero-valent iron-carbon (ZVI-AC) galvanic cells using a two-step process, nonthermal (NTP) irradiation followed by targeted functionalization, aiming to enhance Hg adsorption potential by adjusting the physicochemical properties of the cells. The NTP irradiated functionalized adsorbent demonstrated superior Hg adsorption performance across various concentrations and pH variations.

Multimodal consumer choice prediction using EEG signals and eye tracking.

Marketing plays a vital role in the success of a business, driving customer engagement, brand recognition, and revenue growth. Neuromarketing adds depth to this by employing insights into consumer behavior through brain activity and emotional responses to create more effective marketing strategies. Electroencephalogram (EEG) has typically been utilized by researchers for neuromarketing, whereas Eye Tracking (ET) has remained unexplored.

Chemical Looping: A Sustainable Approach for Upgrading Light Hydrocarbons to Value-Added Olefins.

In recent times, chemical looping offered a sustainable alternative for upgrading light hydrocarbons into olefins. Olefins are valuable platform chemicals that are utilized for diverse applications. To close the wide shortfall in their global supply, intensified efforts are ongoing to develop on-purpose production technologies.

Methane Bubbled Through Seawater Can be Converted to Methanol With High Efficiency.

Partial oxidation of methane (POM) is achieved by forming air-methane microbubbles in saltwater to which an alternating electric field is applied using a copper oxide foam electrode. The solubility of methane is increased by putting it in contact with water containing dissolved KCl or NaCl (3%). Being fully dispersed as microbubbles (20-40 µm in diameter), methane reacts more fully with hydroxyl radicals (OH·) at the gas-water interface.

Predicting few disinfection byproducts in the water distribution systems using machine learning models.

Concerns regarding disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in drinking water persist, with measurements in water treatment plants (WTPs) being relatively easier than those in water distribution systems (WDSs) due to accessibility challenges, especially during adverse weather conditions. Machine learning (ML) models offer improved predictions of DBPs in WDSs. This study developed multiple ML models to predict Trihalomethanes (THMs), Haloacetic Acids (HAAs), Dichloroacetonitrile (DCAN), and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in WDSs using data collected over 13 years (2008-2020) from 113 water supply systems (WSS) in Ontario.

Chromium Removal Using a Basalt Rock Adsorbent in a Packed Bed Column for Efficient Environmental Protection.

The discharge of chromium(VI) into the environment is becoming a significant global concern. Despite the existence of numerous techniques for chromium(VI) removal, substantial challenges persist in effectively mitigating this issue. Therefore, this study investigates the feasibility of using low-cost basalt rock as an adsorbent for chromium(VI) removal.

Removal of MTBE and BTEX Pollutants from Contaminated Water Using Colloidal Activated Carbon (CAC).

Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) and BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) are common groundwater contaminants that pose significant health risks. This study investigated the efficiency of a colloidal activated carbon (CAC) material in removing MTBE and BTEX from contaminated water using batch and continuous core flooding systems. In the batch system, a mixture of sand and carbonate was coated with 1-3 g of CAC for the removal of contaminants.

Predicting Water Saturation in a Greek Oilfield with the Power of Artificial Neural Networks.

Water saturation plays a vital role in calculating the volume of hydrocarbon in reservoirs and defining the net pay. It is also essential for designing the well completion. Innacurate water saturation calculation can lead to poor decision-making, significantly affecting the reservoir's development and production, potentially resulting in reduced hydrocarbon oil recovery.

Ensemble Model Approach for Predicting the Yield of Dehydrogenation Products during the Oxidative Dehydrogenation of -Butane.

Efficient and selective oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) catalysts are crucial to advance the production of valuable petrochemicals. In this study, we leverage the power of machine learning to predict dehydrogenation (DH) product yield and unravel the factors influencing the product distribution. A comprehensive data set obtained from experiments conducted in a fixed-bed reactor under varying temperatures, feed ratios (O/-butane), and metal oxide loadings (Ni, Fe, Co, Bi, Mo, W, Zn, and Mn) on an aluminum oxide support served as the basis for model development.

Nuclear power plant waste heat opens a window of next-generation desalination hybridization: a SOAR-based review.

This review examines the potential for utilizing nuclear power plant (NPP) waste heat in hybrid desalination systems, focusing on Reverse Osmosis-Low-Temperature Evaporation (RO-LTE) driven by renewable energy sources and atomic waste heat. By employing a SOAR (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results) analysis, the study evaluates the integration of NPP waste heat into various desalination technologies, emphasizing the environmental benefits and energy efficiency improvements. Fundamental aspirations include advancements in material science and heat exchanger designs, which enhance heat transfer and evaporation processes.

Effect of tire pyrolysis oil and graphene oxide nanoparticles as an additive in the diesel engine.

The majority of industries throughout the world rely largely on fossil fuels as their primary energy source. However, these resources are finite and become scarcer by the day. Therefore, exploring alternative fuels and additives for diesel fuel is imperative to mitigate fuel consumption.

Revealing the reaction path of UVC bond rupture in cyclic disulfides with ultrafast x-ray scattering.

Disulfide bonds are ubiquitous molecular motifs that influence the tertiary structure and biological functions of many proteins. Yet, it is well known that the disulfide bond is photolabile when exposed to ultraviolet C (UVC) radiation. The deep-UV-induced S─S bond fragmentation kinetics on very fast timescales are especially pivotal to fully understand the photostability and photodamage repair mechanisms in proteins.

Energy-exergy and environ-economic (4E) analysis of heat storage-based single-slope solar stills integrated with solar air heater.

The energy-exergy and environ-economic (4E) analysis was conducted on a solar still with and without a hybrid thermal energy storage system (TESS) and a solar air heater. The proposed solar still was modified by integrating a rectangular aluminium box filled with paraffin wax and black gravel as the TESS and coupled with a solar air heater. Paraffin wax was selected due to its widespread availability and proven effectiveness in accelerating desalination, improving process uniformity, and maintaining optimal temperature levels.

Utilization of refuse-derived fuel in industrial applications: Insights from Uttar Pradesh, India.

Urbanization and population growth in India have quickened, leading to an annual generation of around 62 million tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW). Improper management of organic waste presents a major environmental problem due to air and water pollution, soil contamination and greenhouse gas production. This research aims to develop refuse-derived fuel (RDF) as a viable option, converting waste into a high-calorific energy carrier for industrial use.

Correction: The peak viscosity of decaying foam with natural drainage and coarsening.

Correction for 'The peak viscosity of decaying foam with natural drainage and coarsening' by Wei Yu and Jack H. Y. Lo, , 2024, , 4964-4971, https://doi.

Effect of temperature and CO concentration on biological nutrient removal from tertiary municipal wastewater using microalgae .

This study investigates the potential of phototrophic microalgae, specifically Chlorella protothecoides, for biological wastewater treatment, with a focus on the effects of air temperature and CO concentration on nutrient removal from tertiary municipal wastewater. Utilizing both the Monod and Arrhenius kinetic models, the research examines how temperature and nutrient availability influence microalgal growth and nutrient removal. The study finds that optimal biomass productivity occurs at 25 °C, with growth slowing at higher temperatures (30 °C, 40 °C, and 45 °C).