Photosynthetic response of Solidago gigantea Aition and Calamagrostis epigejos L. (Roth) to complex environmental stress on heavy metal contaminated sites.

Studies of in situ plant response and adaptation to complex environmental stresses, are crucial for understanding the mechanisms of formation and functioning of ecosystems of anthropogenically transformed habitats. We study short- and long-term responses of photosynthetic apparatus (PSA) and anti-oxidant capacity to complex abiotic stresses of common plants Calamagrostis epigejos and Solidago gigantea in semi-natural (C) and heavy metal contaminated habitats (LZ). We found significant differences in leaf pigment content between both plant species growing on LZ plots and their respective C populations.

Estimation of the wetting induced settlement of loess soils from the wetting soil-water characteristic curve.

Collapsible loess soils, known for their significant volume reduction upon the wetting, pose critical challenges in the geotechnical engineering. The estimation of the wetting-induced settlement is crucial for the foundation design and the determination of the negative skin friction on the pile. In this paper, a new method is proposed to estimate the wetting induced collapse from the wetting soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) and the index properties of the loess soils.

Preparation and characterization of PEG-Dex macromolecular schiff base particles and their application on the stabilization of water-in-water emulsion.

In this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and dextran (Dex) were chemically modified to obtain amino-functionalized PEG (PEG-(NH)) and oxidized dextran (ODex). They were subsequently reacted via -NH and -CHO groups to synthesize a macromolecular Schiff base particle. The structures, morphologies, and thermal properties of the macromolecular Schiff base particle were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetry analysis (TGA).

Water quality prediction and carbon reduction mechanisms in wastewater treatment in Northwest cities using Random Forest Regression model.

With the accelerated urbanization and economic development in Northwest China, the efficiency of urban wastewater treatment and the importance of water quality management have become increasingly significant. This work aims to explore urban wastewater treatment and carbon reduction mechanisms in Northwest China to alleviate water resource pressure. By utilizing online monitoring data from pilot systems, it conducts an in-depth analysis of the impacts of different wastewater treatment processes on water quality parameters.

Focused ion beam (FIB) prepared microtextured microneedle array capable of delivering drugs through punctured skin.

Microtextured microneedles are tiny needle-like structures with micron-scale microtextures, and the drugs stored in the microtextures can be released after entering the skin to achieve the effect of precise drug delivery. In this study, the skin substitution model of Ogden's hyperelastic model and the microneedle array and microtexture models with different geometrical parameters were selected to simulate and analyse the flow of the microtexture microneedle arrays penetrating the skin by the finite-element method, and the length of the microneedles was determined to be 200 μm, the width 160 μm, and the value of the gaps was determined to be 420 μm. A four-pronged cone was chosen as the shape of microneedles, and a rectangle was chosen as the shape of the drug-carrying microneedle.

Effects of water-fertiliser coupling on the photosynthesis and quality of Lycium barbarum based on predicted crop evapotranspiration (ET).

Lycium barbarum is an important economic crop in the arid region of Northwest China, and the regulation of irrigation and fertilisation is an important way to improve the quality and yield of Lycium barbarum. To explore the effects of water-fertiliser coupling on photosynthesis, quality and yield of Lycium barbarum under irrigation methods based on predicted crop evapotranspiration (ET), ET was calculated via reference evapotranspiration (ET) predicted on the basis of public weather forecasts, and the irrigation water volume was determined as a proportion of this ET. A field experiment was conducted via a completely randomised experimental design with five irrigation water volumes (W0 (100% ET), W1 (90% ET), W2 (80% ET), W3 (70% ET) and W4 (65% ET)) and three fertiliser application rates (high fertiliser (FH), medium fertiliser (FM) and low fertiliser (FL)).

Occurrence and ecological risks of antibiotics and antiparasitics in surface water in urban lakes in Hanoi city, Vietnam.

The presence of antibiotics in the environment is of significant concern due to their adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems. This study provides an assessment of potential ecological risks (RQ) associated with the concentrations of eight antibiotics and antiparasitics (amoxicillin-AMO, azithromycin-AZI, ciprofloxacine-CIP, ofloxacine-OFL, oxfendazole-OXF, lincomycin-LIN, sulfacetamide-SCE and sulfamethoxazole-SME) in the surface water of 13 urban lakes in Hanoi city, Vietnam during the period 2021-2023. The findings revealed considerable variations in the total concentrations of these 8 substances (T), ranging from below the method detection limit (< MDL) to 2240 ng L with an average of 330.

Comparison of the aquatic toxicity of diquat and its metabolites to zebrafish Danio rerio.

Diquat (DQ) is a non-selective, fast-acting herbicide that is extensively used in aquatic systems. DQ has been registered as the substitute for paraquat due to its lower toxicity. However, the widespread presence of DQ in aquatic systems can pose an ecological burden on aquatic organisms.

Aero-TiO three-dimensional nanoarchitecture for photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline.

One of the biggest issues of wide bandgap semiconductor use in photocatalytic wastewater treatment is the reusability of the material and avoiding the contamination of water with the material itself. In this paper, we report on a novel TiO aeromaterial (aero-TiO) consisting of hollow microtetrapods with ZnTiO inclusions. Atomic layer deposition has been used to obtain particles of unique shape allowing them to interlock thereby protecting the photocatalyst from erosion and damage when incorporated in active filters.

A calibration framework toward model generalization for bacteria concentration estimation in water resource recovery facilities.

Reduced bacteria concentrations in wastewater is a key indicator of the efficacy of water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs). However, monitoring the presence of bacterial concentrations in real time at each stage of the WRRF is challenging as it requires taking and processing water samples offline. Although few studies have been proposed to predict bacterial concentrations using data-driven models, generalizing these models to unseen data from different WRRFs remains challenging.

Non-catalytic glycerol dehydrogenation to dihydroxyacetone using needle-in-tube dielectric barrier discharge plasma.

Glycerol, a by-product of biodiesel production, could be converted into various value-added products. This work focuses on its dehydrogenation to dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which is mainly used in the cosmetics industry. While several methods have been employed for DHA production, some necessitate catalysts and involve harsh reaction conditions as well as long reaction times.

Nutritional value, HPLC-DAD analysis and biological activities of Ceratonia siliqua L. pulp based on in vitro and in silico studies.

The phytochemical, nutritional, and biological features of wild carob pulp from Tanzight (TN), Ait-Waada (AW), and Tizi-ghnayn (TG) in Azilal were studied. The results of the study reveal that the carob pulp examined has a low-fat level. AW had the most total sugar (78.

Understanding of enhanced nitrate in fine particles at agricultural sites in summer with high ammonia level.

Nitrate is one of the major constituents of fine particles and has not been effectively alleviated in Northeast Asia. Field measurements of various gases and the chemical composition of fine particles were conducted at two agricultural sites (cropland and livestock) in ammonia-rich environments to understand the effect of ammonia on nitric acid-nitrate partitioning using a thermodynamic model and to suggest a possible strategy to control total nitrate (i.e.

Constructing a green modifier by using glyoxal-urea resin and chitosan to obtain a modified soy protein adhesive with high bonding strength and excellent water resistance.

The manufacturing of soy-based adhesives with high bonding strength, excellent water resistance, and exceptional environmental performance still faces difficulties. In this work, using glyoxal-urea (GU) resin, chitosan (CS), and soy protein isolate (SPI) as the primary raw materials in order to effectively mitigate the release of free formaldehyde commonly found in traditional wood-based panels. Obtaining an adhesive with high strength, excellent water resistance, and a stable cross-linking structure of GU/CS/SPI (CS represents different mass fractions of chitosan solution).

Nanocellulose-based Pickering emulsion of sesamolin manifested increased anticancer activity and necrosis in human colon cancer (HCT116) cells.

Sesamolin possesses limited aqueous solubility, a drawback for biological activity study in cancer cell models. This study aimed to enhance sesamolin's ability to fight cancer, as it is a bioactive compound with low water solubility found in sesame. We developed different Pickering emulsion delivery systems and tested their anticancer effects on various cancer cell types.

Hydroxylated magnetic microporous organic network for efficient magnetic solid phase extraction of trace triazine herbicides.

Here we covalently constructed abundant long-chain hydroxyl groups-functionalized magnetic microporous organic networks (MMON-2OH) for detection of eight Triazine herbicides (THs) in honey and water samples. MMON-2OH owned a high surface area (287.86 m²/g), enhanced water compatibility, and increased exposure of long-chain hydroxyl groups, which significantly improved enrichment capacity for THs.

A spatial triage of at-risk conifer forests to support seed collection efforts and sustainable forestry.

At-risk conifer stands growing in hot, arid conditions at low elevations may contain the most climate change-adapted seeds needed for sustainable forestry. This study used a triage framework to identify high-priority survey areas for Pinus ponderosa (Pipo) within a large region, by intersecting an updated range map with a map of seed zones and elevation bands (SZEBs). The framework assesses place-based climate change and potential wildfire risks by rank-order across 740 potential collection units.

Status of coral, giant clam and sea cucumber communities including CITES listed species on a remote Australian coral reef atoll and the potential impact of illegal fishing.

Following a recent dramatic increase in illegal fishing by Indonesian fishing vessels in Australian waters in 2022, we conducted an extensive survey of coral reef communities covering 33,000 m at Mermaid Reef Marine Park in the Rowley Shoals off north-western Australia in July 2022. Species richness of sea cucumbers was 13 species (three CITES listed) and 6 species of giant clams (all CITES listed). The most abundant sea cucumber species were the low or intermediate value, asexually reproducing species Holothuria atra and H.

Effect of feeding biochar, oat hulls, yeast fermentate, and organic acids on reduction of Campylobacter in free-range broilers from hatching to slaughter.

The Campylobacter prevalence in free-ranging broiler flocks is usually higher than in conventional flocks, and effective interventions for this production type are needed. This study aimed to investigate the on-farm Campylobacter-reducing effect of feeding three feed additives or a water additive to broilers from hatching to slaughter. Newly hatched Ranger Gold broilers (n = 140) were randomly placed into five cages (n = 28/cage) within a flock of 6,000 broilers.

A holistic approach to distribution, ecotoxicology, and human health risk of potentially hazardous emerging pollutants along the Egyptian Mediterranean coast: Univariate and multivariate analyses.

This study examines pollution, ecotoxicological, and health risks of B, F, and S in seawater and sediments along the southern Mediterranean Sea. Strong positive loading on B in sediment, PLI, and NPI suggested that the high B content raises the total amount of contamination and cumulative risks to benthic organisms. Logk for S and F were <3 indicating that they were easily transported to the water column.

Nanoencapsulation of vitamin B using chitosan-modified poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization, and in vitro studies on simulated gastrointestinal stability and delivery.

Vitamin B, or riboflavin, is essential for maintaining healthy cellular metabolism and function. However, its light sensitivity, poor water solubility, and gastrointestinal barriers limit its storage, delivery, and absorption. Selecting suitable nanomaterials for encapsulating vitamin B is crucial to overcoming these challenges.

Cultivated meat microbiological safety considerations and practices.

Cultivated meat, produced using cell culture technology, is an alternative to conventional meat production that avoids the risks from enteric pathogens associated with animal slaughter and processing. Cultivated meat therefore has significant theoretical microbiological safety advantages, though limited information is available to validate this. This review discusses sources and vectors of microbial contamination throughout cultivated meat production, introduces industry survey data to evaluate current industry practices for monitoring and mitigating these hazards, and highlights future research needs.

Construction of chitosan hydrochloride-carboxymethyl chitosan nanoparticles using anti-solvent method for the co-delivery of puerarin and resveratrol.

The applications of resveratrol (RES) and puerarin (PUE) with notable physiological functions are greatly limited in functional food and pharmaceutical industries due to their poor water solubility and chemical instability. Accordingly, co-loading of RES and PUE into chitosan-based nanoparticles (NPs) is performed here by an anti-solvent method to improve their bioavailability. The fabricated NPs at 8:1 mass ratio of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) to chitosan hydrochloride (CHC) with the particle size of 375.

From cells to recapture rates: responses and recovery of a wild fish after an experimental exposure to a widely used herbicide.

Freshwater environments are biodiversity hotspots under multiple pressures, including pesticide exposure. S-metolachlor, a widely used herbicide, can induce genotoxic, cytotoxic and physiological effects in captive fish, but we have a limited understanding of the effects of exposure to S-metolachlor in free-living vertebrates. We carried out an original field experiment using integrative approaches across biological levels and temporal scales.

Impact of long-term trends on outcomes in the management of colonic diverticular bleeding: mediation analyses in a large multicenter study.

Background: Despite accumulating evidence and recommendations for management of colonic diverticular bleeding (CDB), the changes in its clinical management and outcomes remain unknown.

Methods: We performed a retrospective tendency analysis on a biennial basis, a propensity score-matched cohort study between the first and latter half groups, and mediation analyses to compare the diagnostic and treatment methods between January 2010 and December 2019 (CODE BLUE-J Study).

Results: A total of 6575 patients with CDB were included.