Innovative approaches for augmenting dielectric properties in cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE): A review.

Throughout the history of power systems, power cables have been used to securely and efficiently distribute electrical energy to the destined locations. Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE), a commonly used insulator in high-voltage cables, have several desirable properties, such as low dielectric loss, high dielectric constant, high thermal conductivity, enhanced thermal stability, and superior resistance against electrical stress. However, further improvements of XLPE's performance are needed.

Characterization of indigenous species from Sarawak, Borneo: relationships between chemical composition and sensory attributes.

Sarawak, Borneo, harbours 16 unique species, half of which are edible, with only widely cultivated. Despite their nutritional and economic significance to the rural communities in Sarawak, the lesser-known indigenous durians remain underrepresented in the scientific literature while facing the risk of extinction in the wild. Thus, the aim of this study was to conduct comprehensive chemical analyses of these wild edible durians, offering insights into their nutritional and sensory taste attributes.

Astragalus grahamianus extract: a novel source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and neuroprotective activities.

The Astragalus grahamianus (AG) Royle ex. Benth is traditionally used for the treatment of various human disorders. The current research work is aimed to explore the neuroprotective anti-Parkinson effects of various fractions of Astragalus grahamianus (A.

Emerging trends in functional materials for electrochemical sensors in nicotine determination.

In the past year, there has been significant progress in the utilization of electrochemical strategies for the determination of harmful substances. Among those, the electrochemical determination of nicotine (NIC) has continued to be of significant interest ascribed to the global health concern of e-cigarette products, nowadays. Electrochemical sensors have become promising tools for the detection of NIC ascribed to their high sensitivity, selectivity, and ease of use.

Analyzing vegetation health dynamics across seasons and regions through NDVI and climatic variables.

This study assesses the relationships between vegetation dynamics and climatic variations in Pakistan from 2000 to 2023. Employing high-resolution Landsat data for Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) assessments, integrated with climate variables from CHIRPS and ERA5 datasets, our approach leverages Google Earth Engine (GEE) for efficient processing. It combines statistical methodologies, including linear regression, Mann-Kendall trend tests, Sen's slope estimator, partial correlation, and cross wavelet transform analyses.

Recent advances in sago (Metroxylon sagu) fibres, biopolymers, biocomposites, and their prospective applications in industry: A comprehensive review.

Escalating petroleum depletion and environmental crises linked to conventional plastics have fueled interest in eco-friendly alternatives. Natural fibres and biopolymers are garnering increasing attention due to their sustainability. The sago palm (Metroxylon sagu), a tropical tree, holds potential for such materials, with cellulose-rich fibres (42.

Performance of NiO doped on alkaline sludge from waste photovoltaic industries for catalytic dry reforming of methane.

Alkali sludge (AS) is waste abundantly generated from solar photovoltaic (PV) solar cell industries. Since this potential basic material is still underutilized, a combination with NiO catalyst might greatly influence coke resentence, especially in high-temperature thermochemical reactions (Arora and Prasad, RSC Adv. 6:108,668-108688, 2016).

Dual role of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells and their cell-free extracellular vesicles in colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the main causes of cancer-related deaths. However, the surgical control of the CRC progression is difficult, and in most cases, the metastasis leads to cancer-related mortality. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) with potential translational applications in regenerative medicine have been widely researched for several years.

Hydrothermal synthesis and photocatalytic application of ZnS-Ag composites based on biomass-derived carbon aerogel for the visible light degradation of methylene blue.

A facile and cost-effective hydrothermal followed by precipitation method is employed to synthesize visible light-driven ZnS-Ag ternary composites supported on carbon aerogel (CA). Extensive studies were conducted on the structural, morphological, and optical properties, confirming the successful formation of ternary nanocomposites. The obtained results evidently demonstrate the successful loading of ZnS and Ag onto the surface of the CA.

First report of Pantoea anthophila causing shoot dieback disease of Ceylon ironwood (Mesua ferrea Linn.) in Malaysia.

Ceylon ironwood (Mesua ferrea Linn.) or Penaga lilin is one of Asia's most popular tropical herbal plants, including Malaysia (Sharma et al., 2017).

Identification of acacia gum fermenting bacteria from pooled human feces using anaerobic enrichment culture.

Commercial acacia gum (AG) used in this study is a premium-grade free-flowing powder. It is a gummy exudate composed of arabinogalactan branched polysaccharide, a biopolymer of arabinose and galactose. Also known as food additive, acacia gum (E414), which is presently marketed as a functional dietary fiber to improve overall human gut health.

Nutritional values of wild edible freshwater macrophytes.

Background: The social acceptability of wild freshwater macrophytes as locally consumed vegetables is widespread. Freshwater macrophytes have several uses; for example, they can be used as food for humans. This study determined the proximate composition and mineral content of three freshwater macrophyte species, , , , and .

Mitigation of oxidative stress damage caused by abiotic stress to improve biomass yield of microalgae: A review.

Microalgae have been recognized as emerging cell factories due to the high value-added bio-products. However, the balance between algal growth and the accumulation of metabolites is always the main contradiction in algal biomass production. Hence, the security and effectiveness of regulating microalgal growth and metabolism simultaneously have drawn substantial attention.

The Use of Essential Oil Embedded in Polylactic Acid/Chitosan-Based Film for Mango Post-Harvest Application against Pathogenic Fungi.

Mango has a high global demand. Fruit fungal disease causes post-harvest mango and fruit losses. Conventional chemical fungicides and plastic prevent fungal diseases but they are hazardous to humans and the environment.

Community well-being dimensions in Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo.

The local communities living around national parks or areas like World Heritage Site (WHS) are crucial stakeholders to such settings. Their well-being needs to be unraveled so that the holistic management of the national park is in good condition to stabilize its status as WHS through the support and empowerment of the community. Numerous studies have been conducted on the biodiversity and geology of Gunung Mulu National Park (GMNP), but the community psychology aspect that is the foundation of conservation efforts has not been addressed.

Potential of low-cost TiO-PVC composite in photoelectrocatalytic degradation of reactive orange 16 under visible light.

In recent years, previously reported studies revealed a high efficiency of pollutant degradation by coupling photocatalysis and electrochemical processes (PECs) using titanium dioxide (TiO) photoelectrode rather than using photocatalysis or electrocatalysis alone. However, some of the TiO photoelectrodes that have been reported were not cost-effective. This is due to the use of expensive chemicals and certain expensive equipment in the fabrication process, other than involving complicated preparation steps.

Computer-Assisted Pterygium Screening System: A Review.

Pterygium is an eye condition that causes the fibrovascular tissues to grow towards the corneal region. At the early stage, it is not a harmful condition, except for slight discomfort for the patients. However, it will start to affect the eyesight of the patient once the tissues encroach towards the corneal region, with a more serious impact if it has grown into the pupil region.

Comparative Analysis of Erosive Wear Behaviour of Epoxy, Polyester and Vinyl Esters Based Thermosetting Polymer Composites for Human Prosthetic Applications Using Taguchi Design.

In polymer composites, synthetic fibers are primarily used as a chief reinforcing material, with a wide range of applications, and are therefore essential to study. In the present work, we carried out the erosive wear of natural and synthetic fiber-based polymer composites. Glass fiber with jute and fiber was reinforced in three different polymer resins: epoxy, vinyl ester and polyester.

Assessment of Dimensional Stability, Biodegradability, and Fracture Energy of Bio-Composites Reinforced with Novel Pine Cone.

In this investigation, biodegradable composites were fabricated with polycaprolactone (PCL) matrix reinforced with pine cone powder (15%, 30%, and 45% by weight) and compatibilized with graphite powder (0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% by weight) in polycaprolactone matrix by compression molding technique. The samples were prepared as per ASTM standard and tested for dimensional stability, biodegradability, and fracture energy with scanning electron micrographs. Water-absorption and thickness-swelling were performed to examine the dimensional stability and tests were performed at 23 °C and 50% humidity.

Addressing psychosocial issues caused by the COVID-19 lockdown: Can urban greeneries help?

The Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected over 200 countries, forcing governments to impose lockdowns to contain the spread of the disease. Although effective in reducing infection rates, the lockdowns have also resulted in a severe negative impact on mental health throughout the world; Setting the foundation for mental illnesses to become the next "silent" pandemic. This study attempts to determine a self-care method of ensuring mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for those living under lockdown.

Residual-Shuffle Network with Spatial Pyramid Pooling Module for COVID-19 Screening.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic at the end of 2019, more than 170 million patients have been infected with the virus that has resulted in more than 3.8 million deaths all over the world. This disease is easily spreadable from one person to another even with minimal contact, even more for the latest mutations that are more deadly than its predecessor.

: A Review of Ethnomedicinal Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Contemporary Application, and Toxicology.

This review provides an updated and comprehensive overview on the ethnomedicinal use, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of . Phytochemical analysis of revealed that it is composed of phenolics, flavonoids, condensed tannins, chlorophylls, alkaloids, and steroids. Numerous compounds including syringic acid, --D-glucopyranosyl-2-(2'-hydroxy-Z-6'-enecosamide) sphingosine, isovitexin, and 3--D-glucopyranosyl-24-ethylcholest-5-ene have been identified and isolated from this plant species.

Organic cultivation practices enhanced antioxidant activities and secondary metabolites in giant granadilla (Passiflora quadrangularis L.).

Passiflora quadrangularis L. belongs to the family Passifloraceae which bears larger fruit with edible juicy mesocarp and pulp known as a good source of phytochemicals. Cultivation and plant management practices are known to influence the phytochemical compositions of agricultural produce.

Zooplankton species composition and diversity in the seagrass habitat of Lawas, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Seagrass habitats are considered to be some of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet and safeguard some ecologically and economically important fauna, amongst which are some globally threatened species, including dugong. Malaysian seagrass ecosystems are not widespread, but their existence supports some significant marine fauna. A rigorous zooplankton study was conducted from May 2016 to February 2017, in the seagrass habitat of Lawas, Sarawak, Malaysia, to examine their temporal composition and diversity, together with their ecological influences.