Waste newspaper as cellulose resource of activated carbon by sodium salts for methylene blue and congo red removal.

The work was aimed at evaluating the adsorptive properties of waste newspaper (WN) activated carbons chemically produced using sodium salts for methylene blue (MB) and congo red (CR) removal. The activated carbons, designated as AC1, AC2, AC3 and AC4 were prepared through impregnation with NaHPO, NaCO, NaCl and NaOH, respectively and activation at 500 °C for 1 h. The activated carbons were characterized for surface chemistry, thermal stability, specific area, morphology and composition.

Jellyfish-Inspired Soft Robot Driven by Pneumatic Bistable Actuators.

Soft actuators offer numerous potential applications; however, challenges persist in achieving a high driving force and fast response speed. In this work, we present the design, fabrication, and analysis of a soft pneumatic bistable actuator (PBA) mimicking jellyfish subumbrellar muscle motion for waterjet propulsion. Drawing inspiration from the jellyfish jet propulsion and the characteristics of bistable structure, we develop an elastic band stretch prebending PBA with a simple structure, low inflation cost, exceptional driving performance, and stable driving force output.

Intrinsic Permanent Shape Reconfigurable Semicrystalline Biopolyester Thermoset.

Catalyst-free, volatile organic solvent (VOC)-free synthesis of biobased cross-linked polymers is an important sustainable feature in polyesterification. To date, these polyesters have been extensively studied for their fundamental sustainability across various uses. The ultimate potential sustainability for these materials, however, is constrained to static structural parts due to their intractable rigid three-dimensional (3D) network.

Risk factors of musculoskeletal symptoms among industrial workers in Peninsular Malaysia.

. The prevalence rate of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) globally is notably high. There are a limited number of studies investigating WMSDs and their associated risk factors.

Debridement efficacy of serine protease and formulated cream by In Vitro assessment against artificial wound eschar.

Chronic wounds typically comprise of necrotic tissue and dried secretions, often culminating in the formation of a thick and tough layer of dead skin known as eschar. Removal of eschar is imperative to facilitate wound healing. Conventional approach for eschar removal involves surgical excision and grafting, which can be traumatic and frequently leads to viable tissue damage.

Outdoor oil palm fruit ripeness dataset.

This dataset comprises oil palm fresh fruit bunch (FFB) images that may potentially be used in the study related to fruit ripeness detection via image processing. The FFB dataset was collected from palm oil plantations in Johor, Negeri Sembilan, and Perak, Malaysia. The data collection involved acquiring pictures of FFB from various angles and classifying them based on their ripeness level, categorised into five classes: damaged bunch, empty bunch, unripe, ripe, and overripe.

Recent developments in sugarcane bagasse fibre-based adsorbent and their potential industrial applications: A review.

In recent years, there has been an increase in research devoted to the advancement of cellulose and nanocellulose-based materials, which are advantageous due to their renewable nature, strength, rigidity, and environmental friendliness. This exploration complies with the fundamental tenets of environmental stewardship and sustainability. An area of industrial biotechnology where cellulosic agricultural residues have the potential to be economically utilized is through the conversion of such residues; sugarcane bagasse is currently leading this charge.

Nanocellulose reinforced polyvinyl alcohol-based bio-nanocomposite films: improved mechanical, UV-light barrier, and thermal properties.

This study reported the development and characterisation of bio-nanocomposite films based on the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) reinforced with cellulose nanofibres (CNFs) of different concentrations (1-5 wt%), isolated from pineapple leaf fibre high-shear homogenisation and ultrasonication. The PVA film and bio-nanocomposite were prepared using a solution casting method. The PVA film and bio-nanocomposite samples were characterized using FE-SEM, XRD, FTIR spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy in transmission mode, TGA, and DTG.

Exceptional performance with minimal data using a generative adversarial network for alzheimer's disease classification.

The classification of Alzheimer's disease (AD) using deep learning models is hindered by the limited availability of data. Medical image datasets are scarce due to stringent regulations on patient privacy, preventing their widespread use in research. Moreover, although open-access databases such as the Open Access Series of Imaging Studies (OASIS) are available publicly for providing medical image data for research, they often suffer from imbalanced classes.

Molecular simulation of [P8883][TfN] ionic liquid decorated silica in 6FDA-ODA based mixed matrix membrane for enhanced CO/CH separation.

Mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) have been reported to have considerable scope in gas separation applications because of their merged inherent strength of a durable polymer matrix and the exceptional performance capabilities of inorganic fillers. The selection of comparatively suitable polymers with fillers that can match each other and boost interfacial compatibility while ensuring uniform dispersion of filler within the polymer is still intensively demanding and is challenging at the experimental scale. Ionic liquids (ILs) are effective in promoting better dispersion and compatibility, leading to improved separation performance.

Defect Engineering at Buried Interface of Perovskite Solar Cells.

Perovskite solar cells (PSC) have developed rapidly since the past decade with the aim to produce highly efficient photovoltaic technology at a low cost. Recently, physical and chemical defects at the buried interface of PSC including vacancies, impurities, lattice strain, and voids are identified as the next formidable hurdle to the further advancement of the performance of devices. The presence of these defects has unfavorably impacted many optoelectronic properties in the PSC, such as band alignment, charge extraction/recombination dynamics, ion migration behavior, and hydrophobicity.

Evaluation of biodegradability, toxicity and ecotoxicity of organic acid-based deep eutectic solvents.

Over the past decade, deep eutectic systems (DES) have become popular, yet their potential toxicity to living organisms is not well understood. This study fills this gap by examining the toxicity, antibacterial activity and biodegradability of p-toluenesulfonic acid monohydrate (PTSA)-based DESs prepared from ammonium or phosphonium salts. Brine shrimp assays revealed varying toxicity levels of PTSA and salts.

Development of Versatile, thermally stable, flexible, UV-resistant and antibacterial polyvinyl alcohol-Nanodiamonds composite for efficient food packaging.

This research paper reports an enhancement of thermal, optical, mechanical and antibacterial activities of the Polyvinyl alcohol-Nanodiamonds (PVA-NDs) composite required for the food packaging industry. The synthesis of composites was done by the wet processing method. The large surface area of NDs facilitated the robust interaction between the hydroxyl group and macromolecular chains of PVA to enhance the hydrogen bonding of PVA with NDs rather than PVA molecules.

Unveiling the unique potential of MXene with and without graphene nanoplatelet for thermal energy storage applications.

Solar thermal energy storage (TES) is an outstanding innovation that can help solar technology remain relevant during nighttime and cloudy days. TES using phase change material (PCM) is an avant-garde solution for a clean and renewable energy transition. The present study unveils the unique potential of MXene as a performance enhancer in lauric acid (LA), which functions as a base PCM.

Glycolipids biosurfactants production using low-cost substrates for environmental remediation: progress, challenges, and future prospects.

The production of renewable materials from alternative sources is becoming increasingly important to reduce the detrimental environmental effects of their non-renewable counterparts and natural resources, while making them more economical and sustainable. Chemical surfactants, which are highly toxic and non-biodegradable, are used in a wide range of industrial and environmental applications harming humans, animals, plants, and other entities. Chemical surfactants can be substituted with biosurfactants (BS), which are produced by microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and yeast.

Beyond surface: Unveiling ecological and economic ramifications of microplastic pollution in the oceans.

Every year, the global production of plastic waste reaches a staggering 400 million metric tons (Mt), precipitating adverse consequences for the environment, food safety, and biodiversity as it degrades into microplastics (MPs). The multifaceted nature of MP pollution, coupled with its intricate physiological impacts, underscores the pressing need for comprehensive policies and legislative frameworks. Such measures, alongside advancements in technology, hold promise in averting ecological catastrophe in the oceans.

Mechanical Characterization, Water Absorption, and Thickness Swelling of Lightweight Pineapple Leaf/Ramie Fabric-Reinforced Polypropylene Hybrid Composites.

Fiber-reinforced composites are among the recognized competing materials in various engineering applications. Ramie and pineapple leaf fibers are fascinating natural fibers due to their remarkable material properties. This research study aims to unveil the viability of hybridizing two kinds of lignocellulosic plant fiber fabrics in polymer composites.

A critical review of MXene-based composites in the adsorptive and photocatalysis of hexavalent chromium removal from industrial wastewater.

The growing concern of water pollution is a critical issue stemming from industrialization and urbanization. One of the specific concerns within this broader problem is the toxicity associated with chromium (Cr), especially in its Cr (VI) form. Transition metal carbides/nitrides (MXenes) are attractive materials for the treatment of water due to their unique properties such as layered structure, high surface area, conductivity, flexibility, scalable manufacture, and surface functions.

A systematic review of leadership styles in healthcare sector: Insights and future directions.

In light of the ongoing global health crisis, the significance of leadership within the healthcare sector has intensified. Given this consideration, the significance of appropriate leadership styles cannot be overstated. The objective of this paper is to critically review published studies on leadership elements in the healthcare sector.

Psychometric Properties of the Malay Version of the Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire for Coaches and Athletes.

Background: In the world of sports, motivation is an essential concept that can affect the sporting performance of athletes and help them accomplish their goals. The coach is regarded as an important individual with the ability to significantly influence the athlete's motivation. To assess the impact of the coach-athlete relationship on motivation, the objective of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Malay version of the Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q) for coaches and athletes.

PND-Net: plant nutrition deficiency and disease classification using graph convolutional network.

Crop yield production could be enhanced for agricultural growth if various plant nutrition deficiencies, and diseases are identified and detected at early stages. Hence, continuous health monitoring of plant is very crucial for handling plant stress. The deep learning methods have proven its superior performances in the automated detection of plant diseases and nutrition deficiencies from visual symptoms in leaves.

Revealing the nature of cardiovascular disease using DERGA, a novel data ensemble refinement greedy algorithm.

Background: The study aimed to determine the most crucial parameters associated with CVD and employ a novel data ensemble refinement procedure to uncover the optimal pattern of these parameters that can result in a high prediction accuracy.

Methods And Results: Data were collected from 369 patients in total, 281 patients with CVD or at risk of developing it, compared to 88 otherwise healthy individuals. Within the group of 281 CVD or at-risk patients, 53 were diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD), 16 with end-stage renal disease, 47 newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus 2 and 92 with chronic inflammatory disorders (21 rheumatoid arthritis, 41 psoriasis, 30 angiitis).

Optimizing human resource strategies: Investigating the dynamics of high-performance practices, psychological empowerment, and responsible leadership in a moderated-mediation framework.

Even though existing literature frequently finds High Performance Human Resource Practices' (HPHRPs) positive impact on job performance in organizational setting, still it remains short to study unexplored underlying methods by which High Performance Human Resource Practices (HPHRPs) affect employee job performance. This gap is filled by our research, which proposes psychological empowerment as a mediator in the aforementioned relationship. Based on signaling theory, the present study examines the mediating role of psychological empowerment (PE) in the relationship between high-performance human resource practices (HPHRPs) and job performance (JP).