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ACS Omega Jun 2024The environment being surrounded by accumulated durable waste organic compounds has become a critical crisis for human societies. Generally, organic effluents of... (Review)
Review
The environment being surrounded by accumulated durable waste organic compounds has become a critical crisis for human societies. Generally, organic effluents of industrial plants released into the water source and air are removed by some physical and chemical processes. Utilizing photocatalysts as cost-effective, accessible, thermally/mechanically stable, nontoxic, reusable, and powerful UV-absorber compounds creates a new gateway toward the removal of dissolved, suspended, and gaseous pollutants even in trace amounts. TiO and ZnO are two prevalent photocatalysts in the field of removing contaminants from wastewater and air. Structural modification of the photocatalysts with metals, nonmetals, metal ions, and other semiconductors reduces the band gap energy and agglomeration and increases the affinity toward organic compounds in the composite structures to expand their usability on an industrial scale. This increases the extent of light absorbance and improves the photocatalytic efficiency. Selecting a suitable synthesis method is necessary to prepare a target photocatalyst with distinct properties such as high specific surface area, numerous surface functional groups, and an appropriate crystalline phase. In this Review, significant parameters for the synthesis and modification of TiO- and ZnO-based photocatalysts are discussed in detail. Several proposed mechanistic routes according to photocatalytic composite structures are provided. Some electrochemical analyses using charge carrier trapping agents and delayed recombination help to plot mechanistic routes according to the direction of photoexcited species (electron-hole pairs) and design more effective photocatalytic processes in terms of cost-effective photocatalysts, saving time and increasing productivity.
PubMed: 38911730
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c08717 -
Ecology and Evolution Jun 2024Moose () in the boreal forest habitats of Alaska are unlike other northern ungulates because they tolerate high densities of flies (Diptera) even though flies cause...
Moose () in the boreal forest habitats of Alaska are unlike other northern ungulates because they tolerate high densities of flies (Diptera) even though flies cause wounds and infections during the warm summer months. Moose move to find food and to find relief from overheating (hyperthermia) but do they avoid flies? We used GPS collars to measure the rate of movement (m⋅h) and the time spent (min⋅day) by enclosed moose in four habitats: wetlands, black spruce, early seral boreal forest, and late seral boreal forest. Fly traps were used in each habitat to quantify spatio-temporal abundance. Average daily air temperatures increased into July when peak biomass of forage for moose was greatest in early seral boreal forest habitats (424.46 vs. 25.15 kg⋅ha on average in the other habitats). Average daily air temperatures were 1.7°C cooler in black spruce than other habitats, but fly abundance was greatest in black spruce (approximately 4-fold greater on average than the other habitats). Moose increased their movement rate with counts of biting flies (mosquitoes, black flies, horse and deer flies), but not non-biting flies (coprophagous flies). However, as air temperature increased (above 14.7°C) moose spent more time in fly-abundant black spruce, than early seral boreal forest, showing great tolerance for mosquitoes. Warm summer temperatures appear to cause moose to trade-off foraging in fly-sparse habitats for resting and dissipating heat in shady, wet habitats with abundant flies that adversely affect the fitness of moose.
PubMed: 38911494
DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11625 -
Science Advances Jun 2024Surface air temperature (SAT) is a key indicator of climate change. Variations in cloud cover affect SAT by interacting with radiation. During daytime, clouds tend to...
Surface air temperature (SAT) is a key indicator of climate change. Variations in cloud cover affect SAT by interacting with radiation. During daytime, clouds tend to cool the surface by blocking sunlight, while nighttime clouds warm the surface by trapping longwave radiation. Here, we show that, on the global scale, cloud cover, particularly low-level cloudiness, exhibits diurnally asymmetric trends in a warming climate. Cloud fraction on average decreases more during the day than at night. Climate models indicate that the diurnally asymmetric cloud cover variation is mainly driven by trends in the lower tropospheric stability and is largely attributed to the increasing greenhouse gases rather than natural variability. This asymmetry, therefore, turns out to be an amplifier of surface warming, by both decreasing the daytime cloud shortwave albedo effect and increasing the nighttime cloud longwave greenhouse effect.
PubMed: 38896610
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado5179 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2024Insecticide-treated mosquito bed nets and indoor residual spraying are widely used for malaria vector control. However, their effectiveness can be affected by household...
BACKGROUND
Insecticide-treated mosquito bed nets and indoor residual spraying are widely used for malaria vector control. However, their effectiveness can be affected by household members' habits, requiring alternative approaches toward malaria vector control.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effectiveness of modified houses in preventing mosquito entry; to assess the impact of house modifications on indoor air conditions and evaluate the acceptability of modified houses in the community where the study was conducted.
METHODS
Five traditional and five modified houses were constructed in Nampula district, Mozambique and underwent a 90-day overnight indoor mosquito collection using Centers for Disease Control and nitride ultraviolet light traps during the rainy season. Mosquitoes were identified morphologically. Indoor temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide levels and wind speed were also collected. The Student's -test was used to compare the means of the number of mosquitos and environmental factors between both house types. A binomial form of the Generalized Linear Model identified the factors associated with the community volunteer's preference for house type.
RESULTS
Modified houses reduced the number of by an average of 14.97 mosquitos (95% CI, 11.38-18.56, < 0.000) and non- by 16.66 mosquitoes (95% CI, 8.23-25.09, < 0.000). Although fewer mosquitoes were trapped in modified houses compared to traditional ones, the modifications were more effective against (94% reduction) than for non- (71% reduction). The average temperature increased at 0.25°C in modified houses but was not statistically significant (95% CI, -0.62 to 0.12, = 0.181). Community volunteers preferred modified houses due to reduced mosquito buzzing. The efficacy of modified houses including its acceptability by community, highlight its potential to lower malaria risk. Effective integration of modified houses into the vector control strategy will require raising awareness among communities about malaria risks associated with house structure and training them to modify their houses.
Topics: Mozambique; Malaria; Animals; Mosquito Control; Humans; Housing; Anopheles; Mosquito Vectors; Female
PubMed: 38894994
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1404493 -
Materials (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024The research focuses on ultra-lightweight foam concrete with a dry density below 200 kg/m, primarily used as insulation material. Factors that may affect material...
The research focuses on ultra-lightweight foam concrete with a dry density below 200 kg/m, primarily used as insulation material. Factors that may affect material properties are categorized into mixing techniques and material composition, and experimental investigations were conducted on the impact of these factors on the rheological properties of cement slurry, density at different time intervals, compressive strength, and thermal conductivity of foam concrete samples. The experimental results indicate the influence of mixing speed and mixing duration on the instrument during the cement slurry production and mixing process with foam. Additionally, variations in foam concrete sample properties are observed due to the water-to-cement ratio, foam content, and foam density in the selected material compositions. By analyzing the material density at different time intervals, the relationship between the ambient air trapped during the mixing process and the viscosity of the material can be indirectly observed. This analysis can also reveal the correlation between the unplanned air content and the properties of the material.
PubMed: 38893904
DOI: 10.3390/ma17112640 -
Journal of Electrocardiology May 2024Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, and its incidence has grown within several years, quickly becoming the third... (Review)
Review
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, and its incidence has grown within several years, quickly becoming the third leading cause of mortality. The disease is characterized by alveolar destruction, air-trapping, and chronic inflammation due to persistent exposure to a large spectrum of harmful particles. The diagnosis of COPD is made by demonstration of persistent and not fully reversible airflow limitation, and different phenotypes may be recognized based on pathophysiological, clinical, and radiological features. However, COPD is a systemic disease with effects involving several organs. For example, mechanical and functional alterations secondary to COPD involve heart function. Indeed, cardiovascular diseases are highly prevalent in patients affected by COPD and represent the primary cause of mortality in such patients. An electrocardiogram is a simple and cheap test that gives much information about the heart status of COPD patients. Consequently, variations from "normality" can be appreciated in these patients, with the most frequent abnormalities being P-wave, QRS axis, and ventricular repolarization abnormalities, in addition to conduction alterations and a vast number of arrhythmias. As a result, ECG should be routinely performed as a valuable tool to recognize alterations due to COPD (i.e., mechanical and functional) and possible associated heart diseases. This review aims to describe the typical ECG features in most COPD patients and to provide a systematic summary that can be used in clinical practice.
PubMed: 38865856
DOI: 10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2024.05.083 -
Optics Express Jun 2024As one of the directions of optical levitation technology, the mass measurement of micro-nano particles has always been a research hotspot in extremely weak mechanical...
As one of the directions of optical levitation technology, the mass measurement of micro-nano particles has always been a research hotspot in extremely weak mechanical measurements. When nanoscale particles are trapped in an optical trap, parameters such as density, diameter, and shape are unknown. Here we propose what we believe to be a new method to measure mass by fitting particle motion information to the Maxwell speed distribution law, with an accuracy better than 7% at 10 mbar. This method has the characteristics of requiring no external driving force, no precise natural frequency, no prior information such as density, and non-destructive testing within the medium vacuum range. With the increasing iterations, the uncertainty of mass measurement is reduced, and the accuracy of mass measurement of levitated particles is verified under multiple air pressures. It provides what we believe is a new method for the future non-destructive testing of nanoscale particles, and provides an apparently new way for the sensing measurement and metrology application fields of levitation dynamics systems.
PubMed: 38859526
DOI: 10.1364/OE.525371 -
Cureus May 2024Subcutaneous emphysema is a common complication of thoracic surgery. Tension subcutaneous emphysema that causes airway obstruction is rare but life-threatening. This...
Subcutaneous emphysema is a common complication of thoracic surgery. Tension subcutaneous emphysema that causes airway obstruction is rare but life-threatening. This report presents a patient who developed tension subcutaneous emphysema after recurrent secondary pneumothorax surgery which was treated with minimally invasive open-window thoracostomy. A wound protector/retractor and three-sided taping were successfully used to prevent air from entering the subcutaneous space via the wound while draining trapped air without creating an open pneumothorax. This approach is an option for managing subcutaneous and intrathoracic air leakage in emergency situations.
PubMed: 38854324
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59920 -
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Jun 2024Airborne triazole-resistant spores of the human fungal pathogen are a significant human health problem as the agricultural use of triazoles has been selecting for...
Airborne triazole-resistant spores of the human fungal pathogen are a significant human health problem as the agricultural use of triazoles has been selecting for cross-resistance to life-saving clinical triazoles. However, how to quantify exposure to airborne triazole-resistant spores remains unclear. Here, we describe a method for cost-effective wide-scale outdoor air sampling to measure both spore abundance as well as antifungal resistance fractions. We show that prolonged outdoor exposure of sticky seals placed in delta traps, when combined with a two-layered cultivation approach, can regionally yield sufficient colony-forming units (CFUs) for the quantitative assessment of aerial resistance levels at a spatial scale that was up to now unfeasible. When testing our method in a European pilot sampling 12 regions, we demonstrate that there are significant regional differences in airborne CFU numbers, and the triazole-resistant fraction of airborne spores is widespread and varies between 0 and 0.1 for itraconazole (∼4 mg/L) and voriconazole (∼2 mg/L). Our efficient and accessible air sampling protocol opens up extensive options for fine-scale spatial sampling and surveillance studies of airborne IMPORTANCE is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that humans and other animals are primarily exposed to through inhalation. Due to the limited availability of antifungals, resistance to the first choice class of antifungals, the triazoles, in can make infections by this fungus untreatable and uncurable. Here, we describe and validate a method that allows for the quantification of airborne resistance fractions and quick genotyping of TR-types. Our pilot study provides proof of concept of the suitability of the method for use by citizen-scientists for large-scale spatial air sampling. Spatial air sampling can open up extensive options for surveillance, health-risk assessment, and the study of landscape-level ecology of , as well as investigating the environmental drivers of triazole resistance.
PubMed: 38842339
DOI: 10.1128/aem.00271-24 -
ACS Omega May 2024Recently, we have reported the influence of various reaction atmospheres on the solid-state reaction kinetics of ferrocene, where oxalic acid dihydrate was used as a...
Recently, we have reported the influence of various reaction atmospheres on the solid-state reaction kinetics of ferrocene, where oxalic acid dihydrate was used as a coprecursor. In this light, present study discusses on the nature of decomposed materials of the solid-state reactions of ferrocene in O, air, and N atmospheres. The ambient and oxidative atmospheres caused the decomposition to yield pure hematite nanomaterials, whereas cementite nanomaterials along with α-Fe were obtained in N atmosphere. The obtained materials were mostly agglomerated. Elemental composition of each material was estimated. Using the absorbance data, the energy band gap values were estimated and the related electronic transitions from the observed absorption spectra were explored. Urbach energy was calculated for hematite, which described the role of defects in the decomposed materials. The nanostructures exhibited photoluminescence due to self-trapped states linked to their optical characteristics. Raman spectroscopy of hematite detected seven Raman modes, confirming the rhombohedral structure, whereas the D and G bands were visible in the Raman spectra for cementite. Thus, the reaction atmosphere significantly influenced the thermal decomposition of ferrocene and controls the type of nanomaterials obtained. Plausible reactions of the undergoing solid-state decomposition have been proposed.
PubMed: 38826527
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c10332