Search Results (29)

This work demonstrates the feasibility of using biochars derived from a variety of waste feedstocks, such as food organics and garden organics (FOGOs), garden organics (GOs), and biosolids (BSs), provided by Barwon Water (BW) and South East Water (SEW), as active electrode material for supercapacitor application. Four different biochars were produced by the co-pyrolysis of pre-treated mixed waste feedstocks, which were fabricated into a two-electrode symmetric supercapacitor set-up to evaluate their energy storage potential. Two different approaches, (i) carbon nanoparticle coating/modification and (ii) thermochemical activation, were employed to improve the electrochemical properties of the biochars. Potassium hydroxide-activated biochar derived from BW’s triple waste feedstock mixture (comprising 70% GOs, 20% FOGOs, and 10% BSs) demonstrated the highest specific capacitance (30.33 F/g at 0.1 A/g), energy density (4.21 Wh/kg), and power density (2.15 kW/kg) among the tested samples. Such waste-derived biochar offers several benefits for energy storage, including cost-efficiency and sustainable alternatives to traditional electrode materials. The biochar’s electrochemical performance can be further improved by improving the feedstock quality by different pre-treatments. Full article

Background: Pancreatoduodenectomy with venous resection (PDVR) may be performed to achieve tumour clearance in patients with a pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) with venous involvement. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of PDVR on PDAC outcomes. Methods: In total, 435 PDAC patients with either R0 status (n = 322) or R1 status within the superior mesenteric vein groove (n = 113) were extracted from the Recurrence After Whipple’s (RAW) study dataset. PDVR patients were matched in a 1:2 ratio with standard PD patients. Comparisons were then made between the two groups (surgical radicality and survival). Results: A total of 81 PDVRs were matched with 162 PDs. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (5.7% vs. 13.6%, p = 0.032) and R1 resection rates (17.9% vs. 42%, p < 0.001) were higher in the PDVR group. Risk factors for R1 resection included venous resection (p < 0.001 for sleeve and p = 0.034 for segmental resection), pT3 (p = 0.007), and pN1 stage (p = 0.045). PDVR patients had lower median overall survival (OS, 21 vs. 30 months (m), p = 0.023) and disease-free survival (DFS, 17 m vs. 24 m, p = 0.043). Among PDVR patients, R status did not impact on OS (R0: 23 m, R1: 21 m, p = 0.928) or DFS (R0: 18 m, R1: 17 m, p = 0.558). Irrespective of R status, systemic recurrence was higher in the PDVR group (p = 0.034). Conclusions: Independent of R status, the PDVR group had lower overall survival and higher systemic recurrence rates. Full article

Objective: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously known as the most common chronic liver disease, is soon to be the leading indication for liver transplantation; however, the diagnosis may remain occult for decades. There is a need for biomarkers that identify patients at risk for MASLD and patients at risk for disease progression to optimize patient management and outcomes. Lymph node adiposity (LNA) is a novel marker of adiposity identified within axillary lymph nodes on screening mammography. Recent studies have demonstrated a correlation between LNA and cardiometabolic disease and cardiovascular disease risk. This study aimed to investigate the association between MASLD and LNA to evaluate the potential of mammographic LNA to serve as an imaging biomarker of MASLD. Methods: We identified women with pathology-proven MASLD who had a liver biopsy and a screening mammogram within 12 months of the liver biopsy. This resulted in a sample size of 161 women for final analysis that met the inclusion criteria. We evaluated lymph node adiposity through multiple measurements of the largest axillary lymph node visualized on mammography and correlated LNA with MASLD histology. Statistical analysis using univariable and multivariable logistic regression and odds ratios was performed using R version 4.1.0 (2021), the R Foundation for Statistical Computing Platform. Results: We found a significant association between MASLD and mammographic LNA, defined as lymph node (LN) length > 16 mm (p = 0.0004) that remained significant after adjusting for clinical factors, including body mass index (BMI). We additionally found a significant association between LNA and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), identified via liver biopsy (p = 0.0048). Conclusions: Mammographic lymph node adiposity may serve as a helpful imaging biomarker of MASLD in women who have an elevated risk for the development of MASH. Full article

Pyrolysis is gaining recognition as a sustainable solution for biosolid management, though scaling it commercially presents challenges. To address this, RMIT developed a novel integrated pyrolysis and gasification technology called PYROCO™, which was successfully tested in pilot-scale trials. This study introduces PYROCO™ and its application to produce biochar, highlighting the biochar properties of the results of the initial trials. In addition, an energy analysis using semi-empirical Aspen Plus modelling, paired with a preliminary techno-economic assessment, was carried out to evaluate the feasibility of this technology. The results show that the PYROCO™ pilot plant produced biochar with a ~30 wt% yield, featuring beneficial agronomic properties such as high organic carbon (210–220 g/kg) and nutrient contents (total P: 36–42 g/kg and total N: 16–18 g/kg). The system also effectively removed contaminants such as PFASs, PAHs, pharmaceuticals, and microplastics from the biochar and scrubber water and stack gas emissions. An energy analysis and Aspen Plus modelling showed that a commercial-scale PYROCO™ plant could operate energy self-sufficiently with biosolids containing >30% solids and with a minimum calorific value of 11 MJ/kg. The process generates excess energy for drying biosolids and for electricity generation. Profitability is sensitive to biochar price; prices rise from AUD 300 to AUD 1000 per tonne, the NPV improves from AUD 0.24 million to AUD 4.31 million, and the payback period shortens from 26 to 12 years. The low NPV and high payback period reflect the use of a relatively high discount rate of 8%, chosen to be on the conservative side given the novel nature of the technology. Full article

Harmful algal blooms are increasing globally and pose serious health concerns releasing cyanotoxins. Microcystin-LR (MC-LR), one of the most frequently produced cyanotoxins, has recently been detected in aerosols generated by the normal motions of affected bodies of water. MC-LR aerosol exposure has been linked to a pro-inflammatory influence on the airways of mice; however, little is understood about the underlying mechanism or the potential consequences. This study aimed to investigate the pro-inflammatory effects of aerosolized MC-LR on murine airways. C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice were exposed to MC-LR aerosols, as these strains are predisposed to type 1/type 17 and type 2 immune responses, respectively. Exposure to MC-LR induced granulocytic inflammation in C57BL/6 but not BALB/c mice, as observed by increased expression of cytokines MIP-1α, CXCL1, CCL2, and GM-CSF compared with their respective vehicle controls. Furthermore, the upregulation of interleukins IL-17A and IL-12 is consistent with Th1- and Th17-driven type 1/type 17 inflammation. Histological analysis confirmed inflammation in the C57BL/6 lungs, with elevated neutrophils and macrophages in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and increased pro-inflammatory and pro-resolving oxidized lipids. In contrast, BALB/c mice showed no significant airway inflammation. These results highlight the ability of aerosolized MC-LR to trigger harmful airway inflammation, requiring further research, particularly into populations with predispositions to type 1/type 17 inflammation. Full article

As dengue expands globally and many vaccines are under trials, there is a growing recognition of the need for assessing T cell immunity in addition to assessing the functions of neutralizing antibodies during these endeavors. While several dengue-specific experimentally validated T cell epitopes are known, less is understood about which of these epitopes are conserved among circulating dengue viruses and also shared by potential vaccine candidates. As India emerges as the epicenter of the dengue disease burden and vaccine trials commence in this region, we have here aligned known dengue specific T cell epitopes, reported from other parts of the world with published polyprotein sequences of 107 dengue virus isolates available from India. Of the 1305 CD4 and 584 CD8 epitopes, we found that 24% and 41%, respectively, were conserved universally, whereas 27% and 13% were absent in any viral isolates. With these data, we catalogued epitopes conserved in circulating dengue viruses from India and matched them with each of the six vaccine candidates under consideration (TV003, TDEN, DPIV, CYD-TDV, DENVax and TVDV). Similar analyses with viruses from Thailand, Brazil and Mexico revealed regional overlaps and variations in these patterns. Thus, our study provides detailed and nuanced insights into regional variation that should be considered for itemization of T cell responses during dengue natural infection and vaccine design, testing and evaluation. Full article

This paper presents a cost-effective, quantitative, point-of-care solution for urinalysis screening, specifically targeting nitrite, protein, creatinine, and pH in urine samples. Detecting nitrite is crucial for the early identification of urinary tract infections (UTIs), while regularly measuring urinary protein-to-creatinine (UPC) ratios aids in managing kidney health. To address these needs, we developed a portable, transmission-based colorimeter using readily available components, controllable via a smartphone application through Bluetooth. Multiple colorimetric detection strategies for each analyte were identified and tested for sensitivity, specificity, and stability in a salt buffer, artificial urine, and human urine. The colorimeter successfully detected all analytes within their clinically relevant ranges: nitrite (6.25–200 µM), protein (2–1024 mg/dL), creatinine (2–1024 mg/dL), and pH (5.0–8.0). The introduction of quantitative protein and creatinine detection, and a calculated urinary protein-to-creatinine (UPC) ratio at the point-of-care, represents a significant advancement, allowing patients with proteinuria to monitor their condition without frequent lab visits. Furthermore, the colorimeter provides versatile data storage options, facilitating local storage on mobile devices or in the cloud. The paper further details the setup of the colorimeter’s secure connection to a cloud-based environment, and the visualization of time-series analyte measurements in a web-based dashboard. Full article

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a heterogeneous cancer associated with a poor prognosis in advanced stages. In India, it is the sixth most common cause of cancer-related mortality. In this study, we employed high-resolution mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics to characterize the differential protein expression pattern associated with ESCC. We identified several differentially expressed proteins including PDPN, TOP2A, POSTN and MMP2 that were overexpressed in ESCC. In addition, we identified downregulation of esophagus tissue-enriched proteins such as SLURP1, PADI1, CSTA, small proline-rich proteins such as SPRR3, SPRR2A, SPRR1A, KRT4, and KRT13, involved in squamous cell differentiation. We identified several overexpressed proteins mapped to the 3q24-29 chromosomal region, aligning with CNV alterations in this region reported in several published studies. Among these, we identified overexpression of SOX2, TP63, IGF2BP2 and RNF13 that are encoded by genes in the 3q26 region. Functional enrichment analysis revealed proteins involved in cell cycle pathways, DNA replication, spliceosome, and DNA repair pathways. We identified the overexpression of multiple proteins that play a major role in alleviating ER stress, including SYVN1 and SEL1L. The SYVN1/SEL1L complex is an essential part of the ER quality control machinery clearing misfolded proteins from the ER. SYVN1 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that ubiquitinates ER-resident proteins. Interestingly, there are also other non-canonical substrates of SYVN1 which are known to play a crucial role in tumor progression. Thus, SYVN1 could be a potential therapeutic target in ESCC. Full article

Municipal mixed plastic waste (MMPW) recycling is an innovative way to turn environmental waste into energy fuels. In the present study, a thermochemical process was applied to depolymerize MMPW to produce hydrocarbon fuels known as plasto-oil. The obtained plasto-oil was blended with conventional diesel to test the performance of the PCCI-mode single-cylinder, four-stroke, direct-injection diesel engine. The PCCI combustion mixture was tested with 15% and 30% fuel vapor to ensure homogeneity with and without exhaust gas recirculation. The modified engine findings were compared to a standard conventional engine. At higher loads, PCCI combustion showed reduced emission of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. While the thermal braking efficiency was marginally reduced at all engine loads while using the blends. The results showed that with and without 10% exhaust gas recirculation, an increase in air mix reduced NO_x emissions; however, in the case of smoke emissions, an opposite trend was observed. A blend of plasto-oils also decreased CO and unburned hydrocarbon (HC) emissions at higher loads. In conclusion, it was shown that plasto-oils combined with conventional diesel fuel outperformed diesel fuel alone. Full article

Nanotechnology and nanomaterials have gained much attention in recent years due to their remarkable features. Among nanoparticles, photocatalytic material, such as zinc oxide, have shown tremendous applications in each and every field of science. In the present research, investigators have synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) using Scallion’s peel extract. ZnONPs were both spherical and rod-shaped, where the size for spherical particles was 40–100 nm and rod-shaped, particles size was more than 200 nm as confirmed by microscopic techniques. The typical trademark bands of ZnONPs at 400–800 cm⁻¹ were revealed by infrared spectroscopy, which also showed bands of carbonyl and hydroxyl groups. The hydrodynamic size by particle size analyzer (PSA) shows a size near about 200 nm in diameter. Furthermore, the synthesized ZnONPs were used to assess their potential as a micronutrient for the plant and nano adsorbent for the removal of antibiotics (ampicillin) and methylene blue dye from the simulated wastewater. The antibiotic and dye removal were observed under UV light and visible light against contact time. In comparison to control seeds, seeds grown with ZnONPs have shown better germination and seedling. It could be concluded that ZnONPs acted as an important nanosized source of nutrition for agricultural applications. Thus, the effect of ZnONPs has been proven as a nano-based nutrient source for agricultural purposes. The remediation study found that remediation of both ampicillin and methylene blue dye was efficient under UV light under similar experimental parameters from the simulated wastewater by the ZnONPs. Full article

Objective: To develop two automated computer algorithms to extract information from clinical notes, and to generate three cohorts of patients (disease improvement, disease progression, and no disease change) to track periodontal disease (PD) change over time using longitudinal electronic dental records (EDR). Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 28,908 patients who received a comprehensive oral evaluation between 1 January 2009, and 31 December 2014, at Indiana University School of Dentistry (IUSD) clinics. We utilized various Python libraries, such as Pandas, TensorFlow, and PyTorch, and a natural language tool kit to develop and test computer algorithms. We tested the performance through a manual review process by generating a confusion matrix. We calculated precision, recall, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy to evaluate the performances of the algorithms. Finally, we evaluated the density of longitudinal EDR data for the following follow-up times: (1) None; (2) Up to 5 years; (3) > 5 and ≤ 10 years; and (4) >10 and ≤ 15 years. Results: Thirty-four percent (n = 9954) of the study cohort had up to five years of follow-up visits, with an average of 2.78 visits with periodontal charting information. For clinician-documented diagnoses from clinical notes, 42% of patients (n = 5562) had at least two PD diagnoses to determine their disease change. In this cohort, with clinician-documented diagnoses, 72% percent of patients (n = 3919) did not have a disease status change between their first and last visits, 669 (13%) patients’ disease status progressed, and 589 (11%) patients’ disease improved. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the feasibility of utilizing longitudinal EDR data to track disease changes over 15 years during the observation study period. We provided detailed steps and computer algorithms to clean and preprocess the EDR data and generated three cohorts of patients. This information can now be utilized for studying clinical courses using artificial intelligence and machine learning methods. Full article

mRNA vaccines take advantage of the mechanism that our cells use to produce proteins. Our cells produce proteins based on the knowledge contained in our DNA; each gene encodes a unique protein. The genetic information is essential, but cells cannot use it until mRNA molecules convert it into instructions for producing specific proteins. mRNA vaccinations provide ready-to-use mRNA instructions for constructing a specific protein. BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna) both are newly approved mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines that have shown excellent protection and efficacy. In total, there are five more mRNA-based vaccine candidates for COVID-19 under different phases of clinical development. This review is specifically focused on mRNA-based vaccines for COVID-19 covering its development, mechanism, and clinical aspects. Full article

The gastrointestinal flora consists of several microbial strains in variable combinations in both healthy and sick humans. To prevent the risk of the onset of disease and perform normal metabolic and physiological functions with improved immunity, a balance between the host and gastrointestinal flora must be maintained. Disruption of the gut microbiota triggered by various factors causes several health problems, which promote the progression of diseases. Probiotics and fermented foods act as carriers of live environmental microbes and play a vital role in maintaining good health. These foods have a positive effect on the consumer by promoting gastrointestinal flora. Recent research suggests that the intestinal microbiome is important in reducing the risk of the onset of various chronic diseases, including cardiac disease, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, several cancers, and type 2 diabetes. The review provides an updated knowledge base about the scientific literature addressing how fermented foods influence the consumer microbiome and promote good health with prevention of non-communicable diseases. In addition, the review proves that the consumption of fermented foods affects gastrointestinal flora in the short and long term and can be considered an important part of the diet. Full article

Plastics usage is rising daily because of increased population, modernization, and industrialization, which produces a lot of plastic garbage. Due to their various chemical structures, long chain polymeric compositions, and thermal/decomposition behavior, it is challenging to recycle these plastic wastes into hydrocarbon fuels. In the current work, domestic plastic waste was pyrolyzed at 473 to 973 K in a fixed bed reactor and compared with the three virgin plastics LDPE (low-density polyethylene), HDPE (high-density polyethylene), and PP (polypropylene), as well as a mixture of the three (virgin mixed plastics). The pyrolysis results showed that maximum liquid hydrocarbons obtained from HDPE, LDPE, PP, mixed plastic, and domestic waste were 64.6 wt.%, 62.2 wt.%, 63.1 wt.%, 68.6 wt.%, and 64.6 wt.% at 773 K, respectively. The composition of liquid fuels was characterized using FTIR and GC-MS, which showed a wide spectrum of hydrocarbons in the C8–C20 range. Furthermore, liquid fuel characteristics such as density, viscosity, fire and flash point, pour point, and calorific value were examined using ASTM standards, and the results were found to be satisfactory. This study provides an innovative method for recycling waste plastics into economical hydrocarbon fuel for use in transportation. Full article

One of the most critical issues that the marine surveillance system has to address is the accuracy of its ship detection. Since it is responsible for identifying potential pirate threats, it has to be able to perform its duties efficiently. In this paper, we present a novel deep learning approach that combines the capabilities of a Graph Neural Network (GNN) and a You Only Look Once (YOLOv7) deep learning framework. The main idea of this method is to provide a better understanding of the ship’s presence in harbor areas. The three hyperparameters that are used in the development of this system are the learning rate, batch sizes, and optimization selection. The results of the experiments show that the Adam optimization achieves a 93.4% success rate when compared to the previous generation of the YOLOv7 algorithm. The High-Resolution Satellite Image Dataset (HRSID), which is a high-resolution image of a synthetic aperture radar, was used for the test. This method can be further improved by taking into account the various kinds of neural network architecture that are commonly used in deep learning. Full article