Search Results (68)

Layered double hydroxide Ti-Zn-CO₃ was synthesized by the co-precipitation method with a molar ratio of 2. The synthesized material was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal analysis (TGA/DTG), UV–vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The photocatalytic degradation of Trypan Blue (TB) and Naphthol Green B (NGB) dyes from aqueous solutions under UV irradiation was investigated. The effects of contact time, photocatalyst dose, dye concentration, solution pH, scavenger effect, and regeneration of catalyst were investigated. The kinetic study showed that the equilibrium was reached within 30 min and 40 min for TB and NGB dyes, respectively, with photodegradation efficiency of around 91% and 83% for TB and NGB dyes, respectively, for dye concentration of 25 mg∙L⁻¹, and the pseudo-first order showed good agreement with the reaction. The optimum photocatalyst dose is 20 mg (1 g∙L⁻¹) and 30 mg (1.5 g∙L⁻¹) for TB and NGB dyes, respectively, and the optimal pH of reaction was found to be 7 for both TB and NGB dyes. This study was established to highlight the photodegradation performance of the prepared catalyst Ti-Zn-CO₃ for the degradation of (TB and NGB) dyes chosen as pollutants, and the fact that it can be used many times, which has an economical effect. This mean that the prepared sample is a potential catalyst with good photocatalytic activity, stability, and reusability. Full article

The advancement of optical materials has garnered significant interest from the global scientific community in the pursuit of efficient photocatalysts for the purification of water using light. This challenge, which cannot be addressed using traditional methods, is tackled in the present study utilizing unconventional approaches. This study presents the fabrication of an effective photocatalyst using an unconventional approach that employs explosive reactions. This method successfully produces 3D nanostructures composed of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), carbon nanofibers (CNFs), and silica–alumina nanoparticles at temperatures below 270 °C. Gold-supported silica–alumina–CNT–CNF nanostructures were synthesized and characterized using XRD, TEM, SEM, and EDX, in addition to mapping images. To study and determine the photoactivity of these produced nanostructures, two well-known photocatalysts—titanium dioxide and zinc oxide—were synthesized at the nanoscale for comparison. The results showed that the presence of CNTs and CNFs significantly reduced the band gap energy from 5.5 eV to 1.65 eV and 3.65 eV, respectively, after modifying the silica–alumina structure. In addition, complete degradation of green dye was achieved after 35 min of light exposure using the modified silica–alumina structure. Additionally, the surface properties of the modified silica–alumina had a positive role in accelerating the photocatalytic decomposition of the green dye NGB. A kinetic study confirmed that the modified silica–alumina functions as a promising additive for optical applications, accelerating the photocatalytic degradation of NGB to a rate three times faster than that of the prepared titanium dioxide and six times that of the prepared zinc oxide. Full article

There is limited information on the genetic response of tomato cultivars to pathogens. This study investigated the genetic mechanism of tomato that confers tolerance against Phytophthora infestans (Ph) and Aspergills niger (Asp) infection using different tomato accessions. Also, the study examined the effect of Ph and Asp infection on the morphology and the chromosome number of the infected tomatoes. Thirty tomato seed accessions were grown in a screen house, using a complete randomized design in triplicate, and evaluated for tolerance to both pathogens using a disease severity rating scale of 1 (highly tolerant) to 6 (highly susceptible), while chromosome assessment was performed using Carnoy’s protocol. Morphological data of 28 characteristics were collected using an IPGRI descriptor, while variance components, genetic advance (GA), and heritability were estimated for treated tomatoes and controls using the R statistical program. Accession NHT0254b, which was highly tolerant to Ph (1.00 ± 0.00) and Asp (1.33 ± 0.58), was diploid (2n = 2x = 24). The Ph-treated NHT0343a was moderately susceptible (3.67 ± 2.31), with 2n = 2x = 23, while NGB00711 was moderately susceptible (4.33 ± 1.16) with 2n = 2x = 22 after Asp treatment, indicating aneuploidy. In Ph treatment, cumulative fruit weight (CFW) had the highest environmental variance (1509.57), while number of seeds (NS) showed the highest genotypic variance (8.22). In Asp treatment, NS exhibited the highest genetic advance (2.97), while CFW had the highest phenotypic variance (754.91). Heritability estimates showed that fruit length (63.0%), the size of core (65.0%), and number of chambers (60.0%) were tolerant to Ph, while only fruit length (56.0%) was tolerant to Asp in terms of yield characteristics. Thus, tolerant accessions and traits are recommended for selection and genetic improvement. Full article

The nano-architecture of titanium oxide is a key element of a wide range of applications, mainly optical and catalytic activities. Therefore, the current study focuses on engineering and designing three interesting nanostructures of titanium oxides: nanoplates, nanotubes, and nanoparticle-supported nanolayers. The nanoplates of titanium oxides were prepared and confirmed by TEM images, X-ray diffraction, and EDX analysis. These nanoplates have an anatase phase, with the distance across the corners in the range of 15 nm. These nanoplates were modified and developed through a rolling process with sodium doping to generate the Na-doped TiO₂ nanotubes. These nanotubes were observed by TEM images and X-ray diffraction. In addition, the doping process of titanium oxides with sodium was confirmed by EDX analysis. A novel nano-architecture of titanium oxide was designed by supporting titanium oxide nanoparticles over Zn/Al nanolayers. The optical properties and activity of titanium oxides with the different morphologies indicated that titanium oxides became a highly photo-active photocatalyst after conversion to nanotubes. This finding was observed through the reduction in the band gap energy to 2.7 eV. Additionally, after 37 min of exposure to UV light, the titanium oxide nanotubes totally broke down and transformed the green dye of NGB into carbon dioxide and water. Furthermore, the kinetic analysis verified that the green dyes’ degradation was expedited by the high activity of nanotubes. Ultimately, based on these findings, it was possible to design an efficient photocatalyst for water purification by converting nanoplates into nanotubes, doping titanium sites with sodium ions, and creating new active sites for titanium oxides through defect-induced super radical formation. Full article

The “One Health approach” has evidenced the significant impact of xenobiotic exposure to health, and humans are a relevant target for their toxic effects. Bisphenol A (BPA) exerts a ubiquitous exposure source in all ecosystems. Given its endocrine-disrupting and harmful consequences on health, several countries have enforced new regulations to reduce exposure to BPA. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are complex conditions that lead to higher mortality worldwide, where family history, lifestyle, and environmental factors, like BPA exposure, have a remarkable contribution. This chemical compound is the most widely used in plastic and epoxy resin manufacturing and has been associated with effects on human health. Therefore, new-generation bisphenols (NGBs) are replacing BPA use, arguing that they do not harm health. Nonetheless, the knowledge about whether NGBs are secure options is scanty. Although BPA’s effects on several organs and systems have been documented, the role of BPA and NGBs in CVDs has yet to be explored. This review’s goals are focused on the processes of endothelial activation (EA)–endothelial dysfunction (ED), a cornerstone of CVDs development, bisphenols’ (BPs) effects on these processes through oxidant and antioxidant system alteration. Despite the scarce evidence on pro-oxidant effects associated with NGBs, our review demonstrated a comparable harmful effect on BPA. The results from the present review suggest that the biological mechanisms to explain BPs cardiotoxic effects are the oxidant stress ↔ inflammatory response ↔ EA ↔ ED → atherosclerotic plate → coagulation promotion. Other effects contributing to CVD development include altered lipid metabolism, ionic channels, and the activation of different intracellular pathways, which contribute to ED perpetuation in a concerted manner. Full article

The increasing deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in urban air mobility (UAM) necessitates robust Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) integrity monitoring that can adapt to the complexities of urban environments. The traditional integrity monitoring approaches struggle with the unique challenges posed by urban settings, such as frequent signal blockages, multipath reflections, and Non-Line-of-Sight (NLoS) receptions. This study introduces a novel machine learning-based GNSS integrity monitoring framework that incorporates environment recognition to create environment-specific error models. Using a comprehensive Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulation setup, extensive data were generated for suburban, urban, and urban canyon environments to train and validate the models. The proposed Natural Gradient Boosting Protection Level (NGB-PL) method, leveraging the uncertainty prediction capabilities of the NGB algorithm, demonstrated superior performance in estimating protection levels compared to the classical methods. The results indicated that environment-specific models significantly enhanced both accuracy and system availability, particularly in challenging urban scenarios. The integration of environment recognition into the integrity monitoring framework allows the dynamic adaptation to varying environmental conditions, thus substantially improving the reliability and safety of UAV operations in urban air mobility applications. This research offers a novel protection level (PL) estimation method and a framework tailored to GNSS integrity monitoring for UAM, which enhances the availability with narrower PL bound gaps without yielding higher integrity risks. Full article

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a globally significant pathogen of pigs. Preventing the entry of PRRSV into swine breeding herds enhances animal health and welfare. A recently published retrospective cohort study reported significant differences in PRRSV incidence risk between breeding herds that practiced Next Generation Biosecurity (NGB) COMPLETE, versus herds that practiced a partial approach (NGB INCOMPLETE) over a 2-year period. This follow-up communication builds on this previous publication and brings new information regarding statistical differences in key performance indicators (KPIs) from 43 NGB COMPLETE herds and 19 NGB INCOMPLETE herds during disease years 1 and 2. Statistically significant differences included higher total born/farrow and pigs weaned/female along with a reduced pre-weaning mortality and wean to 1st service interval, as well as a 0.91 increase in the number of pigs weaned/mated female/year. In addition, this communication reports that PRRSV incidence risk throughout disease years 1–3 was 8.0%, and that the association of NGB status (COMPLETE vs. INCOMPLETE) and disease burden for the cumulative 3-year period was statistically significant (p < 0.0001). These findings support previously published data that NGB, while not perfect, provides sustainable prevention of PRRSV, and may help improve herd productivity. Full article

Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is known to inhibit neurodifferentiation and induce neurodegeneration. Agarwood or Aquilaria crassna (AC), a plant with health-promoting properties, may counteract the neurotoxic effects of B[a]P by promoting neuronal growth and survival. This study investigated the protective effect of AC leaf ethanolic extract (ACEE) on the B[a]P-induced impairment of neuronal differentiation. A transcriptomic analysis identified the canonical pathway, the biological network, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that are changed in response to neuronal differentiation and neurogenesis. Several genes, including CXCR4, ENPP2, GAP43, GFRA2, NELL2, NFASC, NSG2, NGB, BASP1, and NEUROD1, in B[a]P-treated SH-SY5Y cells were up-regulated after treatment with ACEE. Notably, a Western blot analysis further confirmed that ACEE increased the protein levels of GAP43 and neuroglobin. B[a]P treatment led to decreased phosphorylation of Akt and increased phosphorylation of ERK in SH-SY5Y cells; however, ACEE was able to reverse these effects. Clionasterol and lupenone were identified in ACEE. Molecular docking showed that these two phytochemicals had significant interactions with CXCR4, GDNF family receptor alpha (GFRA), and retinoid X receptors (RXRs). In conclusion, ACEE may be a potential alternative medicine for the prevention of impaired neuronal differentiation and neurodegenerative diseases. Full article

Intensifying soil health means managing soils to enable sustainable crop production and improved environmental impact. This paper discusses soil health intensification by reviewing studies on the relationship between soil structure, soil organic matter (SOM), and ecosystem carbon budget. SOM is strongly involved in the development of soil structure, nutrient and water supply power, and acid buffering power, and is the most fundamental parameter for testing soil health. At the same time, SOM can be both a source and a sink for atmospheric carbon. A comparison of the ratio of soil organic carbon to clay content (SOC/Clay) is used as an indicator of soil structure status for soil health, and it has shown significantly lower values in cropland than in grassland and forest soils. This clearly shows that depletion of SOM leads to degradation of soil structure status. On the other hand, improving soil structure can lead to increasing soil carbon sequestration. Promoting soil carbon sequestration means making the net ecosystem carbon balance (NECB) positive. Furthermore, to mitigate climate change, it is necessary to aim for carbon sequestration that can improve the net greenhouse gas balance (NGB) by serving as a sink for greenhouse gases (GHG). The results of a manure application test in four managed grasslands on Andosols in Japan showed that it was necessary to apply more than 2.5 tC ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ of manure to avoid reduction and loss of SOC in the field. Furthermore, in order to offset the increase in GHG emissions due to N₂O emissions from increased manure nitrogen input, it was necessary to apply more than 3.5 tC ha⁻¹y⁻¹ of manure. To intensify soil health, it is increasingly important to consider soil management with organic fertilizers that reduce chemical fertilizers without reducing yields. Full article

Background/Objectives: Data on the long-term effects of oxybutynin in patients with neurogenic bladder (NGB) due to spinal cord injury (SCI) are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of oxybutynin and the combination of oxybutynin with trospium in these patients, under real-world medical conditions. Methods: A total of 107 patients with NGB due to SCI were included. The mean treatment duration was 2.8 years ± 0.8 years. The patients were categorized into three groups: (1) low-dose oxybutynin (5–15 mg/day), (2) high-dose oxybutynin (20–40 mg/day), and (3) oxybutynin combined with trospium. The main outcomes were maximal detrusor pressure (MDP) and cystometric bladder capacity (CBC). Both were assessed at baseline and at three subsequent follow-up visits. Generalized estimation equation models were used to estimate the overall mean reduction in MDP and CBC for each group. Results: The overall adjusted mean reduction from baseline of MDP in groups 1, 2, and 3 were 2.5 (95% CI: −5.4 to 10.4; p = 0.540), 16.9 (95% CI: 4.4 to 29.4; p = 0.008), and 21.9 (95% CI: 4.1 to 39.8; p = 0.016) cmH₂O, respectively. For the CBC, the mean reduction was not significant in any group at any visit, nor were the overall mean reductions. Conclusions: These findings suggest that high-dose oxybutynin and oxybutynin–trospium combination achieve a significant long-term reduction in MDP in patients with NGB after SCI. The effects were sustained across all three follow-up periods. Full article

In 2014, an Irish parliament white paper called for greater addressing of sport-related concussions (SRCs) in Ireland, requesting the adoption of the Concussion in Sport Group’s (CISGs) guidelines and greater consistency in SRC return to play (RTP) management. Ten years later, it is unclear how these requests have been addressed. Recently, the United Kingdom’s government centralised guidelines to one SRC document for all grassroots sports. This study aimed to investigate all publicly available SRC guidance in Irish sports and national governing bodies (NGBs) to determine if centralised guidelines are warranted. Sport Ireland and the Irish Federation of Sports were searched for all recognised NGBs and sports in Ireland. Websites were searched for any information pertaining to SRCs and data were extracted and collated in Microsoft Excel. In total, 15 of 83 sports and/or NGBs included SRC guidance, nine of which provided RTP protocols. Various iterations of the CISGs guidance and tools were implemented. Several sports with a documented SRC risk had no guidelines present. The findings indicate disjointed and outdated guidance across Irish sport. Additionally, there are sports with a documented concussion risk that have no SRC guidance available. This study provides support for centralised guidelines to be adopted in Irish grassroots sports. Full article

Neuroglobin (Ngb) is a cytosolic heme protein that plays an important role in protecting cells from apoptosis through interaction with oxidized cytochrome c (Cyt c) released from mitochondria. The interaction of reduced Ngb and oxidized Cyt c is accompanied by electron transfer between them and the reduction in Cyt c. Despite the growing number of studies on Ngb, the mechanism of interaction between Ngb and Cyt c is still unclear. Using Raman spectroscopy, we studied the effect of charged amino acid substitutions in Ngb and Cyt c on the conformation of their hemes. It has been shown that Ngb mutants E60K, K67E, K95E and E60K/E87K demonstrate changed heme conformations with the lower probability of the heme planar conformation compared to wild-type Ngb. Moreover, oxidized Cyt c mutants K25E, K72E and K25E/K72E demonstrate the decrease in the probability of methyl-radicals vibrations, indicating the higher rigidity of the protein microenvironment. It is possible that these changes can affect electron transfer between Ngb and Cyt c. Full article

As with other academic disciplines, sport psychology academics working in higher education (HE) in the United Kingdom (UK) in lecturer and senior lecturer positions are typically required to hold a PhD in sport psychology or a related discipline. To work in applied practice with athletes, coaches, National Governing Bodies (NGBs), and sporting organisations, practitioners are required to acquire a qualification that affords registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) through either the British Psychology Society (BPS) or the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES). Accordingly, scholar–practitioners, who have “a foot in both worlds” (Tenkasi and Hay, 2008), are required to have two related but distinct qualifications, each of which requires considerable resources (i.e., time, finances, and commitment) to achieve. This paper addresses some of the dilemmas and conflicts that these individuals may encounter in their primary workplace, which typically does not provide for applied practice (either in time or financial incentives). Specifically, issues around the knowledge-transfer gap will be addressed. Real-world examples will be in the form of reflections from the author’s own experiences. I am a senior lecturer in sport and exercise psychology at Cardiff Metropolitan University and the programme director of the MSc Sport Psychology. The role requires me to be HCPC registered, as well as have a PhD in sport psychology. I am also an HCPC Practitioner Psychologist, registered following completion of the BPS Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology (QSEP). My practice is limited to minimal private work and the supervision of trainee sport psychologists (BPS). At the end of the paper, I leave the reader with three questions to prompt reflection on what being a sport psychologist means and what contributions scholar–practitioners may offer to academic institutions and the clients we work with. Full article

Neuroglobin, which is a heme protein from the globin family that is predominantly expressed in nervous tissue, can promote a neuronal survivor. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective function of Ngb remain poorly understood to this day. The interactions between neuroglobin and mitochondrial cytochrome c may serve as at least one of the mechanisms of neuroglobin-mediated neuroprotection. Interestingly, neuroglobin and cytochrome c possibly can interact with or without electron transfer both in the cytoplasm and within the mitochondria. This review provides a general picture of molecular interactions between neuroglobin and cytochrome c based on the recent experimental and computational work on neuroglobin and cytochrome c interactions. Full article

Current management of glaucomatous optic neuropathy is limited to intraocular pressure control. Neuroglobin (Ngb) is an endogenous neuroprotectant expressed in neurons and astrocytes. We recently showed that exogenous intravitreal Ngb reduced inflammatory cytokines and microglial activation in a rodent model of hypoxia. We thus hypothesised that IVT-Ngb may also be neuroprotective in experimental glaucoma (EG) by mitigating optic nerve (ON) astrogliosis and microgliosis as well as structural damage. In this study using a microbead-induced model of EG in six Cynomolgus primates, optical coherence imaging showed that Ngb-treated EG eyes had significantly less thinning of the peripapillary minimum rim width, retinal nerve fibre layer thickness, and ON head cupping than untreated EG eyes. Immunohistochemistry confirmed that ON astrocytes overexpressed Ngb following Ngb treatment. A reduction in complement 3 and cleaved-caspase 3 activated microglia and astrocytes was also noted. Our findings in higher-order primates recapitulate the effects of neuroprotection by Ngb treatment in rodent EG studies and suggest that Ngb may be a potential candidate for glaucoma neuroprotection in humans. Full article