Magnetic Proximity Induced Giant Enhancement of Valley Polarization and Zeeman Splitting in WS/FeGaTe Heterostructures.

Substrate engineering offers a powerful approach to tailoring quasiparticle interactions in two-dimensional (2D) materials for valley-quantum devices. Here, a significantly enhanced valley polarization of 67% has been observed in a WS monolayer on a thin FeGaTe (FGT) layer under far-off resonant excitation at 10 K, which is much higher than that of 16% detected from WS monolayer. This enhancement is attributed to the magnetic proximity effect, which leads to a shorter exciton lifetime in the heterostructure without affecting the valley scattering time.

A Critical Review of Produced Water Management Using the Chlor-Alkali Process: Challenges and Future Prospects.

The utilization of produced water (PW) as a feedstock for chlor-alkali (CA) processes offers significant potential for sustainable chemical production. This review article examines the technical feasibility of transforming PW into valuable products such as caustic soda, chlorine, and hydrogen gases through electrochemical processes. The high salinity of PW is identified as a potential advantage for reducing energy consumption in CA processes.

New Lead Schiff Bases Predominantly Mediate Vasorelaxant Activity Through α Receptor Blocking Activity.

Schiff bases synthesized in our laboratory have demonstrated pain-relieving effects through both peripheral and central nervous system pathways. Considering that centrally acting analgesics often affect the muscle tone of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and related deep internal organs, this study was conducted to examine potential relaxant effects on blood vessels and GIT smooth muscles. The possible relaxant effects of Schiff bases (SB1 and SB2) on isolated rabbit aortic strips were evaluated.

Toxicological risk assessment and sources of heavy metal(loid)s using compositional data analysis, Astore River Basin, Himalaya.

Himalayan rivers were observed to be more vulnerable having irregular water flows, flooding, and contamination due to various stresses, including climate change, urbanization, and industrial development. This study investigated the occurrence, sources, ecological, and health-based ramifications for heavy metal(loid)s (HM), i.e.

Appraisal of groundwater suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes in highly vulnerable coastal area of Bangladesh.

Groundwater contamination is a significant threat to water security in Bangladesh, especially in coastal areas influenced by salinity intrusion and geogenic pollutants. The study has collected 48 groundwater samples and analyzed 16 water quality parameters to assess the suitability of groundwater for drinking and irrigation purposes in a highly vulnerable coastal area of Bangladesh. The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCME WQI), Metal Index (MI), and Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI) were used to assess drinking water quality.

Evaluating the Antimicrobial Efficacy of TroLEAP2 like-27 peptide in golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) against Bacterial Pathogens.

Amicrobial peptides are crucial components of immune system, acting as the first line of defense against microbial invasion. This study investigated the antimicrobial activity of TroLEAP2 like-27, a novel 27-amino acid peptide derived from golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus), against Gram-positive Lactococcus garvieae and Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Gram-negative Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio harveyi. The 3D structure and helical wheel presentation of TroLEAP2 like-27 were consistent with typical AMP features.

Construction of 2D/2D α-FeO/g-CN Z-scheme photocatalysts with SnO as an energy platform for directed charge transfer in cascade heterojunction: Photocatalytic CO reduction and pollutant degradation.

Developing an efficient visible-light-driven photocatalysts for conversion of atmospheric CO into valuable fuels is a promising strategy to mitigate the escalating greenhouse gas, environmental, and energy crisis. This study presents an innovative design for a cascade Z-scheme comprising of dimensional matched SnO-α-FeO/g-CN (SO-FO/CN) nanosheets heterojunction. In this configuration, SnO functions as an optimal energy platform that not only facilitates charge transfer and separation but also sustains sufficient thermodynamic energy for redox reactions and inhibits the undesired type-II charge transfer pathway.

Removal of Divalent Cations from Produced Water and Its Impact on Rheological Properties and Proppant Settling Velocity.

The petroleum industry seeks to optimize the reuse of flowback and produced water (FPW) in hydraulic fracturing to reduce environmental impacts and costs. This study investigates how controlling divalent cations in FPW influences its rheological properties and proppant carrying capacity, both of which are crucial for efficient fracturing. Synthetic FPW, modified to simulate treated and untreated conditions, was analyzed to determine the impact of gel-based additives such as anionic polyacrylamide-based friction reducers (FRs).

Quantitative microbial risk assessment for on-site employees in a wastewater treatment plant and implicated surrounding residents exposed to S. aureus bioaerosols.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have increased dramatically in number due to rapid urbanization. However, these facilities release significant amounts of potentially hazardous airborne microorganisms, including Staphylococcus aureus bioaerosol, which poses health risks to employees and nearby residents. Therefore, this study estimated the direct exposure risks of bioaerosols in WWTPs using a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) framework evaluated through sensitivity analysis methods.

Quantitative microbial risk assessment of bioaerosol emissions from squat and bidet toilets during flushing.

Bioaerosol emissions during toilet flushing are an often-overlooked source of potential health risks in shared public facilities. This study systematically investigated the emission characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bioaerosols in washrooms with squat and bidet toilets under varying flushing conditions and ventilation scenarios. Using Monte Carlo simulation-based quantitative microbial risk assessment and sensitivity analysis, the study estimated the disease burden and identified key factors influencing risk.

Characterization of antimicrobial properties of TroH2A-29 peptide from golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus).

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small, potent molecules that serve as a crucial first line of defense across a wide range of organisms, including fish. In this study, we investigated the antimicrobial properties of a novel peptide, spanning residues 52 to 80 of the full-length histone H2A protein, comprising a total of 29 amino acids. This peptide, designated as Histone H2A-29 (TroH2A-29), was derived from the golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) and evaluated for its activity against both Gram-positive bacteria, Lactococcus garvieae and Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Gram-negative bacteria, Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio harveyi.

Trace detection of antibiotics in wastewater using tunable core-shell nanoparticles SERS substrate combined with machine learning algorithms.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) show great potential for rapid and highly sensitive detection of trace amounts of contamination from the environment in the surface aquatic ecosystem. The widespread use of antibiotics has resulted in serious degradation of the water environment in the past few years, and their substantial residual contamination of wastewater has a harmful effect on ecosystems, which is associated with the development of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. However, in this study, a novel approach of core-shell nanoparticles GNRs@1,4-BDT@Ag was used for the quantitative measurement of the concentration of antibiotics in wastewater solutions using the SERS technique coupled with computational methods.

Toward Resilient Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Care: A Qualitative Study Involving Afghan Refugee Women in Pakistan.

Background: Afghan refugees in Pakistan, particularly in Quetta, Balochistan, encounter formidable barriers in accessing maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) services. These challenges have been intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic and entrenched systemic health inequities.

Methods: This qualitative study, conducted from February to April 2023, aimed to assess the obstacles within health systems and community environments that hinder MNCH service access among Afghan refugees.

Correction: Acceptability and feasibility of HIV self-testing among transgender people in Larkana, Pakistan: Results from a pilot project.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Comparative Outcomes of Milligan-Morgan (Open) Versus Ferguson (Closed) Hemorrhoidectomy: A Retrospective Study.

Introduction The debate remains unresolved about whether an open (Milligan-Morgan) or closed (Ferguson) approach is superior for hemorrhoidectomy. Advocates from both groups state that each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. In light of this, we intend to share our experience by comparing the two in terms of their post-operative outcomes.

Adverse effects of environmentally relevant microplastics on in vivo endpoints, oxidative stress, and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway and multixenobiotic resistance system in the marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis.

This study compared the toxicological effects of environmentally relevant microplastics (MPs) on the marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis, focusing on MPs derived from various sources, including fossil fuel-based low-density polyethylene, bio-based polylactic acid (PLA), biodegradable poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate), and a novel PLA modified with β-cyclodextrin. We assessed in vivo effects such as reproductive output and mortality, alongside in vitro oxidative stress responses, including oxidative stress, antioxidant enzyme activities, and activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway and the multixenobiotic resistance (MXR) system. Reproductive output and lifespan reduced significantly across all MP types, ranging from 0.

Plasmon-Enhanced Optoelectronic Graded Neurons for Dual-Waveband Image Fusion and Motion Perception.

Motion recognition based on vision detectors requires the synchronous encoding and processing of temporal and spatial information in wide wavebands. Here, the dual-waveband sensitive optoelectronic synapses performing as graded neurons are reported for high-accuracy motion recognition and perception. Wedge-shaped nanostructures are designed and fabricated on molybdenum disulfide (MoS) monolayers, leading to plasmon-enhanced wideband absorption across the visible to near-infrared spectral range.

Suppressed Non-Radiative Recombination in Formamidinium Lead Triiodide under Electric Activation.

The high carrier lifetime of metal halide perovskite (MHP) materials is closely related to the microscopic crystallographic structure. However, the detailed correlation between the lattice structure and carrier dynamics remains unclear. In this work, we found a correlation between lattice strain and open-circuit voltage () of MHP under electric activation.

The Assessment of Patient-Reported Outcomes in the Medical Management of Patients With Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

Background Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a prevalent condition that a large portion of the male population develops with aging, in which the prostate gland enlarges and results in urinary symptoms. Objective The objective of this article is to assess patient-reported outcomes (PRO) of medical management of benign prostate hyperplasia in terms of international prostate symptoms score (IPSS), BPH impact index (BPHII), and treatment satisfaction score (TSS). Methods This descriptive study included 114 patients who received medical management for BPH during the period 5 May 2021 till 30 December 2023, at the Department of Urology, Institute of Kidney Disease Peshawar.

Pd-catalyzed regioselective activation of C(sp)-H and C(sp)-H bonds.

Differentiating between two highly similar C-H bonds in a given molecule remains a fundamental challenge in synthetic organic chemistry. Directing group assisted strategies for the functionalisation of proximal C-H bonds has been known for the last few decades. However, distal C-H bond functionalisation is strenuous and requires distinctly specialised techniques.

Bioaerosols emission from source facilities in a wastewater treatment plant: Critical exposure time and sensitivity analysis.

Overexposure of sewage workers to bioaerosol released from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) can cause serious infections, but practical method for controlling their health risk is lacking. In this study, reverse quantitative microbial risk assessment was used to estimate the daily critical exposure time (CET) of sewage workers exposing to Staphylococcus aureus bioaerosol emitted by three emission sources facilities in a WWTP based on either U.S.

A Novel generalization of sequential decision-theoretic rough set model and its application.

This paper introduces a refined and broadened version of decision-theoretic rough sets (DTRSs) named Generalized Sequential Decision-Theoretic Rough Set (GSeq-DTRS), which integrates the three-way decision (3WD) methodology. Operating through multiple levels, this iterative approach aims to comprehensively explore the boundary region. It introduces the concept of generalized granulation, departing from conventional equivalence-relation-based structures to incorporate similarity/tolerance relations.