Recent publications
The graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is an important optoelectronic and photocatalytic material; however, its application is limited by the high recombination rate of the electron-hole (e––h⁺) pairs. In this work, we reported a novel strategy combining two-step annealing treatment and ionic-liquid (IL) gating technology for effectively regulating the properties of g-C3N4, especially largely reducing the recombination rate of the e––h⁺ pairs, which is evidenced by a remarkable reduction of the photoluminescence (PL) intensity. Firstly, g-C3N4 samples with typical layered structure were obtained by annealing melamine with temperature of 600 °C. Further annealing of the samples at 600 °C with much longer time (from 4 h to 12 h) were found to effectively reduce the imperfections or defects, and thus the PL intensity (49% reduction). This large reduction of PL intensity is attributed to the improved interconnection of triazine units, the shortened charge transfer diffusion distances, and the reduced interlayer spacing, which facilitate electron relocation on the g-C3N4 surface. Secondly, by post-treating the annealed sample with IL, the PL intensities were found to be further reduced, mainly due to the passivation of charged defect centers by IL. Additionally, applying an external electric field in an IL environment can significantly enhance the charged defect passivation. Overall, by utilizing electric field-controlled IL gating, defect states in g-C3N4 were passivated, leading to a significant reduction in PL intensity and an extension of PL lifetime, thereby effectively decreasing the e––h⁺ recombination rate in the material. This study demonstrates a new approach for defect passivation, providing insights and strategies for modulating properties of advanced materials such as g-C3N4.
Background
The increasing prevalence of dry eye disease (DED) and its inflammatory nature have attracted interest for treatment. Cyclosporine A (CsA) has been used to treat DED. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive and updated synthesis of evidence on the efficacy and safety of Cyclosporine A in treating moderate-to-severe DED.
Methods
A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing CsA with artificial tears were identified through systematic searches of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, up to 2024. Primary outcomes included tear breakup time, Schirmer’s test, fluorescein staining. Secondary outcomes include adverse events, ocular surface disease index, meibum expressibility, and goblet cell density. Meta-analyses were performed using a random effects model, and heterogenicity was evaluated using the I² statistic.
Results
Fifteen RCTs involving 1683 participants were analysed. Pooled analysis revealed better outcomes of CsA in tear breakup time (SMD0.85, 95%CI 0.35 to 1.34), Schirmer’s test (SMD0.50, 95%CI 0.05 to 0.95), and fluorescein-staining (SMD0.74, 95%CI -1.14-0.34). CsA was associated with more adverse events than ATs (Risk Ratio (RR) 3.13, 95%CI 0.94 to 10.45), but the difference was not statistically significant. Secondary outcomes, including the OSDI score (SMD − 0.88; 95% CI -1.26 to -0.50) and goblet cell density (SMD 1.06; 95% CI 0.04 to 2.08), also favoured CsA, although confidence intervals indicated potential variability.
Conclusion
Current evidence suggests that CsA is more effective than artificial tears in improving key clinical outcomes for moderate-to-severe DED treatment, although variability in effect sizes and a higher incidence of adverse events warrant careful interpretation. Future research should focus on longer-term studies to evaluate the role of CsA in delaying disease progression, optimising treatment duration, and addressing safety concerns.
This paper presents the polarization division multiplexed absolute added correlative coding (PDM-AACC) in an optical intersatellite link (OISL). It is modeled to operate in a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband constellation network, and its receiver front-end (RFE) comprises avalanche photodiodes (APDs). Its performance is then comparatively investigated against two other OISLs adopting the absolute added correlative coding (AACC) and the 4-pulse amplitude modulation (4-PAM) formats, respectively. When transmitting 20 Gbps over the maximum LEO-LEO link distance of 6,000 km, the 4-PAM and AACC needed a minimum transmitter laser power of 36 dBm and 29 dBm to meet the bit-error rate (BER) requirement of less than 10 ⁻⁹ , whereas the PDM-AACC required 27 dBm. It also supported longer transmission ranges, narrower telescope pointing error angles, and smaller telescope aperture diameter sizes in comparison to the 4-PAM and the AACC. The modeled PDM-AACC modulated OISL further improved on the receiver sensitivities of the latter two by 10 dBm and 2 dBm in addition to increasing its spectral efficiencies. The bit rate of all three links were then doubled to 40 Gbps. While the 4-PAM and AACC sustained it for distances of 2,800 km and 4,800 km, the PDM-AACC met the BER requirement for distances of up to 6,200 km.
Poland is taking serious measures to decarbonize its electricity generation sector by 2050 in response to the global climate emergency. However, the pathway to reach this carbon neutrality target is still uncertain, given Poland’s current dependence on fossil fuels. Different decarbonization measures need to be examined and combined to achieve substantial reductions. In this work, carbon emission pinch analysis is used to plan and visualize deep emission's cuts for such a transition. Multiple scenarios were proposed in order for Polish energy generation sector to reach its CO2 emission targets in 2030 and 2040. For instance, in Scenario 1, relative to 2022, hard coal was reduced by 36 times, and lignite was eliminated completely; while natural gas, onshore wind, agricultural biomass and photovoltaics have huge increase (238%, 154%, 235% and 301%, respectively), apart from having additional nuclear and offshore wind power (38 TWh and 61 TWh, respectively). Doing this achieves the 2040 emission target of 28.06 Mt CO2-eq/year. These results provide realistic benchmarks for the development and implementation of policies to realize Poland’s decarbonization ambitions.
Graphical abstract
In recent years, changes in dietary patterns from an omnivore diet to a moderate‐to‐restrictive diet that includes more plant food are becoming popular for various reasons and the associated health benefits. Despite the increased consumption of plant food as recommended by these seemingly healthy diets, micronutrient deficiency is still prevalent particularly among the health‐conscious populations. The aim of this review is to help guide interventions by understanding micronutrient deficiency trends from a dietary habit and plant physiology context. In this review, the author discusses how modern agricultural practices coupled with climate change, and with particular emphasis on the extreme dietary habits that lack variation and excessive consumption, may contribute to an increased ingestion of antinutrients which in turn potentially exacerbate vitamin and mineral deficiencies. While plants possess a wide range of secondary metabolites that exert beneficial health effects, some of these compounds are also antinutrients that interfere with the digestion and absorption of nutrients and micronutrients. Furthermore, the article also raises questions concerning the fate of antinutrient traits in future crops that were to be redesigned with improved stress tolerance, and the impacts it may have on human nutrition and the environment. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.
The global shift towards achieving carbon neutrality in energy production has sparked significant and growing interest across various sectors. As the world grapples with the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change, there is an increasing focus on transforming lignocellulosic materials into alternatives that are more sustainable and environmentally friendly. This study presents a process evaluation of rice husk gasification using an Aspen Plus simulation environment coupled with an analysis of variance with the aid of Design expert software. The biomass sample was assessed as received for proximate and ultimate analyses and utilised as key input data into the Aspen plus environment. The process flow sheet was implemented using a combination of unit operation and unit process equipment with non-random two-liquid (NRTL) as thermodynamic and property data. Effect of gasification temperature (600-1100 o C), air-fuel ratio (0.05-1.00), feedstock moisture content (5-50wt%), oxygen/nitrogen ratio (0.25-1.00) on the syngas yield and composition, and tar production were investigated independently and collectively. Experimental design with AFR and O 2 /N 2 ratio as variables at 3 levels (-1, 0, + 1) using central composite design (randomized) was conducted and analysis was carried out. The result of proximate and ultimate analyses indicated that rice husk has ash content, volatile matter and fixed-carbon content of 13.56, 16.37 and 70.07 wt% respectively with carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulphur and oxygen of 40.15 wt%, 5.98 wt%, 0.41 wt%, 0.78 wt% and 52.68 wt% correspondingly. The simulation result showed that increasing feedstock moisture content, AFR and O 2 N 2 promoted syngas production and tar formation rate except for feedstock moisture content, which displayed the opposite trend. Gasification temperature showed less impact on the syngas production rate but significantly reduced tar production rate. Feedstock moisture content increased methane (CH 4), and carbon monoxide (CO) while significantly and marginally decreased carbon dioxide (CO 2) and hydrogen content of syn-gas respectively. The effect of gasification temperature on the syngas composition was significant within 600-750 o C with improved hydrogen and CO content of 7-14% and 50-53% while CH 4 and CO 2 depleted from 26 − 21% and 3.0-0.07% in that order. The result of ANOVA revealed that the quadratic model best described the syngas and tar production rate in rice husk gasification with AFR in degree one and degree two and O 2 /N 2 as the significant factors for syngas production rate while AFR, O 2 /N 2 and-AFR-O 2 /N 2 interaction represent significant factors for tar production rate. The study presents a systematic approach for analysing the combined effects of AFR, O 2 /N 2 and their interaction on the syngas production rate and quality from rice husks.
Nowadays, polymers are rapidly growing in many different fields, as polymers are inexpensive and less dense than metal. Polymers can also be said to be a cheaper material and can form a lighter product compared to other materials. However, many people opposed the use of polymers. It is because most of the polymers are non-biodegradable, as there are no polar bonds within the polymers. The non-biodegradable polymers might lead to plastic waste and bring negative effects on the environment, which involve choking marine wildlife, damaging soil, and poisoning groundwater. Nevertheless, advancements in the technology enable the production of materials with specific attributes, including mechanical strength, regulated degradation duration and rate, as well as antibacterial and antimicrobial qualities. The polymers enable the formation of materials in an infinite variety of shapes due to meticulous design. This article examined diverse literature regarding the application of polymers in medicine. This research identifies numerous applications of polymers in medical fields, including tissue engineering and medical devices.
Background:
A substantial portion of the genetic predisposition for breast cancer is explained by multiple common genetic variants of relatively small effect. A subset of these variants, which have been identified mostly in individuals of European and Asian ancestry, have been combined to construct a polygenic risk score (PRS) to predict breast cancer risk, but the prediction accuracy of existing PRSs in Hispanic/Latinx individuals (H/L) remain relatively low. We assessed the performance of several existing PRS panels with and without addition of H/L specific variants among self-reported H/L women.
Methods:
PRS performance was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).
Results:
Both European and Asian PRSs performed worse in H/L samples compared to original reports. The best European PRS performed better than the best Asian PRS in pooled H/L samples. European PRSs had decreased performance with increasing Indigenous American (IA) ancestry while Asian PRSs had increased performance with increasing IA ancestry. The addition of 2 H/L SNPs increased performance for all PRSs, most notably in the samples with high IA ancestry and did not impact the performance of PRSs in individuals with lower IA ancestry.
Conclusions:
A single PRS that incorporates risk variants relevant to the multiple ancestral components of individuals from Latin America, instead of a set of ancestry specific panels, could be used in clinical practice.
Impact:
Results highlight the importance of population-specific discovery and suggest a straightforward approach to integrate ancestry specific variants into PRS for clinical application.
Rapid urban development impacts the integrity of tropical ecosystems on broad spatiotemporal scales. However, sustained long-term monitoring poses significant challenges, particularly in tropical regions. In this context, ecoacoustics emerges as a promising approach to address this gap. Yet, harnessing insights from extensive acoustic datasets presents its own set of challenges, such as the time and expertise needed to label species information in recordings. Here, this study presents an approach to investigating soundscapes: the use of a deep neural network trained on time-of-day estimation. This research endeavors to (1) provide a qualitative analysis of the temporal variation (daily and monthly) of the soundscape using conventional ecoacoustic indices and deep ecoacoustic embeddings, (2) compare the predictive power of both methods for time-of-day estimation, and (3) compare the performance of both methods for supervised classification and unsupervised clustering to the specific recording site, habitat type, and season. The study's findings reveal that conventional acoustic indices and the proposed deep ecoacoustic embeddings approach exhibit overall comparable performance. This article concludes by discussing potential avenues for further refinement of the proposed method, which will further contribute to understanding of soundscape variation across time and space.
Objectives
Intraoral periapical radiographic techniques are mandatory exercises taught to undergraduate students during their training. The key challenges encountered while teaching the bisecting angle technique (BAT) include correctly positioning the X‐ray cone and adjusting the central X‐ray beam to the tooth of interest. To address this, a custom‐designed pointed laser light (CDPLL) was fabricated and attached to the X‐ray cone. This study evaluated the effectiveness of CDPLL compared to conventional BAT in acquiring quality radiographs, reducing errors, and evaluating students' perceptions through a questionnaire.
Methods
Third‐year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students were divided into two groups of 26 each. Group 1 used Conventional BAT, while Group 2 employed Laser‐Assisted BAT on a mannequin. Both techniques were taught through theory and clinical demonstrations. Students took radiographs of incisors, canines, premolars, and molars of both jaws. Group 1 students then transitioned to Laser‐Assisted BAT and repeated the radiographs. Inter‐group and intra‐group comparisons of radiographic quality and errors were analyzed using Chi‐Square tests.
Results
Group 2 produced more excellent (41.8%) and acceptable (47.6%) radiographs, with fewer unacceptable ones (10.6%) than Group 1 ( p < 0.001). Transitioning from conventional BAT to Laser‐Assisted BAT in Group 1 led to significantly higher excellent (41.8%) and lower unacceptable (7.2%) radiographs ( p < 0.001). Errors were significantly higher in Group 1 (81.5%) compared to Group 2 (59.5%) ( p < 0.001). Common errors included cone cut and overlapping while foreshortening was the least frequent error. Over 80% of students felt CDPLL effectively guided the central X‐ray beam and expressed interest in using it in the future.
Conclusions
The CDPLL affixed to the X‐ray cone serves as an effective teaching tool for taking high‐quality radiographs, yielding a higher number of excellent and acceptable radiographs while minimizing repetition and errors. It also aids students in adjusting the X‐ray cone and central beam to the desired teeth.
Hybridization chain reaction (HCR) and DNA‐templated silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) have emerged as powerful tools in biosensing. HCR enables cascade amplification through programmable DNA interactions, while DNA‐AgNCs serve as transducing units with unique fluorogenic and electrochemical properties. Integrating these components into a hybrid sensor could significantly enhance sensing capabilities across various fields. Nonetheless, limited studies and the lack of systematic guidelines for HCR‐AgNCs systems have hindered research progress, despite their potential. This review aims to address this gap by providing a comprehensive overview of HCR‐AgNCs biosensors, facilitating further innovation in this field. The working principles, performance factors, and complementary features are discussed. Thereafter, reported HCR‐AgNCs studies are assessed, emphasizing their distinct sensing mechanisms (e.g., fluorogenic, electrochemical), applications across various fields, and challenges in adopting the hybrid sensors. Drawing from the experience developing multiple HCR‐AgNCs sensors, insights and guidelines for designing and developing HCR‐AgNCs systems are provided for future researchers. Finally, prospective directions in HCR‐AgNCs research, including multiplex assays and integration with emerging technologies, are explored to guide future advancements. The synergistic combination of HCR and AgNCs as a hybrid biosensor holds promise for addressing pressing challenges in healthcare, environmental monitoring, and beyond, paving the way for next‐generation biosensing technologies.
Cloud computing has been a driving force for many technological innovations and transformations in various domains and industries. It offers scalable and cost-effective storage and processing capabilities suitable for handling large volumes of structured and unstructured data. Could computing has enabled organizations to leverage data-driven insights and decision making, as well as to create new products and services based on data analysis.
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