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Bimetallic nanocomposites represent an important class of nanomaterials with diverse applications in optoelectronics, catalysis, bioimaging, and antimicrobial therapy. In the present study, Gs@Zn/Cu nanocomposites were synthesized via a green synthesis approach. Gracilaria spinulosa seaweed extract was employed to simultaneously load zinc/copper nanoparticles, utilizing its bioactive components as reducing and binding agents. Antibacterial assays demonstrated that the synthesized nanocomposite possesses notable antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus . The combination of zinc and copper produced inhibition zones of 20 mm against E. coli and 16 mm against S. aureus . Antibiofilm assays indicated that the Gs@Zn/Cu nanocomposite reduced approximately 85% of biofilm formation at the lowest tested concentrations. Artemia biosafety assays indicated that the synthesized Gs@Zn/Cu nanocomposites are non-toxic and may be suitable for clinical applications. Collectively, these results suggest that bioactive Gs@Zn/Cu nanocomposites have considerable potential as antimicrobial and biomedical materials.

In research, the surface water quality of the Thamirabarani River in Thoothukudi was assessed. The sediments of this Thamirabarani River basin contain river alluvium, coastal terraces, and quartzite meta-sedimentary layers. The geographic information system study may decide on the spatial map analysis based on the quality of the water samples, which are classified as low, medium, or high, indicating that the water from the study is suitable for drinking and agricultural use. In the hydrochemical examination of water samples, the WHO 2017 standard as well as the geochemical parameters pH, EC, TDS, and other geochemical parameters were employed. According to the identification of this zone, the compounds found in this area were classified as Na + , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , and K + , and the anions as Cl − –HCO 3 − –SO 4 2− . In general, river water is pure and has low salinity and alkalinity levels. Water used for irrigation and agriculture in the study area has levels of chloride and bicarbonate. The presence of Ca 2+ –Cl − –SO 4 2− , Ca 2+ –Mg 2+ –Cl − –SO 4 2− , Na + –Cl–SO 4 2− , and Na + –Cl − –HCO 3 − –SO 4 2− in river water indicates that quartzite, gneissic, and charnockite interact with other rocks and with water. The hydrochemical facies evolution diagram (HFE-D) can be used to determine the amount of fresh and salty water in river water. This study will provide an ecological basis for protecting and preserving the local river environment in the Thamirabarani River Basin in a way that is both sustainable for drinking and agricultural purposes.

Kidney stone matrix protein fractions eluted from DEAE cellulose column showed increased oxalate binding activity and had negative correlation with reduced thiol content. Fraction I (eluted in Tris-HCl, pH 7.4) and fraction 3 (0.3 M NaCl in buffer) showed nucleation and aggregation-promoting properties while fraction 2 (0.05 M NaCl in buffer) showed an inhibitory effect in an in vitro crystallization system. On peroxidation, fractions 1 and 3 showed a further increase in the promoting effect whereas fraction 2 showed a reduction in the inhibitory effect of nucleation and aggregation of calcium oxalate crystals. Protein peroxidation was negatively correlated with the inhibitory activity of the protein on calcium oxalate nucleation and aggregation. A similar promoting effect of nucleation and aggregation was seen with mitochondria and nucleus after peroxidation. These studies suggested that peroxidation of protein or tissue had greater influence on the nucleation and aggregation property of calcium oxalate crystal growth.

Inland waters transport, transform and retain significant amounts of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) that may be biologically reactive (bioreactive) and thus potentially degraded into atmospheric CO 2 . Despite its global importance, relatively little is known about environmental controls on bioreactivity of DOC as it moves through river systems with varying water residence time (WRT). Here we determined the influence of WRT and landscape properties on DOC bioreactivity in 15 Swedish catchments spanning a large geographical and environmental gradient. We found that the short-term bioreactive pools (0–6 d of decay experiments) were linked to high aquatic primary productivity that, in turn, was stimulated by phosphorus loading from forested, agricultural and urban areas. Unexpectedly, the percentage of long-term bioreactive DOC (determined in 1-year experiments) increased with WRT, possibly due to photo-transformation of recalcitrant DOC from terrestrial sources into long-term bioreactive DOC with relatively lower aromaticity. Thus, despite overall decreases in DOC during water transit through the inland water continuum, DOC becomes relatively more bioreactive on a long time-scale. This increase in DOC bioreactivity with increasing WRT along the freshwater continuum has previously been overlooked. Further studies are needed to explain the processes and mechanisms behind this pattern on a molecular level.

Candida albicans is a fungal pathobiont, able to cause epithelial cell damage and immune activation. These functions have been attributed to its secreted toxin, candidalysin, though the molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we identify epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as a critical component of candidalysin-triggered immune responses. We find that both C. albicans and candidalysin activate human epithelial EGFR receptors and candidalysin-deficient fungal mutants poorly induce EGFR phosphorylation during murine oropharyngeal candidiasis. Furthermore, inhibition of EGFR impairs candidalysin-triggered MAPK signalling and release of neutrophil activating chemokines in vitro, and diminishes neutrophil recruitment, causing significant mortality in an EGFR-inhibited zebrafish swimbladder model of infection. Investigation into the mechanism of EGFR activation revealed the requirement of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), EGFR ligands and calcium. We thus identify a PAMP-independent mechanism of immune stimulation and highlight candidalysin and EGFR signalling components as potential targets for prophylactic and therapeutic intervention of mucosal candidiasis. Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungus primarily affecting immunocompromised patients. Here, the authors identify a novel mechanism of host immune stimulation and highlight candidalysin and EGFR signalling components as potential targets for prophylactic and therapeutic intervention of mucosal candidiasis.

This study investigates an innovative approach by utilizing biodiesel derived from Waste Cooking Oil (WCO) to evaluate its impact on engine performance, combustion dynamics, and emissions characteristics. It examines the effects of blending Pentanol with WCO-based biodiesel in a Common Rail Direct Injection engine, maintaining a constant injection timing of 23° before Top Dead Center and a compression ratio of 17.5:1. The analysis covers various fuel compositions, including pure diesel (D100), 30% WCO-biodiesel (B30), 30% WCO-biodiesel with 10% Pentanol (B30 + P10), 30% WCO-biodiesel with 20% Pentanol (B30 + P20), 40% WCO-biodiesel (B40), 40% WCO-biodiesel with 10% Pentanol (B40 + P10), and 40% WCO-biodiesel with 20% Pentanol (B40 + P20), under varying load conditions. The results reveal that WCO-derived biodiesel blends demonstrate notable improvements in combustion and emission metrics. The B30 + P20 blend stands out, delivering a 9.9% increase in brake thermal efficiency, a 10.5% reduction in brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC), and a 12.6% improvement in volumetric efficiency compared to pure diesel. Additionally, this blend enhances the heat release rate and cylinder pressure by 4.8% and 3.1%, respectively. Emission reductions are substantial, with CO, HC, and NOX emissions decreasing by 31.75%, 20.28%, and 14.82%, respectively, when compared to other biodiesel blends. This research underscores Pentanol-enhanced WCO-biodiesel blends as a sustainable and efficient alternative for automotive applications.

The task of predicting solar irradiance is critical in the development of renewable energy sources. This research is aimed at predicting the photovoltaic plant’s irradiance or power and serving as a standard for grid stability. In practical situations, missing data can drastically diminish prediction precision. Meanwhile, it is tough to pick an appropriate imputation approach before modeling because of not knowing the distribution of datasets. Furthermore, not all datasets benefit equally from using the same imputation technique. This research suggests utilizing a recurrent neural network (RNN) equipped with an adaptive neural imputation module (ANIM) to estimate direct solar irradiance when some data is missing. Without imputed information, the typical projects’ imminent 4-hour irradiance depends on gaps in antique climatic and irradiation records. The projected model is evaluated on the widely available information by simulating missing data in each input series. The performance model is assessed alternative imputation techniques under a range of missing rates and input parameters. The outcomes prove that the suggested methods perform better than competing strategies when measured by various criteria. Moreover, combine the methodology with the attentive mechanism and invent that it excels in low-light conditions.

This research determines the effect of various ceramic particles (SiCp and TiB₂) on the Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding of Al/TiB₂ and Al/SiCp composites. The reinforcement concentrations of 2%, 4% and 6% were chosen for the investigation for both SiCp and TiB₂ particles, and their effect on tensile strength (TS), hardness, and microstructure was studied using appropriate instruments. The SEM microstructure confirmed the ceramic particles distribution of different composite materials. The microstructure of the welds varies depending on the composition of the Al/TiB₂ and Al/SiCp composites. XRD analysis displayed that the phase compound formed in weld metal is similar to the metal matrix composites (MMCs), indicating strong bonding between the reinforcements and the matrix. XRD analysis confirmed the retention of reinforcement phases without the formation of undesirable reaction products, indicating good metallurgical compatibility and stable interfacial bonding between the matrix and reinforcements. Addition of TiB₂ and SiCp ceramic reinforcements into the aluminum matrix significantly improved the hardness of the welded joints. The highest hardness value of 172.8 HV was obtained for the Al/SiCp composite containing 4 wt% SiCp, representing an improvement of 25.94% and 8.88% compared to the composites containing 2 wt% and 6 wt% SiCp, respectively. Which is greater than 25.94% and 8.88% compare to 2% and 6% respectively. Similarly, the Al/TiB₂ MMC containing 4% TiB₂ showed the maximum hardness value of 98.3 Hv, followed by the composites containing 2% (85.9 HV) and 6% (74.6 HV) TiB₂, respectively. Which is greater than 14.44% and 24.11% compare to 2% and 6% respectively. This result shown that the inclusion of reinforcement particles increases the hardness of the weld zone, with the optimum reinforcement being 4% of SiCp and 6% of TiB₂. The welded specimens were tested using tensile tester to determine their TS and ductility. The results revealed that the inclusion of ceramic particles increases the TS of the welds but ductility found to be deceased. The Al/SiCp MMCs with 4% displayed the highest TS of 226.7 MPa followed by those with 2% and 6% respectively. Which is increase 8.16% and 3.37% compare to 2% and 6% respectively. Similarly, the aluminium based MMCs containing 4% TiB₂ recorded the highest TS of 228.5 MPa followed by the Al/TiB₂ MMCs containing 2% and 6% TiB₂ respectively. Which is increase 11.35% and 4.77% compare to 2% and 6% respectively. However, the Al/SiCp MMCs with 4% SiCp showed relatively lower ductility of 2.9% when compared to the Al/TiB₂ MMCs with 4% TiB₂. Overall, the inclusion of ceramic reinforcements into the aluminium based MMCs improves the mechanical performance of the weldments, although the optimal composition depends on specific application requirements.

The primary objective of this research is to examine the impact of the mechanical properties of basalt fiber-reinforced polymer composites on the naval sector. The reinforcement material employed in this study consisted of bidirectional basalt fiber and stainless steel wire mesh. The matrix material employed in this study was bismaleimide resin. A total of nine distinct compositions were generated by the addition of varying quantities of sodium bicarbonate and antimony trioxide, both of which serve as fire retardants. The conducted tests included drop load impact, flammability, fatigue, and flexural testing. The findings of the investigation demonstrated that the incorporation of fillers yielded a positive impact on the mechanical characteristics of the composites. Furthermore, the composites that incorporated antimony trioxide as a fire retardant exhibited superior flame retardancy compared to those that utilized sodium bicarbonate. The composition 4 consists of 4% antimony trioxide and 8% sodium bicarbonate and exhibits the highest impact energy with a value of 18.75 J. The addition of 8% antimony trioxide and 8% sodium bicarbonate fillers in composition 7 leads to a significant improvement in flexural strength of 136.06 N/mm 2 . We used a central composite design process to analyze the combined attributes. Quadratic regression was used to suit the composite material optimally. The study utilized an analysis of variance methodology to investigate the impacts of basalt fiber and stainless steel wire mesh. The composite material has remarkable flexibility for maritime applications such as bulkhead and hull construction owing to its strength, durability, and impact resistance.

IntroductionPoor medication adherence is associated with poor clinical outcomes, an increase in hospitalisations and increased mortality. This is a multicentre randomised study that evaluates the effectiveness of using a manual pill organiser (MPO) and a custom-developed pill reminder app (PRA) on medication adherence, morbidity, as well as health economic outcomes among Indian elderly individuals taking multiple medications.ObjectivesThe primary objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of MPO and PRA alone or in combination in improving medication adherence among elderly individuals on multiple medications. The secondary objectives include the impact of interventions on the morbidity profile and health-related quality of life. The study also plans to assess the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of improving medication adherence.Methods and analysisThis is a community-based, open-label, factorial-design randomised controlled trial to be conducted across rural and urban populations at two geographically distinct sites in India. The study will enrol 752 elderly individuals aged 60–80 years, receiving three or more medications for at least 6 months and having access to smartphones. The participants will be randomised to receive one of the following interventions for 12 months: control group, PRA, MPO and MPO+PRA. All study groups would receive patient education about the importance of medication adherence. The study outcomes include the proportion of improvement in medication adherence (using Medication Adherence Rating System-5, 7-day point prevalence of medication non-adherence and pill count); adverse clinical outcomes; healthcare utilisation; health-related quality of life; cost-effectiveness and cost-utility outcomes.Ethics and disseminationThe study protocol has been approved by institutional ethics committees at all three institutes. The study results for primary and secondary outcomes will be published in peer-reviewed journals.Trial registration numberCTRI/2024/01/061975 (Registered on: 29 January 2024).