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Background In this study, we designed a novel genetic circuit sensitive to Cd 2+ , Zn 2+ and Pb 2+ by mimicking the CadA/CadR operon system mediated heavy metal homeostasis mechanism of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The regular DNA motifs on natural operon were reconfigured and coupled with the enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein (eGFP) reporter to develop a novel basic NOT type logic gate CadA/CadR- eGFP to respond metal ions mentioned above. A Genetically Engineered Microbial (GEM)-based biosensor ( E.coli -BL21:pJET1.2- CadA/CadR- eGFP) was developed by cloning the chemically synthesised CadA/CadR- eGFP gene circuit into pJET1.2-plasmid and transforming into Escherichia coli ( E. coli )-BL21 bacterial cells. Results The GEM-based biosensor cells indicated the reporter gene expression in the presence of Cd 2+ , Zn 2+ and Pb 2+ either singly or in combination. Further, the same biosensor cells calibrated for fluorescent intensity against heavy metal concentration generated linear graphs for Cd 2+ , Zn 2+ and Pb 2+ with the R 2 values of 0.9809, 0.9761 and 0.9758, respectively as compared to non-specific metals, Fe 3+ (0.0373), AsO 4 3− (0.3825) and Ni 2+ (0.8498) making our biosensor suitable for the detection of low concentration of the former metal ions in the range of 1–6 ppb. Furthermore, the GEM based biosensor cells were growing naturally within the concentration range of heavy metals, at 37 °C and optimum pH = 7.0 in the medium, resembling the characteristics of wildtype E.coli . Conclusion Finally, the novel GEM based biosensor cells developed in this study can be applied for detection of targeted heavy metals in low concentration ranges (1–6 ppb) at normal bacterial physiological conditions.

Clean water, which is free from pathogens and toxic chemicals, is vital to human health. The blue planet is encountering remarkable challenges in meeting the ever-increasing demands of clean water. The intention of this research study was to develop a water filter material that is capable of removing bacterial contaminants and heavy metals from fresh water using cost effective and easily fabricated biocompatible filter material. For this purpose, granular activated carbon (GAC) was coated with both hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanoflakes and turmeric extract (TE) (HAP/TE/GAC) which had been extracted from natural turmeric powder. In addition, GAC was coated only with HAP nanoflakes to synthesize HAP coated GAC (HAP/GAC) composite. Prepared HAP/GAC and HAP/TE/GAC were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy and UV–visible spectrophotometry. Antibacterial effect of the prepared nanocomposites, HAP/GAC and HAP/TE/GAC was compared with neat GAC using Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli. Results showed that antibacterial studies of the synthesized nanocomposites exhibit effective antibacterial activity against E. coli compared with neat GAC alone. However, the composite HAP/TE/GAC revealed better activity than HAP/GAC. Heavy metal adsorption ability of the synthesized composites was carried out using Pb2+ ions at room temperature at different time intervals and different pH levels. The equilibrium adsorption data were assessed via Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models for neat GAC, HAP/GAC and HAP/TE/GAC at pH 6. The equilibrium adsorption data for GAC, HAP/GAC and HAP/TE/GAC were well fitted with both Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models in the given Pb2+ concentrations. The HAP/TE/GAC composite is capable of maintaining the natural function of GAC in addition to removal of bacterial contaminants and heavy metals, which can be used as a point-of-use water filter material.

Background Data on adult asthma is scarce in Sri Lanka. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of asthma and its symptoms in adult Sri Lankans.  Methods A cross-sectional study using a translated version of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey screening questionnaire on subjects ≥ 18 years from 7 provinces in Sri Lanka was conducted. The asthma was defined as “wheezing in the past 12 months (current wheeze)”, self-reported asthma attack in the past 12 months or on current asthma medication use. Results Among 1872 subjects (45.1% males, 48.8% between 18–44 years of age), the prevalence of current wheeze was 23.9% (95%CI: 22.0%-25.9%), self-reported asthma was 11.8% (95%CI: 10.3%-13.2%) and current asthma medication use was 11.1% (95% CI: 9.6%-12.5%). The prevalences were higher in adults > 44 years, 31.4% positively responded to any of the above questions (95%CI: 29.3%-33.4%) and 60.9% of current wheezers did not report having asthma whilst 38.2% used asthma medication. Among current wheezers, 80.1% had at least one other symptom, cough being the commonest. Those with no current wheeze, self-reported asthma and on current asthma medication use, 30%, 35.9% and 36.6%, respectively, reported at least one other symptom. Smokers comprises 22% current wheezers, 20.6% of self-reported asthmatics and 18.7% of current asthma medication users. Conclusions The prevalence of asthma in Sri Lankan adults is higher than the other South Asian countries and higher in the older age group. A significant percentage of symptomatic individuals did not report having asthma or being on medication.

Ample attention has been devoted to the construction of anti-cancer drug delivery systems with increased stability, and controlled and targeted delivery, minimizing toxic effects. In this study we have designed a magnetically attractive hydroxyapatite (m-HAP) based alginate polymer bound nanocarrier to perform targeted, controlled and pH sensitive drug release of 6-gingerol, doxorubicin, and their combination, preferably at low pH environments (pH 5.3). They have exhibited higher encapsulation efficiency which is in the range of 97.4–98.9% for both 6-gingerol and doxorubicin molecules whereas the co-loading has accounted for a value of 81.87 ± 0.32%. Cell proliferation assays, fluorescence imaging and flow cytometric analysis, demonstrated the remarkable time and dose responsive anti-proliferative effect of drug loaded nanoparticles on MCF-7 cells and HEpG2 cells compared with their neat counter parts. Also, these systems have exhibited significantly reduced toxic effects on non-targeted, non-cancerous cells in contrast to the excellent ability to selectively kill cancerous cells. This study has suggested that this HAP based system is a versatile carrier capable of loading various drug molecules, ultimately producing a profound anti-proliferative effect.

We report on the discovery of circular polarization modulated with a period of 1.943 ± 0.002 hr in the cataclysmic variable V1082 Sgr. These findings unambiguously reveal the rotation of a magnetic white dwarf and establish its intermediate polar nature. Along with its extraordinary long orbital period (Porb) of 20.8 hr, the spin period (Pspin) places this system in an extreme position of the Pspin versus Porb distribution. The circular polarization phase diagram has a single peak and an amplitude smaller than 1%. These data were used to model the postshock region of the accretion flow on the white dwarf surface using the CYCLOPS code. We obtained a magnetic field in the white dwarf pole of 11 MG and a magnetospheric radius consistent with the coupling region at around 2–3 white dwarf radii. The Pspin/Porb value and the estimated magnetic field momentum suggest that V1082 Sgr could be out of spin equilibrium or in a spin-up state, possibly in a stream accretion mode.

ObjectiveTo assess the prevalence and associated factors of dietary practices among antenatal women in Colombo district, Sri Lanka.DesignThis descriptive cross-sectional study examined dietary practices among antenatal mothers in four Medical Officer of Health areas in Colombo, Sri Lanka. A total of 422 participants were selected using stratified random sampling. Data were collected via a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire and analysed using SPSS V.26. Dietary diversity, food variety and animal-source food consumption were assessed. Poisson regression identified predictors of dietary practices, adjusting for socio-economic and pregnancy-related factors. The statistical significance was set at p<0.05.ResultsOf the 380 antenatal mothers (mean age: 30.72±3.96 years), most were married (98.2%) with 73.7% living in urban areas. Regarding dietary practices, 64.7% had high dietary diversity, while 35.3% had low diversity. Of the sample, 52.1% had a high food variety score and 64.7% had a high animal-source food score. More than half (64.7%) had appropriate dietary practices. Fruits, vitamin A-rich vegetables and rice were the most consumed foods. Key factors influencing dietary practices included age, religion, education, employment and geographical location.ConclusionsThis study highlights the prevalence and factors influencing dietary practices among antenatal mothers. Although the predominant mothers had fair dietary diversities, a considerable number were found to have poor dietary practices. Better dietary practices were associated with major educational attainment, formal employment status and selected residential areas, while younger age, low educational qualification and housewife status were associated with poorer nutrition. The findings indicate that there is an urgent need for interventions related to nutrition for specific vulnerable groups so that they can improve their maternal nutrition and produce better pregnancy outcomes through education and support programmes.

Social insect pests such as leaf-cutting ants challenge conventional pest management because effective control must disrupt colony-level organization rather than target individual insects. Colony persistence depends on the mutualistic association between gardener workers and their cultivated fungus, . Compounds that selectively impair these components while preserving forager-mediated bait transport may therefore offer strategic advantages. We evaluated the essential oils of weeping willow ( ), Surinam cherry ( ), weeping bottlebrush ( ), ginger ( ), and black pepper ( ) against two leaf-cutting ant species, and , after characterizing their chemical composition by GC-MS. The oils displayed distinct terpenoid profiles: bottlebrush oil, for instance, was dominated by 1,8-cineole and α-pinene, while ginger oil was rich in camphene and β-phellandrene. Forager and gardener workers were tested separately, along with their symbiotic fungus. Responses were generally concentration-dependent, although effects varied among oils and biological targets. Ginger oil exhibited strong fungicidal activity, but only at the highest concentration tested (100 mg mL ). Bottlebrush oil showed marked toxicity to gardeners at concentrations as low as 0.10 mg mL , while effects on foragers were comparatively low. The remaining oils produced limited or inconsistent responses. These findings indicate that caste-selective toxicity and fungal suppression are achievable but not widespread among essential oils. Bottlebrush oil emerges as a promising candidate for further investigation, particularly regarding its constituent compounds and potential synergistic interactions for toxic bait development.

Tool wear significantly impacts the productivity and efficiency of sheet metal stamping operations, particularly in high-volume progressive die applications. This study presents an iterative calibration framework for Archard’s wear model, tailored to industrial stamping processes. The proposed methodology integrates finite element simulations with experimentally measured wear data obtained from production components, enabling data-driven calibration of the wear coefficient K[sub.sim]. The framework achieves high predictive accuracy, with deviations of 1.4–3.7% between simulated and optically measured wear depths and localization, after more than 15 million strokes. Rapid convergence is obtained within two to three calibration cycles, significantly reducing computational effort while maintaining physical fidelity. The simulation setup incorporates detailed modelling of contact pressure, sliding velocity, and stress distribution, validated using optical surface measurement systems and coordinate-based metrology. Beyond the specific industrial case, the framework demonstrates transferability to other sheet metal forming processes, such as bending, blanking, and coining, by leveraging physically based parameter adaptation across comparable pressure–velocity regimes. The approach enables predictive wear modeling in data-scarce environments and supports early-stage tool design workflows. Overall, the proposed methodology bridges the gap between empirical calibration and generalized simulation, contributing both methodological rigour and practical applicability to manufacturing science.

Abstract Urinary tract infections are responsible for most human infections, these are caused by bacteria, fungi, protozoa and associated microorganisms. The goal of this study was to determine the rate of vaginal infection-causing agents in routine cytological exams and also to evaluate the characteristics of positive tested Pap smears. A retrospective documental with descriptive aspect research was performed in a Clinical Pathology laboratory from Maceió-AL. The results of the Pap smears exams for Trichomonas vaginalis, Gardnerella vaginalis, Candida spp and HPV were arranged in a database as well as other data such as bacterial, protozoan, fungal and viral coinfections. The sample was composed by 18.645 women who have undergone Pap smear exams from 2013 to 2017. Of these analyzed exams, 27.4% in 2013, 10.9% in 2014, 10.6% in 2015, 15.2% in 2016 and 13.67% in 2017 were within normal range, however more than half of these exams presented some infections caused by unspecific or microbiological agents. By analyzing all the reports, 4.073 (21.84%) presented inflammations caused by some species of infectious agent with the following rate order: G. vaginalis and T. vaginalis. Furthermore, it was possible to confirm high rates of coinfection by and Candida spp. The rate of genital infections in this study highlights that there is a public health matter that must be controlled, which points a greater need for monitoring, guidance and actions towards greater awareness in order to prevent these problems. Resumo Infecções do trato urinário são responsáveis pela maior parte das infecções humanas, sendo causadas por bactérias, fungos, protozoários, e por microrganismos associados. O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a frequência de agentes causadores de infecções vaginais nos exames citológicos de rotina, bem como avaliar as características dos esfregaços positivos. Foi realizada uma pesquisa do tipo documental retrospectiva de aspecto descritivo, com abordagem quantitativa, em um Laboratório de Patologia Clínica de Maceió-AL. Nesse sentido, os resultados dos exames colpocitológicos para Trichomonas vaginalis, Gardnerella vaginalis, Candida spp e HPV foram organizados em um banco de dados, contendo os resultados para estes agentes, bem como a coinfecção bacteriana, protozoária, fúngica e viral. A amostra foi composta por 18.645 mulheres que realizaram exame colpocitológico, no período de 2013 a 2017. Destes exames analisados 27,4% em 2013, 10,9% em 2014, 10,6% em 2015, 15,2% em 2016 e 13,67% em 2017, estavam dentro do limite da normalidade, porém mais que a metade desses exames analisados apresentou algumas infecções causadas por agentes inespecíficos ou microbiológicos. Do total de laudos analisados, 4.073 (21,84%), apresentaram inflamações causadas por algum tipo de agente infeccioso, com a seguinte ordem de frequência: G. vaginalis, e T. vaginalis. Além disto, foi possível confirmar a elevada frequência de coinfecção entre G. vaginalis e Candida spp. Os índices de infecções genitais nesse trabalho mostram que há um problema de saúde pública que deve ser controlado, apontando uma necessidade maior de acompanhamento, orientações e de ações para uma maior conscientização para prevenir esses problemas.

In this study a new approach to laser polishing with periodic modulated laser power in the kilohertz regime is introduced. By varying the modulation frequency and modulation time, different periodic laser power curves with varying minimum, peak and average laser power can be created. The feasibility of the method is shown by polishing of vertical built AlSi10Mg L-PBF parts with an initial roughness of Ra = 12.22 µm. One polishing pass revealed a decreasing surface roughness with increasing energy density on the surface up to Ra = 0.145 µm. An increasing energy density results in a rising remelting depth between 50 and 255 µm and a rising relative porosity of 0.3% to 4.6%. Furthermore, the thermal process stability, analysed by the melt pool length in scanning direction, reveals a steadily increasing melt pool dimension due to component heating. Multiple laser polishing passes offers a further reduced surface roughness, especially at higher modulation frequencies and provides an improved orientation independent roughness homogeneity. The process stability regarding varying initial surface roughness revealed an almost constant relative roughness reduction rate with an achievable roughness variation after two polishing passes between Ra = 0.13–0.26 µm from an initial state of Ra = 8.0–19.2 µm.