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Objective: In this study on patients with Cushing disease, post-transsphenoidal surgery (TSS), we attempt to predict the probability of remaining in remission, at least for a year and relapse after that, using Bayes’ theorem and the equation of conditional probability. The number of parameters, as well as the weightage of each, is incorporated in this equation. Design and methods: The study design was a single-centre ambispective study. Ten clinical, biochemical, radiological and histopathological parameters capable of predicting Cushing disease remission were identified. The presence or absence of each parameter was entered as binary numbers. Bayes’ theorem was applied, and each patient’s probability of remission and relapse was calculated. Results: A total of 145 patients were included in the study. ROC plot showed a cut-off value of the probability of 0.68, with a sensitivity of 82% (range 73–89%) and a specificity of 94% (range 83–99%) to predict the probability of remission. Eighty-one patients who were in remission at 1 year were followed up for relapse and 23 patients developed relapse of the disease. The Bayes’ equation was able to predict relapse in only 3 out of 23 patients. Conclusions: Using various parameters, remission of Cushing disease can be predicted by applying Bayes’ theorem of conditional probability with a sensitivity and a specificity of 82% and 94%, respectively. This study provided an objective way of predicting remission after TSS and relapse in patients with Cushing disease giving a weightage advantage to every parameter.

A self-excited induction generator (SEIG) with a parallel combination of star and delta stator windings is designed for wind-driven generator applications. This winding design enables the SEIG to operate in a wider range of wind speeds because the stator connection is changed from series-star to series delta and then back to parallel delta star at suitable increases in the speed of the wind. The stator winding switching converter and the switching controller must be designed for changing this stator winding. MATLAB was used to program the controller algorithm on the Arduino platform. A firing scheme for the generator for the TRIAC unit converter has also been demonstrated. A 48-slot stator for a three-phase, 2.2 kW induction motor was built, and a 4-pole, parallel delta star winding was used to wind it.

Graphical abstract:

Remote investigation and monitoring have gained importance in ambulatory practice. A home‐based fecal calprotectin (FC) test has been developed where the sample is processed and analyzed at home through a smartphone application. We aimed to assess the use of standard ELISA (sFC) versus home‐based (hFC) FC testing in a general pediatric gastroenterology clinic. Ambulatory pediatric patients with hFC or sFC performed between August 2019 and November 2020 were included. Data regarding demographics, clinical characteristics, medication use, investigations, and final diagnosis, categorized as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, organic non‐IBD (ONI) GI disorders, non‐GI disorders, and undetermined after 6 months of investigation, were recorded. A total of 453 FC tests from 453 unique patients were included. Of those, 249 (55%) were hFC. FC levels (median) were higher in children with IBD compared to non‐IBD diagnosis (sFC 795 vs. 57 μg/g, hFC 595 vs. 47 μg/g, p< 0.001), and in ONI compared to functional GI disorders (sFC 85 vs. 54 μg/g, p= 0.003, hFC 57 vs. 40 μg/g, p< 0.001). No significant difference was observed between different ONI GI disorders or subtypes of functional disorders. Age did not significantly influence levels. Overall, hFC and sFC provide similar results in the general pediatric GI ambulatory setting. FC is a sensitive but not disease‐specific marker to identify patients with IBD. Values appear to be higher in ONI GI disorders over functional disorders, although cut‐off values have yet to be determined. Fecal calprotectin (FC) is a noninvasive surrogate marker of gut inflammation.Higher levels are typically found in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), while lower grade elevations in FC may be found in other gastrointestinal (GI) conditions.There is no globally accepted cut‐off level for FC in IBD or other GI disorders. Fecal calprotectin (FC) is a noninvasive surrogate marker of gut inflammation. Higher levels are typically found in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), while lower grade elevations in FC may be found in other gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. There is no globally accepted cut‐off level for FC in IBD or other GI disorders. Standard ELISA and home‐based FC immunoassays perform similarly in the general pediatric GI clinic.Both assays may help differentiate functional from organic non‐IBD GI disorders.The majority of intermediate (50–250 μg/g) results are not related to organic GI disorders.Home‐based FC could be a useful and innovative disease monitoring tool. Standard ELISA and home‐based FC immunoassays perform similarly in the general pediatric GI clinic. Both assays may help differentiate functional from organic non‐IBD GI disorders. The majority of intermediate (50–250 μg/g) results are not related to organic GI disorders. Home‐based FC could be a useful and innovative disease monitoring tool.

The reaction of Co(OAc)2·6H2O with 2,2′-[{(1E,1′E)-pyridine-2,6-diyl-bis(methaneylylidene)bis(azaneylylidene)}diphenol](LH2) a multisite coordination ligand and Et3N in a 1:2:3 stoichiometric ratio forms a tetranuclear complex Co4(L)2(μ-η1:η1-OAc)2(η2-OAc)2]· 1.5 CH3OH· 1.5 CHCl3(1). Based on X-ray diffraction investigations, complex 1comprises a distorted Co4O4cubane core consisting of two completely deprotonated ligands [L]2–and four acetate ligands. Two distinct types of CoIIcenters exist in the complex, where the Co(2) center has a distorted octahedral geometry; alternatively, Co(1) has a distorted pentagonal–bipyramidal geometry. Analysis of magnetic data in 1shows predominant antiferromagnetic coupling (J= −2.1 cm–1), while the magnetic anisotropy is the easy-plane type (D1= 8.8, D2= 0.76 cm–1). Furthermore, complex 1demonstrates an electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with an overpotential of 325 mV and Tafel slope of 85 mV dec–1, required to attain a current density of 10 mA cm–2and moderate stability under alkaline conditions (pH = 14). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies reveal that compound 1has a charge transfer resistance (Rct) of 2.927 Ω, which is comparatively lower than standard Co3O4(5.242 Ω), indicating rapid charge transfer kinetics between electrode and electrolyte solution that enhances higher catalytic activity toward OER kinetics.

Graphical Abstract:

Monitoring nutrients in the soil can provide valuable information for understanding their spatiotemporal variability and informing precise soil management. Here, we describe an autonomous in situanalyzer for the real-time monitoring of nitrate in soil. The analyzer can sample soil nitrate using either microdialysis or ultrafiltration probes placed within the soil and quantify soil nitrate using droplet microfluidics and colorimetric measurement. Compared with traditional manual sampling and lab analysis, the analyzer features low reagent consumption (96 μL per measurement), low maintenance requirement (monthly), and high measurement frequency (2 or 4 measurements per day), providing nondrifting lab-quality data with errors of less than 10% using a microdialysis probe and 2–3% for ultrafiltration. The analyzer was deployed at both the campus garden and forest for different periods of time, being able to capture changes in free nitrate levels in response to manual perturbation by the addition of nitrate standard solutions and natural perturbation by rainfall events.

Graphical abstract:

Novel three-phase polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) based on cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles (NPs) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) incorporated in a poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) matrix were formulated using a solution-casting approach. To understand the structural and morphological features of PVDF/CeO2/GNP nanocomposites (NCs), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analyses were accomplished. The PVDF/CeO2/GNP NCs displayed improved thermal stability which resulted from strong bonding between GNPs and CeO2NPs and restriction of the polymer chain movement. The introduction of CeO2NPs and GNPs within the PVDF matrix and good synergy between CeO2NPs and GNPs led to variable mechanical properties of the prepared NCs. The PVDF/CeO2/GNP NCs portrayed reduced thermal stability, which could be due to the increased mobility of PVDF chains imposed by GNPs leading to the formation of volatile degradation products. Moreover, PVDF/CeO2/GNP NCs exhibited good electrical conductivity and high dielectric permittivity. The obtained dielectric permittivity value for the PVDF/CeO2/GNP NCs was 3-fold greater than PVDF/CeO2NCs, making these novel tertiary composite materials a probable candidate for energy-storage applications.

This paper demonstrated the current modulation/optical injection and feedback for seminconductor laser diode based on optical field rate and intensity rate equation model. The injected electrical current and carrier density equations model are used to estimate the laser net gain, stimulated emission gain and spontaneous laser emission absorption. As well as the photon density equations model to determine the laser diode cavity loss and laser output power. The laser rate equations are clarified for the photon/electron concentration with the time. The small and large signal modulation response is demonstrated. The single mode laser diode equation for the complex optical field is studied. Laser diode output power is studied against laser pump current for both stimulated/spontaneous emission at first/second/third wavelength window. Laser relaxation oscillation frequency and optical gain are both clarified versus laser pump power for both stimulated/spontaneous emission at various wavelength window.

In this study, the hydro-char was prepared by hydrothermal carbonization of agricultural waste Hibiscus cannabinusand integrated with γ-Fe2O3/Si by sonication-assisted sol–gel method. Characterization of the composite catalyst revealed that the band gap was 2.02 eV; FTIR, XPS, and EDX ensure the presence of C, O, Fe, and Si. The crystalline size (48.3 nm) and crystallinity (9.97%) were calculated from XRD data. SEM and TEM confirm the surface morphology of the magnetic composite as spherical. The surface area (36.46 m2/g) and the average pore diameter (5.32 nm) of the magnetic composite were determined by BET analysis. From VSM, the Ms value was evaluated as 28.57 emu/g; also, the superparamagnetic nature was confirmed. The factors influencing degradation such as light irradiation, catalyst dosage, pH, and concentration of dye were examined. At optimum conditions, 99% of the JGB dye gets degraded using AHC/γ-Fe2O3/Si composite photocatalyst. The JGB dye degradation kinetics was studied for pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The scavenger trapping method showed that the •OH radicals, present in the composites, were the primary active sites. The catalyst possessed excellent regenerative capacity where it could be reused for seven continuous cycles. Toxicity studies were performed using the seeds of Vigna radiata. The result indicated the non-toxic nature of the degraded dye.

Water pollution by heavy metal contaminants was emerging as a grave problem for the aquatic systems in the environment. Microalgae being photoautotrophic and heterotrophic are promising traits that provoke researchers to use them in treating industrial wastewater. Owing to the advantageous feature of biochar, microalgal biochar with chemical and biological modification was used in the production of value-added products, and their spent sorbent was used for bioremediation. The incorporation of microalgal biomass with magnetic nanoparticles will remove hazardous metals from the aquatic environment. Integration of microalgae with nanoparticles used in the removal of chromium and selenium metal ions was discussed in the present review with the removal mechanism. The economic perspectives, advantages and challenges of using the integral magnetic microalgal system in the treatment process were also evaluated in the present study providing insight for the researchers to use it in the large-scale applications of multi-pollutant removal.

The ability of algae to decolorize and remove synthetic dyes such as Congo red, methylene blue, rhodamine B, and remazol black dyes was investigated in this study. The tested algae showed increased efficiency for color degradation observed by UV spectral analysis. Chlorococcumsp. exhibited a very drastic reduction in absorbance on the 5th day, and the laccase enzyme production was also higher (533 U/ml) in Congo red treatment. The other tested dyes also showed limited degradation, but their absorbance dropped only after 10 days of treatment. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis confirmed a significant shift in functional groups of control and treated samples. Furthermore, the Clarias gariepinusfish was acclimatized and was preceded for dye treatment. In the toxicity assessment of Congo red, the mortality rate of 100% was observed on the 8th day, whereas the algae-treated dye at 2 ppm showed only 40% mortality on the 20th day. Histopathological observations of the liver and kidney from sacrificed fishes revealed intense cellular damage in higher concentrations. In the experimental studies, 6 ppm of the dye had the least toxicity to tested fish cells (kidney and liver). The uniqueness and significance of the present investigation was to evaluate the toxicity of various concentrations of Congo red dye on fish by performing histological studies of internal organs, which made Chlorococcumsp. a potential candidate for dye effluent treatment. From the present study, it is evident that the investigated microalgae may serve as a better tool for industrial applications in safe toxicant removal from aquatic ecosystems.

Dyes and pigments utilized for colouring purposes by textile industries play a pivotal role in the accumulation of numerous toxic substances in an aquatic environment. This provokes a keen interest in the environmentalist in developing a novel sorbent material that could remove the organic pollutants from the waste effluent. In the current study, Lemna minor, a duckweed plant, acts as the low cost, eco-friendlier sorbent to remove the toxic acid blue 113 dye from the effluents. The characteristic traits of the dried biosorbent were analysed by scanning electron microscope to analyse the porous and rough exterior surface, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy reveal the presence of specific entities such as amine, hydroxyl, carboxyl and alkyl groups and gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy for the presence of numerous polyphenolic compounds. Optimization was done by response surface methodology to study their potential in the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent. The removal efficiency of 98.5% was attained in the batch study at optimized parameters of contact time (40 min), pH (4.0), temperature (40 °C) and concentration of sorbent (1 g). The reaction mechanism was evaluated with the kinetics and isotherm studies. Kinetics study includes pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich and intra-particle diffusion, and the isotherm study includes Langmuir, Freundlich, Langmuir–Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models. The system follows the pseudo-second-order kinetics model, Langmuir and Langmuir–Freundlich isotherm model with the maximum sorption capacity of 395.7 mg/g. Thermodynamic studies were evaluated to determine the spontaneous and endothermic nature of the reaction.