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Background We need more understanding of experiences that hinder or promote equity, diversity, and inclusion of Black students in undergraduate nursing programs to better inform their retention and success.Purpose To explore documented experiences of Black undergraduate nursing students, review barriers affecting their retention and success, and suggest evidence-based strategies to mitigate barriers that influence their well-being.Methods We used a focused qualitative ethnography for recruiting Black former and current students (N = 18) in a Western Canadian province's undergraduate nursing programs via purposive and snowball sampling. Most participants were female, 34 years or younger, with over 50% currently in a nursing program. Five participants later attended a focus group to further validate the findings from the individual interviews. Descriptive statistics were used to describe participant characteristics; we applied a collaborative constant comparison and thematic analysis approach to their narratives.Results Challenges influencing Black students’ retention and success fell into four main interrelated subthemes: disengaging and hostile learning environments, systemic institutional and program barriers, navigation of personal struggles in disempowering learning environments, and recommendations to improve the delivery of nursing programs. Participants also recommended ways to improve diversity and mitigate these barriers, such as nursing programs offering anti-oppression courses, platforms for safe/healthy dialogue, and more culturally sensitive learning-centeredprograms and responsive supports.Conclusions The study findings underscore the need for research to better define nursing program conditions that nurture safe, learning-centredenvironments for Black students. A rethink of non-discriminatory, healthy learning–teaching engagements of Black students and the mitigation of anti-Black racism can best position institutions to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion of Black students.

Some research on climate change has been the basis of climate change denialism (hereafter, CCD is used to refer to denial, denialism, and deniers). There is formative knowledge about the role of political propaganda in climate policies and resulting outcomes. To contribute to the understanding of political ideology and the extent of CCD, we adopt econometric techniques to study the impact of the United States of America's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. The results show that ideological political propaganda has psychological and philosophical consequences that impact climate change policies. In addition, we find that the effect of a state's economic growth on climate change is mediated by CCD. In particular, low-income capitalist states have a higher propensity to become CCDs because they are more likely to engage in economic expansion even at the expense of environmental sustainability. Global climate change policies depend on high-income nations and industries' willingness to adopt economic policies to achieve sustainable future development. Thus, this study fills the literature gap on the relationship between political ideology and climate change. The findings show that CCD significantly influences voting patterns and socioeconomic outcomes. It impedes states from achieving net-zero emissions and carbon neutrality and it is used as a political propaganda. Subject to these findings, relevant policy suggestions are offered.

Purpose: This study examined the impact of the Input Credit Scheme (ICS) by the Integrated Water Management and Agriculture Development (IWAD) on the productivity and food security of smallholder rice farmers in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach: Cross-sectional data from 250 rice farming households in the Mamprugu Moagduri district of the North East Region obtained from a multi-stage sampling technique were used for the study. Inverse Probability Weighted Regression Adjustment (IPWRA), Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and Kendall's coefficient of concordance were the methods of analysis employed. Findings: Empirical results show that education, rice farming experience, dependency ratio, FBO membership, farm size and farm age were the significant factors influencing participation in the input credit scheme (ICS). Also, participants had an average rice productivity of 1,476.83 kg/ha, whereas non-participants had 1,131.81 kg/ha implying that participants increased their productivity by about 30%. In addition, the study revealed that participant households increased their household dietary diversity (HDDS) by 0.45 points amounting to about 8% diversity in their diets. High-interest rates associated with credit received, the short periods of credit repayment and the high cost of inputs provided under the scheme were the most challenging constraints associated with partaking in the ICS. Practical implications: The available literature on agricultural interventions have predominantly emphasized input credit as a key factor for improving cropt productivity and food security of smallholders. This study provides compelling evidence that participation in ICSs can result in substantial benefits for agricultural development, as evidenced by increased productivity leading to improved food security. The significance of these findings is highlighted by the fact that, through participation in input credit schemes, smallholder rice farmers in many developing countries see substantial improvement in their capacity to access productive resources, thereby improving their productivity, while simultaneously reducing food insecurity. Social implications: Leveraging on the improved productivity of participants in the ICS, this study advocates that such input credit schemes should scale up to more food-insecure farming communities in Ghana. Originality/value: The study uses a doubly robust econometric approach to evaluate the impact of ICS on smallholder rice farmers' productivity and food security in Ghana, making it the first of its kind. The findings offer a solid basis for future research and provide guidance for policymakers looking to boost agricultural development in Ghana.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) is arguably the most important and successful piece of civil rights legislation ever passed. The U.S. Constitution already has more amendments, six to [...]

ABSTRACTMacroautophagy/autophagy is a conserved lysosomal degradation process composed of both selective and nonselective degradation pathways. The latter occurs upon nutrient depletion. Selective autophagy exerts quality control of damaged organelles and macromolecules and is going on also under nutrient-replete conditions. Proper regulation of autophagy is vital for cellular homeostasis and prevention of disease. During nutrient availability, autophagy is inhibited by the MTORC1 signaling pathway. However, selective, basal autophagy occurs continuously. How the MTORC1 pathway is fine-tuned to facilitate basal constitutive autophagy is unclear. Recently, we identified the WD-domain repeat protein WDR83/MORG1 as a negative regulator of MTORC1 signaling allowing basal, selective autophagy. WDR83 interacts with both the Ragulator and active RRAG GTPases to prevent recruitment of the MTORC1 complex to the lysosome. Consequently, WDR83 depletion leads to hyperactivation of the MTORC1 pathway and a strong decrease in basal autophagy. As a consequence of WDR83 depletion cell proliferation and migration increase and low levels of WDR83mRNA are correlated with poor prognosis for several cancers.

The article reports about Blood Sisters was in Netflix's global top 10. It's a thriller and it may be slightly melodramatic because we Nigerians are melodramatic. But it deals with universal themes. Nigerians are no different to anyone else. I want EbonyLife productions increasingly to appeal to anyone in the world, even if it's in our language. Oloture, one of our films, was about human trafficking. It was all done in pidgin English and subtitled.

Carbon emission is inevitable, and changes with energy consumption and economic development, presents policy options toward sustainable development path. Currently, there is little assurance from policymakers in committing to climate change pledges: taking the Middle-East and North African (MENA) region as a specific case with using 2019 as a cut-off period. We conducted an interim assessment of the Paris Agreement to ascertain whether climate actions are in tandem with emissions reduction targets. Making use of difference-in-difference technique as a quasi-experiment supported by fixed-effects and placebo treatment models, the results point to evidence of less than 1% effective CO2emissions reduction as of 2019 compared to the 2015 level. The current carbon emissions reduction commitment level is far-reaching contrary to the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) pledged (16.43% on average by 2030 compared to the 2015 level). The analysis suggests that achieving NDCs commitments are currently major burden on policymakers since the economic development is highly linked with nonrenewable energy consumption. Furthermore, a more comprehensive framework when accounting for all available renewable and clean energy projects shows reduction levels in the range of 30%–40% from 2020 to 2030. These results suggest that the Paris Agreement in MENA countries may be more effective from 2020, thus underscore the importance of capturing ongoing projects (involving renewable and clean energy technologies) into interim policy assessment. The shared implication is that greater efforts are demanded from the region and at country levels to further decrease emissions through the use of negative emissions technologies particularly in the electricity generation sector.

I. The U.N. Human Rights Council The new U.N. Human Rights Council (1) began work in 2007, resolving to establish procedures, mechanisms, and organizational arrangements to facilitate its work. (2) [...]

Background and aim: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects brain functions, often leading to a range of cognitive and motor impairments, necessitating effective rehabilitation. It is expedient for physiotherapists to have adequate knowledge, an appropriate attitude, and practice towards managing cognitive and motor impairments in adults with TBI. This study assessed physiotherapists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices of cognitive and motor impairments in adult patients with TBI. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 75 physiotherapists recruited from 8 hospitals in South-West Nigeria via purposive sampling. A self-developed questionnaire administered via Google Forms® was used to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of physiotherapists towards cognitive and motor impairments in adult patients with TBI. Descriptive statistics of mean, median, range, percentages, and frequency distribution tables were used in summarizing the KAP, while the association/correlation between KAP scores and selected demographic/profession-related characteristics was also investigated using inferential statistics of the Man-Whitney U, Kruskal Wallis, and Spearman ranked correlation. The level of significance was set at p< 0.05. Results: The mean age of the participants was 28.73 ± 7.093 years, predominantly female (53.3%), with a bachelor’s degree in physiotherapy (78.7%), and specializing in neuro-physiotherapy. Most respondents demonstrated knowledge of cognitive 45 (60%) and motor 42 (56%) impairments in adult TBI patients. There was a (rho = 0.259) positive significant correlation (p= 0.025) between the age of the physiotherapist and their knowledge of the management of cognitive and motor impairment in adult patients with TBI. Conclusion: Many physiotherapists in South-West Nigeria demonstrate good knowledge of TBI, with this knowledge increasing with age. This study underscores the importance of continuous educational training for physiotherapists, a consequence of which should be better rehabilitation and functional outcomes for people with TBI.

Introduction: Spent wastes are inexpensive, abundantly available, and environmentally friendly and can be introduced into wastewater to remove toxic metals. This study sought to utilise spent Chinese green tea leaves to simultaneously remove cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) from an aqueous solution. Methodology: Batch experiments were performed in binary systems with different initial metal concentrations and dosages using 100 mL of aqueous solution and agitating using an orbital shaker for 60 min. Results: The adsorption efficiencies from 98.18 to 99.89% for cadmium, 98.79–99.99% for chromium, 98.18–99.98% for mercury and 86.20–99.99% for lead. The 1/nvalues indicate that normal adsorption occurred. The adsorption capacity of Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb ranged from – 2.91 × 10–6to 1.58 × 10–4mg/g in the study. The correlation coefficient (R2) for Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb in binary components ranged from 0.1434 to 0.9940 for the Langmuir isotherm and 0.0345–0.9993 for the Freundlich isotherm. The pH was between 5.58 and 7.81 which plays a very important role in the adsorption process. Conclusion: The Langmuir adsorption isotherm was the best fitting model for the data. The experiment also showed that increasing the adsorbent dosage led to an increase in adsorption efficiency. The spent adsorbent from Chinese green tea was effective in removing cadmium, chromium, mercury and lead in the aqueous solution. Therefore, it can be used as a low-cost and efficient adsorbent for the removal of potentially toxic metals from aqueous environments.

Reference evapotranspiration (ETo) is a significant component of the hydrological cycle useful to develop integrated water resources management (IWRM). Climate change may have potential effects on ETo over Ondo State. It is essential to determine uncertainties in ETo for designing future water-holding structures and projecting crop water requirements (CWR). The sensitivity analysis over the study area indicated that an ensemble of six general circulation models (GCMs) from the 5th Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMP5) under Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 4.5) projected increases in maximum and minimum temperatures (Tmaxand Tmin) for the 2050s (2035-2065) and 2080s (2070-2100). The simulation run outputs showed that the projected ETo increased for the periods 2050s and 2080s in response to the baseline period (1975-2005), with larger increases in the 2080s. Generally, the predicted increases in ETo over Ondo State could be attributed to the expected increases in Tmaxand Tmin.

AimsWhile a centralized system for the care of patients with a sarcoma has been advocated for decades, regional variations in survival remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate regional variations in survival and the impact of national policies in patients with a soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) in the UK.MethodsThe study included 1,775 patients with a STS who were referred to a tertiary sarcoma centre. The geographical variations in survival were evaluated according to the periods before and after the issue of guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in 2006 and the relevant evolution of regional management.ResultsThere had been a significant difference in survival between patients referred from the North East, North West, East Midlands, West Midlands, South West, and Wales in the pre-NICE era (five-year disease-specific survival (DSS); South West, 74% vs North East, 47% (p = 0.045) or West Midlands, 54% (p = 0.049)), which was most evident for patients with a high-grade STS. However, this variation disappeared in the post-NICE era, in which the overall DSS for high-grade STS improved from 47% to 68% at five years (p < 0.001). Variation in the size of the tumour closely correlated with the variation in DSS, and the overall size of the tumour and incidence of metastasis at the time of diagnosis also decreased after the national policies were issued.ConclusionThe survival of patients with a STS improved and regional variation corrected after the introduction of national policies, as a result of a decreasing size of tumour and incidence of metastasis at the time of diagnosis, particularly in patients with a high-grade STS. This highlights the positive impact of national guidelines on regional variation in the presentation, management, and outcome in patients with a STS.Cite this article: Bone Joint J2021;103-B(9):1541–1549.

Tariff reforms in electricity markets is becoming an area of active evaluation as efforts intensify to decarbonize electricity generation, stabilize the power grid, and maximize the welfare of electricity producers and consumers. Peaks in load profiles occur when demand is not regulated, requiring huge capacity additions, which are not utilized during off-peak periods thus undermining system efficiency. With dynamic pricing of electricity, opportunities can arise to shift demand from peak to off-peak periods and this can help to reduce the need for huge capacity additions. This paper conducts a systematic review of dynamic electricity pricing literature in order to understand the evolution of research in this growing field. 218 relevant journal papers published between 1949 and 2020 are identified from which thematic maps and ontological tables are drawn to understand key subject areas that have emerged over the years and their interlinkages. Six major thematic areas of dynamic electricity pricing research are reported including 1) pricing scheme and modeling, 2) pricing impacts, 3) user demand response, 4) consumption scheduling, 5) load scheduling technologies, and 6) cybersecurity threats and fairness issues. These six major thematic areas are then broken down into twenty second-order themes and fifty eight first-order themes. The review provides an overview of the development of the field while providing insights on its future development. It concludes that, despite coherent themes, the research on dynamic electricity pricing has enormous potential for follow-up work and theory development.

AimsUrgent referral to a specialist centre for patients with a soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) has been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK since 2006. However, the impact of this recommendation on the prognosis for these patients remains unclear. We aimed to determine the impact of the NICE guidelines on the disease-specific survival (DSS) of patients with an STS.MethodsA total of 2,427 patients with an STS referred to a supraregional centre in the ten-year periods before (n = 1,386) and after (n = 1,041) the issue of the NICE guidelines were evaluated.ResultsThe mean size of the tumour was significantly smaller at the time of diagnosis (10.3 cm (SD 6.5) vs 9.1 cm (SD 6.2); p < 0.001) and the number of patients who had undergone an inadvertent excision significantly decreased (28% (n = 389) vs 20% (n = 204); p < 0.001) following the introduction of the NICE guidelines. The five-year DSS was 63% in the pre-NICE and 71% in post-NICE groups (p < 0.001). The improved survival was more significant for those with a high-grade tumour (pre-NICE, 48%; post-NICE, 68%; p < 0.001). In those with a high-grade tumour, the mean size of the tumour (11.6 cm (SD 6.2) vs 9.6 cm (SD 5.8); p < 0.001) and the number of patients with metastasis at the time of diagnosis (15% (n = 124 vs 10% (n = 80); p = 0.007) significantly decreased in the post-NICE group.ConclusionAn improvement in survival was seen after the introduction of the NICE guidelines, especially in patients with a high-grade STS. More patients were referred at an earlier stage, indicating a clearer pathway after the issue of national policy for the management of STSs in the UK.Cite this article: Bone Joint J2021;103-B(3):569–577.

ABSTRACTIn 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fideautophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field.

Established petroleum energy system comprises primary energy, conversion, transportation & distribution through to the final petroleum useful sectors. And disparate literature in such industry may not contribute to future research direction and policy development. Therefore, this study examines challenges and prospects of the petroleum industry in Ghana with innovative and transparent systematic literature review technique. Scholars developed procedural framework; first formulating the review question, identification and selection of literature. Researchers further establish scientific research criteria and accepted some relevant studies. The study then appraises the selected literature where scholars evaluated previous studies into qualitative and quantitative literature. Researchers finally, analyze and synthesize the literature with both narrative and triangulation techniques. The result reveals in both that previous literature has been disjointed and mainly focus on two topics; descriptive content petroleum policy and somehow on descriptive petroleum statistics. However, those studies have contributed immensely to the petroleum revenue management, local content, and petroleum production bills into applicable laws. Furthermore, this paper reveals that Ghana is petroleum import-dependent of 17%, 37% for natural gas, and 78% for petroleum products as of 2016. As of 2018, petroleum consumption accounted for about 80% of final energy excluding biomass in Ghana. And, the local petroleum production only contributes 5% of this total with importation share of 95%. This work finally observes that the literature had some research gaps after quantitative analysis with inferential statistics in broad petroleum issues and some critical topics such as petroleum infrastructure development. Thus, petroleum industry researches could not be examined with factor & discriminant analysis, logistic & probit regression, and path analysis to identify significant variables challenges and prospects. This study contributes knowledge in bringing the literature to current state of the art with systematic review technique. And further recommends strategic policy designs and future research path in the industry.

AimsThe existing clinical guidelines do not describe a clear indication for adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) in the treatment of superficial soft tissue sarcomas (STSs). We aimed to determine the efficacy of adjuvant RT for superficial STSs.MethodsWe retrospectively studied 304 patients with superficial STS of the limbs and trunk who underwent surgical resection at a tertiary sarcoma centre. The efficacy of RT was investigated according to the tumour size and grade: group 1, ≤ 5 cm, low grade; group 2, ≤ 5cm, high grade; group 3, > 5 cm, low grade; group 4, > 5 cm, high grade.ResultsThe five- and ten-year local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) for all patients was 88% and 81%, respectively. While the efficacy of adjuvant RT was not proven in local control of all patients (five-year LRFS; RT+, 90% versus RT-, 83%; p = 0.074), the LRFS was significantly improved by adjuvant RT in group 2 (five-year LRFS; RT+, 96% versus RT-, 82%; p = 0.019), and group 4 (five-year LRFS; RT+, 87% versus RT-, 73%; p = 0.027). In groups 2 and 4, adjuvant RT significantly reduced the LR risk if the resection margin was clear but less than 5 mm; the LR rate was 7% with adjuvant RT compared with 26% with surgery alone (p = 0.003). There was no statistical relationship with the use of adjuvant RT and survival in every group.ConclusionAdjuvant RT reduces the risk of local recurrence in patients with superficial high-grade STS regardless of tumour size, especially when resection margin is less than 5 mm.Cite this article: Bone Joint J2020;102-B(8):1088–1094.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) is arguably the most important and successful piece of civil rights legislation ever passed. Notably, even though only one-third of the residents of East Baton Rouge Parish now constitute the new city of St. George, those same residents represent about two-thirds of the Parish's tax base. These arguments are fleshed out in the complaint that the mayor of Baton Rouge and residents filed soon after the vote for incorporation to block the city's creation. [Extracted from the article]

AimsThe purpose of this study was to report the long-term results of extendable endoprostheses of the humerus in children after the resection of a bone sarcoma.MethodsA total of 35 consecutive patients treated with extendable endoprosthetic replacement of the humerus in children were included. There were 17 boys and 18 girls in the series with a median age at the time of initial surgery of nine years (interquartile range (IQR) 7 to 11).ResultsThe median follow-up time was 10.6 years (IQR 3.9 to 20.4). The overall implant survival at ten years was 75%. Complications occurred in 13 patients (37%). Subluxation at the proximal humerus occurred in 19 patients (54%) but only six (17%) were symptomatic. Subluxation was seen more commonly in children under the age of nine years (86%) than in those aged nine years or more (33%) (p = 0.002). Implant failure occurred in nine patients (26%): the most common cause was aseptic loosening (four patients, 11%). Lengthening of the implant was carried out in 23 patients (66%). At final follow up, three patients had a limb that was shortened by 5 cm or more. The mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) functional score was 79% (73% to 90%).ConclusionExtendable endoprosthetic replacement is a reliable method of reconstructing humerus after excision of a bone sarcoma. Children who are less than nine years old have a high risk of subluxation.Cite this article: Bone Joint J2020;102-B(1):64–71

Recovery of H2and N2from the tail gases of the ammonia synthesis plant could significantly improve the ammonia output and economic benefits. In this work, we measured the formation conditions of tail gas hydrates, conducted separation of tail gases via hydrate formation in tetrahydrofuran (THF) and ammonia solution, and proposed a two-stage separation process. The separation effects of temperature, pressure, and gas–liquid ratio (GLR) were investigated as well. The results show that the two-stage separation can effectively remove CH4from the tail gases. The total concentration of H2and N2in gas products is more than 94 mol %, with a recovery of up to 95%.

N-Sulfenylimines are important molecules owing to their value in organic synthesis. Herein, we developed an electrochemical oxidative cross-coupling reaction between amines and thiols to synthesize N-sulfenylimines without a transition-metal catalyst and external oxidant. Various amines and thiols were compatible, generating the desired products in up to 86% yield.

ABSTRACTMitophagy, the clearance of surplus or damaged mitochondria or mitochondrial parts by autophagy, is important for maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Whereas knowledge on programmed and stress-induced mitophagy is increasing, much less is known about mechanisms of basal mitophagy. Recently, we identified SAMM50 (SAMM50 sorting and assembly machinery component) as a receptor for piecemeal degradation of components of the sorting and assembly machinery (SAM) complex and mitochondrial contact site and cristae organizing system (MICOS) complexes. SAMM50 interacts directly with Atg8-family proteins through a canonical LIR motif and with SQSTM1/p62 to mediate basal piecemeal mitophagy. During a metabolic switch to oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), SAMM50 cooperates with SQSTM1 to mediate efficient piecemeal mitophagy.

AimsThe aim of this study was to present the long-term surgical outcomes, complications, implant survival, and causes of implant failure in patients treated with the modified Harrington procedure using antegrade large diameter pins.Patients and MethodsA cohort of 50 consecutive patients who underwent the modified Harrington procedure for periacetabular metastasis or haematological malignancy between January 1996 and April 2018 were studied. The median follow-up time for all survivors was 3.2 years (interquartile range 0.9 to 7.6 years).ResultsThe five-year overall survival rate was 33% for all the patients. However, implant survival rates were 100% and 46% at five and ten years, respectively. Eight patients survived beyond five years. There was no immediate perioperative mortality or complications. A total of 15 late complications occurred in 11 patients (22%). Five patients (10%) required further surgery to treat complications. The most frequent complication was pin breakage without evidence of acetabular loosening (6%). Two patients (4%) underwent revision for aseptic loosening at 6.5 and 8.9 years after surgery. Ambulatory status and pain level were improved in 83% and 89%, respectively.ConclusionThe modified Harrington procedure for acetabular destruction has low complication rates, good functional outcome, and improved pain relief in selected patientsCite this article: Bone Joint J2019;101-B:1557–1562

A novel tetraphenylethylene-rhodamine-based fluorescent probe amide compound Lwas synthesized and its sensing properties of metal ions were investigated. It exhibited high sensitivity and high selectivity toward Fe3+compared with other common metal ions in EtOH-H2O (50 μM, 3:2, V/V, pH 7.0). A fluorescence quenching ratio of 92% at 482 nm and 254-fold enhancement of fluorescence intensity at 582 nm were achieved upon the addition of 4.0 equiv. Fe3+. Under optimal experimental conditions, the fluorescence intensity of probe exhibited a dynamic response range for Fe3+from 2.0 × 10−5M to 1.5 × 10−4M at 482 nm and 3.0 × 10−5M to 1.5 × 10−4M at 582 nm, respectively, with a detection limit of 1.56 × 10−7M. Meanwhile, the binding ratio of Land Fe3+was confirmed to be 1:1 by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) analysis of L-Fe3+complex and Benesi-Hildebrand method. According to 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) titration and scanning electron microscopy results, the coordination mechanism of probe Lwith Fe3+was further elucidated. The binding of Fe3+to Lnot only led to the aggregation state dispersed and fluorescence quenching at 482 nm, but also induced spirolactum ring opening of rhodamine and aroused a 254 times fluorescence enhancement at 582 nm together with color variation from colorless to red purple. The developed sensor was successfully employed to determine Fe3+ion in water samples and proved to be selective and sensitive.

AimsThe aim of this study was to report the outcomes of patients who underwent definitive surgery for secondary chondrosarcomas arising from osteochondromas.Patients and MethodsA total of 51 patients with secondary chondrosarcomas occurring from osteochondromas were reviewed. Median age was 36 years (interquartile range (IQR) 15 to 82). Median follow-up was 6.9 years (IQR 2.8 to 10.6). The pelvis was the most commonly affected site (59%). Histological grades were grade I in 35 (69%), grade II in 13 (25%), and grade III in three patients (6%).ResultsPreoperative biopsy histology correctly predicted the final histological grade in 27% of patients. The ten-year disease-specific survival (DSS) for all patients was 89.4%. Local recurrence occurred in 15 patients (29%), more commonly in pelvic tumours (37%) compared with limb tumours (19%). Four patients with pelvic tumours died from progression of local recurrence. No patient with limb tumours died of disease. Wide/radical margin was associated with improved local recurrence-free survival (p = 0.032) and local recurrence was associated with worse DSS (p = 0.005).ConclusionWe recommend that a secondary chondrosarcoma arising from osteochondroma of the pelvis is resected with wide/radical resection margins. The balance between the morbidity of surgery and risk of local recurrence needs to be considered in patients with limb secondary chondrosarcomas.Cite this article: Bone Joint J2019;101-B:1313–1320

The INTERVAL trial showed that, over a 2-year period, inter-donation intervals for whole blood donation can be safely reduced to meet blood shortages. We extended the INTERVAL trial for a further 2 years to evaluate the longer-term risks and benefits of varying inter-donation intervals, and to compare routine versus more intensive reminders to help donors keep appointments.

AimsThe aim of this study was to report the results of custom-made endoprostheses with extracortical plates plus or minus a short, intramedullary stem aimed at preserving the physis after resection of bone sarcomas in children.Patients and MethodsBetween 2007 and 2017, 18 children aged less than 16 years old who underwent resection of bone sarcomas, leaving ≤ 5 cm of bone from the physis, and reconstruction with a custom-made endoprosthesis were reviewed. Median follow-up was 67 months (interquartile range 45 to 91). The tumours were located in the femur in 11 patients, proximal humerus in six, and proximal tibia in one.ResultsThe five-year overall survival rate was 78%. No patient developed local recurrence. The five-year implant survival rate was 79%. In all, 11 patients (61%) developed a complication. Seven patients (39%) required further surgery to treat the complications. Implant failures occurred in three patients (17%) including one patient with aseptic loosening and two patients with implant or periprosthetic fracture. The preserved physis continued to grow at mean 3.3 cm (0 to 14). The mean Musculoskeletal Society score was 88% (67% to 97%).ConclusionCustom-made endoprostheses that aim to preserve the physis are a safe and effective option for preserving physeal growth, limb length, and joint function with an acceptable rate of complications.Cite this article: Bone Joint J2019;101-B:1144–1150

AimsThe aim of this study was to determine the risk of local recurrence and survival in patients with osteosarcoma based on the proximity of the tumour to the major vessels.Patients and MethodsA total of 226 patients with high-grade non-metastatic osteosarcoma in the limbs were investigated. Median age at diagnosis was 15 years (4 to 67) with the ratio of male to female patients being 1.5:1. The most common site of the tumour was the femur (n = 103) followed by tibia (n = 66). The vascular proximity was categorized based on the preoperative MRI after neoadjuvant chemotherapy into four types: type 1 > 5 mm; type 2 ≤ 5 mm, > 0 mm; type 3 attached; type 4 surrounded.ResultsLimb salvage rate based on the proximity type was 92%, 88%, 51%, and 0% for types 1 to 4, respectively, and the overall survival at five years was 82%, 77%, 57%, and 67%, respectively (p < 0.001). Local recurrence rate in patients with limb-salvage surgery was 7%, 8%, and 22% for the types 1 to 3, respectively (p = 0.041), and local recurrence at the perivascular area was observed in 1% and 4% for type 2 and 3, respectively. The mean microscopic margin to the major vessels was 6.9 mm, 3.0 mm, and 1.4 mm for types 1 to 3, respectively. In type 3, local recurrence-free survival with limb salvage was significantly poorer compared with amputation (p = 0.025), while the latter offered no overall survival benefit. In this group of patients, factors such as good response to chemotherapy or limited vascular attachment to less than half circumference or longitudinal 10 mm reduced the risk of local recurrence.ConclusionThe proximity of osteosarcoma to major blood vessels is a poor prognostic factor for local control and survival. Amputation offers better local control for tumours attached to the blood vessels but does not improve survival. Limb salvage surgery offers similar local control if the tumour attachment to blood vessels is limited.Cite this article: Bone Joint J2019;101-B:1024–1031.

AimsThe aim of this study was to identify factors that determine outcomes of treatment for patients with chondroblastic osteosarcomas (COS) of the limbs and pelvis.Patients and MethodsThe authors carried out a retrospective review of prospectively collected data from 256 patients diagnosed between 1979 and 2015. Of the 256 patients diagnosed with COS of the pelvis and the limbs, 147 patients (57%) were male and 109 patients (43%) were female. The mean age at presentation was 20 years (0 to 90).ResultsIn all, 82% of the patients had a poor response to chemotherapy, which was associated with the presence of a predominantly chondroblastic component (more than 50% of tumour volume). The incidence of local recurrence was 15%. Synchronous or metachronous metastasis was diagnosed in 60% of patients. Overall survival was 51% and 42% after five and ten years, respectively. Limb localization and wide surgical margins were associated with a lower risk of local recurrence after multivariable analysis, while the response to chemotherapy was not. Local recurrence, advanced patient age, pelvic tumours, and large volume negatively influenced survival. Resection of pulmonary metastases was associated with a survival benefit in the limited number of patients in whom this was undertaken.ConclusionCOS demonstrates a poor response to chemotherapy and a high incidence of metastases. Wide resection is associated with improved local control and overall survival, while excision of pulmonary metastases is associated with improved survival in selected patients.Cite this article: Bone Joint J2019;101-B:739–744.

AimsThe aim of this paper was to investigate the prognostic factors for local recurrence in patients with pathological fracture through giant cell tumours of bone (GCTB).Patients and MethodsA total of 107 patients presenting with fractures through GCTB treated at our institution (Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham, United Kingdom) between 1995 and 2016 were retrospectively studied. Of these patients, 57 were female (53%) and 50 were male (47%).The mean age at diagnosis was 33 years (14 to 86). A univariate analysis was performed, followed by multivariate analysis to identify risk factors based on the treatment and clinical characteristics.ResultsThe initial surgical treatment was curettage with or without adjuvants in 55 patients (51%), en bloc resection with or without reconstruction in 45 patients (42%), and neoadjuvant denosumab, followed by resection (n = 3, 3%) or curettage (n = 4, 4%). The choice of treatment depended on tumour location, Campanacci tumour staging, intra-articular involvement, and fracture displacement. Neoadjuvant denosumab was used only in fractures through Campanacci stage 3 tumours. Local recurrence occurred in 28 patients (25%). Surgery more than six weeks after the fracture did not affect the risk of recurrence in any of the groups. In Campanacci stage 3 tumours not treated with denosumab, en bloc resection had lower local recurrences (13%), compared with curettage (39%). In tumours classified as Campanacci 2, intralesional curettage and en bloc resections had similar recurrence rates (21% and 24%, respectively). After univariate analysis, the type of surgical intervention, location, and the use of denosumab were independent factors predicting local recurrence. Further surgery was required 33% more often after intralesional curettage in comparison with resections (mean 1.59, 0 to 5 vs1.06, 0 to 3 operations). All patients treated with denosumab followed by intralesional curettage developed local recurrence.ConclusionIn patients with pathological fractures through GCTB not treated with denosumab, en bloc resection offers lower risks of local recurrence in tumours classified as Campanacci stage 3. Curettage or resections are both similar options in terms of the risk of local recurrence for tumours classified as Campanacci stage 2. The benefits of denosumab followed by intralesional curettage in these patients still remains unclear.

Background: Palmoplantar psoriasis (PPP) is a chronic, immune-mediated, inflammatory disorder affecting the palms and soles. Despite marked improvement in patient outcomes with use of biologic therapies, PPP remains hard to treat as the efficacy of systemic agents does not fully carry over to PPP trials.Methods: The study was approved by the institutional review board of Tufts Medical Center. It is a retrospective chart review of patients seen in Tufts Medical Center’s dermatology outpatient clinic who met the criteria of being diagnosed with PPP and received an anti-interleukin 17 A (IL-17A) concurrently with apremilast for a period of no less than 12 weeks. Four patients who met the criteria were included in the study, and descriptive analysis was performed due to the small sample size.Results: All 4 patients analyzed showed improvement in Palmoplantar Physician Global Assessment (PPPGA) while on combination apremilast and anti-IL17A therapy. Prior to anti-IL17A therapy, the first 3 patients had baseline PPPGAs of mild to severe. They then had PPPGAs of moderate while on anti-IL17A therapy and PPPGAs of clear/almost clear while on the combination of anti-IL17A therapy and apremilast. Patient 4 had a PPPGA of almost clear while on adalimumab, methotrexate, and acitretin and a PPPGA of clear after treatment with ixekizumab, apremilast, and methotrexate. Minimal side effects were reported on combination treatment.Conclusion: All 4 patients who were treated with combination anti-IL17A and apremilast achieved a PPPGA of clear or almost clear. Although the sample size is small, these encouraging results merit further investigation into combination therapy in the treatment of recalcitrant PPP.

AimsPreserving growth following limb-salvage surgery of the upper limb in children remains a challenge. Vascularized autografts may provide rapid biological incorporation with the potential for growth and longevity. In this study, we aimed to describe the outcomes following proximal humeral reconstruction with a vascularized fibular epiphyseal transfer in children with a primary sarcoma of bone. We also aimed to quantify the hypertrophy of the graft and the annual growth, and to determine the functional outcomes of the neoglenofibular joint.Patients and MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed 11 patients who underwent this procedure for a primary bone tumour of the proximal humerus between 2004 and 2015. Six had Ewing’s sarcoma and five had osteosarcoma. Their mean age at the time of surgery was five years (two to eight). The mean follow-up was 5.2 years (1 to 12.2).ResultsThe overall survival at five and ten years was 91% (confidence interval (CI) 95% 75% to 100%). At the time of the final review, ten patients were alive. One with local recurrence and metastasis died one-year post-operatively. Complications included seven fractures, four transient nerve palsies, and two patients developed avascular necrosis of the graft. All the fractures presented within the first postoperative year and united with conservative management. One patient had two further operations for a slipped fibular epiphysis of the autograft, and a hemi-epiphysiodesis for lateral tibial physeal arrest. Hypertrophy and axial growth were evident in nine patients who did not have avascular necrosis of the graft. The mean hypertrophy index was 65% (55% to 82%), and the mean growth was 4.6 mm per annum (2.4 to 7.6) in these nine grafts. At final follow-up, the mean modified functional Musculoskeletal Tumour Society score was 77% (63% to 83%) and the mean Toronto Extremity Salvage Score (TESS) was 84% (65% to 94%).ConclusionVascularized fibular epiphyseal transfer preserves function and growth in young children following excision of the proximal humerus for a malignant bone tumour. Function compares favourably to other limb-salvage procedures in children. Longer term analysis is required to determine if this technique proves to be durable into adulthood.Cite this article: Bone Joint J2018;100-B:535–41.

This study assessed heavy metals levels in four selected fish species, water and sediment from the Bontanga Reservoir. Samples were collected on weekly basis and analysed using standards methods. Physico-chemical properties of the water were all within World Health Organization (WHO) limits except for turbidity. The study recorded cadmium concentration in the water sample the ranged from 0 to 0.01 mg L-1that shows some were above WHO stipulated limits for potability. Heavy metal concentration in water was in the order Fe>Cr>Mn>Cu>Cd>Zn>Pb and in sediments Fe>Mn>Cr>Cu>Zn>Cd>Pb which showed that iron was more abundant. Cd and Cr were above WHO limits for potability which make the water unsafe for drinking without treatment. Heavy metals in the sediment were within Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO)/WHO limit. Concentrations of heavy metals in the various species were within the recommended limit for fish and fish products. Hence, these metals have no immediate health threat on the consumers of fish and fish products from Bontanga Reservoir but will likely have adverse effects in the prolong consumption of the fish species since heavy metals accumulate. Periodic monitoring of heavy metals in Bontanga reservoir is recommended since the reservoir serves as a source of fish and water for all-year-round irrigational farming.

AimsThe use of a noninvasive growing endoprosthesis in the management of primary bone tumours in children is well established. However, the efficacy of such a prosthesis in those requiring a revision procedure has yet to be established. The aim of this series was to present our results using extendable prostheses for the revision of previous endoprostheses.Patients and MethodsAll patients who had a noninvasive growing endoprosthesis inserted at the time of a revision procedure were identified from our database. A total of 21 patients (seven female patients, 14 male) with a mean age of 20.4 years (10 to 41) at the time of revision were included. The indications for revision were mechanical failure, trauma or infection with a residual leg-length discrepancy. The mean follow-up was 70 months (17 to 128). The mean shortening prior to revision was 44 mm (10 to 100). Lengthening was performed in all but one patient with a mean lengthening of 51 mm (5 to 140).ResultsThe mean residual leg length discrepancy at final follow-up of 15 mm (1 to 35). Two patients developed a deep periprosthetic infection, of whom one required amputation to eradicate the infection; the other required two-stage revision. Implant survival according to Henderson criteria was 86% at two years and 72% at five years. When considering revision for any cause (including revision of the growing prosthesis to a non-growing prosthesis), revision-free implant survival was 75% at two years, but reduced to 55% at five years.ConclusionOur experience indicates that revision surgery using a noninvasive growing endoprosthesis is a successful option for improving leg length discrepancy and should be considered in patients with significant leg-length discrepancy requiring a revision procedure.Cite this article: Bone Joint J2018;100-B:370–7.

AimsThe aim of this study was to analyse a group of patients with non-metastatic Ewing’s sarcoma at presentation and identify prognostic factors affecting the development of local recurrence, in order to assess the role of radiotherapy.Patients and MethodsA retrospective review of all patients with a Ewing’s sarcoma treated between 1980 and 2012 was carried out. Only those treated with chemotherapy followed by surgery and/or radiotherapy were included. Patients were grouped according to site (central or limb) for further analysis of the prognostic factors.ResultsA total of 388 patients were included in the study. Of these, 60 (15%) developed local recurrence at a mean median of 27 months (sd24, range 7 to 150) and the five-year local recurrence-free survival (5yrLRFS) was 83%. For central tumours, the size of the tumour and histological response to chemotherapy were found to be significant factors for local recurrence. For limb tumours, local recurrence was affected by intralesional and marginal resections, but not by the histological response to chemotherapy. Radiotherapy in those with a marginal resection reduced the risk of local recurrence (5yrLRFS: 96% versus81%, p = 0.044).ConclusionLocal recurrence significantly affects the overall survival in patients with a Ewing’s sarcoma. For those with a tumour in a limb, radiotherapy reduced the risk of local recurrence, especially in those with a marginal margin of excision, but the effect in central tumours was less clear. Radiotherapy for those who have had a wide margin of resection does not reduce the risk of local recurrence, regardless of the histological response to chemotherapy.Cite this article: Bone Joint J2018;100-B: 247–55.

Limits on the frequency of whole blood donation exist primarily to safeguard donor health. However, there is substantial variation across blood services in the maximum frequency of donations allowed. We compared standard practice in the UK with shorter inter-donation intervals used in other countries.

Largest, single-centre study of clinical and functional outcomes of patients who underwent endoprosthetic replacement (EPR) for aggressive distal tibial bone tumours.

ABSTRACTThe cysteine protease ATG4B cleaves off one or more C-terminal residues of the inactive proform of proteins of the ortholog and paralog LC3 and GABARAP subfamilies of yeast Atg8 to expose a C-terminal glycine that is conjugated to phosphatidylethanolamine during autophagosome formation. We show that ATG4B contains a C-terminal LC3-interacting region (LIR) motif important for efficient binding to and cleavage of LC3 and GABARAP proteins. We solved the crystal structures of the GABARAPL1-ATG4B C-terminal LIR complex. Analyses of the structures and in vitro binding assays, using specific point mutants, clearly showed that the ATG4B LIR binds via electrostatic-, aromatic HP1 and hydrophobic HP2 pocket interactions. Both these interactions and the catalytic site-substrate interaction contribute to binding between LC3s or GABARAPs and ATG4B. We also reveal an unexpected role for ATG4B in stabilizing the unlipidated forms of GABARAP and GABARAPL1. In mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) atg4bknockout cells, GABARAP and GABARAPL1 were unstable and degraded by the proteasome. Strikingly, the LIR motif of ATG4B was required for stabilization of the unlipidated forms of GABARAP and GABARAPL1 in cells.

AimsExtendible endoprostheses have been available for more than 30 years and have become more sophisticated with time. The latest generation is ‘non-invasive’ and can be lengthened with an external magnetic force. Early results have shown a worryingly high rate of complications such as infection. This study investigates the incidence of complications and the need for further surgery in a cohort of patients with a non-invasive growing endoprosthesis.Patients and MethodsBetween 2003 and June 2014, 50 children (51 prostheses) had a non-invasive growing prosthesis implanted for a primary bone sarcoma. The minimum follow-up was 24 months for those who survived. Their mean age was 10.4 years (6 to 14). The incidence of complications and further surgery was documented.ResultsThe mean follow-up was 64 months (20 to 145). The overall survivorship of the patients was 84% at three years and 70% at five years. Revision-free survival was 81.7% at three years and 61.6% at five years with competing risk analysis. Deep infection occurred in 19.6% of implants at a mean of 12.5 months (0 to 55). Other complications were a failure of the lengthening mechanism in five prostheses (9.8%) and breakage of the implant in two (3.9%). Overall, there were 53 additional operations (0 to 5 per patient). A total of seven patients (14%) underwent amputation, three for local recurrence and four for infection. Their mean limb length discrepancy was 4.3 mm (0 to 25) and mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society Score functional score was 26.5 (18 to 30) at the final follow-up.ConclusionsWhen compared with previously published early results, this mid-term series has shown continued good functional outcomes and compensation for leg-length discrepancy. Infection is still the most common complication: post-operative wound healing problems, central line infection and proximal tibial location are the main risk factors.Cite this article: Bone Joint J2016;98-B:1697–1703.

ABSTRACTRemoval of damaged mitochondria is vital for cellular homeostasis especially in non-dividing cells, like neurons. Damaged mitochondria that cannot be repaired by the ubiquitin-proteasomal system are cleared by a form of selective autophagy known as mitophagy. Following damage, mitochondria become labelled with ‘eat-me’ signals that selectively determine their degradation. Recently, we identified the mitochondrial matrix proteins, NIPSNAP1 (nipsnap homolog 1) and NIPSNAP2 as ‘eat-me’ signals for damaged mitochondria. NIPSNAP1 and NIPSNAP2 accumulate on the mitochondrial outer membrane following mitochondrial depolarization, recruiting autophagy receptors and adaptors, as well as human Atg8 (autophagy-related 8)-family proteins to facilitate mitophagy. The NIPSNAPs allow a sustained recruitment of SQSTM1-like receptors (SLRs) to ensure efficient mitophagy. Zebrafish lacking Nipsnap1 show decreased mitophagy in the brain coupled with increased ROS production, loss of dopaminergic neurons and strongly reduced locomotion.

ABSTRACTThe Ser/Thr protein kinase MTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase) regulates cellular metabolism and controls macroautophagy/autophagy. Autophagy has both metabolic and quality control functions, including recycling nutrients at times of starvation and removing dysfunctional intracellular organelles. Lysosomal damage is one of the strongest inducers of autophagy, and yet mechanisms of its activation in response to lysosomal membrane damage are not fully understood. Our recent study has uncovered a new signal transduction system based on cytosolic galectins that elicits autophagy by controlling master regulators of metabolism and autophagy, MTOR and AMPK, in response to lysosomal damage. Thus, intracellular galectins are not, as previously thought, passive tags recognizing damage to guide selective autophagy receptors, but control the activation state of AMPK and MTOR in response to endomembrane damage.Abbreviations:MTOR: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase; AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase / Protein Kinase AMP-Activated; SLC38A9: Solute Carrier Family 38 Member 9; APEX2: engineered ascorbate peroxidase 2; RRAGA/B: Ras Related GTP Binding A or B; LAMTOR1: Late Endosomal/Lysosomal Adaptor, MAPK and MTOR Activator 1; LGALS8: Lectin, Galactoside-Binding, Soluble, 8 / Galectin 8; LGALS9: Lectin, Galactoside-Binding, Soluble, 9 / Galectin 9; TAK1: TGF-Beta Activated Kinase 1 / Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase Kinase 7 (MAP3K7); STK11/LKB1: Serine/Threonine Kinase 11 / Liver Kinase B1; ULK1: Unc-51 Like Autophagy Activating Kinase 1.

Cacao pod husk biochar was used as an adsorbent for the adsorption of toxic metals from aqueous phase. Cacao pod husk signifies a readily available source of eco-friendly and low-cost adsorbent in Sub-Saharan Africa that has scarcely been paid attention to. The experiment was conducted in a monosystem to determine how cacao pod husk biochar can efficiently adsorb lead (Pb2+), mercury (Hg2+) and cadmium (Cd2+) from aqueous phase. The experiment was conducted with 100 mL of varied toxic metal concentrations of the aqueous phase with a contact time of 60 min and a constant rotary speed of 14.8 U/min. The removal efficiency of cacao pod husk biochar for Pb2+, Hg2+and Cd2+ranged from 99.20 to 99.94%, 99.97 to 99.99%, and 99.85 to 99.99%, respectively. Freundlich adsorption isotherm was favourable for the adsorption of toxic metals onto the cacao pod husk biochar. The toxic metals had a stronger binding affinity to the cacao pod husk biochar. Hence, cacao pod husk was efficient for toxic metals elimination.

The Conference of the Parties (COP26 and 27) placed significant emphasis on climate financing policies with the objective of achieving net zero emissions and carbon neutrality. However, studies on the implementation of this policy proposition are limited. To address this gap in the literature, this study employs machine learning techniques, specifically natural language processing (NLP), to examine 77 climate bond (CB) policies from 32 countries within the context of climate financing. The findings indicate that “sustainability” and “carbon emissions control” are the most outlined policy objectives in these CB policies. Additionally, the study highlights that most CB funds are invested toward energy projects (i.e., renewable, clean, and efficient initiatives). However, there has been a notable shift in the allocation of CB funds from climate-friendly energy projects to the construction sector between 2015 and 2019. This shift raises concerns about the potential redirection of funds from climate-focused investments to the real estate industry, potentially leading to the greenwashing of climate funds. Furthermore, policy sentiment analysis revealed that a minority of policies hold skeptical views on climate change, which may negatively influence climate actions. Thus, the findings highlight that the effective implementation of CB policies depends on policy goals, objectives, and sentiments. Finally, this study contributes to the literature by employing NLP techniques to understand policy sentiments in climate financing.

The article features Mo Abudu, chief executive officer (CEO) of Nigeria's media conglomerate EbonyLife Group.

In the developing world, most animal farmhouses dispose of their wastewater without treatment and that creates conditions for the spread of diseases. To discourage this practice, there is the need to provide relatively simpler wastewater treatment options. Thus, this research work sought to optimise the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency of a simple anaerobic digester by determining the optimum concentrations of rhamnolipid biosurfactant and potassium phosphate buffer needed to make the anaerobic digester remove COD efficiently. The central composite design was used for the optimization study. In the one factor at a time experiment, increasing the concentration of the potassium phosphate buffer from 1.07 g/l K2HPO4+ 0.53 g/l KH2PO4to 1.37 g/l K2HPO4+ 0.83 g/l KH2PO4increased the COD removal efficiency of the anaerobic digester from 19.3 to 24.7%. Also, increasing the concentration of rhamnolipid from 80 to 320 mg/l increased the efficiency of the digester from 24.2 to 26%. The percentage COD removal was highly improved (> 85%) in the optimisation study when both rhamnolipid and buffer were combined at high levels (+ 1). The model built from the central composite design reflected a good fit of the data obtained with R2of 82.5% and a pvalue of 0.000. This study therefore demonstrated that a simple anaerobic digester can be used to remove COD in wastewater by optimising the concentrations of rhamnolipid and potassium phosphate buffers in the treatment system.

This study assessed the performances of the traditional temperature-index snowmelt runoff model (SRM) and an SRM model with a finer zonation based on aspect and slope (SRM + AS model) in a data-scarce mountain watershed in the Urumqi River Basin, in Northwest China. The proposed SRM + AS model was used to estimate the melt rate with the degree-day factor (DDF) through the division of watershed elevation zones based on aspect and slope. The simulation results of the SRM + AS model were compared with those of the traditional SRM model to identify the improvements of the SRM + AS model's performance with consideration of topographic features of the watershed. The results show that the performance of the SRM + AS model has improved slightly compared to that of the SRM model. The coefficients of determination increased from 0.73, 0.69, and 0.79 with the SRM model to 0.76, 0.76, and 0.81 with the SRM + AS model during the simulation and validation periods in 2005, 2006, and 2007, respectively. The proposed SRM + AS model that considers aspect and slope can improve the accuracy of snowmelt runoff simulation compared to the traditional SRM model in mountain watersheds in arid regions by proper parameterization, careful input data selection, and data preparation.