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Pure water scarcity is the most significant emerging challenge of the modern society. Various organics such as pesticides (clomazone, quinmerac), pharmaceuticals (ciprofloxacin, 17α-ethynilestradiol), and mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol) can be found in the aquatic environment. The aim of this study was to fabricate ZnO nanomaterial on the basis of banana peel extract (ZnO/BPE) and investigate its efficiency in the photocatalytic degradation of selected organics under various experimental conditions. Newly synthesized ZnO/BPE nanomaterials were fully characterized by the XRD, FTIR, SEM-EPS, XPS, and BET techniques, which confirmed the successful formation of ZnO nanomaterials. The photocatalytic experiments showed that the optimal catalyst loading of ZnO/BPE was 0.5 mg/cm 3 , while the initial pH did not influence the degradation efficiency. The reusability of the ZnO/BPE nanomaterial was also tested, and minimal activity loss was found after three photocatalytic cycles. The photocatalytic efficiency of pure banana peel extract (BPE) was also studied, and the obtained data showed high removal of ciprofloxacin and 17α-ethynilestradiol. Finally, the influence of water from Danube River was also examined based on the degradation efficiency of selected pollutants. These results showed an enhanced removal of ciprofloxacin in water from the Danube River, while in the case of other pollutants, the treatment was less effective.

Given the current importance of using biochar for water treatment, it is important to study the physical-chemical properties to predict the behavior of the biochar adsorbent in contact with adsorbates. In the present research, the physical and chemical characteristics of three types of biochar derived from banana leaves were investigated, which is a poorly studied raw material and is considered an agricultural waste in some Latin American, Asian, and African countries. The characterization of non-modified biochar samples pyrolyzed at 300, 400, and 500 °C was carried out through pH, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and specific surface area measurements. The adsorption properties of banana leaf-derived biochar were evaluated by ammonium ion adsorption experiments. The results demonstrated that the pyrolysis temperature has a large impact on the yield, structure, elemental composition, and surface chemistry of the biochar. Biochar prepared at 300 °C is the most efficient for NH 4 + on each gram of biochar used, while biochar samples prepared at 400 and 500 °C show lower values of 6.1 and 5.6 mg/g, respectively. The Harkins-Jura isotherm model fits the experimental data best for all biochar samples, demonstrating that multilayer adsorption occurs on our biochar.4 + on each gram of biochar used, while biochar samples prepared at 400 and 500 °C show lower values of 6.1 and 5.6 mg/g, respectively. The Harkins-Jura isotherm model fits the experimental data best for all biochar samples, demonstrating that multilayer adsorption occurs on our biochar.

Background: Comirnaty, Pfizer-BioNTech's polyethylene-glycol (PEG)-containing Covid-19 vaccine, can cause hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs), or rarely, life-threatening anaphylaxis in a small fraction of immunized people. A causal role of anti-PEG antibodies (Abs) has been proposed, but causality has not yet proven in an animal model. The aim of this study was to provide such evidence using pigs immunized against PEG, which displayed very high levels of anti-PEG antibodies (Abs). We also aimed to find evidence for a role of complement activation and thromboxane A2 release in blood to explore the mechanism of anaphylaxis., Methods: Pigs (n = 6) were immunized with 0.1 mg/kg PEGylated liposome (Doxebo) i.v., and the rise of anti-PEG IgG and IgM were measured in serial blood samples with ELISA. After ∼2-3 weeks the animals were injected i.v. with 1/3 human dose of the PEGylated mRNA vaccine, Comirnaty, and the hemodynamic (PAP, SAP) cardiopulmonary (HR, EtCO2,), hematological (WBC, granulocyte, lymphocyte and platelet counts) parameters and blood immune mediators (anti-PEG IgM and IgG antibodies, thromboxane B2, C3a) were measured as endpoints of HSRs (anaphylaxis)., Results: The level of anti-PEG IgM and IgG rose 5-10-thousand-fold in all of 6 pigs immunized with Doxebo by day 6, after which time all animals developed anaphylactic shock to i.v. injection of 1/3 human dose of Comirnaty. The reaction, starting within 1 min involved maximal pulmonary hypertension and decreased systemic pulse pressure amplitude, tachycardia, granulo- and thrombocytopenia, and skin reactions (flushing or rash). These physiological changes or their absence were paralleled by C3a and TXB2 rises in blood., Conclusions: Consistent with previous studies, these data show a causal role of anti-PEG Abs in the anaphylaxis to Comirnaty, which involves complement activation, and, hence, it represents C activation-related pseudo-anaphylaxis. The setup provides the first large-animal model for mRNA-vaccine-induced anaphylaxis in humans., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: The authors affiliated with SeroScience LLC are involved in the company’s contract research service activity providing studies that were applied here., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Industrial, e.g. food industrial and domestic wastewaters contain huge amount of compounds causing eutrophication, and should be removed with high cost during wastewater treatment. However, these compounds could be utilized as fertilizers too. Biochar can remove a wide range of pollutants from water, such as ammonium, which can be found in relatively high concentration in dairy wastewaters. However, adsorption performance may be affected by the presence of other wastewater pollutants. Thus, this study aims to determine the efficiency of biochar as an adsorbent of ammonium in aqueous solutions in the presence of some selected organic compounds of typical dairy wastewaters such as bovine serum albumin (BSA), lactose, and acetic acid. Methods: The biochar was produced from banana leaves at 300 °C, modified with NaOH, and characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope - Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FTIR) analysis, and specific surface area measurements. Batch experiments were carried out to investigate the ammonium adsorption capacity and the ion competitive adsorption mechanism. Significant Findings: Results show that the surface structure of the biochar derived from banana leaves is different from other biochars previously studied; although the specific surface area is not very considerable and despite having nitrogen within the elemental composition, the biochar studied is capable of adsorbing 2.60 mg NH 4 + /m 2 adsorption capacity was 0.97 mg/g without organic compounds. In the multilayer adsorption phase, the isotherm model that best fits the data obtained is the Harkins-Jura model without organic compounds. The presence of organic compounds in the aqueous solution significantly impacts the adsorption of ammonium by biochar since it improves the adsorption capacity (1.132 mg/g BSA, 0.975 mg/g lactose, and 1.874 mg/g acetic acid). The Aranovich-Donohue isotherm model fitted the data obtained during ion competitive adsorption experiments well.4 + adsorption capacity was 0.97 mg/g without organic compounds. In the multilayer adsorption phase, the isotherm model that best fits the data obtained is the Harkins-Jura model without organic compounds. The presence of organic compounds in the aqueous solution significantly impacts the adsorption of ammonium by biochar since it improves the adsorption capacity (1.132 mg/g BSA, 0.975 mg/g lactose, and 1.874 mg/g acetic acid). The Aranovich-Donohue isotherm model fitted the data obtained during ion competitive adsorption experiments well., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Regulation of antibiotic use in aquaculture calls for the emergence of more sustainable alternative treatments. Tea polyphenols (GTE), particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), have various biological activities. However, tea polyphenols are susceptible to degradation. In this work, EGCG and GTE were encapsulated in zein nanoparticles (ZNP) stabilized with alginate (ALG) and chitosan (CS) to reduce the degradation effect. ALG-coated ZNP and ALG/CS-coated ZNP encapsulating EGCG or GTE were obtained with a hydrodynamic size of less than 300 nm, an absolute ζ-potential value >30 mV, and an encapsulation efficiency greater than 75%. The antioxidant capacity of the encapsulated substances, although lower than that of the free ones, maintained high levels. On the other hand, the evaluation of antimicrobial activity showed greater efficiency in terms of growth inhibition for ALG/CS-ZNP formulations, with average overall values of around 60%, reaching an inhibition of more than 90% for Photobacterium damselae. These results support encapsulation as a good strategy for tea polyphenols, as it allows maintaining significant levels of antioxidant activity and increasing the potential for antimicrobial activity, in addition to increasing protection against sources of degradation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The wastewater of the dye industry can be characterized by a complex chemical composition and consists of numerous dyes. Bioadsorbents are increasingly applied for the biosorption of dyes because they are inexpensive and environmentally friendly. Rice husk (RH) is a potential agricultural waste that can be converted into a bioadsorbents for the biosorption of cationic dyes. Herein, the removal of methylene blue (MB) and basic red 9 (BR9) dyes by Hungarian rice husk (HRH) and Indonesian rice husk (IRH) using binary biosorption was investigated. Adsorbents were characterized by zeta potential, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Batch biosorption evaluated the influence of different variables, including pH, adsorbent dose, contact time, and initial concentrations. Several factors that influence the biosorption of MB and BR9 onto rice husk were assessed using main effect, Pareto charts, normal probability plots, and interaction effect in a factorial design. The optimum contact time was 60 min. Isotherm and kinetic models of MB and BR9 in binary biosorption fitted to the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller multilayer and the Elovich equation based on correlation coefficients and nonlinear chi-square. Results showed that the biosorption capacity of HRH was 10.4 mg/g for MB and 10 mg/g for BR9; values for IRH were 9.3 mg/g and 9.6 mg/g, respectively. Therefore, HRH and IRH were found to be effective adsorbents for removing MB and BR9 via binary biosorption., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper, (© 2023 The Authors.)

Sports facilities play a very important role in educating people about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, and the examination of their spatial distribution is one of the important research areas of sport geography, a field of study becoming increasingly important in recent times. In this spirit, the aim of this paper is to present the spatial distribution of sports facilities in a specific Hungarian sample area, the Észak-Alföld (Northern Great Plain) region, to point out the differences between settlements, as well as the reasons behind these differences. Data received from the local authorities and state administration bodies were used for the preparation of the study, which included the different sports facilities at the settlement level in addition to information found on the Internet. The following conclusions were drawn based on the research. First of all, it was found that the settlement size significantly influences the spatial distribution of sports facilities, inter alia, larger settlements with larger populations boast increased demand and higher purchasing power and also have more enhanced and more diverse sports infrastructure. Secondly, in the case of competitive sports, the size of settlements is less relevant; there are only insignificant differences between the settlements of different sizes. This can be explained by the fact that almost all settlements have their own football pitch. Thirdly, the administrative role of the settlements was also found to be significant since settlements being on higher levels of the hierarchy (district centres, county seats) always have better facilities.

Liposomal formulations, as versatile nanocarrier systems suitable for targeted delivery, have a highly focused role in the therapy development of unmet clinical needs and diagnostic imaging techniques. Formulating nanomedicine with suitable zeta potential is an essential but challenging task. Formulations with a minimum ±30 mV zeta potential are considered stable. The charge of the phospholipid bilayer can be adjusted with membrane additives. The present Quality by Design-derived study aimed to optimise liposomal formulations prepared via the thin-film hydration technique by applying stearylamine (SA) or dicetyl phosphate (DCP) as charge imparting agents. This 3 2 fractional factorial design-based study determined phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol, and SA/DCP molar ratios for liposomes with characteristics meeting the formulation requirements. The polynomials describing the effects on the zeta potential were calculated. The optimal molar ratios of the lipids were given as 12.0:5.0:5.0 for the SA-PBS pH 5.6 (optimised sample containing stearylamine) and 8.5:4.5:6.5 for the DCP-PBS pH 5.6 (optimised sample containing dicetyl phosphate) particles hydrated with phosphate-buffered saline pH 5.6. The SA-PBS pH 5.6 liposomes had a vesicle size of 108 ± 15 nm, 0.20 ± 0.04 polydispersity index, and +30.1 ± 1.2 mV zeta potential, while these values were given as 88 ± 14 nm, 0.21 ± 0.02, and -36.7 ± 3.3 mV for the DCP-PBS pH 5.6 vesicles. The prepared liposomes acquired the requirements of the zeta potential for stable formulations.

A tiny fraction of people immunized with lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-enclosed mRNA (LNP-mRNA) vaccines develop allergic symptoms following their first or subsequent vaccinations, including anaphylaxis. These reactions resemble complement (C) activation-related pseudoallergy (CARPA) to i.v. administered liposomes, for which pigs provide a naturally oversensitive model. Using this model, we injected i.v. the human vaccination dose (HVD) of BNT162b2 (Comirnaty, CMT) or its 2-fold (2x) or 5-fold (5x) amounts and measured the hemodynamic changes and other parameters of CARPA. We observed in 6 of 14 pigs transient pulmonary hypertension along with thromboxane A2 release into the blood and other hemodynamic and blood cell changes, including hypertension, granulocytosis, lymphopenia, and thrombocytopenia. One pig injected with 5x CMT developed an anaphylactic shock requiring resuscitation, while a repeat dose failed to induce the reaction, implying tachyphylaxis. These typical CARPA symptoms could not be linked to animal age, sex, prior immune stimulation with zymosan, immunization of animals with Comirnaty i.v., or i.m. 2 weeks before the vaccine challenge, and anti-PEG IgM levels in Comirnaty-immunized pigs. Nevertheless, IgM binding to the whole vaccine, used as antigen in an ELISA, was significantly higher in reactive animals compared to non-reactive ones. Incubation of Comirnaty with pig serum in vitro showed significant elevations of C3a anaphylatoxin and sC5b-9, the C-terminal complex. These data raise the possibility that C activation plays a causal or contributing role in the rare HSRs to Comirnaty and other vaccines with similar side effects. Further studies are needed to uncover the factors controlling these vaccine reactions in pigs and to understand their translational value to humans., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

This study aimed to produce thermosensitive liposomes (TSL) by applying the quality by design (QbD) concept. In this paper, our research group collected and studied the parameters that significantly impact the quality of the liposomal product. Thermosensitive liposomes are vesicles used as drug delivery systems that release the active pharmaceutical ingredient in a targeted way at ~40-42 °C, i.e., in local hyperthermia. This study aimed to manufacture thermosensitive liposomes with a diameter of approximately 100 nm. The first TSLs were made from DPPC (1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine) and DSPC (1,2-dioctadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) phospholipids. Studies showed that the application of different types and ratios of lipids influences the thermal properties of liposomes. In this research, we made thermosensitive liposomes using a PEGylated lipid besides the previously mentioned phospholipids with the thin-film hydration method.