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This work investigates the adsorption and the photocatalytic degradation performance of dyes (methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO)) on the surface of raw bentonite (Raw-B) and doped bentonite with titanium oxide (TiO2-B). The bentonite was selected from the Nador region in northern Morocco, it was doped with various TiO2 mass ratios. The structural, mineralogical and morphological composition of Raw-B and TiO2-B was characterized using several techniques including inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared, transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. The adsorption process of MB and MO were affected according to the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The maximum removal capacity of MB and MO were around 60.97 and 142.85 mg/g, respectively. MB and MO degression ratios achieved 100% under a lamp irradiation at 245 nm. The results obtained show that the application of titanium oxide-doped bentonite has a very high performance in wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The challenges in COVID-19 treatment have driven patients to seek Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for the prevention and/or treatment of the disease. Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to promote the effective and safe use of CAM.Objective: Assess the beliefs, practices, and knowledge of community pharmacists in Lebanon about existing evidence for the use of CAM for the prevention and/or treatment of COVID-19.Methods: A national cross-sectional survey was conducted among community pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon (n = 310 respondents). Participants completed an online questionnaire addressing, in addition to the socio-demographic characteristics; the beliefs, practices, and knowledge of pharmacists regarding the existing evidence of CAM use for COVID-19 prevention and/or treatment.Results: Pharmacists (70%) received frequent inquiries about CAM for COVID-19 prevention or treatment. Only 25.5% of the pharmacists reported having enough time to get information about CAM and COVID-19. Almost all participants believed that pharmacists have a major role in the fight against COVID-19 (98%) and that they have enough information to counsel patients in that regard (75%). For practices, the majority of pharmacists reported counseling their patients on proper use (98%) and possible adverse reactions (93%) of CAM, but only 51% reported toxic or undesirable effects. Regarding knowledge, although most pharmacists answered correctly the questions on the role of CAM in preventing COVID-19, few knew about its role in treating the infection. Pharmacists who trust the WHO website as a credible source had a higher knowledge score (β = 0.52, 95%CI: 0.05-0.986).Conclusions: The positive beliefs and practices of pharmacists towards CAM during the pandemic were coupled with a few gaps, especially in their knowledge about existing evidence for CAM use. Concerted efforts ought to be dedicated to supporting pharmacists in playing a more prominent role during health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional air pollution has become one of the utmost environmental concerns in India, especially over economically vibrant and densely populated regions, such as Northern India, including the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). Additionally, the Himalayas adjacent to IGP provide conducive conditions to confine pollutants and transport them to greater horizontal and vertical extents. However, in-situ observations are sparse and limited over the Himalayas, where data retrievals from space-based sensors are fraught with difficulties. In light of this, observations of NO 2 , SO 2 , HCHO, and CHOCHO are made from a Himalayan foothills site (Pantnagar, 29.03o N, 79.47o E and 237 AMSL) utilizing remote sensing observation of Multi-AXis-Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS). Data from TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), and Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2) satellite instruments are also presented. We investigate the temporal variations in near-surface mixing ratios, vertical profiles, and tropospheric columns of these trace gases from January 2017 to December 2020. The diurnal variation of NO 2 and HCHO at different altitude regions (surface to 3 km) were typically urban-type with morning and evening peaks. At the same time, the CHOCHO diurnal variation peaks in the noon hours. We observed annual mean tropospheric NO 2 vertical column densities (VCDs) of 3.2 × 1015 (unit: molecules/cm2), tropospheric SO 2 VCDs of 1.2 × 1016, tropospheric HCHO VCDs of 1.6 × 1016, and tropospheric CHOCHO VCDs of 0.6 × 1015 from MAX-DOAS observations. MAX-DOAS comparison with the TROPOMI and GOME-2 VCDs shows an underestimation of up to 48% for satellite NO 2 VCDs, while SO 2 and HCHO VCDs show nominal biases in the range of 20–30%. The R gf sensitivity calculation shows prominent biogenic sources of VOCs during noon hours, while R fn calculation mostly shows a NO x -limited ozone production regime over the Himalayan foothill site. The R fn monthly variations match reasonably well between the MAX-DOAS and TROPOMI, while R gf values were higher from satellite observations. This study highlights the factors governing the diurnal and monthly variation of different pollutants over the Himalayan foothill region and asses the space-borne observations for better utilization. • Foothill region showed NO2 diurnal variation of urban type with morning/evening peaks, while CHOCHO showed a noon maximum. • Transport of air-masses significantly altered SO 2 and HCHO surface mixing ratios over the Himalayan foothill site. • TROPOMI and GOME-2 underestimated the tropospheric NO 2 column by upto 48% compared to the MAX-DOAS observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birds are highly dependent on their vision for orientation and navigation. The avian eye differs from the mammalian eye as the retina is avascular, leaving the inner, highly metabolically active layers with a very long diffusion distance to the oxygen supply. During flight at high altitudes, birds face a decrease in environmental oxygen partial pressure, which leads to a decrease in arterial oxygen levels. Since oxygen perfusion to the retina is already limited in birds, we hypothesize that visual function is impaired by low oxygen availability. However, the visual performance of birds exposed to hypoxia has not been evaluated before. Here, we assess the optomotor response (OMR) in zebra finches under simulated high-altitude hypoxia (10%) and show that the OMR is largely maintained under hypoxia with only a modest reduction in OMR, demonstrating that birds can largely maintain visual function at high altitudes. The method of our study does not provide insight into the mechanisms involved, but our findings suggest that birds have evolved physiological mechanisms for retinal function at low tissue oxygen levels. • New optomotor response test tracks bird vision under simulated high-altitude hypoxia. • Finches do not lose vision when exposed to high-altitude hypoxia. • Birds must possess mechanisms for maintaining retinal function at high altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The misuse of and addiction to opioids are a national public health crisis. The complexity of delivering patient care in emergency departments exposes nurses to stressful work situations with complex patient loads and increasing levels of compassion fatigue. Emergency nurses were asked about their feelings of compassion fatigue while caring for patients with opioid use and/or substance use disorders. Twenty-four focus groups with emergency nurses (N = 53) at a level I trauma center were conducted in late 2019 and early 2020 are used in this qualitative study using thematic analysis that identified 1 main theme of compassion fatigue with 3 subthemes (nurse frustration with addicted patients, emotional responses, and job satisfaction). Findings highlight that emergency nurses working with patients with opioid use and/or substance use disorders are dealing with a number of negative emotional stressors and frustrations, which in turn has increased their levels of compassion fatigue. These nurses repeatedly expressed feelings of increasing frustration with addicted patients, negative emotional responses, and decreasing levels of job satisfaction as components of their compassion fatigue. These emergency nurses identified 3 areas to improve their compassion: improved management support with encouragement across all work shifts, debriefing opportunities, and more education. Fostering a high level of self-awareness and understanding of how the work environment influences personal well-being are necessary strategies to avoid the frustrations and negative emotional responses associated with compassion fatigue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Data concerning the long-term risk of heart failure (HF) in patients with takotsubo syndrome (TTS) are sparse. We compared the rates of death and hospitalization due to HF with matched individuals from the background population and patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).Methods: In this nationwide observational cohort study, all patients with first-time TTS (2011-2018) who were alive at discharge were identified by using data from Danish nationwide registries. These were matched for age and sex with individuals from the background population (1:4 matching) and with patients with STEMI who were alive at discharge (1:3 matching).Results: A total of 881 patients with TTS who were alive at discharge were identified (median age 70 years; 89.4% men). During a mean follow-up of 2.9 years, the incidence rates of death, HF hospitalization, and TTS recurrence in survivors of TTS were 6.9, 0.9 and 1.1 events per 100 person-years. The corresponding absolute 3-year risks were 9.3%, 1.8% and 2.5%, respectively. Survivors of TTS had higher associated rates of death compared with the background population (hazard ratio [HR] 2.05 [95% CI, 1.62-2.60]) and survivors of STEMI (HR 1.69 [1.34-2.13]). Similarly, survivors of TTS had higher associated rates of hospitalization due to HF compared with the background population (HR 4.24 [1.88-9.53]), but lower rates compared with survivors of STEMI (HR 0.34 [0.20-0.56]). Propensity-score matched analyses yielded similar results.Conclusions: Survivors of TTS had significantly higher associated mortality rates than the background population and survivors of STEMI. Survivors of TTS had lower HF hospitalization rates than survivors of STEMI, but the rates were higher than those of the background population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]