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Hyperglycemia, a distinguishing feature of diabetes mellitus that might cause a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU), is an endocrine disorder that affects an extremely high percentage of people. Having a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of diabetic wound healing can help researchers and developers design effective therapeutic strategies to treat the wound healing process in diabetes patients. Using nanoscaffolds and nanotherapeutics with dimensions ranging from 1 to 100 nm represents a state‐of‐the‐art and viable therapeutic strategy for accelerating the wound healing process in diabetic patients, particularly those with DFU. Nanoparticles can interact with biological constituents and infiltrate wound sites owing to their reduced diameter and enhanced surface area. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that they promote the processes of vascularization, cellular proliferation, cell signaling, cell‐to‐cell interactions, and the formation of biomolecules that are essential for effective wound healing. Nanomaterials possess the ability to effectively transport and deliver various pharmacological agents, such as nucleic acids, growth factors, antioxidants, and antibiotics, to specific tissues, where they can be continuously released and affect the wound healing process in DFU. The present article elucidates the ongoing endeavors in the field of nanoparticle‐mediated therapies for the management of DFU. Significance statement: To sum up, this study emphasizes that it may be feasible to develop better treatments for improperly healed diabetic wounds by studying the molecular mechanics of diabetic wound healing. As new products, nanomaterials can transfer nucleic acids, growth factors, antioxidants, and antibiotics to specified tissues for continuous release. Moreover, nanomaterials are more likely to interact with biological systems and infiltrate wound sites due to their smaller diameter and larger surface area. Hence, nano‐scaffolds and nano‐therapeutics can accelerate diabetic wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems need a material compatible with the imaging technique with lesser attenuation and provide accurate images without distortion. Carbon fibers are the best-suited materials for x-ray applications because of their radiolucent properties and reduced attenuation characteristics. However, carbon fiber produces images with distortion in the MRI system by absorbing electromagnetic energy because of its conductive nature. In the present study, five different fiber-reinforced radiolucent composite plates are analyzed to predict their suitability for a radio frequency coil and the effect of a primary magnetic field of 1.5 T and 3.0 T on mechanical responses. Simulation models are built to explore the impact of electromagnetic waves and birdcage coil configurations on composite material and quantify the temperature changes caused due to energy absorption. A multiphysics coupling simulation is being used to understand the effect of stacking sequence, ply orientation, and boundary conditions on the response of composite plates under an electro-magneto-mechanical environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several nations have adopted a tax or market-based carbon pricing system, typically involving low price rates, inadequate emissions coverage, and price reductions for particular industries. The main driver of climate change and global warming is greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which include carbon dioxide. The drive to reduce carbon emissions and offset carbon is critical to industrial decarbonisation and achieving the net zero goal. This paper investigates two key actions to reduce carbon emissions: switching to low-carbon alternatives and carbon offset. The emission trading scheme (ETS) mechanism is a market-based pollution-control strategy that provides economic incentives to reduce emissions. This framework, also known as a cap and trade system or allowance trading, has the potential to reduce emissions by establishing a pollution limit and creating a market for each country. The use of the ETS in the waste-to-energy industry demonstrates the framework's applicability. It has been shown that a well-designed ETS can be both environmentally and economically sound as a driver of the low-carbon economy transition. It will be highly beneficial to the industry because it will provide precise emission monitoring, harsh penalties for violations, and high compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a severe global issue that requires immediate attention. MicroRNA expression abnormalities are possibly disease-specific and may contribute to GDM pathological processes. To date, there is limited data on miRNA profiling in GDM, especially that involves a longitudinal study. Here, we performed miRNA expression profiling in the entire duration of pregnancy (during pregnancy until parturition and postpartum) using a miRNA- polymerase chain reaction array (miRNA-PCRArray) and in-silico analysis to identify unique miRNAs expression and their anticipated target genes in Malay maternal serum. MiRNA expression levels and their unique potential as biomarkers were explored in this work. In GDM patients, the expression levels of hsa-miR-193a, hsa-miR-21, hsa-miR-23a, and hsa-miR-361 were significantly increased, but miR-130a was significantly downregulated. The area under the curve (AUC) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve study demonstrated that hsa-miR-193a (AUC = 0.89060 ± 04,470, P = 0.0001), hsa-miR-21 (AUC = 0.89500 ± 04,411, P = 0.0001), and miR-130a (AUC = 0.6939 ± 0.05845, P = 0.0025) had potential biomarker features in GDM. In-silico analysis also revealed that KLF (Kruppel-Like family of transcription factor), ZNF25 (Zinc finger protein 25), AFF4 (ALF transcription elongation factor 4), C1orf143 (long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 2869), SRSF2 (serine and arginine rich splicing factor 2), and ZNF655 (Zinc finger protein 655) were prominent genes targeted by the common nodes of miR23a, miR130, miR193a, miR21, and miR361.Our findings suggest that circulating microRNAs in the first trimester has the potential for GDM screening in the Malay population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strict environmental concerns, depleting natural recourses, and rising demand for building construction materials have promoted scientific research toward alternative building materials. This research supports the idea of sustainability and a circular economy via the utilization of waste to produce value-added products. The research explored the potential of waste plastics and silica sand for developing thermoplastic composite as floor tiles. The samples were characterized by water absorption, compressive strength, flexural strength, and sliding wear. The morphological analysis of the sand-plastic interfaces was covered under the umbrella of this study. The maximum compressive and flexural strength were found to be 46.20 N/mm2 and 6.24 N/mm2, respectively, with the minimum water absorption and sliding wear rate of 0.039% and 0.143 × 10–8 kg/m, respectively. The study suggests the workability of the developed floor tiles in non-traffic areas of public places. Thus, the study provides a green building material through recycling waste plastics for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endophytic microbes have been associated with many positive traits due to their endurance mechanisms. The current study was designed at exploring the potential of the endophytic bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MEBAphL4 isolated from Alternanthera philoxeroides for biosurfactant production and bioremediation efficiency. This endophyte, isolated from the polluted Madiwala lake in Bangalore, displayed elevated resistance to Cr and Pb till 2000 mg/L. The metal removal efficiency was found to be higher for Cr (25.7 %) at pH 6 and for Pb (92.3 %) at pH 9. Further, the present study also describes biosurfactant production with good emulsification ability (E 24 -52 %) and stability over a range of pH (8−12), temperature (20–40°C) and salinity (5–15 %). Biosurfactant production was enhanced 1.18-fold using the Response Surface Methodology approach and characterised by Fourier Transformation Infra-red Spectroscopy and Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography- Mass Spectrometry showing the presence of lipopeptides, fengycin, iturin and surfactin of molecular weights 1463.65, 1043.44 and 1012.56 Da respectively. The potential application of the biosurfactant in degrading various hydrocarbons was evaluated, demonstrating its effectiveness in bioremediation of oil-contaminated sites. Specifically, diesel biodegradation was measured at 56.46±0.95 %. These findings underscore the potential of B. amyloliquefaciens in environmental applications such as heavy metal biosorption and the bioremediation of contaminated sites, particularly those affected by oil spills and correlates to UN SDG6 of clean water and sanitation. • Endophytic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens showed heavy metal tolerance for Chromium (Cr) and Lead (Pb) up to 2000 mg/L. • The bacterium could reduce 100 mg/L of Cr (VI) by 50.8 % in 24 hours. • It exhibited heavy metal removal efficiencies of 25.7 % for Cr at pH 6 and 92.3 % for Pb at pH 9. • The RSM optimization maximized the biosurfactant production by 1.18-fold. • The lipopeptides fengycin, iturin, and surfactin have potential for bioremediation of oil-contaminated sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mixotrophic growth of microalgae offers great potential as an efficient strategy for increasing biomass production. In this study, Scenedesmus obliquus was used to investigate the biomass growth conditions and biochemical parameters of algae cells in autotrophic and mixotrophic conditions with and without aeration. It was found that mixotrophic cultivation of algae cells by 50 mM acetate had a strong effect on increasing fresh weight, chlorophyll a, b, carotenoid, astaxanthin, protein, and lipid content (with 20, 4.6, 8.7, 60, 4.5, 4.8, and 18.4-fold, respectively) in comparison to the control cultures. Mixotrophy by pyruvate also increased the amount of all mentioned parameters. The best concentration of pyruvate was found to be 50 mM, but the effects of acetate were stronger. Aeration in a short time (2 h) had a different effect on mixotrophic cultures with acetate and pyruvate. It declined the effect of acetate on increasing the fresh weight and the amount of other biochemical parameters. Unlike the acetate treatment, aeration had an enhancement effect on increasing the fresh weight and biochemical parameters content in 50 and 100 mM pyruvate treatments. In the control cultures, the saturated acid, caprylic acid (C8:0) (40%), and the polyunsaturated eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; C20:5 n3) (17.5%) showed higher percentages. Mixotrophy caused a decrease in the percentage of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and, on the other hand, an increase in the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs). EPA was the main fatty acid in the mixotrophic condition. Aeration in the phototrophic condition decreased the percentage of SFAs, while increasing that of UFAs. Aeration under mixotrophic conditions increased UFAs in both acetate and pyruvate-treated cultures. The results suggest that aeration could be an important factor in interaction with other algae growth conditions. It should be noted that acetate had generally better effects on the biomass quality of S. obliquus without aeration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many operating parameters of ultrafiltration (UF) are playing a crucial role when using a polyethersulfone membrane to separate xylose reductase (XR) enzyme from reaction mixtures during xylitol synthesis. The present study focuses on the separation of XR enzyme using a cross-flow ultrafiltration (UF) membrane. The filtration process was analyzed using the three effective variables such as filtration time, cross-flow velocity (CFV), and the transmembrane pressure (TMP), which were ranging from 0 to 100 min, 0.52 to 1.2 cm/s and 1–1.6 bar, respectively. Then, using the resistance in series model, the hydraulic resistance for alkali chemical cleaning during XR separation was estimated. During separation, increased TMP showed a positive-flux effect as a driving force, however, fouling and polarized layer were more prominent under higher TMP. Increased CFV, on the other hand, was found more efficient in fouling control. In terms of the membrane cleaning techniques, an alkaline solution containing 0.1 M sodium hydroxide was shown to be the most effective substance in removing foulants from the membrane surface in this investigation. Cleaning with an alkaline solution resulted in a maximum flux recovery of 93% for xylose reductase separation. This work may serve as a useful guide to better understand the optimization parameters during XR separation and alleviating UF membrane fouling induced during XR separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to improve the quality of fuel with high calorific value namely Sfuel – a commercial high-quality refuse-derived fuel (RDF) from hazardous waste via modifying the process design and operating parameters of thermal conversion process. The study analyses key parameters of RDF quality, such as calorific value and heavy metal content, before and after process modifications based on the combination of experimental and simulation using Aspen Plus. In this study, the temperature and pressure of the simulation system are varied from 100 to 700 °C and from 1 to 5 bar, respectively. Findings indicate that there are a total of eleven heavy metals and 179 volatile compounds in the "Sfuels". The quality of the targeted product is greatly improved by the metal evaporation at high temperatures and pressures. However, the calorific value of RDF significantly decreases at 700 °C due to a large amount of the carbon content being evaporated. Although the carbon content at high temperatures is significantly lost, the heat from the vapour stream reactor outlet, which is reused to preheat the nitrogen gas stream supplied to the system, reduces energy consumption while improving the thermal conversion efficiency of the system. Besides, low pressure along with high temperature are not the optimal conditions for quality Sfuels improvement by thermal conversion. Results also indicate that electric heating is more economically efficient than natural gas heating. • The optimum operating condition to improve Sagefuels® quality by Aspen Plus. • Sagefuels® quality is enhanced by evaporating metal. • The thermal conversion increases the caloric value of refuse-derived fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]