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BackgroundChildhood obesity is a significant public health issue with far-reaching implications. The World Health Organization reported that in 2020, around 38 million children under five were overweight or obese globally, and in 2016, 340 million children and adolescents aged 5–19 were affected. In Pakistan, the situation is alarming; 66.9% of school-going children in Punjab were overweight, and 5.8% were obese in 2022. This study explores mothers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding childhood obesity in Pakistan and identifies factors contributing to this epidemic. Maternal perspectives are crucial as they significantly influence children’s dietary habits, physical activity, and attitudes toward food and body image.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2023 to January 2024 at four medical centers: Fazaia Ruth Pfau Medical College Hospitals Karachi, Baqai Medical University Karachi, and Nishtar Medical University Multan. The study included 191 mothers with children aged 5 to 15 years. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, practices, and perceptions of childhood obesity. IBM-SPSS version 26.0 was used for data analysis, employing statistical tests like Kruskal-Wallis, Mann–Whitney U, Spearman, or Kendall Tau correlation to examine associations.ResultsAmong the 191 mothers, 48.7% had education beyond intermediate, and 86.9% were housewives. The children’s BMI distribution showed that 27.7% were obese and 21.5% overweight. Mothers had moderate knowledge (60.5%) about childhood obesity; 75.4% recognized its long-term health risks, and 62.8% associated it with diabetes. Attitudes were generally positive, with a 78.5% average score. Most mothers (73.8%) believed obesity could be controlled and had healthy practices (70.1% average score). However, 96.9% reported witnessing stigmatization of obese children, and 79.6% felt pressured by relatives about their child’s weight.ConclusionThe findings indicate that while Pakistani mothers have moderate knowledge and positive attitudes toward childhood obesity, their practices are influenced by educational and socioeconomic factors. Addressing these disparities, enhancing public health initiatives, and mitigating stigmatization could improve childhood obesity management in Pakistan.

This study has explored the sustainable solution after designing an economical metal-free biomass-derived nanocarbon for the selective sensing of lead. The nitrogen and sulfur-rich mesoporous nanocarbon is designed through a facile hydrothermal-assisted thermal annealing method. The high-temperature treatment gave nanocarbon unique carbon dot decorated layered morphology, while nitrogen and sulfur precursor thiourea and melamine strengthened the nanomaterial stability, sensitivity, and selectivity toward lead metal ions. The high specific surface area of mesoporous nanocarbon viz., 1671.93 m2/g with the pore width and pore volume of 2.02 nm and 0.476 cm3/g has enhanced the conductivity of as-synthesized sensor, which helps in increasing sensitivity toward lead. The high conductivity was also confirmed through cyclic voltammetry, where an 80 % increment in current was observed in the case of the modified electrode when compared with bare GCE. The differential pulse normal voltammetry and differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry were performed to calculate the detection limit, where an excellent detection limit of 22 nM was obtained from the DPASV technique. Moreover, the nanomaterial was also tested for detecting lead in tap water. The as-synthesized nanocomposite is highly efficient and selective for the detection of lead. This study will motivate the researchers to engineer sustainable and efficient devices for sensing metal pollutants.

This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the synthesis, characterization, and application of an exceptionally sensitive electrochemical sensor designed for the ultrasensitive detection of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT), a notorious explosive compound. The sensor employs bimetallic nickel-cobalt oxide (NiCo2O4) nanoparticles, synthesized through a facile hydrothermal method. Extensive analytical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), were employed to validate the crystallinity and purity of the NiCo2O4 nanoparticles. These nanoparticles, possessing remarkable properties, form the core of our electrochemical sensor, enabling it to offer heightened sensitivity and selectivity even under ambient conditions. Most notably, this sensor boasts an impressively low limit of detection (LOD) of 18 nM, coupled with a broad linear detection range (LDR) spanning from 10 nM to 100 nM. The sensor exhibits robust sensitivity, excellent selectivity, and an outstandingly low detection threshold, collectively demonstrating its potential for precise and accurate detection of DNT. This research underscores the significant potential of bimetallic oxide nanoparticles, specifically NiCo2O4, in the precise quantification of nitro-aromatic analytes. This study opens up promising avenues for assessing hazardous compounds in complex environmental matrices, thereby contributing to the advancement of electrochemical sensing. Additionally, this novel sensing platform holds substantial promise for enhancing security measures and environmental monitoring through its improved sensitivity and selectivity in the detection of explosives.

The escalating discharge of noxious gases resulting from unmitigated anthropogenic activities has emerged as a pivotal concern, presenting imminent threats to global ecosystems. In response to this pressing challenge, the development of cutting-edge materials within gas sensor systems emerges as a promising avenue for the precise detection of hazardous gaseous pollutants. This investigation delves into the synthesis and characterization of a novel composite material: reduced graphene oxide (rGO) modified with ruthenium Octaethyl porphyrin (Ru OEP), with a primary focus on its chemiresistive sensing properties. The meticulously deposited rGO-modified Ru OEP material onto gold microelectrodes, featuring a 3 µm gap on a silicon Si/SiO2 substrate, resulted in an intricate two-terminal chemiresistive sensor device. Comprehensive structural, spectroscopic, and morphological analyses were conducted to elucidate the intricacies of the composite material. The electrical characterization, evaluated through I-V measurements, provided nuanced insights into the device's resistance properties. Notably, the chemiresistive sensor demonstrated exceptional responsiveness to Carbon monoxide (CO) gas, exhibiting an impressively low limit of detection (LOD) at 2.5 ppm. The fabricated sensor showcased rapid response and recovery times, registering at 43 s and 65 s, respectively, underscoring its efficiency in real-time applications. Furthermore, the sensor maintained linearity and stability across a broad spectrum of conditions, ensuring prolonged reliability and consistent performance. This research underscores the potential of advanced materials, specifically the rGO-modified Ru OEP composite, in crafting highly effective gas sensors to address urgent environmental and safety concerns. The presented findings contribute invaluable insights to the burgeoning field of gas sensor technology, paving the way for innovative solutions to mitigate the adverse impacts of anthropogenic activities on our delicate ecosystems.

Significant advances in the field of energy storage have enabled scientists to explore highly stable electro-active electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors. The present investigation describes the synthesis of well-ordered NiMoO4 nanowalls at 140 °C using hydrothermal synthesis, which was then grown directly on Ni foam with different reaction times. The resulting NiMoO4 nanowalls were utilized as electro-active electrodes for electrochemical supercapacitor applications. The reaction time was found to be a critical factor in achieving the ordered NiMoO4 nanowalls on the Ni foam, and at a reaction time of 12 h, the nanosheets self-organized into a nanowall-like morphology over the Ni foam. Pure NiMoO4 crystal phases with less surface imperfections were produced by the 12-hour reaction time, as demonstrated by the compositional, structural, and crystalline characteristics. As an electro-active electrode, the NiMoO4 electrode with a 12-hour reaction time showed the highest specific capacitance of 357.6 Fg−1 at 0.01 Vs−1 compared to NiMoO4 electrodes with reaction times of 6h (53.06 Fg-1 at 0.01 Vs−1) and 20h (55.4 Fg-1 at 0.01 Vs−1). The NiMoO4 electrode also demonstrated exceptional stability in an alkaline electrolyte, exhibiting less deterioration in multicycles CV after 100 repeated cycles. The excellent electrochemical properties of the NiMoO4 electrode are attributed to its unique ordered nanowall structure, which improves surface area and electrical conduction, accelerating fast redox reactions. These properties make it a promising material for use in pseudocapacitors, with implications for high-performance energy storage solutions in industrial sectors.

A sensor can be called ideal or perfect if it is enriched with certain characteristics viz., superior detections range, high sensitivity, selectivity, resolution, reproducibility, repeatability, and response time with good flow. Recently, biosensors made of nanoparticles (NPs) have gained very high popularity due to their excellent applications in nearly all the fields of science and technology. The use of NPs in the biosensor is usually done to fill the gap between the converter and the bioreceptor, which is at the nanoscale. Simultaneously the uses of NPs and electrochemical techniques have led to the emergence of biosensors with high sensitivity and decomposition power. This review summarizes the development of biosensors made of NPssuch as noble metal NPs and metal oxide NPs, nanowires (NWs), nanorods (NRs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), quantum dots (QDs), and dendrimers and their recent advancement in biosensing technology with the expansion of nanotechnology.

The opto-photocatalytic applications of Mn-doped NiO nanoparticles (NPs) are discussed. A facile synthesis of NiO doped with different Mn contents is performed and studied using experimental techniques. The structural properties and microstructural parameters of Mn:NiO NPs were examined by X-ray diffraction patterns. The average crystallite sizes of the pure NiO and 1.0-, 2.5-, 5.0-, 10-wt.% Mn-doped NiO NPs were found to be 25–19 nm by Williamson–Hall plots and 23–18 nm by the Debye–Scherer method. The crystallite size decreases with increasing doping concentration in the NiO host lattice. The optical bandgaps are found to be 3.53, 3.46, 3.39, 3.24, and 3.12 eV for pure NiO and 1.0-, 2.5-, 5.0-, and 10-wt.% Mn:NiO NPs, respectively, using the Kubelka–Munk function. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra of 2.5-wt.% Mn:NiO NPs were recorded for Mn, Ni, and O to determine the oxidation states. The photocatalytic performances of pure NiO and Mn:NiO NPs are examined. The 2.5-wt.% Mn:NPs exhibit the best photocatalytic performance owing to the greatest activation sites. The mechanism of the photocatalytic decolorization reaction is also investigated. The results demonstrate the high ability of Mn:NiO NPs as photocatalysts for methylene blue dye degradation, with 92% removal.

Bahasa Arab merupakan bahasa Al-Qur’an dan Hadits. kewajiban mempelajarinya bagi setiap umat muslim agar dapat memahami Al-Quran dan Hadits secara baik dan benar. Tetapi, bahasa Arab kini kurang diminati karena kesukarannya yang tinggi dan membutuhkan waktu yang lama untuk mempelajarinya. Seperti yang terjadi pada masyarakat Desa Sidomulyo, Kelurahan Tumbang Tahai, Kota palangka Raya. Keterbatasan SDM juga menjadi kendala tambahan dalam mempelajari bahasa Arab. Pengabdian ini bertujuan memberikan pendampingan dalam pembelajaran bahasa Arab tingkat dasar kepada anak-anak di Desa Sidomulyo, Kelurahan Tumbang Tahai, Kota palangka Raya untuk menumbuhkan minat dan memberikan pemahaman pentingnya mempelajari bahasa Arab. Pendampingan ini dilakukan dengan membentuk sebuah program pembelajaran bahasa Arab yang dinamakan basic Arabic Club. Metode yang digunakan pada pengabdian ini adalah dengan metode service learning. Dari hasil pendampingan yang dilakukan selama tiga minggu melalui program basic Arabic club Nampak adanya peningkatan minat dan pengetahuan basic bahasa Arab terhadap peserta didik. Peserta didik dapat menghafal dan mengaplikasikan kosa kata bahasa Arab, memahami beberapa materi dasar Nahwu dan Shorof, dapat menulis Arab dengan baik dan memiliki peningkatan minat Seperti keinginan mereka untuk masuk pesantren guna mendalami bahasa Arab.

In this paper, highly dense and defined Co3O4 nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning method followed by controlled oxidation using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and CoCl2 as precursors. For the fabrication of effective electrochemical sensors and supercapacitors, the prepared Co3O4 nanofibers were used as electro-active electrodes. The prepared Co3O4 nanofibers were morphologically investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) which confirmed the formation of highly dense and well-defined fibrous morphology. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and elemental analysis demonstrated the typical crystalline cubic phase Co3O4 with appropriate stoichiometric element ratio. The supercapacitor with prepared Co3O4 nanofibers based electrode has an excellent cycle stability and a considerably higher specific capacitance of 419 C/g at a current density of 0.5 A/g. Interestingly, the fabricated supercapacitor device keeps 87% capacitance after 5000 charge/discharge cycles. For 2-butanone chemical sensing, the prepared Co3O4 nanofibers based electrode presents a reasonable sensitivity of 90.7 mAμM−1cm−2 and linear dynamics of 10–200 μM with good LOD of ∼5.8 μM and regression coefficient (R) = ∼0.97407. Thus, the prepared Co3O4 nanofibers with highly porous surface would pave the direction to the manufacturing of efficient energy storage and electrochemical sensing materials.

This paper aims to look at the construction of the word kafir in Sufism discourse using Norman Fairclough's critical discourse analysis approach. This paper examines the term kafir in the holy book Hâdzâ al-Kitâb Matn al-Hikam li Sayyidī Syaikh Ahmad ibn 'Athâillâh al-Sakandârî by kiai Sholeh Darat. The results of this discussion show that the word kafir in Sufism is not synonymous with non-Muslim but refers to tadbîr, lacut (beyond the limit) when feeling rich, and not grateful for God’s mercy. The construction of the word infidel is influenced by the Sunni Sufism style adopted by Kyai Sholeh Darat. The construction of the term kafir is also in order to maintain monotheism and optimism of Muslims during the difficult times experienced in the 19th century. This happened because of the impact of the policy of the forced cultivation system, the domination of the colonial government in all aspects of people's lives and the strengthening of the unequal economic structure and the structure of Javanese foedalism. The impact of the construction of kiai Sholeh Darat on the term kafir is not to worry about any worldly affairs such as sustenance and directing Muslim life to concentration on the path of worship such as science and spiritual activities which later gave birth to the strength of the pesantren and tarekat network in resisting colonialism. Tulisan ini bertujuan untuk melihat konstruksi kata kafir dalam diskursus tasawuf dengan menggunakan pendekatan analisis wacana kritis Norman Fairclough. Tulisan ini mengkaji kata kafir dalam kitab Hâdzâ al-Kitâb Matn al-Hikam li Sayyidī Syaikh Ahmad ibn 'Athâillâh al-Sakandârî karya kiai Sholeh Darat. Hasil dari pembahasan ini menunjukkan bahwa kata kafir dalam tasawuf tidak identik dengan non muslim melainkan merujuk pada tadbîr, lacut (melampaui batas) saat merasa kaya, dan tidak mensyukuri nikmat. Konstruksi kata kafir ini dipengaruhi corak tasawuf sunni yang dianut kiai Sholeh Darat. Konstruksi kata kafir juga dalam rangka memelihara ketauhidan dan optimisme umat Islam pada masa-masa sulit yang dialami di abad ke-19. Hal tersebut terjadi karena dampak kebijakan sistem tanam paksa, dominasi pemerintah kolonial pada seluruh aspek kehidupan masyarakat dan menguatnya struktur ekonomi yang timpang dan struktur foedalisme Jawa. Dampak dari konstruksi kiai Sholeh Darat atas term kafir yaitu tidak mengkhawatirkan setiap urusan duniawi seperti rezeki dan mengarahkan kehidupan muslim pada konsentrasi di jalur ibadah seperti ilmu pengetahuan dan aktivitas ruhani yang kelak melahirkan kekuatan jaringan pesantren dan tarekat dalam melawan kolonialisme.

The soil contamination with heavy metal ions is one of the grave intricacies faced worldwide over the last few decades by the virtue of rapid industrialization, human negligence and greed. Heavy metal ions are quite toxic even at low concentration a swell as non-biodegradable in nature. Their bioaccumulation in the human body leads to several chronic and persistent diseases such as lung cancer, nervous system break down, respiratory problems and renal damage etc. In addition to this, the increased concentration of these metal ions in soil, beyond the permissible limits, makes the soil unfit for further agricultural use. Hence it is our necessity, to monitor the concentration of these metal ions in the soil and water bodies and adopt some better technologies to eradicate them fully. From the literature survey, it was observed that three main types of techniques viz. physical, chemical, and biological were employed to harness the heavy metal ions from metal-polluted soil samples. The main goal of these techniques was the complete removal of the metal ions or the transformation of them into less hazardous and toxic forms. Further the selection of the remediation technology depends upon different factors such as process feasibility/mechanism of the process applied, nature and type of contaminants, type and content of the soil, etc. In this review article, we have studied in detail all the three technologies viz. physical, chemical and biological with their sub-parts, mechanism, pictures, advantages and disadvantages.

This work presents a unidirectional, co-circularly polarized (CP), printed antenna with highly decoupled or isolated transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) ports for 2.4 GHz in-band full duplex (IBFD) applications. The presented antenna topology is based on four similar and sequentially rotated trimmed patches with right hand circular polarized (RHCP) characteristics. The symmetrical placement of two Tx patches with respect to both Rx elements results in equal levels of self interference (SI) which was suppressed through balanced excitation of Tx mode. This mechanism results in effective suppression of SI at each Rx patch. The residual SI is suppressed further through a second balanced feeding network deployed at Rxport of proposed antenna topology. The employed balanced feeding networks provide superior performance of ≤ 0.5 dB and 6° magnitude and phase imbalances respectively between the two balanced output ports over the bandwidth of interest. The measured results for prototype of presented antenna achieve -10 dB bandwidth of better than 100 MHz for both Tx and Rxports. The measured interport coupling for validation model ≤ −70 dB across the entire bandwidth of 100 MHz. As per best of authors’ knowledge, the presented antenna is the first one to report such reduced levels of interport coupling over the whole impedance bandwidth of planar antenna with unidirectional radiation patterns and co-RHCP characteristics for both Tx and Rx modes across the overlapped bandwidth.

This study aimed to determine the implementation model of public information disclosure at MAN 2 Pesisir Selatan in West Sumatra province. This study used content analysis research with the data originating from websites, along with the documents and developments downloaded from the websites related to public information disclosure activities at MAN 2 Pesisir Selatan. This study was conducted from November to December 2022. The data validity used source triangulation by validating data in documents on the websites under study in one feature and across features. The data were analyzed using an interactive analysis model. The results show that the public information disclosure implemented in MAN 2 Pesisir Selatan was through providing a place and the main website connected to the PPID website. The PPID website contained complete profiles and types of report information following existing regulations. There were types of information and reports with institutional dimensions, and institutional actors, so good and clean institutions could reflect excellent and clean executors.

This study aimed to analyze the authority of a notary in making the minutes of the general meeting of shareholders of a limited liability company through electronic media and the legality of a notary deed related to the signing of a general meeting of shareholders of a limited liability company through electronic media. This study used a statutory research approach, with normative legal research—data collection techniques using literature study. The data was sourced from books and statutory documents. The results of this study indicated that the authority of a notary in making official reports using electronic media was regulated in Article 15 paragraph (3) of Law Number 2 of 2014 concerning Notary Positions, Article 77 paragraph (1) of Law Number 40 of 2007 concerning Limited Liability Companies, and Article 5 paragraph (1) of Law Number 19 of 2016 concerning Electronic Transaction Information. To conclude, minutes of the general meeting of shareholders held by teleconference or video conference still have legal force as an authentic deed.

This study examined the story of Moses and Pharaoh as one of the Islamic narrative discourses in the Qur’an. Structural anthropology Claude Lévi-Strauss was used to analyze the story’s structure or nature of the mind. The results of the study explicate that the story of Moses and Pharaoh had a structure of “struggle plot to convey the truth”. Based on the episodes of the story showed a continuous transformation of structure and forms cylindrical triangle. Behind the story of Moses and Pharaoh was reflection of the developing culture in Islamic societies. First, there were some societies’ components in the struggle process of the faithful in conveying the truth, both theologically or socio-politically. Such as the actor of social change (Moses), masses of people (the people of Moses), authorities who refused the change (Pharaoh and his leaders) and opportunist intellectuals (the magicians before being defeated by Moses), and organic intellectuals (the magicians after believing in the truth of Moses). Second, the community’s culture was controlled by established authorities, the commitment of the truth will gain a refusal and despite resistance. The prerequisite to be able to undergo it was to confirm it rationally and empirically (according to the times).

BackgroundCoronavirus has spread to almost every country since its emergence in Wuhan, China and countries have been adopted an array of measures to control the rapid spread of the epidemic. Here, we aimed to assess the person's knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) toward the COVID-19 epidemic in Southeast and South Asia applying the mixed study design (cross-sectional and systematic review).MethodsIn the cross-sectional study, 743 respondents' socio-demographic and KAP-related information was collected through an online population-based survey from the Malaysian population. In the systematic review, the database PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar search engine were searched and related published articles from South and Southeast Asia were included. Frequency distribution, Chi-square association test and binary logistic regression were fitted using cross-sectional data whereas random effect model and study bias were performed in meta-analysis. We used 95% confidence interval and P

The radiation-protection properties of the magnetic semiconducting quaternary compounds Cu2CoGeS4, Cu2CoGeSe4, and Cu2CoGeTe4 were examined in this study by using Phy-X/PSD software with the selected gamma energy (0.015–15 MeV). The radiation shielding coefficients such as mass and linear attenuation coefficients (MAC) and (LAC), half-value layer (HVL), and mean free path (MFP) of the present semiconductors were calculated. Also, the total electronic and atomic cross-sections (ECS and ACS), the effective atomic number (Zeff), the effective electron density (Neff), and the effective conductivity (Ceff) of these semiconductors were estimated to see how well they could protect against radiation. A comparative study occurred between the obtained results and the corresponding values of RS-253-G18, RS-360, RS-520 glasses, barite, chromite, and ferrite concrete. The results show that semiconducting samples with the best shielding performance outperform RS-253-G18, RS-360 glass, and RS-520 glass materials commonly used in nuclear applications. The Cu2CoGeTe4 sample had the highest MAC, LAC, and ACS, as well as the highest ECS and Zeff values. The other two semiconductor samples had the lowest MAC, ECS, and Zeff values. For photons, charged particles (electrons, protons, alpha particles), and C-ion, Phy-X/PSD allows the calculation of the Zeff quickly and precisely across the entire energy range. This study indicates that the semiconductor samples can be utilized as radiation attenuators for various nuclear fields.

Herein, we have developed a one-pot methodology to synthesise three types of C-dots and their activated counterparts from three different types of waste plastic precursors such as poly-bags, cups and bottles. The optical studies have shown the significant change in the absorption edge in case of C-dots in comparison to their activated counterparts. The respective variation in the sizes is correlated with the change in electronic band gap values of formed particles. The changes in the luminescence behaviour are also correlated with transitions from the edge of the core of formed particles. The obtained variations in the Stokes shift values of C-dots, and their ACs were used to explore the types of surface states and their related transitions in particles. The mode of interaction between C-dots and their ACs was also determined using solvent-dependent fluorescence spectroscopy. This detailed investigation could provide significant insight on the emission behaviour and the potential usage of formed particles as an effective fluorescent probe in sensing applications.

The synthesis of pure and different concentrations of Cr-doped (1, 2.5, 5, 7, 10 wt%) lead iodide (PbI2) nanosheets was successfully achieved using a low-cost and simple microwave method. The prepared Cr-doped PbI2 nanostructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FT-Raman, diffuse reflectance, dielectric, and gamma absorption analysis. The structural investigation confirmed the hexagonal phase of the proposed nanostructures without the impurity phase. Morphological studies proved that the undoped PbI2 nanosheet has a size of less than 100 nm, and the size of the prepared Cr-doped PbI2 samples was around 50-60 nm. FT-Raman and optical analysis investigated the doping effects on the pure PbI2 matrix through the slight shifting of characteristics peaks and the energy bandgaps’ variations. The optical bandgap values of pure PbI2 and Cr-doped PbI2 samples were estimated to be ranged from 2.0 eV to 2.2 eV. The obtained values of the dielectric constant were increased from 20 to 27 due to introducing the Cr- ions into the host PbI2 matrix. Together with Cr- dopants, the linear coefficient of Gamma absorption illustrates improvements. To conclude, due to the enhancement in structural morphology, optical, and radiation properties of the synthesized Cr-doped PbI2 nanostructures, those proposed nanosheets potentially are remarkable candidates for various applications including optoelectronics and radiation detectors.

A co-creation values consumers’ input as its primary crust in informing businesses on current consumer needs. More importantly, it would be the next shape in future demands of consumers in business sustainability. This paper addressed this context, narrowing its scope in investigating the voices of stakeholders on what would be the essential aspects of the present and future youth qualities in achieving sustainable well-being in the present trend. The findings would be essentially helpful for the youth and the business world to understand the aspects of good youth development, which would shape the next fabric of consumerism. Self-potential development of the youth is vital in achieving excellent life quality and the youth’s well-being in Malaysia. However, the increase in challenges faced by today’s youth is inconsistent with a decline of the group’s well-being. There are various studies and interventions implemented to overcome the youth situation. However, there is still in need for a model that can guide the holistic development of youth self-potential. The purpose of this study is to build a sustainable and comprehensive model of the self-potential development of the youth, which can be integrated with all of the self-potential indicators of the youth via a co-creation process. This study used the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) on the proposed elements in the development model and systematically analyzed them using Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) to create the development model. The method capitalized 10 stakeholders from various youth development backgrounds in developing the model. The model consists of 25 sub-indicators (SIs, elements) that are divided into five indicators. The model findings show that one of the most driving indicators is an entrepreneurial mindset among youth, followed by the other indicators of youth self-potential development. The model also shows that the civic-mindedness indicator is the output of youth self-potential that will surface at an end of the development. The model will guide the authorized body on the priority elements that can systematically and strategically improve youth self-potential to meet future challenges with youth aspirations.

Overall water splitting becomes an important strategy for the generation of hydrogen and oxygen in today's needs of green energy. Therefore, it is important to develop bifunctional electrocatalysts with cheap and high-efficient characteristics. However, traditional bifunctional catalysts usually exhibit high overpotential and poor stability during both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, we synthesized several kinds of CoP nanorod catalysts through a facile hydrothermal method and subsequent thermal phosphorization process. The as-obtained CoP-1.5 product showed an overpotential of 58 mV for HER at 10 mA cm−2 and 284 mV for OER at 50 mV cm−2 in 1 M KOH. Moreover, the bifunctional catalyst, delivered a cell voltage of 1.66 V at 50 mA cm−2.

These days an extensive amount of the attention of researchers is focused towards exploring bioactive compounds of natural or herbal origin for therapeutic intervention in different ailments of significant importance. One such novel bioactive compound that has a variety of biological properties, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, is piperine. However, until today, piperine has not been explored for its potential to improve inflammation and enhance healing in acute and chronic wounds. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the wound healing potential of piperine hydrogel formulation after topical application. Hydrogels fit the need for a depot system at the wound bed, where they ensure a consistent supply of therapeutic agents enclosed in their cross-linked network matrices. In the present study, piperine-containing carbopol 934 hydrogels mixed with Aloe vera gels of different gel strengths were prepared and characterized for rheological behavior, spreadability, extrudability, and percent (%) content uniformity. Furthermore, the wound healing potential of the developed formulation system was explored utilizing the excision wound healing model. The results of an in vivo study and histopathological examination revealed early and intrinsic healing of wounds with the piperine-containing bioactive hydrogel system compared to the bioactive hydrogel system without piperine. Therefore, the study’s findings establish that the piperine-containing bioactive hydrogel system is a promising therapeutic approach for wound healing application that should be diligently considered for clinical transferability.

This review seeks to explore the literature pertaining to the applicability of nano-photocatalysts in fine chemical synthesis of organic compounds. The current methods of preparation of organic compounds in laboratories and industries are highly demanding on the non-renewable sources of energy. These conventional methods also generally require extreme conditions of temperature and pressure. Owing to deeper global awareness toward conservation of non-renewable sources of energy, there has been a shift of focus toward photocatalysis in the recent years. Photocatalysts are long known to catalyze various organic reactions such as oxidation, reduction, addition, cyclization and decomposition. The advent of nanotechnology made it possible to scale down these photocatalytic materials from bulk- to nano-scale and thereby further widen their scope and efficiency. Advances in material chemistry and nanotechnology have also made it possible to synthesize nanophotocatalysts of new genres, properties of which can be controlled and designed at molecular level. In this review, an attempt has been made to classify these diverse nanophotocatalysts into different groups, based on their composition and mechanism. Since the literature survey revealed that the chemoselectivity and efficiency of the nanophotocatalysts depend on their method of preparation, an overview of their common synthesis protocols is included. The review also highlights the various organic conversions for which these nanomaterials can be used under UV/visible irradiation. Nanophotocatalysts hold a great promise for environmentally-benign synthesis of highly useful organic compounds. We believe that this review can provide insights into research done in this field so far, which can pave way for further progress in this topic of far-fetched social significance. Keywords: Photocatalysis, Nano-photocatalysis, Organic synthesis, Green Chemistry, Photosensitization

The synthesis, characterization, and photodetector application of pure and Ni doped CdS thin films prepared by the spray pyrolysis technique are presented in this paper. Various techniques were used to analyze the thin films that had been produced. The hexagonal phase of the produced thin films is confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and FT-Raman (FTR) measurements. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate the morphology of the thin film surface, revealing the development of nanograins. The energy band gaps for all of the prepared thin films were calculated to be approximately 2.4 eV. When the films were stimulated at 450 nm wavelength, a strong photoluminescence emission was seen at ∼540 ± 6 nm. The dark/photo I-V electrical performance of the developed films was observed. The fabricated Au/CdS/Au and Au/Ni:CdS/Au photodetectors were studied for recombination behavior, dark and photo surface resistivity, and photosensitivity. Interestingly, the dark surface resistivity was found to be greater compared to the photo-resistivity. When the light intensity was increased to 1450 Lux, the photosensitivity improves from 10% to 35%. These findings indicate that the fabricated CdS/Ni:CdS films-based photodetectors are suitable for optoelectronic devices.

In this study, using pure and copper-doped titanium dioxide (Cu-TiO2) nanostructures as the base matrix, enzyme-less label free myoglobin detection to identify acute myocardial infarction was performed and presented. The Cu-TiO2 nanomaterials were prepared using facile sol–gel method. In order to comprehend the morphologies, compositions, structural, optical, and electrochemical characteristics, the pure and Cu-TiO2 nanomaterials were investigated by several techniques which clearly revealed good crystallinity and high purity. To fabricate the enzyme-less label free biosensor, thick films of synthesized nanomaterials were applied to the surface of a pre-fabricated gold screen-printed electrode (Au-SPE), which serves as a working electrode to construct the myoglobin (Mb) biosensors. The interference study of the fabricated biosensor was also carried out with human serum albumin (HSA) and cytochrome c (cyt-c). Interestingly, the Cu-doped TiO2 nanomaterial-based Mb biosensor displayed a higher sensitivity of 61.51 µAcm−2/nM and a lower detection limit of 14 pM with a response time of less than 10 ms.

Solar cells based on lead-free perovskite have demonstrated great potential for next-generation renewable energy. The SCAPS-1D simulation software was used in this study to perform novel device modelling of a lead-free perovskite solar cell of the architecture ITO/WS2/CH3NH3SnI3/P3HT/Au. For the performance evaluation, an optimization process of the different parameters such as thickness, bandgap, doping concentration, etc., was conducted. Extensive optimization of the thickness and doping density of the absorber and electron transport layer resulted in a maximum power-conversion efficiency of 33.46% for our designed solar cell. Because of the short diffusion length and higher defect density in thicker perovskite, an absorber thickness of 1.2 µm is recommended for optimal solar cell performance. Therefore, we expect that our findings will pave the way for the development of lead-free and highly effective perovskite solar cells.

This study aims to understand how glycyl dipeptide affected the compressibility, volumetric behavior and viscometric behavior of the cationic surfactants CTAB (Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) and DTAB (dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide). Information on solute–solute, solute–solvent, and solvent–solvent interactions has been inferred using the quantification of density (ρ), speed of sound (u) and viscosity in aqueous media containing glycyl dipeptide in the temperature range 293.15–313.15 K at an interval of 5 K. The data from the aforementioned research have been used to enumerate numerous volumetric and compressibility metrics that aid in the collection of information about the interactional behavior of the system under consideration. The study suggests that CTAB interacts strongly compared to DTAB with dipeptide, and it also significantly dehydrates glycyl dipeptide. The difference in water–water interactions caused by the loss of hydrophobic hydration of the surfactant molecules upon the addition of cationic surfactants may be the cause of the variation in determined parameters with surfactant concentration. Consideration of the structural rearrangement of molecules that may occur in the system has been used to explain the results of viscosity and computed factors related to viscosity. The patterns of competitive intermolecular interactions in the ternary (dipeptide + water + surfactant) system have been used to analyze the trends of all the parameters. The study may be helpful to understand the stability and structural changes in protein–surfactant systems mediated through various interactions that may be present in the system.

Viscosity, speed of sound (u), and density (ρ) have been measured in aqueous glycyl glycine solution over a temperature range from 293.15 to 313.15 K with a 5 K interlude to evaluate the volumetric and compressibility properties of bio-surfactants, namely sodium cholate (NaC; 1–20 mmol∙kg−1) and sodium deoxycholate (NaDC; 1–10 mmol∙kg−1). Density and viscosity findings provide information on both solute–solute and solute–solvent types of interactions. Many other metrics, such as apparent molar adiabatic compression (κS,φ), isentropic compressibility (κS), and apparent molar volume (Vφ), have been calculated from speed of sound and density measurements, utilising experimental data. The results show that the zwitterionic end group in the glycyl glycine strongly interacts with NaDC and NaC, promoting its micellization. Since the addition of glycyl glycine causes the bio-surfactant molecules to lose their hydrophobic hydration, the observed concentration-dependent changes in apparent molar volume and apparent molar adiabatic compression are likely attributable to changes in water–water interactions. Viscous relaxation time (τ) increases significantly with a rise in bio-surfactant concentration and decreases with increasing temperature, which may be because of structural relaxation processes resulting from molecular rearrangement. All of the estimated parameters have been analysed for their trends with regard to the different patterns of intermolecular interaction present in an aqueous glycyl glycine solution and bio-surfactant system.

In the present research work, PVFTX-100, PVFSDS, and PVFT-80 sponges were prepared using polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) with surfactants triton X-100/sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)/Tween 80, respectively, for the removal of organic solvents from polluted soil/water samples. All three obtained sponges were further made hydrophobic using dodecyltrimethoxysilane (DTMS). The prepared sponges were characterized using different spectroscopic techniques and SEM analysis. The peaks obtained near 1050 cm−1 and 790 cm−1 were attributed to Si-O-C and alkyl side chain C-H stretching vibration that confirmed the formation of desired sponges. The SEM images showed the random roughness with a number of protrusions on sponge surfaces, which further played an important role in the absorption and retention of organic solvents molecules. The Sears method was chosen to calculate the surface area and pore volume of all the synthesized sponge samples. Among all three prepared sponges, the PVFTX-100 sponge showed a high pore volume and large surface area, with a maximum percentage absorption capacity of 96%, 91%, 89.9%, 85.6%, and 80 for chlorobenzene, toluene, diesel, petrol, and hexane, respectively, after eightcycles. The organic solvent uptake using PVFTX-100, PVFSDS, and PVFT-80 sponges is quite a unique and simple technology, which could be employed at a large scale for contaminated soil/water systems.

Doxorubicin (DOXO) is an antineoplastic drug that is used extensively in managing multiple cancer types. However, DOXO-induced cardiotoxicity is a limiting factor for its widespread use and considerably affects patients’ quality of life. Farnesol (FSN) is a sesquiterpene with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor properties. Thus, the current study explored the cardioprotective effect of FSN against DOXO-induced cardiotoxicity. In this study, male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 7) and treated for 14 days. Group I (Control): normal saline, p.o. daily for 14 days; Group II (TOXIC): DOXO 2.4 mg/kg, i.p, thrice weekly for 14 days; Group III: FSN 100 mg/kg, p.o. daily for 14 days + DOXO similar to Group II; Group IV: FSN 200 mg/kg, p.o. daily for 14 days + DOXO similar to Group II; Group V (Standard): nifedipine 10 mg/kg, p.o. daily for 14 days + DOXO similar to Group II. At the end of the study, animals were weighed, blood was collected, and heart-weight was measured. The cardiac tissue was used to estimate biochemical markers and for histopathological studies. The observed results revealed that the FSN-treated group rats showed decrease in heart weight and heart weight/body weight ratio, reversed the oxidative stress, cardiac-specific injury markers, proinflammatory and proapoptotic markers and histopathological aberrations towards normal, and showed cardioprotection. In summary, the FSN reduces cardiac injuries caused by DOXO via its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic potential. However, more detailed mechanism-based studies are needed to bring this drug into clinical use.

Microbial Electrolysis Cells (MECs) are one of the bioreactors that have been used to produce bio-hydrogen by biological methods. The objective of this comprehensive review is to study the effects of MEC configuration (single-chamber and double-chamber), electrode materials (anode and cathode), substrates (sodium acetate, glucose, glycerol, domestic wastewater and industrial wastewater), pH, temperature, applied voltage and nanomaterials at maximum bio-hydrogen production rates (Bio-HPR). The obtained results were summarized based on the use of nanomaterials as electrodes, substrates, pH, temperature, applied voltage, Bio-HPR, columbic efficiency (CE) and cathode bio-hydrogen recovery (C Bio-HR). At the end of this review, future challenges for improving bio-hydrogen production in the MEC are also discussed.

This paper describes the simulation by Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator-1D (SCAPS-1D) software of ZnO/CdS/SnS/NiO/Au solar cells, in which zinc oxide (ZnO) is used as transparent conductive oxide (TCO) and nickel oxide (NiO) is used as a hole transport layer (HTL). The effects of absorber layer (SnS) thickness, carrier concentration, SnS defect density, NiO HTL, ZnO TCO, electron affinity and work function on cell performance have been evaluated. The effect of interface defect density of SnS/CdS on the performance of the heterojunction solar cell is also analysed. As the results indicate, a maximum power conversion efficiency of 26.92% was obtained.

In this work, a fast, environment-friendly and economic route was used to prepare ZnO and their nanocomposites containing reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for the fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The prepared nanostructures were well-characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman measurements. The XRD, Raman and TEM results confirmed that the ZnO nanostructures were crystallized into the hexagonal phase, and the nanocomposites containing RGO and CNTs. Morphological studies performed by using FESEM and TEM images showed that the ZnO possessed tube-like morphology with length and diameter in the range of ~1 micron and 90–200 nm, respectively, which were uniform and densely covered on the surface of the carbon materials. The DSSCs were fabricated using prepared nanostructures as a working electrode and platinum as a counter electrode with ruthenium-based dyes and iodide electrolytes. To further improve the efficiency of fabricated solar cells, nanocomposites of prepared nanostructures of ZnO with RGO and CNTs were synthesized, and their results were compared with the pristine samples. The results showed that the ZnO/CNTs (0.5 wt%) nanocomposites electrode exhibited the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of DSSCs with a maximum value of 0.612% compared to 0.326% of DSSC with pure ZnO, and 0.574% of DSSC with ZnO/RGO. Significantly, this technique could be used for large-scale production using the existing economical and highly effective DSSC fabrication technique.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are an environmentally friendly technology and a source of renewable energy. It is used to generate electrical energy from organic waste using bacteria, which is an effective technology in wastewater treatment. The anode and the cathode electrodes and proton exchange membranes (PEM) are important components affecting the performance and operation of MFC. Conventional materials used in the manufacture of electrodes and membranes are insufficient to improve the efficiency of MFC. The use of nanomaterials in the manufacture of the anode had a prominent effect in improving the performance in terms of increasing the surface area, increasing the transfer of electrons from the anode to the cathode, biocompatibility, and biofilm formation and improving the oxidation reactions of organic waste using bacteria. The use of nanomaterials in the manufacture of the cathode also showed the improvement of cathode reactions or oxygen reduction reactions (ORR). The PEM has a prominent role in separating the anode and the cathode in the MFC, transferring protons from the anode chamber to the cathode chamber while preventing the transfer of oxygen. Nanomaterials have been used in the manufacture of membrane components, which led to improving the chemical and physical properties of the membranes and increasing the transfer rates of protons, thus improving the performance and efficiency of MFC in generating electrical energy and improving wastewater treatment.

The present work deals with the micellar state study of sodium cholate and sodium deoxycholate in the aqueous solution of a bioactive peptide, namely glycyl dipeptide, having different concentrations through conductivity and fluorescence methods at different temperatures. The data obtained from conductivity is plotted against the concentration of Bile salts, and CMC (critical micelle concentration) values are calculated. The results realized have been elucidated with reference to Glycyl dipeptide–bile salts hydrophobic/hydrophilic interactions existing in solution. In addition, the CMC values converted to mole fraction (Xcmc) values have been used to evaluate the standard thermodynamic factors of micellization viz., enthalpy H, free energy ΔGm0, and entropy (ΔSm0) which extract information regarding thermodynamic feasibility of micellar state, energy alteration, and the assorted interactions established in the existing (bile salts–water–glycyl dipeptide) system. Furthermore, the pyrene fluorescence spectrum has also been utilized to study the change in micro polarity induced by the interactions of bile salts with glycyl dipeptide and the aggregation action of bile salts. The decrease in modification in the ratio of intensities of first and third peaks i.e., (I1/I3) for the pyrene molecules in aqueous bile salts solution by the addition of dipeptide, demonstrates that the micelle polarity is affected by glycyl dipeptide. This ratio has also been utilized to determine CMC values for the studied system, and the results have been found to be in good correlation with observations made in conductivity studies.

The main objective of the proposed work was the development of a thermosensitive gel (containing clove and tea tree oil) for the management of vaginal candidiasis. Both oils have been recommended to be used separately in a topical formulation for vaginal candidiasis. Incorporating two natural ingredients (clove and tea tree oil) into a product give it a broad antimicrobial spectrum and analgesic properties. The two oils were mixed together at a 3:1 ratio and converted into o/w nanoemulsion using the aqueous titration method and plotting pseudo ternary phase diagrams. Further transformations resulted in a gel with thermosensitive properties. To determine the final formulation’s potential for further clinical investigation, in vitro analyses (viscosity measurement, MTT assay, mucoadhesion, ex vivo permeation) and in vivo studies (fungal clearance kinetics in an animal model) were conducted. The current effort leveraged the potential of tea tree and clove oils as formulation ingredients and natural therapeutic agents for vaginal infections. Its synergy generated a stable and effective thermosensitive gel that can be utilized for recurrent candidiasis and other infections.

Herein, we present an electrocatalyst constructed by zinc oxide hexagonal prisms/phosphorus-doped carbon nitride wrinkles (ZnO HPs/P-CN) prepared via a facile sonochemical method towards the detection of nitrofurantoin (NF). The ZnO HPs/P-CN-sensing platform showed amplified response and low-peak potential compared with other electrodes. The exceptional electrochemical performance could be credited to ideal architecture, rapid electron/charge transfer, good conductivity, and abundant active sites in the ZnO HPs/P-CN composite. Resulting from these merits, the ZnO HPs/P-CN-modified electrode delivered rapid response (2 s), a low detection limit (2 nM), good linear range (0.01–111 µM), high sensitivity (4.62 µA µM−1 cm2), better selectivity, decent stability (±97.6%), and reproducibility towards electrochemical detection of NF. We further demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed ZnO HPs/P-CN sensor for detecting NF in samples of water and human urine. All the above features make our proposed ZnO HPs/P-CN sensor a most promising probe for detecting NF in natural samples.

Anti-reflective coating (ARC) layers on silicon (Si) solar cells usually play a vital role in the amount of light absorbed into the cell and protect the device from environmental degradation. This paper reports on the thickness optimization of hafnium oxide (HfO2) as an ARC layer for high-performance Si solar cells with PC1D simulation analysis. The deposition of the HfO2 ARC layer on Si cells was carried out with a low-cost sol-gel process followed by spin coating. The thickness of the ARC layer was controlled by varying the spinning speed. The HfO2 ARC with a thickness of 70 nm possessed the lowest average reflectance of 6.33% by covering wavelengths ranging from 400–1000 nm. The different thicknesses of HfO2 ARC layers were used as input parameters in a simulation study to explore the photovoltaic characteristics of Si solar cells. The simulation findings showed that, at 70 nm thickness, Si solar cells had an exceptional external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 98% and a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 21.15%. The thicknesses of HfO2 ARC considerably impacted the photovoltaic (PV) characteristics of Si solar cells, leading to achieving high-performance solar cells.

Herein, we describe the facile synthesis of spinel MgFe2O4 ferrite and its potential use as a gas sensor using a straightforward and reliable sol–gel approach, i.e., the glycine-assisted auto-combustion route. The novelty in obtaining the sensing material via the auto-combustion route is its inherent simplicity and capability to produce the material at an industry scale. The said cost-effective process makes use of simple metal salts (Mg and Fe-nitrates) and glycine in an aqueous solution, which leads to the formation of spinel MgFe2O4 ferrite. A single-phase crystallinity with crystallite sizes ranging between 36 and 41 nm was observed for the synthesized materials using the X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The porous morphologies of the synthesized materials caused by auto-ignition during the combustion process were validated by the microscopic investigations. The EDS analysis confirmed the constituted elements such as Mg, Fe, and O, without any impurity peaks. The gas-sensing ability of the synthesized ferrites was examined to detect various reducing gases such as LPG, ethanol, acetone, and ammonia. The ferrite showed the highest response (>80%) toward LPG with the response and recovery times of 15 s and 23 s, respectively. Though the sensor responded low toward ammonia (~30%), its response and recovery times were very quick, i.e., 7 s and 9 s, respectively. The present investigation revealed that the synthesized ferrite materials are good candidates for fabricating high-performance sensors for reducing gases in real-world applications.

Herein, we explore the supercapacitor and photocatalytic applications of poly(1-naphthylamine) (PNA) nanoparticles. The PNA nanoparticles were synthesized by using polymerization of 1-naphthylamine and characterized with several techniques in order to understand the morphological, structural, optical and compositional properties. The structural and morphological properties confirmed the formation of crystalline nanoparticles of PNA. The Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum revealed the successful polymerization of 1-naphthylamine monomer to PNA. The absorption peaks that appeared at 236 and 309 nm in the UV–Vis spectrum for PNA nanoparticles represented the π–π* transition. The supercapacitor properties of the prepared PNA nanoparticles were evaluated with cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD) methods at different scan rates and current densities, respectively. The effective series resistance was calculated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), resulting in a minimum resistance value of 1.5 Ω. The highest specific capacitance value of PNA was found to be 255 Fg−1. This electrode also exhibited excellent stability with >93% capacitance retention for 1000 cycles, as measured at 1A g−1. Further, the prepared PNA nanoparticles were used as an effective photocatalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye, which exhibited ~61% degradation under UV light irradiation. The observed results revealed that PNA nanoparticles are not only a potential electrode material for supercapacitor applications but also an efficient photocatalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of hazardous and toxic organic dyes.

The term graphene was coined using the prefix “graph” taken from graphite and the suffix “-ene” for the C=C bond, by Boehm et al. in 1986. The synthesis of graphene can be done using various methods. The synthesized graphene was further oxidized to graphene oxide (GO) using different methods, to enhance its multitude of applications. Graphene oxide (GO) is the oxidized analogy of graphene, familiar as the only intermediate or precursor for obtaining the latter at a large scale. Graphene oxide has recently obtained enormous popularity in the energy, environment, sensor, and biomedical fields and has been handsomely exploited for water purification membranes. GO is a unique class of mechanically robust, ultrathin, high flux, high-selectivity, and fouling-resistant separation membranes that provide opportunities to advance water desalination technologies. The facile synthesis of GO membranes opens the doors for ideal next-generation membranes as cost-effective and sustainable alternative to long existing thin-film composite membranes for water purification applications. Many types of GO–metal oxide nanocomposites have been used to eradicate the problem of metal ions, halomethanes, other organic pollutants, and different colors from water bodies, making water fit for further use. Furthermore, to enhance the applications of GO/metal oxide nanocomposites, they were deposited on polymeric membranes for water purification due to their relatively low-cost, clear pore-forming mechanism and higher flexibility compared to inorganic membranes. Along with other applications, using these nanocomposites in the preparation of membranes not only resulted in excellent fouling resistance but also could be a possible solution to overcome the trade-off between water permeability and solute selectivity. Hence, a GO/metal oxide nanocomposite could improve overall performance, including antibacterial properties, strength, roughness, pore size, and the surface hydrophilicity of the membrane. In this review, we highlight the structure and synthesis of graphene, as well as graphene oxide, and its decoration with a polymeric membrane for further applications.

This paper presents a unidirectional, left handed circularly polarized (LHCP), single layered antenna array with improved interport isolation for simultaneous transmit and receive (STAR) or in-band full duplex (IBFD) wireless applications. The proposed IBFD antenna is comprised of three identical and sequentially rotated LHCP radiating elements where two Rx patches are symmetrically placed with respect to a single Tx patch. The symmetry of proposed antenna structure results in same amount of coupling or self interference (SI) from Tx element and differentially driven Rx patches achieve effective suppression of resulting SI to obtain improved Tx-Rx interport isolation required for STAR applications. The deployed feed network for differential-driven Rx operation is composed of a simple 3dB/180° rat-race coupler (ring hybrid coupler) with nice in-band amplitude and out-of-phase balance characteristics. The implemented single layer, compact (antenna elements and feeding network etched on single-layered PCB) antenna array achieves 10dB return-loss bandwidth ≥ 75MHz for both Tx and Rx ports. The prototype achieves ≥ 47dB interport isolation in 75MHz bandwidth and 3 dB axial ratio beam-width is ~ 60° for implemented antenna.

In this article, we describe the fabrication and characterization of a sensor for acute myocardial infarction that detects myoglobin biomarkers using chromium (Cr)-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs). Pure and Cr-doped ZnO NPs (13 × 1017, 20 × 1017, and 32 × 1017 atoms/cm3 in the solid phase) were synthesized by a facile low-temperature sol-gel method. Synthesized NPs were examined for structure and morphological analysis using various techniques to confirm the successful formation of ZnO NPs. Zeta potential was measured in LB media at a negative value and increased with doping. XPS spectra confirmed the presence of oxygen deficiency in the synthesized material. To fabricate the sensor, synthesized NPs were screen-printed over a pre-fabricated gold-coated working electrode for electrochemical detection of myoglobin (Mb). Cr-doped ZnO NPs doped with 13 × 1017 Cr atomic/cm3 revealed the highest sensitivity of ~37.97 μA.cm−2nM−1 and limit of detection (LOD) of 0.15 nM for Mb with a response time of ≤10 ms. The interference study was carried out with cytochrome c (Cyt-c) due to its resemblance with Mb and human serum albumin (HSA) abundance in the blood and displayed distinct oxidation potential and current values for Mb. Cr-doped ZnO NP-based Mb biosensors showed 3 times higher sensitivity as compared to pure ZnO NP-based sensors.

The transformation of biowaste into products with added value offers a lucrative role in nation-building. The current work describes the synthesis of highly water-soluble, luminous carbon quantum dots (CQDs) in the size range of 5–10 nm from discarded rice straw. The small spherical CQDs that were formed had outstanding optical and luminescent qualities as well as good photostabilities. By performing quantitative multi-assay tests that included antioxidant activities, in vitro stability and colloidal assay investigations as a function of different CQD concentrations, the biocompatibility of CQDs was evaluated. To clearly visualize the type of surface defects and emissive states in produced CQDs, excitation-dependent fluorescence emission experiments have also been carried out. The “waste-to-wealth” strategy that has been devised is a successful step toward the quick and accurate detection of Cu2+ ion in aqueous conditions. The fluorescence-quenching behavior has specified the concentration dependency of the developed sensor in the range of 50 μM to 10 nM, with detection limit value of 0.31 nM. The main advantage of the current research is that it offers a more environmentally friendly, economically viable and scaled-up synthesis of toxicologically screened CQDs for the quick fluorescence detection of Cu2+ ions and opens up new possibilities in wastewater management.

In the present paper, the theoretical investigation of the device structure ITO/CeO2/SnS/Spiro-OMeTAD/Mo of SnS-based solar cell has been performed. The aim of this work is to examine how the Spiro-OMeTAD HTL affects the performance of SnS-based heterostructure solar cell. Using SCAPS-1D simulation software, various parameters of SnS-based solar cell such as work function, series and shunt resistance and working temperature have been investigated. With the help of Spiro-OMeTAD, the suggested cell’s open-circuit voltage was increased to 344 mV. The use of Spiro-OMeTAD HTL in the SnS-based solar cell resulted in 14% efficiency increase, and the proposed heterojunction solar cell has 25.65% efficiency. The cell’s performance is determined by the carrier density and width of the CeO2 ETL (electron transport layer), SnS absorber layer and Spiro-OMeTAD HTL (hole transport layer). These data reveal that the Spiro-OMeTAD solar cells could have been a good HTL (hole transport layer) in regards to producing SnS-based heterojunction solar cell with high efficiency and reduced cost.

In the traditional surface plasmon resonance sensor, the sensitivity is calculated by the usage of angular interrogation. The proposed surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor uses a diamagnetic material (Al2O3), nickel (Ni), and two-dimensional (2D) BlueP/WS2 (blue phosphorous-tungsten di-sulfide). The Al2O3 sheet is sandwiched between silver (Ag) and nickel (Ni) films in the Kretschmann configuration. A mathematical simulation is performed to improve the sensitivity of an SPR sensor in the visible region at a frequency of 633 nm. The simulation results show that an upgraded sensitivity of 332°/RIU is achieved for the metallic arrangement consisting of 17 nm of Al2O3 and 4 nm of Ni in thickness for analyte refractive indices ranging from 1.330 to 1.335. The thickness variation of the layers plays a curial role in enhancing the performance of the SPR sensor. The thickness variation of the proposed configuration containing 20 nm of Al2O3 and 1 nm of Ni with a monolayer of 2D material BlueP/WS2 enhances the sensitivity to as high as 374°/RIU. Furthermore, it is found that the sensitivity can be altered and managed by means of altering the film portions of Ni and Al2O3

Industrial wastes, for instance, tannery wastes are rich soups of resistant and bioremediation-potent bacteria. In the present work, Chromium (Cr) and tannic acid (TA) resistance bacterial strains were isolated from tannery effluent and identified as Bacillus subtilis (MCC 3275) and Bacillus safensis (MCC 3283) based on its 16S Ribosomal RNA homology. Hexavalent Cr is highly toxic and mutagenic due to its high mobility and reactivity. Whereas, TA is known to inhibit enzyme activity, substrate deprivation, and interaction with membranes and matrix-metal ions. The developed In vitro co-cultured microcosm of B. subtilis and B. safensis was able to remove Cr(VI) up to 95% and TA up to 23%. The bacteria cultures separately were able to degrade Cr(VI) to 88% by B. subtilis and 91% by B. safensis and TA up to 27%. Plackett Burman design (PBD) followed by Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied for the optimization of physio-chemical parameters. The optimized conditions for co-culture development were recorded as K2HPO4 = 0.2 g/L, MgSO4 = 0.2 g/L, NH4Cl = 0.5 g/L, glucose – 0.2 g/L, TA – 5%, Cr = 200 ppm, incubation period of 96 h, agitation speed of 110 rpm, pH = 5.0, temperature= 30 °C and inoculum size = 3%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) revealed the thorough mechanism of cellular uptake followed by degradation of Cr(VI) and TA. The efficiency of co-culture for other heavy metals was observed as follows: Zn 65%, Pb 63%, Cd 65%, and Ni 65%. Bioremediation using bacteria is an economical and environmentally better alternative to conventional remediation methods. The isolated bacteria are useful in the effluent treatment of tannery or related industries and in metal recovery in mining processes.