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This study envisages the utilization of unique properties of Gd2S3 and 2D graphitic carbon nitride towards the development of novel multiutility water treatment nanomaterial. The g-C3N4/Gd2S3 as a novel nanomaterial with desirably tuned properties was characterized by standard techniques, like PXRD, SEM, UV-visible spectroscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), to thoroughly analyze the synthesized material. The observed results signify synergism of individual properties of pristine constituents on g-C3N4/Gd2S3 composite formation adding suitability towards the electrochemical sensing and photocatalytic applications. The g-C3N4/Gd2S3 nanocomposite material was optimized for electrochemical detection of dopamine (DA). Electrochemical studies with composite modified glassy carbon electrode under neutral pH conditions indicated good sensitivity over an optimum operational range, paving the way for potential applications in dopamine sensing. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) results demonstrated a linear concentration range spanning from 0.5 to 200 μM, with the lowest (1.2 nM) limit of detection. The desired modulation of photocatalytic descriptors (band gap, recombination rate, charge carrier concentration, and flat band potentials) on composite formation were utilized in visible light degradation of methylene blue and rhodamine B as representative contaminants. The g-C3N4/Gd2S3 nanocomposite exhibited favorable qualities of environmentally viable operational conditions, catalytic reproducibility, stability, and selectivity, highlighting its potential for real-time application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current study assessed the knowledge of the medical students regarding the nature of radiation, associated risks, and protective measures. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among international students enrolled in different medical colleges/universities in Xian, PR China. A self-developed and self-reported questionnaire was used for the current study. The descriptive statistics was carried out to summarize the finding of the study. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests were conducted to assess the association of the demographics with knowledge level. Results: A total of 796 students responded among 980. Most of the participants fell in the age range of 20–25 years (42.6%), being male (67.1%) and having bachelor's education (56.7%). Participants with previous experience was 58.7%. The age group of 20–25 years (p < 0.001), being male (p < 0.001), having bachelor education (p < 0.001), and previous experience (p = 0.009) was significantly associated with moderate to good knowledge. The overall knowledge about the nature of radiation (96%) and associated risk (82%) was good, but regarding protection, 59% of the participants showed good knowledge. Conclusion: Most of the participants showed satisfactory result. However, the knowledge regarding protection measures was poor in almost half of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undernutrition is a major public health problem in developing countries. Around 40·2 % of children are stunted in Pakistan. This longitudinal study aimed to assess the effectiveness of locally produced ready-to-use supplementary foods in the prevention of stunting by detecting change in of children in intervention v. control arm against the 2006 WHO growth reference. A community-based non-randomised cluster-controlled trial was conducted from January 2018 to December 2020 in the district of Kurram, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A total of 80 clusters (each cluster comprising ≈ 250–300 households) were defined in the catchment population of twelve health facilities. Children aged 6–18 months were recruited n 1680. The intervention included a daily ration of 50 g – locally produced ready-to-use-supplementary food (Wawa-Mum). The main outcome of this study was a change in length for age z-score (LAZ) v. WHO growth standards. Comparison between the interventions was by t test and ANOVA. Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the association between stunting occurrence and the utilisation of locally produced supplement. Out of the total 1680, fifty-one out of the total 1680, 51·1 out of the total 1680 and 51·1 % (n 859) were male. Mean age 13·9 months (sd + 859) were male. Mean age 13·9 months (sd + –4·4). At baseline, 36·9 % (n 618) were stunted. In the intervention group, mean LAZ score significantly increased from −1·13(2·2 sd) at baseline to −0·93(1·8 sd) at 6-month follow-up (P value 0·01) compared with the control group. The incidence rate of stunting in the intervention arm was 1·3 v. 3·4 per person year in the control arm. The control group had a significantly increased likelihood of stunting (Hazard Ratio (HR) 1·7, 95 % CI 1·46, 2·05, P value < 0·001) v. the intervention group. Locally produced ready-to-use supplementary food is an effective intervention for reducing stunting in children below 2 years of age. This can be provided as part of a malnutrition prevention package to overcome the alarming rates of stunting in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harnessing solar energy using semiconductor-based materials to generate charge pairs to effectively drive photo-redox reactions has been envisioned as a promising approach toward a sustainable future. In this arena, the metal sulfide nanoparticles have demonstrated excellent performance in photomineralizing colored matter. However, their small surface area and relatively slow charge transfer has limited their practical applications. Therefore, for the effective mineralization of colored matter, we devise and construct the Sn2S3–In2S3 S-scheme in collaboration with 2D graphene oxide nanosheets. The material offers a well-defined nanosheet and nanoflake morphology for the effective contact with and catalysis of crystal violet (CV) dye as a model contaminant. Compared to Sn2S3–In2S3/GO, the pristine Sn2S3 and Sn2S3–In2S3 cause negligible degradation of CV using a visible-light source. This enhanced photocatalysis is supported by the peculiar properties of GO, such as its high surface area, electron-shuttling performance, and ability to prevent charge back-recombination. Under simulated conditions, more than 99% of CV was mineralized within 60 min of contact time. The photodegradation follows pseudo-first-order kinetics with a rate constant (Kt) = 0.02317 min−1. Furthermore, the photo mineralization of CV dye was thoroughly investigated using the GC-MS technique. More importantly, Sn2S3–In2S3/GO exhibits promising recyclability over multiple degradation cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrobenzene (NB) is a hazardous aromatic compound known for its high environmental persistence and potential toxicity to both human health and ecological systems. The World Health Organization classified NB as a Group 2B carcinogen in 2017. Regular monitoring of NB in water systems remains the primary preventive measure to mitigate the risk of long-term harm to human and animal health. Herein, we report the synthesis of magnetically active NiS2/Fe3S4 nanoflakes for highly selective electrochemical detection and catalytic reduction of nitrobenzene. The NiS2/Fe3S4 nanocomposite was characterised using various techniques such as X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectrometry and elemental mapping, and the NiS2/Fe3S4-modified electrode shows an enhanced electrochemical performance compared to other electrodes. Interestingly, the NiS2 nanospheres are anchored on Fe3S4 nanoflakes, which provides a sufficient pathway for rapid electron/ion transportation. The proposed sensor offers a wide detection range from 0.01 to 100 μM with a correlation coefficient of 0.998 and a very low detection limit of 7.0 nm. Moreover, nitrobenzene is catalytically reduced to the least toxic aniline in the presence of sodium borohydride as a mild reducing agent in just 10 min of contact time. The magnetically separable catalyst offers good recovery, higher stability, selectivity, reproducibility, and real-time monitoring of the contaminants. This work introduces a novel catalyst and a unique approach that combines electrochemical detection and catalytic reduction to efficiently monitor nitrobenzene and to remediate the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]