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This study investigates the antiviral efficacy of chitosan‐stabilized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against the Foot‐and‐Mouth Disease virus (FMDV), a highly contagious pathogen affecting cloven‐hoofed animals. In vitro experiments demonstrated that AgNPs effectively inhibited FMDV replication in a dose‐dependent manner. At a concentration of 1.56 μg/ml, AgNPs exhibited no cytotoxicity to baby hamster kidney 21 (BHK21) cells while achieving complete deactivation of FMDV at a titer of 103 TCID50 and inhibiting viral growth at a titer of 104 TCID50. These findings suggest the potential of silver nanoparticles as a novel disinfectant for controlling FMDV transmission and preventing disease outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In Vietnam, NTFPs has become an important source of cash income for local people living in or near the forests. The commercial collection of these products could reduce both the number of species and population of a species in the forests. In order to keep the balance between biodiversity and commercial collection of NTFPs, this paper evaluates the dependence of forest dwellers on NTFPs and identifies the relation between household characteristics and cash income generated by NTFP collection. As a result, commercial collection of NTFPs is negatively correlated to dependency ratio, poverty level and distance to the provincial city, and positively correlated with female labors of households. Moreover, NTFPs are proved to be very important in poor households or in those who lack rice or high rate of female labor. The households who have higher dependency ratio benefit less from NTFPs sold, while those who lack rice for their own consumption or have a higher rate of female labor depend more on NTFPs. Poor households are more dependent on NTFP collection than other groups. Finally, the result of this study highly recommends that the Government of Vietnam be aware of gender balance, distance to provincial city, poverty level and dependency ratio when applying a policy related to NTFP conservation. An appropriate incentive policy for woman and poor households might be a possible solution for less commercial collection of NTFPs. The poor households who have low dependency ratio or high female labor rate should be encouraged to participate in the forest management system to control the balance between commercial collection of NTFP and conservation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

TiO2 nanoparticles have emerged as a great photocatalyst to degrade organic contaminants in water; however, the nanoparticles dispersed in water could be difficult to be recovered and potentially become contaminant. Herbicide like 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) used in agriculture usually ends up with a large fraction remaining in water and sediment, which may cause potential risk to human health and the ecosystem. This study proposes a greener method to utilize TiO2 as photocatalyst to remove 2,4-D from water. Accordingly, TiO2 nanoparticles (10–45 nm) were synthesized and grafted on lightweight fired clay to generate a TiO2-based floating photocatalyst. Experimental testing revealed that 60.2% of 2,4-D (0.1 mM) can be decomposed in 250 min under UV light with TiO2-grafted lightweight fired clay floating on water. Degradation fits well into the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The floating photocatalysts can degrade approximately 50% 2,4-D in 250 min under sunlight and the degradation efficiency is stable for cycles. The results revealed that the fabrication of floating photocatalyst could be a promising and greener way to remove herbicide contaminants in water using TiO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue fever pandemic caused by dengue virus has been claimed for many lives, however, no specific treatment is available. Prevention based on vector control posed to be the most effective measure so far. The application of chitosan stabilized silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) to control larvae and adult mosquitoes has recently discovered, but their ability to inhibit Dengue virus has scarcely discussed. In this study, chitosan stabilized AgNPs have been prepared and tested against dengue virus type 1. The results showed that chitosan stabilized AgNPs can inhibit 96.66% and 98.33% dengue virus type 1 at 12.50 ppm and 25.00 ppm, respectively, without any toxicity to BHKFcÉŁ cells. This study confirms that chitosan stabilized AgNPs have a highly antiviral ability against dengue virus in addition to its mosquitocidal properties. This allows one to control both virus and vector simultaneously. The study suggested that chitosan stabilized AgNPs could be an effective tool to prevent the dengue epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Pt/WO 3 was synthesized by dry plasma reduction. • 92.8 % removal efficiency of tetracycline under 1 kW/m2 was obtained. • The mineralization and possible degradation pathways of tetracycline are studied. • Tetracycline degradation kinetics are investigated. By using the dry plasma reduction method, Pt nanoparticles were successfully immobilized into WO 3 to fabricate a Pt/WO 3 composite catalyst and its application as an efficient photocatalysis in solar-driven degradation of Tetracycline (TTC). As a result, Pt nanoparticles (∼5nm) are uniform and well-distributed on the surface of WO 3. The bandgap of Pt/WO 3 is slightly lower than that of WO 3. The optimized TTC degradation efficiency reached 76.62 % and 92.58 % under visible light and 1-sun irradiation, respectively. The mineralization study further proved that at the optimum operational parameters, only 53.68 % and 71.38 % of TTC compounds were decomposed completely into inorganic ones under compact light and 1-sun irradiation, respectively. The transformation process of TTC showed that holes and hydroxyl radicals are the main agents for TTC degradation. The removal percentage declined by 6 % after seven consecutive cycles, showing high reusability, full-scale, and practical application of Pt/WO 3 material in organic compound treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]