Mesoporous WO3-graphene photocatalyst for photocatalytic degradation of Methylene Blue dye under visible light illumination

Advanced oxidation technologies are a friendly environmental approach for the remediation of industrial wastewaters. Here, one pot synthesis of mesoporous WO₃ and WO₃-graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposites has been performed through the sol-gel method. Then, platinum (Pt) nanoparticles were deposited onto the WO₃ and WO₃-GO nanocomposite through photochemical reduction to produce mesoporous Pt/WO₃ and Pt/WO₃-GO nanocomposites. X-ray diffraction (XRD) findings exhibit a formation of monoclinic and triclinic WO₃ phases. Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) images of Pt/WO₃-GO nanocomposites exhibited that WO₃ nanoparticles are obviously agglomerated and the particle sizes of Pt and WO₃ are ~10nm and 20-50nm, respectively. The mesoporous Pt/WO₃ and Pt/WO₃-GO nanocomposites were assessed for photocatalytic degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) as a probe molecule under visible light illumination. The findings showed that mesoporous Pt/WO₃, WO₃-GO and Pt/WO₃-GO nanocomposites exhibited much higher photocatalytic efficiencies than the pure WO₃. The photodegradation rates by mesoporous Pt/WO₃-GO nanocomposites are 3, 2 and 1.15 times greater than those by mesoporous WO₃, WO₃-GO, and Pt/WO₃, respectively. The key factors of the enhanced photocatalytic performance of Pt/WO₃-GO nanocomposites could be explained by the highly freedom electron transfer through the synergetic effect between WO₃ and GO sheets, in addition to the Pt nanoparticles that act as active sites for O₂ reduction, which suppresses the electron hole pair recombination in the Pt/WO₃-GO nanocomposites.

Impact of phosphate solubilizing bacteria on wheat (Triticum aestivum ) in the presence of pesticides

Three phosphate solubilizing bacteria were isolated and identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas sp and Pseudomonas fulva . The strains were subjected to plant biochemical testing and all the PGPR attributes were checked in the presence of pesticides (chlorpyrifos and pyriproxyfen). The phosphate solubilizing index of strain Ros2 was highest in NBRIP medium i.e 2.23 mm. All the strains showed acidic pH (ranges from 2.5-5) on both medium i.e PVK and NBRIP. Strain Ros2 was highly positive for ammonia production as well as siderophore production while strain Rad2 was positive for HCN production. The results obtained by the strains Rad1, Rad2 and Ros2 for auxin production were 33.1, 30.67 and 15.38 µg ml-1, respectively. Strain Rad1 showed 16% increase in percentage germination in comparison to control in the presence of pesticide stress. Most promising results for chlorophyll content estimation were obtained in the presence of carotenoids upto 6 mgg-1 without stress by both strains Rad1 and Rad2. Study suggests that especially strain Ros2 can enhance plant growth parameters in the pesticide stress.

Efficient photodecomposition of herbicide imazapyr over mesoporous Ga2O3-TiO2 nanocomposites

The unabated release of herbicide imazapyr into the soil and groundwater led to crop destruction and several pollution-related concerns. In this contribution, heterogeneous photocatalytic technique was employed utilizing mesoporous Ga₂O₃-TiO₂ nanocomposites for degrading imazapyr herbicide as a model pollutant molecule. Mesoporous Ga₂O₃-TiO₂ nanocomposites with varied Ga₂O₃ contents (0-5wt%) were synthesized through sol-gel process. XRD and Raman spectra exhibited extremely crystalline anatase TiO₂ phase at low Ga₂O₃ content which gradually reduced with the increase of Ga₂O₃ content. TEM images display uniform TiO₂ particles (10±2nm) with mesoporous structure. The mesoporous TiO₂ exhibits large surface areas of 167m²g^-1, diminished to 108m²g^-1 upon 5% Ga₂O₃ incorporation, with tunable mesopore diameter in the range of 3-9nm. The photocatalytic efficiency of synthesized Ga₂O₃-TiO₂ nanocomposites was assessed by degrading imazapyr herbicide and comparing with commercial photocatalyst UV-100 and mesoporous Ga₂O₃ under UV illumination. 0.1% Ga₂O₃-TiO₂ nanocomposite is considered the optimum photocatalyst, which degrades 98% of imazapyr herbicide within 180min. Also, the photodegradation rate of imazapyr using 0.1% Ga₂O₃-TiO₂ nanocomposite is nearly 10 and 3-fold higher than that of mesoporous Ga₂O₃ and UV-100, respectively. The high photonic efficiency and long-term stability of the mesoporous Ga₂O₃-TiO₂ nanocomposites are ascribed to its stronger oxidative capability in comparison with either mesoporous TiO₂, Ga₂O₃ or commercial UV-100.

New host record and molecular characterization of Dicauda atherinoidi Hoffman & Walker (Bivalvulida: Myxobolidae): a parasite of the emerald shiner Notropis atherinoides Rafinesque, 1818 and mimic shiner Notropis vollucellus Cope, 1865

Updated morphological and histopathological descriptions for Dicauda atherinoidi (Bivalvulida:Myxobolidae) and an expanded host range are supplemented with the first molecular data and phylogenetic analyses of the genus. Plasmodia were located on the head, ventrum/body and fins of infected emerald shiner Notropis atherinoides Rafinesque, 1818 and mimic shiner Notropis vollucellus Cope, 1865, a new host species. Myxospores were spherical, ranging 9.3-11.4 μm (10.5 ± 0.4) in length, 9.0-11.0 μm (9.7 ± 0.4) in width and 6.6-7.0 μm (6.8 ± 0.2) thick in sutural view, and possessed 2-3 caudal processes (5.3-68.3 μm, 31.1 ± 13.6) connected to the spore body at the sutural groove, all of which are consistent with the genus Dicauda. In the absence of available Dicauda sequence data, the 18S rDNA sequences from Michigan isolates were most similar to Myxobolus spp. Phylogenetic analyses clustered these isolates with myxobolid species from cyprinid fish, suggesting these parasites may represent an underpopulated group of cyprinid-infecting myxozoans. Histopathology revealed thin-walled plasmodial pseudocysts in the dermis and associated connective tissue, where granulomatous inflammation and focal scale atrophy were also present. Further sampling/sequencing of myxobolids from Notropis spp. should expand these underrepresented myxozoans and offer further insight into Myxobolidae host family tropisms.

Isolation and characterization of Flavobacterium columnare strains infecting fishes inhabiting the Laurentian Great Lakes basin

Flavobacterium columnare, the aetiological agent of columnaris disease, causes significant losses in fish worldwide. In this study, the prevalence of F. columnare infection was assessed in representative Great Lakes fish species. Over 2000 wild, feral and hatchery-propagated salmonids, percids, centrarchids, esocids and cyprinids were examined for systemic F. columnare infections. Logistic regression analyses showed that the prevalence of F. columnare infection varied temporally and by the sex of the fish, whereby females had significantly higher prevalence of infection. A total of 305 isolates of F. columnare were recovered. Amplification of the near complete 16S rRNA gene from 34 representative isolates and subsequent restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses demonstrated that all belonged to F. columnare genomovar I. Phylogenetic analysis of near complete 16S rRNA gene sequences also placed the isolates in genomovar I, but revealed some intragenomovar heterogeneity. Together, these results suggest that F. columnare genomovar I is widespread in the Great Lakes Basin, where its presence may lead to mortality.

Using routine blood test results to predict the risk of death for emergency medical admissions to hospital: an external model validation study

BACKGROUND

The Biochemistry and Haematology Outcome Model (BHOM) relies on the results from routine index blood tests to predict the patient risk of death. We aimed to externally validate the BHOM model.

METHOD

We considered all emergency adult medical patients who were discharged from Northern Lincolnshire and Goole (NLAG) hospital in 2014. We compared patient characteristics between NLAG (the validation sample) and the hospital where BHOM was developed. We evaluated the predictive performance, according to discriminative ability (with a concordance statistic, c), and calibration (agreement between observed and predicted risk).

RESULT

There were 29 834 emergency discharges of which 24 696 (83%) had complete data. In comparison with the development sample, the NLAG sample was similar in age, blood test results, but experienced a lower mortality (4.7 vs. 8.7%). When applied to NLAG, the BHOM model had good discrimination (c-statistic 0.83 [95% CI 0.823-0.842]). Calibration was good overall, although the BHOM model overpredicted for lowest (<5%, observed = 229, predicted = 286) and highest (≥50%, observed = 31, predicted = 49) risk groups, even after recalibrating for the differences in baseline risk of death.

CONCLUSION

Differences in patient case-mix profile and baseline risk of death need to be considered before the BHOM model can be used in another hospital. After re-calibrating for the baseline difference in risk the BHOM model had good discrimination but less adequate calibration.

Efficacy of CVD Risk Factor Modification in a Lower-Middle Class Community in Pakistan: The Metroville Health Study

The Metroville Health Study aimed to reduce consumption of total cooking fats by 33%, salt by 25% and replace ghee with vegetable oil in a lower middle class urban community in Pakistan. Households (n=403) were randomly assigned to Intervention and Control groups. A baseline screening collected data on CVD risk factors, knowledge and attitudes and household consumption of cooking fats and salt. Intervention households received information about CVD and regular visits by social workers who measured cooking fats and salt and counselled cooks on the goals of intervention. Two years later, 291 households were re-screened. Intervention households reduced consumption of fats and salt compared to differences were total fat, 48% ( p<0.0001); ghee, 37% ( p=0.005); vegetable oil, 33% ( p=0.0001); and salt, 41% ( p=0.011). Household visits by trained social workers were effective in achieving reductions in consumption of cooking fat and salt in a lower class urban community. Asia Pac J Public Health 2003; 15(1): 30-36.

Correlation of the Serum Level of Carcinoembryonic Antigen and Prolactin with Different Stages of Colorectal Carcinoma According to Dukes' Staging

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is well established tumor marker for colorectal cancers worldwide. Recent studies show that serum prolactin level is also raised in colorectal cancers. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the correlation of serum CEA and Prolactin with Dukes' staging of colorectal carcinomas. Between January 2013 and June 2013, Serum CEA and Serum Prolactin were measured by radioimmunoassay from 103 patients who were histopathologically diagnosed as colorectal carcinomas. Evaluation of the stages of the colorectal cancers was done on the basis of preoperative investigations and postoperative histopathology and correlated with Preoperative Serum CEA and Serum Prolactin. Results were presented as median value, range and percentage. Male to female ratio was 1.4:1 with median age of 42.26 years (range 17-78 years). Most of the patients in this series presented with carcinoma rectum (42%). Most of the patients (52%) were found in Dukes' stage C and 27% and 15% cases were found as Dukes' stage B and Dukes' stage D respectively. Stage of the disease is directly proportionate to percentage of the patient with high serum prolactin except early stage (Dukes' A-50%, Dukes' B-28.6%, Dukes' C-33.3% & Dukes' D-46.7%). Similarly serum CEA level is directly proportionate to tumor stage (Dukes' A-0%, Dukes' B-32%, Dukes' C-40.7% & Dukes' D-74.7%). A preoperative high serum CEA value suggests advanced disease either locally or with distant metastasis. In contrast preoperative high serum prolactin (hyperprolactinaemia) did not suggest advanced disease as it can be elevated even in early stage of disease. Serum CEA and Serum Prolactin both are valuable tumor markers but serum CEA could not be replaced by serum Prolactin. Serum Prolactin may be a helpful marker in earlier stages of the colorectal cancer.