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Purification of Pb2+ in water by magnetic strontium hydroxyapatite nanorods
No full textIn this study, magnetic hydroxyapatite nanorods Sr5(PO4)3(OH)/Fe3O4, called FSP for short, with different magnetic contents were synthesized by one-step hydrothermal method. FSP materials were then investigated as effective adsorbents for adsorption of Pb2+ from aqueous solution. FSP materials with 2 wt% magnetic content (denoted as FSP2) exhibited high magnetic separation efficiency and Pb2+ removal capacity. Then, FSP2 were further characterized by SEM, EDS, XRD, PPMS, BET, and Zeta potential. FSP2 demonstrated a leaching rate of ∼5 % at pH 5, indicating excellent chemical stability in aqueous environments. Effects of two influence parameters (temperature and material dosage) were studied and the optimized adsorption conditions were 25 °C and material dosage of 0.05 g. The kinetic and isotherm data accorded with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Temkin model, respectively. The EDS and XRD results of mechanism study indicated that the adsorption of Pb2+ involves ion exchange and surface adsorption. Ion exchange Pb2+ for Sr2+ was predominant. The results of application research showed that the adsorption capacity of Pb2+ by FSP2 in environmental water samples was all higher than 600 mg g−1. Due to their easy preparation method and good adsorption capability, magnetic FSP2 are regarded as promising composite materials for the adsorption of Pb2+ from solutions
Simulating the use of discontinuous patterned hydrogel to improve inter‐electrode resistance on electrode arrays
Get PDFBackground
A novel form of sensory stimulation aiming to treat spasticity has been developed, and a clinical trial is currently underway. This uses an electrode array controlled by a programmable 64-channel stimulator to spatially vary the electrical stimulation over time. However, when a continuous layer of hydrogel interfaces between the array and skin, stimulation spreads, causing lower current densities applied over larger areas of tissue. A new approach was developed, modeled, and tested, utilizing discontinuous patterned hydrogel to improve inter-electrode resistance on electrode arrays.
Methods
Finite-difference modeling was used to estimate stimulation distribution within the hydrogel and subcutaneous tissue under the electrode array. Repeated simulations modeled changes due to variations in hydrogel, skin, and subcutaneous tissue resistivity. Properties of both continuous sheets and patterned hydrogel were used for the simulation. Physical prototypes of the continuous and patterned hydrogel were manufactured and tested for comparison with the simulation.
Results
Simulation results showed a reduced spread of stimulation between electrodes when using the discontinuous patterned hydrogel compared to the continuous hydrogel. This was demonstrated consistently for all variations in hydrogel, skin, and subcutaneous tissue resistivity. Laboratory testing supported the simulation results and suggested the improved performance of the patterned hydrogel, compared with the continuous hydrogel, may become more substantial over time.
Conclusions
While the simulation only approximates the stimulation distribution on electrode arrays, the results do show potential benefits of utilizing discontinuous patterned hydrogel to increase inter-electrode resistance. Laboratory testing and initial feedback from the clinical trial support the results indicated in the simulations
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Anaemia and Undernutrition Among Children Aged 6–24 Months in Rural Tanzania
Get PDFBackground: Anaemia and undernutrition remain a significant public health problem in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly affecting under-five children. In Tanzania, the prevalence of anaemia and undernutrition in under-five children is still high; however, less is known about the prevalence and predictors of these conditions in rural areas. Therefore, the current cross-sectional study presents the prevalence and determinants of anaemia and undernutrition among 457 children aged 6–24 months in the Babati and Hanang districts of Tanzania. Method: Haemoglobin concentration was assessed through capillary blood samples. Anaemia was classified according to WHO 2011 guidelines using a cut-off of <11.0 g/dL for children under five, while the WHO 2006 growth indicators were used to classify the nutritional status (i.e., stunting, wasting and underweight). Results: The results from this study show that 32%, 32%, 20% and 4% of children aged 6–24 months were anaemic, stunted, underweight and wasted, respectively, while only 33% had an adequate minimum dietary diversity (MDD). In addition, the child’s age (13–24 months) was significantly associated with anaemia (AOR: 2.1 95% CI 1.4, 3.1), stunting (AOR:17.4 95% CI 10.3, 29.4) and underweight (AOR: 15.9 95% CI 7.9, 32.0). Moreover, male children were three times more likely to be wasted (AOR: 3.5 95% CI 1.1, 10.9) than their female counterparts. Anaemia and stunting were the most prevalent nutritional disorders among 6–24-month-old children in the Hanang and Babati districts. Moreover, age (13–24 months) was found to be the common predictor for anaemia, stunting and underweight. Conclusion: The observed association between age and anaemia, as well as undernutrition, suggest that age may be an essential factor when designing nutrition-related programs in similar rural settings
Leverage points to improve resilience in supply chains: Civil food resilience and food sovereignty
Get PDFAdverse impacts of various interrelated socio-environmental crises reveal food systems as increasingly vulnerable and call for action. To improve food system resilience, we review adaptations of agri-food supply chains and suggest leverage points for change. We distinguish shallow from deep leverage points. Shallow ones merely aim at recovering the established supply chain after a shock, whereas deep leverage lies in changing the design or intent of the system. Findings suggest that responses to COVID-19, which dominate the sample, are biased towards short-term recovery, and neither did justice to calls for “building back better” nor to the long-term impacts of relatively neglected causes of disturbance such as climate change, biodiversity decline, and economic crises. We outline contradictions in resilience discourse between the drive towards short-term system recovery and the need to address long-term stressors caused by an unsustainable food and economic system. Given the need for deep, systemic change, we advocate for civil food resilience and food sovereignty as frameworks for resilience research and food systems transformation
Quantifying association of early proteinuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate changes with long-term kidney failure in C3 glomerulopathy and immune-complex membranous proliferative glomerulonephritis using the United Kingdom RaDaR Registry
Get PDFIntroduction
C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) and immune-complex membranous proliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN) are rare disorders that frequently result in kidney failure over the long-term. Presently, there are no disease-specific treatments approved for these disorders, although there is much interest in the therapeutic potential of complement inhibition. However, the limited duration and necessarily small size of controlled trials means there is a need to quantify how well short-term changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and proteinuria predict the clinically important outcome of kidney failure.
Methods
We address this using longitudinal data from the UK Registry of Rare Kidney Diseases (RaDaR) involving retrospective and prospective data collection with linkage to hospital laboratories via automated feeds of 371 patients. Analyses of kidney survival were conducted using Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression with eGFR slope estimated using linear mixed models.
Results
In a median of 11.0 (inter quartile range 7.4-15.1) years follow-up, 148 patients (40%) reached kidney failure. There was no significant difference in progression to kidney failure between C3G and IC-MPGN groups. Baseline urine protein-creatinine ratio (UPCR), although high, was not associated with kidney failure in either group. Two-year eGFR slope had a modest association with kidney failure. In contrast, both 20%‒50% and 50 mg/mmol reductions in UPCR between 0-12 months were associated with lower kidney failure risk in both groups. Notably, those with a UPCR under 100 mg/mmol at 12 months had a substantially lower risk of kidney failure (hazard ratio 0.10 (95% confidence interval 0.03-0.30).
Conclusions
Overall, proteinuria a short time after diagnosis is strongly associated with long-term outcomes and a UPCR under 100 mg/mmol at one year is associated with a substantially lower kidney failure risk
The individual and situational factors predicting unethical behaviour in the workplace: a direct and conceptual replication of Jones & Kavanagh (1996)
Get PDFIntentions to act unethically in the workplace are purported to be driven by a number of situational and individual factors. Across two seminal vignette experiments, Jones and Kavanagh reported inconsistent effect sizes for manager and peer influence and locus of control, consistent significant effects for work quality and Machiavellianism, and consistent non-significant effects for gender. Using an innovative multi-site collaboration, the current Registered Report represents a direct replication of these experiments (N = 2218), and adds a longitudinal conceptual replication capturing self-reported unethical work behaviour (N = 1747). Both replications found a consistent small effect of having a more external locus of control and male identity, and a consistent moderate effect of machiavellianism, for increasing unethical intentions and behaviour. The situational factors, whilst consistent in direction with that of the original study, varied more substantively in effect size. Our results highlight the value of multi-site collaborations and different replication types in developing conceptual, methodological, measurement and theoretical clarity to ensure future works can progress more rapidly to minimize the negative impacts of unethical workplace behaviour and improve individual’s working lives. All materials, code and data for this project can be found here: osf.io/d3arx
Synthetic Homing Endonuclease Gene Drives to Revolutionise Aedes aegypti Biocontrol - Game Changer or Pipe Dream?
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Can community engagement occur online: a framework analysis of pandemic-induced changes to a project on antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
Get PDFBackground: From a research perspective the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic impacted the ability of projects to be delivered within their planned timeframes and modalities. Anecdotal evidence suggests this was especially so for community engagement (CE) research which is heavily dependent on close engagement between stakeholders as it seeks to develop equitable partnerships and exchange knowledge on a shared concern. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many CE projects to pause, stop, or move online. However, it is unclear how these emergency modality changes affected the core values and principles of CE research, or the ability of projects to deliver their intended outputs and impacts. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by designing and testing a framework to assess the rationale for and impact of pandemic-induced changes on a specific CE project.
Methods: Framework analysis is applied to a CE project which originally aimed to co-create arts-based educational materials on the topic of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) with school students and teachers in Nepal. Analyses track the rationale for moving the project online during the COVID-19 pandemic, and consider how this impacted both the outputs of the project and the core values and principles of CE research.
Results: Framework analysis demonstrates that CE interventions can operate online, under emergency pandemic conditions, and produce their planned outputs. However, in this example, online working reduced the numbers and diversity of participants engaged and extended the project timeframe as participants needed extra support to access online platforms. Core values of CE, including equity, sustainability, and flexibility, were compromised as online modes of engagement did not allow full co-creation to occur. However, framework analysis also revealed that there can be unintended benefits such as a greater connection between participants and other research stakeholders due to the smaller number of participants engaged.
Conclusions: This framework can support CE researchers to assess the rationale and impact of project modality changes resulting from emergencies. Retrospective use would allow the CE community to reflect on the impact of previous emergencies. However, the framework can also be employed to look forward and anticipate ways of reacting to future challenges which may have otherwise halted meaningful research activity
A first calibration of the JULES-crop version 7.4 for rice using the novel O3-FACE experiment in China
No full textOzone (O3) pollution poses an escalating threat to rice production and food security in China, with concentrations projected to rise under future climate scenarios. Accurately quantifying O3 impacts on rice is thus crucial for informed agricultural planning. This study is the first to utilise Free Air Concentration Enrichment (FACE) observations specific to rice for calibrating a crop model (JULES-crop) and assessing the impacts of O3. FACE experiments, which involve growing crops under natural field conditions while exposing them to elevated O3 levels, provide an ideal approach for studying the effects of O3 on crops. Utilising data from the only O3-FACE facility dedicated to rice, we calibrated physiological and O3-response parameters in JULES-crop and evaluated the model against additional independent FACE observations. The calibration establishes this as the first crop model refined with ideal open-air field observations, significantly enhancing its capability to simulate rice growth processes and O3-induced yield losses, surpassing the performance of simulations based on the default parameters in JULES-crop. With this newly calibrated model, JULES-crop is now equipped to assess the impacts of O3 on agriculture, offering a valuable tool to inform mitigation strategies
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