Displaying publications 21 - 40 of 335 in total

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  1. Korada HY, Arora E, Maiya GA, Rao S, Hande M, Shetty S, et al.
    Curr Diabetes Rev, 2023;19(9):e290422204244.
    PMID: 37622461 DOI: 10.2174/1573399818666220429085256
    BACKGROUND: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a severe complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The most common symptoms are neuropathic pain and altered sensorium due to damage to small nerve fibers. Altered plantar pressure distribution is also a major risk factor in diabetic peripheral neuropathy, leading to diabetic foot ulcers.

    OBJECTIVE: The objective of this systematic review was to analyze the various studies involving photobiomodulation therapy on neuropathic pain and plantar pressure distribution in diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

    METHODS: We conducted a systematic review (PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Cochrane) to summarise the evidence on photobiomodulation therapy for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Randomized and non-randomized studies were included in the review.

    RESULTS: This systematic review included eight studies in which photobiomodulation therapy showed improvement in neuropathic pain and nerve conduction velocity. It also reduces plantar pressure distribution, which is a high risk for developing foot ulcers.

    CONCLUSION: We conclude that photobiomodulation therapy is an effective, non-invasive, and costefficient means to improve neuropathic pain and altered plantar pressure distribution in diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

    Matched MeSH terms: Low-Level Light Therapy*
  2. Eshaq G, M A, Khan MA, Alothman ZA, Sillanpää M
    J Hazard Mater, 2022 03 15;426:127812.
    PMID: 34844808 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127812
    Novel Sm doped Cr2O3 decorated MWCNTs nanocomposite photocatalyst was successfully prepared by a facile hydrothermal method for metoprolol (MET) degradation. A heterogeneous photo -Fenton like system was formed with the addition of H2O2 for ultrasonic irradiation (US), visible light irradiation (Vis) and dual irradiation (US/Vis) systems. The intrinsic characteristics of Sm doped Cr2O3 decorated MWCNTs nanocomposite was comprehensively performed using state-of-art characterization tools. Optical studies confirmed that Sm doping shifted the absorbance of Cr2O3 towards the visible-light region, further enhanced by MWCNTs incorporation. In this study, degradation of metoprolol (MET) was investigated in the presence of Cr2O3 nanoparticles, Sm doped Cr2O3 and Sm doped Cr2O3 decorated MWCNTs nanocomposites using sonocatalysis and photocatalysis and simultaneously. Several different experimental parameters, including irradiation time, H2O2 concentration, catalyst amount, initial concentration, and pH value, were optimized. The remarkably enhanced sonophotocatalytic activity of Sm doped Cr2O3 decorated MWCNTs could be attributed to the more formation of reactive radicals and the excellent electronical property of Sm doping and MWCNTs. The rate constant of degradation using sonophotocatalytic system was even higher than the sum of rates of individual systems due to its synergistic performance based on the kinetic data. A plausible mechanism for the degradation of MET over Sm-Cr2O3/MWCNTs is also demonstrated by using active species scavenger studies and EPR spectroscopy. Our findings imply that (•OH), (h+) and (•O2-) were the reactive species responsible for the degradation of MET based on the special three-way Fenton-like mechanism and the dissociation of H2O2. The durability and stability of the nanocomposite were also performed, and the obtained results revealed that the catalysts can endure the harsh sonophotocatalytic conditions even after fifth cycles. Mineralization experiments using the optimized parameters were evaluated as well. The kinetics and the reaction mechanism with the possible reasons for the synergistic effect were presented. Identification of degraded intermediates also investigated.
    Matched MeSH terms: Light
  3. Hui KC, Ang WL, Yahya WZN, Sambudi NS
    Chemosphere, 2022 Mar;290:133377.
    PMID: 34952025 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.133377
    The present work demonstrates the coupling of titanium dioxide, TiO2 nanoparticles (TNP) with N-doped, Bi-doped, and N-Bi co-doped rice husk-derived carbon dots (CDs) via a facile dispersion method, forming respective photocatalyst composites of CDs/TNP, N-CDs/TNP, Bi-CDs/TNP and N-Bi-CDs/TNP. Characterization analyzes verified the successful incorporation of respective CDs samples into TNP, forming photocatalyst composite with narrowed band gap and quenched photoluminescence intensity. Photocatalytic activity of TNP and the respective composites was investigated for photodegradation of diclofenac (DCF) under both simulated sunlight and natural sunlight irradiation. The as-prepared N-Bi-CDs/TNP composite showed the best photocatalytic performance among all composites, able to completely degrade 5 ppm of DCF within 60 min and 180 min under both types of visible light irradiation, respectively. The N-Bi-CDs/TNP composite also showed a TOC removal efficiency up to 87.63%. N-Bi-CDs, worked as photosensitizer and electron reservoir, contributed to the outstanding photocatalytic activity of N-Bi-CDs/TNP, whereby the recombination was prolonged and light absorption was shifted towards the visible light region. Furthermore, the composite of N-Bi-CDs/TNP also demonstrated good stability and reusability over repeated degradation cycles. The photodegradation of DCF resulted into several intermediates, which were identified from LC-MS analysis. The present work could provide an insight on the application of heteroatoms doped and co-doped carbon dots in semiconductor oxide as high performance photocatalysts.
    Matched MeSH terms: Light
  4. Mehrabi JN, Bar-Ilan E, Wasim S, Koren A, Zusmanovitch L, Salameh F, et al.
    J Cosmet Dermatol, 2022 Feb;21(2):461-472.
    PMID: 33794033 DOI: 10.1111/jocd.14110
    BACKGROUND: Melasma is an acquired disorder of hyperpigmentation, affecting a million individuals worldwide. Energy-based devices (EBDs) employed to treat melasma include various types of lasers, intense pulsed light (IPL), and radiofrequency (RF). Recent studies have attempted to address recalcitrant and recurring melasma by combining energy-based devices with topical or oral medications.

    OBJECTIVE: This article reviews EBDs-based augmented treatment for melasma and suggests practical pathogenesis-oriented treatment regimens. Treatment algorithms are proposed to address various components of melasma.

    METHODS: A systematic PubMed search was conducted acquiring information from various studies on combination treatments of melasma involving EBDs.

    RESULTS: The 286 retrieved articles were filtered by title to contain at least one type of energy-based modality such as laser, IPL, or RF along with at least one other treatment method. Based on their subject matter, combinations were further categorized into the subheadings: laser plus medication, laser plus laser, and IPL- and RF-containing treatment methods.

    CONCLUSION: There are many energy-based combination treatments that have been explored for mitigation of melasma including laser therapy with medication, multi-laser therapies, IPL, RF, and microneedling devices. Melasma is an exceedingly difficult condition to treat, however, choosing the appropriate tailor-made treatment combination can improve the final outcome.

    Matched MeSH terms: Low-Level Light Therapy*
  5. Rengasamy N, Othman RY, Che HS, Harikrishna JA
    J Sci Food Agric, 2022 Jan 15;102(1):299-311.
    PMID: 34091912 DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.11359
    BACKGROUND: Stevia rebaudiana is a high value crop due to the strong commercial demand for its metabolites (steviol glycosides) but has limited geographical cultivation range. In non-native environments with different daylength and light quality, Stevia has low germination rates and early flowering resulting in lower biomass and poor yield of the desired metabolites. In this study, artificial lighting with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) was used to determine if different light quality within and outside of the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) range can be used to improve germination rates and yields for production of steviol glycosides for the herbal supplement and food industry.

    RESULTS: Plants treated with red and blue light at an intensity of 130 μmol m-2  s-1 supplemented with 5% of UV-A light under a 16-h photoperiod produced the most desirable overall results with a high rate of germination, low percentage of early flowering, and high yields of dry leaf, stevioside and rebaudioside A, 175 days after planting.

    CONCLUSION: While red and blue light combinations are effective for plant growth, the use of supplemental non-PAR irradiation of UV-A wavelength significantly and desirably delayed flowering, enhanced germination, biomass, rebaudioside A and stevioside yields, while supplemental green light improved yield of biomass and rebaudioside A, but not stevioside. Overall, the combination of red, blue and UV-A light resulted in the best overall productivity for Stevia rebaudiana. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

    Matched MeSH terms: Light
  6. Rajendran S, Hoang TKA, Trudeau ML, Jalil AA, Naushad M, Awual MR
    Environ Pollut, 2022 Jan 01;292(Pt B):118375.
    PMID: 34656681 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118375
    Recently, hetero junction materials (p-n-p and n-p-n) have been developed for uplifting the visible light activity to destroy the harmful pollutants in wastewater. This manuscript presents a vivid description of novel n-p-n junction materials namely CeO2-PPy-ZnO. This novel n-p-n junction was applied as the photocatalyst in drifting the mobility of charge carriers and hence obtaining the better photocatalytic activity when compared with p-n and pure system. Such catalyst's syntheses were successful via the copolymerization method. The structural, morphological and optical characterization techniques were applied to identify the physio-chemical properties of the prepared materials. Additionally, the superior performance of this n-p-n nanostructured material was demonstrated in the destruction of micro organic (chlorophenol) toxic wastes under visible light. The accomplished ability of the prepared catalysts (up to 92% degradation of chlorophenol after 180 min of irradiation) and their profound degradation mechanism was explained in detail.
    Matched MeSH terms: Light
  7. Parab AR, Han KY, Chew BL, Subramaniam S
    Sci Rep, 2021 12 08;11(1):23628.
    PMID: 34880352 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03056-7
    The use of artificial light sources such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) has become a prerequisite in tissue culture studies to obtain morphogenetic enhancements on in vitro plants. This technology is essential for developmental enhancements in the growing plant cultures due to its light quality and intensity greatly influencing the in vitro growing explants at a cellular level. The current study investigates the effects of different light-emitting diode (LED) spectra on the growth of apical buds of Ficus carica var. Black Jack. Ficus carica, commonly known as figs is rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals capable of treating microbial infections and gastric, inflammatory, and cardiac disorders. Apical buds of Ficus carica var. Black Jack, presented morphogenetic changes when grown under six different LED spectra. The highest multiple shoots (1.80 per growing explant) and healthy growing cultures were observed under the blue + red LED spectrum. Wound-induced callus formation was observed on apical buds grown under green LED spectrum and discolouration of the growing shoots were observed on the cultures grown under far-red LED spectrum. Multiple shoots obtained from the blue + red LED treatment were rooted using 8 µM indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and the rooted plantlets were successfully acclimatised. Compared with the other monochromatic LEDs, blue + red proved to be significantly better for producing excellent plant morphogeny. It is apparent that blue and red LED is the most suitable spectra for the healthy development of plants. The findings have confirmed that the combination of blue + red LED can potentially be used for enhancing growth yields of medicinally and commercially important plants.
    Matched MeSH terms: Light*
  8. Kanakaraju D, Jasni MAA, Pace A, Ya MH
    Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2021 Dec;28(48):68834-68845.
    PMID: 34282548 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15440-x
    The performance of Cu/TiO2/FA composite, a hybrid adsorbent-photocatalyst consisting of copper-doped titania particles supported on fly ash, was optimized, under visible light irradiation, for the removal of the model dye pollutant methyl orange (MO) by using a response surface methodology and Box-Behnken experimental design. Three independent variables were considered for the optimization study: catalyst/solvent dosage (0.5 - 2.0 g/L), irradiation time (30-120 min), and the initial concentration (5- 25 ppm) of the dye. A 99.91% rate of removal was achieved using 2 g/L dosage, 5 ppm initial concentration, and 100 min of irradiation time as the optimal operating conditions. The recorded trends support the hypothesis of a combined and synergic adsorption-photocatalytic degradation process which fully exploits the "capture and destroy" approach for pollutant removal.
    Matched MeSH terms: Light
  9. Lai D, Zhou A, Tan BK, Tang Y, Sarah Hamzah S, Zhang Z, et al.
    Food Chem, 2021 Nov 01;361:130117.
    PMID: 34058659 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.130117
    To overcome the poor water solubility of curcumin, a curcumin-β-cyclodextrin (Cur-β-CD) complex was prepared as a novel photosensitizer. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to verify the formation of Cur-β-CD. Furthermore, the ROS generation capacity and photodynamic bactericidal effect were measured to confirm this Cur-β-CD complex kept photodynamic activity of curcumin. The result showed Cur-β-CD could effectively generate ROS upon blue-light irradiation. The plate count assay demonstrated Cur-β-CD complex possess desirable photodynamic antibacterial effect against food-borne pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli. The cell morphology determined by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) showed Cur-β-CD could cause cell deformation, surface collapse and cell structure damage of the bacteria, resulting in the leakage of cytoplasmic; while agarose gel electrophoresis and SDS-PAGE further illustrated the inactivation mechanisms by Cur-β-CD involve bacterial DNA damage and protein degradation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Light
  10. Ikram M, Hayat S, Imran M, Haider A, Naz S, Ul-Hamid A, et al.
    Carbohydr Polym, 2021 Oct 01;269:118346.
    PMID: 34294353 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.118346
    In the present study, the novel Ag/cellulose nanocrystal (CNC)-doped CeO2 quantum dots (QDs) with highly efficient catalytic performance were synthesized using one pot co-precipitation technique, which were then applied in the degradation of methylene blue and ciprofloxacin (MBCF) in wastewater. Catalytic activity against MBCF dye was significantly reduced (99.3%) for (4%) Ag dopant concentration in acidic medium. For Ag/CNC-doped CeO2 vast inhibition domain of G-ve was significantly confirmed as (5.25-11.70 mm) and (7.15-13.60 mm), while medium- to high-concentration of CNC levels were calculated for G + ve (0.95 nm, 1.65 mm), respectively. Overall, (4%) Ag/CNC-doped CeO2 revealed significant antimicrobial activity against G-ve relative to G + ve at both concentrations, respectively. Furthermore, in silico molecular docking studies were performed against selected enzyme targets dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS), and DNA gyrase belonging to folate and nucleic acid biosynthetic pathway, respectively to rationalize possible mechanism behind bactericidal potential of CNC-CeO2 and Ag/CNC-CeO2.
    Matched MeSH terms: Light
  11. Velmurugan S, C-K Yang T, Ching Juan J, Chen JN
    J Colloid Interface Sci, 2021 Aug 15;596:108-118.
    PMID: 33838324 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.03.083
    Herein this research, a visible light active tungsten oxide/copper manganate (WO3/CuMnO2) p-n heterojunction nanocomposite was prepared and has been applied for a signal on photoelectrochemical sensing of antibiotic nitrofurazone (NFZ). Firstly, the n-WO3 nanotiles were synthesized from the cetrimonium bromide (CTAB) assisted hydrothermal method and the p-CuMnO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by using the ultrasound-assisted hydrothermal method. The photoelectrochemical NFZ sensing performance of WO3/CuMnO2 nanocomposite was 1.9 times higher than that of as-synthesized pure WO3 nanotiles. The resulting higher photoelectrochemical performance of the nanocomposite is due to more visible light absorption ability and synergy from p-n heterojunction formation. The designed WO3/CuMnO2 nanocomposite sensor gives satisfactory photocurrent signals for the detection of NFZ in the range of 0.015-32 μM with the detection limit (LOD) of 1.19 nM. The practical applicability of the nanocomposite sensor was monitored in pork liver and tap water samples.
    Matched MeSH terms: Light
  12. Vinoth S, Ong WJ, Pandikumar A
    J Colloid Interface Sci, 2021 Jun;591:85-95.
    PMID: 33592528 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.01.104
    Cobalt incorporated sulfur-doped graphitic carbon nitride with bismuth oxychloride (Co/S-gC3N4/BiOCl) heterojunction is prepared by an ultrasonically assisted hydrothermal treatment. The heterojunction materials have employed in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The PEC activity and stability of the materials are promoted by constructing an interface between the visible light active semiconductor photocatalyst and cocatalysts. The photocurrent density of Co-9% S-gC3N4/BiOCl has attained 393.0 μA cm-2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE, which is 7-fold larger than BiOCl and ~3-fold higher than 9% S-gC3N4/BiOCl. The enhanced PEC activity can be attributed to the improved electron-hole charge separation and the boosted charge transfer is confirmed by photoluminescence (PL) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis. The fabricated Co/S-gC3N4/BiOCl nanohybrid material has exhibited high stability of up to 10,800 s (3 h) at 1.23 V vs. RHE during PEC water splitting reaction and the obtained photo-conversion efficiency is 3.7-fold greater than S-gC3N4/BiOCl and 17-fold higher than BiOCl. The FESEM and HRTEM images have revealed the formation of heterojunction interface between S-gC3N4 and BiOCl and the elemental mapping has confirmed the presence of cobalt over S-gC3N4/BiOCl. The heterojunction interface has facilitated the photo-excited charge separation and transport across the electrode/electrolyte interface and also the flat-band potential, which is confirmed by Mott-Schottky analysis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Light
  13. Loo WW, Pang YL, Lim S, Wong KH, Lai CW, Abdullah AZ
    Chemosphere, 2021 Jun;272:129588.
    PMID: 33482519 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.129588
    Iron-doped titanium dioxide loaded on activated carbon (Fe-TiO2/AC) was successfully synthesized from oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) using sol-gel method. The properties of the synthesized pure TiO2, Fe-doped TiO2, AC, TiO2/AC and Fe-TiO2/AC were examined by various techniques such as field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS) and nitrogen adsorption-desorption analyses at 77 K. FE-SEM revealed that Fe-doped TiO2 particles were dispersed homogeneously on the AC surface. FT-IR demonstrated high surface hydroxylation after Fe doping on TiO2 and UV-Vis DRS showed that Fe-TiO2/AC had the lowest band gap energy. Catalytic performance results proved that Fe dopants could restrict the recombination rate of hole and electron pairs, whereas AC support improved the Malachite Green (MG) adsorption sites and active sites of the hybrid catalyst. Photocatalytic degradation of 100 mg/L MG in the presence of 1.0 g/L 15 wt% Fe-TiO2 incorporated with 25 wt% AC, initial solution pH of 4 and 3 mM H2O2 could achieve the highest removal efficiency of 97% after 45 min light irradiation. This work demonstrates a promising approach to synthesis an inexpensive and efficient Fe-TiO2/AC for the photocatalytic degradation of organic dye.
    Matched MeSH terms: Light
  14. Pang YL, Law ZX, Lim S, Chan YY, Shuit SH, Chong WC, et al.
    Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2021 Jun;28(21):27457-27473.
    PMID: 33507503 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-12251-4
    The conversion of carbon-rich biomass into valuable material is an environmental-friendly approach for its reutilization. In this study, coconut shell-derived biochar, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), g-C3N4/biochar, titanium dioxide (TiO2)/biochar, zinc oxide (ZnO)/biochar, and ferric oxide (Fe2O3)/biochar were synthesized and characterized by using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), surface area analysis, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and zeta potential analysis. The g-C3N4 or metal oxide particles were found to be well-distributed on the coconut shell-derived biochar with the improvement in thermal stability and enlargement of specific surface area. A great reduction in band gap energy was observed in the composite materials after incorporating with the biochar. Among different biochar composites, g-C3N4/biochar was found to have the highest photocatalytic activity. The interactive effect of parameters such as catalyst dosage, peroxymonosulfate (PMS) oxidant dosage, and solution pH on the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange was investigated using the response surface methodology (RSM). The highest photocatalytic degradation efficiency (96.63%) was achieved at catalyst dosage of 0.75 g/L, oxidant dosage of 0.6 mM, and solution pH 3 after 30 min.
    Matched MeSH terms: Light
  15. Al-Salih M, Samsudin S, Arshad SS
    J Genet Eng Biotechnol, 2021 May 18;19(1):76.
    PMID: 34003402 DOI: 10.1186/s43141-021-00161-y
    BACKGROUND: Environmental contamination by microbes is a major public health concern. A damp environment is one of the potential sources for microbe proliferation. Smart synthesis nanocatalytic coatings on surfaces, food, and material from different pathogen bacteria can inhibit using the Fe3O4/CNTs as anti-microbial growth can effectively curb this growing threat. In this present work, the anti-microbial efficacy of synthesis of a compound nanoparticle-containing iron oxide-multi-walled carbon nanotube was combined by laser ablation PLAL and explored the anti-bacterial action of colloidal solution of Fe3O4/CNTs NPs that was evaluated against bacteria which is classified as gram-negative (Escherichia coli (E. coli), Klebsiella pneumonia (K. pneumonia), and also that is identified as gram-positive (Streptococcus pyogenes (S .pyogenes) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) under visible light irradiation.

    RESULTS: Doping of a minute fraction of iron(III) salt (0.5 mol%) in a volatile solvent (ethanol) was carried out via the sol-gel technique. Fe3O4 was further calcined at various temperatures (in the range of 500-700 °C) to evaluate the thermal stability of the Fe3O4 nanoporous oxidizer nanoparticles. The physicochemical properties of the samples were characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and UV-Visible spectroscopy techniques. XRD results revealed that the nanoparticles framework of Fe3O4 was maintained well up to 650 °C by the Fe dopant. UV-Vis results suggested that absorption property of combination Fe3O4/CNTs nanopowder by PLAL was enhanced and the band gap is reduced into 2.0 eV.

    CONCLUSIONS: Density functional theory (DFT) studies emphasize the introduction of Fe+ and Fe2+ ions by replacing other ions in the CNT lattice, therefore creating oxygen vacancies. These further promoted anti-microbial efficiency. A significantly high bacterial inactivation that indicates results was evaluated and that the mean estimations of restraint were determined from triple assessment in every appraisal at 400 ml which represent the best anti-bacterial action against gram-positive and gram-negative microbes.

    Matched MeSH terms: Light
  16. Khan MA, Nayan N, Shadiullah, Ahmad MK, Fhong SC, Tahir M, et al.
    Molecules, 2021 May 04;26(9).
    PMID: 34064537 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26092700
    In this work, advanced nanoscale surface characterization of CuO Nanoflowers synthesized by controlled hydrothermal approach for significant enhancement of catalytic properties has been investigated. The CuO nanoflower samples were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), selected-area electron diffraction (SAED), high-angular annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) with elemental mapping, energy dispersive spectroscopy (STEM-EDS) and UV-Vis spectroscopy techniques. The nanoscale analysis of the surface study of monodispersed individual CuO nanoflower confirmed the fine crystalline shaped morphology composed of ultrathin leaves, monoclinic structure and purified phase. The result of HR-TEM shows that the length of one ultrathin leaf of copper oxide nanoflower is about ~650-700 nm, base is about ~300.77 ± 30 nm and the average thickness of the tip of individual ultrathin leaf of copper oxide nanoflower is about ~10 ± 2 nm. Enhanced absorption of visible light ~850 nm and larger value of band gap energy (1.68 eV) have further supported that the as-grown material (CuO nanoflowers) is an active and well-designed surface morphology at the nanoscale level. Furthermore, significant enhancement of catalytic properties of copper oxide nanoflowers in the presence of H2O2 for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) with efficiency ~96.7% after 170 min was obtained. The results showed that the superb catalytic performance of well-fabricated CuO nanoflowers can open a new way for substantial applications of dye removal from wastewater and environment fields.
    Matched MeSH terms: Light
  17. Masroor K, Jeoti V, Drieberg M, Cheab S, Rajbhandari S
    Sensors (Basel), 2021 Apr 22;21(9).
    PMID: 33922288 DOI: 10.3390/s21092943
    The bi-directional information transfer in optical body area networks (OBANs) is crucial at all the three tiers of communication, i.e., intra-, inter-, and beyond-BAN communication, which correspond to tier-I, tier-II, and tier-III, respectively. However, the provision of uninterrupted uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) connections at tier II (inter-BAN) are extremely critical, since these links serve as a bridge between tier-I (intra-BAN) and tier-III (beyond-BAN) communication. Any negligence at this level could be life-threatening; therefore, enabling quality-of-service (QoS) remains a fundamental design issue at tier-II. Consequently, to provide QoS, a key parameter is to ensure link reliability and communication quality by maintaining a nearly uniform signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) within the coverage area. Several studies have reported the effects of transceiver related parameters on OBAN link performance, nevertheless the implications of changing transmitter locations on the SNR uniformity and communication quality have not been addressed. In this work, we undertake a DL scenario and analyze how the placement of light-emitting diode (LED) lamps can improve the SNR uniformity, regardless of the receiver position. Subsequently, we show that using the principle of reciprocity (POR) and with transmitter-receiver positions switched, the analysis is also applicable to UL, provided that the optical channel remains linear. Moreover, we propose a generalized optimal placement scheme along with a heuristic design formula to achieve uniform SNR and illuminance for DL using a fixed number of transmitters and compare it with an existing technique. The study reveals that the proposed placement technique reduces the fluctuations in SNR by 54% and improves the illuminance uniformity up to 102% as compared to the traditional approach. Finally, we show that, for very low luminous intensity, the SNR values remain sufficient to maintain a minimum bit error rate (BER) of 10-9 with on-off keying non-return-to-zero (OOK-NRZ) modulation format.
    Matched MeSH terms: Light
  18. Rabha B, Bharadwaj KK, Baishya D, Sarkar T, Edinur HA, Pati S
    Polymers (Basel), 2021 Apr 18;13(8).
    PMID: 33919483 DOI: 10.3390/polym13081322
    Diosgenin encapsulated PCL-Pluronic nanoparticles (PCL-F68-D-NPs) were developed using the nanoprecipitation method to improve performance in brain cancer (glioblastoma) therapy. The nanoparticles were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS)/Zeta potential, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The encapsulation efficiency, loading efficiency, and yield were calculated. The in vitro release rate was determined, and the kinetic model of diosgenin release was plotted and ascertained. The cytotoxicity was checked by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide)assay against U87-MG cells (glioblastoma cell lines). The obtained nanoparticles demonstrated good size distribution, stability, morphology, chemical, and mechanical properties. The nanoparticles also possessed high encapsulation efficiency, loading efficiency, and yield. The release rate of Diosgenin was shown in a sustained manner. The in vitro cytotoxicity of PCL-F68-D-NPs showed higher toxicity against U87-MG cells than free Diosgenin.
    Matched MeSH terms: Dynamic Light Scattering
  19. Das A, Barua A, Mohimin MA, Abedin J, Khandaker MU, Al-Mugren KS
    Healthcare (Basel), 2021 Apr 10;9(4).
    PMID: 33920290 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9040445
    BACKGROUND: The use of a touchless automated hand sanitizer dispenser may play a key role to reduce contagious diseases. The key problem of the conventional ultrasonic and infra-red-based dispensers is their malfunctioning due to the interference of sunlight, vehicle sound, etc. when deployed in busy public places. To overcome such limitations, this study introduced a laser-based sensing device to dispense sanitizer in an automated touchless process.

    METHOD: The dispensing system is based on an Arduino circuit breadboard where an ATmega328p microcontroller was pre-installed. To sense the proximity, a light-dependent resistor (LDR) is used where the laser light is to be blocked after the placement of human hands, hence produced a sharp decrease in the LDR sensor value. Once the LDR sensor value exceeds the lower threshold, the pump is actuated by the microcontroller, and the sanitizer dispenses through the nozzle.

    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A novel design and subsequent fabrication of a low-cost, touchless, automated sanitizer dispenser to be used in public places, was demonstrated. The overall performance of the manufactured device was analyzed based on the cost and power consumption, and environmental factors by deploying it in busy public places as well as in indoor environment in major cities in Bangladesh, and found to be more efficient and cost-effective compared to other dispensers available in the market. A comprehensive discussion on this unique design compared to the conventional ultrasonic and infra-red based dispensers, is presented to show its suitability over the commercial ones. The guidelines of the World Health Organization are followed for the preparation of sanitizer liquid. A clear demonstration of the circuitry connections is presented herein, which facilitates the interested individual to manufacture a cost-effective dispenser device in a relatively short time and use it accordingly. Conclusion: This study reveals that the LDR-based automated hand sanitizer dispenser system is a novel concept, and it is cost-effective compared to the conventional ones. The presented device is expected to play a key role in contactless hand disinfection in public places, and reduce the spread of infectious diseases in society.

    Matched MeSH terms: Light; Sunlight
  20. Kean Ping L, Mohamed MA, Kumar Mondal A, Mohamad Taib MF, Samat MH, Berhanuddin DD, et al.
    Micromachines (Basel), 2021 Mar 24;12(4).
    PMID: 33804978 DOI: 10.3390/mi12040348
    The crystal structure, electron charge density, band structure, density of states, and optical properties of pure and strontium (Sr)-doped β-Ga2O3 were studied using the first-principles calculation based on the density functional theory (DFT) within the generalized-gradient approximation (GGA) with the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE). The reason for choosing strontium as a dopant is due to its p-type doping behavior, which is expected to boost the material's electrical and optical properties and maximize the devices' efficiency. The structural parameter for pure β-Ga2O3 crystal structure is in the monoclinic space group (C2/m), which shows good agreement with the previous studies from experimental work. Bandgap energy from both pure and Sr-doped β-Ga2O3 is lower than the experimental bandgap value due to the limitation of DFT, which will ignore the calculation of exchange-correlation potential. To counterbalance the current incompatibilities, the better way to complete the theoretical calculations is to refine the theoretical predictions using the scissor operator's working principle, according to literature published in the past and present. Therefore, the scissor operator was used to overcome the limitation of DFT. The density of states (DOS) shows the hybridization state of Ga 3d, O 2p, and Sr 5s orbital. The bonding population analysis exhibits the bonding characteristics for both pure and Sr-doped β-Ga2O3. The calculated optical properties for the absorption coefficient in Sr doping causes red-shift of the absorption spectrum, thus, strengthening visible light absorption. The reflectivity, refractive index, dielectric function, and loss function were obtained to understand further this novel work on Sr-doped β-Ga2O3 from the first-principles calculation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Light
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