Cosmo ArduSiPM: An All-in-One Scintillation-Based Particle Detector for Earth and Space Application.

Thanks to advancements in silicon photomultiplier sensors (SiPMs) and system-on-chip (SoC) technology, our INFN Roma1 group developed ArduSiPM in 2012, the first all-in-one scintillator particle detector in the literature. It used a custom Arduino Due shield to process fast signals, utilizing the Microchip Sam3X8E SoC's internal peripherals to control and acquire SiPM signals. The availability of radiation-tolerant SoCs, combined with the goal of reducing system space and weight, led to the development of an innovative second-generation board, a better-performing device called Cosmo ArduSiPM, suitable for space missions. The architecture of the new detector is based on the Microchip SAMV71 300 MHz, 32-bit ARM® Cortex®-M7 (Microchip Technology Inc., Chandler, AZ, USA). While the analog front-end is essentially identical to the ArduSiPM, it utilizes components with the smallest possible package. The board fits in a CubeSat module. Thanks to the compact design, the board has two independent channels, with a total weight of only 40 grams within a CubeSat form factor. The ArduSiPM architecture is based on a single microcontroller and fast discrete analog electronics. It benefits from the continued development of SoCs related to the IoT (Internet of Things) market. Compared with a system with a custom ASIC, this architecture based on software and SoC capabilities offers considerable advantages in terms of cost and development time. The ability to incorporate new commercial SoCs, continuously emerging from advancements in the aerospace and automotive industries, provides the system with a robust foundation for sustained growth over the years. A detailed characterization of the hardware and the system's response to different photon fluxes is presented in this article. Additionally, coupling the device with a scintillator was tested at the end of this article as a preliminary trial for future measurements, showing potential for further enhancement of the detector's capabilities.

Wearable Graphene-based smart face mask for Real-Time human respiration monitoring.

After the pandemic of SARS-CoV-2, the use of face-masks is considered the most effective way to prevent the spread of virus-containing respiratory fluid. As the virus targets the lungs directly, causing shortness of breath, continuous respiratory monitoring is crucial for evaluating health status. Therefore, the need for a smart face mask (SFM) capable of wirelessly monitoring human respiration in real-time has gained enormous attention. However, some challenges in developing these devices should be solved to make practical use of them possible. One key issue is to design a wearable SFM that is biocompatible and has fast responsivity for non-invasive and real-time tracking of respiration signals. Herein, we present a cost-effective and straightforward solution to produce innovative SFMs by depositing graphene-based coatings over commercial surgical masks. In particular, graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) are integrated into a polycaprolactone (PCL) polymeric matrix. The resulting SFMs are characterized morphologically, and their electrical, electromechanical, and sensing properties are fully assessed. The proposed SFM exhibits remarkable durability (greater than1000 cycles) and excellent fast response time (∼42 ms), providing simultaneously normal and abnormal breath signals with clear differentiation. Finally, a developed mobile application monitors the mask wearer's breathing pattern wirelessly and provides alerts without compromising user-friendliness and comfort.

Effects of Exercise Training in Patients with Lung Cancer during Chemotherapy Treatment.

Background: Cancer is the second greatest cause of death and disability after cardiovascular disease. Objective: To determine the effects of exercise training in patients with lung cancer during chemotherapy treatment. Methods: A randomised clinical trial was conducted in Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Institute of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine (IRNUM) Peshawar. A total of 40 participants were randomly divided into two groups: i) the Experimental group (EG, n = 20) and ii) Control group (CG, n = 20). Both groups received exercise training for 4 weeks, with five sessions per week. The EG received pulmonary rehabilitation and aerobic training. The CG received only pulmonary rehabilitation. Both groups were evaluated at baseline and after 6 weeks through Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) Urdu version, Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT), digital spirometry, Borgs scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADs) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Results: Both the EG and CG showed significant improvement in MAAS scores at post-study with a (P < 0.001). The scores of 6MWT were improved significantly in both groups after intervention with a (P = 0.001). The patient's anxiety scores were significantly improved in both groups after intervention with a (P < 0.001), while depression scores were also improved considerably between the two groups at post-level with a (P < 0.001). Regarding spirometry value, both groups showed significant improvement after intervention for forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1/FVC (P < 0.001). Both groups show significant differences in patient pain intensity and dyspnea at post-level with P < 0.001. Conclusion: This study concluded that pulmonary rehabilitation along with aerobic training can be more effective than pulmonary rehabilitation alone for patients with lung cancer during chemotherapy treatment.

Prevalence of oral anticoagulant use among people with and without Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Although cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases are common among people with Alzheimer's disease (AD), it is unknown how the prevalence of oral anticoagulant (OAC) use changes in relation to AD diagnosis. We investigated the prevalence of OAC use in relation to AD diagnosis in comparison to a matched cohort without AD. METHODS: Register-based Medication use and Alzheimer's disease (MEDALZ) cohort includes 70 718 Finnish people with AD diagnosed between 2005-2011. Point prevalence of OAC use (prescription register) was calculated every three months with three-month evaluation periods, from five years before to five years after clinically verified diagnosis and compared to matched cohort without AD. Longitudinal association between AD and OAC use was evaluated by generalized estimating equations (GEE). RESULTS: OAC use was more common among people with AD until AD diagnosis, (OR 1.17; 95% CI 1.13-1.22), and less common after AD diagnosis (OR 0.87; 95% CI 0.85-0.89), compared to people without AD. At the time of AD diagnosis, prevalence was 23% and 20% among people with and without AD, respectively. OAC use among people with AD began to decline gradually two years after AD diagnosis while continuous increase was observed in the comparison cohort. Warfarin was the most common OAC, and atrial fibrillation was the most common comorbidity in OAC users. CONCLUSION: Decline in OAC use among people with AD after diagnosis may be attributed to high risk of falling and problems in monitoring. However, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) that are nowadays more commonly used require less monitoring and may also be safer for vulnerable people with AD.

Effectiveness of bent leg raise technique and neurodynamics in patients with radiating low back pain.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of bent leg raise technique and neurodynamics in patients with low back pain that radiates up to the knee. METHODS: The pre-test post-test control group study was conducted at Department of Physical therapy, Maqsood Medical Complex and General Hospital Peshawar from February to July 2019. Patients with radiating low back pain of both genders aged 18-60 years were included in the study. Patients were divided into Group-A and Group-B. Group-A patients received Mulligan bent leg raise technique while Group-B patients received neurodynamics. Both groups received five sessions per week, for four weeks. Numeric pain rating scale, Oswestry disability index and goniometer was used to assess pain, functional disability and straight leg raise range before and after the interventions. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. RESULTS: Thirty-two participants with mean age of 38.81±9.94 years, participated in the study. There were no significant differences (P-value>0.05) between the two groups at baseline. Post-treatment, within Group-Analysis showed that all three variables (pain, functional disability and straight leg raise range) significantly (P<0.05) improved in both groups. However, post treatment between Group-Analysis showed that there were no significant differences (P>0.05) between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Both neurodynamics and bent leg raise technique significantly improved pain, functional disability and straight leg raise range in patients with low back pain that radiates up to the knee. However, there were no significant differences between the groups who received either neurodynamics or bent leg raise technique.

Implementation of Resonant Electric Based Metamaterials for Electromagnetic Wave Manipulation at Microwave Frequencies.

In this paper, we present the application of a resonant electric based metamaterial element and its two-dimensional metasurface implementation for a variety of emerging wireless applications. Metasurface apertures developed in this work are synthesized using sub-wavelength sampled resonant electric-based unit-cell structures and can achieve electromagnetic wave manipulation at microwave frequencies. The presented surfaces are implemented in a variety of forms, from absorption surfaces for energy harvesting and wireless power transfer to wave-chaotic surfaces for compressive sensing based single-pixel direction of arrival estimation and reflecting surfaces. It is shown that the resonant electric-synthesized metasurface concept offers a significant potential for these applications with high fidelity absorption, transmission and reflection characteristics within the microwave frequency spectrum.

Insights on Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinases (CPKs) Signaling for Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants.

Abiotic stresses are the major limiting factors influencing the growth and productivity of plants species. To combat these stresses, plants can modify numerous physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes through cellular and subcellular signaling pathways. Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs or CPKs) are the unique and key calcium-binding proteins, which act as a sensor for the increase and decrease in the calcium (Ca) concentrations. These Ca flux signals are decrypted and interpreted into the phosphorylation events, which are crucial for signal transduction processes. Several functional and expression studies of different CPKs and their encoding genes validated their versatile role for abiotic stress tolerance in plants. CPKs are indispensable for modulating abiotic stress tolerance through activation and regulation of several genes, transcription factors, enzymes, and ion channels. CPKs have been involved in supporting plant adaptation under drought, salinity, and heat and cold stress environments. Diverse functions of plant CPKs have been reported against various abiotic stresses in numerous research studies. In this review, we have described the evaluated functions of plant CPKs against various abiotic stresses and their role in stress response signaling pathways.

Retransmission Avoidance for Reliable Data Delivery in Underwater WSNs.

The energy-efficient and reliable delivery of data packets in resource constraint underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) is one of the key considerations to enhance the network lifetime. The traditional re-transmissions approach consumes the node battery and increases the communication overhead, which results in congestion and affects the reliable data packet delivery in the network. To ensure the reliability and conserve the node battery, in this paper, we propose adaptive forwarding layer multipath power control routing protocol to reduce the energy dissipation, achieve the data reliability and avoid the energy hole problem. In order to achieve the reliability, tree based topology is exploited to direct multiple copies of the data packet towards the surface through cross nodes in the network. The energy dissipation is reduced by a substantial amount with the selection of low noise path between the source and the destination including the information of neighbors of the potential forwarder node. Extensive simulation results show that our proposed work outperforms the compared existing scheme in terms of energy efficiency and packet received ratio (PRR).

Hypoglycaemic effect of galactooligosaccharides in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

This study was conducted to assess the effect of prebiotic galactooligosaccharides (GOS) on alloxan-induced diabetes in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Diabetes was induced by administration of alloxan (100 mg/kg) and rats were divided in 4 groups: normal control group (NCG), prebiotic control group (PCG), diabetic control group (DCG) and diabetic prebiotic group (DPG). While PCG and DPG were fed with GOS supplemented (10% w/w) diet, NCG and DCG were administered with basal diet. Rats were sacrificed after 42 d for collection of blood and liver. Faecal samples were collected at the interval of 7 d throughout the study for measurement of lactobacilli and coliform count. Feeding of GOS decreased or delayed the severity of diabetes by amelioration of diabetes associated markers including fasting blood glucose, haemoglobin, glycosylated haemoglobin triglycerides, total cholesterol, low density lipoproteins, creatinine and urea. GOS was also found to improve the levels of antioxidative enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) in liver and blood. Improvement in lactobacilli count along with a concomitant decrease in coliform count was observed in GOS fed groups.

Production of ß-galactosidase from streptococcus thermophilus for galactooligosaccharides synthesis.

Efficiency of different methods for disruption of Streptococcus thermophilus cells, isolated from different dairy products, to release ß-galactosidase and synthesis of GOS by extracted enzyme using whey supplemented with different concentrations of lactose as a substrate was studied. Unlike most other studies on GOS synthesis which used only one method of cell disruption and only few microbial strains, we compared five different cell disruption methods and used 30 strains of S. thermophilus in order to find out the most effective method and efficient strain for production of ß-galactosidase. Appreciable amount of GOS (53.45 gL(-1)) was synthesized at a lactose concentration of 30 %, using enzyme (10 U mL(-1) of reaction medium), extracted from S. thermophilus within a very short incubation time of 5 h at a temperature of 40 °C and pH 6.8. S. thermophilus is heavily employed in the preparation of fermented dairy products but this study extends the use of this organism for the production of GOS, a potential prebiotic.

Delayed Closure of Ventricular Septal Defect with Prolonged Mechanical Support.

Introduction: Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a severe complication following acute myocardial infarction (MI) resulting from mechanical disruption of the interventricular septum due to extensive myocardial necrosis. Despite advances in management, the mortality rate approaches 50%. We report a case of a 58-year-old male with VSD following MI who was successfully treated with a delayed surgical approach after haemodynamic support using Impella. Case description: A 58-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension presented with three days of chest pain. Testing revealed late presenting acute anterior ischaemic infarction and left-to-right shunt in the apical ventricular septum. Urgent cardiac catheterisation showed near-total occlusion of the left anterior descending artery. An Impella CP® was placed before angioplasty with a drug-eluting stent to optimise haemodynamics. After a multidisciplinary discussion, the Impella CP® was upgraded to Impella 5.5®, and surgery was delayed allowing for scar formation. The patient remained in the intensive care unit, where he underwent physical therapy, showing improvements in exercise tolerance by the time of surgery. He underwent a left ventriculotomy with a successful repair via an endocardial patch 28 days after initial presentation. Post-operative recovery was uneventful, with the patient discharged five days later, reporting no physical limitations one month post-discharge. Conclusion: The successful management of VSD post-MI relies on interdisciplinary collaboration, careful timing of surgical intervention and the strategic use of mechanical support devices such as the Impella. This case highlights the potential for favourable outcomes when tailored treatment approaches are employed. LEARNING POINTS: Given the rarity of ventricular septal defects (VSD) post-myocardial infarction (MI), maintaining a high index of suspicion, particularly in patients with anterior infarcts and other high-risk features, is imperative for ensuring early recognition and management of this life-threatening complication.Surgical repair is the treatment of choice for VSD post-MI, offering improved survival rates, particularly when intervention is delayed to allow for myocardial scarring.Mechanical circulatory support devices, such as the Impella, can play a crucial role in bridging patients to surgical repair by providing temporary haemodynamic stabilisation. However, timing is vital, and early initiation of mechanical support can prevent the progression of cardiogenic shock and multi-organ failure.

Electromagnetic informed data model considerations for near-field DOA and range estimates.

Localizing sources in the near-field is one of the emerging challenges for array signal processing, which has received a great deal of attention in recent years. The development of accurate localization algorithms requires the definition of a reliable model of the received signal that takes into account all wavefront characteristics, such as angle, range, and polarization, as well as electromagnetic effects, such as mutual coupling between antennas and the amplitude and phase behaviour of electromagnetic wavefronts. A system model that considers the electromagnetic-informed wave behaviour effects, independent of the type of receiver antennas, array structure, degree of correlation of sources signals and other electromagnetic effects, is considered an " exact model " in the literature. However, due to the mathematical complexity of this modeling approach, simplifications using several approximations are conventionally used. For instance, the phase of the exact model is approximated using the Fresnel approximation, while the magnitude of the exact model is simplified by assuming equal distances between the source and all elements in the array. In this work, we evaluate the accuracy of a localization algorithm, the multiple signal classification (MUSIC), using the exact and approximated models in the near-field region. Through a series of simulations, we demonstrate that the localization algorithm designed based on the electromagnetic-informed exact model outperforms the one designed using the approximated model. We also show that considering electromagnetic factors in the system model through the exact model results in a 13% improvement in the direction of arrival (DOA) root mean square error (RMSE) and a 57.7% improvement in range RMSE at signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 15 dB.

Anticonvulsant activity of ethanol extracts of Vetiveria zizanioides roots in experimental mice.

CONTEXT: Vetiveria zizanioides Linn. (Gramineae), an aromatic plant commonly known as vetiver, is traditionally used for various ailments. Ethanol and aqueous extract of this plant found extensive use in Indian folklore medicine and used in treatment of a wide range of disorders including seizure. However, the anticonvulsant activity of this plant has not been studied. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate anticonvulsant activity of ethanol extract of V. zizanioides (EEVZ) in experimental mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anticonvulsant activity of EEVZ was determined by maximal electroshock stimulation (MES) and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) in mice for 8 d experimental protocol. The extract at a dose of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight was administered once by oral route. RESULTS: LD50 value of EEVZ in mice was found at a dose of 600 mg/kg body weight. EEVZ at a dose of 400 mg/kg significantly (p < 0.001) reduced flexion (l5.98 to 3.73 s), extension (13.73 to 0.96 s), clonus (14.07 to 4.93 s), stupor (6.29 to 1.22 s) in the MES model. Further, it increases onset of clonic (88.25 to 708.32 s/30 min) and tonic (139.52 to 1126.39 s/30 min) in the PTZ model. In the PTZ model, 33% normal control and 83% EEVZ (100 mg/kg) animals were alive, while 100% protection was achieved in standard drug phenobarbital (20 mg/kg), EEVZ (200 mg/kg) and EEVZ (400 mg/kg) animals. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Findings demonstrate that V. zizanioides shows significant anticonvulsant activity in mice.

In Silico Identification of Cassava Genome-Encoded MicroRNAs with Predicted Potential for Targeting the ICMV-Kerala Begomoviral Pathogen of Cassava.

Cassava mosaic disease (CMD) is caused by several divergent species belonging to the genus Begomovirus (Geminiviridae) transmitted by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci cryptic species group. In India and other parts of Asia, the Indian cassava mosaic virus-Kerala (ICMV-Ker) is an emergent begomovirus of cassava causing damage that results in reduced yield loss and tuber quality. Double-stranded RNA-mediated interference (RNAi) is an evolutionary conserved mechanism in eukaryotes and highly effective, innate defense system to inhibit plant viral replication and/or translation. The objective of this study was to identify and characterize cassava genome-encoded microRNAs (mes-miRNA) that are predicted to target ICMV-Ker ssDNA-encoded mRNAs, based on four in silico algorithms: miRanda, RNA22, Tapirhybrid, and psRNA. The goal is to deploy the predicted miRNAs to trigger RNAi and develop cassava plants with resistance to ICMV-Ker. Experimentally validated mature cassava miRNA sequences (n = 175) were downloaded from the miRBase biological database and aligned with the ICMV-Ker genome. The miRNAs were evaluated for base-pairing with the cassava miRNA seed regions and to complementary binding sites within target viral mRNAs. Among the 175 locus-derived mes-miRNAs evaluated, one cassava miRNA homolog, mes-miR1446a, was identified to have a predicted miRNA target binding site, at position 2053 of the ICMV-Ker genome. To predict whether the cassava miRNA might bind predicted ICMV-Ker mRNA target(s) that could disrupt viral infection of cassava plants, a cassava locus-derived miRNA-mRNA regulatory network was constructed using Circos software. The in silico-predicted cassava locus-derived mes-miRNA-mRNA network corroborated interactions between cassava mature miRNAs and the ICMV-Ker genome that warrant in vivo analysis, which could lead to the development of ICMV-Ker resistant cassava plants.

A multi-criteria evaluation and optimization of sustainable fiber-reinforced concrete developed with nylon waste fibers and micro-silica.

Nylon waste fibers similar to new nylon fibers possess high tensile strength and toughness; hence, they can be used as an eco-friendly discrete reinforcement in high-strength concrete. This study aimed to analyze the mechanical and permeability characteristics and life cycle impact of high-strength concrete with varying amounts of nylon waste fiber and micro-silica. The results proved that nylon waste fiber was highly beneficial to the tensile and flexural strength of concrete. The incorporation of a 1% volume of nylon waste fiber caused net improvements of 50% in the flexural strength of concrete. At the combined addition of 0.5% volume fraction of nylon fiber and 7.5% micro-silica, splitting tensile and flexural strength of high-strength concrete experienced net improvements of 49% and 55%, respectively. Nylon fiber-reinforced concrete exhibited a ductile response and high flexural toughness and residual strength compared to plain concrete. A low volume fraction of waste fibers was beneficial to the permeability resistance of high-strength concrete against water absorption and chloride permeability, while a high volume (1% by volume fraction) of fiber was harmful to the permeability-resistance of concrete. For the best mechanical performance of high-strength concrete, 0.5% nylon waste fiber can be used with 7.5% micro-silica. The use of micro-silica minimized the negative effect of the high volume of fibers on the permeability resistance of high-strength concrete. The addition of nylon waste fibers (at 0.25% and 0.5% volume) and micro-silica also reduced carbon emissions per unit strength of concrete.

Life cycle impact of concrete incorporating nylon waste and demolition waste.

The large consumption of natural resources by the construction industry and resultant pollution have inspired the necessity to investigate the potential of eco-friendly materials, such as recycled aggregates and recycled fibers. In this study, the effect of different percentages of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) and nylon waste fibers (NWFs) was investigated on engineering performance and performance-related carbon emissions of high-performance concrete (HPC). Engineering performance indices include compressive strength (CS), splitting tensile strength (STS), water absorption (WA), and chloride ion penetration (CIP). The environmental impact of designed mixes was evaluated using a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment approach on the HPC mixes. The results showed that the incorporation of 0.25-0.5% yielded maximum STS for all percentages of RCA. The use of NWF helped overcome the negative impact of RCA on the STS of HPC. The use of the 0.1-0.25% volume of NWF was beneficial to the permeability-related durability indicators of HPC. CS-related emissions were minimum for concrete mixes incorporating 0.1-0.25% NWF with 0% and 50% substitution levels of RCA. While STS-related emissions were lowest for HPC incorporating 0.5% NWF with 50% and 100% substitution levels of RCA.

Insight on the structural, electronic and optical properties of Zn, Ga-doped/dual-doped graphitic carbon nitride for visible-light applications.

The density functional theory (DFT) was applied for the first time to study the doping and co-doping of Ga and Zn metals on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4). The doping of these metal impurities into g-C3N4 leads to a significant decrease in the bandgap energy. Moreover, the co-doping leads to even lower bandgap energy than either individual Zn or Ga-doped g-C3N4. The theoretical electronic and optical properties including the density of state (DOS), energy levels of the frontier orbital, excited state lifetime, and molecular electrostatic potential of the doped and co-doped g-C3N4 support their application in UV-visible light-based technologies. The quantum mechanical parameters (energy band gap, binding energy, exciton energy, softness, hardness) and dipole moment exhibit higher values (ranging from 1.36 to 4.94 D) compared to the bare g-C3N4 (0.29 D), indicating better solubility in the water solvent. The time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) calculations showed absorption maxima in between the UV-Vis region (309-878 nm). Additionally, charge transfer characteristics, transition density matrix (TDM), excited state lifetime and light harvesting efficiency (LHE) were investigated. Overall, these theoretical studies suggest that doped and co-doped g-C3N4 are excellent candidates for electronic semiconductor devices, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), solar cells, and photodetectors.

Bioavailability enhancement studies of amoxicillin with Nigella.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Nigella sativa Linn. is extensively used in the Indian diasporas as spice, which may interact with co-administered drugs and affect their intestinal availability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Nigella on bioavailability of amoxicillin in animal model. METHODS: Everted rat intestinal sacs were used for in vitro experiment to study the transfer of amoxicillin across the gut. Amoxicillin (6 mg/ml) was co-infused with 3 and 6 mg of methanol and hexane extract of Nigella seeds separately. The amount of amoxicillin that traversed the gut was followed spectrophotometrically at 273 nm. For in vivo studies Wistar albino rats were used. Amoxicillin (25 mg/kg, po) was co-administered with hexane extract of Nigella seeds (25 mg/kg, po). The amount of amoxicillin in rat plasma was determined by UPLC-MS/MS method. RESULTS: The in vitro studies both with methanol and hexane extracts of Nigella increased the permeation of amoxicillin significantly (P<0.001) as compared to control. Permeation was also found to be significantly higher for the hexane extract (P<0.001) in comparison to methanol extract at the same dose levels. In vivo experiments revealed that Cmax of amoxicillin in rat plasma when administered orally alone and in combination with hexane extract increased correspondingly from 4138.251 ± 156.93 to 5995.045 ± 196.28 ng/ml while as AUC 0→t increased from 8890.40 ± 143.33 to 13483.46 ± 152.45 ng/ml.h. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: Nigella enhanced amoxicillin availability in both in vivo and in vitro studies. As the increase in bioavailability is attributed, in part, to enhanced diffusivity across intestine, our study indicated that Nigella increased intestinal absorption of amoxicillin.

Development of environment-friendly and ductile recycled aggregate concrete through synergetic use of hybrid fibers.

The partial or full replacement of natural aggregates with recycled ones can lessen the harmful effects of concrete industry on the environment. Despite offering sustainability benefits, recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) is inherently brittle under tension similar to natural aggregate concrete (NAC). The present study aimed to enhance the ductility of plain RAC by using hybrid fibers. The effect of single and hybrid fibers was studied on the flexural behavior (flexural strength, flexural toughness, residual strength), splitting tensile strength, and compressive strength of RAC. Polypropylene fiber (PPF) and hooked steel fiber (HSF) and hybrid fiber combination (0.85% HSF + 0.15% PPF) were used in RAC and NAC at a 1% volume fraction of concrete. The results showed that RAC with 1% PPF performed poorly compared to the RAC with 1% HSF. RAC incorporating 1% HSF or hybrid HSF-PPF fibers showed overall better performance than plain NAC. A substantial increment in the tensile and flexural strength of RAC was observed with the incorporation singular HSF and hybrid HSF-PPF. Hybrid fibers have higher efficiency than singular HSF in both RAC and NAC. Residual strength, flexural strength, and flexural toughness of RAC with HSF and hybrid fibers were notably higher compared to the conventional plain NAC. The addition of 0.85% HSF + 0.15% PPF is beneficial to the imperviousness of concrete, and it reduced the water absorption capacity of RAC by 6.4%.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) of precast concrete blocks utilizing ground granulated blast furnace slag.

Concrete paving block (CPB) has become a popular construction material for pavements subjected to passive loads (parking, toll plazas, gas stations, and street pavements). Due to the short time in the production of CPB, the concrete block industry has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade. In this scenario, the environmental distress cannot be ignored due to the increased extraction of raw materials (fossil fuels, limestone, river sand, and crushed aggregates) in the manufacturing of CPB. The sustainability issues demand the utilization of eco-friendly materials instead of natural ones to minimize the abiotic depletion caused by the construction industry. This study investigates the technical and environmental performance of CPB production incorporating an eco-friendly mineral admixture, i.e., ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), as a cement replacement material. The optimum level of GGBS was decided based on the required engineering performance and minimal environmental impact. For the determination of the engineering performance of CPB, several parameters were considered such as compressive strength (CS), impact toughness (IT), and water absorption (WA). The environmental impact of Global Warming Potential (GWP) was assessed based on a cradle-to-gate LCA analysis. The results suggested that maximum mechanical performance and minimum GWP can be simultaneously achieved at 5-10% replacement of cement with GGBS, while to satisfy the minimum strength requirement, CPB can be prepared using 25% GGBS as a replacement for cement that accounts for 17% lower GWP than that of the conventional CPB manufacturing.