Abreast insights of harnessing microalgal lipids for producing biodiesel: A review of improving and advancing the technical aspects of cultivation.

In the pursuit of alternatives for conventional diesel, sourced from non-renewable fossil fuel, biodiesel has gained attentions for its intrinsic benefits. However, the commercial production process for biodiesel is still not sufficiently competitive. This review analyses microalgal lipid, one of the important sources of biodiesel, and its cultivation techniques with recent developments in the technical aspects. In fact, the microalgal lipids are the third generation feedstock, used for biodiesel production after its benefits outweigh that of edible vegetable oils (first generation) and non-edible oils (second generation). The critical factors influencing microalgal growth and its lipid production and accumulation are also discussed. Following that is the internal enhancement for cellular lipid production through genetic engineering. Moreover, the microalgae cultivation data modelling was also rationalized, with a specific focus on growth kinetic models that allow for the prediction and optimization of lipid production. Finally, the machine learning and environmental impact analysis are as well presented as important aspects to consider in fulfilling the prime objective of commercial sustainability to produce microalgal biodiesel.

Potential application of 2D nano-layered MXene in analysing and remediating endocrine disruptor compounds and heavy metals in water.

With the advancement of technologies and growth of the economy, it is inevitable that more complex processes are deployed, producing more heterogeneous wastewater that comes from biomedical, biochemical and various biotechnological industries. While the conventional way of wastewater treatment could effectively reduce the chemical oxygen demand, pH and turbidity of wastewater, trace pollutants, specifically the endocrine disruptor compounds (EDCs) that exist in µg L-1 or ng L-1 have further hardened the detection and removal of these biochemical pollutants. Even in small amounts, EDC could interfere human's hormone, causing severe implications on human body. Hence, this review elucidates the recent insights regarding the effectiveness of an advanced 2D material based on titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx), also known as MXene, in detecting and removing EDCs. MXene's highly tunable feature also allows its surface chemistry to be adjusted by adding chemicals with different functional groups to adsorb different kinds of EDCs for biochemical pollution mitigation. At the same time, the incorporation of MXene into sample matrices also further eases the analysis of trace pollutants down to ng L-1 levels, thereby making way for a more cleaner and comprehensive wastewater treatment. In that sense, this review also highlights the progress in synthesizing MXene from the conventional method to the more modern approaches, together with their respective key parameters. To further understand and attest to the efficacy of MXene, the limitations and current gaps of this potential agent are also accentuated, targeting to seek resolutions for a more sustainable application.

Environmental impact assessment via life cycle analysis on ultrafiltration membrane fabricated from polyethylene terephthalate waste to treat microalgal cultivation wastewater for reusability.

The current study had conducted the life cycle analysis (LCA) to assess the environmental impact of microalgal wastewater treatment via an integrated membrane bioreactor. The functional unit selected for this analysis was 1 kg of treated microalgal wastewater with contaminants eliminated by ultrafiltration membrane fabricated from recycled polyethylene terephthalate waste. Meanwhile, the applied system boundary in this study was distinguished based on two scenarios, namely, cradle-to-gate encompassed wastewater treatment only and cradle-to-cradle which included the reutilization of treated wastewater to cultivate microalgae again. The environmental impacts and hotspots associated with the different stages of the wastewater treatment process had clearly elucidated that membrane treatment had ensued the highest impact, followed by microalgal harvesting, and finally cultivation. Among the environmental impact categories, water-related impact was found to be prominent in the following series: freshwater ecotoxicity, freshwater eutrophication and marine ecotoxicity. Notably, the key performance indicator of all environmental impact, i.e., the global warming potential was found to be very much lower at 2.94 × 10-4 kg CO2 eq as opposed to other literatures reported on the LCA of wastewater treatments using membranes. Overall, this study had proffered insights into the environmental impact of microalgal wastewater treatment and its stimulus for sustainable wastewater management. The findings of this study can be instrumental in making informed decision for optimizing microalgal wastewater treatment and reutilization assisted by membrane technology with an ultimate goal of enhancing sustainability.

A synthetic approach towards drug modification: 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde based imine-zwitterion preparation, single-crystal study, Hirshfeld surface analysis, and computational investigation.

The current work is about the modification of primary amine functionalized drugs, pyrimethamine and 4-amino-N-(2,3-dihydrothiazol-2-yl)benzenesulfonamide, via condensation reaction with 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde to produce new organic zwitterionic compounds (E)-1-(((4-(N-(2,3-dihydrothiazol-2-yl)sulfamoyl)phenyl)iminio)methyl)naphthalen-2-olate (DSPIN) and (E)-1-(((4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-6-ethylpyrimidin-2-yl)iminio)methyl)naphthalen-2-olate (ACPIN) in methanol as a solvent. The crystal structures of both compounds were confirmed to be imine-based zwitterionic products via single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) analysis which indicated that the stabilization of both crystalline compounds is achieved via various noncovalent interactions. The supramolecular assembly in terms of noncovalent interactions was explored by the Hirshfeld surface analysis. Void analysis was carried out to predict the crystal mechanical response. Compound geometries calculated in the DFT (Density Functional Theory) study showed reasonably good agreement with the experimentally determined structural parameters. Frontier molecular orbital (FMO) analysis showed that the DSPIN HOMO/LUMO gap is by 0.15 eV smaller than the ACPIN HOMO/LUMO gap due to some destabilization of the DSPIN HOMO and some stabilization of its LUMO. The results of the charge analysis implied formation of intramolecular hydrogen bonds and suggested formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonding and dipole-dipole and dispersion interactions.

Electrochemical and DFT Studies of the Pistacia Integerrima Gall Extract: An Eco-friendly Approach towards the Corrosion of Steel in Acidic Medium.

A novel application of the Pistacia integerrima gall extract as an environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitor is reported in this study. The major phytochemicals present in the gall extract, namely pistagremic acid, ß-sitosterol, pistiphloroglucinyl ether, pistaciaphenyl ester, naringenin, and 5,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one, play key roles in its anticorrosive behavior on steel in aggressive media. Several approaches were used to study the corrosion prevention activity of steel in 1 M H2SO4, including weight loss analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), and density functional theory (DFT). At 2000 mg L-1, the highest efficiency of 92.19% was observed in 1 M H2SO4. An SEM study was conducted to validate the surface coverage of the metal surface. DFT studies revealed several nucleophilic regions present in the phytochemicals of the inhibitor, which supported the favorable nucleophilicity. Corrosion studies have not been performed on this sample. Phytochemicals make it an effective corrosion inhibitor, and its extraction process utilizes distilled water, making it better than other inhibitors. It has been proven that the obtained values of ΔEInhDFT for pistiphloroglucinyl, pistaciaphenyl ether, and naringenin organic compounds were very low, confirming the high reactivity of these corrosion inhibitors. The order of the values of ΔEInhDFT is as follows: pistaciaphenyl ether > pistiphloroglucinyl ether > naringenin organic compound; this suggests that pistaciaphenyl ether is more reactive than the other compounds. In this study, P. integerrima gall extract emerges as a novel and highly effective corrosion resistance agent in 1 M H2SO4, chosen for its relevance to acid pickling and cleaning processes.

Can undergoing renewable energy transition assist the BRICS countries in achieving environmental sustainability?

The BRICS countries ratified the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals agenda whereby ensuring environmental sustainability is of paramount importance for these emerging market economies. Although the BRICS nations have recorded noteworthy economic growth trajectories over the last couple of decades, these nations have not fared well in terms of improving their environmental indicators, especially due to gradually becoming more fossil fuel dependent over time. Hence, this study aims to explore whether undergoing the renewable energy transition can directly and indirectly establish environmental sustainability in the BRICS countries by containing their annual growth rates of carbon dioxide emissions. Additionally, the emission growth rate-influencing effects of technological innovation, foreign direct investment receipts, urbanization, and institutional quality are also evaluated. Based on data spanning from 1996 to 2021 and considering the result obtained using advanced panel data estimators, the findings endorse that the yearly carbon emission growth rates are (a) unaffected by undergoing the renewable energy transition on its own; (b) positively impacted by technological innovation, net receipts of foreign direct investment, and urbanization; and (c) negatively impacted by improving institutional quality through effective controlling of the spread of corruption. More importantly, the results verify the joint carbon emission growth rate-mitigating impact of renewable energy transition and institutional quality improvement. Hence, for abating the emission growth rate figures, several policies are prescribed.

Novel Noninvasive Serum Biomarkers for Prompt Diagnosis of Breast Carcinoma.

Immune cell infiltration is associated with improved prognosis in the microenvironment of breast cancer. The incidence of breast cancer in Pakistan is 2.5 times higher than that in neighboring countries of Asia, accounting for 34.6% of female cancers. The objectives of this study were to compare and determine apoptotic mediators and biomarkers for breast carcinoma, such as serum granzyme B, cytochrome C, and vitamin D by ELIZA and calcium spectrophotometrically. Study groups were differentiated into malignant breast disease G-I, benign proliferative breast disease G-II, and healthy control group G-III. The immune-related prognostic markers and therapeutic targets were determined through the interaction of proteins by molecular docking and AutoDock Vina software. The level of granzyme B and cyt C was higher in Group-I, -II, and -III. Likewise, the mean vitamin D level was greater in Group-I than those in other groups. Through SwissDock, the proteins granzyme B and cyt C with vitamin D, single amino acid residue MET34 (H-bond 2.75 Å), and ILE81(H-bond 2.092 Å) were revealed to actively participate in interactions. This study reveals granzyme B and cyt C as biomarkers for malignant breast disease and benign proliferative breast disease, while hypovitaminosis D and hypocalcemia are complications or comorbidities of breast cancer.

Numerical investigation of heat and mass transfer in three-dimensional MHD nanoliquid flow with inclined magnetization.

Heat and mass transfer rate by using nanofluids is a fundamental aspect of numerous industrial processes. Its importance extends to energy efficiency, product quality, safety, and environmental responsibility, making it a key consideration for industries seeking to improve their operations, reduce costs, and meet regulatory requirements. So, the principal objective of this research is to analyze the heat and mass transfer rate for three-dimensional magneto hydrodynamic nanoliquid movement with thermal radiation and chemical reaction over the dual stretchable surface in the existence of an inclined magnetization, and viscous dissipation. The flow is rotating with constant angular speed [Formula: see text] about the axis of rotation because such flows occur in the chemical processing industry and the governing equations of motion, energy, and concentration are changed to ODEs by transformation. The complex and highly nonlinear nature of these equations makes them impractical to solve analytically so tackled numerically at MATLAB. The obtained numerical results are validated with literature and presented through graphs and tables. Increasing the Eckert number from [Formula: see text] a higher Nusselt and Sherwood number was noted for the hybrid nanofluid. By changing the angle of inclination [Formula: see text], the [Formula: see text] performance is noted at 8% for nanofluid and 33% for hybrid nanofluid. At the same time, [Formula: see text] performance of 0.5% and 2.0% are observed respectively. Additionally, as the angle of inclination increases the skin friction decreases and the chemical reaction rate increases the mass transmission rate.

Consanguineous marriages increase the incidence of recurrent tuberculosis: Evidence from whole exome sequencing.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we have identified multiple mutations in the IL-12R1 gene among Pakistani patients who have inherited them through consanguineous marriages. These patients have experienced severe Bacille-Calmette-Guérin (BCG) infection as well as recurrent tuberculosis. We will demonstrate the pivotal role of interleukin (IL)-12/interferon (IFN)-γ axis in the regulation of mycobacterial diseases. METHODOLOGY: First, we checked the patients' medical records, and then afterward, we assessed interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production through ELISA. Following that, DNA was extracted to investigate IL-12/IFN- abnormalities. Whole exome sequencing was conducted through Sanger sequencing. Secretory cytokine levels were compared from healthy control of the same age groups and they were found to be considerably less in the disease cohort. To evaluate the probable functional impact of these alterations, an in silico study was performed. RESULTS: The study found that the patients' PBMCs produced considerably less IFN-γ than expected. Analysis using flow cytometry showed that activated T cells lacked surface expression of IL-12Rß1. Exon 7 of the IL-12Rß1 gene, which encodes a portion of the cytokine binding region (CBR), and exon 10, which encodes the fibronectin-type III (FNIII) domain, were found to have the mutations c.641 A > G; p.Q214R and c.1094 T > C; p.M365T, respectively. In silico analysis showed that these mutations likely to have a deleterious effect on protein function. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate the significant contribution of the IL-12/IFN-γ is in combating infections due to mycobacterium. Among Pakistani patients born to consanguineous marriages, the identified mutations in the IL-12Rß-1 gene provide insights into the genetic basis of severe BCG infections and recurrent tuberculosis. The study highlights the potential utility of newborn screening in regions with mandatory BCG vaccination, enabling early detection and intervention for primary immunodeficiencies associated with mycobacterial infections. Moreover, the study suggests at the potential role of other related genes such as IL-23Rß1, TYK2, or JAK2 in IFN-γ production, warranting further investigation.

A neural network computational structure for the fractional order breast cancer model.

The current study provides the numerical performances of the fractional kind of breast cancer (FKBC) model, which are based on five different classes including cancer stem cells, healthy cells, tumor cells, excess estrogen, and immune cells. The motive to introduce the fractional order derivatives is to present more precise solutions as compared to integer order. A stochastic computing reliable scheme based on the Levenberg Marquardt backpropagation neural networks (LMBNNS) is proposed to solve three different cases of the fractional order values of the FKBC model. A designed dataset is constructed by using the Adam solver in order to reduce the mean square error by taking the data performances as 9% for both testing and validation, while 82% is used for training. The correctness of the solver is approved through the negligible absolute error and matching of the solutions for each model's case. To validates the accuracy, and consistency of the solver, the performances based on the error histogram, transition state, and regression for solving the FKBC model.

Numerical analysis of radiative hybrid nanomaterials flow across a permeable curved surface with inertial and Joule heating characteristics.

The water-based Cu and CoFe2O4 hybrid nano liquid flow across a permeable curved sheet under the consequences of inertial and Lorentz forces has been reported in this analysis. The Joule heating and Darcy Forchheimer effects on fluid flow have been also examined. In the presence of copper (Cu) and cobalt iron oxide (CoFe2O4) nanoparticles, the hybrid nano liquid is synthesized. Radiation and heat source features are additionally incorporated to perform thermodynamics analysis in detail. The second law of thermodynamics is employed in order to estimate the overall generation of entropy. The nonlinear system of PDEs (partial differential equations) is transformed into a dimensionally-free set of ODEs (ordinary differential equations) by employing a similarity framework. The Mathematica built in package ND Solve method is applied to compute the resulting set of nonlinear differential equations numerically. Along with the velocity, and temperature profiles, skin friction and Nusselt number are also computed. Figures and tables illustrate the effects of flow factors on important profiles. Evidently, the outcomes reveal that hybrid nanofluid (Cu + CoFe2O4+H2O) is more progressive than nanofluid (Cu + H2O) and base fluid (H2O) in thermal phenomena. Furthermore, the velocity profile is improved with the greater values of curvature parameter, while the inverse trend is observed against the magnetic parameters. Also, the velocity and energy distribution of hybrid nano-liquid flow boosts with the inclusion of Cu and CoFe2O4 nanoparticles into the base fluid. Velocity distribution diminishes with the increment of volume friction. For high values of inertial factor, skin friction improve while velocity and Nusselt number declines.

An empirical examination of the environmental sustainability-influencing mechanisms of renewable energy: contextual evidence from Next Eleven countries.

Recognizing the environmental development-related commitments made by the Next Eleven countries at 26th Conference of Parties (COP26), this study scrutinizes the repercussions accompanying good democratic governance, renewable energy transition, economic growth, and the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on carbon emission figures of these emerging nations. In this regard, the period of analysis considered spans from 1990 to 2018 while the econometric analyses involve application of both parametric and non-parametric panel data estimators. Among the key findings, firstly, the outcomes from the parametric estimation methods verify that establishing better democratic governance and undergoing renewable energy transition, both independently and jointly, curb carbon emission levels, while higher economic growth and the signing of the Kyoto Protocol are responsible for boosting emissions the Next Eleven countries. Secondly, the findings derived using the non-parametric methods reveal a great deal of heterogeneity when compared with the results obtained from the parametric analysis. Notably, better democratic governance is seen to reduce carbon emissions in less and moderately polluted. Next Eleven nations, while renewable energy transition curbs emissions only in the moderately and highly polluted ones. Additionally, these variables jointly inhibit emissions only in the Next Eleven nations that are moderately polluted. Besides, better democratic governance is observed to mediate the renewable energy transition-carbon emissions nexus only for the less-polluted Next Eleven nations, while the environmental impacts of economic growth and the signing of the Kyoto Protocol vary across different emission quantiles. Accordingly, relevant policies are recommended for helping the Next Eleven countries to comply with their pledges made at the COP26.

Does higher energy efficiency growth homogeneously affect carbon emission growth rate across developing Sub-Saharan African nations? The importance of utilizing clean energy.

Establishing a sustainable environment and acquiring a carbon-neutral status require Sub-Saharan African nations to reduce their year-on-year growth rates of carbon emission levels. Thus, this study considers a sample of 38 countries from this region and selects the time period from 2000 to 2020 for analyzing the annual carbon emission growth rate influencing impacts of energy efficiency, clean energy, institutional quality, international trade, and net receipts of foreign direct investment. Overall, for the full sample of Sub-Saharan African nations, the results verify that the enhancing the growth rate of energy efficiency improvement reduces both total and per capita annual carbon emission growth rates. Besides, the results endorse that enhancing renewable energy shares of the final energy consumption profiles and promoting good governance-led betterment of institutional quality also plunge emission growth rates in the long run. More importantly, energy efficiency improvement, renewable energy consumption, and better quality institutions are observed to jointly exert carbon emission growth rate-impeding effects, as well. By contrast, more openness to international trade is not seen to influence the carbon emission growth rates of the Sub-Saharan African nations of concern. Lastly, a greater share of net foreign direct investment receipts in the national output level is evidenced to boost annual carbon emission growth rates across this region; consequently, the pollution haven hypothesis is verified. Furthermore, these above-mentioned findings are found to be heterogeneous across groups of low-income and middle-income Sub-Saharan African nations. Accordingly, in line with the findings, a couple of policies are recommended to the governments of the Sub-Saharan African countries in order to guide them in designing effective environmental sustainability policies that are relevant for tackling climate change-related atrocities in the future.

Can minimizing risk exposures help in inhibiting carbon footprints? The environmental repercussions of international trade and clean energy.

Since bettering environmental conditions has acquired significant interest globally, discovering factors that may facilitate the establishment of environmental sustainability is currently of foremost importance. Hence, this study considers a sample of 33 members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and checks whether reducing exposure to different forms of country risks, in the presence of international trade and clean energy consumption, can reduce their respective carbon footprint levels. Utilizing annual data from 2000 to 2018 and employing methods that handle problems related to dependence across cross-sectional units and heterogeneity of slope coefficients, the findings endorse that (a) reducing financial and political risks abate carbon footprints, (b) economic risk exposure does not influence carbon footprints, (c) international trade exerts carbon footprint-boosting effects, and (d) undergoing unclean to clean energy transition curbs carbon footprints. Accordingly, the concerned governments should these findings into account while conceptualizing green environmental policies in the future.

Validation of the efficiency of arsenic mitigation strategies in southwestern region of Bangladesh and development of a cost-effective adsorbent to mitigate arsenic levels.

World's highest arsenic (As) contamination is well-documented for the groundwater system of southwestern region (mainly Jashore district) of Bangladesh, where the majority of inhabitants are underprivileged. To mitigate As poisoning in southwestern Bangladesh, numerous steps have been taken so far by the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Among them, digging deep tube wells and As removal by naturally deposited Fe(OH)3 species are being widely practiced in the contaminated areas. However, these actions have been left unmonitored for decades, making people unaware of this naturally occurring deadly poison in their drinking water. Hence, water samples (n = 63, both treated and untreated) and soil samples (n = 4) were collected from different spots in Jashore district to assess the safety level of drinking water and to understand the probable reasons for high As(III) contamination. About 93.7% of samples were found to contain As(III) above 10 µg/L; among them, 38% contained above 50 µg/L. The study shows that current As(III) removal strategies in the study area are ineffective. In this connection, a simple low-cost As(III) removal adsorbent is proposed that can be prepared with very cheap and locally available materials like iron sludge and charcoal. The adsorbent was characterized in terms of SEM, EDX, and XPS. The optimal dosage of the adsorbent was investigated for real-life application concerning several vital water quality parameters. The Fe-C adsorbent exhibited a maximum As(III) removal efficiency of 92% in real groundwater samples. The study will allow policymakers for informed decision-making regarding water body management as well as enable the local people to avail As-safe water in a way that aligns with their economic factors.

Comparative dynamics of mixed convection heat transfer under thermal radiation effect with porous medium flow over dual stretched surface.

Due to enhanced heat transfer rate, the nanofluid and hybrid nanofluids have significant industrial uses. The principal objective of this exploration is to investigate how thermal radiation influences the velocity and temperature profile. A water-based rotational nanofluid flow with constant angular speed [Formula: see text] is considered for this comparative study. A similarity conversion is applied to change the appearing equations into ODEs. Three different nanoparticles i.e., copper, aluminum, and titanium oxide are used to prepare different nanofluids for comparison. The numerical and graphical outputs are gained by employing the bvp-4c procedure in MATLAB. The results for different constraints are represented through graphs and tables. Higher heat transmission rate and minimized skin friction are noted for triple nanoparticle nanofluid. Skin coefficients in the x-direction and y-direction have reduced by 50% in trihybrid nanofluid by keeping mixed convection levels between the range [Formula: see text]. The heat transmission coefficient with raising the levels of thermal radiation between [Formula: see text] and Prandlt number [Formula: see text] has shown a 60% increase.

Advancements of microalgal upstream technologies: Bioengineering and application aspects in the paradigm of circular bioeconomy.

Sustainable energy transition has brought the attention towards microalgae utilization as potential feedstock due to its tremendous capabilities over its predecessors for generating more energy with reduced carbon footprint. However, the commercialization of microalgae feedstock remains debatable due to the various factors and considerations taken into scaling-up the conventional microalgal upstream processes. This review provides a state-of-the-art assessment over the recent developments of available and existing microalgal upstream cultivation systems catered for maximum biomass production. The key growth parameters and main cultivation modes necessary for optimized microalgal growth conditions along with the fundamental aspects were also reviewed and evaluated comprehensively. In addition, the advancements and strategies towards potential scale-up of the microalgal cultivation technologies were highlighted to provide insights for further development into the upstream processes aimed at sustainable circular bioeconomy.

Analysis of Monkeypox viral infection with human to animal transmission via a fractional and Fractal-fractional operators with power law kernel.

Monkeypox (MPX) is a global public health concern. This infectious disease affects people all over the world, not just those in West and Central Africa. Various approaches have been used to study epidemiology, the source of infection, and patterns of transmission of MPX. In this article, we analyze the dynamics of MPX using a fractional mathematical model with a power law kernel. The human-to-animal transmission is considered in the model formulation. The fractional model is further reformulated via a generalized fractal-fractional differential operator in the Caputo sense. The basic mathematical including the existence and uniqueness of both fractional and fractal-fractional problems are provided using fixed points theorems. A numerical scheme for the proposed model is obtained using an efficient iterative method. Moreover, detailed simulation results are shown for different fractional orders in the first stage. Finally, a number of graphical results of fractal-fractional MPX transmission models are presented showing the combined effect of fractal and fractional orders on model dynamics. The resulting simulations conclude that the new fractal-fractional operator added more biological insight into the dynamics of illness.