Four port tri-circular ring MIMO antenna with wide-band characteristics for future 5G and mmWave applications.

MIMO (Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output) antenna systems are promising for fifth-generation (5G) networks, offering lower latency and higher data rates. These systems utilize millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequency bands for efficient transmission and reception of multiple data simultaneously, enhancing overall efficiency and performance. This article presents a compact size, wide band tri-circular ring mmWave MIMO antenna with suitable performance characteristics for next-generation communication systems. The MIMO system consists of a tri-circular ring patch with slots on a ground plane. The four elements of the antenna are arranged together in the polarization diversity configuration with overall dimensions of 23×18×0.254 mm3, and designed on a 0.254 mm thin, flexible RO5880 substrate with a relative permittivity of 2.3 using Computer Simulation Technology (CST) 2022. The proposed antenna design shows the impedance bandwidth of 14 GHz with isolation >18 dB throughout the 26-40 GHz resonance band. The obtained gain is 6.6 dBi at 28 GHz with radiation efficiency > 90%. Several MIMO parameters are also investigated, such as Envelope Correlation Coefficient (ECC), Mean Effective Gain (MEG), Diversity Gain (DG), Total Active Reflection Co-efficient (TARC), and Channel Capacity Loss (CCL), and are found to be within the accepted limits for a practical MIMO system. Furthermore, the fabricated MIMO antenna was tested, and the measured results aligned favorably with the simulated results, confirming the suitability of the proposed design. Through the obtained results, the mmWave MIMO antenna is suitable for practical 5G as well as mmWave applications due to its lightweight, simple design, and wideband characteristics, which cover the 5G frequency bands of 26, 28, 32, and 38 GHz.

Integrating humanities in healthcare: a mixed-methods study for development and testing of a humanities curriculum for front-line health workers in Karachi, Pakistan.

Lady health workers (LHWs) provide lifesaving maternal and child health services to >60% of Pakistan's population but are poorly compensated and overburdened. Moreover, LHWs' training does not incorporate efforts to nurture attributes necessary for equitable and holistic healthcare delivery. We developed an interdisciplinary humanities curriculum, deriving its strengths from local art and literature, to enhance character virtues such as empathy and connection, interpersonal communication skills, compassion and purpose among LHWs. We tested the curriculum's feasibility and impact to enhance character strengths among LHWs.We conducted a multiphase mixed-methods pilot study in two towns of Karachi, Pakistan. We delivered the humanities curriculum to 48 LHWs via 12 weekly sessions, from 15 June to 2 September 2021. We developed a multiconstruct character strength survey that was administered preintervention and postintervention to assess the impact of the training. In-depth interviews were conducted with a subset of randomly selected participating LHWs.Of 48 participants, 47 (98%) completed the training, and 34 (71%) attended all 12 sessions. Scores for all outcomes increased between baseline and endline, with highest increase (10.0 points, 95% CI 2.91 to 17.02; p=0.006) observed for empathy/connection. LHWs provided positive feedback on the training and its impact in terms of improving their confidence, empathy/connection and ability to communicate with clients. Participants also rated the sessions highly in terms of the content's usefulness (mean: 9.7/10; SD: 0.16), the success of the sessions (mean: 9.7/10; SD: 0.17) and overall satisfaction (mean: 8.2/10; SD: 3.3).A humanities-based training for front-line health workers is a feasible intervention with demonstrated impact of nurturing key character strengths, notably empathy/connection and interpersonal communication. Evidence from this study highlights the value of a humanities-based training, grounded in local literature and cultural values, that can ultimately translate to improved well-being of LHWs thus contributing to better health outcomes among the populations they serve.

Development and feasibility testing of an artificially intelligent chatbot to answer immunization-related queries of caregivers in Pakistan: A mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: Gaps in information access impede immunization uptake, especially in low-resource settings where cutting-edge and innovative digital interventions are limited given the digital inequity. Our objective was to develop an Artificially Intelligent (AI) chatbot to respond to caregiver's immunization-related queries in Pakistan and investigate its feasibility and acceptability in a low-resource, low-literacy setting. METHODS: We developed Bablibot (Babybot), a local language immunization chatbot, using Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies with Human in the Loop feature. We evaluated the bot through a sequential mixed-methods study. We enrolled caregivers visiting the 12 selected immunization centers for routine childhood vaccines. Additional caregivers were reached through targeted text message communication. We assessed Bablibot's feasibility and acceptability by tracking user engagement and technological metrics, and through thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 20 caregivers. FINDINGS: Between March 9, 2020, and April 15, 2021, 2,202 caregivers were enrolled in the study, of which, 677 (30.7%) interacted with Bablibot (users). Bablibot responded to 1,877 messages through 874 conversations. Conversation topics included vaccination due dates (32.4%; 283/874), side-effect management (15.7%;137/874), or delaying vaccination due to child's illness or COVID-lockdown (16.8%;147/874). Over 90% (277/307) of responses to text-based exit surveys indicated satisfaction with Bablibot. Qualitative analysis showed caregivers appreciated Bablibot's usefulness and provided feedback for further improvement of the system. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of local-language NLP chatbots in providing real-time immunization information in low-resource settings. Text-based chatbots canminimize the workload on helpline operators, in addition to instantaneously resolving caregiver queries that otherwise lead to delay or default.

An Ultra-Wide Band MIMO Antenna System with Enhanced Isolation for Microwave Imaging Applications.

This paper introduces a novel two-port ultra-wideband (UWB) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna system with enhanced isolation characteristics. The antenna, designed on a thin 0.787 mm RO5880 substrate, achieves a compact form factor of 52 × 26 mm2 and offers a wide bandwidth of 9.2 GHz (2.3 GHz to 11.5 GHz) while meeting the VSWR 2:1 criterion. Notably, the proposed antenna demonstrates an impressive increase in isolation, up to 16 dB, through the integration of a shared radiator with small rectangular slots, effectively reducing interference and improving overall performance. Furthermore, a comprehensive analysis of additional MIMO performance parameters, including the envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) and diversity gain, confirms their satisfactory limits, validating the potential of the proposed UWB-MIMO antenna for various UWB applications. The time domain analysis of the UWB antenna is also analyzed, and results are found to be within satisfactory limits. Simulation and measurement results further support the practicality and effectiveness of the antenna design, highlighting its compact size, wide bandwidth, and enhanced isolation characteristics, positioning it as a promising solution for advanced UWB microwave imaging systems.

Influence of biochar produced from negative pressure-induced carbonization on transformation of potentially toxic metal(loid)s concerning plant physiological characteristics in industrially contaminated soil.

Soil contamination and its subsequent impact on the food chain is a pressing challenge in the present day. The application of biochar has demonstrated a significant and positive effect on soil health, thereby enhancing plant growth and development. However, the application of biochar (BC) produced from negative pressure-induced carbonization to mitigate metal(loid) contamination is a new strategy that has been studied in current research. Results depicted that the application of biochar derived from the negative pressure carbonization (vacuum-assisted biochar (VBC) has a significant (p ≤ 0.05) positive impact on plant growth and physiological characteristics by influencing immobilization and speciation of metal(loid) in the soil system. Moreover, the interactive effect of VBC on physiological characteristics (photosynthesis, gas exchange, and chlorophyll contents) and antioxidant activities of maize (Zea mays L.) was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) positive by confining the translocation and movement of metal(loid)s to the aerial part of the maize plant. X-ray diffraction (XRD) provided information on the structural and chemical changes induced by the VBC-500 °C explaining metal(loid) adsorption onto mineral surfaces and complexation that can affect their mobility, availability, and toxicity in the contaminated soil. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) further provided a more detailed understanding of the metal(loid)s and biochar complexation mechanisms influenced by VBC-based functional groups -OH, C-Hn, -COOH, CO, C-O-C, CC, C-O, C-H, OH, and C-C in the binding process. These results suggest that the application of biochar prepared at 500 °C under negative pressure-induced carbonization conditions to the soil is the most efficient way to reduce the uptake and transfer of metal(loid)s by influencing their mobility and availability in the soil-plant system.

A Four Element mm-Wave MIMO Antenna System with Wide-Band and High Isolation Characteristics for 5G Applications.

In this article, we propose a light weight, low profile Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna system for compact 5th Generation (5G) mmwave devices. Using a RO5880 substrate that is incredibly thin, the suggested antenna is made up of circular rings stacked vertically and horizontally on top of one another. The single element antenna board has dimensions of 12 × 12 × 0.254 mm3 while the size of the radiating element is 6 × 2 × 0.254 mm3 (0.56λ0 × 0.19λ0 × 0.02λ0). The proposed antenna showed dual band characteristics. The first resonance showed a bandwidth of 10 GHz with a starting frequency of 23 GHz to an ending frequency point of 33 GHz followed by a second resonance bandwidth of 3.25 GHz ranging from 37.75 to 41 GHz, respectively. The proposed antenna is transformed into a four element Linear array system with size of 48 × 12 × 0.254 mm3 (4.48λ0 × 1.12λ0 × 0.02λ0). The isolation levels at both resonance bands were noted to be >20 dB which shows high levels of isolation among radiating elements. The MIMO parameters such as Envelope Correlation Co-efficient (ECC), Mean Effective Gain (MEG) and Diversity Gain (DG) were derived and were found to be in satisfactory limits. The proposed MIMO system model is fabricated and through validation and testing of the prototype, the results were found to be in good agreement with simulations.

A Compact MIMO Multiband Antenna for 5G/WLAN/WIFI-6 Devices.

This research work presents a compact design of a Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) multiband antenna along with high-isolation characteristics. The presented antenna was designed for 3.50 GHz, 5.50 GHz, and 6.50 GHz frequencies for 5G cellular, 5G WiFi, and WiFi-6, respectively. The fabrication of the aforementioned design was undertaken using FR-4 (1.6 mm thickness) substrate material with a loss tangent and relative permittivity of about 0.025 and 4.30, respectively. The two-element MIMO multiband antenna was miniaturized to 16 × 28 × 1.6 mm3, making it desirable for devices operating in 5G bands. High isolation (>15 dB) was attained with thorough testing without employing a decoupling scheme in the design. Laboratory measurements resulted in a peak gain of 3.49 dBi and an efficiency of around 80% in the entire operating band. The evaluation of the presented MIMO multiband antenna was carried out in terms of the envelope correlation coefficient (ECC), diversity gain (DG), total active reflection coefficient (TARC), and Channel Capacity Loss (CCL). The measured ECC was less than 0.04, and the DG was well above 9.50. The observed TARC was also lower than -10 dB, and the CCL was below 0.4 bits/s/Hz in the entire operating band. The presented MIMO multiband antenna was analyzed and simulated using CST Studio Suite 2020.

Impregnation of biochar with montmorillonite and its activation for the removal of azithromycin from aqueous media.

An inexpensive and environmentally friendly composite synthesized from rice husk, impregnated with montmorillonite and activated by carbon dioxide, was investigated for the removal of azithromycin from an aqueous solution. Various techniques were used to characterize adsorbents in detail. The sorption process was primarily regulated by the solution pH, pollutant concentration, contact duration, adsorbent dose, and solution temperature. The equilibrium data were best analyzed using the nonlinear Langmuir and Sips (R2 > 0.97) isotherms, which revealed that adsorption occurs in a homogenous manner. The adsorption capacity of pristine biochar and carbon dioxide activated biochar-montmorillonite composite was 33.4 mg g-1 and 44.73 mg g-1, respectively. Kinetic studies identified that the experimental data obeyed the pseudo-second-order and Elovich models (R2 > 0.98) indicating the chemisorption nature of adsorbents. The thermodynamic parameters determined the endothermic and spontaneous nature of the reaction. The ion exchange, π-π electron-donor-acceptor (EDA) interactions, hydrogen-bonding, and electrostatic interactions were the plausible mechanisms responsible for the adsorption process. This study revealed that a carbon dioxide activated biochar-montmorillonite composite may be used as an effective, sustainable, and economical adsorbent for the removal of azithromycin from polluted water.

Molecular composition of soil organic matter (SOM) regulate qualities of tobacco leaves.

Soil organic matter (SOM) is of vital importance to soil health, and also plays a crucial role in the quality of the crops such as tobacco. However, the link between tobacco quality and SOM chemical compositions is still not well understood. To fill the information gap, we analyzed the quality of tobacco leaves and the corresponding SOM molecular compositions by electrospray ionization (ESI) coupled with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS), that were collected from six different sites in Bijie, Guizhou Province, China. The tobacco quality variedin six sites based on their chemical compositions. SOM compounds had a remarked impact on the quality of tobacco leaves and a distinct difference in SOM composition between low-quality and high-quality tobacco leaves was observed as well. Specifically, 105 common molecular formulas were detected in three SOM compounds of high-quality tobacco, which were more than those in low-quality samples. Although amino sugar, proteins, lipids, tannins, and carbohydrates had a collective influence on the chemical composition of tobacco leaves, the effect contributed by amino sugar and tannins was more prominent. In summary, fully understanding the association between tobacco chemical composition and SOM compounds can provide new insight into the regulation of tobacco quality and the sustainable development of agriculture.

Assessing the influence of sewage sludge and derived-biochar in immobilization and transformation of heavy metals in polluted soil: Impact on intracellular free radical formation in maize.

As one of the most common ways to get rid of municipal waste, landfill leachate, waste with complicated compositions and high levels of contaminants, has become a significant threat to the world's environment. Here, the impact of sewage sludge (SS) and derived-biochar (SSB) amendments on the immobilization and potential mobility of heavy metals in a contaminated soil-plant system was investigated. The sequential fractionation findings showed that using SS-2%, SSB-2%, and SSBC-1% reduced the potential mobility of heavy metals while increasing the residual fraction in polluted soils. The translocation and bioconcentration factors showed that heavy metals were slightly transferred into shoots from roots and lowered accumulation in roots from contaminated soils. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectrum (XPS) comprehensive characterization results indicated the significant role of applied amendments for heavy metals transformation from the exchangeable-soluble fractions to the least available form by lowering their mobility to confirm the adsorption-based complexes, which results in the surface adsorption of heavy metals with functional groups. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) results indicated the dominance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the intracellular formation of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) in maize plant roots and shoots. ROS (•OH) generation plays a critical influence in the interaction between the physiological processes of plants and heavy metals. Moreover, all the amendments increased maize growth and biomass production. Our study suggests that alone and combined application of SS and SSB have great potential to remediate heavy metals contaminated soil for environmental sustainability.

Inconsistent effects of a composite soil amendment on cadmium accumulation and consumption risk of 14 vegetables.

Organic and inorganic mixtures can be developed as immobilizing agents that could reduce heavy metal accumulation in crops and contribute to food safety. Here, inorganic materials (lime, L; zeolite, Z; and sepiolite, S) and organic materials (biochar, B, and compost, C) were selectively mixed to produce six composite soil amendments (LZBC, LSBC, LZC, LZB, LSC, and LSB). Given the fact that LZBC showed the best performance in decreasing soil Cd availability in the incubation experiment, it was further applied in the field condition with 14 vegetables as the test crops to investigate its effects on crop safety production in polluted greenhouse. The results showed that LZBC addition elevated rhizosphere soil pH by 0.1-2.0 units and reduced soil Cd availability by 1.85-37.99%. Both the biomass and the yields of edible parts of all vegetables were improved by LZBC addition. However, LZBC addition differently affected Cd accumulation in edible parts of the experimental vegetables, with the observation that Cd contents were significantly reduced in Allium fistulosum L., Amaranthus tricolor L., and Coriandrum sativum Linn., but increased in the three species of Lactuca sativa. Further health risk assessment showed that LZBC application significantly decreased daily intake of metal (DIM), health risk index (HRI), and target hazard quotient (THQ) for Cd in Allium fistulosum L., Amaranthus tricolor L., and Coriandrum sativum Linn., whereas increased all the indexes in Lactuca sativa. Our results showed that the effect of a composite amendment on Cd accumulation in different vegetables could be divergent and species-dependent, which suggested that it is essential to conduct a pre-experiment to verify applicable species for a specific soil amendment designed for heavy metal immobilization.

Roles of exogenous plant growth regulators on phytoextraction of Cd/Pb/Zn by Sedum alfredii Hance in contaminated soils.

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) assisted phytoextraction was investigated as a viable phytoremediation technology to increase the phytoextraction efficiency in contaminated soils. This study aimed to evaluate the cadimum (Cd)/lead (Pb)/zinc (Zn) phytoextraction efficiency by a hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii Hance (S. alfredii) treated with 9 PGRs, including indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), gibberellin (GA3), cytokinin (CKs), abscisic acid (ABA), ethylene (ETH), brassinosteroid (BR), salicylic acid (SA), strigolactones (SL) and jasmonic acid (JA), in slightly or heavily contaminated (SC and HC, respectively) soil. Results demonstrated that PGRs were able to improve S. alfredii biomass, the most significant increases were observed in GA3 and SL for HC soil, while for SC soil, IAA and BR exhibited positive effects. The levels of Cd, Pb and Zn in the shoots of S. alfredii treated with ABA and SL were noticeably greater than in the CK treatment in HC soil, while the uptake of metals were increased by IAA and CKs in SC soil. Combined with the results of biomass and metal contents in shoots, we found that ABA showed the highest Cd removal efficiency and the maximum Pb and Zn removal efficiency was observed with GA3, which was 62.99%, 269.23%, and 41.18%, respectively higher than the control in HC soil. Meanwhile, compared to control, the maximum removal efficiency of Cd by IAA treatment (52.80%), Pb by JA treatment (165.1%), and Zn by BR treatment (44.97%) in the SC soil. Overall, our results suggested that these PGRs, especially, ABA, SL, IAA, BR and GA3 had great potential in improving phytoremediation efficiency of S. alfredii grown in contaminated soils.

Health impacts of indoor air pollution from household solid fuel on children and women.

The inefficient and incomplete combustion of solid fuel (SF) is associated with high levels of indoor air pollutants leading to 3.55 million deaths annually. The risk is higher in women and children, due to their higher exposure duration and unique physical properties. The current article aims to provide a critical overview regarding the use of solid fuel, its associated pollutants, their toxicity mechanisms and, most importantly the associated health impacts, especially in women and children. Pollutants associated with SF mostly include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, particulate matter, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide, and their concentrations are two- to threefold higher in indoor environments. These pollutants can lead to a variety of health risks by inducing different toxicity mechanisms, such as oxidative stress, DNA methylation, and gene activation. Exposed children have an increased prevalence of low birth weight, acute lower respiratory tract infections, anemia and premature mortality. On the other hand, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cardiovascular diseases are the major causes of disability and premature death in women. Indoor air pollution resulting from SF combustion is a major public health threat globally. To reduce the risks, it is important to identify future research gaps and implement effective interventions and policies.

Environmental emission, fate and transformation of microplastics in biotic and abiotic compartments: Global status, recent advances and future perspectives.

The intensive use and wide-ranging application of plastic- and plastic-derived products have resulted in alarming levels of plastic pollution in different environmental compartments worldwide. As a result of various biogeochemical mechanisms, this plastic litter is converted into small, ubiquitous and persistent fragments called microplastics (<5 mm), which are of significant and increasing concern to the scientific community. Microplastics have spread across the globe and now exist in virtually all environmental compartments (the soil, atmosphere, and water). Although these compartments are often considered to be independent environments, in reality, they are very closely linked. Ample research has been done on microplastics, but there are still questions and knowledge gaps regarding the emission, occurrence, distribution, detection, environmental fate and transport of MPs in different environmental compartments. The current article is intended to provide a systematic overview of MP emissions, pollution conditions, sampling and analytical approaches, transport, fates and transformation mechanisms in different environmental compartments. It also identifies research gaps and future research directions and perspectives.

The effects of a combined amendment on growth, cadmium adsorption by five fruit vegetables, and soil fertility in contaminated greenhouse under rotation system.

Cadmium (Cd) exposure is related to a multitude of adverse health outcomes because food crops grown on Cd-polluted soil are widely consumed by the public. The present study investigates the different application techniques of a combined amendment (lime + zeolite + biochar + compost, LZBC) for soil Cd immobilization effect on growth performance, Cd uptake by the second season crops, and soil quality in greenhouse vegetable production (GVP) under a rotation system. Five fruit vegetables were cultivated as the second season crop in the same plots which have been used for pakchoi as the first season crop (with or without LZBC application). The results indicated that LZBC with the consecutive application (T3) promoted crops biomass and fruit yield the most, followed by LZBC with the second crop application (T2) and LZBC with the first crop application (T1). LZBC application showed increasing rhizosphere soil pH and improvement in soil fertility of all crops including available nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, organic matter, and cation exchange capacity. LZBC had positive influences on soluble sugar, soluble protein, and vitamin C in edible parts of 5 vegetables. Cd contents in fruit, shoot, and root of eggplant, pimento, cowpea, and tomato except cucumber were reduced by adding LZBC. As for the economic performance, T3 had the highest output/input ratio in general. Overall, these results demonstrated that T3 was dramatically more effective for minimizing health risk, increasing production, and facilitating sustainable utilization of soil under the Cd-contaminated GVP system.

Interactive assessment of lignite and bamboo-biochar for geochemical speciation, modulation and uptake of Cu and other heavy metals in the copper mine tailing.

This study was designed to examine the combined effect of bamboo-biochar (BC) and water-washed lignite (LGT) at copper mine tailings (CuMT) sites on the concentration of Cu and other metals in pore water (PW), their bioavailability, and change in geochemical speciation. Rapeseed (first cropping-season) and wheat (second cropping-season) were grown for 40-days each and the influence of applied-amendments on both cropping seasons was observed and compared. A significant increase in pH, water holding capacity (WHC), and soil organic carbon (SOC) was observed after the applied amendments in second cropping-seasons. The BC-LGT significantly reduced the concentration of Cu in PW after second cropping seasons; however, the concentration of Pb and Zn were increased with the individual application of biochar and LGT, respectively. BC-LGT and BC-2% significantly reduced the bioavailability of Cu and other HMs in both cropping seasons. The treated-CuMT was subjected to spectroscopic investigation through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). The results showed that Cu sorption mainly involved the coordination with hydroxyl and carboxyl functional groups, as well as the co-precipitation or complexation on mineral surfaces, which vary with the applied amendment and bulk amount of Mg, Mn, and Fe released during sorption-process. The co-application of BC-LGT exerted significant effectiveness in immobilizing Cu and other HMs in CuMT. The outcomes of the study indicated that co-application of BC-LGT is an efficacious combination of organic and inorganic materials for Cu adsorption which may provide some new information for the sustainable remediation of copper mine tailing.

Examining unsafe injection practices associated with auto-disable (AD) syringes: a systematic review.

Auto-disable (AD) syringes are specifically designed to prevent syringe reuse. However, the notion that specific AD syringe designs may be unsafe due to reuse concerns related to the syringe's activation point has surfaced. We conducted a systematic review for evidence on the association between AD syringe design and syringe reuse, adverse events following immunization (AEFI), or blood borne virus (BBV) transmission. We found no evidence of an association between AD syringe design and unsafe injection practices including syringe reuse, AEFIs, or BBVs. Authors of three records speculated about the possibility of AD syringe reuse through intentionally defeating the disabling mechanism, and one hinted at the possibility of reuse of larger-than-required syringes, but none reported any actual reuse instance. In contrast to AD syringes, standard disposable syringes continue to be reused; therefore, the global health community should expand the use of AD syringes in both immunization and therapeutic context as an essential strategy for curbing BBV transmission.

Biochar-mediated transformation of titanium dioxide nanoparticles concerning TiO2NPs-biochar interactions, plant traits and tissue accumulation to cell translocation.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) application in variety of commercial products would likely release these NPs into the environment. The interaction of TiO2NPs with terrestrial plants upon uptake can disturb plants functional traits and can also transfer to the food chain members. In this study, we investigated the impact of TiO2NPs on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants functional traits, primary macronutrients assimilation, and change in the profile of bio-macromolecule. Moreover, the mechanism of biochar-TiO2NPs interaction, immobilization, and tissue accumulation to cell translocation of NPs in plants was also explored. The results indicated that the contents of Ti in wheat tissues was reduced about 3-fold and the Ti transfer rate (per day) was reduced about 2 fold at the 1000 mg L-1 exposure level of TiO2NPs in biochar amended exposure medium. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with elemental mapping confirmed that Ti concentrated in plant tissues in nano-form. The interactive effect of TiO2NPs + biochar amendment on photosynthesis related and gas exchange traits was observed at relatively low TiO2NPs exposure level (200 mg L-1), which induced the positive impact on wheat plants proliferation. TiO2NPs alone exposure to wheat also modified the plant's bio-macromolecules profile with the reduction in the assimilation of primary macronutrients, which could affect the food crop nutritional value and quality. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) chemical analysis of biochar + TiO2NPs showed an additional peak, which indicated the binding interaction of NPs with biochar. Moreover, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed that the biochar carboxyl group is the main functionality involved in the bonding process with TiO2NPs. These findings will help for a mechanistic understanding of the role of biochar in the reduction of NPs bioavailability to primary producers of the terrestrial environment.

Succession Pattern in Soil Micro-Ecology Under Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) Continuous Cropping Circumstances in Yunnan Province of Southwest China.

Continuous cropping obstacle (CCO) is a common phenomenon in agricultural production and extremely threatens the sustainable development of agriculture. To clarify the potential keystone factors causing tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) CCO, tobacco plants, topsoil, and rhizosphere soil were sampled from the fields with no, slight, and severe tobacco disease in Dali and Yuxi of Yunnan province in China. The physicochemical properties of topsoil and rhizosphere soil, the phenolic acids (PAs) contents in rhizosphere soil, and elemental contents in topsoil, rhizosphere soil, and tobacco plants were analyzed. Microbial diversity in rhizosphere soil was determined by the metagenomic sequencing method. The results showed that soil pH, texture, cation exchange capacity, organic matter, TC, TN, and available K contents showed a significant difference (p < 0.05) in soil physicochemical properties. There was a deficiency of B, K, Mg, and Mn contents in soil and/or tobacco plants. The contents of PAs, especially syringic acid in rhizosphere soil, varied significantly among the three sampling groups (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, microbial communities and functional genes changed from beneficial to harmful, showing an intimate correlation with soil pH and syringic acid content. It can be concluded that tobacco CCO could be allocated to the imbalance of soil micro-ecology, which possessed a regional feature at the two sampling sites.

Effect of vaccine reminder and tracker bracelets on routine childhood immunization coverage and timeliness in urban Pakistan (2017-18): a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Inability to track children's vaccination history coupled with parents' lack of awareness of vaccination due dates compounds the problem of low immunization coverage and timeliness in developing countries. We evaluated the impact of two types of silicone immunization reminder bracelets for children in improving immunization coverage and timeliness of Pentavalent-3 and the Measles-1 vaccines. METHODS: Children < 3 months were enrolled in either of the 2 intervention groups (Alma Sana Bracelet Group and Star Bracelet Group) or the Control group. Children in the intervention groups were provided the two different bracelets at the time of recruitment. Each time the child visited the immunization center, a hole was perforated in the silicone bracelet to denote vaccine administration. Each child was followed up till administration of Measles-1 vaccine or till 12 months of age (if they did not come to the center for vaccination). Data was analyzed using the intention-to-treat population between groups. The unadjusted and adjusted Risk Ratios (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for Pentavalent-3 and Measles-1 coverage at 12 months of age were estimated through bivariate and multivariate analysis. Time-to-Pentavalent-3 and Measles-1 immunization curves were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: A total of 1,445 children were enrolled in the study between July 19, 2017 and October 10, 2017. Baseline characteristics among the three groups were similar. Up-to-date coverage for the Pentavalent-3 /Measles-1 vaccine at 12 months of age was 84.6%/72.0%, 85.4%/70.5% and 83.0%/68.5% in Alma Sana Bracelet group, Star Bracelet group and Control group respectively but the differences were not statistically significant. In the multivariate analysis, neither the Alma Sana bracelet (adjusted RR = 1.01; 95% CI: 0.96-1.06), (adjusted RR: 1.05; 95% CI: 0.97-1.13) nor the Star bracelet (adjusted RR = 1.01; 95% CI: 0.96-1.06) (adjusted RR: 1.03; 95% CI: 0.95-1.11) was significantly associated with Pentavalent-3 vaccination or Measles-1 vaccination. CONCLUSION: Although we did not observe any significant impact of the bracelets on improved immunization coverage and timeliness, our findings add to the existing literature on innovative, low cost reminders for health and make several suggestions for enhancing practical implementation of these tools. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03310762 . Retrospectively Registered on October 16, 2017.