ITS-PCR-RFLP analysis of Ganoderma sp. infecting industrial crops

Ganoderma is a disastrous pathogen that has been causing tremendous losses to economically important crops in many countries. Vast genetic variations have been observed among several Ganoderma species, even from the same host. In this study, genetic variation was assessed among 44 isolates of Ganoderma sp. isolated from the basidiocarps of four different hosts (oil palm, rubber, tea, and forest trees) collected from selected areas of Peninsular Malaysia. Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) technique, using ITS1 and ITS4 primers, was used to amplify Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) regions. Amplified products were further digested using Bsu 151, Hind III and Taq I restriction enzymes. Cluster analysis with UPGMA using genetic distances clustered all the isolates studied into four main groups. Generally, Ganoderma isolates from the same host were clustered together. The isolates from tea and rubber were more closely related compared to oil palm and forest trees. Similarly, the Ganoderma isolates from the same host were also clustered together, and three species were identified, namely, G. boninense (from oil palm and coconut stumps), G. philippii (rubber) and G. australe (forest trees). The results obtained from the analysis showed that host preference was a possible factor in the differentiation of Ganoderma species

AAPM Medical Physics Practice Guideline 2.a: Commissioning and quality assurance of X-ray–based image-guided radiotherapy systems

The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) is a nonprofit professional society whose primary purposes are to advance the science, education, and professional practice of medical physics. The AAPM has more than 8,000 members and is the principal organization of medical physicists in the United States. The AAPM will periodically define new practice guidelines for medical physics practice to help advance the science of medical physics and to improve the quality of service to patients throughout the United States. Existing medical physics practice guidelines will be reviewed for the purpose of revision or renewal, as appropriate, on their fifth anniversary or sooner. Each medical physics practice guideline represents a policy statement by the AAPM, has undergone a thorough consensus process in which it has been subjected to extensive review, and requires the approval of the Professional Council. The medical physics practice guidelines recognize that the safe and effective use of diagnostic and therapeutic radiology requires specific training, skills, and techniques, as described in each document. Reproduction or modification of the published practice guidelines and technical standards by those entities not providing these services is not authorized. 1

Slowing myopia progression in children

Background: A large proportion of individuals develop myopia, which is recognized as a global health concern and is predicted to increase in prevalence. Long-term eye problems are associated with myopia, particularly in young individuals. Retinal detachment and choroidal degeneration are among the causes of visual impairments associated with myopia. In this narrative review, we summarized the current measures for slowing myopia progression in children, including their safety profiles and potential drawbacks. Methods: We conducted an English literature search for articles published between January 1, 2000, and October 31, 2023, using various combinations of keywords related to myopia, myopia progression, childhood myopia, myopia control, atropine, orthokeratology, and contact lenses. We included original or review articles pertaining to lifestyle changes and pharmacological, optical, or laser interventions for managing myopia progression in children. Our search was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and the Wiley Online Library. We reviewed the full text of included articles and qualitatively summarized the results of relevant studies using a narrative synthesis approach. Results: Multiple meta-analyses indicated that increased outdoor time is associated with a lower myopia prevalence, with each extra hour spent outside each week reducing the risk of myopia by 2%. Candidate drugs, such as atropine, pirenzepine, and 7-methylxanthine, and certain intraocular pressure-lowering medications, such as timolol, have been studied in human trials for their ability to manage myopia. The nonselective antimuscarinic drug atropine, followed by the M1-selective antimuscarinic drug pirenzepine, displayed positive results in slowing myopia. Oral 7-methylxanthine, a nonselective adenosine receptor antagonist, reduces axial myopia caused by hyperopic defocus in a primate model. Low-intensity laser therapy using low doses of red and near-infrared light, visual biofeedback training, bifocal or multifocal spectacles, orthokeratology using a rigid gas-permeable contact lens, combined orthokeratology and atropine, soft contact lenses with a central distance zone and higher positive power in the periphery, and peripheral defocus contact lenses are among the interventional therapies with promising results in managing myopia progression in children. Conclusions: The current literature supports the efficacy of increased outdoor time, administration of pharmacological agents, and special contact lenses as treatment modalities for slowing myopia progression in children. The effectiveness of orthokeratology alone and in combination with topical atropine therapy has also been assessed. Further research is needed to pinpoint the precise mechanisms of action of these therapies and to determine the best course of treatment. The increasing global prevalence of childhood myopia necessitates robust interventional studies into slowing myopia progression and preventing high myopia and related sight-threatening conditions in adulthood

Acid red 17, acid yellow 11, direct yellow 12, direct blue 86 ve mordant violet 40 boyalarının karışımını içeren suyun arıtılması için gelişmiş oksidasyon işlemi

Boyaların atık sudan uzaklaştırılması hem çevre hem de üreticiler için tekstil endüstrisindekien büyük sorunlardan biridir. Bu makale, beş farklı boya (Asit Kırmızısı 17, Asit Sarısı 11,Doğrudan Sarı 12, Doğrudan Mavi 86 ve Mordan Menekşe 40) içeren sentetik atık su karışımınıarıtmak için ultraviyole (UV) ile birlikte ozon (O3) ve O3 uygulama olasılığı farklı kromofor veankraj gruplarına sahip boyaların renk giderme etkinliği için incelemiştir. Temas süresi,optimum çalışma koşullarını elde etmek için UV ile kombine O3 veya O3 akışı altında bir kesiklireaktörde incelenmiştir. Sonuçlar, O3 uygulamasının UV destekli ozonlamadan daha etkiliolduğunu göstermiştir. Bu karışımdaki her bir boyanın ileri oksidasyonu, aynı boyanın çözeltiiçinde ayrı ayrı çıkarılmasıyla karşılaştırıldı. Sonuçlar, boyayı karışımdan ve su çözeltisindeki tekboyayı çıkarmak için gereken sürede yalnızca küçük bir fark olduğunu kanıtlamıştır.The removal of dyes from wastewater is one of the biggest problems in the textile industry for both environment and manufacturers. This study examined the possibility of applying ozone (O3) and O3 in combination with ultraviolet (UV) to treat a mixture of synthetic wastewater containing five different dyes (Acid Red 17, Acid Yellow 11, Direct Yellow 12, Direct Blue 86 and Mordant Violet 40) for the decolorization efficiency of dyes with different chromophore and anchor groups. The contact time was studied in a batch reactor under the flow of O3 or O3 combined with UV to achieve optimal operating conditions. The results showed that the application of O3 was more effective than UV-assisted ozonation. The advanced oxidation of each dye in this mixture was compared with the removal of the same dye in the solution separately. The results proved that there is only a slight difference in the time required to remove the dye from the mixture and the single dye in the water solution

Experimental Simulation for Load Reduction Techniques on Underground Utilities using Geofoam

This paper investigates an experimental study on reducing stress acting on buried flexible pipes by using expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam techniques. An experimental model was carried out with dimensions depending on pipe diameter (D) and location, the used fill cover material was from sand and EPS blocks either embankment form, or within sand backfill as embedded layer. The pipe flexible is un-plasticized polyvinyl chloride (UPVC). A series of experiments have been carried out by using static surface loading on rectangular steel plate,where the load is distributed over the backfill. The behavior of sand backfill around the pipe was observed, and the displacement and strains of the pipe were measured. The experimental results showed that the embedded layer of EPS geofoam block embedded in sand for different techniques reduced the deformation of flexible buried pipe, with high efficiency and low coast compared with EPS geofoam only. The results reveal that, the most effective methods thatcanreduce the stress on buried flexible pipe with low cost were EPS encasement block with head void method, and EPS block embraces the upper part of pipe method

The association between right ventricular function and exercise capacity for hypertensive patients

Background: Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) would be used to evaluate right ventricular (RV) function in patients with arterial hypertension, and the link between RV dysfunction and exercise capacity was studied in the study population.Objective: To establish a correlation with exercise capability in the study group by using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) to evaluate RV function in patients with arterial hypertension.Patients and Methods: Patients with hypertension were surveyed in a cross-sectional research; those known and treated; whether controlled or not and patients who were recently discovered to be hypertensive. Ninety patients were included; gender and age were taken into account. A thorough examination was performed on each patient (TTE) as well as six minute walking distance (6MWD). For all we had a written informed consent prior to enrollment. Results: Patients with untreated and uncontrolled hypertension showed significantly reduced right ventricular systolic and diastolic functions compared to those with well-controlled hypertension. Patients with untreated or uncontrolled hypertension had significant (P <0.001) deterioration on S', wave and diastolic dysfunction parameters (E/A, DTt, E/e t and IVRT). Untreated and uncontrolled hypertension patients showed a significant decrease in 6MWD compared to the well-controlled individuals (P <0.001). Conclusion: Untreated or ineffectively treated hypertension individuals had considerably reduced right ventricular function and exercise capacity, according to our findings. In the entire research population, right ventricular functions are strongly linked to exercise ability

Optical Properties of Bismuth Borate Glasses Doped with Zinc and Calcium Oxides

Some bismuth-borate oxide glass' samples were prepared by the fast quenching method, where B2O3 was replaced with equal concentrations of ZnO and CaO. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to examine the internal structure and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) to identify building units and bonds throughout the studied structural matrices. XRD showed that all samples have short range order structural nature, while FTIR demonstrated some of Zn2+ acted as glass network formers and all Bi3+ acted as glass. UV-visible measurements and calculations showed a decreasing in the energy band gap from 3.83 eV to 1.73 eV with decreasing B2O3 content. Also with decreasing B2O3 content, both real refractive index and metallization factor decreased from 3.1 to 1.9 and from 0.56 to 0.71, respectively. For the studied glass' samples, density and molar volume showed inverted behaviors, where the density decreased while the molar volume increases with decreasing B2O3

New water-based copolymer nanoparticles and their use as eco-friendly binders for industry of flexographic ink, part I

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to prepare, characterise and evaluate nano-emulsions of copolymers of various compositions as eco-friendly binders for flexographic ink industry. Design/methodology/approach: Various nano-emulsions of copolymers were prepared using styrene (St), butyl acrylate (BuAc), acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (AAm) monomers by means of a conventional seeded emulsion polymerisation technique, using K2S2O8 as the initiator. The characterisation of the prepared emulsions was performed using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A selection of copolymers was formulated with pigments and additional ingredients, as water-based flexographic inks. The inks were characterised for their viscosity, pH, degree of dispersion, water resistance and colour density. Findings: It was found that the low viscosity of the prepared copolymers may reduce the film thickness of the flexographic inks and may also increase the spreading of the ink on the surface. As a result, stable modified polyacrylate-based latex with improved physico-mechanical properties were obtained. The prepared latexes were showed improving and enhancing in water resistance; gloss values, and the print density that ranged from 2.06 to 2.51 and the maximum gloss values (39 and 48) were also obtained. Also, these binders provide excellent adhesion properties for both the pigment particles and the base paper. Practical implications: This study focuses on the preparation of new water-based copolymer nanoparticles and their use as eco-friendly binders for flexographic ink industry. Social implications: The ink formulations developed could find use in industrial-scale printing. Originality/value: Eco-friendly environment ink formulations for printing on paper substrates are novel