Natural and artificial radionuclide activity concentrations in soils near East Antarctic stations: Implications for personnel safety and environmental monitoring.

Comparative radiological screening of waste-to-energy and coal-fired-derived bottom ash: a case study from Southern Vietnam.

Identifying sources and quantifying contributions of plutonium in sediments of the Taiwan Strait.

Natural radioactivity profile in marine subtidal sediments along the Kerala coast: Ecological and human risk implications.

Plutonium radioisotopes in the surface bottom sediments of the Norwegian and Barents seas.

Assessing parallel urban dynamics through local-scale morphological and activity indicators in German and Spanish cities

Effects of dietary allicin supplementation on nutrient digestion and gastrointestinal health of Guizhou black goats.

Impact of spinning and coating parameters on morphology and CO2/N2 separation performance of Pebax composite hollow fiber membranes

Periodontal disease (PD) is one of the most common infectious conditions in dogs, associated with plaque accumulation, gingival inflammation, halitosis, and tooth loss. Halitosis is primarily caused by volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) generated by anaerobic bacteria, including Porphyromonas gulae (P. gulae), a pathogen closely linked to PD progression. This study examined the effects of oral interferon alpha (IFN-α) on halitosis and bacterial activity in dogs with PD. Thirty-two dogs with moderate-to-severe PD were enrolled and allocated to untreated controls (n = 10) or IFN-α treatment (n = 22). Dogs in the treatment group received 2.75 g of IFN-α formulation (InterBerryα®) applied to the gingival margin twice weekly for five weeks. Clinical outcomes included PD Severity Index, enzymatic activity to hydrolyze N-benzoyl-DL-arginine-naphthylamide (BANA), PCR detection of P. gulae, and halitosis evaluation by gas chromatography and pet owner assessment. IFN-α significantly reduced PD Severity Index, BANA activity, and VSC concentrations (hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan) compared with baseline and controls. Additionally, 27% of treated dogs converted to P. gulae-negative status after therapy. Owners reported marked improvement in oral malodor. These findings suggest that oral IFN-α effectively alleviates halitosis and reduces periodontal pathogen activity, supporting its potential as a non-invasive treatment for canine PD.

With increasing surgical cases for bone reconstruction, there is a rising need for advanced synthetic graft materials. In this paper, a novel pipeline for fabricating polycaprolactone (PCL)/bioceramic scaffolds was used to produce micron-fibre composite scaffolds comprising either 25wt% 45S5 bioglass/45K PCL or 25wt% molybdenum-doped bioglass/45K PCL (MoBG/PCL). Cryomixing was shown to be an effective method for evenly dispersing high concentrations of finely milled bioceramic particles into PCL without the need for chloroform solvents. The resulting composites had sufficiently low viscosity at 120°C to be printed using melt electrowriting (MEW). The addition of bioceramic particles into PCL increased the elastic modulus and dramatically reduced the elongation at break. MEW scaffolds printed from a MoBG/PCL composite were shown to effectively support osteoblast cell growth. The cells on MoBG/PCL constructs displayed greater metabolic activity and DNA concentration after 7 days in culture relative to constructs made from unmodified PCL. Concentrated MoBG/PCL composite scaffolds may be a promising pathway for advanced bone tissue scaffolds.

Baseline radiological environmental monitoring and impact assessment of radioactive waste storage facilities in Thailand

Preparation of radon-free thoron sources based on 228Th separated from industrial thorium nitrate.

Age dating of sediment cores in Sorsogon Bay, Philippines, using 210Pb method: A revisit.

Simple, stable, non-toxic nanoemulsion of fluconazole containing imidazolium-based ionic liquids with acetate and amino acid-based anions.

Background: Naturally occurring radionuclides in drinking water represent a significant pathway for internal exposure to ionizing radiation. Their occurrence is largely controlled by geological and hydrogeochemical conditions, and prolonged ingestion at elevated concentrations may pose potential health risks. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the activity concentrations of key naturally occurring radionuclides in selected groundwater and surface water sources in Nsukka Metropolis, Enugu State, Nigeria, and to evaluate their radiological safety in line with international guidelines. Methods: Six water samples were purposively collected from three surface water sources (Ohe Nsukka Lake, Ajiye Odenigbo Pond, and Iyi Mkpi Stream) and three groundwater sources (Asho Spring, Iyi Adoro Spring, and University of Nigeria Nsukka Borehole). Activity concentrations of potassium-40 (⁴⁰K), radium-226 (²²⁶Ra), and thorium-232 (²³²Th) were determined using standard gamma spectrometry at the Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Descriptive statistical analyses (mean, range, and variability) were performed and results were compared with internationally recommended reference levels. Results: The activity concentrations varied across sampling locations, reflecting underlying geological heterogeneity. Potassium-40 recorded the highest activity concentrations (44.09–81.14 Bq/L), followed by thorium-232 (16.20–30.02 Bq/L), while radium-226 exhibited the lowest levels (10.22–24.21 Bq/L). Relatively higher radionuclide concentrations were observed in Asho Spring and Ajiye Odenigbo samples, suggesting localized geogenic influences. Despite this variability, all measured values were below internationally recommended guideline limits for drinking water quality. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the investigated water sources in Nsukka Metropolis are radiologically safe for domestic consumption under current conditions. This study provides important baseline, radionuclide-specific data for an urbanizing region in southeastern Nigeria and enhances the evidence base for environmental radioactivity assessment. Continued monitoring and incorporation of dose-based risk evaluation are recommended to ensure sustained compliance with international radiation protection standards.

Objective.To verify the delivered dose in proton therapyin vivousing positron emission tomography (PET) with millimetric precision.Approach.Proton and ion therapy have gained significant importance in cancer radiotherapy due to their favorable dose distribution and tissue-sparing properties. In conventional gamma radiation therapy some methods ofin vivodose verification are possible with current medical devices. In proton and ion therapy, dose verification is limited, with PET being mainly used for particle range assessments rather than full dose mapping. Prompt gamma techniques are well suited for range verification but are not suitable for full three-dimensional (3D), voxel-wise dose mapping. This study presents initial results forin vivodose verification using F-18 PET imaging during proton therapy. Although the activity concentration of F-18 generated by typical clinical doses (several Gy) is low, PET imaging performed approximately one-hour post-irradiation yields sufficient image quality to derive dose-volume histograms (DVHs), enabling spatial dose verification. We simulated proton treatment in a brain phantom using the Gate and RayStation platforms to assess the production of several positron emitting isotopes. We focused on the production of fluorine-18 (F-18), given its low positron energy and low energy threshold for production, which enables accurate replication of the dose distribution. To evaluate the detectability of the anticipated low activity concentrations (on the order of a fraction of a Bq ml-1) following a 3 Gy proton irradiation, we tested three PET systems: two preclinical scanners based on LYSO detectors and one clinical scanner based on BGO crystals. Finally, we analyzed the DVHs for the simulated and measured dose and activity distributions and compared them with the planned distribution.Main Results.F-18 PET imaging in proton therapy correlates with the delivered dose to within 5% and matches the planned dose fall-off edge within 1 mm, enabling accurate and precisein vivodose verification.Significance.F-18 enables more accurate proton-therapy dose verification than other positron emitters studied (C-11, N-13, and O-15), showing the closest spatial correspondence to the planned dose and activity levels post-therapy that remain detectable on modern BGO-based PET systems.

ObjectiveTo examine the association between brain neurometabolite concentrations and physical activity (PA) volume after adolescent concussion.MethodsWe performed a longitudinal study of adolescents (13-18 years) with concussion. At an initial visit (visit 1; within 21 days of injury), participants rated their symptoms using the Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory (PCSI) and underwent magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to quantify neurometabolite concentrations in the posterior cingulate gyrus (PCG). Metabolites of interest were glutathione (GSH), glutamate-glutamine (Glx), total choline (tCho), and myo-inositol (mI). Following visit 1, participants were provided with wrist-worn activity monitors for the subsequent 14 days to track steps/day. They repeated MRS evaluation within 5 days of receiving medical clearance to return to sports (visit 2). We compared neurometabolite concentrations between visits, then used linear regression to investigate how PA was associated with neurometabolite concentrations at each visit independently.ResultsTwenty-seven adolescents underwent MRS scans (15.8 ± 1.3 years; 56% female; assessed 11.7 ± 4.2 and 37.3 ± 16.1 days postinjury) and n = 16 completed PA monitoring. Neurometabolite concentrations did not differ between visits 1 and 2 (P > .20) before accounting for PA. After controlling for symptom severity, glutamate-glutamine (β=407.5; 95% CI = -6.49, 821.47; P = .053) and total choline (β= 3953.79; CI = -38.47, 7946.05; P = .052) were marginally, but nonsignificantly, associated with PA volume. PA volume during the monitoring period was not significantly associated with unadjusted neurometabolite concentrations at visit 2 (P > .40).ConclusionsNeurometabolite concentrations were marginally associated with subsequent PA volume. These findings indicate that MRS may provide useful information about how PA and brain neurochemistry are associated during concussion recovery.

210Po activity in aerosols at Thai Nguyen, Vietnam: An application to assess the emission source and health risk assessment.

Lattice anisotropy fundamentally dictates the spatial symmetry and rectilinear features of one-dimensional single-crystal nanostructures and defines the inherent scope of their morphological variety. This study presents a strategy leveraging scanning laser-induced cyclohexasilane liquid-phase chemical deposition to enable the continuous modulation of silicon nanostructure curvature alongside a strictly single-crystal epitaxial structure. We attribute the bending to the deflection of the high-gradient photothermal field generated by the focused laser, which functions as a dynamic and spatially asymmetric regulator. The localized thermal environment provides a potent kinetic driving force within the sub-micrometer reaction zone, steering the epitaxial stacking of silicon atoms along artificially defined spatiotemporal trajectories. This mechanism enables the simultaneous realization of curved morphologies and highly ordered crystal structures, effectively decoupling structural evolution from the geometric constraints typically associated with conventional growth processes. Additionally, leveraging the inherent advantages of the liquid-phase environment, n-type (phosphorus-doped) horizontal single-crystal silicon nanowires were grown, achieving an active carrier concentration of 4 × 1020 atom per cm3 and a resistivity as low as 6.0 × 10-4 Ω cm. The findings confirm the feasibility of modulating the growth trajectory of single-crystal silicon via localized kinetic control, which provides the theoretical and technical basis for the additive manufacturing of complex three-dimensional single-crystal silicon nanostructures.

ABSTRACTMXenes, a family of two‐dimensional transition metal carbides, carbonitrides and nitrides, have emerged as highly interesting antimicrobial nanomaterials. While mostly Ti‐based MXenes have been explored in this field, our work aims at characterizing and investigating the antibacterial and biocompatibility profiles of two vanadium‐based MXenes (V₂CTₓ and V₄C₃Tₓ) against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, two clinically relevant pathobionts. First, the as‐synthesized nanomaterials were chemically and structurally characterized to confirm their morphology and structural integrity. After setting up two distinct experimental models (static and dynamic), the antibacterial activity was evaluated by colony‐forming units (CFUs) counting and scansion electron microscopy (SEM). Cellular cytotoxicity was assessed by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and crystal violet characterization (CV). To further evaluate the MXenes' properties, the antimicrobial activity was tested in in‐vitro infection models using both epithelial (Caco‐2) and macrophage (J774) cells measuring CFUs. To assess the oxidative stress contributing to MXenes' antibacterial activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was valued in infected cells after treatment. V₂CTₓ and V₄C₃Tₓ showed an antibacterial activity concentration and condition dependent. The dynamic incubation improved the bacterial reduction, supporting a “nano‐knife” mechanism linked to the physical disruption of the membrane. Finally, V₂CTₓ and V₄C₃Tₓ significantly reduced the intracellular bacterial burden in infected Caco‐2 epithelial cells in comparison with macrophages. Importantly, MXenes' treatment did not result in marked ROS stimulation, suggesting that their antibacterial activity mainly arose from physical interactions. Our findings highlight that vanadium‐based MXenes have good biocompatibility and are moderately effective antimicrobial nanomaterials, emphasizing the need to use commonly recognized and standardized experimental models to elucidate their potential antimicrobial applications.