Treatment Techniques Research Articles

Arteriovenous Malformations in Osler-Weber-Rendu Syndrome: Pathophysiology, Clinical Manifestations, and Advances in Management

Osler-Weber-Rendu Syndrome, or Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT), is a rare genetic disorder marked by the development of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) throughout the body. These abnormal vascular connections bypass the capillary network, leading to significant clinical challenges. This article reviews the pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and advances in the management of AVMs in HHT. The genetic basis of HHT involves mutations in the ENG, ACVRL1, and SMAD4 genes, which play critical roles in the TGF-β signaling pathway. These mutations result in endothelial dysfunction, contributing to the formation of AVMs. The clinical impact of AVMs is significant, particularly when they occur in the brain, lungs, liver, or gastrointestinal tract, where they can lead to life-threatening complications. This review also explores current diagnostic and management strategies, emphasizing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach. Interventional techniques such as embolization, stereotactic radiosurgery, and microsurgical resection are discussed, alongside emerging therapies like anti-angiogenic drugs and gene therapy. These advancements have led to more personalized and effective treatment plans for patients. As a result, the management of AVMs in HHT has seen significant progress, with a growing emphasis on individualized care. Continued research and the development of specialized treatment centers are crucial for further improving patient outcomes in this complex condition.

Open vs. Percutaneous Achilles Tendon Repair: Experience of Single Orthopedic Institute with Long-Term Follow-Up.

Background and Objectives: There are numerous techniques for the surgical treatment of Achilles tendon lesions described in the literature, and it is possible to distinguish repair techniques as either open surgery or percutaneous repair techniques. Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages. With this retrospective study, we aim to analyze the incidence of re-ruptures and other complications, return to sport and overall quality of life at a long-term follow-up in the treatment of acute ATRs, comparing the results of percutaneous repair with those of open repair. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study on a consecutive series of patients with complete tear of the AT who were managed through a surgical approach by the Operative Unit of Orthopaedics and Traumatology of Sant'Anna University Hospital (Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy) between April 2014 and December 2021. Patients were treated with a percutaneous or an open technique according to the surgeon's preference without randomization. Results: We considered 155 patients who met the established inclusion criteria. Of these, 103 (66.45%) patients underwent percutaneous treatment with the Tenolig® system, and 52 (33.55%) underwent open surgery, with an average ATRS in the first group of 92.5 compared to an average ATRS value of 82 in patients treated with the open technique. Conclusions: In our experience, following overlapping rehabilitation protocols in all patients included, we observed that the Tenolig® repair system led to a better ATRS at long-term follow-up, with comparable complication rates to open surgery.

Reducing intrusive memories and promoting posttraumatic growth with Traveler: A randomized controlled study.

Over recent decades, serious games have become a promising intervention approach for addressing psychological problems by providing users with computerized, engaging, and interactive experiences. An innovative serious game, Traveler, has been developed specifically as an intervention tool for managing posttraumatic responses immediately after trauma. The game incorporates the principle of visuospatial interference, the core elements of Tetris, such as spatial displacement and mental rotation, and the critical phases of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. To test the intervention efficacy and feasibility of Traveler, we conducted a randomized controlled trial involving 105 young adults. Participants were randomly assigned into three groups: a wait-list control group, a group undergoing five-session written exposure therapy, or a group engaging in one session of Traveler gameplay. Outcome measures included intrusive memories (i.e. vividness of traumatic images, disgust at traumatic images, flashback frequency, and flashback impact) and posttraumatic growth measured by the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. Traveler significantly outperformed the control and written exposure therapy groups in reducing intrusive memories and enhancing posttraumatic growth, with effects persisting at a 30-day follow-up. Thus, Traveler offers a promising brief and early intervention technique for addressing posttraumatic responses. Yet, its clinical applicability requires further investigation.

Preliminary treatment of landfill leachate by hydrodynamic cavitation supported by Fenton process

Hydrodynamic cavitation as an effective and environmentally friendly method of treating wastewater. Massive amounts of energy may be released into the surrounding liquid during hydrodynamic cavitation, resulting in mechanical , chemical and thermal impacts. Bacteria and organic materials in sewage can be broken down by these circumstances. Furthermore, a coupling effect may be created by combining hydrodynamic cavitation with other water treatment techniques. In this study it is aim to investigate and improve the hydrodynamic cavitation (HDC) process supported by Fenton process for the pretreatment of landfill leachate. In the second phase of the study, the effectiveness of the hydrodynamic cavitation process was investigated in conjunction with the Fenton process. The parameters such as the number of cavitation events, pH, and temperature were evaluated. The effluent was characterized and monitored for COD measurements. The consequences of operational variables such H2O2, Fe+2 , and pH values were investigated to determine the optimal Fenton oxidation process parameters. The findings of the experiment showed that pH values were ideal for Fenton oxidation of 3.5-4.5, 30 mM H2O2, and 5 mM Fe+2. A combined treatment process of Fe+2+H2O2, HDC + Fenton, and Cavitation alone were conducted for the treatment of landfill leachate. The results showed that the removal rates of chemical oxygen demand (COD) for the combined processes were 32.85%, 44.28%, and 7%, respectively. Temperature, pH, and the number of cavitation events were among the parameters that were assessed. The effluent was measured for COD and was characterized.

Trimethylamine N-oxide: A new target for the prevention and treatment of ischemic stroke

At present, ischemic stroke (IS) is the main contributor to mortality and disability. As a major chronic non-communicable disease, it poses a major threat to public health. Adding to the already substantial burden of stroke in China is the rapidly aging population and the rising incidence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. As a Chinese proverb goes, “diseases invade the body through the mouth,” which is, coincidentally, consistent with a claim by Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, that the source of all diseases begins in the intestines. These ancient wisdom underscore the importance of dissecting the relationship between IS and diet. Food is the primary source of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), an intestinal metabolite, which has drawn a lot of attention because it plays a key role in a number of pathways linked to the development and progression of atherosclerosis. These pathways include lipid metabolism, vascular endothelial injury, and the induction of inflammation. Given its potential as a therapeutic target for IS, conducting in-depth research on TMAO has become particularly crucial. With varied involvement in atherosclerosis, TMAO stands out as a viable target for innovative treatment techniques targeted at decreasing the risk and severity of IS. It is evident that practicing a specific diet can reduce the risk for IS, underscoring the necessity to investigate the role of controlling dietary TMAO intake in mitigating the risk of IS. At present, a growing body of research has explored the role of TMAO in vascular diseases, uncovering numerous interventions to reduce TMAO levels, which serve dual benefits of addressing both atherosclerosis and the associated risk of IS. This paper reviews the relationship between TMAO and IS, along with the progress in research on the clinical value of TMAO, offering new perspectives on IS prevention and treatment.

Fabrication and performance optimization of an advanced pervaporation desalination membrane: A study utilizing PVDF and hydrophilic active layer as composite

Pervaporation emerges as a promising technique for brine treatment. In this investigation, we employed a PVDF substrate layer and applied various coating solutions using a simple spray technique to produce a composite pervaporation membrane. The composite membrane's chemical structure, morphology, hydrophilicity, swelling property, surface roughness, and crosslinking conditions were thoroughly investigated. Notably, the PVDF/PEI/P(SS-MA) composite membrane exhibited outstanding desalination performance, demonstrating high salt rejection and flux of 308.7 ± 13.8 kg m−2 h−1 when subjected to a 3.5 wt% sodium chloride solution. Even at an elevated brine concentration of 20 wt%, the membrane maintained a commendable flux of 88.76 ± 5.4 kg m−2 h−1 at 72 °C. These findings underscore the efficacy of the developed composite membrane for brine desalination applications.

Simultaneous removal of cyanobacteria and algal organic matter (AOM) by CaCO3 precipitation combined with Polyaluminum chloride (PACl) flocculation

Simultaneous removal of cyanobacteria and algal organic matter (AOM) is still a difficult task for drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) during cyanobacteria blooms. CaCO3 precipitation, an environment-friendly drinking water treatment technique, has been recommended to removal cyanobacteria or AOM from drinking water. However, knowledge of simultaneous removal performance by CaCO3 precipitation is limited. Here, the simultaneous removal performance to cells and AOM of CaCO3 precipitation, combined with polyaluminum chloride (PACl) flocculation, was investigated, as well as the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that CaCO3 precipitation strategy significantly improved the simultaneous removal performance of PACl, with removal efficiency up to 98 % for cells and 48 % for AOM. CaCO3 precipitation exhibited reliable simultaneous removal effects at various initial cells densities and AOM concentrations. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and zeta potential results suggested that mutual flocculation between positively charged CaCO3 crystalline particles and negatively charged cells is the main responsible mechanism for cells removal. Despite that the adsorption of AOM on CaCO3 nuclei surface delays its precipitation, co-precipitation removal mechanism of AOM is realized during CaCO3 nucleation. Moreover, further AOM removal can be obtained by CaCO3 crystalline particles via chemisorption between organic molecules and the particles surface.

Review on high spatial resolution dosimetry with pixelated semiconductor detectors for radiation therapy

Current and emerging radiation therapy treatment techniques are characterized by complex and spatially non-uniform dose distributions with steep dose gradients delivered through high-precision dose placement with small radiation fields. Such approaches necessitate advanced verification tools. For accurate dose profile representation in stereotactic radiation therapy using megavoltage X-rays, the Nyquist theorem places the minimum sampling step as 2.5 mm that determines the required spatial resolution of the detectors for dose verification. For techniques such as micro- and mini-beam radiotherapy, micron-scale sampling is required, and sub-millimeter for particle therapy. Silicon semiconductor detectors provide the possibility of producing small sensitive volumes (including in arrays) without compromising mechanical robustness or sensitivity, therefore allowing for high spatial resolution dosimetry. They exhibit many properties of an ideal detector, while the properties of silicon detectors known to negatively influence response can be compensated for and minimized. As such, this work reviews the current status of semiconductor radiation detectors providing dose sampling by diodes with submillimeter sensitive volumes and a pitch of 2.5 mm or smaller for relative dosimetry in X-ray and electron external beam radiation therapy, brachytherapy, microbeam radiation therapy, proton, and heavy ion therapy. The following types of devices are discussed in this work, including commercial systems and those under development: one-dimensional and two-dimensional pixelated arrays (monolithic and single diode based).

Mechanochemical chemically assisted ablation of varicose veins for venous insufficiency: American vein and lymphatic society position statement.

Background: Mechanical occlusion chemically assisted ablation (MOCA) of incompetent saphenous veins has been utilized since its FDA approval in 2008. However, only recently have longer-term three and 5year clinical follow up data become available. This updated information necessitates a societal update to guide treatment and ensure optimal patient outcomes. Method: The American Vein and Lymphatic Society convened an expert panel to write a Position Statement with explanations and recommendations for the appropriate use of MOCA for patients with venous insufficiency. Result: This Position Statement was produced by the expert panel with recommendations for appropriate use, treatment technique, outcomes review, and potential adverse events. These recommendations were reviewed, edited, and approved by the Guidelines Committee of the Society. Conclusions: MOCA is effective in alleviating symptoms and a safe treatment option for venous insufficiency. It obviates the need for tumescent anesthesia, has less procedural discomfort and lower risk of thermal nerve or skin injury. It may be used in both the below knee distal GSV as well as the SSV. However, it is associated with significantly lower rates of vessel closure and higher recanalization rates compared to both RFA and EVLA and is less cost effective than thermal techniques. It is an available option for those in whom thermal ablation is not suitable.

Inter-subject cerebrovascular variability: a source of uncertainty for dose calculation to circulating blood cells for glioblastoma patients treated with modern radiotherapy techniques

Purpose. To assess how inter-subject variations in brain vasculature among glioblastoma (GBM) patients affects the calculated dose received by circulating blood cells (CBC) during radiotherapy and its subsequent impact on CBC depletion. Methods. Ten GBM patients treated with either intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) were selected. For each patient, 23 cerebrovascular models were developed based on 23 healthy subject MR-angiography data to simulate intra- and inter-subject blood vessel diversity. Based on the corresponding treatment plan of the patient, the dose to CBC was calculated for all the 230 scenarios. The impact of inter-subject variation on fraction of irradiated blood volume (VD >0 cGy) and lymphocyte kill rates as a function of the clinical target volume (CTV) size and treatment technique were analyzed. Results. The dose fluctuation to CBC was higher in IMRT plans compared to VMAT plans. The uncertainty in the VD >0 cGy was 18.3% for IMRT and 2.0% (CI95%) for VMAT and the dispersion of the D 2% index was 6 cGy for IMRT and 1 cGy for VMAT (CI95%) for one single treatment fraction of 200 cGy. The uncertainty in killed CBC due to inter-subject diversity in brain blood vessel increased with increasing CTV size and was σ = 11.2%. Conclusions. VMAT showed greater robustness against inter-subject variation in blood vessels compared to IMRT. We recommend considering the uncertainty in depleting CBC resulting from the use of less patient-specific and generic blood vessel phantoms to improve the radiation-induced lymphopenia assessments.

All-in-One Nanohybrids Combining Sonodynamic Photodynamic and Photothermal Therapies.

A wide variety of methods are being developed to ultimately defeat cancer; while some of these strategies have shown highly positive results, there are serious obstacles to overcome to completely eradicate this disease. So, it is crucial to construct multifunctional nanostructures possessing intelligent capabilities that can be utilized to treat cancer. A possible strategy for producing these multifunctional nanostructures is to combine various cancer treatment techniques. Based on this point of view, we successfully synthesized multifunctional HCuS@Cu2S@Au-P(NIPAM-co-AAm)-PpIX nanohybrids. The peculiarities of these thermosensitive polymer-modified and protoporphyrin IX (PpIX)-loaded hollow nanohybrids are that they combine photodynamic therapy (PDT), sonodynamic therapy (SDT), and photothermal therapy (PTT) with an intelligent design. As an all-in-one nanohybrids, HCuS@Cu2S@Au-P(NIPAM-co-AAm)-PpIX nanohybrids were employed in the SDT-PDT-PTT combination therapy, which proved to have a synergistic therapeutic effect for in vitro tumor treatments against breast tumors.

Exploiting the role of O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) in gastrointestinal cancers.

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is a prevalent disease and is recognized as the primary cause of cancer-related mortality globally. Therefore, there is an urgent need for novel diagnostic and treatment approaches for GC. The methylation of the O(6)-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene promoter is a significant factor in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC), namely in roughly 30-40% of cases where the cancer has spread. MGMT plays a role in the repair of DNA damage caused by methylating drugs like temozolomide (TMZ) and chloroethylating compounds like carmustine. As a result, it contributes to the resistance of chemotherapy when these agents are utilized. Although MGMT's role in the development of CRC is well established, its prognostic significance remains a subject of debate. Only a limited number of research have been conducted to examine the prognostic significance of MGMT methylation, yielding varying outcomes. This review explores the structural functions and repair processes of MGMT, focusing on the putative structural and functional significance of the N-terminal domain of MGMT. It also investigates the advancement of cancer treatment techniques that specifically target MGMT.

Higher Accuracy of Arthroscopy Compared to MRI in the Diagnosis of Chondral Lesions in Acute Ankle Fractures: A Prospective Study.

Even after successful surgery for acute ankle fractures, many patients continue having complaints. A possible explanation is the presence of concomitant chondral lesions. The aim of this study is to investigate the accuracy of MRI compared to that of arthroscopy in the assessment of chondral lesions in acute ankle fractures. In this prospective single-center study, patients presenting with acute ankle fractures over a period of three years were identified. A preoperative MRI was performed within a maximum of 10 days after trauma. During surgery, ankle arthroscopy was also performed. The International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) cartilage lesion classification was used to grade the detected chondral lesions. To localize the chondral lesions, the talar dome was divided into eight zones and the tibial/fibular articular surfaces into three zones. In total, 65 patients (28 females) with a mean age of 41.1 ± 15 years were included. In the MRI scans, 70 chondral lesions were detected (69.2% of patients) affecting mostly the tibial plafond (30%) and mostly graded as ICRS 3. The mean lesion area measured was 20.8 mm2. In the arthroscopy, 85 chondral lesions were detected (70.8% of patients) affecting mostly the medial surface of the talar dome (25.9%) and mostly graded ICRS 3. The mean lesion area measured was 43.4 mm2. The highest agreement between the two methods was observed in the size estimation of the chondral lesions. The present study shows the reduced accuracy of MRI when compared to arthroscopy in the assessment of traumatic chondral lesions in the setting of acute ankle fractures especially regarding lesion size. MRI remains an essential instrument in the evaluation of such lesions; however, surgeons should take this discrepancy into consideration, particularly the underestimation of chondral lesions' size in the preoperative planning of surgical treatment and operative technique.

A comprehensive numerical approach to coil placement in cerebral aneurysms: mathematical modeling and in silico occlusion classification.

Endovascular coil embolization is one of the primary treatment techniques for cerebral aneurysms. Although it is a well-established and minimally invasive method, it bears the risk of suboptimal coil placement which can lead to incomplete occlusion of the aneurysm possibly causing recurrence. One of the key features of coils is that they have an imprinted natural shape supporting the fixation within the aneurysm. For the spatial discretization, our mathematical coil model is based on the discrete elastic rod model which results in a dimension-reduced 1D system of differential equations. We include bending and twisting responses to account for the coils natural curvature and allow for the placement of several coils having different material parameters. Collisions between coil segments and the aneurysm wall are handled by an efficient contact algorithm that relies on an octree based collision detection. In time, we use a standard symplectic semi-implicit Euler time stepping method. Our model can be easily incorporated into blood flow simulations of embolized aneurysms. In order to differentiate optimal from suboptimal placements, we employ a suitable in silico Raymond-Roy-type occlusion classification and measure the local packing density in the aneurysm at its neck, wall region and core. We investigate the impact of uncertainties in the coil parameters and embolization procedure. To this end, we vary the position and the angle of insertion of the micro-catheter, and approximate the local packing density distributions by evaluating sample statistics.

Prevalence and diversity of enteric Helicobacter spp. in healthy and diarrheic cats.

Helicobacters are gastric and enterohepatic and live in the gut. The role of enterohepatic Helicobacters as intestinal pathogens is uncertain, while stomach Helicobacters are well-known. The prevalence of Helicobacter species in cat feces helps us understand their impact on cat health and human disease transmission. This study used PCR to identify Helicobacter spp. in feces samples from healthy and diarrhoeic cats, independent of the reason. The study also compared intestinal and stomach Helicobacter species. PCR analysis was performed on fecal samples from 40 cats, with 20 cats having diarrhea and 20 cats showing no symptoms. The PCR analysis aimed to detect Helicobacter's presence using a method that identifies the bacteria through the 16S rRNA gene. The diarrhoeic group had a greater prevalence of infection (17:9 ratio), with an overall 65% infection rate detected. Cats that were older than 2 years showed a higher incidence of disease. H. canis had the highest occurrence rate (69.2%), followed by H. bilis, H. bizzozeronii, and H. salomonis. Significantly, H. pylori, H. felis, and H. heilmannii were not reported. H. canis was the predominant species found in both healthy and diarrheic cats, indicating the need for more investigation. The detection of the gastric species H. salomonis and H. bizzozeronii further complicates the classification. This highlights the complex nature of Helicobacter infections in cats, emphasizing the need for further investigation to guide the development of preventative measures and treatment techniques for both veterinary and public health purposes.

A higher incidence of chondral injuries on the medial femoral condyle in concomitant ACL ruptures, no significant difference in treatment:A systematic review.

The associated damage to articular cartilage in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injured patients is a well-recognized phenomenon; however, there is a relative paucity in the literature regarding the different treatment techniques and outcomes. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify patients treated for acute ACL rupture and associated cartilage injury, with interest in the surgical management of these chondral injuries and any difference in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) differing techniques. A systematic review was performed looking for treatment or management of International Cartilage Repair Society grade 3 or 4 articular cartilage injury at the time of ACLreconstruction. Seventeen studies fit the criteria, a total of 892 patients were included, 64.6% were male with a mean age of 33.7and the average time to follow-up was 41.7 months. 68.2% of the lesions were on the medial femoral condyle (MFC) with a mean lesion size of 3.9 cm2. Six different operative methods of dealing with chondral lesions were identified, there was no significant difference in PROMs between the techniques, although there was a significant difference between the preoperative and postoperative outcome measures. The systematic review found that chondral defects on the MFC are more common in concomitant ACL injuries, despite the pattern of bone bruising being more common on the lateral femoral condyle as reported in the literature. It also found no significant difference in the PROMs between the six different techniques identified for the concomitant management of ACL reconstruction and chondral defects. Level II.

How can imaginal retraining for modifying food craving be improved?

Imaginal retraining (IR) is an emerging intervention technique in which people imagine avoidance behaviors towards imagined foods or other substances, such as throwing them away. Although IR shows promise in reducing initial craving for a range of substances, including alcohol and tobacco, effects appear less robust for craving for energy-dense foods. This raises the question of how IR for food craving can be improved. Here, we address this question informed by emerging findings from IR dismantling studies and the field of regular cognitive bias modification training paradigms. Based on current insights, we suggest the most optimal ‘craving-reduction’ effects for energy-dense food can likely be expected for IR that includes an overt motor movement. While it is not yet clear what movement works best for food, we suggest a tailored movement or Go/No-Go-based stop movement has the potential to be most effective. The most likely mechanism in reducing craving is cue-devaluation of trained vivid craving images regarding specific energy-dense food products. Future work is needed that investigates and assess the underlying mechanisms (e.g., updating beliefs; cue-devaluation), task characteristics (e.g., IR instructions; specific motor movements) and individual characteristics (e.g., perceived craving; vividness of food imagination) that determine IR effects.

Simulation-based training in robotic surgery education: bibliometric analysis and visualization.

Simulation-based robotic surgery training may help surgeons gain operative skills and experience in the simulation environment. This bibliometric analysis examined the development of simulation-based training for robotic surgical education. Articles pertaining to robotic surgical simulation training that were included in the Web of Science Core Collection up to April 25, 2024, were included. The temporal patterns in published paper numbers were evaluated using Microsoft Excel software, and the data regarding co-authorship and keyword co-occurrence were analyzed and visualized using the VOSviewer and SCImago Graphica tools. A total of 594 papers on simulation-based training for robotic surgical education were evaluated in this study. The United States and United Kingdom were the leading contributors in this field. The most published authors were Professor Ahmed Kamran (23 publications) and Prokar Dasgupta (22 publications). The highest number of papers was published in the journal titled "Surgical Endoscopy and Other Interventional Techniques." The most common keywords were "virtual reality," "curriculum," "robotic surgery simulator," "assessment," and "learning curve." Our study offers a detailed overview of international research on simulation-based training for robotic surgical education, including the publishing countries, institutions, authors, journals, and research hotspots. It also methodically summarizes the state of knowledge in the area, and provides definite directions and concepts for further in-depth analysis.

A review on hazards and treatment methods of released antibiotics in hospitals wastewater during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Drugs and related goods are widely used in order to promote public health and the quality of life. One of the most serious environmental challenges affecting public health is the ongoing presence of antibiotics in the effluents generated by pharmaceutical industries and hospitals. Antibiotics cannot be entirely removed from wastewater using the traditional wastewater treatment methods. Unmetabolized antibiotics generated by humans can be found in urban and livestock effluent. The antibiotic present in effluent contributes to issues with resistance to antibiotics and the creation of superbugs. Over the recent 2years, the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has substantially boosted hospital waste volume. In this situation, a detailed literature review was conducted to highlight the harmful effects of untreated hospital waste and outline the best approaches to manage it. Approximately 50 to 70% of the emerging contaminants prevalent in the hospital wastewater can be removed using traditional treatment strategies. This paper emphasizes the numerous treatment approaches for effectively eliminating emerging contaminants and antibiotics from hospital wastewater and provides an overview of global hospital wastewater legislation and guidelines on hospital wastewater administration. Around 90% of ECs might be eliminated by biological or physical treatment techniques when used in conjunction with modern oxidation techniques. According to this research, hybrid methods are the best approach for removing antibiotics and ECs from hospital wastewater. The document outlines the many features of effective hospital waste management and might be helpful during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak, when waste creation on all hospitals throughout the globe has considerably increased.

Multiferroic properties of NiFe2O4-Ba0.7Ca0.3TiO3 nanocomposites

In this report, we present results on the multiferroic properties of four nanocomposite samples of NiFe2O4-Ba0.7Ca0.3TiO3 (NFO/BCTO), which were fabricated through combinations of high-energy ball milling, heat treatment, and spark plasma sintering techniques. Structural analyses revealed that these samples simultaneously contain two phases of nano-sized NiFe2O4 (NFO) and Ba0.7Ca0.3TiO3 (BCTO) crystals. The addition of NFO into the BCTO-host did not alter the crystal structure but significantly improved the multiferroic characteristics compared to pure BCTO. Furthermore, variations in saturation magnetization (M s) and coercivity (H c) were investigated as a function of temperature. The results showed that Ms increased gradually with the concentration of NFO. In terms of temperature dependence, M s(T) data deviated from the Bloch’s law with an exponent coefficient α changing in the range of 1.8–1.9, decreasing gradually as the NFO concentration increased. Meanwhile, H c decreased gradually as the NFO concentration increased and followed the Kneller’s law in terms of temperature dependence.