Unexposed Areas Research Articles

Characterization and Evaluation of an Electrostatic Knapsack Sprayer Prototype for Agricultural Crops

Pesticide application development has grown exponentially in recent decades thanks to the implementation of new technologies and improved quality of spray input application. Electrostatic technology for increasing deposition has proven to be a suitable tool under specific study conditions, such as when working with very small droplet sizes, with air assistance, or typically in greenhouse environments. However, its effectiveness in hydraulic spraying, as well as its application from a commercial point of view in agriculture, is still challenging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of this technology by implementing a modified lance on a small commercial knapsack sprayer, equipped with a hydraulic nozzle providing a range of droplet size values (Dv50) from 136 μm to 386 μm in the pressure range between 2 and 6 bar. This setup allowed operation under normal conditions (disconnected electrostatic system: NES) or with the connected electrostatic system (ES), with both configurations being tested in this study. Liquid distribution profiling as well as qualitative and quantitative evaluation of deposition were carried out both under laboratory conditions and in tomato crops under greenhouse conditions. The results showed no differences between the ES and NES in terms of flow rate (L min−1) characterization or in the total accumulated volume collected with the vertical bench. The impact of the electrostatic system connection was clearly observed in laboratory trials, with total deposition increases of up to 66%. In field trials, this effect decreased in unexposed areas and in denser sections of the crop. However, the overall increase in deposition, mainly associated with the exposed side, continued to be significant.

Simple and reversible method to control the surface energy of ITO branched nanowires for tuning wettability of micro/nanoscale droplets

Reversible control of hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces has gained attention due to their potential applications in microfluidic devices, membranes for electrochemical cells, and sensors. While external stimuli such as temperature and electric field can regulate surface properties, they cannot be selectively applied to specific regions, which limits the patterning of areas with different surface energies. Here, we present a simple and reversible method for converting hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties through surface treatments involving nonpolar (−CFx) or polar groups (–OH) on indium tin oxide branched nanowires (ITO BRs). The formation of nonpolar groups results in superhydrophobic surface. Subsequent ultraviolet ozone treatment, using a shadow mask, induces the exposed area to transition into a superhydrophilic state, while the unexposed area retains superhydrophobicity. This demonstrates the potential for selective-area surface energy patterning. Furthermore, we investigate the wetting behavior of nanoscale Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on surface-modified ITO BRs. It is observed that size and shape of Ag NPs depend on the surface energy of ITO BRs. Consequently, controlling the surface energy leads to the formation of unique geometric structure of Ag NPs, enhancing plasmonic light absorption and scattering at specific resonant wavelengths.

Antibiotic Susceptibility of Bacteria Isolated from Livestock-exposed and Unexposed Areas in Perlite-rich Soil in Thailand

Antibiotic resistant bacteria are present in various environments and are concerning for public health. Antibiotic resistance genes in soil may proliferate throughout different ecosystems and be acquired by pathogens that pose health risks to humans and animals. This study investigated the antibiotic resistance of cultivable bacteria isolated from livestock-exposed and unexposed areas in a former perlite mining area in the Fa-La-Mee Mountain range, Lopburi, Thailand. Soil samples were collected in five different locations. Soil bacteria were isolated and tested for susceptibility against seven antibiotics, followed by 16S rRNA gene-based identification. A total of 56 bacterial isolates were isolated from the perlite-rich soil samples, including 34 isolates from the livestock-exposed areas and 22 isolates from the unexposed areas. Most of the isolates were resistant to cefepime (26.5% in exposed areas and 22.7% in unexposed areas) and ampicillin (23.5% in exposed areas and 22.7% in unexposed areas). 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that most of the resistant bacteria isolated from perlite-rich soil were Bacillus spp. A multidrug-resistant isolate of Bacillus cereus resistant to ampicillin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and cefepime was found in a livestock-unexposed area. The majority of the culturable antibiotic-resistant bacteria isolated from perlite-rich soil were cefepime-resistant Bacillus. Interestingly, the pattern of antibiotic resistance in exposed and unexposed areas was not different, which indicated that antibiotic resistance in perlite-rich soil is likely caused by other factors, such as physicochemical characteristics and/or the microbial population of the soil rather than by antibiotics used in livestock husbandry.

Micropattern Fabricated by Acropetal Migration Controlled through Sequential Photo and Thermal Polymerization.

Bottom-up patterning technology plays a significant role in both nature and synthetic materials, owing to its inherent advantages such as ease of implementation, spontaneity, and noncontact attributes, etc. However, constrained by the uncontrollability of molecular movement, energy interaction, and stress, obtained micropatterns tend to exhibit an inevitable arched outline, resulting in the limitation of applicability. Herein, inspired by auxin's action mode in apical dominance, a versatile strategy is proposed for fabricating precision self-organizing micropatterns with impressive height based on polymerization-induced acropetal migration. The copolymer containing fluorocarbon chains (low surface energy) and tertiary amine (coinitiator) is designed to self-assemble on the surface of the photo-curing system. The selective exposure under a photomask establishes a photocuring boundary and the radicals would be generated on the surface, which is pivotal in generating a vertical concentration difference of monomer. Subsequent heating treatment activates the material continuously transfers from the unexposed area to the exposed area and is accompanied by the obviously vertical upward mass transfer, resulting in the manufacture of a rectilinear profile micropattern. This strategy significantly broadens the applicability of self-organizing patterns, offering the potential to mitigate the complexity and time-consuming limitations associated with top-down methods.

Evaluation of the horizontal approach to the medial malleolar facet in sagittal talar fractures through dorsiflexion and plantarflexion positions.

Talar fractures often require osteotomy during surgery to achieve reduction and screw fixation of the fractured fragments due to limited visualization and operating space of the talar articular surface. The objective of this study was to evaluate the horizontal approach to the medial malleolus facet by maximizing exposure through dorsiflexion and plantarflexion positions. In dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, and functional foot positions, we respectively obtained the anterior and posterior edge lines of the projection of the medial malleolus on the medial malleolar facet. The talar model from Mimics was imported into Geomagic software for image refinement. Then Solidworks software was used to segment the medial surface of the talus and extend the edge lines from the three positions to project them onto the "semicircular" base for 2D projection. The exposed area in different positions, the percentage of total area it represents, and the anatomic location of the insertion point at the groove between the anteroposternal protrusions of the medial malleolus were calculated. The mean total area of the "semicircular" region on the medial malleolus surface of the talus was 542.10 ± 80.05 mm2. In the functional position, the exposed mean area of the medial malleolar facet around the medial malleolus both anteriorly and posteriorly was 141.22 ± 24.34 mm2, 167.58 ± 22.36mm2, respectively. In dorsiflexion, the mean area of the posterior aspect of the medial malleolar facet was 366.28 ± 48.12 mm2. In plantarflexion, the mean of the anterior aspect of the medial malleolar facet was 222.70 ± 35.32 mm2. The mean overlap area of unexposed area in both dorsiflexion and plantarflexion was 23.32 ± 5.94 mm2. The mean percentage of the increased exposure area in dorsiflexion and plantarflexion were 36.71 ± 3.25% and 15.13 ± 2.83%. The mean distance from the insertion point to the top of the talar dome was 10.69 ± 1.24 mm, to the medial malleolus facet border of the talar trochlea was 5.61 ± 0.96 mm, and to the tuberosity of the posterior tibiotalar portion of the deltoid ligament complex was 4.53 ± 0.64 mm. Within the 3D model, we measured the exposed area of the medial malleolus facet in different positions and the anatomic location of the insertion point at the medial malleolus groove. When the foot is in plantarflexion or dorsiflexion, a sufficiently large area and operating space can be exposed during surgery. The data regarding the exposed visualization area and virtual screws need to be combined with clinical experience for safer reduction and fixation of fracture fragments. Further validation of its intraoperative feasibility will require additional clinical research.

Environmental pesticide exposure and Alzheimer's disease in southern Spain: A cross-sectional study

The intensive cultivation under plastic in southern Spain has made the agricultural model highly productive. Although strict regulations on pesticide usage exist, exposure to pesticides in the environment has been associated with an increased appearance of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). A cross-sectional study was performed to examine the prevalence and risk of AD related to pesticide exposure in Andalusia (Spain). We utilized the Odds Ratio statistical test to compare the prevalence rate of AD in the exposed and unexposed areas. 40,044 cases were collected from computerized hospital records between 2000 and 2021. Districts with higher pesticide use showed significantly higher prevalence rates and increased risk of developing AD, compared to those with lower pesticide use. These findings provide further evidence supporting an increased risk of AD following environmental exposure to pesticides at the level of the general population.

Effect of a topical silicone gel and a polyurethane dressing on the evolution of scars

ObjectiveTo assess the effectiveness and safety of a topical silicone gel (BE + Gel reductor y reparador de cicatrices) and a polyurethane dressing (BE + Apósito reductor y reparador de cicatrices) on the evolution of scars of patients who were previously recruited in the emergency care unit while seeking wound care. MethodA single center, stratified observational, open label study was performed in the emergency care unit of Donostia Universitary Hospital (recruitment) and in the Biodonostia Health Research Institute (intervention). Scars located in unexposed body areas with the dressing, and scars located in exposed areas with either the gel or the dressing. Investigators assessed interventions at day 1 and on weeks 4, 8 and 12. Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and a photographical assessment were used to determine the scars evolution, and the subjective perception of the scar was evaluated by means of a questionnaire administered to the patients. ResultsPatients whose scars were treated with the silicone gel had an average initial VSS score of 5.4 ± 2.08. This value was reduced to 0.86 ± 1.17 after 90 days of treatment. Patients treated with the polyurethane dressing had an average initial VSS score of 5.8 ± 2.29. After 90 days of treatment, this average score was reduced to 0.33 ± 0.66. Positive evolution of scars was also supported by photographs and by a patient questionnaire. ConclusionsBoth treatments appear to be safe and effective, objectively, and subjectively, in the context of scar evolution.

Droplet dynamics affecting the shape of patterns formed spontaneously by transforming UV-curable emulsions

Forming large pitch and depth patterns spontaneously based on a bottom–up approach is a challenging task but with great industrial value. It is possible to spontaneously form an uneven (concave–convex) patterns with submillimeter-to-millimeter-scale pitches and depths by the direct pattern exposure of a UV-curable oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion liquid film. UV irradiation generates a latent pattern of a cured particle aggregation in the liquid film, and an uneven structure is spontaneously formed during the subsequent drying process. This process does not require any printing and embossing plates or development process. In this report, we presented an example of unevenness formation with a maximum pattern depth of approximately 0.4 mm and a maximum pitch width of 5 mm. The patterns formed by this method have raised edges in the exposed areas and fogging in unexposed areas. The pattern shapes become conspicuous under overexposure conditions, but the formation mechanism has not yet been understood in detail and needs to be investigated. In this study, we focused on the exposure process and clarified the mechanism of pattern formation by analyzing the dynamics of emulsion droplets in the medium by an in situ microscopy observation method. As a result, we found that the fogging was mainly caused by light leakage from the exposed area, and the raised pattern edges were caused by droplets transported from the unexposed area to the exposed area. Furthermore, the convection caused by the heat generated from polymerization is a determining factor affecting all these phenomena. By controlling the pattern shape related to convection utilizing direct projection exposure, we showed an example of eliminating raised pattern edges with a height difference of approximately 0.1 mm. By devising and selecting exposure methods, we can expand the range of design applications such as interior decorative patterns.

Monolithically integrated high-density vertical organic electrochemical transistor arrays and complementary circuits.

Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) can be used to create biosensors, wearable devices and neuromorphic systems. However, restrictions in the micro- and nanopatterning of organic semiconductors, as well as topological irregularities, often limit their use in monolithically integrated circuits. Here we show that the micropatterning of organic semiconductors by electron-beam exposure can be used to create high-density (up to around 7.2 million OECTs per cm2) and mechanically flexible vertical OECT arrays and circuits. The energetic electrons convert the semiconductor exposed area to an electronic insulator while retaining ionic conductivity and topological continuity with the redox-active unexposed areas essential for monolithic integration. The resulting p- and n-type vertical OECT active-matrix arrays exhibit transconductances of 0.08-1.7 S, transient times of less than 100 μs and stable switching properties of more than 100,000 cycles. We also fabricate vertically stacked complementary logic circuits, including NOT, NAND and NOR gates.

Targeting the ‘DNA methylation mark’: Analysis of early epigenetic-alterations in children chronically exposed to arsenic

Chronic exposure to arsenic causes adverse health effects in children. Aberrant epigenetic modifications including altered DNA methylation pattern are one of the major steps towards malignant transformation of cells. Our group has previously identified significant alteration in DNA methylation mark in arsenic exposed adults, affecting major biological pathways. Till date, no information is available exploring the altered DNA methylation mark in telomere regulation and altered mitochondrial functionality in association with DNA damage in arsenic-exposed children. Our study aims in identifying signature epigenetic pattern associated with telomere lengthening, mitochondrial functionality and DNA damage repair in children with special emphasis on DNA methylation. Biological samples (blood and urine) and drinking water were collected from the children aged between 5 and 16 years of arsenic exposed areas (N = 52) of Murshidabad district and unexposed areas (N = 50) of East Midnapur districts, West Bengal, India. Methylation-specific PCR was performed to analyse subtelomeric methylation status and promoter methylation status of target genes. Results revealed altered DNA methylation profile in the exposed children compared to unexposed. Promoter hypermethylation was observed in MLH1 and MSH2 (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001) indicating inefficiency in DNA damage repair. Hypomethylation in mitochondrial D-loop (p < 0.05) and TFAM promoter region (p < 0.05) along with increased mitochondrial DNA copy number among exposed children was also observed. Significant increase in telomere length and region specific subtelomeric hypermethylation (XpYp, p < 0.05) was found. Analysis of S-Adenosyl Methionine (SAM) and 8-oxoDG level revealed significant depletion of SAM (p < 0.001) and elevated oxidative DNA damage (p < 0.001) respectively in arsenic toxicity. Our study identified key methylation patterns in arsenic-exposed children which may act as an early predictive biomarker in the near future. Further in-depth studies involving large sample size and transcriptomic analysis are required for understanding the mechanistic details.

Health risk assessment of workers exposed to lead dust in informal e-waste recycling workshops

ABSTRACT Informal recycling of electronic waste (e-waste) has attracted significant attention due to its economic benefits and rapid growth rate in many parts of the world. Unfortunately, unsafe conditions of recycling workshops possess chronic exposure to workers and lead to elevated blood lead concentrations (BLCs). Upon measuring the lead concentration in the dust of recycling workshops and the e-wastes in southwestern region of Iran, the related health risks were assessed in 30 exposed workers and 30 non-exposed habitants cases based on the determination of BLC. The average BLCs in exposed workers and non-exposed habitants cases were 24 μg/dL and 7 μg/dL, respectively. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) revealed heavy contamination of dust in informal e-waste recycling workshops (IERWs) (5023 μg/kg) and significantly lower levels in unexposed areas (49 μg/kg). Health risk assessment indicated that lead exposure from IERWs appears to be a potential threat to workers and indirectly to their families.

20th-Century hurricanes leave long-lasting legacies on tropical forest height and the abundance of a dominant wind-resistant palm.

Projected increases in hurricane intensity under a warming climate will have profound effects on many forest ecosystems. One key challenge is to disentangle the effects of wind damage from the myriad factors that influence forest structure and species distributions over large spatial scales. Here, we employ a novel machine learning framework with high-resolution aerial photos, and LiDAR collected over 115 km2 of El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico to examine the effects of topographic exposure to two hurricanes, Hugo (1989) and Georges (1998), and several landscape-scale environmental factors on the current forest height and abundance of a dominant, wind-resistant species, the palm Prestoea acuminata var. montana. Model predictions show that the average density of the palm was 32% greater while the canopy height was 20% shorter in forests exposed to the two storms relative to unexposed areas. Our results demonstrate that hurricanes have lasting effects on forest canopy height and composition, suggesting the expected increase in hurricane severity with a warming climate will alter coastal forests in the North Atlantic.

Effect of the SiO2/Na2O ratios on the structure and crystallization properties of photo-thermo-refractive glass

Photo-thermo-refractive (PTR) glass is a type of functional optical glass material with multi-component and multivalent particles, which is a substrate material for volume Bragg gratings (VBGs) and widely used in high power laser, holography and other applications. Recording VBGs in PTR glass involves photo-thermo-induced crystallization (UV exposure and subsequent heat treatment), while spontaneous crystallization in the unexposed area is one of the important reasons for the light scattering loss of PTR glass, which can also lead to a decrease in the refractive index modulation and absolute diffraction efficiency of the prepared VBGs. In order to optimize spontaneous crystallization of PTR glass, we analyzed the effects of variations in the SiO2/Na2O ratio on the structure and crystallization behaviors of SiO2–Na2O–Al2O3–ZnO–NaF PTR glass using Raman spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, DSC, XRD, and SEM. As the molar ratio (Rm) of SiO2/Na2O increases from 3.37 to 5.38, the polymerization of the silica network structure is significantly enhanced, the crystallization activation energy of original PTR glass increases from 93.52 kJ/mol to 285.23 kJ/mol, and the crystal growth index decreases from 3.57 to 1.49. In the isothermal crystallization process, we observed that increasing the SiO2/Na2O ratio significantly decreases the grain density and homogenizes the grain distribution of sodium fluoride (NaF) crystals under long-time crystallization conditions, which contributes to maintaining the high transmittance of the crystallized PTR glass in both visible and near-infrared regions.

Mass-produced multiscale unclonable plasmonic security labels by a robotic wet-chemical system

Plasmonic physical unclonable function (PUF) labels have been proven to be an effective anti-counterfeiting strategy, but their high tunability and multi-encoded capabilities remain to be explored for higher encoding capacity (EC). Herein, the PUF labels with high security level are prepared, which are constructed by the micro-domains of plasmonic nanostructures. The micro-domains are formed by mask-assisted ultraviolet (UV) exposure and 50 nm gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) electrostatic adsorbed on the unexposed area. And a robotic wet-chemical system is invented to modulate the in situ epitaxial growth of Au NPs by programming the growth conditions for human-free preparation and mass production. Three random processes, including mask-assisted UV photochemical reaction, electrostatic self-assembly, and in situ epitaxial growth, make sure multiscale random features. Thus, two-dimensional views with different resolutions can be obtained by three random optical imaging signals-bright field (BF), Raman imaging (RI), and dark field (DF), and the random signals will change with the modulation methods, leading to higher EC. Through analyzing the random features, a robust image authentication system is built, and the EC is calculated as 1.8 × 104966 in a 50 × 50 μm2 domain for each modulation method.

Environmental exposure to pesticides and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in the South of Spain

ObjectiveTo determine if there is a relationship between environmental exposure to pesticides and the prevalence of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in Andalusia. MethodWe carried out a case–control study using the logistic regression method to verify the relationship between the prevalence of ALS in the area exposed to pesticides versus the unexposed area, through the Odds Ratio statistical test. ResultsThe study population consisted of 519 individuals diagnosed with ALS between January 2016 and December 2018 according to the CMBD (Minimum Basic Data Set) as cases. In the control group, we have 8,384,083 individuals obtained from data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE). The Odds Ratio (OR) was used as a measure of association between cases and controls, obtaining an OR between 0.76 and 1.08 for the confidence interval of the CI (95%). ConclusionsDespite the existence of various studies that suggest a possible association between environmental exposure to pesticides and the risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, our analysis of the Andalusian population did not find significant evidence of this association.

Evaluating the identification of the extent of gastric cancer by over-1000nm near-infrared hyperspectral imaging using surgical specimens.

Determining the extent of gastric cancer (GC) is necessary for evaluating the gastrectomy margin for GC. Additionally, determining the extent of the GC that is not exposed to the mucosal surface remains difficult. However, near-infrared (NIR) can penetrate mucosal tissues highly efficiently. We investigated the ability of near-infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI) to identify GC areas, including exposed and unexposed using surgical specimens, and explored the identifiable characteristics of the GC. Our study examined 10 patients with diagnosed GC who underwent surgery between 2020 and 2021. Specimen images were captured using NIR-HSI. For the specimens, the exposed area was defined as an area wherein the cancer was exposed on the surface, the unexposed area as an area wherein the cancer was present although the surface was covered by normal tissue, and the normal area as an area wherein the cancer was absent. We estimated the GC (including the exposed and unexposed areas) and normal areas using a support vector machine, which is a machine-learning method for classification. The prediction accuracy of the GC region in every area and normal region was evaluated. Additionally, the tumor thicknesses of the GC were pathologically measured, and their differences in identifiable and unidentifiable areas were compared using NIR-HSI. The average prediction accuracy of the GC regions combined with both areas was 77.2%; with exposed and unexposed areas was 79.7% and 68.5%, respectively; and with normal regions was 79.7%. Additionally, the areas identified as cancerous had a tumor thickness of . NIR-HSI identified the GC regions with high rates. As a feature, the exposed and unexposed areas with tumor thicknesses of were identified using NIR-HSI.

Occupational Formaldehyde Exposure and the Health Symptoms Among Histopathology Laboratory Workers in North Borneo

In hospitals, the chemical formaldehyde is commonly utilised to preserve tissues. The healthcare personnel exposed to formaldehyde the most work in histopathology laboratories. This study aims to determine the health effects of everyday formaldehyde exposure on healthcare professionals in the histopathology laboratory. Cross-sectional comparative research was used for the study design. The 8-hour time-weighted-average (TWA&lt;sub&gt;8&lt;/sub&gt;) formaldehyde level was measured at the histopathology laboratory at Hospital Queen Elizabeth in Sabah and the administration office (control) using the real-time colorimetric tube method. Workers in both places were required to answer a questionnaire on their health status. The TWA&lt;sub&gt;8&lt;/sub&gt; formaldehyde level was higher in the exposed area (0.113 ppm) than in the unexposed area (0.031 ppm). Air samplings showed that formaldehyde exposure levels in the exposed area (0.108 ± 0.026 ppm) were significantly higher than in an unexposed area (0.028 ± 0.018 ppm) at p &lt; 0.001. Symptoms closely related to formaldehyde exposure were 51% in the histopathology laboratory workers, greater than 35% in the control group (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.05). The workers showed six symptoms: irritated eyes, sore throat, cough, runny nose, sneezing and headache. Although the level of occupational workplace exposure to formaldehyde in the histopathology laboratory was below the recommended limit, the health symptoms related to formaldehyde among the exposed group were detected. Enhancing control measures for indoor air quality improvement in the working area is required to minimise the health risk among laboratory workers.

Direct Laser Writing of Diffractive Structures on Bi-Layer Si/Ti Films Coated on Fused Silica Substrates

This paper presents the results of an investigation of direct laser writing on a titanium film with an antireflection capping silicon coating. Bi-layer films were deposited on fused silica substrates using an e-beam evaporation system. Modeling predicted that optical absorption for a bi-layer Si/Ti material can be increased by a factor of ~2 compared to a single-layer Ti film at 532 nm laser writing beam wavelength. It is experimentally proved that rate of thermochemical laser writing on Si/Ti films is at least 3 times higher than that on a single-layer Ti film with comparable thickness. The silicon layer was found to participate in the thermochemical reaction (silicide formation) under laser beam heating, which allows one to obtain sufficient position-dependent phase change (PDPC) of light reflected from exposed and unexposed areas. This results in much larger profile depth measured with a white light interferometer (up to 150 nm) than with an atomic force microscope (up to 25 nm). During direct laser writing on Si/Ti films, there is a broad range of writing beam power within which the PDPC and reflection coefficient for the exposed areas change insignificantly. The possibility of selective development of a thermochemically written pattern on a Ti film by removing the capping silicon layer on unexposed areas in a hot KOH solution is shown.

Programmable Patterned Dynamic Scattering of Liquid Crystals/Epoxy‐based Polymer Composite Film Sandwiched between Two Fully Covered Electrodes

AbstractDynamic scattering has been a prominent technique in the display industry for several years. However, conventional approaches have required the use of tailored conductive layers to enable modular control in display panels. This has resulted in an increase in process complexity and device cost. To overcome these limitations, the present work proposes a novel method for fabricating a patterned dynamic scattering film using masked photopolymerization of liquid crystalline epoxy in negative liquid crystals. Specifically, the film is sandwiched between two fully covered electrodes, and an electric field is applied causing dynamic scattering only in the area that had been exposed to ultraviolet light during the preparation process. The remaining area remained transparent. The underlying mechanism is attributed to the formation of polymer solely in the UV‐exposed region via masked photopolymerization. This polymer is capable of absorbing ions, resulting in the formation of a concentration gradient of ions between the UV‐exposed and unexposed areas. The low concentration of ions in the unexposed area prevents the induction of dynamic scattering under an electric field, leading to the patterned dynamic scattering phenomenon. Building on this mechanism, the researchers are able to achieve several multilevel patterned dynamic scattering films sandwiched between two fully covered electrodes.

The importance of monitoring endocrine-disrupting chemicals and essential elements in biological samples of fertilizer industry workers

Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can lead to adverse health effects, including immune and endocrine system disruption, respiratory problems, metabolic issues, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular problems, growth impairment, neurological and learning disabilities, and cancer. Fertilizers, which contain varying levels of heavy metals, are known to pose a significant risk to human health, especially for those residing or working near fertilizer industries. This study aimed to investigate the levels of toxic elements in biological samples of individuals working in a fertilizer industry's quality control and production units and those residing within 100–500 m of the industry. Biological samples, including scalp hair and whole blood, were collected from fertilizer workers, individuals living in the same residential area, and control age-matched persons from nonindustrial areas. The samples were oxidized by an acid mixture before analysis using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The accuracy and validity of the methodology were verified through certified reference materials from scalp hair and whole blood. The results showed that the concentrations of toxic elements, such as cadmium and lead, were higher in biological samples of quality control and production employees. In contrast, lower essential element levels (iron and zinc) were detected in their samples. These levels were higher than those found in samples collected from residents living within 10–500 m of the fertilizer manufacturing facilities and unexposed areas. This study highlights the significance of adopting better practices to reduce exposure to harmful substances and protect the health of fertilizer industry workers and the environment. It also suggests that policymakers and industry leaders should take measures to minimize exposure to EDCs and heavy metals to promote worker safety and public health. These measures could include implementing strict regulations and better occupational health practices to reduce toxic exposure and promote a safer work environment.