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With the development of nanotechnology, silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) have become one of the most in-demand nanoparticles owing to their exponential number of uses in various sectors. ...The increased use of Ag-NPs-enhanced products may result in an increased level of toxicity affecting both the environment and living organisms. Several studies have used different model cell lines to exhibit the cytotoxicity of Ag-NPs, and their underlying molecular mechanisms. This review aimed to elucidate different properties of Ag-NPs that are responsible for the induction of cellular toxicity along with the critical mechanism of action and subsequent defense mechanisms observed in vitro. Our results show that the properties of Ag-NPs largely vary based on the diversified synthesis processes. The physiochemical properties of Ag-NPs (e.g., size, shape, concentration, agglomeration, or aggregation interaction with a biological system) can cause impairment of mitochondrial function prior to their penetration and accumulation in the mitochondrial membrane. Thus, Ag-NPs exhibit properties that play a central role in their use as biocides along with their applicability in environmental cleaning. We herein report a current review of the synthesis, applicability, and toxicity of Ag-NPs in relation to their detailed characteristics.
A contaminated aquatic environment may end up in the food chain and pose risks to tourist health in a tourist destination. To assess the health risk for tourists that visit St. Martine Island, which ...is a popular domestic and foreign tourist destination in Bangladesh, a study is undertaken to analyse the level of heavy metal contamination from chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and iron (Fe) in six of the most consumed fish (L. fasciatus, R. kanagurta, H. nigrescens, P. cuneatus, P. annularis and S. rubrum) and five crustacean species, which consist of a shrimp (P. sculptilis), a lobster (P. versicolor) and three crabs (P. sanguinolentus, T. crenata and M. victor) captured. The samples were analysed for trace metals using atomic absorption spectrometer, and the concentrations of the metals were interpreted using the United State Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) health risk model. The muscle and carapace/exoskeleton of shrimp, lobster and crabs were analysed and contained various concentrations of Pb, Hg, As, Cr, Cd, Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn. The hierarchy of the heavy metal in marine fish is Fe > Cd > Zn > Pb > Cu > Cr > Mn > Hg. The concentrations of Pb in the species R. kanagurta, H. nigresceus and S. rubrum were above the food safety guideline by Australia, New Zealand and other legislations in most marine fish and crustaceans. Crabs showed higher mean heavy metal concentrations than shrimp and lobster. Acceptable carcinogen ranges were observed in three fish species (R. kanagurata, H. nigresceus and S. rubrum) and one crustacean species (P. sculptilis) samples.
Managing tool-wear is an important issue associated with all material removal processes. This paper deals with the application of two nature-inspired computing techniques, namely, artificial neural ...network (ANN) and (in silico) DNA-based computing (DBC) for managing the tool-wear. Experimental data (images of worn-zone of cutting tool) has been used to train the ANN and, then, to perform the DBC. It is demonstrated that the ANN can predict the degree of tool-wear from a set of tool-wear images processed under a given procedure whereas the DBC can identify the degree of similarity/dissimilar among the processed images. Further study can be carried out while solving other complex problems integrating ANN and DBC where both prediction and pattern-recognition are two important computational problems that need to be solved simultaneously.
•Developed decision support system for logistics 4.0 industries to select resilient suppliers.•Developed methodologies to process heterogeneous decision relevant information.•Supplier's Cost versus ...Resilience Index is proposed and evaluated.•Goal programming approach is used for determining optimal order allocation plans.
Supplier selection problem has gained extensive attention in the prior studies. However, research based on Fuzzy Multi-Attribute Decision Making (F-MADM) approach in ranking resilient suppliers in logistic 4.0 is still in its infancy. Traditional MADM approach fails to address the resilient supplier selection problem in logistic 4.0 primarily because of the large amount of data concerning some attributes that are quantitative, yet difficult to process while making decisions. Besides, some qualitative attributes prevalent in logistic 4.0 entail imprecise perceptual or judgmental decision relevant information, and are substantially different than those considered in traditional suppler selection problems. This study develops a Decision Support System (DSS) that will help the decision maker to incorporate and process such imprecise heterogeneous data in a unified framework to rank a set of resilient suppliers in the logistic 4.0 environment. The proposed framework induces a triangular fuzzy number from large-scale temporal data using probability-possibility consistency principle. Large number of non-temporal data presented graphically are computed by extracting granular information that are imprecise in nature. Fuzzy linguistic variables are used to map the qualitative attributes. Finally, fuzzy based TOPSIS method is adopted to generate the ranking score of alternative suppliers. These ranking scores are used as input in a Multi-Choice Goal Programming (MCGP) model to determine optimal order allocation for respective suppliers. Finally, a sensitivity analysis assesses how the Supplier's Cost versus Resilience Index (SCRI) changes when differential priorities are set for respective cost and resilience attributes.
Highlights
Different approaches for efficient carbon-free energy from water splitting are summarized.
Step-wise evolution of water splitting research is highlighted with current progress.
It ...describes the open challenges of charge transport properties and future research direction.
Sunlight is the most abundant renewable energy resource, providing the earth with enough power that is capable of taking care of all of humanity’s desires—a hundred times over. However, as it is at times diffuse and intermittent, it raises issues concerning how best to reap this energy and store it for times when the Sun is not shining. With increasing population in the world and modern economic development, there will be an additional increase in energy demand. Devices that use daylight to separate water into individual chemical elements may well be the answer to this issue, as water splitting produces an ideal fuel. If such devices that generate fuel were to become widely adopted, they must be low in cost, both for supplying and operation. Therefore, it is essential to research for cheap technologies for water ripping. This review summarizes the progress made toward such development, the open challenges existing, and the approaches undertaken to generate carbon-free energy through water splitting.
This article presents a methodology defined as semantic modeling to create computable virtual abstractions of complex manufacturing phenomena denoted as phenomena twins from the perspective of the ...fourth industrial revolution (also known as Smart Manufacturing, Connected Factory, Industry 4.0, and so forth). The twins are created such that they become friendly to both sensor signals and new-generation web technology (i.e., the semantic web). The efficacy of the proposed modeling approach is demonstrated by creating a phenomenon twin of cutting force (a highly complex and stochastic phenomenon associated with all material removal processes) and also by representing it using the semantic web. The relevant epistemological and systemological issues (e.g., those of meta-models, ontology, classification/trustworthiness/provenance of knowledge associated with the webized phenomenon twin) are also discussed. This article will help developers of embedded (e.g., cyber-physical) systems needed for functionalizing Industry 4.0.
Household drinking water security is one of the major issues among coastal communities in Bangladesh. To examine the groundwater quality and social consequences, groundwater samples and household ...questionnaires were administered across the study area. Instrumental and statistical tools were used to analyze the water quality and social survey data. The average concentrations of electrical conductivity (EC) (7135.67 μS/cm), total dissolved solids (TDS) (3691 mg/L), Na+ (1569.51 mg/L), Ca2+ (289.5 mg/L), Mg2+ (340.51 mg/L), Cl− (2940.78 mg/L), F− (11.85 mg/L), NO3− (54.44 mg/L), NO2− (162.95 mg/L), PO43− (105.19 mg/L), Fe (4.9 mg/L), Mn (1.22 mg/L), As (16.55 μg/L), B (833.28 μg/L), and Pb (34.22 μg/L) were observed in groundwater, and exceeded the drinking water standards from 30% to 100% depending on the sampling location. Thus, the remarkably high contents of EC, TDS, Cl−, and Na+ represented possible saltwater intrusion along the coastal aquifer. The positive correlations between EC and trace and toxic elements indicated the potential influence of groundwater salinization on the dissolution of more chemical contaminants in the aquifer. These results showed that 100% of samples were unsuitable for drinking purposes. Severe drinking water scarcity is a serious issue, and local people have been affected by water-related diseases owing to the long-term consumption of contaminated water. Salinity problems in drinking water and related health diseases have increased significantly in the past several years. In addition, climate change and its associated hazards, including sea-level rise, cyclonic storm surges, flooding, and resulting inundation problems, have intensified the drinking water scarcity and health problems at the community level. To ensure household water security, environmental exposure, hydrogeology, and anthropogenic interventions must be considered to determine future sustainable water policies.
•Groundwater was severely contaminated owing to salinity intrusion.•High concentrations of EC, TDS, and Cl− and low pH increased the co-contamination risk, such as from trace metals.•High concentrations of co-contaminants in groundwater are a great concern for future drinking water security among coastal communities.•Groundwater was completely unsuitable for drinking, which poses a significant public health risk.•Statistical analysis showed a significant correlation between salinity and trace elements contamination, which was found to be consistent with local perceptions.
In order to study the effects of contaminants on human health, fish is considered as a powerful model among all available species for risk-benefit assessments.
Tenualosa ilisha
and
Dorosoma ...cepedianum
are two fish species of great economic importance as they are found in undeveloped, developing and developed countries. Concentrations of heavy metals lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg) were determined using validated and accredited test methods in order to assess the potential human health risk from the dietary intake of these two selected fish species. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of all the five heavy metals was measured from the consumption of the two species considering the mean fish consumption of 61 g person
−1
day
−1
defined for European population. The EDI indicates that no risk to people’s health with respect to the EDI of Pb, Cd, Cr, As and Hg through the consumption of the two fish species. The estimation of target hazard quotient (THQ) demonstrating the non-carcinogenic risk indicates that intake of Pb, Cd, Cr and Hg through the consumption of two fish species is safe for human health, whereas, consumption of As suggests potential risk to consumers. The estimation of carcinogenic risk of Cd, Cr and As due to the consumption of two selected fish species indicates that consumers remain at risk of cancer. Thus, these fish species should not be considered safe for human consumption.
Multifunctional materials having simultaneous electrical and magnetic assembling have been attempted by numerous researchers for next-generation electronic appliances. Among such materials, rare ...earth metals containing double perovskites, such as La
2
BB′O
6
(B = Ni, B′ = Mn) are the utmost studied materials. In this review, we have summarized various physicochemical aspects of La
2
NiMnO
6
such as crystal structure, electrical, magnetic, and magneto-transport behavior from earlier studies under several experimental conditions. Magnetic field and temperature effects on magnetoelectric and electronic behavior of this material are described. We discuss how the morphology in the form of bulk phase, thin layer, and nanoparticles affect such physicochemical properties of this material. We also highlighted the role of cation order–disorder at ‘B’ sites and the probability of the resulting numerous electronic behavior in this type of material and expectation on basic understanding of Ni–O–Mn electronic, as well as magnetic properties. The prospective applications of this material over conventional substances in solar cells, electric tunable devices, biomolecular and gas sensing technologies are also ascribed. The motivation of the present review is to sum up all such behaviors of La
2
NiMnO
6
to find its possible applications in new areas of material research and the directions of future works.
Highlights
La
2
NiMnO
6
double perovskite exhibits simultaneous electric and magnetic orderings
Crystal structure, magneto-electric, and transport nature affect the functionality of La
2
NiMnO
6
Bulk phase, thin layer, and nanoparticles morphology affect the physical property of La
2
NiMnO
6
La
2
NiMnO
6
holds solar cell, electric tunable device, biomolecular and gas sensing applications
Large curved displays inside Virtual Reality environments are becoming popular for visualizing high-resolution content during analytical tasks, gaming or entertainment. Prior research showed that ...such displays provide a wide field of view and offer users a high level of immersion. However, little is known about users' performance (e.g., pointing speed and accuracy) on them. We explore users' pointing performance on large virtual curved displays. We investigate standard pointing factors (e.g., target width and amplitude) in combination with relevant curve-related factors, namely display curvature and both linear and angular measures. Our results show that the less curved the display, the higher the performance, i.e., faster movement time. This result holds for pointing tasks controlled via their visual properties (linear widths and amplitudes) or their motor properties (angular widths and amplitudes). Additionally, display curvatures significantly affect the error rate for both linear and angular conditions. Furthermore, we observe that curved displays perform better or similar to flat displays based on throughput analysis. Finally, we discuss our results and provide suggestions regarding pointing tasks on large curved displays in VR.
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