Hospital waste containing antibiotics is toxic to the ecosystem. Ciprofloxacin is one of the essential, widely used antibiotics and is often detected in water bodies and soil. It is vital to treat these medical wastes, which urge new research towards waste management practices in hospital environments themselves. Ultimately minimizes its impact in the ecosystem and prevents the spread of antibiotic resistance. The present study highlights the decomposition of ciprofloxacin using nano-catalytic ZnO materials by reactive oxygen species (ROS) process. The most effective process to treat the residual antibiotics by the photocatalytic degradation mechanism is explored in this paper. The traditional co-precipitation method was used to prepare zinc oxide nanomaterials. The characterization methods, X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Ulraviolet-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Scanning Electron microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have done to improve the photocatalytic activity of ZnO materials. The mitigation of ciprofloxacin catalyzed by ZnO nano-photocatalyst was described by pseudo-first-order kinetics and chemical oxygen demand (COD) analysis. In addition, ZnO materials help to prevent bacterial species, S. aureus and E. coli, growth in the environment. This work provides some new insights towards ciprofloxacin degradation in efficient ways.

Gout is an arthritis characterized by the deposition of sodium monoacid crystals in the synovial membrane, articular cartilage, and periarticular tissues that leads to an inflamatory process. In most cases, the diagnosis is established by clinical criteria and analysis of the synovial fluid for MSU crystals. However, gout may manifest in atypical ways and make diagnosis difficult. In these situations, imaging studies play a fundamental role in helping to confirm the diagnosis or even exclude other differential diagnoses. Conventional radiography is still the most commonly used method in the follow-up of these patients, but it is a very insensitive test, because it only detects late changes. In recent years, advances in imaging methods have emerged in relation to gout. Ultrasound has proven to be a highly accurate test in the diagnosis of gout, identifying MSU deposits in articular cartilage and periarticular tissues, and detecting and characterizing tophi, tendinopathies, and tophi enthesopathies. Computed tomography is an excellent exam for the detection of bone erosions and evaluation of spinal involvement. Dual-energy computed tomography, a new method that provides information on the chemical composition of tissues, allows identification of MSU deposits with high accuracy. MRI can be useful in the evaluation of deep tissues not accessible by ultrasound. In addition to diagnosis, with the emergence of drugs that aim to reduce the tophaceous burden, imaging examinations become a useful tool in the follow-up treatment of gout patients.

In Costa Rica, there is no explicit recommendation from the competent authorities for the use of a specific phantom, so experts must explore what suppliers offer, among which the Normi Mam Digital phantom from PTW stands out. This article presents the results of the dosimetry and image quality control applied to the Normi Mam Digital phantom to validate it as equipment that complies with the recommendations of the Human Health Series No. 17. The results obtained were satisfactory, proving that the equipment complies with the tolerances recommended by international health bodies.

Eco-friendly and greener barrier materials are required to replace the synthetic packaging materials as they produce a threat to environment. These can be fabricated by natural polymers such as cellulose nanofiber (CNF). The sustainability of CNF was so amazing due to its potential for circular economy and provides alternative platform for synthetic plastics. The challenging task to fabricate CNF films still existed and also current methods have various limitations. CNF films have good oxygen permeability and the value was lower than synthetic plastics. However, CNF films have poor water vapour permeability and higher than that of synthetic plastics. The fabrication method is one of strong parameters to impact on the water permeability of CNF films. The deposition of CNF suspension on the stainless-steel plate via spraying, is a potential process for fabrication for CNF films acting as barrier material against water vapour. In spraying process, the time required to form CNF films in diameter of 15.9 cm was less than 1 min and it is independent of CNF content in the suspension. The uniqueness of CNF films via the spraying process was their surfaces, such as rough surface exposed to air and smooth surface exposed to stainless steel. Their surfaces were investigated by SEM, AFM and optical profilometry micrographs, confirming that the smooth surface was evaluated notable lower surface roughness. The spray coated surface was smooth and glossy and its impact on the water vapor permeability remains obscure. The spraying process is a flexible process to tailor the basis weight and thickness of CNF films can be adjusted by the spraying of CNF suspension with varying fibre content. The water vapour permeability of CNF films can be tailored via varying density of CNF films. The plot between water vapour transfer rate (WVTR)/water vapour and density of CNF films has been investigated. The WVP of spray coated CNF films varied from 6.99 ± 1.17 × 10⁻¹¹ to 4.19 ± 1.45 × 10⁻¹¹ g/m.s.Pa. with the density from 664 Kg/m³ to 1,412.08 Kg/m³. The WVP of CNF films achieved with 2 wt% CNF films (1,120 Kg/m³) was 3.91 × 10⁻¹¹ g/m.s.Pa. These values were comparable with the WVP of synthetic plastics. Given this correspondence, CNF films via spraying have a good barrier against water vapour. This process is a potential for scale up and commercialization of CNF films as barrier materials.

This study delves into the evolving landscape of smart city development in Kazakhstan, a domain gaining increasing relevance in the context of urban modernization and digital transformation. The research is anchored in the quest to understand how specific technological factors influence the formation of smart cities within the region. To this end, the study adopts a Spatial Autoregressive Model (SAR) as its core analytical tool, leveraging data on server density, cloud service usage, and electronic invoicing practices across various Kazakhstani cities. The crux of the research revolves around assessing the impact of these selected technological variables on the smart city development process. The SAR model’s application facilitates a nuanced understanding of the spatial dynamics at play, offering insights into how these factors vary in influence across different urban areas. A key finding of this investigation is the significant positive correlation between the adoption of electronic invoicing and smart city development, a result that stands in contrast to the relatively insignificant impact of server density and cloud service usage. The conclusion drawn from these findings underscores the pivotal role of digital administrative processes, particularly electronic invoicing, in driving the smart city agenda in Kazakhstan. This insight not only contributes to the academic discourse on smart cities but also holds practical implications for policymakers and urban planners. It suggests a strategic shift towards prioritizing digital administrative innovations over mere infrastructural or technological upgrades. The study’s outcomes are poised to guide future smart city initiatives in Kazakhstan and offer a reference point for similar emerging economies embarking on their smart city journeys.

The integration of chatbots in the financial sector has significantly improved customer service processes, providing efficient solutions for query management and problem resolution. These automated systems have proven to be valuable tools in enhancing operational efficiency and customer satisfaction in financial institutions. This study aims to conduct a systematic literature review on the impact of chatbots in customer service within the financial sector. A review of 61 relevant publications from 2018 to 2024 was conducted. Articles were selected from databases such as Scopus, IEEE Xplore, ARDI, Web of Science, and ProQuest. The findings highlight that efficiency and customer satisfaction are central to the perception of service quality, aligning with the automation of the user experience. The bibliometric analysis reveals a predominance of publications from countries such as India, Germany, and Australia, underscoring the academic and practical relevance of the topic. Additionally, essential thematic terms such as “artificial intelligence” and “advanced automation” were identified, reflecting technological evolution in this field. This study provides significant insights for future theoretical, practical, and managerial developments, offering a framework to optimize chatbot implementation in highly regulated environments.