Residue and dissipation kinetics of novel nematicide fluopyram in rice assessed by QuEChERS-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Supervised field trial was conducted to study the dissipation pattern of fluopyram in rice plant after application of fluopyram 400 g/L SC(Velum Prime) as soil drenching at the time of sowing in nursery bed at X (500 g a.i. ha-1) and 1.25X (625.2 g a.i. ha-1) doses. Samples of rice plant were collected on 0, 1, 3, 7, 10, 15, and 20 days after transplanting. QuEChERS-based extraction method was validated and adopted to determine the residues of fluopyram in rice seedlings, whole rice grains (with husk), polished rice grain, husk, straw, and soil using LC-MS/MS (liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry).The initial deposit of fluopyram in rice plant recorded were 0.27 and 0.41 mg kg-1in X and 1.25X doses, respectively. Fluopyram residues dissipated following first-order kinetics with half-life of 2.53 and 2.57 days at X and 1.25X doses, respectively. Residues were detected in seedlings up to 15 days after transplanting and were at below LOQ in whole rice grains (with husk), polished rice grain, husk, straw, and soil collected at harvest. Monitoring study revealed that application of novel nematicide fluopyram for the management of nematodes in rice does not pose any risks to consumers.

ASSOCIATION OF MPV AND RDW WITH DISEASE ACTIVITY IN PATIENT WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammation of the synovial joints. Disease activity assessment plays a crucial role in guiding treatment decisions and monitoring disease progression in RA patients. Thus, the current study examines the association between Mean Platelet Volume (MPV), Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW), and disease activity in RA patients. A total of 100 patients were included following the inclusion and exclusion criteria. All participants underwent physical examination and laboratory tests. Disease activity was assessed using the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28). The cut-off levels for RDW and MPV were 14.8 and 11.25, respectively. However, a significant association was observed between RDW levels and DAS28, indicating that the group with RDW ≤14.8% displayed higher DAS compared to the RDW >14.8% group. Also, MPV levels did not exhibited statistically significant variations. RDW levels did not show significant disparities among patients with different comorbidities. There is a significant correlation exists between RDW and disease activity in RA exists. Moreover, RDW can be utilized in clinical settings to monitor disease activity effectively. Since RDW is routinely included in standard blood tests, it is cost-effective and more convenient for treating RA cases.

TRIGLYCERIDE - GLUCOSE INDEX, REMNANT CHOLESTEROL AND COMMON CAROTID ARTERY INTIMA-MEDIA THICKNESS AS AN ATHEROSCLEROTIC MARKER IN ISCHEMIC STROKE PATIENTS.

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a major global health concern, often resulting from atherosclerosis and insulin resistance (IR). The triglyceride-glucose index (TyG index), remnant cholesterol (RC), and common artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) are potential markers for assessing atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk in IS patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the association between TyG index, RC, CIMT, and IS in adult patients recruited from a hospital. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected, and statistical analysis was performed. The study included 50 participants with a balanced gender distribution and a mean age of 57.64 years. Laboratory characteristics showed notable values, and CIMT > 0.6 mm was associated with higher NIH Stroke Scale scores. RC exhibited significant correlations with age, CIMT, lipid profile, and TyG index. The study highlights the potential of TyG index, RC, and CIMT as atherosclerotic markers in IS patients. Favorable prognostic outcomes were observed, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and management to improve patient outcomes.

Postendodontic Pain Using Single File System with Different Irrigation Protocols in Single-visit Root Canal Treatment: A Randomized Control Trial.

AIM: To evaluate the intensity of postendodontic pain (PEP) using final irrigation with side-vented needle (SV), EndoActivator (EA), and Ultra X (UX) in single-visit endodontics (SVE) with F-One rotary files. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total 150 patients indicated for endodontic treatment were selected. Single-visit endodontics treatment was performed under local anesthesia. For the final irrigation protocol, they were divided into three groups: group I (SV), group II (EA), and group III (UX). The severity of PEP was assessed using visual analogue scale (VAS) score after 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours. Analgesics taken by patients, for pain, were also recorded. Finally, the data were tabulated and statistically analyzed using SPSS 20.0 software at a level of significance being 0.05. RESULTS: Postendodontic pain was less in group III (UX) and group II (EA) compared with group I (SV) at 6 and 12 hours, which is statistically significant (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference found after 24 hours and 48 hours. CONCLUSION: The intensity of PEP was minimum in patients treated with EndoActivator and ultrasonic along with single rotary file systems. The incidence of analgesic intake was similar in all three groups. How to cite this article: Kathiria NV, Attur K, Bagda KM, et al. Postendodontic Pain Using Single File System with Different Irrigation Protocols in Single-visit Root Canal Treatment: A Randomized Control Trial. J Contemp Dent Pract 2024;25(2):180-185.

Persistence of foliar applied and pre-storage seed-treated insecticides in rice and its processed products.

A field study was conducted to investigate the persistence of foliar-applied thiamethoxam 25% WG at a rate of 25 g ai ha-1 and chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC at 30 g ai ha-1 in various parts of rice plants, including whole grain rice, brown rice, bran, husk, straw, and cooked rice. Liquid Chromatography-Mass spectrometry/Mass spectrometry was used for sample analysis. Chlorantraniliprole residues were found to persist in whole grains, bran, husk, and straw at the time of harvest, while thiamethoxam residue was not detected in harvested grains, processed products, or straw. The study concluded that foliar-applied chlorantraniliprole and thiamethoxam did not pose any dietary risk in cooked rice. In a pre-storage seed treatment study, thiamethoxam 30% FS at 3 mL kg-1 was evaluated against Angoumois grain moth infestation during storage. The seeds remained unharmed for nine months and exhibited significantly less moth damage (2.0%) even after twelve months of storage. Thiamethoxam residues persisted for more than one year in whole rice grain, brown rice, bran, and husk with seed treatment, with higher residue levels observed in bran and husk. Parboiling and cooking led to the degradation of thiamethoxam residues.

Determination of chlorantraniliprole for managing Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera litura in cotton ecosystem.

Cotton bollworm incidence and damages are high in India. In addition, it causes considerable yield loss. A new insecticide formulation Chlorantraniliprole 600 g/L SC was used along with recommended insecticides for managing Spodoptera litura and Helicoverpa armigera in two consecutive experimental trials during the period October 2021 to September 2022. Two foliar applications of Chlorantraniliprole (40 and 30 g a. i/ha) at ten days interval period reduced significantly the larval populations of H. armigera, S. litura without any phytotoxic symptoms in cotton. Chlorantraniliprole application in open field condition was found to be harmless to natural enemy (coccinellids and spiders). Even though, a temporary lessening of natural enemy populations was noticed after spray, progressively the population was increased within a week time. Cotton yield was high in chlorantraniliprole @ 40 g a. i/ha treated plot (22.66, 22.12 q/ha) when compared to untreated control. Similar effect was also noticed in the dose at 30 g a. i/ha (22.35, 21.81 q/ha) and it was statistically on par in both experiments. Residue analysis results confirming that, cotton lint, cotton seed and soil samples collected from treated (30 and 60 g a. i/ha) and untreated samples during harvest were free from chlorantraniliprole residues (below detectable levels of 0.008 µg/g).

Outcomes of Open Fronto-Facial Resection for Fungal Osteomyelitis of Frontal Bone.

INTRODUCTION: The second wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) led to the resurgence of opportunistic infections due to the injudicious use of steroids. Sinonasal mucormycosis was declared an epidemic in India during the pandemic. Mucormycosis was managed effectively by surgical debridement along with systemic amphotericin B. Currently, a resurgence of mucormycosis following initial treatment, in the form of fungal osteomyelitis of the frontal bone, is being seen in India. METHODS: This prospective study included 10 patients with fungal osteomyelitis of the frontal bone due to mucormycosis. All patients underwent surgical debridement of the sequestrum and involucrum, with systemic antifungal pharmacotherapy. RESULTS: The average duration of time until mucormycosis recurrence was 22 days following initial treatment (range 10-33 days). Patients presented with extracranial bossing following outer frontal cortex erosion (n=3), bicortical erosion (n=3), bifrontal involvement (n=2), dural involvement (n=3), and involvement of the brain parenchyma and prefrontal cortex (n=2). All cases underwent debridement of the entire sequestrous bone and involucrum until normal bone could be identified. The mean admission duration was 4 weeks (range 3-6 weeks). All treated patients are currently alive and without disease, confirmed by contrast-enhanced computed tomography. CONCLUSION: Based on our experience, the successful treatment of fungal osteomyelitis due to mucormycosis requires a four-pronged approach: early detection, multidisciplinary management of comorbidities, surgical debridement of necrotic bone, and adequate systemic antifungal therapy.

Tumor grading model employing geometric analysis of histopathological images with characteristic nuclei dictionary.

Histopathological study has been shown to improve diagnosis of various disease classifications effectively as any disease condition is correlated to characteristic set of changes in the tissue structure. This study aims at developing an automated neural network system for grading brain tumors (Glioblastoma Multiforme) from histopathological images within the Whole Slide Images (WSI) of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stains with significant accuracy. Hematoxylin channels are extracted from the histopathological image patches using color de-convolution. Cell nuclei are precisely segmented using three level Otsu thresholding. From each segmented image, nuclei boundaries are extracted to extract nucleus level features based on their shape and size. Geometric features including ellipse eccentricities, nucleus perimeter, area, and polygon edge counts are extracted using geometric algorithms to define the nuclei boundaries of the segmented image. These features are collected for a large number of nuclei and the nuclei are clustered using the K-Means algorithm in order to create a dictionary. One of the major contributions involves the creation of dictionary of a fixed number of representative cell nuclei to speed up patch level classification. This optimal dictionary is used for clustering extracted cell nuclei and a fixed length histogram of counts on different types of nuclei is obtained. The proposed system has been tested with a total of 239600 TCGA patches of GBM and 206000 patches of LGG collected from GDC data portal and it showed good diagnosis performance with auto-classification accuracy of 97.2% compared to other state-of-art methods. Our results on segmentation and classification are encouraging, with better attainment with regard to precision and accuracy in contrast with previous models. The auto grading proposed system will act as a potential guide for pathologists to make more accurate decisions.

An innovative strategy to recycle permeate in biologics continuous manufacturing process to improve material efficiency and sustainability.

Intensified perfusion processes are an integral part of continuous manufacturing for biopharmaceuticals which enable agile operations and significant reduction in cost of goods. However, they require large volumes of media to support robust cell growth and maintain high productivity, posing substantial challenges to operations, logistics, and process sustainability. This study explores a novel strategy for reprocessing and reusing permeate from perfusion cultures for mAb production. The concept was initially evaluated by recycling permeate, Protein A flow-through (ProA FT) and CEX processed ProA FT in deep-well plate mock perfusion and ambr® 250 perfusion formats. Further processing of ProA FT through a cation exchange depth filter before recycling reduced process impurities such as host cell proteins (HCPs) and DNA. However, a direct replacement of fresh media with spent media reduces nutrient depth which results in a concomitant reduction in productivity. In ambr® 250 bioreactors, recycling of ProA FT at 25%-50% replacement rates (defined as the fraction of recycled material in media) resulted in a 13%-30% reduction in cumulative productivity while maintaining product quality. To mitigate this, we used media concentrates which allowed independent modulation of media depth by replacing a portion of diluent WFI with recycled material. Results from deep-well mock perfusion studies demonstrated that comparable or higher productivities relative to control can be achieved with this approach. Taken together, our study demonstrates the feasibility of recycling permeate in perfusion cultures. Process mass intensity (PMI) calculations reveal that this approach can meaningfully improve material efficiency by reducing water consumption, thereby enhancing overall bioprocess sustainability.

Enhanced oral oil release and mouthfeel perception of starch emulsion gels.

Reducing oil/fat content without compromising the structural and sensory quality of food is a great technical challenge to the food industry. The present work aims to investigate the possibility of a novel emulsion design that gives an enhanced oral release of oil/fat from an emulsion gel and therefore an enhanced mouthfeel of oiliness. Hence, alpha-amylase sensitive emulsifier such as starch was used for this purpose. On the other hand, whey protein isolate (WPI) i.e. α-amylase insensitive emulsifier was used as a reference. The gellan gum was selected as a gelling agent to prepare emulsion gels. The mastication and size reduction of the emulsion gels were examined through in-vitro and in-vivo studies. The amount of oil released as indicated by the ß-carotene analysis was monitored and various influencing factors (pH, time, compositions, etc.) were also investigated. Using sensory panelists, oral processing of emulsion gels was examined in terms of both mastication parameters and perceptions of oiliness and thickness. The obtained results showed that the use of a starch emulsifier gives a higher oil release and an enhanced oral sensation of oiliness mouthfeel. Therefore, starch emulsion could provide a novel solution in the design of fat-reduced food products with no effect on the mastication parameter, sensation and perception of fat-related attributes.

Polaron and bipolaron induced charge carrier transportation for enhanced photocatalytic H2 production.

Photocatalysis is one of the facile approaches for efficient solar energy conversion and storage. However, rapid charge carrier recombination considerably decreases solar to energy conversion efficiency. Herein, polaron and bipolaron rich polypyrrole (PPy) has been utilized as a solid support for effective photogenerated charge carrier separation. Simple oxidative polymerization using a high concentration of ammonium persulfate (APS) induces radical cation/bipolaron formation in PPy due to the cleavage of π-bonds as confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR). The formation of radical cations led to an increase of the dielectric constant which retards the charge carrier recombination and thereby enhances the conductivity. Moreover, the polarons and bipolarons induced charge carrier separation in photocatalytic H2 production was studied with the well-known g-C3N4 photocatalyst. It is worth mentioning that compared to bare g-C3N4, the PPy supported system showed a drastically enhanced photocatalytic H2 production rate. A maximum H2 production rate of 1851 µmoles per g is achieved, which is ∼51 times higher than that of the bare g-C3N4 catalyst due to efficient charge carrier separation assisted by radical cations/bipolarons. Thus, utilizing this simple polaron and bipolaron rich PPy solid support could be an effective strategy and alternative for using noble metal cocatalysts to enhance charge carrier separation.

Adherence to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Clinical Practice Guidelines for Nonoperative Management of Knee Osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) has published evidence-based Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) for the nonarthroplasty management of knee osteoarthritis (OA). The purpose of this study is to determine how closely our orthopedic providers adhered to the recommendations included in those CPGs. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 1096 consecutive ambulatory visits with primary diagnosis of knee OA at a single center. Demographic, radiographic, and treatment information was collected. The primary outcome was the frequency of agreement between our treatment recommendations and the AAOS CPGs. A secondary outcome was the associated costs of care. RESULTS: The total number of interventions generated during the visits was 1955. Adherence to the AAOS guidelines was 65% (362/557), 60% (226/377), and 40% (413/1021) in new/never treated, new/previously treated, and return patients, respectively. Intra-articular injection with either corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid was the most common intervention (32%) followed by physical therapy (29%). As the severity of OA increased, adherence to the AAOS guidelines decreased (61%, 60%, 54%, and 49% for Kellgren-Lawrence grades I through IV, respectively). The estimated annual costs associated with our treatment recommendations were $2,403,543.18, of which $1,206,757.8 (50.2%) was supported by evidence. The most expensive treatment intervention was intra-articular hyaluronic acid injection, which carried a strong evidence against its use. CONCLUSION: Adherence to the recommendations contained within the AAOS CPGs was modest regardless of the Kellgren-Lawrence grade or history of treatment. Given the size of the affected patient population, there is a need for uniformly accepted guidelines to clarify the role and timing of the different treatment interventions. CPGs should be combined with education, patient engagement, and shared decision-making to minimize variation in treatment patterns, improve patient outcomes, and lower overall costs of care.

Amine Functionalized Metal-Organic Framework Coordinated with Transition Metal Ions: d-d Transition Enhanced Optical Absorption and Role of Transition Metal Sites on Solar Light Driven H2 Production.

Design and development of efficient photocatalysts for H2 production from water and sunlight have gained significant attention as the solar assisted approach is considered to be a promising approach for the generation of clean fuel. However, the poor charge carrier separation and light harvesting ability of existing photocatalysts limits the efficiency of photoconversion of water. In this work, the synthesis of transition metal ions (M2+ = Co2+ , Cu2+ , and Ni2+ ) coordinated with Ti-metal organic frameworks (Ti-MOFs) through a simple post-synthetic coordination method for efficient solar light-driven H2 production is reported. Notably, coordination of M2+ ions with Ti-MOF significantly improves the optical absorption by d-d transitions and the multimetal sites facilitate the fast charge carrier separation, thereby enhancing the solar light-driven H2 production activity. Very interestingly, the rate of solar light-driven H2 production is varied with respect to different metal ions coordination due to the position of d-d bands absorption in the solar spectrum, and the complexing tendency of M2+ ions with sacrificial electron donors. A maximum solar H2 production rate of 1583.55 µmol h-1 g-1 is achieved with a Cu2+ coordinated Ti-MOF, which is ≈13 fold higher than that of the pristine Ti-MOF.

Oral behaviour of emulsions stabilized by mixed monolayer.

Controlled flavour release is highly important for the formulation of food emulsions. However, manipulating oral behavior and maintaining the stability of the flavoured emulsion is quite challenging. Hence, this study aims to investigate the effect of emulsion stability and oral behaviour using mixed emulsifier monolayers of different nature for their controlled flavour release. Orange oil flavoured (0.1% orange oil +10% sunflower oil) oil-in-water emulsions were prepared by microfluidization through modified starch (MS) and whey protein isolate (WPI) with different mass ratios (0.5:0.5, 0.5:1, 1:0.5, 1:1, 1:0 and 0:1) of emulsifiers. The fabricated emulsions were <0.13 µm in size (d32) with stable oil droplets having strong negative charges. The 0.5:0.5 and 0:1 emulsion were depicted an increase in size d32 (1.17 and 0.93 µm) and unstable during storage at 28 ±â€¯1 °C than the emulsions stored at 4 ±â€¯0.1 °C. All the emulsions were exhibited Newtonian flow; however once mixed with artificial saliva, the 1:0 emulsion showed shear thinning behaviour. During oral processing, in-vitro and in-vivo exhibited flocculation and coalescence; subsequently, structural deformation was observed with an increase in size (d32) and weak negative charge in 1:0.5 and 1:0 emulsions. Backscattering profile revealed more destabilization for 1:0 and less for 1:0.5 emulsions. Contrarily, other emulsions did not show any changes. Therefore, oral processing of emulsions results suggested that 1:0 had quick destabilization and 1:0.5 changed gradually. Thus, mixed emulsifier monolayer contributed significantly to the behavior of emulsions when interacting with saliva and it can be useful for controlled flavour release.

Ultrasonically aided selective stabilization of pyrrolic type nitrogen by one pot nitrogen doped and hydrothermally reduced Graphene oxide/Titania nanocomposite (N-TiO2/N-RGO) for H2 production.

Herein, we report the simultaneous doping of nitrogen on TiO2 and reduced graphene oxide (N-TiO2/N-RGO) with exclusive stabilization of pyrrolic type nitrogen on RGO network by ultrasonic conditions followed by hydrothermal method for efficient photocatalytic H2 production. Interestingly, during synthesis of N-TiO2/N-RGO composite, pyrrolic type nitrogen in RGO has been exclusively stabilized as confirmed by XPS analysis. The exclusive stabilization of pyrrolic nitrogen changed the optical and electronic properties of N-TiO2/N-RGO nanocomposites by giving two π-electrons to the system for extended conjugation, which enhanced the optical absorption and charge carrier separation efficiency as confirmed by UV-Vis DRS and PL studies. Notably, N-TiO2/N-RGO nanocomposite demonstrated. This enhanced photocatalytic activity can be ascribed to synergetic action of N-TiO2 and N-RGO in optical and photogenerated charge carrier separation. Moreover, the plausible mechanism for exclusive stabilization of pyrrolic type nitrogen and enhanced photocatalytic activity were also proposed.

Noncontrast Head CT in Children: National Variation in Radiation Dose Indices in the United States.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Radiologists should manage the radiation dose for pediatric patients to maintain reasonable diagnostic confidence. We assessed the variation in estimated radiation dose indices for pediatric noncontrast head CT in the United States. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Radiation dose indices for single-phase noncontrast head CT examinations in patients 18 years of age and younger were retrospectively reviewed between July 2011 and June 2016 using the American College of Radiology CT Dose Index Registry. We used the reported volume CT dose index stratified by patient demographics and imaging facility characteristics. RESULTS: The registry included 295,296 single-phase pediatric noncontrast head CT studies from 1571 facilities (56% in male patients and 53% in children older than 10 years of age). The median volume CT dose index was 33 mGy (interquartile range = 22-47 mGy). The volume CT dose index increased as age increased. The volume CT dose index was lower in children's hospitals (median, 26 mGy) versus academic hospitals (median, 32 mGy) and community hospitals (median, 40 mGy). There was a lower volume CT dose index in level I and II trauma centers (median, 27 and 32 mGy, respectively) versus nontrauma centers (median, 40 mGy) and facilities in metropolitan locations (median, 30 mGy) versus those in suburban and rural locations (median, 41 mGy). CONCLUSIONS: Considerable variation in the radiation dose index for pediatric head CT exists. Median dose indices and practice variations at pediatric facilities were both lower compared with other practice settings. Decreasing dose variability through proper management of CT parameters in pediatric populations using benchmarks generated by data from registries can potentially decrease population exposure to ionizing radiation.

A device for three-dimensional quantitative assessment and alignment of C1-2 vertebrae during posterior distraction and fusion technique for atlantoaxial dislocation and/or basilar invagination.

The most common type of congenital C1-2 dislocation is a combined type in which atlanto-axial dislocation (AAD) and basilar invagination (BI) are often associated with a rotational dislocation and coronal tilt. An optimal surgical treatment involves reduction of AAD and BI with simultaneous correction of the rotation and coronal tilt to achieve an optimal cervical canal decompression, sagittal and coronal realignment and bony fusion. The most acceptable technique to facilitate this correction is the C1-C2 distraction technique, which is accomplished by the manual joint manipulation. In this study, the authors describe an instrument that accomplishes distraction of the C12 joint space along with its quantitative assessment, permits the easy installation of a joint spacer without damage to the articular surfaces, brings about reduction of AAD and BI, while simultaneously also helping in the correction of the coexisting coronal tilt and rotational dislocation. This distractor not only achieves a multi-planar three-dimensional correction of the displacements at the C1-2 vertebral level, but may be used for the quantitative assessment of the correction and is compatible with the related surgical instruments of all standard companies utilized in this operative procedure.

Challenges associated in stability of food grade nanoemulsions.

Food grade nanoemulsions are being increasingly used in the food sector for their physico-chemical properties towards efficient encapsulation, entrapment of bioactive compounds, solubilization, targeted delivery, and bioavailability. Nanoemulsions are considered as one of the important vehicles for the sustained release of food bioactive compounds due to their smaller size (nm), increased surface area, and unique morphological characteristics. Nanoemulsification is an ideal technique for fabricating the bioactive compounds in a nano form. Formation and stabilization of nanoemulsion depends on the physi-cochemical characteristics of its constituents including oil phase, aqueous phase, and emulsifiers. This review is mainly focused on the instability mechanisms of nanoemulsion such as flocculation, Ostwald ripening, creaming, phase separation, coalescence, and sedimentation. Further, the major factors associated with these instability mechanisms like ionic strength, temperature, solubilization, particle size distribution, particle charge, pH strength, acid stability, and heat treatment are also discussed. Finally, safety issues of food grade nanoemulsions are highlighted.

TiO2-NiO p-n nanocomposite with enhanced sonophotocatalytic activity under diffused sunlight.

TiO2-NiO composites with p-n junction were developed by assembling p-type NiO on n-type TiO2 using ultrasound assisted wet impregnation method. The sonophotocatalytic efficiencies of pure TiO2 and TiO2-NiO composites were evaluated under diffused sunlight using methyl orange (MO) as a model pollutant. The impregnation of NiO nanoparticles on TiO2 considerably enhanced the optical absorption in visible region (500-800nm) due to the formation of p-n junctions at the interface between TiO2 and NiO. The internal electric field induced by the p-n junction led to effective separation of electron-hole pairs and thereby generating a large amount of reactive species for the degradation of MO. The individual effect of ultrasound and diffused sunlight for the degradation of MO was found to be 30% and 6%, respectively. A synergy of 4.8 fold was achieved when ultrasound was combined with photocatalytic degradation process in the presence of diffused sunlight. The sonophotocatalytic activity of TiO2-NiO photocatalysts with different NiO loading was also evaluated and 10wt% NiO loading was found to be optimal. Moreover, 66% of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) removal was achieved with the optimized TiO2-NiO composite in 140min. In addition, the TiO2-NiO composite exhibited an enhanced photocurrent response under visible light illumination.