Role of Active Site and CO-Interacting Surface Species in Dry Reforming of Methane over Strontium Promoted Ni Catalyst Supported by Lanthanum-Zirconia.

In the context of global warming, the dry reforming of methane (DRM) has gained significant attention due to its ability to simultaneously deplete two greenhouse gases, i. e. CH and CO, and generate syngas.

Effect of Accelerated Weathering on the Thermal, Tensile, and Morphological Characteristics of Polypropylene/Date Nanofiller Composites.

The aging of polypropylene (PP) composites reinforced with date palm nanofiber (DNF) was investigated in this study in order to predict their long-term performance. To produce composites, date palm nanofibers in the range of 1-5 wt% loading were dry-melt-blended with polypropylene. These biocomposites were then subjected to UV exposure (Xenon arch source) for accelerated weathering for 250 and 500 h according to a standard method.

Evaluation of the Effect of Recycled Polypropylene as Fine Aggregate Replacement on the Strength Performance and Chloride Penetration of Mortars.

Nowadays, the re-use and recycling of industrial wastes to reduce the environmental impact and landfill problems are the main concerns of researchers. Plastics are one of the main waste materials worldwide, with considerable impacts on health and environmental conditions. Recycling plastic wastes in the concrete industry is one of the adopted ways to reduce such impact and increase the economic recyclability of plastics.

ABC-Type Triblock Copolyacrylamides via Copper-Mediated Reversible Deactivation Radical Polymerization.

The aqueous Cu(0)-mediated reversible deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) of triblock copolymers with two block sequences at 0.0 °C is reported herein. Well-defined triblock copolymers initiated from PHEAA or PDMA, containing (A) 2-hydroxyethyl acrylamide (HEAA), (B) N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and (C) N, N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA), were synthesized.

Facile Synthesis of Hydrophilic Homo-Polyacrylamides via Cu(0)-Mediated Reversible Deactivation Radical Polymerization.

In this work, copper-mediated reversible deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) of homo-polyacrylamides was conducted in aqueous solutions at 0.0 °C. Various degrees of polymerization (DP = 20, 40, 60, and 80) of well-defined water-soluble homopolymers were targeted.

Effects of Nanoclay on Mechanical and Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Bamboo/Kenaf Reinforced Epoxy Hybrid Composites.

Current work aims to study the mechanical and dynamical mechanical properties of non-woven bamboo (B)/woven kenaf (K)/epoxy (E) hybrid composites filled with nanoclay. The nanoclay-filled BK/E hybrid composites were prepared by dispersing 1 wt.% nanoclay (organically-modified montmorillonite (MMT; OMMT), montmorillonite (MMT), and halloysite nanotube (HNT)) with high shear speed homogenizer followed by hand lay-up fabrication technique.

Mean glycosylated hemoglobin in children with type 1 diabetes at King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Background: Type 1 diabetes is the third most common chronic disease among teenagers. In Saudi Arabia, there is a gap of knowledge regarding hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) concentration levels, and adherence to regular follow-up visits by patients. The aim of this study was to determine the mean glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in diabetic children who have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and were being followed up at a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia.

Characterization of Microcrystalline Cellulose Isolated from Conocarpus Fiber.

Conocarpus fiber is an abundantly available and sustainable cellulosic biomass. With its richness in cellulose content, it is potentially used for manufacturing microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), a cellulose derivative product with versatile industrial applications. In this work, different samples of bleached fiber (CPBLH), alkali-treated fiber (CPAKL), and acid-treated fiber (CPMCC) were produced from Conocarpus through integrated chemical process of bleaching, alkaline cooking, and acid hydrolysis, respectively.

Doped SnO Nanomaterials for E-Nose Based Electrochemical Sensing of Biomarkers of Lung Cancer.

Lung cancer detection includes detection of a pattern formed by multiple volatile organic compounds. An individual material has limited selectivity and hence requires tailoring to improve the selectivity and sensing properties. An electronic nose (e-nose) is a concept/device that can help in achieving selectivity and specificity for multiple volatile organic compounds at the same time by using an array of sensors.

Comparison of the Short and Long-Term Outcomes of Endovascular Repair and Open Surgical Repair in the Treatment of Unruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

Background Although the initial results of endovascular repair (EVAR) were promising, a comparison of its long-term efficacy against open surgical repair (OSR) remains largely elusive, and late-onset adverse events have not been systematically evaluated. Since OSR and EVAR are currently the only treatment options available in the management of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), the main question arising in clinical practice is whether EVAR or OSR confers more favourable short and long-term outcomes for patients presenting with unruptured AAAs. Aims The present meta-analysis aims to draw a head-to-head comparison between EVAR and OSR and facilitate the formulation of an evidence-based approach to the clinical management of unruptured AAAs.

Thermo-oxidative stability and flammability properties of bamboo/kenaf/nanoclay/epoxy hybrid nanocomposites.

In this study, three types of nanoclay [halloysite nanotube (HNT), montmorillonite (MMT) and organically modified MMT (OMMT)] were incorporated into bamboo/kenaf (B/K) reinforced epoxy hybrid composites to compare their thermo-oxidative (TOD) stability and flammability properties. B/K (50 : 50) hybrid nanocomposites were fabricated by adding 1% loading (by weight) nanoclay through a hand lay-up technique. Wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were used to study the morphology of the nanoclay-epoxy mixture.

The Analysis of Teaching of Medical Schools (AToMS) survey: an analysis of 47,258 timetabled teaching events in 25 UK medical schools relating to timing, duration, teaching formats, teaching content, and problem-based learning.

Background: What subjects UK medical schools teach, what ways they teach subjects, and how much they teach those subjects is unclear. Whether teaching differences matter is a separate, important question. This study provides a detailed picture of timetabled undergraduate teaching activity at 25 UK medical schools, particularly in relation to problem-based learning (PBL).

Characterization of Date Palm Fiber-Reinforced Different Polypropylene Matrices.

In this study, the effect of different polypropylene (PP) matrices (homopolymer (HPP), impact copolymer (ICP), and recycled polypropylene (rPP)) on the mechanical, morphological, and thermal properties of date palm fiber (DPF)-reinforced PP composites was investigated. The DPFs were treated with an alkali solution, and composites were fabricated with different DPF loadings (5, 10, and 15 wt %) and lengths (less than 2 mm and 8-12 mm). It was found that the tensile properties of the DPF/ICP and DPF/rPP composites were similar to those of the DPF/HPP composites.

Reduced graphene/nanostructured cobalt oxide nanocomposite for enhanced electrochemical performance of supercapacitor applications.

We demonstrate the preparation of nanostructures cobalt oxide/reduced graphene oxide (CoO/rGO) nanocomposites by a simple one-step cost-effective hydrothermal technique for possible electrode materials in supercapacitor application. The X-ray diffraction patterns were employed to confirm the nanocomposite crystal system of CoO/rGO by demonstrating the existence of normal cubic spinel structure of CoO in the matrix of CoO/rGO nanocomposite. FTIR and FT-Raman studies manifested the structural behaviour and quality of prepared CoO/rGO nanocomposite.

Evaluation of Mechanical, Physical, and Morphological Properties of Epoxy Composites Reinforced with Different Date Palm Fillers.

The present study deals with the fabrication of epoxy composites reinforced with 50 wt% of date palm leaf sheath (G), palm tree trunk (L), fruit bunch stalk (AA), and leaf stalk (A) as filler by the hand lay-up technique. The developed composites were characterized and compared in terms of mechanical, physical and morphological properties. Mechanical tests revealed that the addition of AA improves tensile (20.

Characterization of natural fiber obtained from different parts of date palm tree (Phoenix dactylifera L.).

The current study is motivated by the strict environmental regulations regarding the utilization and consumption of ecofriendly materials. In this context, the aim of this study has been to prepare and characterize different date palm tree (Phoenix dactylifera L.) fibers processed through the conventional water retting method.

Rapid Solar-Light Driven Superior Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Using MoS₂-ZnO Heterostructure Nanorods Photocatalyst.

Herein, MoS₂-ZnO heterostructure nanorods were hydrothermally synthesized and characterized in detail using several compositional, optical, and morphological techniques. The comprehensive characterizations show that the synthesized MoS₂/ZnO heterostructure nanorods were composed of wurtzite hexagonal phase of ZnO and rhombohedral phase of MoS₂. The synthesized MoS₂/ZnO heterostructure nanorods were used as a potent photocatalyst for the decomposition of methylene blue (MB) dye under natural sunlight.

Porous Polyethylene Coated with Functionalized Hydroxyapatite Particles as a Bone Reconstruction Material.

In this study, porous polyethylene scaffolds were examined as bone substitutes in vitro and in vivo in critical-sized calvarial bone defects in transgenic Sprague-Dawley rats. A microscopic examination revealed that the pores appeared to be interconnected across the material, making them suitable for cell growth. The creep recovery behavior of porous polyethylene at different loads indicated that the creep strain had two main portions.

Isolation and characterization of microcrystalline cellulose from roselle fibers.

In this study, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was extracted from roselle fiber through acid hydrolysis treatment and its properties were compared with those of commercially available MCC. The physicochemical and morphological characteristics, elemental composition, size distribution, crystallinity and thermal properties of the obtained MCC were analyzed in this work. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis provided clear evidence that the characteristic peak of lignin was absent in the spectrum of the MCC prepared from roselle fiber.

Thermal, creep-recovery and viscoelastic behavior of high density polyethylene/hydroxyapatite nano particles for bone substitutes: effects of gamma radiation.

Background: High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is one of the most often used polymers in biomedical applications. The limitations of HDPE are its visco-elastic behavior, low modulus and poor bioactivity. To improve HDPE properties, HA nanoparticles can be added to form polymer composite that can be used as alternatives to metals for bone substitutes and orthopaedic implant applications.

Effect of gamma radiation and accelerated aging on the mechanical and thermal behavior of HDPE/HA nano-composites for bone tissue regeneration.

Background: The replacement of hard tissues demands biocompatible and sometimes bioactive materials with properties similar to those of bone. Nano-composites made of biocompatible polymers and bioactive inorganic nano particles such as HDPE/HA have attracted attention as permanent bone substitutes due to their excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility.

Method: The HDPE/HA nano-composite is prepared using melt blending at different HA loading ratios.