The Valorisation of Biochar Produced from Black Liquor Pyrolysis for the Development of CO Adsorbents.

The paper manufacturing process produces liquid and gaseous alternative fuels, as well as solid wastes. These can be subsequently treated through chemical processing, oxidation, and thermal activation, resulting in adsorbent materials with CO adsorption capacities. The valorisation of black liquor waste resulting from paper manufacturing was achieved through a catalytic pyrolysis process using two catalysts previously prepared in house (Cu-Zn-MCM-41 and Ni-SBA-16).

Degradation study of δ-hexachlorocyclohexane by iron sulfide nanoparticles: Elucidation of reaction pathway using compound specific isotope analysis and pH variation.

pH influences the reactivity of iron (II) minerals towards halogenated pollutants like hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs). To explore these incompletely understood interactions, we investigated the carbon isotope fractionation of the δ-HCH isomer during dehalogenation by iron sulfide at pHs spanning a pH range across slightly acidic to alkaline domains (5.8-9.

Phenolic Composition and Bioactivities of Invasive (Mill.) Swingle Leaf Extracts Obtained by Two-Step Sequential Extraction.

, a highly invasive species, contains valuable compounds in different plant parts, indicating great practical potential. This paper proposes the use of non-polar (-hexane) and polar (ethanol) solvents for the extraction of antioxidant compounds from (family Simaroubaceae) leaves in a sequential two-step process. Fresh and dried leaves were examined for their microstructure by scanning electron microscopy, and for color changes in the CIELAB color space co-ordinates.

Preparation of Copper-Based Catalysts for Obtaining Methanol by the Chemical Impregnation Method.

This paper presents the preparation of heterogeneous catalysts for the direct hydrogenation process of CO to methanol. The development of the modern chemical industry is inextricably linked to the use of catalytic processes. As a result, currently over 80% of new technologies introduced in the chemical industry incorporate catalytic processes.

NASICON Membrane with High Ionic Conductivity Synthesized by High-Temperature Solid-State Reaction.

In the present work, we studied the impact of excess Na addition on the structure of the standard NASICON ion conductor along with Na ion transport mechanisms. In this sense, NASICON ceramic membranes (NZSP) were prepared by a simple chemical synthesis method, the solid state reaction (SSR), using an excess of 5% Na (NaZrSiPO) and an excess of 10% Na (NaZrSiPO), in order to improve the conduction properties of the ceramic membrane. The characterization of the NZSP nanoparticles was performed by measuring the particle size by dynamic light scattering (DLS), the morphology of the NASICON samples pre-sintered at 1100 °C was analyzed by the SEM method (scanning electron microscope), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to investigate the crystal structure of samples, while the surface area was measured using the BET technique.

CD200 fibroblasts form a pro-resolving mesenchymal network in arthritis.

Fibroblasts are important regulators of inflammation, but whether fibroblasts change phenotype during resolution of inflammation is not clear. Here we use positron emission tomography to detect fibroblast activation protein (FAP) as a means to visualize fibroblast activation in vivo during inflammation in humans. While tracer accumulation is high in active arthritis, it decreases after tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-17A inhibition.

fungi suppress nitric oxide production by macrophages.

In October 2022, fungi were listed in the "High Priority Group" on the first-ever list of fungal priority pathogens by the World Health Organization. As the causative agent of mucormycosis, have become of great clinical and public health importance with growing mucormycosis numbers, notably with the exponential rise of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis cases. Despite the dire need, there are limited therapeutic options to treat mucormycosis.

Ventral Hernia Repair and Diabetes Mellitus - A Prospective, Observational and Comparative Study of Outcomes.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and obesity are known to influence postoperative outcomes in surgical patients. This study aimed to analyze the divergence in outcomes between patients with and without DM who underwent ventral hernia repair, while also assessing the additional impact of obesity on postoperative complications, hospitalization, and costs. A prospective, non-interventional, observational study was conducted over five years (2018-2022) at the First Surgical Clinic of Craiova Emergency Clinical Hospital.

Ventral Hernia Repair and Drainage - A Prospective, Observational, and Comparative Study of Outcomes.

While ventral hernia repair is a frequent surgical intervention, the possibility of complications remains present. The use of drains to mitigate complications is a topic of debate, with conflicting evidence. This study aimed to evaluate the association between drain usage and postoperative complications in ventral hernia repair.

Platinum-Functionalized Graphene Oxide: One-Pot Synthesis and Application as an Electrocatalyst.

This paper presents the preparation of platinum on a reduced graphene oxide matrix (PtrGO) using the microwave-assisted method with three different pH solutions. The platinum concentration determined by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) was 4.32 (weight%), 2.

Synthesis, Characterization, DFT Study and Antifungal Activities of Some Novel 2-(Phenyldiazenyl)phenol Based Azo Dyes.

In recent decades, there has been an increased interest in azo compounds with special optical and biological properties. In this work, we report the preparation of novel azo-compounds with two and three -N=N- double bonds, using the classical method of synthesis, diazotization and coupling. The compounds were characterized by H-NMR, C-NMR, FTIR, UV-VIS and fluorescence spectra.

Influence of the Hydrophobicity of Pluronic Micelles Encapsulating Curcumin on the Membrane Permeability and Enhancement of Photoinduced Antibacterial Activity.

Apart from its well-known activity as an antimicrobial agent, Curcumin (CURC) has recently started to arouse interest as a photosensitizer in the photodynamic therapy of bacterial infections. The aim of the present study was to evidence the influence of the encapsulation of Curcumin into polymeric micelles on the efficiency of photoinduced microbial inhibition. The influence of the hydrophobicity of the selected Pluronics (P84, P123, and F127) on the encapsulation, stability, and antimicrobial efficiency of CURC-loaded micelles was investigated.

Eco-Friendly Alternative Disposal through the Pyrolysis Process of Meat and Bone Meal.

The capitalization of agri-food waste is essential for the sustainability of a circular economy. This work focuses on a solution to eliminate such waste, meat and bone meal (MBM), which is produced in large quantities by the food industry and is prohibited for use as animal feed under the European directives. Therefore, with the focus of converting waste to energy, the catalytic pyrolysis of MBM in the presence of mesoporous silica nanocatalysts (SBA-3 and SBA-16 materials and metallic derivates) was investigated in a home-made reactor for the production of renewable energy.

Iodine-Doped Graphene Oxide: Fast Single-Stage Synthesis and Application as Electrocatalyst.

Iodine-doped graphene oxide is attracting great attention as fuel cell (FC) electrocatalysts with a high activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, most of the reported preparation techniques for iodine-doped graphene (I/rGO) could be transposed into practice as multiple step procedures, a significant disadvantage for scale-up applications. Herein, we describe an effective, eco-friendly, and fast technique for synthesis by a microwave-tuned one-stage technique.

Influence of Convective and Vacuum-Type Drying on Quality, Microstructural, Antioxidant and Thermal Properties of Pretreated Mushrooms.

Freshly harvested mushrooms are subjected to rapid loss of quality due to the high moisture content and enzymatic activity. Drying time, quality characteristics, microstructural and thermal properties were studied in mushrooms ground to puree subjected to hot air drying (HAD), freeze drying (FD) and centrifugal vacuum drying (CVD). The influence of hot water blanching and UV-C pretreatments was additionally investigated.

Occurrence of Potentially Toxic Elements in Bottled Drinking Water-Carcinogenic and Non-Carcinogenic Risks Assessment in Adults via Ingestion.

The presence of potentially toxic elements in drinking water can be dangerous for human health because of their bioaccumulation and toxicity, which is a huge concern for many researchers. In the case of bottled water, the exposure to toxic elements is achieved, especially by ingestion, leading to disorders of important functions of the human body. The aim of this study was the detection of some potentially toxic elements, from 50 samples of bottled drinking water, available on the Romanian market.

Complications of Intraperitoneal Mesh Techniques for Incisional Hernia - A Systematic Review.

Incisional hernia is considered to be one of the most frequent complication of abdominal surgery, with an incidence up to 20% or 35-50%. Given the latest focus on laparoscopic approach of any surgical pathology, there is a tendency in managing the incisional hernias in this particular manner, which impose intraperitoneal onlay mesh placement (IPOM). The aim of this review is to gather more information regarding the possible complications that can be associated with this technique.

Compatibility of Drotaverine Hydrochloride with Ibuprofen and Ketoprofen Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Mixtures.

Formulations with two or more active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are a researched trend due to their convenient use compared with multiple medications. Moreover, drug-drug combinations may have a synergistic effect. Drotaverine hydrochloride (D-HCl) is commonly used for its antispasmodic action.

Facile In Situ Synthesis of ZnO Flower-like Hierarchical Nanostructures by the Microwave Irradiation Method for Multifunctional Textile Coatings.

ZnO nanoparticle-based multifunctional coatings were prepared by a simple, time-saving microwave method. Arginine and ammonia were used as precipitation agents, and zinc acetate dehydrate was used as a zinc precursor. Under the optimized conditions, flower-like morphologies of ZnO aggregates were obtained.

Indirect and Direct Mapping of the Cancer-Specific EORTC QLQ-C30 onto EQ-5D-5L Utility Scores.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a response mapping algorithm to predict EQ-5D-5L utilities from European Organisation for Research and Treatment Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) scores and compare performance with direct mapping approaches to identify the best performing algorithm.

Methods: The Multi-Instrument Comparison dataset contains responses to both the EQ-5D-5L and QLQ-C30 questionnaires from 692 individuals with a broad range of cancers. Response mapping was conducted, fitting ordered logistic regressions to predict response levels for each of the five EQ-5D dimensions and utilities were predicted using the US and Japanese EQ-5D-5L value sets to test the algorithm performance.