Comparison of Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide Photocatalysts for the Inactivation of in Water Using Slurry and Rotating-Disk Photocatalytic Reactors.

The application of photocatalysis for the disinfection of water has been extensively reported over the past 30 years. Titanium dioxide (TiO) has been the most widely and successfully used photocatalyst to date; however, it is not without its limitations. Frequently observed long lag times, sometimes up to 60 min, before bacterial inactivation begins and the presence of residual microorganisms, for example, up to 10 colony forming units, remaining after treatment are ongoing challenges with this particular photocatalyst.

Removal of phthalates from aqueous solution by semiconductor photocatalysis: A review.

While phthalate esters are commonly used as plasticizers to improve the flexibility and workability of polymeric materials, their presence and detection in various environments has become a significant concern. Phthalate esters are known to have endocrine-disrupting effects, which affects reproductive health and physical development. As a result, there is now increased focus and urgency to develop effective and energy efficient technologies capable of removing these harmful compounds from the environment.

Synergism of photocycloaddition and photoinduced electron transfer for multi-state responsive materials with high-stability and reversibility.

A dual-photoresponsive coordination polymer displaying color-distinguishable olefin/cyclobutane-linked pyridinium radical states through photoinduced electron transfer and photocycloaddition has been successfully assembled based on the monoquaternized trans-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene and electron-rich benzenetetra-carboxylate anion. The synergy of charge-transfer and cation-π interactions within the framework endows the compound with excellent stability toward high temperature (350 °C), acidic/basic environments (pH = 2-12) and organic solvents. Reversible recovery from the radical states to their initial states, and reverse-cyclization can be achieved upon heat-treatment.

Stress-induced interleukin-6 release in mice is mast cell-dependent and more pronounced in Apolipoprotein E knockout mice.

Objective: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is elevated in the serum of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Intracoronary release of IL-6 was reported in ACS that can also be triggered by acute stress. In rats, acute restraint stress increases serum IL-6 and histamine, both of which may derive from mast cells.

Acute stress induces cardiac mast cell activation and histamine release, effects that are increased in Apolipoprotein E knockout mice.

Objectives: Cardiac mast cells have recently been found to be activated in atherosclerotic coronary arteries, but no mediator has so far been documented to be released from them, nor have they been investigated in Apolipoprotein (Apo) E knockout (k/o) mice that develop atherosclerosis. Psychological stress triggers acute coronary syndrome, while acute restraint stress stimulates rat cardiac mast cells, the main mediator of which histamine is a coronary constrictor. Here, we investigated the effect of acute stress on the activation of cardiac mast cells morphologically, as well as the levels of cardiac and serum histamine in normal and genetically deficient mice.