Loss Of Activity Research Articles

Janus structural TaON/Graphene-like carbon dual-supported Pt electrocatalyst enables efficient oxygen reduction reaction

Developing carbon-supported Pt-based electrocatalysts with high activity and long-durability for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is an enormous challenge for their commercial applications due to the corrosion of carbon supports in acid/alkaline solution at high potential. In this work, a Janus structural TaON/graphene-like carbon (GLC) was synthesized via an in-situ molecular selfassembly strategy, which was used as a dual-carrier for platinum (Pt). The as-obtained Pt/TaON/GLC presents high half-wave potential (0.94 V vs. RHE), excellent mass (1.47 A mgPt-1) and specific (1.55 mA cm-2) activities at 0.9 V, and superior long-term durability with a minimal loss (8.0 %) of mass activity after 10,000 cycles in alkaline solution, outperforming those of Pt/C and other catalysts. The structural characterizations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that the Pt/TaON/GLC catalyst exhibits the maximum synergies, including enhanced interfacial electron density, improved charge transfer, enhanced O2 adsorption, andsuperimposed OO cleavage. This work shows a potential strategy for preparing the high-active and long-durable Pt-based electrocatalyst by synergism-promoted interface engineering.

Carbon cloth with lithiophilic carbon-coated ZnO nanotubes as anode current collector for hybrid lithium ion/lithium metal battery

Reasonable design of light-weight carbon-based current collector is a promising strategy to enable high-energy-density lithium batteries. Herein, carbon-coated ZnO nanotube arrays with good lithiophilicity are constructed on carbon cloth, which is used as anode current collector to construct hybrid lithium ion/lithium metal battery. The modified carbon cloth effectively promotes the formation of robust and inorganic-rich solid electrolyte interphase, which consists of mixed ionic-electronic conductive (MIEC) interface with ion-conductive Li2O/LiC6 and electron-conductive LiZn alloy. Rapid electron/ion transportation during repeated lithium plating/stripping is realized by the Li2O/LiZn/LiC6 MIEC arrays, which homogenizes the lithium deposition and ensures uniform dendrite-free Li deposition. The three-dimensional structure of the current collector also provides enough space to constrain the lithium deposition and avoid the huge volume change. As a result, continuous anode-electrolyte interfacial side reactions and active lithium loss are effectively suppressed. Uniform Li deposition and high average Coulombic efficiency are achieved in the hybrid lithium ion/lithium metal cell. The capacity retention of full cell with carbonate-based electrolyte maintains 47.0% after 600 cycles, and the full cell also shows superiority in rate performance and energy density. This work provides a promising alternative for light-weight anode current collector to enable high-energy-density lithium batteries.

Biogenic and rapid route for the synthesis of palladium nanoparticles by using Roylea cinerea extract and their catalytic activity for Suzuki and Sonogashira coupling reactions and nitrophenol reduction

4-nitrophenol is a serious environmental pollutant due to its carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic properties, posing serious risks to aquatic life, plants, and humans even at very low concentrations. In the current work a simple, inexpensive, and ecologically appropriate approach for generating palladium nanoparticles (Pd-NPs) from palladium chloride and their potential for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol have been investigated. This method employs a non-toxic aqueous extract obtained from the aerial portion of Roylea cinerea, which functions as both a reducing and stabilizing agent. The Pd-NPs synthesis was confirmed through UV-vis spectroscopy, and were further characterized by techniques like FT-IR, SEM, EDX, and XRD analysis. The biosynthesized Pd-NPs had a spherical shape with diameters ranging from 20 to 30 nm. The presence of palladium in the Pd-NPs was confirmed by EDX analysis. The available functional groups on the surface of Pd-NPs were determined through FTIR analysis. Pd-NPs demonstrated catalytic efficacy in both Sonogashira and Suzuki coupling processes, as measured by UV-vis spectrophotometry during nitrophenol reduction. The findings demonstrate that the Pd-NPs exhibited significant catalytic efficiency, achieving the degradation of over 95% of 4-nitrophenol within a 16-minute timeframe. Following the catalytic reaction, the catalyst was effortlessly recovered through centrifugation, demonstrating its ability to undergo multiple catalytic cycles without a significant loss of activity (>90% after five cycles).

Pd-N-doped carbons for chemoselective hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde: Unravelling the influence of particle size and support in multiphase batch and continuous-flow systems

The chemoselective hydrogenation of the CC bond of cinnamaldehyde (CAL) was investigated under batch and continuous flow conditions, by comparing the performance of two ad-hoc prepared palladium-based catalysts supported on N-doped carbons to that of a commercial Pd/C system. An impregnation (I) and a solution-mediated (S) protocols were used for the synthesis of the catalytic materials, Pd-N/Ci and Pd-N/Cs, respectively, in the presence of chitin as a precursor of the support. The S method afforded palladium nanoparticles of 2.0±0.5 nm, while by impregnation, a wider size distribution was achieved with particles mostly belonging to two groups displaying a mean radius of 3.0±0.5 nm and 8.4±0.5 nm, respectively. A parametric analysis of the hydrogenation reaction showed that both the reaction conditions and the nature of the catalysts played a role to steer the selectivity towards the formation of the desired product, 3-phenylpropanal (hydrocinnamaldehyde, HCAL). At 50 °C and 1 bar H2, in a triphasic (liquid-liquid-liquid) batch reactor where the catalyst was compartmentalized in an ionic liquid layer, Pd-N/Ci and commercial Pd/C were almost equally active and allowed to obtain HCAL in a 90–96 % selectivity at complete conversion. On the other hand, at the same T and p (50 °C/1 bar), Pd-N/Cs was more effective in the continuous-flow mode: the process was quantitative yielding HCAL with a selectivity and a productivity of 91 % of 16 mmol (gcat h)−1, respectively, while the catalyst proved highly stable showing no loss of activity over 300 min of time on-stream. The reaction environment, the size and dispersion of the metal active sites, and the nature of the catalyst support were major contributors to such results, acting synergistically to each other to tune the energetics of adsorption/desorption of reactants/products, of the interfacial interactions/ barriers, and in the last analysis, of the process kinetics/selectivity.

A sustainable approach to microwave assisted synthesis of 2-(het)/arylquinazolin-4(3H)-ones via ionic liquid supported Cu(II) catalyst

An efficient and sustainable approach for the microwave assisted synthesis of 2-(het)/arylquinazolin-4(3H)-ones from substituted 2-aminobenzamide and benzyl alcohols is introduced by using a reusable imidazolium based ionic liquid supported Cu(II) catalyst. This methodology exhibits high functional group tolerance and efficiently constructs desired products in good to excellent yields. Moreover, this method portrays operational simplicity, less reaction time, minimal cost and sustainable over the reported protocols. Furthermore, the catalyst can be recycled and reused up to 4 consecutive cycles with no significant loss of activity.

Highly Efficient Aerobic Epoxidation of Styrene using Mesoporous Co-Ni Catalysts

This work reports the synthesis and characterization of mesoporous cobalt-nickel mixed metal oxide catalysts with varying Co:Ni ratios using an inverse micelle template self-assembly method. Their structural and morphological properties and catalytic performance in styrene epoxidation were evaluated. Among them, the 73CoNi-250 catalyst (Co: Ni70:30mol/mol%, calcined 250°C) exhibited a unique flower-like morphology and the highest surface area, which XPS analysis linked to a higher concentration of oxygen vacancies. Notably,73CoNi-250 demonstrated exceptional catalytic activity for styrene epoxidation, achieving near-complete styrene conversion (>99%) and high selectivity (94%) for styrene epoxide under mild reaction conditions without the need for oxidants such as peroxides. Furthermore, the catalyst exhibited excellent reusability (≥ 4 cycles) without significant activity loss or changes in mesoporosity. Kinetic studies revealed a first-order reaction profile and a significantly enhanced rate constant compared to the best-reported values (fivefold) in the literature, further underlining the catalyst's efficiency, and emphasizing the environmentally friendly approaches in chemical synthesis.

Highly efficient aerobic epoxidation of styrene using mesoporous Co-Ni catalysts

This work reports the synthesis and characterization of mesoporous cobalt-nickel mixed metal oxide catalysts with varying Co:Ni ratios using an inverse micelle template self-assembly method. Their structural and morphological properties and catalytic performance in styrene epoxidation were evaluated. Among them, the 73CoNi-250 catalyst (Co: Ni70:30 mol/mol%, calcined 250°C) exhibited a unique flower-like morphology and the highest surface area, which XPS analysis linked to a higher concentration of oxygen vacancies. Notably,73CoNi-250 demonstrated exceptional catalytic activity for styrene epoxidation, achieving near-complete styrene conversion (>99 %) and high selectivity (94 %) for styrene epoxide under mild reaction conditions without the need for oxidants such as peroxides. Furthermore, the catalyst exhibited excellent reusability (≥ 4 cycles) without significant activity loss or changes in mesoporosity. Kinetic studies revealed a first-order reaction profile and a significantly enhanced rate constant compared to the best-reported values (fivefold) in the literature, further underlining the catalyst's efficiency, and emphasizing the environmentally friendly approaches in chemical synthesis.

Modeling and Analysis of Polarization Losses in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells with Siloxane Contamination

In this study, the degradation of the solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) nickel-yttria stabilized zirconia anode under decamethyltetrasiloxane (L4) contamination is examined with experiments and modeling. A model is developed for the polarization losses based on the charge transfer coefficient, α, and diffusion layer thickness, δ, and fitted to the experimental data to understand how the siloxane degrades the SOFC performance with time. The results of the model indicate that the total polarization losses increase approximately 44% over the course of the 180 min experiment at 350 mA cm−2. Activation losses dominate the polarization losses initially but decrease in their total contribution while concentration losses increase. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (WDS) elemental mapping indicates that silicon deposition is highest at the outer edge of the anode and forms a barrier layer to fuel diffusion, increasing concentration losses. When the model is applied to other previous D4 and L4 siloxane experiments conducted over a period of 40 h, similar trends in polarization losses are observed. Polarization losses increase more rapidly with D4 compared to L4 siloxane contamination, with concentration losses increasing the fastest with both types of siloxane.

A review on drug interaction

Drug interaction occur when the response of one drug is altered by the simultaneous or closely time administration of another drug. Polypharmacy involving the simultaneous use of multiple drugs, raise concern due to unpredictable and potential severe internation. While some drug interactions are intentionally utilized in therapeutics strategies, their severity can vary making prediction challenging. Prescribing multiple medications increases the risk of drug interactions, which can occur with other drugs, foods, beverages, and herbs, both inside and outside the body. Understanding in vitro interactions is crucial to prevent drug activity loss before administration. While not all theoretical drug interactions may occur in practice, they remain a significant cause of adverse events associated with drug administration. Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) represent a significant source of medication errors in developed nations, especially among the elderly who often take multiple medications simultaneously, leading to a prevalence of 20-40%. The complexity of managing therapy increases with poly-therapy, elevating the risk of clinically significant DDIs that can either trigger adverse drug reactions or diminish clinical efficacy. DDIs are typically categorized into two groups: pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic. In vivo interactions at pharmacokinetic level affect absorption, distribution, biotransformation or excretion of drugs. Induction or inhibition of cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes forms a major basis of drug interactions. Induction of metabolism of a substrate drug leads to treatment failure.

Formation of a financial management system in the development industry based on digital financial technologies

Subject. The article considers the financial management system in the context of the use of digital financial technologies. Objectives. The main goal of the study is to create new financial management tools for use in construction to improve the efficiency of transaction control based on digital FinTech. Methods. The study attempts to analyze the potential possibility of creating a financial management system in construction projects, based on solutions generated by FinTech and implemented in construction, using the Blockchain technology. Results. The introduction of Blockchain will help all construction project participants to safely make transactions without the involvement of third parties, based on a smart contract. The proposed approach enables stakeholders (real estate buyers) to control the remaining financial obligations between interested parties, i.e. participants in business transactions. The main result is the presentation of new tools for a decentralized financial management system that reduce the risks of losses in operational and financial activities of the developer, and this is extremely important in conditions of external market volatility. Conclusions. This study presents provisions that substantiate the potential possibility of using new tools for a decentralized financial management system based on digital financial technologies that reduce the developer’s risks.

Hierarchical Y Zeolite-Based Catalysts for VGO Cracking: Impact of Carbonaceous Species on Catalyst Acidity and Specific Surface Area.

The performance of catalysts prepared from hierarchical Y zeolites has been studied during the conversion of vacuum gas oil (VGO) into higher-value products. Two different catalysts have been studied: CatY.0.00 was obtained from the standard zeolite (Y-0.00-M: without alkaline treatment) and CatY.0.20 was prepared from the desilicated zeolite (Y-0-20-M: treated with 0.20 M NaOH). The cracking tests were carried out in a microactivity test (MAT) unit with a fixed-bed reactor at 550 °C in the 20-50 s reaction time range, with a catalyst mass of 3 g and a mass flow rate of VGO of 2.0 g/min. The products obtained were grouped according to their boiling point range in dry gas (DG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), naphtha, and coke. The results showed a greater conversion and selectivity to gasoline with the CatY.0.20 catalyst, along with improved quality (RON) of the C5-C12 cut. Conversely, the CatY.0.00 catalyst (obtained from the Y-0.00-M zeolite) showed greater selectivity to gases (DG and LPG), attributable to the electronic confinement effect within the microporous channels of the zeolite. The nature of coke has been studied using different analysis techniques and the impact on the catalysts by comparing the properties of the fresh and deactivated catalysts. The coke deposited on the catalyst surfaces was responsible for the loss of activity; however, the CatY.0.20 catalyst showed greater resistance to deactivation by coke, despite showing the highest selectivity. Given that the reaction occurs in the acid sites of the zeolite and not in the matrix, the increased degree of mesoporosity of the zeolite in the CatY.0.20 catalyst facilitated the outward diffusion of products from the zeolitic channels to the matrix, thereby preserving greater activity.

La-doped MIL-88B(Fe)-NH2: a mixed-metal-organic framework photocatalyst for highly efficient reduction of Cr(vi) in an aqueous solution.

With the aim to resolve the problem of water pollution, we herein propose a new photocatalyst based on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), called La-doped MIL-88B(Fe)-NH2 (MIL-88B((1 - x)Fe/xLa)-NH2), which was designed and employed for the photocatalytic reduction of Cr(vi) in aqueous solutions. MIL-88B((1-x)Fe/xLa)-NH2 materials with different x values were synthesized via a one-pot solvothermal method. Their characteristics were investigated using various techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS). We found that compared to pristine MIL-88B(Fe)-NH2 with a photocatalytic efficiency of 67.08, MIL-88B((1 - x)Fe/xLa)-NH2 materials with x = 0.010, 0.025 and 0.050 exhibit excellent photocatalytic efficiencies reaching 88.21, 81.19 and 80.26%, respectively, after only 30 minutes of irradiation at a small catalyst dosage of 0.2 g L-1. These La-doped MIL-88B(Fe)-NH2 photocatalysts can work well under mild conditions (pH = 6). Furthermore, they are robust-can be recycled for at least four consecutive runs without any activity loss. This novel material is promising for the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants.

Leisure-Time Physical Activity in Subjects with Metabolic-Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease: An All-Cause Mortality Study.

Background: Metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) affects 30% of adults worldwide and is associated with obesity and cardiovascular risk factors. If left untreated, it can progress to severe liver disease. Lifestyle changes such as physical activity and weight loss help to reduce the severity and risk of mortality. This study estimated the impact of MASLD and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) on mortality and examined how gender mediates this effect in a Southern Italian population. Methods: This work is a population-based prospective cohort study of inhabitants of Castellana Grotte (>30 years old) in Southern Italy, which began in 1985. Participants provided general health information, underwent anthropometric measurements and ultrasonography, and completed a validated questionnaire on their food intake and LTPA. The vital status was tracked through local municipalities Results: In total, 1826 participants (39% with MASLD) were enrolled in this study, drawn from 2970 eligible subjects; the mean age was 51.91 (±14.76) years and 56.2% were men. Subjects with MASLD who practiced low LTPA had a significantly higher risk of death than those who did not have MASLD and practiced high LTPA. In addition, subjects with MASLD who practiced low LTPA were about 19% less likely to survive to the age of 82 years. As regards gender, both men and women with MASLD and low LTPA showed a significant risk of death, but this was higher in women. Conclusions: The presence of MASLD, especially in women, increases the risk of death from all causes. LTPA plays a key role in the disease and reduces mortality in these individuals.

Development of a Cobalt Catalyst from ZIF‐67 and Application in the Hydrogenation of N‐Heteroarenes

AbstractHydrogenation of N‐heteroarenes to saturated N‐heterocycles is an important reaction in organic synthesis. Hydrogen is a green reducing reagent and has been widely applied in industrial production. The development of an appropriate catalyst to realize hydrogenation at low pressure and temperature is desired. In this study, we developed a cobalt‐based catalyst derived from ZIF‐67 that exhibits high activity for N‐heteroarene hydrogenation under 5–20 bar hydrogen, which is a relatively low pressure as compared to reported catalytic systems. This nano‐cobalt catalyst shows broad substrate scope and can be reused without obvious activity loss.

On the practical aspects of machine learning based active power loss forecasting in transmission networks

AbstractThe cost for covering active power losses makes a significant item in transmission system operators (TSO) annual budgets, and still it received limited attention in the existing literature. The focus of accurate power loss forecasting and procurement is of high increase during the past 2 years due to spikes in electricity prices, making the cost of covering the active power losses a dominant factor of TSO operational costs. This paper presents practical aspects of the highly accurate models for transmission loss forecast in the day ahead time frame for the Croatian transmission system. The contributions are two‐fold: 1) Practical insights into usable TSO data are provided, filling a critical research gap and a foundational literature review is established on transmission loss forecasting. 2) A novel method utilizing only electricity transit data as input which outperforms existing practices is presented. For this, several algorithms such as gradient boosted decision tree model (XGB), support vector regressors, multiple linear regression and fully connected feedforward artificial neural networks are developed, and implemented and validated on data obtained from the Croatian TSO. The results show that the XGB model outperforms current TSO model by 32% for 4 months of comparison and TSCNET's commercial solution by 25% during a year‐long testing period. The developed XGB model is also implemented as a software tool and put into everyday operation with the Croatian TSO.

Comparative Genomic and Genetic Evidence on a Role for the OarX Protein in Thiamin Salvage.

Salvage pathways for thiamin and its thiazole and pyrimidine moieties are poorly characterized compared to synthesis pathways. A candidate salvage gene is oarX, which encodes a short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase. In diverse bacteria, oarX clusters on the chromosome with genes of thiamin synthesis, salvage, or transport and is preceded by a thiamin pyrophosphate riboswitch. Thiamin and its moieties can undergo oxidations that convert a side-chain hydroxymethyl group to a carboxyl group, or the thiazole ring to a thiazolone, causing a loss of biological activity. To test if OarX participates in salvage of the carboxyl or thiazolone products, we used a genetic approach in Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 14067, which is auxotrophic for thiamin's pyrimidine moiety. This strain could not utilize the pyrimidine carboxyl derivative. This excluded a role in salvaging this product and narrowed the function search to metabolism of the carboxyl or thiazolone derivatives of thiamin or its thiazole moiety. However, a ΔthiG (thiazole auxotroph) strain was not rescued by any of these derivatives. Nor did deleting oarX affect rescue by the physiological pyrimidine and thiazole precursors of thiamin. These findings reinforce the genomic evidence that OarX has a function in thiamin metabolism and rule out five logical possibilities for what this function is.

Ruthenium-Catalyzed Selective Mono N-Ethylation of Arylamines and Tandem Reduction/N-Ethylation of Nitroarenes Using Triethylamine and Formic Acid.

The mono N-alkylation of arylamines using alkylamines as alkyl group donors has been scarcely investigated. In this work, we report the mono N-alkylation of several arylamines (52-95%) catalyzed by the complex ruthenium-triphos in the presence of Al(OTf)3. Moreover, the highly reductant ability of the catalyst system allows the tandem reduction/N-alkylation of nitrobenzenes in good yields (up to 80%). In addition, the catalyst can be recycled after three reaction cycles without loss of catalyst activity.

Tip60-FOXO regulates JNK signaling mediated apoptosis in Drosophila.

The JNK signaling pathway plays crucial roles in various physiological processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, apoptosis, and stress response. Dysregulation of this pathway is closely linked to the onset and progression of numerous major diseases, such as developmental defects and tumors. Identifying and characterizing novel components of the JNK signaling pathway to enhance and refine its network hold significant scientific and clinical importance for the prevention and treatment of associated cancers. This study utilized the model organism Drosophila and employed multidisciplinary approaches encompassing genetics, developmental biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology to investigate the interplay between Tip60 and the JNK signaling pathway, and elucidated its regulatory mechanisms. Our findings suggest that loss of Tip60 acetyltransferase activity results in JNK signaling pathway activation and subsequent induction of JNK-dependent apoptosis. Genetic epistasis analysis reveals that Tip60 acts downstream of JNK, paralleling with the transcription factor FOXO. The biochemical results confirm that Tip60 can bind to FOXO and acetylate it. Introduction of human Tip60 into Drosophila effectively mitigates apoptosis induced by JNK signaling activation, underscoring conserved regulatory role of Tip60 in the JNK signaling pathway from Drosophila to humans. This study further enhances our understanding of the regulatory network of the JNK signaling pathway. By revealing the role and mechanism of Tip60 in JNK-dependent apoptosis, it unveils new insights and potential therapeutic avenues for preventing and treating associated cancers.

Assessment of Additional Active Power Losses in 110 kV Overhead Power Lines in Non-Sinusoidal Operation Modes

Assessment of Additional Active Power Losses in 110 kV Overhead Power Lines in Non-Sinusoidal Operation Modes

A CLINICAL COMPARATIVE STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF 'TRAYODASHANGGUGGULU','RASNADI KWATH' AND 'NIRGUNDIPATRAPINDASWEDA' IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ‘KATIGATAVATA ROGA’ (LUMBER SPONDYLOSIS)."

Now-a-days people are busy in their routine work and unaware to maintain their health. Consequently, they are being susceptible to various kinds of lifestyle disorders. The Disease Katigata vata Roga is one of the known crippling disorders claiming loss of daily activities of the affected person. To arrest the vatajvyadhi as like Asthigatavata Ayurveda has taken the fore most place in the management of like ‘Katigatavata Roga’. which can be correlated with Lumber spondylosis due to its clinical appearance. Due to wide spectrum of disease, much prevalence in the society and lack of effective medicament, the disease is being chosen for the study. The study was conducted in 20 clinically diagnosed patients of ‘Katigatavata Roga’.These patients are divided into two groups of 10 patients each . In this study10 Patients were treated by Trayodashangguggulu2 tab.(each tab. Of 500mg) three times in a day with lukewarm water and Rasnadi Kwath 50 ml two times in a day for 30 days and other 10 patients were treated with Nirgundipatra-Pindasweda with Rasna Dashamoola Taila for 40 minutes daily once a day for 15 days. From the observations and results it can be concluded that better results were obtained in all clinical manifestation of Katigata vataroga beside symptom of weakness on muscle on the basis of percentage relief.