Complete Utilization Research Articles

Алгоритм извлечения металлов из растворов природного выщелачивания потерянных руд

The article discusses a solution to the problem of extracting metals from natural leaching solutions of the offgrade ores and their mill tailings to obtain ecological and economic efficiency, the relevance of which is steadily increasing. The methodology of studying the samples includes the methods of polarographic analysis, spectrometry, chromatography, titration and complexometry, etc. Sulfate-chloride waters were studied using industrial electrodialyzers with the solution circulation through brine chambers and without it with metal extraction by sorbents. Details are provided of the scheme of the electromembrane technology of combined metal extraction with the process regulation. The concept of natural leaching of the ores lost in the worked-out space by mine effluents has been clarified. An algorithm is proposed to purify the ore effluents with the production of a group of metals, including the rare earth metals, which combines the functions of metal deposition and purification of the mine effluents. The aggregate model combines the technological, environmental and economic aspects of mining within the framework of the natural and man-made systems. A conclusion is made that it is advisable to implement the recommendations of the study to solve the environmental problem and strengthen the raw material base by reducing the loss of valuable components. Implementation of the recommendations provided in the article contributes to the solution of the main tasks of mining, i.e. increasing a complete utilization of the subsoil resources and reducing the burden on the environment while ensuring the safety of operations.

A chromosome-scale reference genome of the Banna miniature inbred pig

The Banna miniature inbred pig (BN) is an intensively inbred line for biomedical research and xenotransplantation due to its low individual variation and stable genetic background. Although it is originated from the Diannan miniature pig (DN), substantial genetic changes have actually occurred. However, the lack of a BN reference genome has limited studies on the complete genomic architecture and utilization as a biomedical model. Here, we present a high-quality genome for BN using PacBio HiFi and Hi-C sequencing technologies, with a total length of 2.66 Gb, a scaffold N50 of 143.60 Mb, and 97.59% of the sequences anchored to chromosomes. Its BUSCO score is 96.30%, higher than porcine reference assembly and DN. The genome contains 48.49% of repeats, 19,756 protein-coding genes, and 7,207 non-coding RNAs according to our annotation. The OMArk score shows a proteome completeness and consistency of 99.58% and 93.62%, respectively. These findings indicate that the chromosome-scale genome of BN provides a valuable resource for studying the genetic basis of inbreeding, facilitating further research and clinical applications.

Transforming waste wood into pure L-(+)-lactic acid: Efficient use of mixed sugar media through cell-recycled continuous fermentation.

Lignocellulosic media, containing diverse sugars and growth inhibitor compounds, pose great challenges to fermentation processes. This study tested thermophile Heyndrickxia coagulans strains for the production of L-(+)-lactic acid from waste wood hydrolysate. H. coagulans A166 reached high titers of up to 94.6 g·L-1 lactic acid in batch studies, tolerating furfuralic compounds, however, productivity was affected by carbon catabolite repression. Within cell-recycled continuous fermentation studies, this limitation was overcome by determining optimal initial dilution rates: complete and concurrent utilization of mixed sugars was realized at 7.6 g·L-1·h-1 productivity - an increase by factor 4.5-5.8 compared to batch studies. Work on synthetic media enabled process durations of up to 188 h, providing further insights into the process behavior and offering cues for further optimization. Employing inhibitor compound tolerant H. coagulans A166 at optimal initial dilution rate, cell-recycled continuous fermentation is a promising approach to enhance lactic acid production from lignocellulose media.

Integrated approach for cellulosic ethanol and succinic acid production: Gamma valerolactone-based pretreatment and co-fermentation of peanut shells.

The inability to utilize pentose poses as a significant limitation to the production of cellulosic ethanol. To attain efficient raw material conversion and mitigate carbon dioxide emissions during cellulosic ethanol synthesis, a integrated approach focused on the co-processing of ethanol and succinic acid (SA) from peanut shells was proposed. The results demonstrated that the GVL system, containing 30 % water and catalyzed by dilute sulfuric acid, exhibited remarkable efficiency in pretreatment, boosting glucose yield sixfold relative to the untreated raw material. Under optimal conditions of 82 mM sulfuric acid, 141 °C, 56 min, and a solid-to-liquid ratio of 0.07, the glucose yield of the pretreated peanut shell reached 79.0 ± 0.22 %. Through recycling the pretreatment solvent, Tween 80-assisted enzymatic catalysis, and coupling of saccharification and co-fermentation processes, the complete utilization of lignocellulosic feedstocks and sustainable production of high titers of SA (86.1 g/kg) and ethanol (66.4 g/kg) were achieved. This study developed a novel integrated procedure for the efficient co-production of SA and ethanol from peanut shells, offering a new perspective for the efficient biorefinery of lignocellulosic biomass.

Bioavailability of encapsulated rosmarinic acid and β-Carotene in beef Sausages: A Caco-2 cell study

In this study, we examined the bioavailability and functionality of rosmarinic acid and β-carotene in beef sausages using Caco-2 cell models. Digesta from enriched sausages showed high antioxidant activity, with 89.2% DPPH and 87.65% ABTS inhibition. Micrographs revealed the impact of co-delivery during digestion, with significantly higher levels of rosmarinic acid in sample B (80% rice starch & 20% rice protein) and β-carotene in sample C (60% rice starch & 40% rice protein) compared to the control digesta, attributed to the rice-starch network ensuring targeted release. During the total absorption of sample C, rosmarinic acid was more bioavailable than β-carotene. The carrier material structure plays a crucial role in the release of bioactive compounds into the mixed micellar phase. Encapsulation and incorporation into suitable food matrices such as meat can enhance the bioavailability of rosmarinic acid and β-carotene, potentially leading to the production of healthier meat products. Caco-2 cells, which resemble human intestinal cells, were used to study the absorption and transport of bioactive compounds post-gastrointestinal digestion. In-depth knowledge of the digestibility of specific dietary matrices is required to understand the metabolic dynamics of these substrates, which ultimately affect their bioavailability. The creation of functional meat products using rosmarinic acid and β-carotene ensures their complete utilisation.

A Novel Medical Cyber-Physical Systems Based on Digital Twin-Driven Platform

A Medical Cyber-Physical System (MCPS) represents a sophisticated healthcare framework seamlessly integrating cyber and physical elements to enhance medical processes, diagnostics, and patients. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the healthcare system has been pivotal in advancing intelligent MCPS and ushering in an era of advanced healthcare solutions. The paradigm of smart hospitals aspires to implement intelligent solutions seamlessly integrating hardware and software to control, supervise, and monitor patients while assisting healthcare professionals. Such solution is essential for smart decision-making and enhancing healthcare services. However, complete utilization of this intelligent MCPS relies on an effective framework that should facilitate the interaction among patients, medical devices, AI services and hospital staff. This paper introduces a Digital Twin (DT)-based Smart Medical Cyber-Physical System (DT-MCPS) designed to enhance smart hospitals. Leveraging DT technology, DT-MCPS constructs a virtual replica of the hospital, facilitating precise control and supervision of patient care, coupled with service optimization through comprehensive data integration. DT-MCPS promotes personalized decision-making by seamlessly integrating medical records and real-time monitoring of physiological data, enabling predictive insights into disease progression. Moreover, DT-MCPS employs a model-based platform founded on web services to monitor the patient’s state in real-time while accurately simulating the hospital medical systems workflows and contributing to long-term health management. Experimental results showcase the efficacy of DT-MCPS in enhancing hospitalization services, streamlining real-time control, and achieving highly precise personalized patient diagnostics.

Research on performance and potential of distributed heating system for peak shaving with multi-energy resource

Climate change and its negative effects are driving the global shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. To tackle the dependency on traditional energy sources in harsh winter regions and improve heating quality during periods of thermal demand fluctuations, this paper proposes a new distributed heating peak shaving system (DHPS). The system combines municipal heat and clean energy within the secondary network while reducing the return water temperature in the primary network. It comprises solar collectors, electric thermal storage tanks (ETST), and absorption heat pump (AHP) units, integrated into conventional heat exchange stations. The system operates in two modes to manage peak and off-peak loads respectively, with TRNSYS simulation used to evaluate performance across a range of peak-shaving gradients. A multidimensional comprehensive assessment is conducted between the DHPS under optimal peak shaving coefficient (θ) conditions and conventional peak clipping boiler (PCB). Results indicate that DHPS achieves a high primary energy ratio (PER) of 1.251 at θ = 0.5, reducing combustion emissions by nearly 40%. The static payback period (PBP) of the system is 3.5 years. When the electricity price drops to 0.275 CNY, its operational costs are comparable to PCB. DHPS caters to the energy characteristics of cold regions where electricity supply exceeds demand. It enables flexible peak shaving while ensuring the complete utilization of clean energy and effectively utilizing waste heat from power plants.

Dual-active-group co-modification of BiOBr for boosting photocatalytic CO2 reduction coupled with ciprofloxacin oxidation

Coupling CO2 photoreduction with ciprofloxacin (CIP) oxidation presents a promising strategy for achieving not only the complete utilization of photoexcited carriers but also the win–win goals of energy conversion and environmental remediation. In this study, we utilized an aminated BiOBr catalyst with surface hydroxyl groups (NH2/BOB–OH) for efficient photocatalytic CO2 reduction coupled with CIP oxidation. In this process, hydroxyl (OH) and amino groups (NH2) adsorbed and activated CIP (an organic pollutant) and CO2 molecules, respectively, promoting the overall photocatalytic redox activity. Remarkably, 0.5NH2/BOB–OH exhibited excellent photocatalytic redox performance for CO2 reduction coupled with CIP oxidation, with the CO yield and CIP degradation efficiency being 6.85 and 1.08 times higher, respectively, than those achieved using BiOBr without any active groups. Moreover, a series of in situ experimental characterizations and theoretical simulations revealed that these two opposing active groups not only accelerated carrier separation but also boosted the surface reactivity of the catalyst. These findings provide helpful insights into the dual-active-group functionalization of semiconductors, leading to their high photoredox activity for energy conversion along with environmental remediation.

Green strategies for the valorization of industrial medicinal residues of Serenoa repens small (saw palmetto) as source of bioactive compounds

Serenoa repens is a medicinal plant well-known for its therapeutic potential in treating various urological disorders and prevention of prostatic cancer. However, the extraction process in the pharmaceutical industry leads to the generation of plant residues, typically discarded, wasting valuable resources. In this study, we aimed to explore a series of green extraction strategies to effectively valorize the residues of Serenoa repens fruits. Initially, we employed supercritical CO2 (1.2% yield on dry biomass) on the discarded biomass to identify and quantify residual fatty acids and polyprenols (1.6% of the extract dry weight), a class of unsaturated isoprenoid alcohols with promising biomedical applications. Subsequently, subcritical water extraction was utilized on the exhausted biomass to extract polar compounds. An increase in the extraction yield was observed with the rise in processing temperature up to 180 °C (yields were found higher than 26%). Phenolic compounds and carbohydrate macromolecules profiles were affected by the increased hydrolytic conditions. Polar extracts exhibited robust bioactivities, demonstrating significant antioxidant activity and antimicrobial efficacy against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria strains. Extracts obtained at 180 °C demonstrated the highest efficacy. Furthermore, in vitro assessment of mannans-rich fraction provided a new perspective of potential applications in the cosmeceuticals field. Results underscore the potential of the sustainable extraction biorefinery for the residue of this medicinal plant and demonstrate that, harnessing these bioactive compounds, new sustainable and eco-friendly approaches for its complete utilization can be offered, thereby promoting near-zero waste practices and contributing to a more sustainable future.

Use of mobile applications and mental health services among veterans who received internet-connected tablets.

Among Veterans Health Administration (VHA) patients receiving internet-connected tablets, we examined (1) app usage, (2) clusters of commonly used apps and patient characteristics across clusters, and (3) the relationship between app clusters and mental health services. A survey was distributed to a national sample of VHA patients (n = 5449) within 6 months of tablet receipt. Self-reported app use was clustered with agglomerative hierarchical clustering. Survey data were combined with electronic health record data that included sociodemographics and mental health care utilization during the 6 months following survey completion. Differences in patient characteristics by cluster were examined using chi-square tests. A multivariable model assessed prediction of mental health services across app clusters. Among 1664 patients with complete survey and health care utilization data, the majority (74%) reported using at least 1 app. The most used apps were for video visits (60%) and VA's patient portal (53%). Cluster analysis revealed 5 distinct groups reflecting app usage: Patient Portal (n = 685, 41%), Video Connection (n = 319, 19%), Treatment Companion (n = 166, 10%), Self-Management (n = 85, 5%), and Non-App Group (n = 409, 25%). Cluster characteristics varied, and those in the Patient Portal Group (adjusted odds ratio = 1.64; 95% CI = 1.15-2.32) and Video Connection Group (adjusted odds ratio = 1.52; 95% CI = 1.02-2.26) were more likely to have a mental health visit in the 6 months after survey completion when compared to the Non-App Group (P < .05). Tablet provision supports opportunities to use apps for multiple health management tasks, and app use clusters vary across patient characteristics and health care utilization. Patients most commonly used apps to connect with their care team, and use of some apps and app combinations may improve engagement with mental health services.

Life cycle assessment integrating the effects of recycling and reuse for battery circulation

The increasing electrification of automobiles and introduction of renewable energy facilities have resulted in a high demand for lithium-ion batteries. Recycling and reuse processes could significantly reduce CO2 emissions and resource consumption during the battery life cycle. This paper introduces a method of evaluating CO2 emissions over the life cycle of a one-generation battery without double counting the effects of recycling and reuse. The scope of the calculation includes manufacturing, collection/transportation, storage/diagnosis, reuse, recycling, and material synthesis. Horizontal battery-to-battery recycling was assumed to evaluate the effect of recycling, and the performance and lifespan of reused batteries were considered to be inferior to those of new batteries to evaluate the effects of reuse. Parameter studies using the proposed method quantitatively estimated the effectiveness of an efficient recycling process and the effect of reducing CO2 emissions by facilitating the complete utilization of long-life batteries through reuse. The proposed method is expected to guide the development of technologies for manufacturing, recycling, and reusing batteries to create a society with battery circularity.

FLUE GAS RECIRCULATION AS A WAY TO IMPROVE THERMAL EFFICIENCY AND REDUCE EMISSIONS IN POWER BOILERS

This study investigates the impact of flue gas recirculation on key parameters of the fuel combustion process, such as heat release and adiabatic combustion temperature. Based on the mathematical processing of experimental data, equations were obtained that reflect the dependence of useful heat release and adiabatic combustion temperature on the gas recirculation coefficient. According to the results of the study, the useful heat release in the furnace increases proportionally with the growth of the recirculation coefficient. This indicates that an increase in the level of recirculation contributes to an increase in combustion thermal efficiency, improving heat exchange processes within the furnace. A similar trend is observed for the adiabatic combustion temperature. It was found that the adiabatic combustion temperature also increases with an increase in the recirculation coefficient, which indicates the significant influence of recirculation on raising the temperature parameters of the combustion process. The rise in combustion temperature is associated with improved fuel combustion and more complete utilization of its energy potential. This, in turn, can contribute to a reduction in emissions of harmful substances such as nitrogen oxides and carbon, which is an important factor for environmental safety.Thus, the results of the study demonstrate that flue gas recirculation has a significant impact on heat exchange processes and combustion temperature. This makes recirculation an effective tool for increasing thermal efficiency and reducing the environmental impact. The application of this method in modern energy systems not only improves production performance but also ensures compliance with environmental requirements. The study results confirm the feasibility of implementing flue gas recirculation to enhance overall efficiency and environmental safety in energy installations.

Adjacent Fe-Pt atomic site synergistically boosting wearable biosensor performance in sweat analysis

Wearable electrochemical sensors have enormous potential in real-time and continuous monitoring of an individual’s physiological and biological state. In electrocatalysis, single-atom catalysts (SACs) with Fe-N4 active centers are attracting interest for their nearly complete metal utilization rate and unique unsaturated coordination configuration. Yet, their reliance on a single active site leads to a fixed adsorption mode for oxygen intermediates such as OH, greatly constraining design flexibility and catalytic performance. This study explores the synergistic effects between Fe-N4 and Pt-N4 active sites and their impact on the electrocatalytic activity towards uric acid (UA) and dopamine (DA). Proximal Pt-N4 atoms facilitate the activation of OH species on the Fe-N4 site and modulate the rehybridization of Fe d orbitals, thereby enhancing the adsorption of oxygen intermediates. This mechanism accelerates the overall electrocatalytic process for both UA and DA. Moreover, a non-swelling double network hydrogel is designed by combining chitosan with the P(AA-MEA)-Fe network. As a practical application, the non-swelling hydrogel channel, when combined with FeN4/PtN4 catalyst, successfully achieves real-time on-site detection of skin sweat biomarkers.

Optimal balance of organic detritus and feed for fish growth and water quality improvement through regulating nutrients cycling

In order to explore the effects of different feed composition on the nutrient level and microbial loop structure in aquaculture ponds, a field simulation experiment in aquaculture ponds was conducted by adding different proportions (0%, 20%, 40% and 60%) of bagasse to fish feed for combined feeding. The addition of bagasse significantly reduced the levels of various forms of nitrogen and phosphorus in the water, especially with the addition of 60% bagasse. In the treatments without addition and with 20% bagasse added, nitrogen and phosphorus levels remained relatively high, which should be attributed to the decomposition of feed and the release of sediment, ultimately stimulating the abundant reproduction of algae. Bacterial growth was limited due to insufficient supply of organic carbon, and the growth of fish relied more on the components of the feed. With the addition of 60% bagasse, the high organic carbon and low nitrogen and phosphorus levels could not support the growth of phytoplankton, bacteria, and zooplankton. It is inferred that organic carbon may be more degraded into carbon dioxide, ultimately limiting the growth of fish. Adding 40% bagasse achieved a balanced level of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, establishing a healthy and stable microbial loop structure (including phytoplankton, bacteria, and zooplankton). Most nutrients were converted into plankton, which then became natural food for fish, ensuring complete nutrient utilization. This is beneficial for both water quality improvement and fish reproduction. Therefore, adding a moderate proportion of bagasse to the feed can maximize the effects of water quality improvement, fish reproduction, and even the quality of fish meat.

High Capacitive Performance of N,O-Codoped Carbon Aerogels Synthesized via a One-Step Chemical Blowing and In Situ Activation Process.

Biomass and its derivatives, with their renewable characteristics, cost-effectiveness, and controllable structural and compositional properties, are promising precursors for carbon materials. Herein, N,O-codoped carbon aerogels were synthesized by carbonization and zinc nitrate activation of histidine. The specific surface area (SSA) was markedly increased with the addition of zinc nitrate, and the maximum value achieved 853 m2 g-1 for ZHC-11 obtained with the molar ratio of 1:1 between histidine and zinc nitrate. The D/G-band intensity ratio increased from 1.55 for the histidine-derived control sample HC to 1.65 for ZHC-11, indicating the enhancement of amorphous feature. The nitrogen content increased from 6.5% for HC to 1.60 for ZHC-11. The optimized microstructure and enriched heteroatom doping are beneficial to the capacitance performance. The optimum electrode exhibited 234.1 F g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 and maintained 116.5 F g-1 at 60 A g-1 in a three-electrode system. In particular, the symmetric supercapacitor showed 121.9 F g-1 and 19.5 Wh kg-1 at 0.2 A g-1. This research offers guidance on the cost-effective synthesis of carbon materials for supercapacitors, while also providing novel insights to realize the complete utilization of biomass derivatives.

Holistic approach for sequential transesterification and pyrolysis of microalgal biomass: Kinetic and thermodynamic analysis of pyrolysis using model-free and model-based approaches

Due to the renewability and sustainability, biofuels derived from algae are considered as competitive substitutes for fossil fuels. Present study investigated a holistic approach for sequential transesterification and pyrolysis of microalgal biomass, i.e. Chlorella minutissima. This study explores the complete utilization of algal biomass through sequential chemical (transesterification) and thermochemical (pyrolysis) processes. First, the lipids were extracted and converted to eco-friendly biodiesel using catalytic route. Then lipid-extracted microalgae were pyrolyzed via thermogravimetric analyzer at four heating rates, namely 5, 10, 20 and 30 °C/min. The model-free isoconversional Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS), Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO), and Vyazovkin models were used to analyze the kinetics and thermodynamics of algal pyrolysis. The activation energy obtained for the pyrolysis of Chlorella minutissima utilizing KAS, FWO and Vyazovkin were 146.78, 148.86, 147.11 kJ/mol, respectively. Positive ΔH values from KAS, FWO, and Vyazovkin show an endothermic nature of the process. The mean ΔH was found to be 142.81, 143.97, and 142.82 kJ/mol, while the ΔG was 151.9, 152.20, and 161.40 kJ/mol, respectively for KAS, FWO, and Vyazovkin approaches, at 10 °C/min heating rate. Importantly, this study also revealed that the phase interfacial model was the most appropriate model to represent the degradation process using Coats-Redfern method at 5 oC

Prevalence, spatial distribution and determinants of complete childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccination in Ethiopia: spatial and multilevel analyses

IntroductionPneumococcal disease is a serious global public health concern. The primary causative agent of severe illnesses such as pneumonia, meningitis, acute otitis media, and bacteremia is the pneumococcus bacterium. The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is a key strategy to reduce the burden of pneumococcal disease. Understanding the spatial distribution of complete childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccine utilization and its associated factors is crucial for designing strategies to improve vaccination implementation. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the spatial distribution of complete childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccination coverage and identify its determinants in Ethiopia.MethodA spatial and multilevel analysis was conducted using data from the 2019 Ethiopian Mini Demographic and Health Survey. The analysis included a total of 2,055 weighted children. The association between the outcome variable and the explanatory variables was determined by calculating adjusted odds ratios at a 95% confidence interval. Explanatory variables were considered significantly associated with the outcome if the p-value was less than 0.05.ResultThe prevalence of complete childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccination in Ethiopia was 53.94% (95% CI: 51.77, 56.08). Higher complete childhood pneumococcal vaccination coverage was observed in the Addis Ababa, Tigray, Amhara, Benishangul-Gumuz, and Oromia regions, while lower coverage was seen in the Afar, Somali, and SNNPR regions of Ethiopia. Factors significantly associated with complete childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccination included maternal age, antenatal care visits, place of delivery, region, community women’s literacy level, community poverty level, and community antenatal care utilization.ConclusionThe distribution of complete childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccination exhibited spatial variability across Ethiopia. Approximately half of children aged twelve to thirty-five months received the full dose of the childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in the country. Several factors were identified as statistically significant determinants of complete childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccination, including maternal age, antenatal care visits, place of delivery, region, community women’s literacy level, community poverty level, and community ANC utilization. Therefore, policies and strategies aimed at combating pneumococcal disease should consider these determinants and address areas with low vaccination coverage.

Multi-objective optimization of a non-uniform sinusoidal mini-channel heat sink by coupling genetic algorithm and CFD model

Wavy mini-channel heat sinks (MCHS) can disrupt the development of the thermal boundary layer, resulting in superior performance compared to straight MCHS. For complete utilization of the coolant, this study proposed and optimized a non-uniform sinusoidal MCHS with varying wavelength or varying amplitude along the flow direction. The optimization for five design variables was accomplished through a multi-objective genetic algorithm, where the thermal resistance θ or the pressure drop Δp were defined as two objectives. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software was employed to solve all direct problems encountered during the evolutionary process. Compared to the straight MCHS with different channel widths, the optimal designs achieved reductions of 27.74 % in θ or 59.51 % in Δp. Simultaneously, all the optimal values of the wavelength ratio and amplitude ratio indicate that enhancing the heat transfer performance downstream is more efficient. It was observed that among the five design variables, the number of wave cycles is the most relevant parameter with a Spearman’s correlation up to 0.983. Subsequently, a multiple-criteria decision-making approach was employed to ascertain the best compromise solution to balance the two objectives. Although the θ of the best compromise solution could be higher by 38.57 % than that of the lowest θ solution, the Δp presents a more substantial reduction of 92.45 % after the trade-off. Compared to the straight MCHS with the same Δp, the best compromise solution with varying wavelength reduces the θ and the standard temperature deviation by 26.20 % and 76.98 % respectively, while lowering the average base temperature by 3.07 K. Therefore, the optimal non-uniform wavy MCHS, along with the optimization approach presented, is meaningful for practical applications.

CO2 Reduction in a Bio Mass-Paired Systems for the Production of e-Chemicals

The electrification of chemical manufacturing is an important pathway toward reduced CO2 emissions. Direct electrochemical CO2 reduction can thereby become a key technology. CO2 electrolyzers produce cathodically platform chemicals as CO, format, ethanol or ethylene. The state-of-the-art anode process is the oxygen electro evolution which suffers from high over potentials and moderate valorization. An alternative is the anodic oxidation of biomass to valorized carbonaceous products, such as the oxidation of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to the biopolymer precursor 2.5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA).In this work we report the design of electrolyzers flow cells with paired valorization of biomass and CO2. NiNC cathode GDEs are used for CO2 reduction to CO and NiFe-LDH anodes for the HMF oxidation in a zero-gap membrane electrolyzer flow cells. We used a bipolar membrane to separate and optimize either half-cell reactions. Inside the membrane, water is dissociated and the protons will neutralize carbonates on the cathode which is beneficial for a higher CO2 utilization and single pass. So, we can report close to 95% FE and 100% utilization efficiency towards CO.On the other hand, the hydroxide will stabilize the anode pH and enable PGM-free anodes compared to AEM CO2 electrolyzer. State-of-the-art HMF oxidation is a semi-batch setup, in which the HMF containing anolyte is recycled to complete HMF depletion and utilization. This design suffered from severe mass limitations. Therefore, we modified the semi-batch process into a continuous process and made tradeoffs between faradaic efficiency and utilization. As HMF is not stable in alkaline solutions we decided that a high utilization is beneficial because the intermediates are stable and could be recycled. We can report a single pass conversion of around 70 % towards FDCA at 200 mA cm-2 at a total utilization of 90%.Figure caption: Paired continuous HMF/CO2 electrolyzer with performance parameter. Figure 1

Factors Affecting the Utilization of Postnatal Care Services in Eastern Nepal

Background: The importance of providing care to mothers after childbirth is critical for lowering maternal illness and death rates. This research aimed to analyze the factors influencing the use of postnatal services among mothers with having at least one living child three years preceding the survey in the Sunsari district of Eastern Nepal. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted within a community setting, involving 401 ever-married women of reproductive age group. The studyperformed bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to identify factors associated with the utilization of postnatal care services. Results: Among 401 women studied, 52% had Postnatal Care (PNC) visits. Among those who utilized PNC services, the majority (96%) had partial utilization, while only 4.3% had complete PNC.PNC visits are more frequent among the wealthy, migrants, and upper castes, as well as those exposed to media, aware of health services, and perceiving higher service quality and awareness at health facilities. Conclusion: Both the coverage and complete utilization of PNC attendance were low. Increasing focus on mothers from poorer households, pockets of the native population, individuals needing behavioural modification, and those with poor awareness about available services may enhance the overall usage of complete PNC.