High Surface Research Articles

Effects of Anticholinergics on Death Rattle: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Background: Anticholinergics have been used to treat death rattle (DR) in dying patients with palliative care. However, the effect of anticholinergics is still controversial. No quantitative summary of their effects is reported. Objective: This study aimed to systematically review and quantitatively synthesize the effect of anticholinergics on DR treatment and prophylaxis. Design: A systematic search was performed in the electronic databases (PubMed, Embase®, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature [CINAHL]) from inception to October 2021. Studies conducted to determine the effect of anticholinergics compared with other anticholinergics or placebo on noise reduction score in dying patients were included. A network meta-analysis was performed for DR treatment. The effect of anticholinergics at four hours was assessed. A pairwise meta-analysis was performed for DR prophylaxis. Results: A total of nine studies were included with 1103 patients. Six studies were randomized controlled trials, and three studies were cohort studies. Seven studies were conducted for DR treatment, while two studies were conducted for DR prophylaxis. For DR treatment, no statistically significant difference was observed between each anticholinergic (hyoscine hydrobromide, hyoscine butyl bromide, atropine, and glycopyrrolate) and placebo and among any anticholinergics. However, the surface under cumulative ranking curve indicated that hyoscine butyl bromide had the highest surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) with 71.3%. For DR prophylaxis, the relative risk of DR occurrence for hyoscine butyl bromide was 0.23 (0.04, 1.18; I2 = 84.5%) compared with no treatment. Conclusion: This study showed no strong evidence of the regular use of anticholinergics for DR treatment. In addition, hyoscine butyl bromide appears to have a high potential for DR prophylaxis.

Superhydrophobic surface immobilisation by insoluble surfactant

The effects of insoluble surfactants, satisfying a Langmuir equation of state, on transverse Stokes flow over a superhydrophobic surface of unidirectional grooves with flat menisci are examined. The phenomenon of surface immobilisation, whereby surfactants cause part or all of the Cassie-state menisci to become effectively no-slip zones thereby degrading the slip properties of the surface, is of primary interest. The study employs a combined analytical and numerical approach allowing an exploration of surfactant effects over the full range of surface Péclet numbers, Marangoni numbers and surfactant loads. For small surface Péclet and Marangoni numbers, perturbation theory is used to gain basic insights into the physical mechanisms at work. That analysis also provides checks on a robust numerical scheme, built around a complex variable formulation of the problem, used to compute solutions across a wide range of non-dimensional parameter values. Two distinct mechanisms are found to be responsible for surface immobilisation. In the first, most commonly seen at higher surface Péclet numbers, a stagnant cap forms because swept surfactant immobilises a section of the meniscus before any portion of the meniscus reaches maximum packing. Such a cap exists even for a linear equation of state and grows in length with increasing Marangoni number. A second immobilisation mechanism is associated with the nonlinear equation of state: an immobilised region forms because the surfactant concentration reaches its maximum value near the downstream edge of the meniscus. Immobilisation of the latter form can occur at much lower surface Péclet numbers, even if the Marangoni number is small, as long as there is sufficient surfactant in the system. The study enhances understanding of how insoluble surfactants can degrade slip over superhydrophobic surfaces.

Design and Investigation of a Photocatalytic Setup for Efficient Biotransformations Within Recombinant Cyanobacteria in Continuous Flow.

Photo- and biocatalysis show many advantages as more sustainable solutions for the production of fine chemicals. In an effort to combine the benefits and the knowledge of both these areas, a continuous photobiocatalytic setup was designed and optimized to carry out whole-cell biotransformations within cells of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 expressing the gene of the ene-reductase YqjM from B. subtilis. The effect of the light intensity and flow rate on the specific activity in the stereoselective reduction of 2-methyl maleimide was investigated via a design-of-experiments approach. The cell density in the setup was further increased at the optimal operating conditions without loss in specific activity, demonstrating that the higher surface area/volume ratio in the coil reactor improved the illumination efficiency of the process. Furthermore, different reactor designs were compared, proving that the presented approach was the most cost- and time-effective solution for intensifying photobiotransformations within cyanobacterial cells.

Dye‐Sensitization‐Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of BiOCl/Sulfur Quantum Dot Heterojunction under Visible‐Light Irradiation

AbstractHerein, we report a novel narrow band gap sulfur quantum dots (SQDs)‐modified BiOCl heterojunction (BOC/SQDs) for the photo‐degradation of hazardous organic pollutants via rhodamine B (RhB)‐sensitization. Such a high photocatalytic activity of RhB‐sensitized BOC/SQDs heterojunction derives not only from the improved visible‐light response capacity, high surface area/pore volume, suitable band structure for efficient electron transfer, but also from the surge of the number of electrons via RhB‐sensitization for reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Superoxide radicals (⋅O2−), holes (h+), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) play the important roles in the photo‐degradation. A possible mechanism for RhB‐sensitization enhanced degradation performance for treating organic pollutants by BOC/SQDs is proposed. The combination of dye‐sensitization with BOC/SQDs heterojunction can explore a greener, energy saving, and efficient photo‐induced nanoplatform for treating organic pollutants in aqueous media.

Electrochemical sensor design based on CuO nanosheets/ Cellulose derivative nanocomposite for hydrazine monitoring in environmental samples

Synthesis of electrode materials with stable and advanced functionality is highly required to design susceptible and selective electrochemical sensors to fast screen various targets such as hazardous environmental analytes. A nanocomposite-based electrode material was synthesized for hydrazine (HZ) detection in environmental samples. The CuO nanosheets (CuO NSs) decorated the surface of Cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) were synthesized by a simple and one-step approach. The materials of CuO NSs/CAB and CAB were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and ultraviolet (UV). The designed material of CuO shows a nanosheet structure with irregular sheet size and distribution and a sheet size of ∼17 nm. The CAB rough surface, high surface, and functionalization (i.e., OH, acetate and butyrate) increase the loading of CuO nanosheet that enhance the catalytic active sites. Moreover, the structural morphology and composition of CuO NSs/CAB play a key role in the design of a highly active surface for electrocatalytic oxidation of HZ molecules. The CAB was decorated by CuO NSs and acted as the mediated surface for catalytic oxidation and signalling transduction of HZ molecules. The CuO acted as the active electrocatalyst, and the CAB acted as a hydrophilic surface to induce the binding and loading of HZ molecules. The CuO NSs/CAB shows a highly sensitive sensor with a low limit of detection (0.15 µM) and a wide linear range of 0.5–100 mM. The designed electrode of CuO NSs/CAB provides a selective sensor assay for the detection of HZ in environmental samples with a high recovery range of 96.34–99.64 %, high stability, and good reproducibility.

Selective Hydrogenation of 5-Acetoxymethylfurfural over Cu-Based Catalysts in a Flow Reactor: Effect of Cu-Al Layered Double Hydroxides Synthesis Conditions on Catalytic Properties

Cu-containing layered double hydroxides (LDHs) were synthesized by a co-precipitation method at different reaction conditions, such as aging time, pH, precipitation rate and synthesis temperature. The effect of these parameters on the structure and chemical composition of the catalysts were investigated using a set of physical methods, including thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), H2-TPR and in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It allowed for checking of the reducibility of the samples. 5-Acetoxymethylfurfural was catalytically hydrogenated to 5-(acetoxymethyl)-2-furanmethanol (AMFM) over Cu-containing catalysts synthesized from layered double hydroxides so as to investigate its catalytic properties in flow reaction. It was shown that synthesis pH decreasing from 10 to 8 resulted in rise of AMF conversion that coincided with the higher surface Cu/Al ratio obtained by XPS. Preferable aging time of LDH materials for obtaining the most active catalyst was 2 h, an amount of time that favored the production of the catalyst with high surface Cu/Al ratio up to 0.38. Under optimized reaction conditions, the AMFM yield was 98%. Finally, a synthesis strategy for the preparation of highly efficient Cu-based hydrogenation catalyst with optimized characteristics is suggested.

Rectal nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glyceryl trinitrate, or combinations for prophylaxis of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis: A network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUNDAcute pancreatitis is the most common and severe complication of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Recent evidence suggests that combinations based on rectal nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are more beneficial in preventing post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have also demonstrated the efficacy of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN). We conducted a network meta-analysis to compare NSAIDs and GTN for prevention of PEP and to determine whether they are better in combination.AIMTo compare NSAIDs and GTN for prevention of PEP and to determine whether they are better in combination.METHODSA systematic search was done for full-text RCTs of PEP in PubMed, Embase, Science Citation Index, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials database. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to screen for eligible RCTs. The major data were extracted by two independent reviewers. The frequentist model was used to conduct this network meta-analysis and obtain the pairwise OR and 95%CI. The data were then extracted and assessed on the basis of the Reference Citation Analysis (https://www.referencecitationanalysis.com/).RESULTSTwenty-four eligible RCTs were selected, evaluating seven preventive strategies in 9416 patients. Rectal indomethacin 100 mg plus sublingual GTN (OR: 0.21, 95%CI: 0.09–0.50), rectal diclofenac 100 mg (0.34, 0.18–0.65), sublingual GTN (0.34, 0.12–0.97), and rectal indomethacin 100 mg (0.49, 0.33–0.73) were all more efficacious than placebo in preventing PEP. The combination of rectal indomethacin and sublingual GTN had the highest surface under the cumulative ranking curves (SUCRA) probability of (92.2%) and was the best preventive strategy for moderate-to-severe PEP with a SUCRA probability of (89.2%). CONCLUSIONCombination of rectal indomethacin 100 mg with sublingual GTN offered better prevention of PEP than when used alone and could alleviate the severity of PEP.

Preparation and characterization of electrospun magnetic poly(ether urethane) nanocomposite mats: Relationships between the viscosity of the polymer solutions and the electrospinning ability

The aim of this research was to obtain electrospun fibers from poly(ether urethane) (PEU) and poly(ether urethane)-iron oxide nanoparticles (PUC) based on the correlation between the rheological characteristics and the electrospinnability of the polymer suspensions. Firstly, our goal was to explore the domain of polymer concentration suitable for electrospinning using the rheological data, in order to control the formation of electrospun fibers and to avoid the defects such as beaded fibers or sprayed droplets. By increasing the polymer concentration in the system, the morphology was changed from droplets to a mixture of droplets and nanofibers, to uniform, defect free fibers, showing a randomly ordered orientation of the fibers. Then, the influence of the amount of iron oxide nanoparticles on the rheological behaviour of nanocomposites was also envisaged. The diameter of the electrospun PUC fibers decreased with the increase of the iron oxide nanoparticles content as it was revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal Raman microscopy investigations. Moreover, the magnetic properties were also envisaged and it was evidenced that the electrospun nanocomposite mats displayed superparamagnetic properties with low coercivity and remanence and reversible hysteresis behaviour. These results will allow further to choose the electrospinning parameters for an optimal design of future polyurethane nanocomposite mats for targeted applications, especially those where high surface area-to-volume or length-to-diameter ratios are required.

Hydrophilic Nonwoven Nanofiber Membranes as Nanostructured Supports for Enzyme Immobilization.

The high porosity, interconnected pore structure, and high surface area-to-volume ratio make the hydrophilic nonwoven nanofiber membranes (NV-NF-Ms) promising nanostructured supports for enzyme immobilization in different biotechnological applications. In this work, NV-NF-Ms with excellent mechanical and chemical properties were designed and fabricated by electrospinning in one step without using additives or complicated crosslinking processes after electrospinning. To do so, two types of ultrahigh-molecular-weight linear copolymers with very different mechanical properties were used. Methyl methacrylate-co-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (p(MMA)-co-p(HEMA)) and methyl acrylate-co-hydroxyethyl acrylate (p(MA)-co-p(HEA)) were designed and synthesized by reverse atom transfer radical polymerization (reverse-ATRP) and copper-mediated living radical polymerization (Cu0-MC-LRP), respectively. The copolymers were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy and by triple detection gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The polarity, topology, and molecular weight of the copolymers were perfectly adjusted. The polymeric blend formed by (MMA)1002-co-(HEMA)1002 (Mw = 230,855 ± 7418 Da; Mn = 115,748 ± 35,567 Da; PDI = 2.00) and (MA)11709-co-(HEA)7806 (Mw = 1.972 × 106 ± 33,729 Da; Mn = 1.395 × 106 ± 35,019 Da; PDI = 1.41) was used to manufacture (without additives or chemical crosslinking processes) hydroxylated nonwoven nanofiber membranes (NV-NF-Ms-OH; 300 nm in fiber diameter) with excellent mechanical and chemical properties. The morphology of NV-NF-Ms-OH was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The suitability for enzyme binding was proven by designing a palette of different surface functionalization to enable both reversible and irreversible enzyme immobilization. NV-NF-Ms-OH were successfully functionalized with vinyl sulfone (281 ± 20 μmol/g), carboxyl (560 ± 50 μmol/g), and amine groups (281 ± 20 μmol/g) and applied for the immobilization of two enzymes of biotechnological interest. Galactose oxidase was immobilized on vinyl sulfone-activated materials and carboxyl-activated materials, while laccase was immobilized onto amine-activated materials. These preliminary results are a promising basis for the application of nonwoven membranes in enzyme technology.

Tracking Nanoparticle Degradation across Fuel Cell Electrodes by Automated Analytical Electron Microscopy.

Nanoparticles are an important class of materials that exhibit special properties arising from their high surface area-to-volume ratio. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) has played an important role in nanoparticle characterization, owing to its high spatial resolution, which allows direct visualization of composition and morphology with atomic precision. This typically comes at the cost of sample size, potentially limiting the accuracy and relevance of STEM results, as well as the ability to meaningfully track changes in properties that vary spatially. In this work, automated STEM data acquisition and analysis techniques are employed that enable physical and compositional properties of nanoparticles to be obtained at high resolution over length scales on the order of microns. This is demonstrated by studying the localized effects of potential cycling on electrocatalyst degradation across proton exchange membrane fuel cell cathodes. In contrast to conventional, manual STEM measurements, which produce particle size distributions representing hundreds of particles, these high-throughput automated methods capture tens of thousands of particles and enable nanoparticle size, number density, and composition to be measured as a function of position within the cathode. Comparing the properties of pristine and degraded fuel cells provides statistically robust evidence for the inhomogeneous nature of catalyst degradation across electrodes. These results demonstrate how high-throughput automated STEM techniques can be utilized to investigate local phenomena occurring in nanoparticle systems employed in practical devices.

Enhancing Some Mechanical Properties (Compression, Impact, Hardness, Young modulus) and Thermal Conductivity, Diffusion Coefficient of Micro Epoxy Composites.

In this research, the study effect of additive titanium dioxide powder (TiO2) as a lone composite ( Ep+TiO2) and a mixture of (TiO2) and silicon oxide (SiO2), ( Ep+ TiO2+SiO2)as a hybrid composite on the mechanical and physical properties for epoxy coating. Thescompsiteswere prepared by (Hand Lay- the molding) method. The samples were tested for compressive strength, surface hardness, modulus of elasticity, thermal conductivity and diffusion coefficient, from the results obtained showed improvement in mechanical properties after adding ceramic powders, as the alone composite (EP+ TiO2) had the highest compressive strength ( 53.738 ) ᴍPa, the hybrid composite ( EP+TiO2 +SiO2 ) had the highest surface hardness (79.65), modulus of elasticity (1166.66 ) ᴍPa, impact strength ( 8.48) ᴍPa, thermal conductivity (0.4961 )watt/ m.c◦. As for the diffusion coefficient in the acidic solution ( HCL), the epoxy without adding the highest diffusion coefficient ( 31.3x 10-10) m2/ sec while for immersion in ordinary water, the one composite material (Ep+ TiO2) had the highest value of the diffusion coefficient (7.56x10-10)m2/sec.

Use of Typical Wastes as Biochars in Removing Diethyl Phthalate (Det) from Water

Diethyl phthalate (DEP), one of the six typical PAEs priority pollutants declared by the US EPA, has attracted tremendous attention due to its widespread pollution and was selected as the adsorbate in this study. Properties of biochar samples obtained from three different feedstocks, i.e., sawdust (SDBC), rice straw (RSBC), and giant reed (GRBC), pyrolyzed at 400 °C as well as their ability to adsorb DEP from an aqueous solution were investigated. The results showed that the adsorption kinetics were well fitted with the pseudo-second-order model (R2 > 0.99) and the intraparticle diffusion model (R2 > 0.98). The maximal adsorption capacity of the DEP by the prepared biochar was in an order of GRBC (46.04 mg g−1) > RSBC (31.54 mg g−1) > and SDBC (18.39 mg g−1). The higher adsorption capacity of DEP by GRBC is mainly attributed to the higher surface area. The reduction in adsorption capacity of the biochar against DEP with an increase in the solution pH (from 2.5 to 10.0) was possibly due to promoting the electrostatic repulsion between the DEP and the surface of the biochar. However, the increasing sodium ionic strength promoted the adsorption of the biochar, which could be interpreted by the reduced solubility of the DEP due to enhancing “salting out” effects as increasing sodium concentration. In addition, it was favorable for the adsorption of DEP onto the biochars at a lower temperature (15 °C) and the calculated ∆G0 was less than zero, indicating that the adsorption was a spontaneous and exothermic process. These experiments designate that these derived biochars can be used as an inexpensive adsorbent for the purification of PAEs contaminated water.

Faradaic electrochemical impedimetric analysis on MoS2/Au-NPs decorated surface for C-reactive protein detection

BackgroundA label-free Faradaic electrochemical impedimetric was developed for a highly sensitive detection of C-reactive protein using a gold interdigitated microelectrode bio-sensing platform enhanced by a gold nanoparticle-decorated molybdenum disulfide (Au-NPs/MoS2) nanosheet via selected chemical linking processes. C-reactive protein (C-RP), a crystalline protein, generates by the liver and hikes when there is inflammation throughout the patients’ body. The concentrations of C-RP plasma levels tend to increase rapidly when the patient facing major injury which will lead to cardiovascular disease (CVD). MethodsThe 5 µm microelectrode and gap size g-IDE with the nanostructured materials was demonstrated to increase the impedimetric detection response in Faradaic-mode electrochemical impedance spectroscopy high performance detection environment. The high surface area-to-volume ratio of the modified Au-NPs/MoS2 nanocomposite increased the probes loading onto the transducer and enhanced the impedimetric detection response of the C-RP target post-binding due to an amplified net change in the charge transfer resistance. The developed immunoassay revealed a linear detection of C-RP biomarker in a logarithmic-scale from as low as 1 fg/mL up to 1 µg/mL, and a limit of detection of 0.01 fg/mL. The sensor shows great potential as an early warning risk for cardiovascular disease at a threshold concentration value of C-RP at 1 µg/mL. Significant findingsThe biosensor demonstrates an excellent discrimination against other competing proteins in serum, exhibiting the highest predilection to C-RP spiked human serum target. The sensor's reproducibility is reported within an acceptable range of relative standard deviation of 1–4% for n = 3.

Study on Preparation of Elastic Silica Aerogel Based on SEM Analysis

In order to explore and study the preparation of elastic silica aerogel, it is studied and discussed on the basis of SEM. The overall effect, comprehensive performance, and coupling degree of the preparation of silica gel are compared and analyzed by conventional analysis method and SEM analysis method, and it can be clearly seen that the SEM analysis method is better than the previous conventional analysis method. The scanning speed, working distance, imaging resolution, and result accuracy of the SEM analysis method are higher. At the same time, the SEM analysis method is simpler than the ideal process. According to the special properties of the material itself, the nanoporous materials are with high porosity, high specific surface area, low density, and low thermal conductivity; and the porous three-dimensional spatial network structure, in optics, electricity is widely used in thermal insulation, environmental protection, catalysis, chemical industry, and other fields. Based on SEM, the instrument has high resolution, deep image field, three-dimensional sense, simple sample preparation, and comprehensive analysis; the silica aerogel has a spatial network structure, with an aperture range of 10~50 nm; compared with ordinary silica aerogel gel, the preparation of elastic silica aerogel can withstand higher temperature based on SEM analysis; stable quality and elasticity expand the application range of aerogel gel, making it more widely used in shock absorption, heat insulation, sound insulation, and other fields, effectively achieving the goal of energy conservation and emission reduction.

Hierarchical porous carbon foam electrodes fabricated from waste polyurethane elastomer template for electric double-layer capacitors

Plastic waste has become a major global environmental concern. The utilization of solid waste-derived porous carbon for energy storage has received widespread attention in recent times. Herein, we report the comparison of electrochemical performance of porous carbon foams (CFs) produced from waste polyurethane (PU) elastomer templates via two different activation pathways. Electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) fabricated from the carbon foam exhibited a gravimetric capacitance of 74.4 F/g at 0.1 A/g. High packing density due to the presence of carbon spheres in the hierarchical structure offered excellent volumetric capacitance of 134.7 F/cm3 at 0.1 A/g. Besides, the CF-based EDLCs exhibited Coulombic efficiency close to 100% and showed stable cyclic performance for 5000 charge–discharge cycles with good capacitance retention of 97.7% at 3 A/g. Low equivalent series resistance (1.05 Ω) and charge transfer resistance (0.23 Ω) due to the extensive presence of hydroxyl functional groups contributed to attaining high power (48.89 kW/kg). Based on the preferred properties such as high specific surface area, hierarchical pore structure, surface functionalities, low metallic impurities, high conductivity and desirable capacitive behaviour, the CF prepared from waste PU elastomers have shown potential to be adopted as electrodes in EDLCs.

Multifunctional Catecholate-Modified 3D TiO2 Nanostructures for Highly Sensitive Photoelectrochemical IL-6 Immunosensors

Protein immunosensors are valuable analytical tools that allow for the detection of proteins with high sensitivity and specificity based on affinity-based interaction between antigen/antibody pairs.1 These devices are increasingly important in clinical settings due to their roles in detecting inflammatory processes, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disorders and cancers.1,2 Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a protein biomarker that plays key roles in immunomodulation, hematopoiesis and inflammatory processes in the human body.3 Elevated levels of IL-6 can be used as evidence for diagnosis of various cancers and autoimmune disorders and even show the progression of COVID-19.3,4 In this work, we developed multifunctional three dimensional (3D) TiO2 nanostructured photoelectrodes as a sensing platform which combine photoelectrochemical (PEC) transduction with a signal-off direct immunoassay to detect IL-6. Surface modification with catecholate ligands was used to modify the properties of TiO2 nanostructures in a three-pronged approach of nanomorphology tuning, photocurrent signal enhancement, and facilitating bioconjugation.3D TiO2 nanostructures were synthesized via acid-hydrothermal process using titanium (IV) butoxide as a precursor. During the synthesis process 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (DHBA) was added in-situ into the reaction vessel. DHBA is part of the catecholate family of organic ligands which adsorb readily onto TiO2 surfaces. During the synthesis process, DHBA acted as a surfactant with preferential binding affinity for specific crystal facets of TiO2. The addition of DHBA resulted in anisotropic TiO2 crystal growth during synthesis, leading to globular nanorod cluster morphologies with high surface area-to-volume ratios. The 3D TiO2 nanostructures were further modified with extra DHBA after their synthesis. The 3D morphology combined with the extra DHBA resulted in higher UV/visible light absorption and photocurrent density measurements. The synthesized 3D TiO2 nanostructures were used to fabricate photoelectrodes for PEC signal-off immunoassay.The signal-off PEC IL-6 direct immunoassay was constructed by immobilizing a probe layer of anti-IL-6 on the surface 3D TiO2 photoelectrodes. When solutions containing target IL-6 encounter the photoelectrode, IL-6 is immobilized onto the photoelectrode surface through antibody/antigen complexation. Il-6 immobilization on the photoelectrode results in photocurrent signal decrease due to steric hinderance and this signal decrease can be directly correlated to the target concentration. The 3D nanostructure morphology contributed to increased sensitivity for the immunosensor as the higher electroactive surface area can accommodate a higher probe immobilization efficiency. Higher photocurrent generation also resulted in improved limit of detection (LOD) and dynamic range for the sensor. Functionalization by DHBA not only improves photocurrent generation, but also creates an avenue for biofunctionalization through Schiff-base linking between -COH groups of DHBA and -NH2 groups of anti-IL-6. The resultant immunosensor demonstrated excellent performance with an LOD of 3.6 pg mL-1 in plasma and 1.6 pg mL-1 in buffer solution, while having a log-linear dynamic range of 2-2000 pg mL-1. The 3D TiO2 photoelectrodes also demonstrate excellent short-term and long-term stability with little degradation after repeated use.It is evident from our investigations that combining PEC transduction mechanisms with direct signal-off immunoassays can result in high performance biosensors. In particular, the surface modification of 3D TiO2 nanostructure scaffolds with DHBA facilitates the fabrication of materials that are highly nanoporous and generate high photocurrent, resulting in biosensors with large dynamic ranges and low LOD.(1) Zhao, W. W.; Xu, J. J.; Chen, H. Y. Photoelectrochemical Immunoassays. Anal. Chem. 2018, 90 (1), 615–627. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.7b04672.(2) Chikkaveeraiah, B. V.; Bhirde, A. A.; Morgan, N. Y.; Eden, H. S.; Chen, X. Electrochemical Immunosensors for Detection of Cancer Protein Biomarkers. ACS Nano 2012, 6 (8), 6546–6561. https://doi.org/10.1021/nn3023969.(3) Khan, M. A.; Mujahid, M. Recent Advances in Electrochemical and Optical Biosensors Designed for Detection of Interleukin 6. Sensors (Switzerland). MDPI AG February 1, 2020. https://doi.org/10.3390/s20030646.(4) Rubin, E. J.; Longo, D. L.; Baden, L. R. Interleukin-6 Receptor Inhibition in Covid-19 — Cooling the Inflammatory Soup. N. Engl. J. Med. 2021, 384 (16), 1564–1565. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejme2103108.

Thermographic Observation and Hydrodynamic Patterns of Inclined Ethanol Droplet Train Impingement on a Non-Uniformly Heated Glass Surface

Droplet train impingement is a fundamental approach to mimic the complicated interactions between the fluid and the substrate in advanced thermal engineering applications in industry. Differently from previous studies, the main original contribution of this study is to perform an inclined droplet train impingement on a non-uniformly heated surface. Ethanol was used as the liquid for droplet train impingement applications, while glass substrate was selected as the target surface. The inclined flow angle was 63 degrees. Both optical and thermographic observations were performed on the target surface by focusing on the droplet impact area. Three experimental sets were created with the Weber numbers 667.57, 841.90, and 998.01. A surface temperature range was selected between 85.00 °C and 200.00 °C, which was above the boiling point of the ethanol. The maximum spreading length was measured at 0.97 mm at the surface temperature of 82.00 °C for the experiment with the Weber number of 998.01, whilst the minimum spreading length was found at 0.18 mm at the highest surface temperature for the experiment with the Weber number of 667.57. A uniform splashing direction was observed above 170.00 °C for all experiments, which meant that the sign of the transition regime appeared.

Damage Analysis and Close-Range Radar Observations of the 13 April 2019 Greenwood Springs, Mississippi, Tornado during VORTEX-SE Meso18-19

Abstract A tornado outbreak occurred across the Southeast United States on 13–14 April 2019, during the Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment–Southeast (VORTEX-SE) Meso18-19 experiment. Among the most noteworthy events was a pair of large tornadoes in Monroe County, Mississippi, near the Columbus Air Force Base (GWX) Weather Surveillance Radar–1988 Doppler (WSR-88D). The second tornado, near the Greenwood Springs community, formed within the “no data” region near the radar and passed about 900 m to its east, rapidly strengthening into an intense tornado. This tornado produced forest devastation and electrical infrastructure damage up to at least EF4 intensity. The maximum radial velocity from GWX was 81.5 m s−1 (182 mph) in a resolution volume centered at 56 m (183 ft) above radar level. This paper presents a damage survey of the Greenwood Springs tornado and compares this assessment to the GWX data. A displacement of the maximum forest damage from the maximum radial velocity, despite the radar beam sampling <100 m ARL, is documented, as well as other likely effects of debris loading by the tornado on the observed radar signatures. The radar observations are placed into context with past mobile radar studies to illustrate the unique nature of this dataset. The relationship between radar data and damage observations, the implications for tornado structure in rough terrain and land cover, and the use of forest damage and radar data in tornado intensity estimation are discussed. Significance Statement This study showcases radar and damage observations of an intense tornado in a forested region of Mississippi. The formation of the tornado within 1 km of a WSR-88D allowed for near-surface radar observations to be collected as significant tree destruction was occurring. Doppler velocities below 60 m above radar level (ARL), near tree canopy top, exceeded 80 m s−1. Tree damage patterns were complicated while the tornado was near maximum intensity. The most severe tree damage was notably displaced from the highest radar-observed velocities, despite the radar sampling as low as 45 m ARL. These findings highlight challenges in utilizing radar data to estimate tornado intensity and structure, particularly in a region of relatively high surface and terrain roughness.

The influence of the type of graphite on the size of reduced graphene oxide

Reduced graphene oxide is a very attractive material for sensor applications. It exhibits high conductivity at room temperature and high specific surface area. Since it can be produced in many ways, its properties can be influenced by the fabrication method. In this paper, we investigated the influence of graphite precursors (flake, scalar and synthetic) on the size of reduced graphene oxide. We have shown that the size of the precursor determines the size of the obtained rGO. We have noted that the larger graphite size, the larger rGO size. Full Text: PDF ReferencesR. Peng, Y. Li, T. Liu et al., "Reduced graphene oxide/SnO2@Au heterostructure for enhanced ammonia gas sensing", Chem. Phys. Lett., 737, 136829 (2019). CrossRef S. Pei and H. M. Cheng, "The reduction of graphene oxide", Carbon N. Y., 50, 9 (2012). CrossRef N. Sharma, V. Sharma, R. Vyas et al., "A new sustainable green protocol for production of reduced graphene oxide and its gas sensing properties", J. Sci. Adv. Mater. Devices, 4, 3 (2019) CrossRef R. Tarcan, O. Todor-Boer, I. Petrovai, C. Leordean, S. Astilean, I. Botiz, "Reduced graphene oxide today", J. Mater. Chem. C, 8, 4 (2020). CrossRef X. Jiao, Y. Qiu, L. Zhang, and X. Zhang, "Comparison of the characteristic properties of reduced graphene oxides synthesized from natural graphites with different graphitization degrees", RSC Adv., 7, 82 (2017). CrossRef J.A. Quezada-Renteria, C.O. Ania, L.F. Chazaro-Ruiz, J.R. Rangel-Mendez, "Influence of protons on reduction degree and defect formation in electrochemically reduced graphene oxide", Carbon N. Y., 149 (2019). CrossRef H. Gao, Y. Ma, P. Song, J. Leng, Q. Wang, "Characterization and cytocompatibility of 3D porous biomimetic scaffold derived from rabbit nucleus pulposus tissue in vitro", J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron., 32, 8 (2021). CrossRef A.T. Lawal, "Graphene-based nano composites and their applications. A review", Biosens. Bioelectron., 141, 111384, (2019). CrossRef E. Aliyev, V. Filiz, M.M. Khan, Y.J. Lee, C. Abetz, V. Abetz, "Structural Characterization of Graphene Oxide: Surface Functional Groups and Fractionated Oxidative Debris", Nanomaterials, 9, 8 (2019). CrossRef S. Sali, H.R. Mackey, A.A. Abdala, "Effect of Graphene Oxide Synthesis Method on Properties and Performance of Polysulfone-Graphene Oxide Mixed Matrix Membranes", Nanomaterials, 9, 5 (2019). CrossRef G. Lu, L.E. Ocola, J. Chen, "Reduced graphene oxide for room-temperature gas sensors", Nanotechnology, 20, 44 (2009). CrossRef C. Botas, P. Alvarez, C. Blanco et al., "Critical temperatures in the synthesis of graphene-like materials by thermal exfoliation–reduction of graphite oxide", Carbon N. Y., 52, 2013. CrossRef

Wear and 3D Micro-Morphological Studies on CAD/CAM Milled Dental Zirconia for Post-Fabrication Dental Processes

The post-fabrication processes on CAD/CAM milled dental Zirconia result in surface roughening, micro-cracking, a decline in surface texture, and loss of strength. Also, the hydrothermal stresses formed due to water, blood, and synovial fluid infiltration into the crack space initiate crack propagation. The present work makes an effort to study the effect of surface morphology due to the post-processing of Yttrium-stabilized tetragonal Zirconia (Y-TZP) after CAD/CAM milling by studying the height, spatial, functional parameters (volume & Stratified surfaces), and 3-D surface roughness parameters in detail. Five groups based on post-processing combinations currently used in clinical conditions were selected for the study. Group 1(G1-S) involved the milling of pre-sintered blocks followed by sintering. Group 2(G2-S+P) consisted of sintering followed by the polishing process. Group 3(G3-S+P+S.B) consisted of sintering, polishing, and sandblasting with Aluminium Oxide (Al2O3) with a particle size of 110µm. Group4 (G4- S+S.B) involved sintering followed by sandblasting. Group5 (G5-S+S.B+P) consisted of sintering, sandblasting, and polishing. The surfaces were evaluated using a 3-D surface profilometer before and after wear. Before wear, the G4 process group responded with the highest surface roughness value, (Average roughness) Sa=1.378±0.409μm, and it was within the limit, which supported osseointegration. Valleys were predominant in almost all the groups, except G4. Also, the peak and core parameters for G3 &G4 were higher and will be of interest for further bone-implant contact (BIC) studies. The groups with sandblasting fabrication processes (G3, G4) exhibited relatively higher 3-D roughness parameters when compared to the groups with fabrication processes (G1, G2, G5). After wear, there was a considerable decline in the material peak. The research revealed that the methods with sandblasting could be suitable for osseointegration, BIC, and in-vivo performance for crown applications. Also, sandblasting followed by polishing (G5) was found to be optimal. Dentists will be able to determine the right clinical adjustments for their chairside CAD/CAM dentistry using 3-D surface roughness morphological analyses. It will also aid researchers in conducting in-depth studies on the issues related to oral cavity.