Use Of Liquids Research Articles

Co (ne) víme o úpravě konzistence stravy u pacientů s dysfagií a s čím by mohla pomoci iniciativa IDDSI (International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative)

Summary Texture-modified diet and thickening liquids are a therapeutic option for dysphagia. Many of the terms referring to liquid viscosity modifications and solid diet modifications are terminologically ambiguous and vague, e. g. “honey consistency liquid” or “soft-textured diet.” The inconsistent terminology adversely affects patient safety and the efficiency of the application of this therapeutic method. Possible misunderstanding of the vague terms between staff members can result in using a different consistency of the fluid or food from the consistency that was found to be safe during the objective swallowing examination. The International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) is seeking application of international standardized terminology for texture-modified foods and liquids for use in people with dysphagia of all ages, in all care settings, and in different cultural settings. The goal of IDDSI is to improve patient safety of oral intake and evolve the field of dysphagia research. Key words dysphagia – texture-modified food – thickened liquids – IDDSI

Application of the Hybrid Model to elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) Reference Liquids for Pressure Extrapolation

Reference liquids can be useful in the new quantitative approach to elastohydrodynamic lubrication calculations only if the properties of these liquids are accurately modeled. The pressures in the contact sometimes exceed the pressures of the available viscometer measurements, requiring extrapolation. The previtreous piezoviscous response is always faster-than-exponential with an apparent divergence pressure. Therefore, any model used for extrapolation must possess these characteristics and up to now published work in EHL, where extrapolation of the viscosity of squalane is performed, has not. To date, the only model that has been shown to accurately extrapolate to high pressure is the Hybrid model. This expression was applied to six reference liquids for use in quantitative investigations in EHL. Viscosity measurements for trioctyl trimellitate were extended to 1.1 GPa. The results obtained with high pressure viscometers are preferable over molecular dynamics results if they are different. Molecular dynamics calculations are not currently capable of reliable results for viscosity at very high pressures.

‘Why do we have to be the gatekeepers?’ Australian general practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes and prescribing intentions on e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid

BackgroundA significant policy change impacting the availability of nicotine for use in electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in Australia took effect from October 1, 2021. This change meant that nicotine containing liquids for use with e-cigarettes would only be available by prescription from a medical practitioner as part of a smoking cessation plan. This study aimed to explore general practitioners (GPs) perceptions about the role of e-cigarettes, and understand factors informing their intentions to prescribe e-cigarettes as part of a smoking cessation plan.MethodsIn-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirteen GPs. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit participants. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to classify, describe and report themes in the data. QSR NVivo was used to aid coding, thematic analysis and retrieval of quotes.ResultsParticipants had diverse views on recommending and prescribing e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids to patients. Some participants were willing to prescribe e-cigarettes to patients if other methods of smoking cessation had not worked but there were concerns, and uncertainty, about the safety and efficacy of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. There was poor understanding of the current policy and legislation about e-cigarettes in Australia. Mostly the participants in this sample did not feel confident or comfortable to prescribe, or have discussions about e-cigarettes with patients.ConclusionThe participants of this study held diverse attitudes on recommending and prescribing e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. Clarity in guidelines and consumer product information are required to enable GPs to provide consistent and accurate advice to patients that wish to use e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid.

Conductive Gas Plasma Treatment Augments Tumor Toxicity of Ringer's Lactate Solutions in a Model of Peritoneal Carcinomatosis.

Reactive species generated by medical gas plasma technology can be enriched in liquids for use in oncology targeting disseminated malignancies, such as metastatic colorectal cancer. Notwithstanding, reactive species quantities depend on the treatment mode, and we recently showed gas plasma exposure in conductive modes to be superior for cancer tissue treatment. However, evidence is lacking that such a conductive mode also equips gas plasma-treated liquids to confer augmented intraperitoneal anticancer activity. To this end, employing atmospheric pressure argon plasma jet kINPen-treated Ringer’s lactate (oxRilac) in a CT26-model of colorectal peritoneal carcinomatosis, we tested repeated intraabdominal injection of such remotely or conductively oxidized liquid for antitumor control and immunomodulation. Enhanced reactive species formation in conductive mode correlated with reduced tumor burden in vivo, emphasizing the advantage of conduction over the free mode for plasma-conditioned liquids. Interestingly, the infiltration of lymphocytes into the tumors was equally enhanced by both treatments. However, significantly lower levels of interleukin (IL)4 and IL13 and increased levels of IL2 argue for a shift in intratumoral T-helper cell subpopulations correlating with disease control. In conclusion, our data argue for using conductively over remotely prepared plasma-treated liquids for anticancer treatment.

Bmim]FeCl4 mediated inhibition and toxicity during anaerobic digestion: Dose-response kinetics, biochar-dependent detoxification and microbial resistance

[Bmim]FeCl4, or 1‑butyl‑3-methylimidazolium tetrachloroferrate, is a typical ionic liquid (IL). Its recyclable, magnetic, multicomponent, and solvent-free nature makes it a particularly attractive ionic liquid for use in industrial processes. Despite its widespread use, the potential hazards that [Bmim]FeCl4 might pose to the environment, including productive microorganisms, have not been explored. In this study, the dose-response of [Bmim]FeCl4 in anaerobic digestion (AD) was investigated to assess the potential toxification and biochar-dependent detoxification in microbial communities, including enzymatic activity and molecule docking dynamics. Our results showed that methane production (31.52 mLmax/gVS) was sharply inhibited following [Bmim]FeCl4 treatment. Moreover, increasing the dosage of [Bmim]FeCl4 caused more dissolved organic matter (DOM) to be generated. Interestingly, 0.4 g/L of [Bmim]FeCl4 could stimulate the high activity of microbial hydrolase and ATPase. However, a higher concentration of 2.65 g/L prevented these enzymatic processes from continuing. At the cellular level, higher concentration of [Bmim]FeCl4 (>0.4 g/L) increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, leading to a higher cell lethal rate and weakening of the secondary structures of protein (especially, the amide I region). At the molecular level, the competitive H-bonding in the active sites caused low activity and consummated more energy. At the community level, structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that [Bmim]FeCl4 and biochar were the main drivers for microbial community succession. For instance, high [Bmim]FeCl4 (8 g/L) benefited the growth of Clostridium sensu_stricto (from ≤1% to 27%). It is worth mentioning that biochar reversed the inhibition with high α-diversity, which caused a resurgence in the activity of previously inhibited ATPase and hydrolase. H2-trophic methanogens (Methanolinea and Methaofastidisoum) were sensitive to [Bmim]FeCl4 and decreased linearly while acetoclastic methanogens (Methanosaeta) were unchanged. These findings were consistent with the short-term activity tests and further verified by functional analysis.

Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Modified with Disulfonic Acid Functionalized Imidazolium Ionic Liquids for Use as Electrorheological Materials

A disulfonic acid functionalized ionic liquid, 1,3-disulfonic acid imidazolium chloride ([Dsim]Cl), was synthesized and utilized to prepare TiO2-based ionogel nanoparticles (TiO2-[Dsim]Cl) using a ...

A Stacked Hybrid Organic/Inorganic Electrochemical Random‐Access Memory for Scalable Implementation

AbstractOrganic semiconductors have emerged as an attractive class of materials for neuromorphic computing applications, particularly in crossbar arrays for artificial neural network (ANN) accelerators. Here, one of the last persistent challenges facing organic materials for adoption in these applications is addressed by developing a fabrication process capable of lithographically patterning vertical, three‐terminal electrochemical random‐access memories (ECRAMs). Central to the realization of this device architecture is the development of a hybrid electrolyte system: a porous inorganic matrix permeated with an ionic liquid, which enables vertical stacking of the organic semiconductor channel and gate. The resulting stacked hybrid organic/inorganic ECRAMs (SHOEs) exhibit superior dynamic range to comparable lateral devices (>2×), exceptional cycling endurance (>109 Write–Read Cycles), low energy switching (2.7 pJ), and can be fabricated with dimensions limited by lithographic resolution. The fabrication process developed allows for independent control over device channel, electrolyte, and gate dimensions, and by reducing channel lengths down to a single micron, the fabricated devices can operate (Write+Read) at >MHz speeds. Further, the hybrid electrolyte design provides an effective means to confine an ionic liquid for use in other electrolyte‐gated devices.

Using Moving Electrode Impedance Spectroscopy to Monitor Particle Sedimentation

We have devised a method that employs moving electrode electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to monitor the sedimentation of particles in conductive suspensions. In contrast to standard electrochemical cells with a fixed geometry, our cell has a flexible design with a movable counter electrode that allows precise adjustment of the electrode distance. Measuring the electrical impedance at various electrode spacings and utilizing the linear dependence of this function on the electrode displacement enables probing of a small section of the sample. This has considerable advantages when heterogenous liquids (e.g., suspensions) are to be analyzed. We applied our moving electrode approach to various test cases and obtained the following results: (i) We demonstrated by experiment that the bulk conductivity can be measured correctly even if particle sediments cover the electrode surface. (ii) We studied monodisperse suspensions of various compositions and investigated the effect of particle concentrations and size on conductivity. (iii) We monitored the particle sedimentation process and, by combining experimental and theoretical results, identified a correlation between the growing mass of the sedimentation layer and the impedance measured. The intended application of our approach is to monitor crystallization processes in ionic liquids for use in zeolite synthesis.

Distinct Chemistries Define the Diverse Biological Effects of Plasma Activated Water Generated with Spark and Glow Plasma Discharges

The spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria poses a significant threat to human health. Plasma activated liquids (PAL) could be a promising alternative for microbial decontamination, where different PAL can possess diverse antimicrobial efficacies and cytotoxic profiles, depending on the range and concentration of their reactive chemical species. In this research, the biological activity of plasma activated water (PAW) on different biological targets including both microbiological and mammalian cells was investigated in vitro. The aim was to further an understanding of the specific role of distinct plasma reactive species, which is required to tailor plasma activated liquids for use in applications where high antimicrobial activity is required without adversely affecting the biology of eukaryotic cells. PAW was generated by glow and spark discharges, which provide selective generation of hydrogen peroxide, nitrite and nitrate in the liquid. The PAW made by either spark or glow discharges showed similar antimicrobial efficacy and stability of activity, despite the very different reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species profiles (RNS). However, different trends were observed for cytotoxic activities and effects on enzyme function, which were translated through the selective chemical species generation. These findings indicate very distinct mechanisms of action which may be exploited when tailoring plasma activated liquids to various applications. A remarkable stability to heat and pressure was noted for PAW generated with this set up, which broadens the application potential. These features also suggest that post plasma modifications and post generation stability can be harnessed as a further means of modulating the chemistry, activity and mode of delivery of plasma functionalised liquids. Overall, these results further understanding on how PAL generation may be tuned to provide candidate disinfectant agents for biomedical application or for bio-decontamination in diverse areas.

Synthesis of Novel Imidazolium Based Ionic Liquids for Use as Multifunctional Green Additives in Gear Oils

Synthesis of Novel Imidazolium Based Ionic Liquids for Use as Multifunctional Green Additives in Gear Oils

Modeling the size of small spills of pure volatile liquids for use in evaporation rate and air concentration modeling

Exposure modeling is a valuable tool for assessing chemical vapor exposures that occur during transient events such as small spills of volatile liquids. Models are available to estimate liquid evaporation rates and resulting air concentrations. However, liquid evaporation rate models require the surface area of the puddle in order to provide vapor generation rates in terms of mass per time. This study developed an approach to model the surface area of small spills of pure liquids. A theoretical equation exists relating puddle depth to a liquid’s surface tension, density, and contact angle. A contact angle is a characteristic of liquid-solid interactions at the edge of a puddle. If the depth of a puddle can be calculated and the volume of the liquid spilled is known, the surface area of the puddle can be determined. Values for density and surface tension are published. Contact angles, however, are not readily available. Five hundred and eighty experimental spills were conducted using acetone, ethanol and water. The effective contact angle for each spill was determined. Spill volumes varied from 1.0–30.0 mL. The height of the liquid release varied from 0–15 cm onto a variety of surfaces. The effective contact angle of a puddle was most strongly associated with the liquid’s polarity. The height of the liquid release and type of surface had significant, but smaller effects on the puddle size. The effective contact angle of a puddle from a spill can be estimated as ln(ϴeff) = 3.73 – 1.17 · 1χυ/f – 0.06 · h + S. In this equation, 1χυ/f is the polarity index of the liquid, h is the height of liquid release (cm), and S is a surface constant. ϴeff can be used with the liquid density, surface tension and volume to calculate the surface area of the puddle. The surface area of the puddle can then be used in evaporation rate models to determine a vapor generation rate for input to vapor concentration models.

CBD products that resemble tobacco products enter traditional retail outlets

The US Food and Drug Administration issued a final rule in 2016 deeming new tobacco products (any product made or derived from tobacco that is intended for human consumption, including...

Development of calculation and design of rotor-blade engine N.N. Tverskoy with a built-in electric generator

Current requirements are considered for an autonomous source of power supply for powering a consumer located in areas remote from a centralized power system in comparison with the method of connecting to a centralized power system, using a petrol, diesel and power plant using a Stirling engine with external heat supply in this article. The main aspects are identified power plants with external heat supply, analysed materials that support combustion, which can be used to operate an autonomous generator. The history is described and the purpose of the rotary engine of the Russian engineer N.N. Tverskoy. An economic assessment and engine performance have been considered, in which superheated steam is not required to be used, but steam with droplets of liquid for use is permissible. The design proposed rotary vane engine N.N. Tverskoy with a built-in electric generator, in which the expansion part (turbine) and the generator represent a single joint part. The design methodology is considered, in which the main sections on the calculations and design of the rotary machine with the main empirical formulas are highlighted. Further ways of using the engine are described in the low-grade heat recovery system.

Characterization and evaluation of ionic liquids for use in rapidly-actuated hydraulic microvalves

Elastomeric membrane-based microvalves, especially pneumatically-actuated valves, are a core technology responsible for the proliferation of micro total analysis systems (μTAS) due to enabling the precise metering and mixing required by lab-on-a-chip applications. Hydraulic actuation is a promising actuation strategy, analogous to pneumatic actuation, useful in environments where the portability and power requirements of pneumatic actuation systems is non-ideal. Central to the function of hydraulic valves for active applications that require rapid and repeatable actuation, such as microfluidic pumping, are the viscosity, evaporation profile and the hygroscopic nature of the hydraulic fluid. Here the properties of a series of 1-methyl-3-butylimidizaolium (BMIM)-based ionic liquids (ILs) and water are investigated for application in self-contained hydraulically-actuated microfluidic (SCHAM) devices. Evaporation and water uptake of SCHAM devices was monitored daily over a one-month period, with IL-based SCHAMs providing superior performance compared to water-based SCHAMs. Evaporation and water uptake profiles of IL-filled devices were recorded over a six-week time period, subjected to thermocycling of one-week periods between −20 °C and 60 °C, with IL-based SCHAMs exhibiting superior stability in comparison to water-based SCHAMs. As a proof of concept, a SCHAM pump using [BMIM][BF4] was fabricated utilizing a simple and inexpensive rapid prototyping method, and tested over a range of actuation times (150 ms–350 ms, with pumping rates of 5.0 ± 0.1 μL min–1 to 2.6 ± 0.1 μL min–1, respectively). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of an IL-filled SCHAM device utilizing active valve elements to attain fluidic transfer.

Concerns over increased vaping in schoolchildren

Concerns over increased vaping in schoolchildren

RESPUESTA SÍSMICA DE TANQUES ELEVADOS TIPO PÉNDULO INVERTIDO

La mayoría de los tanques elevados para el almacenamiento de líquido son considerados como estructuras que forman parte de instalaciones vitales ya que deben permanecer funcionando correctamente aún después de la ocurrencia de un sismo. Los tanques elevados difieren de los tanques apoyados sobre el terreno debido a que están formados por dos partes: el elemento de apoyo y el contenedor. En décadas pasadas se han presentado numerosas fallas en este tipo de estructuras debidas a eventos sísmicos. En este artículo se plantea la ecuación general de movimiento de un tanque elevado considerando el modelo simplificado masa-resorte para modelar el líquido contenido en el tanque con paredes rígidas y la posibilidad de que se presente rotación en la base del contenedor. Los resultados indican la importancia de considerar en la ecuación de movimiento al menos tres modos convectivos del líquido, principalmente en la zona del Valle de México, además de la importancia de no despreciar la contribución de la rotación de la base del contenedor en el cálculo del momento en la cimentación del tanque.

Polybenzimidazole membranes embedded with ionic liquids for use in high proton selectivity vanadium redox flow batteries

High proton selectivity is essential for the use of ion exchange membranes (IEMs) in vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) systems. Herein, a series of poly (oxyphenylene benzimidazole) (OPBI)/ionic liquid (IL) composite membranes was prepared by mixing OPBI with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIm]BF4) to obtain membranes with high proton selectivity. Because ILs formed hydrogen bonds with the polymer chains, ILs were able to remain within the membranes themselves. Proton conductivity and vanadium permeability of the membranes were examined for membrane characterization. Surprisingly, because of the Donnan exclusion effect between the cations of the ILs and the vanadium ions, the trade-off effect of traditional IEM modification methods was overcome. Therefore, as the IL content increased, the vanadium resistance and proton conductivity of the composite membranes increased. The proton selectivity of optimized OPBI/BF4-20 composite membrane was 1.41 × 106 S min cm−3, which was much higher than that of the unmodified OPBI membrane (6.06 × 105 S min cm−3) or a commercialized Nafion 115 membrane (1.61 × 104 S min cm−3). More importantly, the OPBI/BF4-20 composite membrane exhibited higher coulombic efficiency (CE, 99.24%), voltage efficiency (VE, 93.10%) and energy efficiency (EE, 92.39%) at 40 mA cm−2 than the unmodified OPBI (CE 98.06%, VE 90.67% and EE 88.86%) and Nafion 115 membranes (CE 95.44%, VE 91.75% and EE 87.57%). Furthermore, the cell employing the OPBI/BF4-20 membrane exhibited no significant decrease in battery efficiency after a 1000-time cycles test. In conclusion, the research and application of IL-embedded composite membranes in a VRFB system could potentially change the limitations of traditional modification methods.

Ultrafast preparation of a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane-based ionic liquid hybrid monolith via photoinitiated polymerization, and its application to capillary electrochromatography of aromatic compounds.

An ionic liquid hybrid monolithic capillary column was prepared within 7min via photoinitiated free-radical polymerization of an ionic liquid monomer (1-butyl-3-vinylimidazolium-bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide); VBIMNTF2) and a methacryl substituted polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS-MA) acting as a cross-linker. The effects of composition of prepolymerization solution and initiation time on the porous structure and electroosmotic flow (EOF) of monolithic column were investigated. The hybrid monolith was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and FTIR. Owing to the introduction of a rigid nanosized POSS silica core and ionic liquids with multiple interaction sites, the monolithic column has a well-defined 3D skeleton morphology, good mechanical stability, and a stable anodic electroosmotic flow. The hybrid monolithic stationary phase was applied to the capillary electrochromatographic separation of various alkylbenzenes, phenols, anilines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The column efficiency is highest (98,000 plates/m) in case of alkylbenzenes. Mixed-mode retention mechanisms including hydrophobic interactions, π-π stacking, electrostatic interaction and electrophoretic mobility can be observed. This indicates the potential of this material in terms of efficient separation of analytes of different structural type. Graphical Abstract Preparation of a mixed-mode ionic liquid hybrid monolithic column via photoinitiated polymerization of methacryl substituted polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS-MA) and 1-butyl-3-vinylimidazolium-bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide (VBIMNTF2) ionic liquid for use in capillary electrochromatography.

Spray formation and atomization characteristics of non-Newtonian impinging jets at high Carreau numbers

Over the last two decades there has been a renewed interest in employing shear-thinning non-Newtonian liquids for use with liquid rocket engines due to a desire for greater safety and performance. Since the difficulty with producing quality atomization is the main disadvantage for using non-Newtonian liquid propellants, further understanding of the breakup physics and accurate measurement of the spray characteristics is needed. The atomization produced by the like-on-like jet impingement of three different non-Newtonian liquids was experimentally investigated in this work using shadowgraphy and Phase Doppler Anemometry (PDA) at high strain rates (105–106), which correspond closely to the strain rates used in practical rocket engines. The three water-based solutions tested were of two different grades of Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC): 0.5 wt.-% CMC-7HF, 0.8 wt.-% CMC-7MF, and 1.4 wt.-% CMC-7MF. The Bird–Carreau rheological model was used to characterize the non-Newtonian behavior and a generalized Carreau number was used as the primary parameter to characterize the liquid viscosity inside the orifice at injection. A generalized Bird–Carreau jet Reynolds number Rej,gen-BC and the jet Weber number Wej were used as primary parameters to characterize the spray formation, sheet breakup length, drop size, and drop velocity. The unique spray formation a behavior of the three non-Newtonian liquids was ascribed to the relative influence of the inertial vs. viscous forces, primarily expressed through Rej,gen-BC. At many relatively high inertial force test conditions, drops in the spray were near spherical and could be reliably measured using PDA. Spray characteristics of intact sheet length, drop diameter, and drop velocity were observed to be strong functions of Rej,gen-BC. In addition to providing fundamental understanding to aid with injector design for liquid rocket engine applications using non-Newtonian liquids, the measurements presented in this work could be used to validate a future closed-form analytical non-Newtonian atomization model, which remains an open problem in non-Newtonian impinging jets literature.

Biomolecule-Free, Selective Detection of o-Diphenol and Its Derivatives with a Screen-Printed Electrochemical Sensor

We report here biomolecule-free, selective detection of o-diphenol and its derivatives with a screen-printed electrochemical sensor. It is based on the preparation of a highly stable slurry made of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) dissolved in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIMPF6) room temperature ionic liquid for use as screen-printed ink in fabricating the proposed sensor. A detailed investigation by scanning electron microscope (SEM) along with UV-visible and FT-IR spectroscopic studies indicates that DPPH is well dispersed and stabilized by BMIMPF6 ionic liquid. Enhanced current response is observed using the as-printed electrode (designated as SP-DPILE) in electrochemical measurements of o-diphenols with good sensitivity and selectivity. Its selectivity is proved through the discrimination of catechol signal from resorcinol and hydroquinone in the absence of biomolecule auxiliary. This is valuable in real sample analysis, and the feasibility of the SP-DPILE is demonstrated for the detection of gallic acid in green tea by flow injection analysis.