Percent Conversion Research Articles

Enhanced removal of nitrobenzene with lignosulfonate modified zero valent iron: removal kinetic, reaction mechanism, and application feasibility

The reductive capacity of zero valent iron (ZVI) is extremely restricted by the surface passivation. To address this issue, ball-milling lignosulfonate modified ZVI (LS-ZVI) was prepared and used to determine the reactivity, electron utilization efficiency and application feasibility towards nitrobenzene (ArNO2) removal. The results showed that LS-ZVI could completely remove ArNO2 within 40 min with aniline conversion percentage of ∼95%, while ArNO2 reduction by ZVI was negligible within 180 min. Electrochemical evidence, H2 production, and characterization analysis collectively illuminated that the enhanced ArNO2 reduction by LS-ZVI was attributed to the increased Fe0 exposure that endowed it with excellent electron transfer ability. The inhibited H2 production indicated that the electron utilization efficiency of LS-ZVI towards ArNO2 was close to 100%. Moreover, ArNO2 removal was slightly inhibited under higher solution pH. Except for the obvious inhibitory effect of high concentration NO3−, the effects of co-existing ions (Cl−, NO3−, SO42−, Ca2+, and Mg2+) were little. The presence of Ni(II) had a negligible effect on ArNO2 removal, while high concentration of Cd(II) and Cr(VI) could obviously inhibit ArNO2 reduction. In addition, the excellent reusability of LS-ZVI and the complete ArNO2 removal in groundwater suggested the feasibility of LS-ZVI in practical field remediation.

Decoration of viscose fibers with silver nanoparticle-based titanium-organic framework for use in environmental applications.

To effectively remove pharmaceuticals, nitroaromatic compounds, and dyes from wastewater, an efficient multifunctional material was created based on silver nanoparticles (Ag) and MIL-125-NH2 (MOF) immobilized on viscose fibers (VF) as a support substrate. Firstly, silver nanoparticles (Ag) were immobilized on the surface of viscose fibers (VF) via in situ synthesis using trisodium citrate (TSC) as a reducing agent to create (VF-Ag). Then, VF and VF-Ag were decorated with the titanium metal-organic framework MIL-125-NH2 (MOF) to create VF-MOF and VF-Ag-MOF. The influence of VF-Ag, VF-MOF, and VF-Ag-MOF on the sonocatalytic or sonophotocatalytic degradation of sulfa drugs was investigated. The results show that VF-Ag-MOF showed excellent sonocatalytic and sonophotocatalytic activity towards the degradation of sulfa drugs compared to VF-Ag and VF-MOF. Furthermore, sonophotodegradation showed a dramatic enhancement in the efficiency of degradation of sulfa drugs compared to sonodegradation. The sonophotodegradation degradation percentage of sulfanilamide, sulfadiazine, and sulfamethazine drugs in the presence of VF-Ag-MOF was 65, 90, and 95 after 45min of ultrasonic and visible light irradiation. The catalytic activity of VF-Ag, VF-MOF, and VF-Ag-MOF was evaluated through the conversion of p-nitrophenol (4-NP) to p-aminophenol (4-AP). The results demonstrate that VF-Ag-MOF had the highest catalytic activity, followed by VF-Ag and VF-MOF. The conversion percentage of 4-NP to 4-AP was 69%. The catalytic or photocatalytic effects of VF-Ag, VF-MOF, and VF-Ag-MOF on the elimination of methylene blue (MB) dye were investigated. The results demonstrate that VF-Ag-MOF showed high efficiency in removing the MB dye through the reduction (65%) or photodegradation (71%) after 60min. VF-Ag-MOF composites structure-activity relationships represent that doping within silver NPs enhanced the photocatalytic activity of MIL-125-NH2, which could be explained as follows: (i) Due to the formation of a Schottky barrier at the junction between MIL-125-NH2 and Ag NPs, the photogenerated electrons in the conduction band of MIL-125-NH2 were supposed to be quickly transferred to the valence band of the Ag NPs, and subsequently, the electrons were transferred to the conduction band of Ag NPs. This considerable electron transferring process, which is reported as Z scheme heterojunction, can efficiently suppress the recombination of electron/hole pairs in VF-Ag-MIL-125-NH2 composites. (ii) Sufficient separation between the photogenerated charge carriers (holes and electrons) and avoiding their recombination enhanced the photocatalytic activity of composites.

Synthesis and characterization of 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid esters and study of their efficacy in bulk fish oil

Lipophilization of natural antioxidants is a proven strategy to enhance the solubility in bulk oil systems, thereby increasing their efficacy against oxidative degradation. This study aims to synthesize esters of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (3,4-DHPA) using Amberlyst-15 and to study the application of these esters in refined fish oil. Lipophilic esters were synthesized by esterification and transesterification of 3,4-DHPA in various solvent systems. Esters of methanol, butanol and hexanol were obtained with percent conversion of 81.1, 69.3 and 78.8 respectively, and were subjected to molecular characterization and in vitro oxidant assays. The 3,4-DHPA and its methyl ester showed 36% reduction in the TOTOX value over 30 days of storage. The length of the acyl chain in the ester was found to exert a high influence on its efficacy and lipophilicity. This is the first report of 3,4-DHPA and its lipophilic esters studied for enhancing the oxidative stability of fish oil.

Methyl ester production from cotton seed oil via catalytic transesterification process; characterization, fatty acids composition, kinetics, and thermodynamics study

In this study, Cotton seed methyl ester (CSME) was produced from extracted Cotton seed oil (CSO) through transesterification process that involves two steps. The CSO obtained from solvent extraction was first esterified using an acid catalyst to obtain the FAME, which was then used in the based catalysed transesterification process that produced the CSME. The physicochemical properties and fatty acids composition of the extracted CSO and produced CSME were evaluated according to the ASTM approved standards. Also, the percentage conversion, activated energy, kinetics, and thermodynamics of the transesterification process were studied. The results also indicate that increase in time and temperature has a positive effect on the percentage conversion of CSO to CSME. The highest percentage conversion (95.48%) was achieved at 65 °C and 150 min. The reaction rate constants obtained for the irreversible pseudo first and second order models were within the range of 4.59 × 10−2 min−1 to 6.77 × 10−2 min−1 and 9.50 × 10−2 dm3mol−1min−1 to 2.27 × 10−1 dm3mol−1min−1, respectively. However, the R2 values indicate that the CSO transesterification reaction was best described by the irreversible pseudo second order model. The activation energy obtained was 18.98 kJ/mol and 43.17 kJ/mol for the pseudo first and second order models, respectively. ∆H, ∆S, and ∆G values for irreversible pseudo first and second orders models, are 13.89 KJ/mol, − 0.158 KJ/mol, and 20.43 – 23.56 KJ/mol and 35.92 KJ/mol, − 0.165 KJ/mol, and 85.21 – 88.31 KJ/mol, respectively. The cetane number, kinematic viscosity, calorific value, flash point, and acid value obtained for the CSME were 53.1, 4.81 mm2/s, 43,690 kJ/kg, 154 ℃, and 0.1 mg KOH/g oil, respectively. The CSME produced has physicochemical properties comparable to those of petroleum-derived diesel.

Unleashing the Power of Plasma and Flow: A Novel Cold Plasma‐Oscillatory System for Enhanced Continuous Biodiesel Production from Sunflower Oil

While fossil fuel resources are limited, the increasing demand for energy in the industrial and transportation sectors has led to using renewable fuels. This study aims to improve biodiesel production from sunflower oil by combining cold plasma and oscillatory systems through a transesterification process. The four main operational variables are examined, such as molar ratio (MR) (1:6–1:12), catalyst concentration (CC) (0.5–1.25 wt%), plasma exposure time (PET) (25–75 s), and residence time (RT) (30–90 s). The smooth periodic constriction reactor's physical attributes, including the diameter of the tube (D), the diameter of the constricted region (d0), and the distance between baffles (l), as well as the properties of the cold plasma system, are determined. The data analysis presents that PET, RT, CC, and MR have the greatest effect on efficiency. This optimization indicates that by exposing the reaction mixture to plasma for 59.99 s, adding 1.09% by weight of the catalyst, and with a MR of 7.17 in 86.43 s, biodiesel with a conversion percentage of 94.75% is produced. The results show that the optimum point matches with EN 14214 standard.

Glycerolysis of palm kernel oil catalized by MgO on mono and diglyceride composition and their antibacterial activity

Monoglyceride and diglyceride are known as emulsifiers that have been used in the food industry. Furthermore, both mono and diglyceride also have the potential to be utilized as antibacterial compounds. Both of them can be produced from natural source, such as palm kernel oil, via glycerolysis reaction. This study aims to determine the effect of temperature and time of glycerolysis reaction on the composition of mono and diglyceride and their capability as an antibacterial agent. This study used a split-plot design with the temperature of glycerolysis as the main plot (80°C, 90°C, and 100°C) and the time of glycerolysis as the subplot (3, 4, and 5 hours). Several parameters were analyzed, including acid value, percent conversion, and antibacterial activity. Then, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to analyze glycerolysis products. Our results showed that the variations in temperature and time of glycerolysis had no effect on acid numbers, percentage conversion, and antibacterial activity. In addition, the glycerolysis products have a higher zone of inhibition against Bacillus subtilis compared to Escherichia coli. The highest percentage of conversion was obtained at glycerolysis temperature of 100°C and 5 hours. From the results of GC-MS analysis, monolaurin was obtained at 12.06 percent area.

MOFabric: an effective and wearable protective garment towards CWA detoxification.

In current trends, an imminent development of self-detoxification filters is highly desirable against exposure to chemical warfare agents (CWAs). Exploiting protective materials that can be applicable in day-to-day life for instantaneous detoxification will be of immense importance. The available technologies in the current scenario are susceptible to secondary emission and pose a need for an alternate design strategy for effective degradation. In addition, the choice of active material and successful impregnation on a suitable substrate for developing potential barriers requires complex material design. In this context, the developed self-standing UiO-66 and UiO-66-NH2 functionalized fabrics (MOFabrics) present an expeditious detoxification performance against CWA simulant, methyl-paraoxon, with a maximum removal percent conversion of 88.9 and 90.68%. It shows a reduced half-life of approximately 10.16 and 11.23 min, in comparison to an unmodified/carboxymethylated fabric of 462 min.

Establishing a productive heterogeneous catalyst based on silver nanoparticles supported on a crosslinked vinyl polymer for the reduction of nitrophenol.

The treatment of toxic nitrophenols in industrial wastewater is urgently needed from environmental, health, and economic points of view. The current study addresses the synthesis of the crosslinked vinyl polymer poly(acrylonitrile-co-2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid) (poly(AN-co-AMPS)) through free radical copolymerization techniques using acrylonitrile (AN) and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) monomers with different ratios and potassium persulfate (KPS) as an initiator in an aqueous medium. The prepared copolymer was utilized as a supporting matrix for silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) via the chemical reduction of silver nitrate within the copolymer framework. Different techniques were employed to characterize the prepared poly(AN-co-AMPS) and Ag/poly(AN-co-AMPS) composites, such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. The results exhibit that silver metal was excellently dispersed across the surface of poly(AN-co-AMPS) without any agglomeration, presenting as nanocrystals with an average particle size equal to 6.21 nm. Also, BET analysis confirmed that the Ag/poly(AN-co-AMPS) composite exhibits mesoporous characteristics with a surface area of 59.615 m2 g-1. Moreover, the Ag/poly(AN-co-AMPS) composite was effectively applied as a heterogeneous catalyst for the catalytic reduction of hazardous 4-nitrophenols (4-NP) with a rate constant equal to 0.28 min-1 and half-life time equal to 2.47 min to a less toxic compound in the presence of NaBH4 as a reductant. Furthermore, the reusability experiment confirmed the excellent stability of Ag/poly(AN-co-AMPS). The catalyst can be easily separated from the reaction mixture using a simple centrifuge and directly reused for up to four successive cycles without a remarkable decrease in its catalytic activity. The conversion percentage of 4-NP after the four cycles was found to be 93%.

Hand-crafted potent hydroxyl-rich husk succoured Fe3O4 @ Cu, Mn, Ni, Co - tetra-metallic heterogenous nanocomposite as a catalytic accelerant.

An innovative means of synthesizing mechanically recoverable ternary nanocomposite (NC) comprising Fe3O4 supported on Oryza sativa husk (OSH) and ornamented with 3d tetra-metals (M = Mn, Co, Ni, Cu) is proposed using a manual grinding method. This NC was prepared via a one-step manual method. The added advantage of this method is the non-usage of solvents during the synthesis of the NC. In situ, the NPs were grown on OSH-supported magnetite NPs, where they combined to form a matrix to facilitate the formation of the metal NPs in it. The as-crafted Oryza sativa husk-supported magnetite @ tetra-metallic nanocore hybrid (OSFTC) was confirmed via several characterisation techniques, such as XRD, FT-IR, HR-TEM, FE-SEM, XPS, VSM, NMR, and UV-vis analysis. The interesting twist in this NC is that the leaching-in of metals toward the core of the NC increases the magnetic nature of the composite as evidenced by VSM analysis. The electrostatic attraction between NPs formed and the matrix plausibly results in enhanced photocatalytic degradation of pharma-waste in an efficient way. The activity of the OSFTC increases for ciprofloxacin and paracetamol by 67 and 71%. Furthermore, the hydrogenation of anthropogenic pollutants via a foreign agent yields a good conversion percentage of 92%. In addition, the noxious hexavalent chromium is converted to a trivalent cation with the help of OSFTC, indicating good conversion under ambient conditions. Herein, OSFTC also exhibited effective activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Moreover, the ternary composite demonstrates consistent and commendable activity against pharmaceutical compounds and carcinogenic pollutants. The OSFTC was designed in a way to perform the cleavage of bonds for toxic materials efficiently.

Hydrogenation of cyclohexene over single-atom Pt or Pd incorporated porous ceria nanoparticles under solvent-free conditions.

In order to maximize the utilization of noble metals in catalysis, single atom of palladium (Pd) and platinum (Pt) were incorporated individually in the framework of porous ceria (CeO2) by using a one-step flash combustion method. Samples with different Pd and Pt loading (0.5, 1, 2.5, and 5 wt%) were prepared and examined by using different analysis techniques such as XRD, ICP, N2 sorption measurements, SEM, HR-TEM, and XPS. The characterization data confirms the formation of zero-state single-atom Pt and Pd (with possible formation of Pd nanoparticles with a size less than 5 nm) incorporated onto the three-dimensional porous ceria structure. The catalytic activity of the synthesized materials was studied in the cyclohexene reduction to cyclohexane at 393 K and 3 atm of pure hydrogen (H2) gas as a model reaction. The obtained results demonstrated that the conversion percentage of cyclohexene is increasing with Pd or Pt loading. The best cyclohexene conversion, 21% and 29%, was achieved over the sample that contains 5 wt% of Pt and Pd, respectively. The collected catalytic data fit the zero-order reaction model, and the rate constant of each catalyst was determined. The catalytic experiments of the most-performed catalysts were repeated five times and the obtained loss in activity was insignificant.

Application of Fluorescent Carbon Dots as Catalysts for the Ring-Opening Reaction of Epoxides.

Considering the increased anthropogenic emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere, it is important to develop economic incentives for the use of CO2 capture methodologies. The conversion of CO2 into heterocyclic carbonates shows significant potential. However, there is a need for suitable organocatalysts to reach the required efficiency for these reactions. Given this, there has been an increasing focus on the development of organocatalytic systems consisting of a nucleophile and a hydrogen bond donor (HBD) so that CO2 conversion can occur in ambient conditions. In this work, we evaluated the potential of fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) as catalytic HBDs in the ring-opening reaction of epoxides, which is typically the rate-limiting step of CO2 conversion reactions into heterocyclic carbonates. The obtained results demonstrated that the CDs had a relevant catalytic effect on the studied model reaction, with a rate constant of 0.2361 ± 0.008 h-1, a percentage of reactant conversion of 70.8%, and a rate constant enhancement of 32.2%. These results were better than the studied alternative molecular HBDs. Thus, this study demonstrated that CDs have the potential to be used as HBDs and employed in organocatalyzed CO2 conversion into value-added products.

Safety and Efficacy of Clofazimine as an Alternative for Rifampicin in Mycobacterium avium Complex Pulmonary Disease Treatment: Outcomes of a Randomized Trial

BackgroundRetrospective studies have suggested clofazimine as an alternative for rifampicin in MAC-PD treatment. Research questionIs a treatment regimen consisting of clofazimine-ethambutol-macrolide non inferior to the standard treatment regimen (rifampicin-ethambutol-macrolide) in the treatment of M.avium complex pulmonary disease? Study design and MethodsIn this single centre non-blinded clinical trial, we randomly assigned adult patients with MAC-PD in a 1:1 ratio to receive rifampicin or clofazimine as adjuncts to an ethambutol-macrolide backbone. The primary outcome was sputum culture conversion after six months of treatment. ResultsForty patients were assigned to receive either rifampicin (n=19) or clofazimine (n=21) ) next to ethambutol and a macrolide. After 6 months of treatment, both arms showed similar percentages of sputum culture conversion based on intention to treat analysis: 58% (11/19) for rifampicin; 62% (13/21) for clofazimine. Study discontinuation, mainly due to adverse events, was equal in both arms (26% vs 33%). Based on an on treatment analysis sputum culture conversion after 6 months of treatment was 79% in both groups.In the clofazimine arm, diarrhoea was more prevalent (76% vs 37%; p=0.012), while arthralgia was more frequent in the rifampicin arm (37% vs 5%; p=0.011). No difference in the frequency of QTc prolongation was seen between both groups. InterpretationA clofazimine-ethambutol-macrolide regimen showed similar results to the standard rifampicin-ethambutol-macrolide regimen and should be considered in the treatment of MAC-PD. The frequency of adverse events was similar in both arms, but their nature was different. Individual patients characteristics and possible drug-drug interactions should be taken into consideration when choosing an antibiotic regimen for MAC-PD.

Enhanced Fischer-Tropsch synthesis performance using graphene Nanosheets-Supported Cobalt-Ruthenium Nanocatalysts: Comparative study with γ-Alumina and carbon nanotubes supports

In this research, graphene Nanosheets (GNS) as Cobalt-Ruthenium Nanocatalysts support have been used in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The characterizations of catalysts were evaluated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Temperature Programmed Reduction (TPR), and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). Afterward, the catalysts' activity, selectivity, and performance were assessed in a fixed-bed reactor at 25 bar. The results were compared by changing the catalyst base to γ-alumina (γ-Al2O3) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Measurements were performed in the temperature range of 320––340 °C, the gas ratio (H2/CO) of 2, and the gas hourly space velocity of 3 Lh-1gCat.-1. Using GNS as cobalt catalyst support in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis leads to the 64.5 % and 25.9 % increase in the percentage of CO conversion compared to γ-Al2O3 and CNTs, respectively. Additionally, the utilization of GNS support has resulted in an 11.1 % increase in heavy hydrocarbons selectivity of C5+, in comparison to γ-Al2O3, and a 9.5 % increase compared to CNTs. GNS-based synthesized catalyst with 10 wt% of cobalt and 0.1 wt% of ruthenium (catalyst #6) indicates the highest activity of catalyst at 320 °C with 72.3 % selectivity than heavy hydrocarbons C5+.

Influence of Photoinitiator Type and Curing Conditions on the Photocuring of Soft Polymer Network

The presented work deals with the photocuring of telechelic macromonomers derived from plant-based fatty acids to obtain a soft polymer network. Compositions were made by mixing macromonomers with three different concentrations (0.5, 1, and 2%) of two type I photoinitiators (Omnirad 2022 and Omnirad 819). All formulations were then subjected to photopolymerization studies by applying UV-assisted differential scanning calorimetry (UV-DSC) measurements at isothermal conditions at 37 °C with a narrow light source wavelength of 365 nm and irradiation (light intensity) of 20 and 50 mW/cm2. The percentage conversions, reaction orders, and constants were estimated based on autocatalytic Sestak–Berggen and Avrami models. In this work, for the first time, the influence of the curing conditions on the photopolymerization process, such as the photoinitiator concentration, light intensity, and oxygen presence/absence, were investigated for these novel systems. The results indicated significant differences between the two commercially available photoinitiators and their effects on photopolymerization kinetics. The maximum reaction rate was found to be considerably higher for Omnirad 2022 (which is a blend of three different compounds), especially at a lower light intensity, i.e., 20 mW/cm2, compared to Omnirad 819. However, it led to lower maximum conversion in an air atmosphere. The dynamic thermomechanical analysis (DMTA) revealed that light intensity, photoinitiator concentration, and oxygen presence had a strong effect on the storage modulus and loss modulus values. It was concluded that the chemical structure of the photoinitiator and curing conditions had a strong effect on the photopolymerization kinetics and properties of the prepared soft polymer networks.

Effects of land conversion to cropland on soil organic carbon in montane soils of Northeast China from 1985 to 2020

Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays important roles in soil ecological function, soil conservation, and the global carbon cycle. With the increase of population and food demand, more and more croplands were reclaimed in mountainous areas. However, land conversion to cropland can lead to evident changes of SOC. The innovation of this study was to quantify the changes of SOC for different land covers in montane soils. Eight hundred twenty-nine topsoil samples were collected from dryland in Northeast China, and each soil sample was collected at least 200 m off the road at every 5–10 km interval, and five sites were mixed as one soil sample. Landsat 8 images were acquired from the bare soil period, and land cover data for 1985–2020 were obtained from Yang and Huang (2021). The surface reflectance of the 829 topsoil samples (0–20 cm) was extracted from Landsat 8 images. Then, a SOC prediction hybrid model was built after k-means clustering based on measured SOC using the potassium dichromate heating method, and a probability hybrid model was developed for SOC mapping. Land conversion to cropland was assigned to eight periods (i.e., five-year intervals from 1985 to 2020) based on land cover data, and the conversion percentages of different land cover types to cropland were calculated. Seven mountainous sub-regions were selected in Northeast China based on distribution of cropland and mountains to analyze the effects of land conversion to cropland on SOC. Our study showed that (1) the hybrid model had a higher accuracy than the global model, and the hybrid model led to the R2 of 0.77 and RMSE of 4.66 g kg−1 for validation samples. (2) Land conversion to cropland was mainly from forest in the 1980 s (proportion of 67.13%) and from grassland after 2015 (proportion of 52.24%). (3) SOC decreases with an average rate of 0.30 g kg -1 per five years from 1985 to 2020, and the slope of land conversion to cropland increases with an average rate of 0.35° per five years from 1985 to 2020; (4) SOC of land conversion to cropland from forests decreased by 2.04 g kg−1, and wetland has an evident decrease trend (decrease by 1.84 g kg−1) and an increasing trend from barren (increase by 4.07 g kg−1). Our results suggested that land conversion to cropland has a negative effect on SOC in montane soils and should control land conversion to cropland to protect natural resources.

Abstract 157: Evaluating the Impact of Pre‐Procedural CTA on Fluoroscopy Time and Conversion Rates

Introduction Cerebral angiography, essential in managing cerebrovascular disorders, exposes patients to ionizing radiation, with dose dependence on procedure complexity, patient's body habitus, and equipment used, raising safety concerns (1,2). Conversion from primary to secondary access site, influenced by anatomical variables, further increases procedure and fluoroscopy time (3). We propose using Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) prior to DSA for anatomical insights, potentially reducing access site conversion, procedure time, and radiation dose/fluoroscopy time. This study evaluates the impact of pre‐procedural CTA on fluoroscopy time and access site conversion rates. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted at a single center to collect data for this study. A total of 93 participants who received DSA were evaluated. Variables of interest included whether a CTA was performed prior to DSA, fluoroscopy time, fluoroscopy dose, time per vessel, dose per vessel, average number of vessels imaged, and the conversion rate from radial to femoral access. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, and independent sample t‐tests were conducted to compare the means of continuous variables between the groups that received a CTA Neck prior to DSA and those that did not. All statistical analyses were performed using a significance level of 0.05. Results Out of 93 participants, 61 had a prior CTA neck and 32 did not. The non‐prior CTA group had slightly higher average fluoroscopy time (15.68 vs. 14.30 min, p=0.39) and dose (643.29 vs. 582.90, p=0.37), but lower time per vessel (3.42 vs. 3.65, p=0.58) and higher dose per vessel (162.80 vs. 145.01, p=0.63). They also imaged more vessels on average (4.81 vs. 4.33, p=0.09). Conversion percentage for non‐prior CTA was lower compared to the prior CTA group (6.25% vs. 6.56%) but not statistically significant. Standard deviation for all measures, except for time per vessel, was higher in the non‐prior CTA neck, indicating more variability in this group. Conclusion This retrospective analysis suggests that prior computed tomography angiography (CTA) might lead to reduced fluoroscopy times and dosage during procedures, but the results are not statistically significant at this stage. However, the study indicates that prior CTA cases had a higher percentage of access site conversions, though the sample size was small. Due to these findings, further investigation with a larger sample size is needed to explore these variables more thoroughly. If CTA before digital subtraction angiography (DSA) can indeed decrease procedure time, radiation exposure, and the need for access site conversion, it has the potential to significantly improve functional neurological outcomes. Moreover, it may reduce the occurrence of complications related to radiation exposure and decrease the overall costs associated with performing DSA and related neurointerventions.

Triple reaction centers Vo-Ce-CuO nanosheets with single Ce atom for the Fenton-like degradation of niflumic acid

Vo (oxygen vacancy)-Ce-CuO nanosheet catalysts were studied for degrading niflumic acid (NFA) by the heterogeneous Fenton-like process (HFLP). NFA removal percentage of optimal Vo-Ce0.05-CuO reached 92% after 60 min of Fenton-like reactions and dropped only 0.28% after five times of recycles. Synergetic effects of triple reaction centers with electron-rich Vo centers, single Ce atom centers, and electron-deficient Cu centers have been demonstrated for generating hydroxyl radicals (OH) by H2O2 decomposition. The electrons from the organic pollutants adsorbed at the electron-deficient Cu centers could be transferred to Vo and Ce via the internal bridge bond to balance the electron transfer. H2O2 could directly obtain electrons from electron-rich Vo and single Ce atom centers to produce OH with a high H2O2 utilization efficiency instead of reducing metal ions by consuming H2O2. For the first time, we demonstrate that triple reaction centers with single Ce atom could improve the conversion percentage of H2O2 to OH with 71.1%. OH, HO2/O2− and 1O2 were the primary oxidants in the HFLP, in which OH played the dominant role.

Proteolysis improves the foaming properties of rice protein fibrils: Structure, physicochemical properties changes, and application in angel food cake

Proteolysis prior to fibrillation can change the functional properties of protein fibrils. This study aimed to investigate the effects of proteolysis pretreatment by alkaline protease on formation, structure, and foaming properties of rice protein fibrils. Thioflavin T fluorescence and conversion assays showed that proteolysis reduced the fibril formation capacity of rice protein. After 12 h of heating, the percent conversion of rice protein and rice protein hydrolysates to fibrils reached 60.32 ± 1.07% and 30.43 ± 2.01%, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that fibrils derived from rice protein hydrolysates had a longer contour length than rice protein fibrils. The foaming capacity and stability of rice protein hydrolysate fibrils increased by 16.70% and 11.27%, respectively, compared with those of rice protein fibrils. The addition of rice protein hydrolysate fibrils improved the texture of cakes. These results suggested that rice protein hydrolysate fibrils could be a promising plant-based foaming agent.

Influence of humidity on the plasma‐assisted CO2 conversion

AbstractThe current research focuses on carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion at ambient conditions using streamer plasma. In this study, treatment time and humidity have been found to influence CO2 conversion. Our findings reveal a maximum CO2 conversion rate of 35.2%, achieved with a remarkably high energy efficiency of CO2 conversion at 135% and a low energy cost of 2.17 eV/molecule. We employed optical emission and fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy spectroscopy to analyze the different dissociation products of CO2 and determine the percentage of CO2 conversion. Furthermore, we utilized a two‐dimensional (2D) fluid dynamics model and a zero‐dimensional (0D) chemistry model to gain insights into the reactor mechanism.

Synthesis of Cu-1,4-Benzene Dicarboxylate Metal-Organic Frameworks (Cu-BDC MOFs) from Plastic Waste and Its Application as Catalyst in Biodiesel Production

The increasing of PET plastic waste causes various environmental problems because decomposing it is difficult to compose. This study aims to utilize PET plastic waste as a source of terephthalic acid organic linker in the solvothermal synthesis of Cu-1,4-Benzene Dicarboxylate metal-organic frameworks (Cu-BDC MOFs). Cu-BDC MOFs were characterized using FTIR, XRD, and SEM-EDX. The characterization results showed that the crystals of Cu-BDC MOFs had an irregular cubic morphology with an average crystal size of 67.96 nm. Furthermore, Cu-BDC MOFs were applied as catalysts for the esterification reaction to produce biodiesel from coconut oil. The conversion percentage of free fatty acids in the esterification process was 43.75 %, while in the transesterification process, it was 68.90 %. Analysis using GC-MS showed the presence of 8 peaks, with the largest percentage of areas identified as fatty acid methyl esters. The major components were methyl laurate (31.17 %), methyl myristate (18.77 %), methyl palmitate (12.50 %), methyl caprylate (10.76 %), methyl elaidate (10.07 %), methyl caprate (7.34 %), methyl stearate (5.67 %), and methyl linoleate (2.26 %). The quality of the biodiesel was tested, and the results were as follows: The density parameter was measured at 842.5 kg/m3, the viscosity measurement showed 2.9572 cSt, and the water content was found to be 0.09 %. Additionally, the acid number parameter was determined to be 0.2799 mg-KOH/g. HIGHLIGHTS Cu-BDC MOFs are produced through the hydrolysis of PET waste using a solvothermal mixture of distilled water, ethanol, and DMF at 85 °C for 24 h. The micrograph of the synthesized Cu-BDC MOFs reveals a clustered topography of Cu-BDC MOFs crystals with irregular cubic (hexahedral) shapes. FTIR analysis of biodiesel displays distinctive peaks corresponding to the -C-H, -C=O, -CH2, -CH3, and -C-O functional groups. The GC-MS analysis of biodiesel from coconut oil shows the presence of 8 major peaks, namely methyl caprylate, methyl caprate, methyl laurate, methyl myristate, methyl palmitate, methyl linoleate, methyl elaidate, and methyl stearate, with the largest percent area. The quality test results of biodiesel indicate a density parameter of 842.5 kg/m3, a biodiesel viscosity measurement of 2.9572 cSt, a water content of 0.0898 %, and an acid number of 0.2799 mg-KOH/g. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT