Pretreatment Stage Research Articles

Correlation of immunological variables of interleukin-17 and heat shock protein-70 in ethnic women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal imbalance resulting from high levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in females, leading to immature eggs, ovarian cysts, irregular menstrual cycles, infertility, excessive facial hair growth, and acne. Objective: This study was conducted to follow up the therapeutic effect on some blood, hormonal, and immune variables of samples consisting of 35 patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) from women suffering from infertility and infertility, and who visited Azadi Teaching Hospital and private laboratories in Kirkuk city, their ages ranged between (18 - 40 years). Materials and Methods: Sample collection and follow-up began by observing some clinical signs in addition to verifying the results of ultrasound examinations from early February 2023 to early November 2023. Each patient’s examinations were followed up before treatment and three months after taking the treatment. The results we obtained after three months of treatment were compared with the results of the examinations of the patients in the pre-treatment stage and the control group. The treatment plan was based on modifying the patient's dietary lifestyle by following a healthy diet and giving treatment consisting of oral contraceptives, fertility drugs and the use of sugar-reducing drugs such as Glucophage or Metformin, in addition to nutritional supplements such as antioxidants. Result: The results of the therapeutic effect on the patients' diagnostic clinical signs showed a significant decrease in their percentages after three months of treatment compared to the pre-treatment stage such as (ovulation disorders - menstrual disorders - obesity - hirsutism - acne -). The results of the statistical analysis of the study showed that the therapeutic effect showed a significant difference in the body mass index (BMI) after three months of treatment compared to the pre-treatment stage and the control group. The therapeutic effect of the immune factors for each Hast Shock protein 70 and Interleukin-17 also showed a significant decrease at the level (0.000 > p) respectively after three months of taking the treatment compared to the pre-treatment stage and the control group. It was found that there is a significant positive correlation between the level of Heat Shock Protein 70 and the cellular kinetic IL-17.

Evaluating the detection of barbiturates in dried blood spots: A comparative analysis using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with different extraction methods

Rapid and accurate characterization and quantitation of blood barbiturates and their combination drugs are very important for the clinical treatment of acute barbiturate poisoning. A comparison of dried blood spot (DBS) and traditional liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) in the pre-treatment stage, as well as a comparison of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS), gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS), and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) as instrumental analysis methods, revealed differences in the analysis results of barbiturates and their combination drugs under different conditions. Based on these findings, we introduce a DBS-GC–MS/MS method. The developed and validated method showed good selectivity, sensitivity (LOD: 0.1 μg mL−1, LOQ: 0.2 μg mL−1), linearity (R2>0.9992), trueness (<15 %, except for carbamazepine, at 29.4 %), and precision (<15 %). Recovery was also good for most target compounds, but significant matrix effects were evident. Compared with the LLE method, the DBS method has the benefits of easy sample collection, storage, and transport, as well as simple pre-treatment and reduced reagent and energy consumption. Compared to LC-MS/MS, GC–MS/MS requires no switching between positive and negative ion modes and uses the MRM detection mode, meaning that more information about the sample compounds can be obtained in less analysis time. Using actual sample analysis, we have demonstrated the advantages of the DBS-GC–MS/MS method for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of barbiturates and poisoning events due to combinations of these drugs. Comparison of the three instruments and the two treatment methods revealed their analysis characteristics. From the perspective of practical application, the broad practical value and advantages of DBS should be embraced in more applications, and future analytical laboratory development should continue to recognize GC–MS/MS as a useful supplement to LC-MS/MS.

Correlation of Immunological Variables of Interleukin-17 and Heat Shock Protein-70 In Ethnic Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal imbalance resulting from high levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in females, leading to immature eggs, ovarian cysts, irregular menstrual cycles, infertility, excessive facial hair growth, and acne. Objective: This study was conducted to follow up the therapeutic effect on some blood, hormonal, and immune variables of samples consisting of 35 patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) from women suffering from infertility and infertility, and who visited Azadi Teaching Hospital and private laboratories in Kirkuk city, their ages ranged between (18 - 40 years). Materials and Methods: Sample collection and follow-up began by observing some clinical signs in addition to verifying the results of ultrasound examinations from early February 2023 to early November 2023. Each patient’s examinations were followed up before treatment and three months after taking the treatment. The results we obtained after three months of treatment were compared with the results of the examinations of the patients in the pre-treatment stage and the control group. The treatment plan was based on modifying the patient's dietary lifestyle by following a healthy diet and giving treatment consisting of oral contraceptives, fertility drugs and the use of sugar-reducing drugs such as Glucophage or Metformin, in addition to nutritional supplements such as antioxidants. Result: The results of the therapeutic effect on the patients' diagnostic clinical signs showed a significant decrease in their percentages after three months of treatment compared to the pre-treatment stage such as (ovulation disorders - menstrual disorders - obesity - hirsutism - acne -). The results of the statistical analysis of the study showed that the therapeutic effect showed a significant difference in the body mass index (BMI) after three months of treatment compared to the pre-treatment stage and the control group. The therapeutic effect of the immune factors for each Hast Shock protein 70 and Interleukin-17 also showed a significant decrease at the level (0.000 &gt; p) respectively after three months of taking the treatment compared to the pre-treatment stage and the control group. It was found that there is a significant positive correlation between the level of Heat Shock Protein 70 and the cellular kinetic IL-17.

Comparison of voice quality in patients with oral cancer at both pre and post treatment stage

Background: Patients with oral cancer have very common complaints of change in voice. This research is designed to study the effect of oral cancer and its treatment on the various domains of voice like functional, physical, and emotional along with parameters of voice like pitch, loudness and quality. Method: This study included total 48 participants (34 males and 14 females) with oral cancer. The voice quality of the participants was analysed both before and after treatment using Dr. speech and the voice handicap index (VHI). First, the voice analysis done when the patient was diagnosed as a case of oral cancer by the head-neck oncosurgeon after completion of all required investigations. Patients were recalled for voice analysis after completion of treatment. Results: There was a significant difference observed in all three domains of the VHI at both before and after treatment. The difference in the functional domain was more prominent. The VHI was not linked to tumor or nodal staging. However, post treatment the voice parameters are greatly affected as compared to pre-treatment stage. Conclusions: The administration of the VHI should be made mandatory prior to treatment of oral cancer and the findings of the test should be discussed with the patient prior to start of any treatment modality and accordingly the realistic expectations can be set. Therefore, voice analysis using Dr speech will also help in timely assessment and rehabilitation of voice before and after treatment.

Experimental investigation and Monte Carlo simulation of landfill leachate treatment using physicochemical method and a non-thermal plasma reactor

ABSTRACT Leachate treatment is one of the challenging subjects in the field of waste management. Leachate as a dumpling sites hazardous byproduct due to the high concentration of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and toxic compounds with dark colour is a potential pollutant of the environment, causing a lot of problems in the absence of treatment and direct discharge to the environment. In this study, the combinatory performance of sequential chemical flocculation and coagulation process and non-thermal plasma (NTP) technology on leachate from the Sarāvān city former controlled landfill, Iran, was investigated. The outcomes of Jar test illustrated that hydrated aluminium sulphate (PAC) was selected the best coagulant compared with hydrated aluminium sulphate (HAS) and ferric chloride (FC) to remove suspended solids and colour. The optimised parameters for 10% PAC pre-treatment were obtained 3 g lime and cationic 0.1 g polyelectrolyte per 1 litre of leachate. After pre-treatment by using jar test, NTP was used to remove turbidity, colour, COD and so forth. The sequential system-based all stages of pretreatment and NTP diminished the turbidity and colour removal to 98.6% and 99.2%, respectively. Furthermore, COD, BOD5, TSS, and TDS were also reduced. As a result, combination of pre-treatment and NTP technology are able to remove the landfill leachate effectively. Monte Carlo calculations exhibited that Al3+ and H2O2 had the most effects to decompose HA (Humic acid) compound in physicochemical pre-treatment and treatment stages.

245. ESOPHAGECTOMY AFTER NEOADJUVANT CHEMOTHERAPY WITH AN INDICATION FOR CONVERSION SURGERY FOR HIGHLY ADVANCED ESOPHAGOGASTRIC JUNCTION ADENOCARCINOMA

Abstract Background There is currently no strong evidence for preoperative chemotherapy for advanced esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, no curative treatment strategy has been established for advanced junction adenocarcinoma, including Stage IV disease, with no indication for conversion surgery. Subjects and Methods In this study, we retrospectively reviewed nine patients with highly advanced esophagogastric junctional adenocarcinoma, including Stage IV adenocarcinoma, who underwent systemic chemotherapy followed by planned resection at our hospital. Results The participants included 6 males and 3 females, with median age of 64 (range: 45–72) years. Pretreatment stages III, IVA, and IVB, categorized based on UICC TNM classification (esophageal adenocarcinoma), were observed in 1, 4, and 4 cases, respectively, with 1 case of (#104) subclavian lymph node metastases, 1 case of (#16) abdominal para-aortic lymph node metastases, and 2 cases of liver metastases, including multiple lesions. All patients received S-1 plus oxaliplatin (SOX) therapy as preoperative chemotherapy (2–40 courses). Although we observed one patient with unresectable abdomen malingnancies, the others underwent R0 resection, six underwent esophagectomy (with three total gastrectomy and one liver resection), and two open (+ continuous right thoracotomy) lower esophagectomy + total gastrectomy. Pathological stages I, II, III, and IV were observed in two, one, four, and one patients, respectively. Postoperatively, stereotactic irradiation, chemotherapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitors were administered to the patients to treat recurrent brain and liver metastases, and the 1-year survival rate was found to be 71.4% with a median observation period of 17 (range: 0–61) months. Among them, downstage and pN0 cases were relatively promising. Conclusion Even in highly advanced cases, cases with promising prognoses with multidisciplinary treatment, including surgery, were observed. We hope that large-scale clinical trials, such as JCOG2203, will help clarifying the significance of this approach, and advancements in chemotherapy regimens are expected.

Efficacy Comparison of Low Level Laser Treatment with Muscle Energy Procedure Among Diabetic Patients Suffering from Frozen Shoulder

Frozen shoulder incidence in diabetic patient is twice as high as normal controls. There are various conventional as well as electrotherapies for its treatment within which low-level laser therapy versus muscle energy technique are well debated for efficacy in diabetic patients frozen shoulder. Objective: Comparative analysis of effectiveness of low-level laser therapy and muscle energy technique among diabetic patients with frozen shoulder. The study design was comparative study. The Place and Duration of Study was Department of Orthopaedic, Indus Medical College, Tando Muhammad Khan from 1st January 2023 to 30th June 2023. Methods: One hundred and twenty patients who were having diabetes mellitus (type 1 and type 2) and suffering from frozen shoulders were enrolled. The conventional therapeutic exercise included exercises like pendulum, arm overhead, finger wall ladder, twisting arm outwards, overhead pulley, cross-body reach exercises, hand behind-back exercise and outward rotation exercise. Muscle energy technique was administered in cases where restriction in shoulder flexion, as well as abduction, external rotation was observed. Results: There were 59% females and 41% males with majority being within the age group of 45-65 years. It was observed that there was a significant variance between pain scores at pretreatment and post treatment stages with highest value decrease observed in muscle energy technique group II. The ROM was least improved in control group only treated through conventional protocol. Conclusions: The Muscle energy technique is slightly more effective than low-level laser therapy technique in terms of pain, inflammation reduction and angular movements.

Hydrogen production through polyoxometalate catalysed electrolysis from biomass components and food waste

Electrolysis from biomass is a promising process for hydrogen generation from biomass and biowaste that is still unexplored. The paper used lignocellulosic biomass components and food waste (banana and cucumber peels) as feedstocks to explore hydrogen generation through an H-type proton exchange membrane electrolytic cell. Polyoxometalates (PMo12) were employed as a catalyst and charge carrier during the pre-treatment stage in the biomass degradation process. Electrochemical characterisations were conducted in a potential range of 0–1.20 V to analyse the electrochemical reaction behaviour at the anode. To assess the impact of temperature on the hydrogen yield rates, the electrolysis was conducted at both room temperature (19 °C) and a higher temperature (80 °C). Results show that the maximum hydrogen produced in the first hour was 7.8 mL per gram of biomass. With an electrical potential of 1.20 V and a temperature of 80 °C, the hydrogen yield rate of glucose was three times higher than that of the individual biomass components, i.e., cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose, and starch. The volume of hydrogen yielded from banana peel and cucumber was 49.2 mL and 39.6 mL, respectively. The overall conversion efficiency was calculated as the weight percentage ratio of the hydrogen contained in cucumber and banana peels and the hydrogen collected was 10 % and 17 %, respectively, suggesting the need to identify solutions to extract the hydrogen content from biomass material further.

Predictors of Curve of Spee Leveling in Class II Division 1 Malocclusion Treated With Reverse Curve of Spee Archwires: An Observational Study.

Introduction Aligning and leveling is the initial stage of comprehensive fixed orthodontic treatment aimed at minimizing the depth of the curve of Spee (COS). Various techniques exist to decrease the magnitude of the curve. This study investigates the skeletal and dental factors that reduce COS in individuals with minor class II malocclusions receiving nitinol (NiTi) wires with a reverse curve of Spee (RCS). Materials and methods The data for this observational study was collected from a sample of 84 patients who had class II molar relations and were sequentially treated with RCS NiTi wires throughout the initial leveling and aligning phase. All patients with class II molar relationships underwent non-extraction procedures during the leveling phase. The COS was determined using digitalized dental models. Skeletal and dental characteristics that could impact COS were identified and quantified using digital lateral cephalograms and orthopantomograms recorded during the pre-treatment (T1) and post-leveling (T2) stages. After calibrating the radiographs and models, we acquired angular and linear data. The data was categorized based on gender, growth pattern, and initial alignment of the teeth. We analyzed the differences between the groups using an independent t-test and an ANOVA. A paired t-test was used to compare the difference in the dimensional values between (T1) and (T2) points. Following the correlation coefficient tests, the study used stepwise multiple linear regression analysis to assess the predictive value of independent factors on the COS. The results were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05. Results The COS decreased by -1.43 ± 0.68 mm, which is statistically significant (<0.001*). There is no significant difference in COS reduction between the categorical variables. Despite statistically significant differences in the parameters between pre- and post-treatment, the linear correlation between most of the variables and COS reduction ranged from very weak (<0.20) to weak (0.20-0.39). Conclusions The vertical extrusion of lower premolars and molars combined with the intrusion of lower incisors contributed to the reduction of the COS by RCS wires. There is a change in the orientation of the occlusal plane with the flattening of the COS.

Utilization of banana peel waste for the production of bioethanol and other high-value-added compounds

Bananas (Musa sp.) are one of the most produced crops worldwide, surpassing 100 million tons per year, and considering that approximately 30 % of their weight consists of peels, the annual generation of these residues is significant. Banana residues are rich in nutrients; nowadays, they are all disposed of in landfills. As a novelty, this work showed that it could be used for other things, such as alcohol, D-Limonene, and citric acid production. This study characterized the biomass, optimized pretreatment, and enzymatic hydrolysis and evaluated the fermentation process using this biomass, using the central composite design (CCD) methodology. The planning variables included sulfuric acid (H2SO4) concentration, banana peel waste mass in the pretreatment stage, and commercial cellulase enzyme (Sigma-Aldrich) concentration in the enzymatic hydrolysis stage. The responses quantified were sugars, ethanol, and acids using high-performance liquid chromatography, and the D-Limonene content was determined on a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer. The highest yield of total reducing sugars found after enzymatic hydrolysis was 11.88 g/L, while the ethanol yield was 1.37 g/L. In the recovery of D-Limonene, the obtained value was 0.56 mg/g. The values of fermentable sugars confirm banana peel waste as a potential biomass for biorefinery processes. Furthermore, the possibility of an integrated D-Limonene recovery is essential in obtaining bioproducts. In this sense, it can be concluded that utilizing these residues is promising in reducing environmental issues and valorizing food waste.

Trilogy of comprehensive treatment of kitchen waste by bacteria-microalgae-fungi combined system: Pretreatment, water purification and resource utilization, and biomass harvesting

Given its profound disservice, a bacteria-microalgae-fungi combined system was designed to treat kitchen waste. Firstly, a new type of microbial agent homemade compound microorganisms (HCM) (composed of Serratia marcescens, Bacillus subtilis and other 11 strains) with relatively high bio-security were developed for pretreating kitchen waste, and HCM efficiently degraded 85.2 % cellulose, 94.3 % starch, and 59.0 % oil. HCM also accomplished brilliantly the initial nutrients purification and liquefaction conversion of kitchen waste. Under mono-culture mode (fungi and microalgae were inoculated separately in the pre - and post-stages) and co-culture mode (fungi and microalgae were inoculated simultaneously in the early stage), microalgae-fungi consortia were then applied for further water purification and resource utilization of kitchen waste liquefied liquid (KWLL) produced in the pretreatment stage. Two kinds of microalgae-fungi consortia (Chlorella sp. HQ and Chlorella sp. MHQ2 form consortia with pellet-forming fungi Aspergillus niger HW8–1, respectively) removed 79.5–83.0 % chemical oxygen demand (COD), 44.0–56.5 % total nitrogen (TN), 90.3–96.4 % total phosphorus (TP), and 64.9–71.0 % NH4+-N of KWLL. What's more, the microalgae-fungi consortia constructed in this study accumulated abundant high-value substances at the same time of efficiently purifying KWLL. Finally, in the biomass harvesting stage, pellet-forming fungi efficiently harvested 81.9–82.1 % of microalgal biomass in a low-cost manner through exopolysaccharides adhesion, surface proteins interaction and charge neutralization. Compared with conventional microalgae-bacteria symbiosis system, the constructed bacteria-microalgae-fungi new-type combined system achieves the triple purpose of efficient purification, resource utilization, and biomass recovery on raw kitchen waste through the trilogy strategy, providing momentous technical references and more treatment systems selection for future kitchen waste treatment.

Harnessing artificial intelligence for enhanced bioethanol productions: a cutting-edge approach towards sustainable energy solution

Abstract The adoption of biofuels as an energy source has experienced a substantial increase, exceeding the consumption of fossil fuels. The shift can be ascribed to the availability of renewable resources for energy production and the ecological advantages linked to their utilisation. Nevertheless, due to its intricate characteristics, the process of producing ethanol fuel from biomass poses difficulties in terms of administration, enhancement, and forecasting future results. To tackle these difficulties, it is crucial to utilise modelling techniques like artificial intelligence (AI) to create, oversee, and improve bioethanol production procedures. Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) is a prominent AI technique that offers significant advantages for modelling bioethanol production systems’ pretreatment, fermentation, and conversion stages. They are highly flexible and accurate, making them particularly well-suited. This study thoroughly examines several artificial intelligence techniques used in bioethanol production, specifically focusing on research published in the past ten years. The analysis emphasises the importance of using AI methods to address the complexities of bioethanol production and shows their role in enhancing efficiency and sustainability in the biofuel industry.

Occurrence, Fate, and Removal of Selected Antibiotics in Advanced Biological Urban Wastewater Treatment Plant

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are considered as one of the most important point sources for releasing antibiotics into the natural environment. In this study, the occurrence, fate, and removal of three antibiotics, ciprofloxacin (CIP), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and azithromycin (AZI), belong to quinolone, sulfonamide, and macrolide groups, respectively were investigated seasonally in a large-scale urban WWTP. While the occurrence concentrations of the investigated antibiotics in raw wastewater were found between about 0.26 and 0.73 μg/L in the summer season, it was determined in the range of approximately 0.41 and 4.6 μg/L in the winter season. Although the removal efficiencies obtained for antibiotics in the pre-treatment stage of the studied advanced biological WWTP were not very high, the most treated compound in the pre-treatment stage was determined as CIP (up to 23.8%). Total removal efficiencies of the investigated antibiotics in the WWTP varied mainly based on the biological treatment stage of the WWTP. At the same time, removal efficiencies of the antibiotics obtained in the biological treatment also changed considerably depending on the seasons. Among all the investigated antibiotic compounds, it was determined that AZI was the compound that was least affected by the seasons in terms of the total removal efficiency obtained in WWTP. According to the annual average total removal efficiencies, it was determined that SMX (25.7%), CIP (71.3%), and AZI (89.2%) were treated poorly, moderately, and highly in WWTP, respectively. However, advanced biological WWTP was determined to be insufficient for the complete removal of total antibiotics.

Effects of coagulation pre-treatment on chemical and microbial properties of water-soil-plant systems of constructed wetlands

Chemical coagulation has gained recognition as an effective technique to enhance the removal efficiency of pollutants in wastewater prior to their entry into a constructed wetland (CW) system. However, its potential impact on the chemical and microbial properties of soil and plant systems within CWs requires further research. This study investigated the impact of using ferric chloride (FeCl3) as a pre-treatment stage for dairy wastewater (DWW) on the chemical and microbial properties of water-soil-plant systems of replicated pilot-scale CWs, comparing them to CWs treating untreated DWW. CWs treating amended DWW had better performance than CWs treating raw DWW for all water quality parameters (COD, TSS, TP, and TN), ensuring compliance with the EU wastewater discharge directives. Soil properties remained mostly unaffected except for pH, calcium and phosphorus (P), which were lower in CWs treating amended DWW. As a result of lower nitrogen (N) and P loads, the plants in CWs receiving FeCl3-amended DWW had lower N and P contents than the plants of raw DWW CWs. However, the lower loads of P into amended DWW CWs did not limit the growth of Phragmites australis, which were able to accumulate trace elements higher than CWs receiving raw DWW. Alpha and Beta-diversity analysis revealed minor differences in community richness and composition between both treatments, with only 3.7% (34 genera) showed significant disparities. Overall, the application of chemical coagulation produced superior effluent quality without affecting the properties of soil and plant of CWs or altering the functioning of the microbial community.

Highly Efficient Production of Cellulosic Ethanol from Poplar Using an Optimal C6/C5 Co-Fermentation Strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Cellulosic ethanol is the key technology to alleviate the pressure of energy supply and climate change. However, the ethanol production process, which is close to industrial production and has a high saccharification rate and ethanol yield, still needs to be developed. This study demonstrates the effective conversion of poplar wood waste into fuel-grade ethanol. By employing a two-step pretreatment using sodium chlorite (SC)-dilute sulfuric acid (DSA), the raw material achieved a sugar conversion rate exceeding 85% of the theoretical value. Under optimized conditions, brewing yeast co-utilizing C6/C5 enabled a yield of 35 g/L ethanol from 10% solid loading delignified poplar hydrolysate. We increased the solid loading to enhance the final ethanol concentration and optimized both the hydrolysis and fermentation stages. With 20% solid loading delignified poplar hydrolysate, the final ethanol concentration reached 60 g/L, a 71.4% increase from the 10% solid loading. Our work incorporates the pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, and fermentation stages to establish a simple, crude poplar waste fuel ethanol process, expanding the range of feedstocks for second-generation fuel ethanol production.

RGB-algorithm whiteness appraisal approach for quantitative determination of clopidogrel and aspirin in presence of salicylic acid as a degradation product based on proton NMR technique

A rapid, precise, and selective spectroscopic method based on the quantitative proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-qNMR) was developed to estimate aspirin and clopidogrel in their pharmaceutical dosages for the first time. The evolved method was utilized to estimate both drugs in presence of the aspirin degradation product, salicylic acid. Moreover, aspirin and clopidogrel were subjected to various stress conditions such as acid hydrolysis, alkali hydrolysis, water hydrolysis, H2O2 oxidation, and photodecomposition for studying the stability of both compounds under these stress conditions. The 1H-qNMR analyses of the analytes of interest were conducted using the internal standard phloroglucinol and the solvent dimethyl sulfoxide-d6. The NMR spectra showed a quantitative doublet of doublets (dd) signal of aspirin at 7.945 ppm, a doublet signal of clopidogrel at 6.875 ppm, and a dd signal of salicylic acid at 7.810 ppm. The internal standard phloroglucinol exhibited a singlet signal at 5.690 ppm. The results demonstrated the linearity (r2 > 0.999), accuracy, precision (RSD < 2.0 %), stability, selectivity, and specificity of the evolved method. Linearity was confirmed in the ranges of 0.05–3.0 mg/mL for aspirin, 0.15–10.0 mg/mL for clopidogrel, and 0.1–5.0 mg/mL for salicylic acid. The evolved method was efficiently applied to analyse aspirin and clopidogrel in their dosages with high %recovery. Moreover, The RGB algorithm technique was used to evaluate the whiteness profile of the suggested method; the findings confirmed the sustainability of the evolved method, which employed an ecological solvent, followed a simple and straightforward procedure, and avoided any pretreatment or labelling stages for the samples. All the aforementioned advantages gave the technique the privilege.

Remineralization of desalinated water: Duality roles of H2SO4 and CO2 injection during calco-carbonic equilibrium of osmosis water

In a desalination station, the remineralization step of osmosis water (OW) is essential to return to produced water its calco-carbonic equilibrium. For this, the use of calcite CaCO3 or lime Ca(OH)2 for water equilibrium in post-treatment processes needs the utilization of both CO2 and/or H2SO4 in osmosis water. For this reason, we describe here in detail, the effect of H2SO4 and CO2 on the remineralization process in a post-treatment desalination plant, especially with using hydrated lime Ca(OH)2 and calcite contactor (CaCO3)·In this paper, the different cases were discussed and investigated, by monitoring several indicator parameters such as pH, Ca2+ content, alkalinity, Langelier Index, etc. After the remineralization stage, we have shown that the efficiency of the remineralization process by CaCO3 or Ca(OH)2 depends on CO2 or H2SO4 content. Remineralization by CaCO3 (limestone) coupled with CO2 acidification is easy and more operator-friendly compared to the process using Ca(OH)2 (lime); it provides a clean environment for people working in the plant. In addition, the H2SO4 injection in the pretreatment stage followed by CaCO3 contact could lead to great results and correct calco-carbonic equilibrium. In the end, a comparative study of the investment cost in each process shows that the acidification of raw water with sulfuric acid (pretreatment) is the cheapest one, according to many studies. But on the other hand, the direct injection of CO2 is the easiest one to use for water balancing.

Comparison of Coagulation-Integrated Sand Filtration and Ultrafiltration for Seawater Reverse Osmosis Pretreatment.

The removal of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from seawater before the reverse osmosis (RO) processes is crucial for alleviating organic fouling of RO membranes. However, research is still insufficiently developed in the comparison of the effectiveness of integrating coagulation with ultrafiltration (UF) or sand filtration (SF) in the pretreatment stage of seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) for the removal of DOM. In this study, we investigated the effect of pretreatment technologies on RO fouling caused by DOM in seawater, including the integration of coagulation and sand filtration (C-S pretreatment) and the integration of coagulation and ultrafiltration (C-U pretreatment). Both integrated pretreatments achieved comparable DOM removal rates (70.2% for C-U and 69.6% for C-S), and C-S exhibited enhanced removal of UV-absorbing compounds. Although C-U was more proficient in reducing the silt density index (below 2) compared to C-S (above 3) and improved the elimination of humic acid-like organics, it left a higher proportion of tyrosine-protein-like organics, soluble microbial by-product-like organics, and finer organics in the effluent, leading to the formation of a dense cake layer on RO membrane and a higher flux decline. Therefore, suitable technologies should be selected according to specific water conditions to efficiently mitigate RO membrane fouling.

Gross morphologic features of surgical specimen in rectal cancer patients with pathological complete response following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy: A cross-sectional study.

pathological complete response (pCR) is achieved in 10%-30% of rectal cancer patients following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery. Residual mucosal abnormalities, which make patients ineligible for nonoperative management, may not be an accurate indicator of the pCR. The purpose of this study was to report the gross findings of rectal cancer patients with pathological complete responses. This study was conducted at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. A total of 130 patients with rectal adenocarcinoma, treated by neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, followed by surgical resection between March 2007, and March 2017, with a surgical pathology report of pCR, were included. Patients' demographics and pretreatment tumor characteristics were collected from the medical records. Data regarding residual mucosal abnormalities were extracted from postoperative surgical pathology reports. Abnormal findings were reported as "ulcer" or " non-ulcerative lesion". One hundred and fifteen patients (88.5%; 95% CI: 81.7%-93.4%) had at least one abnormal finding in the gross examination, including ulcer or non-ulcerative lesion (any mucosal abnormalities other than ulcers, including polyps, telangiectasia, etc.). Patients with higher-stage tumors had a higher chance of having an ulcerative lesion (p=0.05). Younger patients tended to have deeper layers of involvement (p=0.013). Patients with different gross findings were not significantly different regarding baseline characteristics, except for the pretreatment stage, where patients with a higher stage had higher odds of having ulcerative lesions. Most rectal cancer patients achieving a pCR exhibit abnormalities on gross examination. The higher pretreatment stages were significantly associated with gross abnormalities especially ulcers.

Evolving cobalt cycle and urban mines in the EU, 1988–2020

Urban mines are vital for resource security and resilience, but the intricacies of their recycling processes are often overlooked. This study uses dynamic Material Flow Analysis to delve into the EU's cobalt cycle from 1988 to 2020, focusing on urban cobalt mining potential. We observed a significant shift in EU cobalt consumption patterns, with the demand for electric vehicle batteries surpassing that for superalloys, thereby positioning batteries as the primary cobalt consumers. Moreover, batteries increasingly dominate the cobalt in-use stock. The recycling process experiences substantial losses, especially in collection and pretreatment stages, reaching up to 87 %. Our findings indicates that urban cobalt mines could account for 57–66 % of the EU's total cobalt consumption, amounting to 166–193 kt in a high scenario. These insights emphasize the changing dynamics of the EU cobalt cycle and the importance of efficient urban cobalt mine management.