Significant Reduction In Reaction Time Research Articles

Application of the sono-Fenton/UV process on the treatment of table olive processing wastewater

AbstractThe Mediterranean Basin economies of Spain, Italy, Greece, and Turkey depend on the table olive and olive oil industries. Table olive processing wastewater characteristics and quantity depend on olive varietal and processing methods. Olives and processing methods provide phenol, suspended particles, dissolved inorganic solids, and refractory organics. Due of its complexity, conventional methods struggle to tackle table olive processing wastewater. A novel approach to enhanced oxidation processes integrates many ways to boost hydroxyl radical formation and scale up efficiency. UV assisted sono-Fenton process as a modified Fenton process was applied to table olive washing wastewater to achieve high formation of hydroxyl radicals. When UV assisted sono-Fenton experiments executed to determine the optimum reaction conditions, the effects of hydrogen peroxide, ferrous ion concentrations and reaction time on the oxidation of table olive washing wastewater investigated by using a statistical experimental design. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC) and phenol removal efficiencies were examined by keeping the pH constant. The UV assisted sono-Fenton process achieved 53% phenol, 68% TOC, and 80% COD removal efficiencies. The results show that the UV assisted sono-Fenton process can treat effectively table olive processing wastewater. Optimum reaction conditions for the UV assisted sono-Fenton process were determined. UV assisted sono-Fenton process provides a significant reduction in reaction time and minimizes the costs of process associated with low chemical requirements. So, these optimum reaction conditions were resulted in low sludge production at the UV assisted sono-Fenton process while treating table olive processing wastewater.

Effects of a Single Dose of Ayahuasca in College Students With Harmful Alcohol Use: A Single-blind, Feasibility, Proof-of-Concept Trial.

Ayahuasca is a South American plant hallucinogen rich in the psychedelic N,N-dimethyltryptamine and β-carbolines (mainly harmine). Preclinical and observational studies suggest that ayahuasca exerts beneficial effects in substance use disorders, but these potentials were never assessed in a clinical trial. Single-center, single-blind, feasibility, proof-of-concept study, assessing the effects of one dose of ayahuasca accompanied by psychological support (without psychotherapy) on the drinking patterns (primary variable) of 11 college students with harmful alcohol consumption. Secondary variables included safety and tolerability, craving, personality, anxiety, impulsivity, self-esteem, and social cognition. Ayahuasca was well tolerated (no serious adverse reactions were observed), while producing significant psychoactive effects. Significant reductions in days per week of alcohol consumption were found between weeks 2 and 3 (2.90 ± 0.28 vs 2.09 ± 0.41; P < 0.05, uncorrected), which were not statistically significant after Bonferroni correction. There were no statistically significant effects for other variables, except for a significant reduction in reaction time in an empathy task. A significant reduction in days of alcohol consumption was observed 2-3 weeks after ayahuasca intake, but this effect did not survive after Bonferroni correction. The lack of significant effects in alcohol use and other variables may be related to the small sample size and mild/moderate alcohol use at baseline. The present study shows the feasibility of our protocol, paving the way for future larger, controlled studies.

Effect of multi-digit tactile imagery training on reaction time

Abstract Study aim: Reaction time (RT) is the time taken to make a decisive voluntary response to a stimulus. It is an indirect index of the central nervous system’s ability to process information and a simple method to evaluate sensorimotor performance and coordination. The current study explored the potential of tactile imagery (TI) training to enhance RT in distinct digits within the same hand, namely the index and middle fingers and the thumb. Materials and methods: Forty right-handed healthy adult participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group (undergoing TI training) or the control group. RT to press a button following a vibrotactile stimulus to the index finger, middle finger, or thumb in the left hand was recorded before and after TI training in the experimental group, with the control group undergoing similar RT assessments. A sensory-motor apparatus facilitated precise data collection. Results: The experimental group exhibited a significant reduction in RT after TI training compared to their baseline and the control group’s RT. Conclusion: The current study demonstrates the effectiveness of TI training in enhancing finger dexterity and RT within the same hand. These findings have implications for motor control research and support the incorporation of TI training in interventions aimed at improving sports performance and rehabilitation outcomes.

Optimizing reaction efficiency: Microwave-supported synthesis of quinoxaline-based compounds

The chemistry of chloroquinoxalines has garnered significant interest owing to the potential applications of this nitrogen-containing heterocyclic class in various fields. This manuscript delves into the investigation of heteroaromatic nucleophilic substitution reactions (SNAr) involving quinoxaline substrates, specifically 2-chloroquinoxaline and 2-chloro-3-methylquinoxaline, in the presence of thiols (mercaptan). The documented findings present the outcome of these reactions, which proceed experimentally under mild and metal-free conditions and lead to the selective formation of mono- and di-substituted products with commendable yields. Employing microwave-assisted synthesis for the preparation of compounds 1, 4, and 5 was crucial for optimizing reaction efficiency and maximizing product formation. The experimental findings revealed an increase in the overall yield of compounds 1, 4, and 5 by approximately 15–20%, accompanied by a significant reduction in reaction time by 75%.

Numerical study of the dehydration and hydration processes of the Ca(OH)2/CaO system in an indirect-direct reactor

Energy storage is important for the application of the discontinuous and unstable renewable energy. The CaO/Ca(OH)2 thermochemical system of high energy density and little heat lose is promising for thermal energy storage, yet the heat and mass transfer processes related to dehydration reaction needs further improvement and the regulation manner related to the hydration reaction needs further investigation. In this work, a hybrid indirect-direct reactor of the CaO/Ca(OH)2 system is proposed with the physicochemical model developed to study the dehydration and hydration processes under different operating and structural conditions, and five indicators are defined to evaluate the overall reaction performance. During the dehydration process, the reactant is indirectly heated by the electrical heater at the reactor outside wall and the reaction proceeds in radial direction which is mainly limited by the poor heat transfer, leading to low energy storage efficiency of 6.1 %. The increase of reactant thermal conductivity and application of high-thermal-conductivity porous channel greatly enhance the heat transfer leading to significant reduction of reaction time and increase of energy storage efficiency up to 25.63 %. During the hydration process, the gas mixture directly contacts and reacts with solid reactant and the reaction proceeds in axial direction with reaction region of “U” shape which is mainly restricted by the reaction equilibrium. The thermal power density and reaction temperature of the hydration process can be regulated by the inlet mass flow rate and the inlet steam mass fraction respectively. The increase of inlet mass flow rate and inlet steam mass fraction leads to higher heat exchange efficiency at the same reaction extent and shorter hydration reaction time. The present study demonstrates the superiority of the indirect-direct type reactor and the performance of which can be further improved by optimizing the geometrical and operating conditions.

Molybdenum catalyzed deoxydehydration of aliphatic glycols under microwave irradiation

The effectiveness of microwave irradiation in promoting the deoxydehydration of aliphatic diols using dioxomolybdenum catalysts has been evaluated. The commercially available molybdenum precursor MoO2(acac)2 was found to be a superior catalyst as compared to dioxomolybdenum complexes stabilized by aminebisphenol ligands under these conditions. Octane-1,2-diol and decane-1,2-diol were converted to the corresponding olefins in 40−53% yields in 40 mins at 220−230 οC; this is a significant reduction in reaction time and higher activity when compared to reactions performed using conventional heating. More importantly, a similar yield (48%) of 1-decene could be achieved within 10 mins from a reaction carried out at 250 οC.

Modulating mental state recognition by anodal tDCS over the cerebellum

Increasing evidence from neuroimaging and clinical studies has demonstrated cerebellar involvement in social cognition components, including the mentalizing process. The aim of this study was to apply transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to modulate cerebellar excitability to investigate the role the cerebellum plays in mental state recognition. Forty-eight healthy subjects were randomly assigned to different groups in which anodal, cathodal, or sham tDCS (2 mA for 20 min) was delivered centering the electrode on the vermis to stimulate the posterior portion of the cerebellum. The ability to attribute mental states to others was tested before and after tDCS using a digital version of the 'Reading the Mind in the Eyes test', which includes visual perceptive and motor stimuli as control conditions. Correct response and reaction times (RTs) were recorded. The results revealed a significant reduction in RTs between the baseline and post-stimulation sessions after cerebellar anodal tDCS only for mental state stimuli (Wilcoxon test p = 0.00055), whereas no significant effect was found in the cathodal or sham conditions or for visual perceptive and motor stimuli. Overall, our study suggests that cerebellar anodal tDCS might selectively improve mental state recognition and constitute an effective strategy to positively modulate the mentalizing process.

Eco-friendly Syntheses of Bioactive Iodoflavone from Chalcone under Microwave Condition for the Screening of Their Antibacterial Activity

Flavonoids possess potent biological activity due to the presence of heterocyclic ring moiety and have been established as one of the biologically important scaffolds. Iodinated-flavones were synthesized from corresponding chalcones. Both conventional and microwave techniques were used to synthesize these compounds to make a comparative study. A significant reduction in reaction time and increase in % yield has been observed in the microwave technique. Spectroscopic techniques such as UV, IR, and NMR have been used to confirm the structures of all compounds. Agar disk diffusion method was employed to evaluate the antibacterial activities of the newly synthesized compounds against some bacterial strains such as Salmonella typhi, Streptococcus spp, Shigella spp. etc. Iodoflavone was found to be higher potency against most the bacteria, while others were moderately active. J. of Sci. and Tech. Res. 3(1): 69-76, 2021

Slow yoga breathing improves mental load in working memory performance and cardiac activity among yoga practitioners.

This study investigated the immediate effect of slow yoga breathing (SYB) at 6 breaths per minute (bpm) simultaneously on working memory performance and heart rate variability (HRV) in yoga practitioners. A total of 40 healthy male volunteers performed a working memory task, ‘n-back’, consisting of three levels of difficulty, 0-back, 1-back, and 2-back, separately, before and after three SYB sessions on different days. The SYB sessions included alternate nostril breathing (ANB), right nostril breathing (RNB), and breath awareness (BAW). Repeated measures analysis of variance showed a significant reduction in reaction time (ms) in 2-back condition immediately after ANB (−8%), RNB (−8%) and BAW (−5%) practices. Similarly, the accuracy was improved in the 0-back condition after RNB (4%), and in the 2-back condition after ANB (6%) and RNB (6%) practices. These results suggest that SYB practice enhances cognitive abilities (8–9%) related to memory load and improves the functioning of cardiac autonomic activity, which is required for the successful completion of mental tasks.Trial registered in the Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI/2018/01/011132).

Mandibular Advancement Device Therapy in Japanese Rugby Athletes with Poor Sleep Quality and Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may contribute to poor sleep quality. This study assessed subjective sleep quality, the Respiratory Event Index (REI), reaction times, and the therapeutic effects of a custom-made mandibular advancement device (MAD) in male Japanese elite rugby athletes. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and level III sleep test (REI and minimum oxygen saturation [SpO2 min]) were used to evaluate sleep quality. MAD therapy was used daily for 3 weeks. A telephone-based reaction time test of kinetic vision (the ability to identify moving objects) was recorded within 15 min of waking and over 5 days of pre- and post-MAD therapy. Differences in variables were evaluated using paired t-tests. Of the 42 players (mean age, 26.3 ± 3.7 years; mean body mass index, 28.7 ± 3.2 kg/m2) included in this study, 29 (69.0%) had poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5.5), and 27 were diagnosed with OSA (64.3%) (mild = 16/moderate = 9/severe = 2). Six were treated with MAD therapy, which significantly improved the REI (p < 0.01), SpO2 min (p < 0.001), ESS score (p < 0.001), reaction times (p < 0.01), and sleep quality. A significant reduction in reaction times suggests that OSA treatment can improve kinetic vision. Future studies should systematically evaluate the impact of sleep-disordered breathing on kinetic vision in athletes.

Ancillary ligand effects and microwave‐assisted enhancement on the catalytic performance of cationic ruthenium(II)‐CNC pincer complexes for acceptorless alcohol dehydrogenation

The application of cationic Ru(II)‐CNC pincer complexes [Ru(CNC)(CO)(PPh3)Cl]PF6 (1), [Ru(CNC)(PPh3)2Cl]PF6 (2), [Ru(CNC)(η2:η2‐COD)Cl]PF6 (4), and [Ru(CNC)(DMSO)2Cl]PF6 (5) in acceptorless dehydrogenation of alcohols is reported under conventional “oil‐bath” and microwave heating conditions. The effect of different ancillary ligands (CO, PPh3, COD, and DMSO) have been demonstrated during catalysis. Complexes with more π‐acid ligands CO and COD perform better compared with those with PPh3 and DMSO ligands. A plausible mechanism is proposed based on NMR and mass investigation during the catalysis. The catalytic performance matches with the order of trans effect among the four ancillary ligands studied in these complexes. Further, a significant reduction in reaction time, as well as reaction temperature, was observed for catalytic reactions under the microwave‐assisted reaction compared with the oil‐bath heating reaction.

Development of a Continuous Photochemical Bromination/Alkylation Sequence En Route to AMG 423

The development of a photochemical bromination/alkylation sequence as part of a continuous process for the synthesis of an intermediate en route to AMG 423 is discussed. Highlights of this continuous process include a significant reduction in reaction time and the elimination of aqueous waste streams. Also discussed are mechanistic and kinetic studies offering insights into notable features of the photochemical bromination.

Microwave‐assisted synthesis and antimicrobial activity of novel spiro 1,3,4‐thiadiazolines from isatin derivatives

This work describes the synthesis of spiro 1,3,4‐thiadiazolines from isatin‐β‐thiosemicarbazone acetylation, using microwave irradiation as a source of heating the reaction medium. N‐substituted isatin derivatives were used as substrates to obtain thiosemicarbazones by adding thiosemicarbazide to the isatin ketone carbonyl. The final synthetic step was the reaction of thiosemicarbazones with acetic anhydride under microwave irradiation to get the spiro compounds. Reaction times ranged from 6 to 18 minutes resulting in yields of up to 90%. Biological assays have shown promising antibacterial and antifungal activity, especially spiro thiadiazolines derived from allylated isatins. All the proposed molecules proved to be potential drug candidates based on the results of the in silico investigation, with satisfactory drug‐likeness and drug‐score, respecting Lipinski's rule. The use of the microwave reactor was efficient for the synthesis of thiosemicarbazones and spiro compounds, resulting in a significant reduction in reaction times with conventional heating. Taking into account the threat of antimicrobial resistance, this work presents a series of bioactive molecules that are easily obtained via microwave reaction.

Mechano-Chemical Processing of Diaspore Sample for Extraction and Synthesis of Gamma-Alumina and Potash Values

In this study, a diaspore sample is evaluated as a dual source of alumina and potash. The thermal treatment of diaspore with sodium hydroxide yielded alumina and potash values. Microwave heating resulted in enhanced diffusion with improved precipitate purity and recovery with a significant reduction in reaction time. The thermal treatment precipitate comprises alumina purity of 48% with a recovery of 49%. The mechanical milling route yields optimal conditions of 8 h milling followed by acid leaching in 2 M HCl at 50°C for 1 h with ~ 70% and 45% potash and alumina extraction, respectively. The dissociation of the muscovite structure is crucial for high extraction values, and milling time was found to be the significant factor. The milling route at optimal conditions yielded an alumina precipitate with ~ 89% purity with a surface area of 104.6 m2/g and a sylvinite-rich solution, which can be used in fertilizer application.

Optimized Production of Xylanase by Penicillium purpurogenum and Ultrasound Impact on Enzyme Kinetics for the Production of Monomeric Sugars From Pretreated Corn Cobs.

Corn cob is an abundant organic source with significant potential in sustainable energy development. For the effective conversion of the feedstocks to valued commodities, effective biocatalysts are highly desired. The present study aims at optimizing the critical parameters required for xylanase production by Penicillium purpurogenum isolated from rotten wood sample using the Taguchi orthogonal array layout of L25 (5∧6). The optimized conditions like temperature 40°C, pH 3, size of inoculum 1.2 × 108 spores/ml, moisture 70%, peptone 0.8%, and 5 days of incubation resulted in 1,097 ± 6.76 U/gram dry substrate (gds) xylanase which was 65.72% more when compared to un-optimized production of xylanase. The xylanase thus produced, effectively carried out pretreated corn cob saccharification and the reaction was further improved with ultrasound assistance which has increased the saccharification yield to 12.02% along with significant reduction in reaction time. The saccharification efficiency of pretreated corn cob was found to be 80.29% more compared to the raw corn cob, reflecting its recalcitrance to digestion. Indeed, xylan being the second most abundant polymer in lignocellulosic biomass, considerable attention is being paid for its effective conversion to valued products.

Rapid esterification of fatty acid using dicationic acidic ionic liquid catalyst via ultrasonic-assisted method.

Biodiesel production via esterification/transesterification reactions can be catalyzed by homogenous or heterogeneous catalysts. Development of heterogeneous catalysts for biodiesel production is highly advantageous due to the ease of product purification and of catalyst recyclability. In this current work, a novel acidic [DABCODBS][CF3SO3]2 dicationic ionic liquid (DIL) was used as heterogeneous catalyst to produce biodiesel using oleic acid as model oil. The esterification was conducted under ultrasonic irradiation (20 kHz) using a 14 mm ultrasonic horn transducer operated at various duty cycles. It was observed that the duty cycle, amplitude, methanol to oil molar ratio, catalyst amount and reaction temperature were the major factors that greatly impact the necessary reaction time to lead to a high yield of biodiesel. The reaction conditions were optimized with the aid of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) designed according to the Quadratic model of the Box Behnken method. The optimum conditions were found to be at catalyst amount of 0.64 mol%, methanol to oil ratio of 14.3:1, temperature of 59 °C, reaction time of 83 min and amplitude of 60% in continuous mode. The results showed that the oleic acid was successfully converted into esters with conversion value of 93.20% together with significant reduction of reaction time from 7 h (using mechanical stirring) to 83 min (using ultrasonication). The results also showed that the acidic DIL catalyst we designed purposely was efficient to catalyze the ultrasonic-assisted esterification yielding high conversion of oleic acid to methyl oleate on short times. The DIL was also recycled and reused for at least five times without significant reduction in performance. Overall, the procedureoffersadvantages including short reaction time, good yield, operational simplicity and environmentally benign characteristics.

The Cerebellum Modulates Attention Network Functioning: Evidence from a Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Attention Network Test Study.

The functional domain of the cerebellum extends beyond its traditional role in motor control. In recent years, this structure has increasingly been considered to play a crucial role even in cognitive performance and attentional processes. Attention is defined as the ability to appropriately allocate processing resources to relevant stimuli. According to the Posnerian model, three interacting networks modulate attentive processes: the alerting, orienting, and executive networks. The aim of this study was to investigate the role played by the cerebellum in the functioning of the attentive networks using the Attention Network Test (ANT). We studied the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), delivered over the cerebellum in cathodal, anodal, and sham sessions, on ANT parameters in healthy subjects. After anodal and sham tDCS, the efficiency of the three attention networks remained stable, and a significant reduction in reaction time (RT) following the task repetition was observed for both congruent and incongruent targets, indicating a learning effect. After cathodal stimulation, instead, while the efficiency of the alerting and orienting networks remained stable, the efficiency of the executive network was significantly reduced. Moreover, a significant reduction in RT was observed for the congruent target alone, with no difference being detected for the incongruent target, indicating that cerebellar inhibition caused an attentive executive dysfunction specifically related to the ability to process complex stimuli in which conflict signals or errors are present. These results point to a role of the cerebellum, a subcortical structure that is thought to affect error processing both directly, by making predictions of errors or behaviors related to errors, and indirectly, by managing the functioning of brain cortical areas involved in the perception of conflicting signals, in the functioning of the attentional networks, particularly the executive network.

Exceptionally active and reusable nanobiocatalyst comprising lipase non-covalently immobilized on multi-wall carbon nanotubes for the synthesis of diester plasticizers

A new method for the synthesis of dicarboxylic acid esters in the presence of a new heterogeneous nanobiocatalyst consisting of Candida antarctica lipase B immobilized on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) has been developed. Selection and characterization of the support for Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) was initially performed. Pristine and modified MWCNTs of different geometries, morphologies and surface/core modifications were tested as a lipase carrier and determining that the CheapTubes™ MWCNTs nanobiocatalyst with a 15.7 wt.% CALB loading was the most active nanobiocatalyst. The model reaction of succinic acid with n-butanol was carried out with a 4-molar excess of alcohol and 150 mg of nanobiocatalyst per 1 mmol of succinic acid at 45 °C in cyclohexane. The di-n-butyl succinate was obtained with 95% yield after 3 h. The activities of the new nanobiocatalysts were compared with the benchmark Novozyme-435 and other acidic catalysts. Recycling studies demonstrated the possibility of utilizing the most active MWCNTs-lipase biocatalyst six times without any significant loss of activity. The main advantage of this study is the superior activity of the new nanobiocatalyst, which resulted in a significant reduction of reaction times as compared to those reported in the literature.

The ultrasonic-assisted synthesis of tetrafunctional acrylated epoxy clay nanocomposite

The acrylation of a tetrafunctional epoxy resin was carried out through the reaction with acrylic acid in the presence of two different organoclays under ultrasonic irradiation. As reinforcing agents, two different kinds of commercial organoclays, namely Cloisite 15A and Cloisite 30B, were used individually in nanocomposite fabrication. The acrylation reaction of epoxy resin in addition to curing processes was monitored by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The main advantage of the ultrasonic process was a significant reduction in reaction time as low as 8 min. Thermal and mechanical properties of the UV-cured samples were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and the film hardness. The clay dispersion was characterized through X-ray diffraction patterns coupling with the images of two microscopic techniques. The enhancements in nanocomposite glass transition temperature, thermal stability and mechanical properties may be attributed to proper dispersion of organoclay platelets as evidenced in transmission electron microscopy. However, the nanocomposite films reinforced with the Cloisite 30B exhibit more pronounced improvements in the final properties of the nanocomposite film.

Microflow Fluorinations of Benzynes: Efficient Synthesis of Fluoroaromatic Compounds.

Fluorinated aromatic compounds are found in a variety of biologically active compounds, including clinical drugs and agrochemicals. Therefore, the synthesis of aryl fluorides is particularly important in the medicinal and process chemistry fields. In this paper, we report a method for the synthesis of aryl fluorides by benzyne fluorination under microflow conditions using the efficient Comet X-01 micromixer. In comparison to our previously reported method under ordinary batch conditions, this approach facilitates a significant reduction in reaction times, to ca. 10 s, as well as increases in the yields of fluoroarenes (by up to 51%).