Search results for: liquor recovery

Authors: Antonis Skouloudis, Konstantinos Evangelinos, Walter Leal-Filho, Panagiotis Vouros, Ioannis Nikolaou

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Organizational resilience capacity to extreme weather events (EWEs) has sparked a growth in scholarly attention over the past decade as an essential aspect in business continuity management, with supporting evidence for this claim to suggest that it retains a key role in successful responses to adverse situations, crises and shocks. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are more vulnerable to face floods compared to their larger counterparts, so they are disproportionately affected by such extreme weather events. The limited resources at their disposal, the lack of time and skills all conduce to inadequate preparedness to challenges posed by floods. SMEs tend to plan in the short-term, reacting to circumstances as they arise and focussing on their very survival. Likewise, they share less formalised structures and codified policies while they are most usually owner-managed, resulting in a command-and-control management culture. Such characteristics result in them having limited opportunities to recover from flooding and quickly turnaround their operation from a loss making to a profit making one. Scholars frame the capacity of business entities to be resilient upon an EWE disturbance (such as flash floods) as the rate of recovery and restoration of organizational performance to pre-disturbance conditions, the amount of disturbance (i.e. threshold level) a business can absorb before losing structural and/or functional components that will alter or cease operation, as well as the extent to which the organization maintains its function (i.e. impact resistance) before performance levels are driven to zero. Nevertheless, while it seems to be accepted as an essential trait of firms effectively transcending uncertain conditions, research deconstructing the enabling conditions and/or inhibitory factors of SMEs resilience capacity to natural hazards is still sparse, fragmentary and mostly fuelled by anecdotal evidence or normative assumptions. Focusing on the individual level of analysis, i.e. the individual enterprise and its endeavours to succeed, the emergent picture from this relatively new research strand delineates the specification of variables, conceptual relationships or dynamic boundaries of resilience capacity components in an attempt to provide prescriptions for policy-making as well as business management. This study will present the development of a flood resilience capacity index (FRCI) and its application to Greek SMEs. The proposed composite indicator pertains to cognitive, behavioral/managerial and contextual factors that influence an enterprise’s ability to shape effective responses to meet flood challenges. Through the proposed indicator-based approach, an analytical framework is set forth that will help standardize such assessments with the overarching aim of reducing the vulnerability of SMEs to flooding. This will be achieved by identifying major internal and external attributes explaining resilience capacity which is particularly important given the limited resources these enterprises have and that they tend to be primary sources of vulnerabilities in supply chain networks, generating Single Points of Failure (SPOF).

Keywords: Floods, Small & Medium-Sized enterprises, organizational resilience capacity, index development

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Authors: Hongyan Chen, Megan Jobson, Andrew J. Masters, Maria Gonzalez-Miquel, Simon Halstead, Mayri Diaz de Rienzo

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Ionic liquids offer excellent advantages over conventional solvents for industrial extraction of metals from aqueous solutions, where such extraction processes bring opportunities for recovery, reuse, and recycling of valuable resources and more sustainable production pathways. Recent research on the use of ionic liquids for extraction confirms their high selectivity and low volatility, but there is relatively little focus on how their properties can be best exploited in practice. This work addresses gaps in research on process modelling and simulation, to support development, design, and optimisation of these processes, focusing on the separation of the highly similar transition metals, cobalt, and nickel. The study exploits published experimental results, as well as new experimental results, relating to the separation of Co and Ni using trihexyl (tetradecyl) phosphonium chloride. This extraction agent is attractive because it is cheaper, more stable and less toxic than fluorinated hydrophobic ionic liquids. This process modelling work concerns selection and/or development of suitable models for the physical properties, distribution coefficients, for mass transfer phenomena, of the extractor unit and of the multi-stage extraction flowsheet. The distribution coefficient model for cobalt and HCl represents an anion exchange mechanism, supported by the literature and COSMO-RS calculations. Parameters of the distribution coefficient models are estimated by fitting the model to published experimental extraction equilibrium results. The mass transfer model applies Newman’s hard sphere model. Diffusion coefficients in the aqueous phase are obtained from the literature, while diffusion coefficients in the ionic liquid phase are fitted to dynamic experimental results. The mass transfer area is calculated from the surface to mean diameter of liquid droplets of the dispersed phase, estimated from the Weber number inside the extractor. New experiments measure the interfacial tension between the aqueous and ionic phases. The empirical models for predicting the density and viscosity of solutions under different metal loadings are also fitted to new experimental data. The extractor is modelled as a continuous stirred tank reactor with mass transfer between the two phases and perfect phase separation of the outlet flows. A multistage separation flowsheet simulation is set up to replicate a published experiment and compare model predictions with the experimental results. This simulation model is implemented in gPROMS software for dynamic process simulation. The results of single stage and multi-stage flowsheet simulations are shown to be in good agreement with the published experimental results. The estimated diffusion coefficient of cobalt in the ionic liquid phase is in reasonable agreement with published data for the diffusion coefficients of various metals in this ionic liquid. A sensitivity study with this simulation model demonstrates the usefulness of the models for process design. The simulation approach has potential to be extended to account for other metals, acids, and solvents for process development, design, and optimisation of extraction processes applying ionic liquids for metals separations, although a lack of experimental data is currently limiting the accuracy of models within the whole framework. Future work will focus on process development more generally and on extractive separation of rare earths using ionic liquids.

Keywords: distribution coefficient, mass transfer, COSMO-RS, flowsheet simulation, phosphonium

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Authors: Charles Shang, Salina Ramirez, Stephen Shang, Maria Estrada, Timothy R. Williams

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Purpose: Over the past decade, proton therapy utilizing pencil beam scanning has emerged as a preferred treatment modality in radiation oncology, particularly for prostate cancer. This retrospective study aims to assess the clinical and radiobiological efficacy of proton scanning beam therapy in the treatment of localized salvage prostate cancer, following initial radiation therapy with a different modality. Despite the previously delivered high radiation doses, this investigation explores the potential of proton reirradiation in controlling recurrent prostate cancer and detrimental quality of life side effects. Methods and Materials: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 45 cases of locally recurrent prostate cancer that underwent salvage proton reirradiation. Patients were followed for 24.6 ± 13.1 months post-treatment. These patients had experienced an average remission of 8.5 ± 7.9 years after definitive radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer (n=41) or post-prostatectomy (n=4), followed by rising PSA levels. Recurrent disease was confirmed by FDG-PET (n=31), PSMA-PET (n=10), or positive local biopsy (n=4). Gross tumor volume (GTV) was delineated based on PET and MR imaging, with the planning target volume (PTV) expanding to an average of 10.9 cm³. Patients received proton reirradiation using two oblique coplanar beams, delivering total doses ranging from 30.06 to 60.00 GyE in 17–30 fractions. All treatments were administered using the ProBeam Compact system with CT image guidance. The International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were evaluated to assess treatment-related toxicity and tumor control. Results and Discussions: In this cohort (mean age: 76.7 ± 7.3 years), 60% (27/45) of patients showed sustained reductions in PSA levels post-treatment, while 36% (16/45) experienced a PSA decline of more than 0.8 ng/mL. Additionally, 73% (33/45) of patients exhibited an initial PSA reduction, though some showed later PSA increases, indicating the potential presence of undetected metastatic lesions. The median post-retreatment IPSS score was 4, significantly lower than scores reported in other treatment studies. Overall, 69% of patients reported mild urinary symptoms, with 96% (43/45) experiencing mild to moderate symptoms. Three patients experienced grade I or II proctitis, while one patient reported grade III proctitis. These findings suggest that regional organs, including the urethra, bladder, and rectum, demonstrate significant radiobiological recovery from prior radiation exposure, enabling tolerance to additional proton scanning beam therapy. Conclusions: This retrospective analysis of 45 patients with recurrent localized prostate cancer treated with salvage proton reirradiation demonstrates favorable outcomes, with a median follow-up of two years. The post-retreatment IPSS scores were comparable to those reported in follow-up studies of initial radiation therapy treatments, indicating stable or improved urinary symptoms compared to the end of initial treatment. These results highlight the efficacy of proton scanning beam therapy in providing effective salvage treatment while minimizing adverse effects on critical organs. The findings also enhance the understanding of radiobiological responses to reirradiation and support proton therapy as a viable option for patients with recurrent localized prostate cancer following previous definitive radiation therapy.

Keywords: prostate salvage radiotherapy, proton therapy, biological radiation tolerance, radiobiology of organs

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Authors: Bassem M. Darwish, Robert H. Ablove

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Introduction: Total knee arthroscopy (TKA) is a commonly performed procedure in patients with end-stage osteoarthritis and inaccuracy of component alignment in TKA has been shown to have many adverse post-operative outcomes such as accelerated implant wear, reduced functional outcomes, and shorter overall implant survival. Robotic surgical systems have been introduced to try and improve joint alignment and functional outcomes in knee arthroscopy, one recent iteration is the ROSA knee system, released to the market in 2019. The objective of this scoping review is to map the available evidence, identify the current types of evidence, and identify knowledge gaps to guide future studies on patient outcomes following ROSA-assisted total knee arthroplasties. Methods: An electronic search was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews. Search terms included ROSA, knee arthroscopy, osteoarthritis, robotic, and malalignment. Types of study participants included patients with osteoarthritis, ages 18 and older, male or female, who received manual TKA (mTKA) or ROSA-assisted TKA (rTKA), and human patients or cadavers. Published, peer-reviewed controlled trials, observational studies, and case series were included. Case reports were not included in article review. Resulting articles were first screened based on title and abstract. Articles meeting inclusion criteria based on title and abstract review then underwent full-text review by the same reviewer. Results: This scoping review identified 11 total studies, 3 prospective observational studies, and 8 retrospective observational studies - a total of 970 rTKA patients and 1745 mTKA patients. There were no case series or randomized controlled trials comparing rTKA and mTKA. Patient-centered outcomes showed promise for rTKA, where it frequently showed significantly favorable functional outcomes, measured via KOOS-JR, VAS, KSS, OKS, FJS, and PROMIS scores, at various times postoperatively. However, there was much discrepancy about which score yielded significance at which postoperative follow-up. Complication rates, reoperation rates, and LOS were very similar between mTKA and rTKA groups. Studies also showed rTKA had more accurate joint alignment within the 0 ± 3o corridor and had significantly higher rates of achieving postoperative joint angles similar to the preoperative plan. Finally, there was major agreement that rTKA cases take significantly longer time at the start, however, there is a rapid learning curve. Once past the learning curve, rTKA cases are performed in a similar time to mTKA and reduced physician stress and strain. Conclusion: The ROSA knee system represents a promising option for the management of osteoarthritis via total knee arthroscopy. The studies reviewed in this paper favor the patient-centered function outcomes, joint alignments, and physician health implications of the ROSA knee system to conventional total knee arthroscopy. Further study is warranted, however, to better understand recovery periods, longer-term functional outcomes, operative fatigue, and reduction in radiation exposure.

Keywords: arthroplasty, knee, robotics, malalignment

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Authors: Sadaf Abbas, HimGauri Sabnis

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Introduction: Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition that presents as heart failure during the last month of pregnancy or within five months postpartum. The incidence of postpartum cardiomyopathy ranges from 1 in 1300 to 1 in 15,000 pregnancies. Risk factors include multiparty, advanced maternal age, multiple pregnancies, pre-eclampsia, and chronic hypertension. Study: A 30-year-old Para3+0 presented to the Emergency Department of St’Marry Hospital, Isle of Wight, on the seventh day postpartum, with acute shortness of breath (SOB), chest pain, cough, and a temperature of 38 degrees. The risk factors were smoking and class II obesity (BMI of 40.62). The patient had mild pre-eclampsia in the last pregnancy and was on labetalol and aspirin during an antenatal period, which was stopped postnatally. There was also a history of pre-eclampsia and haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets (HELLP syndrome) in previous pregnancies, which led to preterm delivery at 35 weeks in the second pregnancy, and the first baby was stillborn at 24 weeks. On assessment, there was a national early warning score (NEWS score) of 3, persistent tachycardia, and mild crepitation in the lungs. Initial investigations revealed an enlarged heart on chest X-ray, and a CT pulmonary angiogram indicated bilateral basal pulmonary congestion without pulmonary embolism, suggesting fluid overload. Laboratory results showed elevated CRP and normal troponin levels initially, which later increased, indicating myocardial involvement. Echocardiography revealed a severely dilated left ventricle with an ejection fraction (EF) of 31%, consistent with severely impaired systolic function. The cardiology team reviewed the patient and admitted to the Coronary Care Unit. As sign and symptoms were suggestive of fluid overload and congestive cardiac failure, management was done with diuretics, beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors), proton pump inhibitors, and supportive care. During admission, there was complications such as acute kidney injury, but then recovered well. Chest pain had resolved following the treatment. After being admitted for eight days, there was an improvement in the symptoms, and the patient was discharged home with a further plan of cardiac MRI and genetic testing due to a family history of sudden cardiac death. Regular appointment has been made with the Cardiology team to follow-up on the symptoms. Since discharge, the patient made a good recovery. A cardiac MRI was done, which showed severely impaired left ventricular function, ejection fraction (EF) of 38% with mild left ventricular dilatation, and no evidence of previous infarction. Overall appearance is of non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. The main challenge at the time of admission was the non-availability of a cardiac radiology team, so the definitive diagnosis was delayed. The long-term implications include risk of recurrence, chronic heart failure, and, consequently, an effect on quality of life. Therefore, regular follow-up is critical in patient’s management. Conclusions: Peripartum cardiomyopathy is one of the cardiovascular diseases whose causes are still unknown yet and, in some cases, are uncontrolled. By raising awareness about the symptoms and management of this complication it will reduce morbidity and mortality rates and also the length of stay in the hospital.

Keywords: cardiomyopathy, cardiomegaly, pregnancy, puerperium

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Authors: Sarah Niklas, Lynne Chester, Mark Diesendorf

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Geopolitical tensions, climate change and recent movements favouring a transformative shift in institutional power structures have influenced the economics of conventional energy supply for decades. This study takes a multi-dimensional approach to illustrate the potential of renewable energy (RE) technology to provide a pathway to a low-carbon economy driven by ecologically sustainable, independent and socially just energy. This comparative analysis identifies economic, political and social drivers that shaped the adoption of RE policy in two significantly different economies, Germany and Australia, with strong and weak commitments to RE respectively. Two complementary political-economy theories frame the document-based analysis. Régulation Theory, inspired by Marxist ideas and strongly influenced by contemporary economic problems, provides the background to explore the social relationships contributing the adoption of RE within the macro-economy. Varieties of Capitalism theory, a more recently developed micro-economic approach, examines the nature of state-firm relationships. Together these approaches provide a comprehensive lens of analysis. Germany’s energy policy transformed substantially over the second half of the last century. The development is characterised by the coordination of societal, environmental and industrial demands throughout the advancement of capitalist regimes. In the Fordist regime, mass production based on coal drove Germany’s astounding economic recovery during the post-war period. Economic depression and the instability of institutional arrangements necessitated the impulsive seeking of national security and energy independence. During the postwar Flexi-Fordist period, quality-based production, innovation and technology-based competition schemes, particularly with regard to political power structures in and across Europe, favoured the adoption of RE. Innovation, knowledge and education were institutionalized, leading to the legislation of environmental concerns. Lastly the establishment of government-industry-based coordinative programs supported the phase out of nuclear power and the increased adoption of RE during the last decade. Australia’s energy policy is shaped by the country’s richness in mineral resources. Energy policy largely served coal mining, historically and currently one of the most capital-intense industry. Assisted by the macro-economic dimensions of institutional arrangements, social and financial capital is orientated towards the export-led and strongly demand-oriented economy. Here energy policy serves the maintenance of capital accumulation in the mining sector and the emerging Asian economies. The adoption of supportive renewable energy policy would challenge the distinct role of the mining industry within the (neo)-liberal market economy. The state’s protective role of the mining sector has resulted in weak commitment to RE policy and investment uncertainty in the energy sector. Recent developments, driven by strong public support for RE, emphasize the sense of community in urban and rural areas and the emergence of a bottom-up approach to adopt renewables. Thus, political economy frameworks on both the macro-economic (Regulation Theory) and micro-economic (Varieties of Capitalism theory) scales can together explain the strong commitment to RE in Germany vis-à-vis the weak commitment in Australia.

Keywords: political economy, regulation theory, renewable energy, social relationships, energy transitions

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Authors: Claudia Cocozza, Niccolò Frassinelli, Enrico Marchi, Cristiano Foderi, Alessandro Bizzarri, Margherita Paladini, Maria Laura Traversi, Eleftherious Touloupakis, Alessio Giovannelli

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The development of tools to quickly identify the fate of injured trees after stress is highly relevant when biodiversity restoration of damaged sites is based on nature-based solutions. In this context, an approach to assess irreversible physiological damages within trees could help to support planning management decisions of perturbed sites to restore biodiversity, for the safety of the environment and understanding functionality adjustments of the ecosystems. Tree vitality can be estimated by a series of physiological proxies like cambium activity, starch, and soluble sugars amount in C-sinks whilst the accumulation of ethanol within the cambial cells and phloem is considered an alert of cell death. However, their determination requires time-consuming laboratory protocols, which makes the approach unfeasible as a practical option in the field. The project aims to develop biosensors to assess the concentration of soluble sugars and ethanol in stem tissues. Soluble sugars and ethanol concentrations will be used to define injured trees to discriminate compromised and recovering trees in the forest directly. To reach this goal, we select study sites subjected to prescribed fires or recent wildfires as experimental set-ups. Indeed, in Mediterranean countries, forest fire is a recurrent event that must be considered as a central component of regional and global strategies in forest management and biodiversity restoration programs. A biosensor will be developed through a multistep process related to target analytes characterization, bioreceptor selection, and, finally, calibration/testing of the sensor. To validate biosensor signals, soluble sugars and ethanol will be quantified by HPLC and GC using synthetic media (in lab) and phloem sap (in field) whilst cambium vitality will be assessed by anatomical observations. On burnt trees, the stem growth will be monitored by dendrometers and/or estimated by tree ring analyses, whilst the tree response to past fire events will be assessed by isotopic discrimination. Moreover, the fire characterization and the visual assessment procedure will be used to assign burnt trees to a vitality class. At the end of the project, a well-defined procedure combining biosensor signal and visual assessment will be produced and applied to a study case. The project outcomes and the results obtained will be properly packaged to reach, engage and address the needs of the final users and widely shared with relevant stakeholders involved in the optimal use of biosensors and in the management of post-fire areas. This project was funded by National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4, Component C2, Investment 1.1 - Call for tender No. 1409 of 14 September 2022 – ‘Progetti di Ricerca di Rilevante interesse Nazionale – PRIN’ of Italian Ministry of University and Research funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU; Grant N° P2022Z5742, CUP B53D23023780001.

Keywords: phloem, scorched crown, conifers, prescribed burning, biosensors

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Authors: Maari Sugawara

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This study investigates the constructed notion of “motherhood” and queered forms of care in contemporary Japan, focusing on rental family services. In Japan, the concept of motherhood is often equated with womanhood, reflecting a pervasive ideology that views motherhood as an essential aspect of a woman's societal role, particularly amidst economic recovery and an aging population. This study interrogates these gendered expectations by linking rental family services, particularly the role of rental mothers, to traditional caregiving roles. It critiques the gendered construction of domestic labor and aims to expand conceptions of alternative family structures and caregiving roles beyond normative frameworks. Emerging in the 1980s to provide companionship for the elderly, rental family services have evolved to meet diverse social needs, with paid actors fulfilling familial roles at various social events. Despite their growing prevalence, academic exploration of this phenomenon remains limited. This research aims to fill that gap by investigating the cultural, social, and economic factors fueling the popularity of rental family services and analyzing their implications for contemporary understandings of family dynamics and care labor in Japan. Furthermore, this study underscores the disproportionate domestic labor burden women in Japan bear, often managing time-intensive household tasks, which creates a "double burden" for those in full-time employment. Care work, including elderly and disability support, is undervalued and typically compensated at near-minimum wage levels, with women predominantly filling these low-wage roles. This gender disparity in Japan's care industry contributes to labor shortages in caregiving and childcare, highlighting broader structural inequities in the labor market. Through semi-structured qualitative interviews with fifteen rental mothers, this study investigates their experiences, motivations, role dynamics, and emotional labor. It critically examines whether the labor performed by rental family actors constitutes a subversive practice deserving of appropriate compensation. Utilizing a role-playing method, the author engages with rental mothers as if they were her own, reflecting the dynamics of compensated labor. This interaction delves into the economic and emotional aspects of constructed motherhood, facilitating a broader inquiry into the value of both productive and reproductive labor in Japan. The study also investigates the relationship between sex work and rental family services within the socio-economic landscape, recognizing the links between the welfare sector and female employment in legal sex work. Although distinct, these sectors merit joint consideration due to the commonality of male clients in both industries. This research engages with theoretical perspectives framing mobile sex work as inherently queer, directly challenging the dominance of heteronormativity. The agency exercised by sex workers complicates narratives of conformity and deviance, underscoring the need to reevaluate caregiving labor in both paid and unpaid contexts. Ultimately, this research critiques the intersection of gender, care, and labor in contemporary Japan by examining the undervaluation of traditional caregiving roles alongside the labor involved in rental family services. It challenges Japanese policies that equate womanhood with motherhood and explores the potential of viewing outsourced care as queered maternal and non-reproductive labor, advocating for the recognition of alternative family structures and non-reproductive forms of motherhood.

Keywords: motherhood, alternative family structures, carework, Japan, queer studies

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Authors: Claudio Clemente, Valentina Gargiulo, Alessio Occhicone, Giovanni Piero Pepe, Giovanni Ausanio, Michela Alfè

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Volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions represent a serious risk to human health and the integrity of the ecosystems, especially at high concentrations. For this reason, it is very important to continuously monitor environmental quality and develop fast and reliable portable sensors to allow analysis on site. Chemiresistors have become promising candidates for VOC sensing as their ease of fabrication, variety of suitable sensitive materials, and simple sensing data. A chemoresistive gas sensor is a transducer that allows to measure the concentration of an analyte in the gas phase because the changes in resistance are proportional to the amount of the analyte present. The selection of the sensitive material, which interacts with the target analyte, is very important for the sensor performance. The most used VOC detection materials are metal oxides (MOx) for their rapid recovery, high sensitivity to various gas molecules, easy fabrication. Their sensing performance can be improved in terms of operating temperature, selectivity, and detection limit. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted a lot of attention also in the field of gas sensing due to their high porosity, high surface area, tunable morphologies, structural variety. MOFs are generated by the self-assembly of multidentate organic ligands connecting with adjacent multivalent metal nodes via strong coordination interactions, producing stable and highly ordered crystalline porous materials with well-designed structures. However, most MOFs intrinsically exhibit low electrical conductivity. To improve this property, MOFs can be combined with organic and inorganic materials in a hybrid fashion to produce composite materials or can be transformed into more stable structures. MOFs, indeed, can be employed as the precursors of metal oxides with well-designed architectures via the calcination method. The MOF-derived MOx partially preserved the original structure with high surface area and intrinsic open pores, which act as trapping centers for gas molecules, and showed a higher electrical conductivity. Core-shell heterostructures, in which the surface of a metal oxide core is completely coated by a MOF shell, forming a junction at the core-shell heterointerface, can also be synthesized. Also, nanocomposite in which MOF structures are intercalated with graphene related materials can also be produced, and the conductivity increases thanks to the high mobility of electrons of carbon materials. As MOF structures, zinc-based MOFs belonging to the ZIF family were selected in this work. Several Zn-based materials based and/or derived from MOFs were produced, structurally characterized, and arranged in a chemo resistive architecture, also exploring the potentiality of different approaches of sensing layer deposition based on PLD (pulsed laser deposition) and, in case of thermally labile materials, MAPLE (Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation) to enhance the adhesion to the support. The sensors were tested in a controlled humidity chamber, allowing for the possibility of varying the concentration of ethanol, a typical analyte chosen among the VOCs for a first survey. The effect of heating the chemiresistor to improve sensing performances was also explored. Future research will focus on exploring new manufacturing processes for MOF-based gas sensors with the aim to improve sensitivity, selectivity and reduce operating temperatures.

Keywords: chemiresistors, gas sensors, graphene related materials, laser deposition, MAPLE, metal-organic frameworks, metal oxides, nanocomposites, sensing performance, transduction mechanism, volatile organic compounds

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Authors: Kalaumari Mayoral-Peña, Ana I. Montejano-Montelongo, Josué Reyes-Muñoz, Gonzalo A. Ortiz-Mancilla, Mayrin Rodríguez-Cruz, Víctor Hernández-Villalobos, Jesús A. Guzmán-López, Santiago García-Jacobo, Iván Licona-Vázquez, Grisel Fierros-Romero, Rosario Flores-Vallejo

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The group B-lactamic antibiotics include some of the most frequently used small drug molecules against bacterial infections. Nevertheless, an alarming decrease in their efficacy has been reported due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Infections caused by bacteria expressing extended Spectrum B-lactamases (ESBLs) are difficult to treat and account for higher morbidity and mortality rates, delayed recovery, and high economic burden. According to the Global Report on Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance, it is estimated that mortality due to resistant bacteria will ascend to 10 million cases per year worldwide. These facts highlight the importance of developing low-cost and readily accessible detection methods of drug-resistant ESBLs bacteria to prevent their spread and promote accurate and fast diagnosis. Bacterial detection is commonly done using molecular diagnostic techniques, where PCR stands out for its high performance. However, this technique requires specialized equipment not available everywhere, is time-consuming, and has a high cost. Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) is an alternative technique that works at a constant temperature, significantly decreasing the equipment cost. It yields double-stranded DNA of several lengths with repetitions of the target DNA sequence as a product. Although positive and negative results from LAMP can be discriminated by colorimetry, fluorescence, and turbidity, there is still a large room for improvement in the point-of-care implementation. DNA origami is a technique that allows the formation of 3D nanometric structures by folding a large single-stranded DNA (scaffold) into a determined shape with the help of short DNA sequences (staples), which hybridize with the scaffold. This research aimed to generate DNA origami structures using LAMP products as scaffolds to improve the sensitivity to detect ESBLs in point-of-care diagnosis. For this study, the coding sequence of the CTM-X-15 ESBL of E. coli was used to generate the LAMP products. The set of LAMP primers were designed using PrimerExplorerV5. As a result, a target sequence of 200 nucleotides from CTM-X-15 ESBL was obtained. Afterward, eight different DNA origami structures were designed using the target sequence in the SDCadnano and analyzed with CanDo to evaluate the stability of the 3D structures. The designs were constructed minimizing the total number of staples to reduce costs and complexity for point-of-care applications. After analyzing the DNA origami designs, two structures were selected. The first one was a zig-zag flat structure, while the second one was a wall-like shape. Given the sequence repetitions in the scaffold sequence, both were able to be assembled with only 6 different staples each one, ranging between 18 to 80 nucleotides. Simulations of both structures were performed using scaffolds of different sizes yielding stable structures in all the cases. The generation of the LAMP products were tested by colorimetry and electrophoresis. The formation of the DNA structures was analyzed using electrophoresis and colorimetry. The modeling of novel detection methods through bioinformatics tools allows reliable control and prediction of results. To our knowledge, this is the first study that uses LAMP products and DNA-origami in combination to delect ESBL-producing bacterial strains, which represent a promising methodology for diagnosis in the point-of-care.

Keywords: beta-lactamases, antibiotic resistance, DNA origami, isothermal amplification, LAMP technique, molecular diagnosis

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Authors: Eduardo Lanzagorta Garcia, Chaitra Venkatesh, Romina Pezzoli, Laura Gabriela Rodriguez Barroso, Declan Devine, Margaret E. Brennan Fournet

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New antimicrobial interventions are urgently required to combat rising global health and medical infection challenges. Here, an innovative antimicrobial technology, providing price competitive alternatives to antibiotics and readily integratable with currently technological systems is presented. Two cutting edge antimicrobial materials, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and uncompromised sustained Ag+ action from triangular silver nanoplates (TSNPs) reservoirs, are merged for versatile effective antimicrobial action where current approaches fail. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) exist widely in nature and have recently been demonstrated for broad spectrum of activity against bacteria, viruses, and fungi. TSNP’s are highly discrete, homogenous and readily functionisable Ag+ nanoreseviors that have a proven amenability for operation within in a wide range of bio-based settings. In a design for advanced antimicrobial sustainable plastics, antimicrobial TSNPs are formulated for processing within biodegradable biopolymers. Histone H5 AMP was selected for its reported strong antimicrobial action and functionalized with the TSNP (AMP-TSNP) in a similar fashion to previously reported TSNP biofunctionalisation methods. A synergy between the propensity of biopolymers for degradation and Ag+ release combined with AMP activity provides a novel mechanism for the sustained antimicrobial action of biopolymeric thin films. Nanoplates are transferred from aqueous phase to an organic solvent in order to facilitate integration within hydrophobic polymers. Extrusion is used in combination with calendering rolls to create thin polymerc film where the nanoplates are embedded onto the surface. The resultant antibacterial functional films are suitable to be adapted for food packing and biomedical applications. TSNP synthesis were synthesized by adapting a previously reported seed mediated approach. TSNP synthesis was scaled up for litre scale batch production and subsequently concentrated to 43 ppm using thermally controlled H2O removal. Nanoplates were transferred from aqueous phase to an organic solvent in order to facilitate integration within hydrophobic polymers. This was acomplised by functionalizing the TSNP with thiol terminated polyethylene glycol and using centrifugal force to transfer them to chloroform. Polycaprolactone (PCL) and Polylactic acid (PLA) were individually processed through extrusion, TSNP and AMP-TSNP solutions were sprayed onto the polymer immediately after exiting the dye. Calendering rolls were used to disperse and incorporate TSNP and TSNP-AMP onto the surface of the extruded films. Observation of the characteristic blue colour confirms the integrity of the TSNP within the films. Antimicrobial tests were performed by incubating Gram + and Gram – strains with treated and non-treated films, to evaluate if bacterial growth was reduced due to the presence of the TSNP. The resulting films successfully incorporated TSNP and AMP-TSNP. Reduced bacterial growth was observed for both Gram + and Gram – strains for both TSNP and AMP-TSNP compared with untreated films indicating antimicrobial action. The largest growth reduction was observed for AMP-TSNP treated films demonstrating the additional antimicrobial activity due to the presence of the AMPs. The potential of this technology to impede bacterial activity in food industry and medical surfaces will forge new confidence in the battle against antibiotic resistant bacteria, serving to greatly inhibit infections and facilitate patient recovery.

Keywords: antimicrobial, biodegradable, peptide, polymer, nanoparticle

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Authors: Richa Jaiswal, Vidisha Sharma, Amulya Rattan, Sushma Sagar, Subodh Kumar, Amit Gupta, Biplab Mishra, Maneesh Singhal

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Background: Adequate nutritional support and daily patient monitoring have an independent therapeutic role in the successful management of high output fistulae and early recovery after abdominal trauma. Case presentation: An 18-year-old girl was brought to AIIMS emergency with alleged history of fall of a heavy weight (electric motor) over abdomen. She was evaluated as per Advanced Trauma Life Support(ATLS) protocols and diagnosed to have significant abdominal trauma. After stabilization, she was referred to Trauma center. Abdomen was guarded and focused assessment with sonography for trauma(FAST) was found positive. Complete duodenojejunal(DJ) junction transection was found at laparotomy, and end-to-end repair was done. However, patient was re-explored in view of biliary peritonitis on post-operative day3, and anastomotic leak was found with sloughing of duodenal end. Resection of non-viable segments was done followed by side-to-side anastomosis. Unfortunately, the anastomosis leaked again, this time due to a post-anastomotic kink, diagnosed on dye study. Due to hostile abdomen, the patient was planned for supportive care, with plan of build-up and delayed definitive surgery. Percutaneous transheptic biliary drainage (PTBD) and STSG were required in the course as well. Nutrition: In intensive care unit (ICU), major goals of nutritional therapy were to improve wound healing, optimize nutrition, minimize enteral feed associated complications, reduce biliary fistula output, and prepare the patient for definitive surgeries. Feeding jejunostomy (FJ) was started from day 4 at the rate of 30ml/h along with total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and intra-venous (IV) micronutrients support. Due to high bile output, bile refeed started from day 13.After 23 days of ICU stay, patient was transferred to general ward with body mass index (BMI)<11kg/m2 and serum albumin –1.5gm%. Patient was received in the ward in catabolic phase with high risk of refeeding syndrome. Patient was kept on FJ bolus feed at the rate of 30–50 ml/h. After 3–4 days, while maintaining patient diet book log it was observed that patient use to refuse feed at night and started becoming less responsive with every passing day. After few minutes of conversation with the patient for a couple of days, she complained about enteral feed discharge in urine, mild pain and sign of dumping syndrome. Dye study was done, which ruled out any enterovesical fistula and conservative management were planned. At this time, decision was taken for continuous slow rate feeding through commercial feeding pump at the rate of 2–3ml/min. Drastic improvement was observed from the second day in gastro-intestinal symptoms and general condition of the patient. Nutritional composition of feed, TPN and diet ranged between 800 and 2100 kcal and 50–95 g protein. After STSG, TPN was stopped. Periodic diet counselling was given to improve oral intake. At the time of discharge, serum albumin level was 2.1g%, weight – 38.6, BMI – 15.19 kg/m2. Patient got discharge on an oral diet. Conclusion: Successful management of post-traumatic proximal high output fistulae is a challenging task, due to impaired nutrient absorption and enteral feed associated complications. Strategic- and goal-based nutrition support can salvage such critically ill patients, as demonstrated in the present case.

Keywords: nutritional monitoring, nutritional support, duodenal fistula, abdominal trauma

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Authors: Pejman Salimi, Sebastiano Tieuli, Somayeh Taghavi, Michela Signoretto, Remo Proietti Zaccaria

Abstract:

Increasing the growth of industrial waste due to the large quantities of production leads to numerous environmental and economic challenges, such as climate change, soil and water contamination, human disease, etc. Energy recovery of waste can be applied to produce heat or electricity. This strategy allows for the reduction of energy produced using coal or other fuels and directly reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Among different factories, leather manufacturing plays a very important role in the whole world from the socio-economic point of view. The leather industry plays a very important role in our society from a socio-economic point of view. Even though the leather industry uses a by-product from the meat industry as raw material, it is considered as an activity demanding integrated prevention and control of pollution. Along the entire process from raw skins/hides to finished leather, a huge amount of solid and water waste is generated. Solid wastes include fleshings, raw trimmings, shavings, buffing dust, etc. One of the most abundant solid wastes generated throughout leather tanning is shaving waste. Leather shaving is a mechanical process that aims at reducing the tanned skin to a specific thickness before tanning and finishing. This product consists mainly of collagen and tanning agent. At present, most of the world's leather processing is chrome-tanned based. Consequently, large amounts of chromium-containing shaving wastes need to be treated. The major concern about the management of this kind of solid waste is ascribed to chrome content, which makes the conventional disposal methods, such as landfilling and incineration, not practicable. Therefore, many efforts have been developed in recent decades to promote eco-friendly/alternative leather production and more effective waste management. Herein, shaving waste resulting from metal-free tanning technology is proposed as low-cost precursors for the preparation of carbon material as anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In line with the philosophy of a reduced environmental impact, for preparing fully sustainable and environmentally friendly LIBs anodes, deionized water and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) have been used as alternatives to toxic/teratogen N-methyl-2- pyrrolidone (NMP) and to biologically hazardous Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF), respectively. Furthermore, going towards the reduced cost, we employed water solvent and fluoride-free bio-derived CMC binder (as an alternative to NMP and PVdF, respectively) together with LiFePO₄ (LFP) when a full cell was considered. These actions make closer to the 2030 goal of having green LIBs at 100 $ kW h⁻¹. Besides, the preparation of the water-based electrodes does not need a controlled environment and due to the higher vapour pressure of water in comparison with NMP, the water-based electrode drying is much faster. This aspect determines an important consequence, namely a reduced energy consumption for the electrode preparation. The electrode derived from leather waste demonstrated a discharge capacity of 735 mAh g⁻¹ after 1000 charge and discharge cycles at 0.5 A g⁻¹. This promising performance is ascribed to the synergistic effect of defects, interlayer spacing, heteroatoms-doped (N, O, and S), high specific surface area, and hierarchical micro/mesopore structure of the biochar. Interestingly, these features of activated biochars derived from the leather industry open the way for possible applications in other EESDs as well.

Keywords: biowaste, lithium-ion batteries, physical activation, waste management, leather industry

Procedia PDF Downloads 170

Authors: L. Malic, X. Zhang, D. Brassard, L. Clime, J. Daoud, C. Luebbert, V. Barrere, A. Boutin, S. Bidawid, N. Corneau, J. Farber, T. Veres

Abstract:

The incidence of infections caused by foodborne pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) poses a great potential threat to public health and safety. These issues are further exacerbated by legal repercussions due to “zero tolerance” food safety standards adopted in developed countries. Unfortunately, a large number of related disease outbreaks are caused by pathogens present in extremely low counts currently undetectable by available techniques. The development of highly sensitive and rapid detection of foodborne pathogens is therefore crucial, and requires robust and efficient pre-analytical sample preparation. Immunomagnetic separation is a popular approach to sample preparation. Microfluidic chips combined with external magnets have emerged as viable high throughput methods. However, external magnets alone are not suitable for the capture of nanoparticles, as very strong magnetic fields are required. Devices that incorporate externally applied magnetic field and microstructures of a soft magnetic material have thus been used for local field amplification. Unfortunately, very complex and costly fabrication processes used for integration of soft magnetic materials in the reported proof-of-concept devices would prohibit their use as disposable tools for food and water safety or diagnostic applications. We present a sample preparation magnetic microfluidic device implemented in low-cost thermoplastic polymers using fabrication techniques suitable for mass-production. The developed magnetic capture chip (M-chip) was employed for rapid capture and release of L. monocytogenes conjugated to immunomagnetic nanoparticles (IMNs) in buffer and beef filtrate. The M-chip relies on a dense array of Nickel-coated high-aspect ratio pillars for capture with controlled magnetic field distribution and a microfluidic channel network for sample delivery, waste, wash and recovery. The developed Nickel-coating process and passivation allows generation of switchable local perturbations within the uniform magnetic field generated with a pair of permanent magnets placed at the opposite edges of the chip. This leads to strong and reversible trapping force, wherein high local magnetic field gradients allow efficient capture of IMNs conjugated to L. monocytogenes flowing through the microfluidic chamber. The experimental optimization of the M-chip was performed using commercially available magnetic microparticles and fabricated silica-coated iron-oxide nanoparticles. The fabricated nanoparticles were optimized to achieve the desired magnetic moment and surface functionalization was tailored to allow efficient capture antibody immobilization. The integration, validation and further optimization of the capture and release protocol is demonstrated using both, dead and live L. monocytogenes through fluorescence microscopy and plate- culture method. The capture efficiency of the chip was found to vary as function of listeria to nanoparticle concentration ratio. The maximum capture efficiency of 30% was obtained and the 24-hour plate-culture method allowed the detection of initial sample concentration of only 16 cfu/ml. The device was also very efficient in concentrating the sample from a 10 ml initial volume. Specifically, 280% concentration efficiency was achieved in 17 minutes only, demonstrating the suitability of the system for food safety applications. In addition, flexible design and low-cost fabrication process will allow rapid sample preparation for applications beyond food and water safety, including point-of-care diagnosis.

Keywords: array of pillars, bacteria isolation, immunomagnetic sample preparation, polymer microfluidic device

Procedia PDF Downloads 280

Authors: Elhadi Nasr, Ibrahim Ramadan

Abstract:

Biostratigraphical analyses of well sections from the Maragh Low in the Eastern Sirt Basin has allowed high resolution correlations to be undertaken. Full integration of this data with available palaeoenvironmental, lithological, gravity, seismic, aeromagnetic, igneous, radiometric and wireline log information and a geochemical analysis of source rock quality and distribution has led to a more detailed understanding of the geological and the structural history of this area. Pre Sirt Unconformity two superimposed rifting cycles have been identified. The oldest is represented by the Amal Group of sediments and is of Late Carboniferous, Kasimovian / Gzelian to Middle Triassic, Anisian age. Unconformably overlying is a younger rift cycle which is represented the Sarir Group of sediments and is of Early Cretaceous, late Neocomian to Aptian in age. Overlying the Sirt Unconformity is the marine Late Cretaceous section. An assessment of pyrolysis results and a palynofacies analysis has allowed hydrocarbon source facies and quality to be determined. There are a number of hydrocarbon source rock horizons in the Maragh Low, these are sometimes vertically stacked and they are of fair to excellent quality. The oldest identified source rock is the Triassic Shale, this unit is unconformably overlain by sandstones belonging to the Sarir Group and conformably overlies a Triassic Siltstone unit. Palynological dating of the Triassic Shale unit indicates a Middle Triassic, Anisian age. The Triassic Shale is interpreted to have been deposited in a lacustrine palaeoenvironment. This particularly is evidenced by the dark, fine grained, organic rich nature of the sediment and is supported by palynofacies analysis and by the recovery of fish fossils. Geochemical analysis of the Triassic Shale indicates total organic carbon varying between 1.37 and 3.53. S2 pyrolysate yields vary between 2.15 mg/g and 6.61 mg/g and hydrogen indices vary between 156.91 and 278.91. The source quality of the Triassic Shale varies from being of fair to very good / rich. Linked to thermal maturity it is now a very good source for light oil and gas. It was once a very good to rich oil source. The Early Barremian Shale was also deposited in a lacustrine palaeoenvironment. Recovered palynomorphs indicate an Early Cretaceous, late Neocomian to early Barremian age. The Early Barremian Shale is conformably underlain and overlain by sandstone units belonging to the Sarir Group of sediments which are also of Early Cretaceous age. Geochemical analysis of the Early Barremian Shale indicates that it is a good oil source and was originally very good. Total organic carbon varies between 3.59% and 7%. S2 varies between 6.30 mg/g and 10.39 mg/g and the hydrogen indices vary between 148.4 and 175.5. A Late Barremian Shale unit of this age has also been identified in the central Maragh Low. Geochemical analyses indicate that total organic carbon varies between 1.05 and 2.38%, S2 pyrolysate between 1.6 and 5.34 mg/g and the hydrogen index between 152.4 and 224.4. It is a good oil source rock which is now mature. In addition to the non marine hydrocarbon source rocks pre Sirt Unconformity, three formations in the overlying Late Cretaceous section also provide hydrocarbon quality source rocks. Interbedded shales within the Rachmat Formation of Late Cretaceous, early Campanian age have total organic carbon ranging between, 0.7 and 1.47%, S2 pyrolysate varying between 1.37 and 4.00 mg/g and hydrogen indices varying between 195.7 and 272.1. The indication is that this unit would provide a fair gas source to a good oil source. Geochemical analyses of the overlying Tagrifet Limestone indicate that total organic carbon varies between 0.26% and 1.01%. S2 pyrolysate varies between 1.21 and 2.16 mg/g and hydrogen indices vary between 195.7 and 465.4. For the overlying Sirt Shale Formation of Late Cretaceous, late Campanian age, total organic carbon varies between 1.04% and 1.51%, S2 pyrolysate varies between 4.65 mg/g and 6.99 mg/g and the hydrogen indices vary between 151 and 462.9. The study has proven that both the Sirt Shale Formation and the Tagrifet Limestone are good to very good and rich sources for oil in the Maragh Low. High resolution biostratigraphical interpretations have been integrated and calibrated with thermal maturity determinations (Vitrinite Reflectance (%Ro), Spore Colour Index (SCI) and Tmax (ºC) and the determined present day geothermal gradient of 25ºC / Km for the Maragh Low. Interpretation of generated basin modelling profiles allows a detailed prediction of timing of maturation development of these source horizons and leads to a determination of amounts of missing section at major unconformities. From the results the top of the oil window (0.72% Ro) is picked as high as 10,700’ and the base of the oil window (1.35% Ro) assuming a linear trend and by projection is picked as low as 18,000’ in the Maragh Low. For the Triassic Shale the early phase of oil generation was in the Late Palaeocene / Early to Middle Eocene and the main phase of oil generation was in the Middle to Late Eocene. The Early Barremian Shale reached the main phase of oil generation in the Early Oligocene with late generation being reached in the Middle Miocene. For the Rakb Group section (Rachmat Formation, Tagrifet Limestone and Sirt Shale Formation) the early phase of oil generation started in the Late Eocene with the main phase of generation being between the Early Oligocene and the Early Miocene. From studying maturity profiles and from regional considerations it can be predicted that up to 500’ of sediment may have been deposited and eroded by the Sirt Unconformity in the central Maragh Low while up to 2000’ of sediment may have been deposited and then eroded to the south of the trough.

Keywords: Geochemical analysis of the source rocks from wells in Eastern Sirt Basin.

Procedia PDF Downloads 408

Authors: Anisa Suraya Ab Razak, Izza Hayat

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Introduction: The diagnosis and management of severe hyponatremia in neuropsychiatric patients present a significant challenge to physicians. Several factors contribute, including diagnostic shadowing and attributing abnormal behavior to intellectual disability or psychiatric conditions. Hyponatraemia is the commonest electrolyte abnormality in the inpatient population, ranging from mild/asymptomatic, moderate to severe levels with life-threatening symptoms such as seizures, coma and death. There are several documented fatal case reports in the literature of severe hyponatremia secondary to psychogenic polydipsia, often diagnosed only in autopsy. This paper presents a case study of acute severe hyponatremia in a neuropsychiatric patient with early diagnosis and admission to intensive care. Case study: A 21-year old Caucasian male with known epilepsy and learning disability was admitted from residential living with generalized tonic-clonic self-terminating seizures after refusing medications for several weeks. Evidence of superficial head injury was detected on physical examination. His laboratory data demonstrated mild hyponatremia (125 mmol/L). Computed tomography imaging of his brain demonstrated no acute bleed or space-occupying lesion. He exhibited abnormal behavior - restlessness, drinking water from bathroom taps, inability to engage, paranoia, and hypersexuality. No collateral history was available to establish his baseline behavior. He was loaded with intravenous sodium valproate and leveritircaetam. Three hours later, he developed vomiting and a generalized tonic-clonic seizure lasting forty seconds. He remained drowsy for several hours and regained minimal recovery of consciousness. A repeat set of blood tests demonstrated profound hyponatremia (117 mmol/L). Outcomes: He was referred to intensive care for peripheral intravenous infusion of 2.7% sodium chloride solution with two-hourly laboratory monitoring of sodium concentration. Laboratory monitoring identified dangerously rapid correction of serum sodium concentration, and hypertonic saline was switched to a 5% dextrose solution to reduce the risk of acute large-volume fluid shifts from the cerebral intracellular compartment to the extracellular compartment. He underwent urethral catheterization and produced 8 liters of urine over 24 hours. Serum sodium concentration remained stable after 24 hours of correction fluids. His GCS recovered to baseline after 48 hours with improvement in behavior -he engaged with healthcare professionals, understood the importance of taking medications, admitted to illicit drug use and drinking massive amounts of water. He was transferred from high-dependency care to ward level and was initiated on multiple trials of anti-epileptics before achieving seizure-free days two weeks after resolution of acute hyponatremia. Conclusion: Psychogenic polydipsia is often found in young patients with intellectual disability or psychiatric disorders. Patients drink large volumes of water daily ranging from ten to forty liters, resulting in acute severe hyponatremia with mortality rates as high as 20%. Poor outcomes are due to challenges faced by physicians in making an early diagnosis and treating acute hyponatremia safely. A low index of suspicion of water intoxication is required in this population, including patients with known epilepsy. Monitoring urine output proved to be clinically effective in aiding diagnosis. Early referral and admission to intensive care should be considered for safe correction of sodium concentration while minimizing risk of fatal complications e.g. central pontine myelinolysis.

Keywords: epilepsy, psychogenic polydipsia, seizure, severe hyponatremia

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