Facile, lightweight, and sustainable aerogels have been a growing interest in their applications as support matrixes in the current environmental and energy challenges. In this study, a cellulose ...aerogel (CA) is fabricated using a homogeneous dispersion of cellulose fibers in an alkali‐urea aqueous solution and a carbon nanotube ink (CNT‐ink) to increase its electrical and conductive behavior in a potentiometric analysis. The physicochemical and morphological properties of the resultant composite aerogels (CA, CA1, and CA2) are investigated by thermal, water resistance, mechanical, FTIR, and SEM analysis. The prepared material exhibits a structured solid network that is visualized through SEM in which fibers are functionalized with CNTs. The results from compressive tests reveal that CA2 has excellent mechanical properties. A saturated CA with CNT‐ink can turn on a white LED and potentiometric measurements by preparing an aerogel‐based ion‐selective electrode (CA2 ‐ ISE) with a potassium ion‐selective membrane (K+ − ISM) reveal good sensitivity at room temperature for the detection in a specific electrolyte solution.
The degradation of Pentoxifylline (PXF) was achieved successfully by green energy in a built-in solar photocatalytic system using hybrid LiCs ferrites (Li0.5Cs0.5FeO2) as magnetically recoverable ...photocatalysts. Kinetics showed a first-order reaction rate with maximum PXF removal of 94.91% at mildly acidic pH; additionally, the ferromagnetic properties of catalyst allowed recovery and reuse multiple times, reducing costs and time in degradation processes. The degradation products were identified by HPLC-MS and allowed us to propose a thermodynamically feasible mechanism that was validated through DFT calculations. Additionally, toxicity studies have been performed in bacteria and yeast where high loadings of Cs showed to be harmful to Staphylococcus aureus (MIC≥ 4.0 mg/mL); Salmonella typhi (MIC≥ 8.0 mg/mL) and Candida albicans (MIC≥ 10.0 mg/mL). The presented setup shows effectiveness and robustness in a degradation process using alternative energy sources for the elimination of non-biodegradable pollutants.
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•Mixed LiCs ferrites have been prepared through a green combustion method.•Addition of 1A group ions reduced bandgap from 2.9 eV (Fe3O4) to 2.55 eV (Cs0.5Li0.5FeO2).•Direct sunlight irradiation allowed effective removal of emerging pollutant pentoxifylline.•Pentoxifylline shows a first order reaction rate with > 90% removal after 3 h.•Oxidation mechanism is proposed and validated based on experimental and theoretical evidence.
Nowadays, the use of super-resolution microscopy (SRM) is increasing globally due to its potential application in several fields of life sciences. However, a detailed and comprehensive guide is ...necessary for understanding a single-frame image's resolution limit. This study was performed to provide information about the structural organisation of isolated cellulose fibres from garlic and agave wastes through fluorophore-based techniques and image analysis algorithms. Confocal microscopy provided overall information on the cellulose fibres' microstructure, while techniques such as total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy facilitated the study of the plant fibres' surface structures at a sub-micrometric scale. Furthermore, SIM and single-molecule localisation microscopy (SMLM) using the PALM reconstruction wizard can resolve the network of cellulose fibres at the nanometric level. In contrast, the mean shift super-resolution (MSSR) algorithm successfully determined nanometric structures from confocal microscopy images. Atomic force microscopy was used as a microscopy technique for measuring the size of the fibres. Similar fibre sizes to those evaluated with SIM and SMLM were found using the MSSR algorithm and AFM. However, the MSSR algorithm must be cautiously applied because the selection of thresholding parameters still depends on human visual perception. Therefore, this contribution provides a comparative study of SRM techniques and MSSR algorithm using cellulose fibres as reference material to evaluate the performance of a mathematical algorithm for image processing of bioimages at a nanometric scale. In addition, this work could act as a simple guide for improving the lateral resolution of single-frame fluorescence bioimages when SRM facilities are unavailable.
Understanding the asymmetric catalytic mechanism involving organometallic species provides exceptional insight into the strategies for the degradation of emerging organic contaminants. The present ...work demonstrates such insights on the oxidation of commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as diclofenac, paracetamol, ibuprofen, and aspirin using optically active novel Schiff base Co(II) complexes derived from salicylaldehyde containing five different amino acids (L-methionine, L-leucine, L-asparagine, L-tryptophan, and L-glutamic acid). Among the studied chiral catalysts, asymmetric degradation in the presence of a Co(II) complex containing glutamic acid mixed ligand showed an elevated rate of oxidation of non-amine NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (3.86 × 10
–2
s
−1
) and aspirin (3.70 × 10
–3
s
−1
) using H
2
O
2
oxidant under visible light conditions at neutral pH. The formation of chiral intermediate species in both drugs has been detected and characterized by FTIR and Raman analysis. On the other hand, NSAIDs containing secondary amine groups (–NH–), such as diclofenac and paracetamol, generate effective coordination between the complex catalyst and the nitrogen atom. This explains the high activity of the Co(II) complex with glutamic acid mixed salicylaldehyde with 100% selectivity in the degradation of ibuprofen and aspirin. The thermodynamical feasibility of the proposed degradation route for ibuprofen and aspirin was analyzed with theoretically calculated total energy values of all the intermediates formed in each step of the proposed mechanism.
Graphical abstract
Development of eco-friendly materials based on biopolymers and agro-food waste has increased due to severe pollution caused using plastic materials. The aim of this work was to obtain nanoparticles ...by high-energy milling at different times (1–3 h) from eggshells as they are a source of calcium carbonate and was study using microscopy and spectroscopy techniques. Particle size distribution and mean particle size were determined. After 2 h of milling, the smallest particles (84 ± 40 nm, with 91 % ≤ 100 nm) were obtained. The effect of the addition of eggshell nanoparticles (ENP) at different concentrations (1–3 wt%) on different functional properties of gellan gum (GG) films was studied. The results indicated that addition of ENP (3 wt%) improves hydrophobic, water barrier, mechanical, and thermogravimetric properties of the ENP/GG film in comparison with GG film. X-ray diffraction analysis and infrared spectroscopy provided information to propose a descriptive model to explain the chemical interactions between ENP and GG. Consequently, the films could be used to fabricate eco-friendly materials for use in the food sector in the elaboration of dishes and shockproof protective netting for delicate fruits.
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•High-energy milling allowed obtaining a large amount of eggshell nanoparticles.•Obtained nanoparticles are mainly constituted of calcium carbonate in the form of calcite.•Chemical interactions between gellan gum and nanoparticles were elucidated.•Eggshell nanoparticles improved the structure-function of gellan gum films.
Background
Adherence to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication treatment is a cornerstone for achieving adequate treatment efficacy.
Objective
To determine which factors influence compliance ...with treatment.
Methods
A systematic prospective non‐interventional registry (Hp‐EuReg) of the clinical practice of European gastroenterologists. Compliance was considered adequate if ≥90% drug intake. Data were collected until September 2021 using the AEG‐REDCap e‐CRF and were subjected to quality control. Modified intention‐to‐treat analyses were performed. Multivariate analysis carried out the factors associated with the effectiveness of treatment and compliance.
Results
Compliance was inadequate in 646 (1.7%) of 38,698 patients. The non‐compliance rate was higher in patients prescribed longer regimens (10‐, 14‐days) and rescue treatments, patients with uninvestigated dyspepsia/functional dyspepsia, and patients reporting adverse effects. Prevalence of non‐adherence was lower for first‐line treatment than for rescue treatment (1.5% vs. 2.2%; p < 0.001). Differences in non‐adherence in the three most frequent first‐line treatments were shown: 1.1% with proton pump inhibitor + clarithromycin + amoxicillin; 2.3% with proton pump inhibitor clarithromycin amoxicillin metronidazole; and 1.8% with bismuth quadruple therapy. These treatments were significantly more effective in compliant than in non‐compliant patients: 86% versus 44%, 90% versus 71%, and 93% versus 64%, respectively (p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, the variable most significantly associated with higher effectiveness was adequate compliance (odds ratio, 6.3 95%CI, 5.2–7.7; p < 0.001).
Conclusions
Compliance with Helicobacter pylori eradication treatment is very good. Factors associated with poor compliance include uninvestigated/functional dyspepsia, rescue‐treatment, prolonged treatment regimens, the presence of adverse events, and the use of non‐bismuth sequential and concomitant treatment. Adequate treatment compliance was the variable most closely associated with successful eradication.
Fluorescence techniques have been widely used by scientists to reveal valuable information from biological samples, but in food science, small progress is known due to the complexity of the samples. ...In this study, two different biological samples, garlic skin (GS) and agave fibers (AF), were used to evaluate the techniques of confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, to obtain valuable information on the fiber size of the samples. A compositional characterization with calcofluor white in CLSM was achieved, but a superficial characterization of the samples with TIRF was made, evidencing fiber sizes of 398.67 ± 48.47 nm and 677.38 ± 76.88 nm for GS and AF, respectively. This work reveals that only an untreated sample can be used with the two techniques in the same microscope. In addition, it is possible to characterize the sample only using a spatial field of research and which valuable information about the structure of the material is found. This work provides the opportunity to use advanced fluorescence techniques for elucidation of structures shortly before studied with these techniques.
Abstract Spur gearboxes are an integral component in the operation of rotary machines. Hence, the early determination of the severity level of a failure is crucial. This manuscript delineates a ...methodology for selecting essential mother wavelets and filters from the wavelet transform (WT) to process the vibration signal within the time‐frequency domain, aiming to ascertain the severity level of failures in spur gearboxes. Initially, information is garnered from the gearbox through vibration signals in the time domain, utilising six accelerometers. Subsequently, the signal is partitioned into various levels, and information from each level is extracted using diverse mother wavelets and their respective filters. The signal is segmented into sub‐bands, from which the condition state is ascertained using an energy operator. After that, the appropriate level of wave decomposition is determined through ANOVA tests and post‐hoc Tukey analyses, evaluating performance in failure classification via the Random Forest (RF) model. Upon establishing the decomposition level, the analysis proceeds to identify which mother wavelets and filters are most suitable for determining the severity level of different types of failure in spur gearboxes. Moreover, this study investigates the impact of sensor positioning and inclination on acquiring the vibration signal. This aspect is explored through factorial ANOVA tests and multiple comparisons of the data derived from the sensors. The RF classification model achieved exceedingly favourable results (accuracy 96% and AUC 98%), with minimal practical influence from the positioning and inclination of a sensor, thereby affirming the proposed methodology's suitability for this type of analysis.