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•Water disinfection by simultaneous treatment with hydrodynamic cavitation and plasma discharge.•Decomposition of organic pollutants in water under hydrodynamic cavitation and ...plasma.•Easily scalable hybrid technology combining cavitation and plasma.•Intense generation of radicals, UV light, shock waves and charged particles.•Prolonged oxidation takes place in the solution/suspension after the end of the treatment.
Over the last two decades, the scientific community and industry have made huge efforts to develop environmental protection technologies. In particular, the scarcity of drinking water has prompted the investigation of several physico-chemical treatments, and synergistic effects have been observed in hyphenated techniques. Herein, we report the first example of water treatment under simultaneous hydrodynamic cavitation and plasma discharge with the intense generation of radicals, UV light, shock waves and charged particles. This highly reactive environment is well suited to the bulk treatment of polluted water (i.e. E. coli disinfection and organic pollutant degradation). We have developed a new prototype and have efficiently applied this hybrid technology to water disinfection and the complete degradation of methanol in water with the aim of demonstrating its scalability. We have analyzed the mechanisms of water disinfection under the abovementioned conditions and verified them by measuring cavitation noise spectra and plasma emission spectra. We have also used the degradation of textile dyes and methanol solutions as an indicator for the formation of radicals.
Glaucoma is a group of progressive optic neuropathies that share common biological and clinical characteristics including irreversible changes to the optic nerve and visual field loss caused by the ...death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). The loss of RGCs manifests as characteristic cupping or optic nerve degeneration, resulting in visual field loss in patients with Glaucoma. Published studies on in vitro RGC differentiation from stem cells utilized classical RGC signaling pathways mimicking retinal development in vivo. Although many strategies allowed for the generation of RGCs, increased variability between experiments and lower yield hampered the cross comparison between individual lines and between experiments. To address this critical need, we developed a reproducible chemically defined in vitro methodology for generating retinal progenitor cell (RPC) populations from iPSCs, that are efficiently directed towards RGC lineage. Using this method, we reproducibly differentiated iPSCs into RGCs with greater than 80% purity, without any genetic modifications. We used small molecules and peptide modulators to inhibit BMP, TGF-β (SMAD), and canonical Wnt pathways that reduced variability between iPSC lines and yielded functional and mature iPSC-RGCs. Using CD90.2 antibody and Magnetic Activated Cell Sorter (MACS) technique, we successfully purified Thy-1 positive RGCs with nearly 95% purity.
This article describes the main results of two Arctic expeditions in 2017–2018 to study the Seyakha Crater in the north of Western Siberia, Yamal Peninsula. It was formed on a place of a pingo-like ...feature (PLF) by huge blowout, self-ignition, and explosion of gas on 28 June 2017. In 2018, for the first time, the integration of geophysical studies on the Yamal Peninsula revealed in detail an Arctic gas-blowout crater within a river channel and adjacent land with permafrost. On the basis of unmanned aerial vehicle photography, echo sounding, and ground penetrating radar survey data processing, a 3D digital elevation model (DEM) of the crater and the structure of near-surface deposits was created. A previously unknown uplift inside the permafrost layers, probably connected with the processes of gas chamber formation, was revealed. A long period of continuous gas emission (mainly, biogenic methane) from the Seyakha C11 Crater (2017–2019) and other existing data show evidence for a gas-dynamic mechanism of the PLF growth and a volcanic type of eruption.
The article is devoted to the four-year (2017–2020) monitoring of gas emissions from the bottom of the Seyakha Crater, located in the central part of the Yamal Peninsula (north of Western Siberia). ...The crater was formed on 28 June 2017 due to a powerful blowout, self-ignition and explosion of gas (mainly methane) at the site of a heaving mound in the river channel. On the basis of a comprehensive analysis of expeditionary geological and geophysical data (a set of geophysical equipment, including echo sounders and GPR was used) and remote sensing data (from space and with the use of UAVs), the continuing nature of the gas emissions from the bottom of the crater was proven. It was revealed that the area of gas seeps in 2019 and 2020 increased by about 10 times compared to 2017 and 2018. Gas in the cryolithosphere of the Arctic exists in free and hydrated states, has a predominantly methane composition, whereas this methane is of a biochemical, thermogenic and/or mixed type. It was concluded that the cryolithosphere of Yamal has a high level of gas saturation and is an almost inexhaustible unconventional source of energy resources for the serving of local needs.
This article describes the results of an Arctic expedition studying the new giant gas blowout crater in the north of Western Siberia, in the central part of the Yamal Peninsula in 2020. It was named ...C17 in the geoinformation system “Arctic and the World Ocean” created by the Oil and Gas Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (OGRI RAS). On the basis of remote sensing, it can be seen that the formation of the crater C17 was preceded by a long-term growth of the perennial heaving mound (PHM) on the surface of the third marine terrace. Based on the interpretation of satellite images, it was substantiated that the crater C17 was formed in the period 15 May–9 June 2020. For the first time, as a result of aerial photography from inside the crater with a UAV, a 3D model of the crater and a giant cavity in the ground ice, formed during its thawing from below, was built. The accumulation of gas, the pressure rise and the development of gas-dynamic processes in the cavity led to the growth of the PHM, and the explosion and formation of the crater.
•The use of 3 different types of waveguide systems for activation of ASFC reagents was investigated.•Ultrasound enables to reactivate the alumosilicic flocculant-coagulant.•In scaled up reactors the ...choice of the equipment type affects the stability of the achieved effect.
Acoustic fields formed during operation of ultrasonic reactors with waveguides of following types: rod-type, cylindrical with rectangular protrusions and tubular were calculated and measured. The influence of distribution of acoustic fields arising from the operation of waveguide systems of three different types on the efficiency of ultrasonic activation of alumosilicic flocculant-coagulant and magnetite intended for water purification was investigated. It was shown that regardless of the equipment used on an industrial scale it is possible to reactivate the alumosilicic flocculant-coagulant even after the shelf life period of it passed, however in case of activation of magnetite the use of a bigger reactor in inefficient.
In case of industrial scale processes, the choice of the correct reactor design is of significant importance, since it allows to reduce the required processing time, and, as a result, the energy consumption of the processes. The advantages of tubular waveguide systems include the possibility of processing large volumes of liquid. The high efficiency and uniformity of the excited ultrasonic fields can lead to reduction of operating costs. In case of smaller flows, the waveguide system with rectangular protrusions allowed to obtain better results.
Our work illustrates the dependence of the success of a specific method on the choice of the waveguide and the size of the reactor during upscale.
•The combined effect of shockwaves and ultrasound on water wells was investigated.•The use of the combined method is much more effective than ultrasound alone.•The production of the treated well ...increased by two times.
The regeneration of water wells is an urgent problem nowadays, when drilling of new wells becomes more and more expensive. Formation damage leads to a reduction of the formation's permeability and/or pore volume which in turn inhibits the ability of the water to flow from the reservoir formation into the wellbore. A new technology that uses high-power ultrasound to remove formation damage of water wells has been developed. The effectiveness of regeneration of wells can be enhanced if ultrasound and shockwaves are used during the same treatment. It was shown by computer modelling, that the two methods have different depths of impact. Whereas the ultrasonic method has a strong impact on the area of the filter tube, the impact of the shock waves is focused on the gavel pack, the wall of the well and the adjacent aquifer. A shockwave treatment, which is normally more effective due to larger impact zone, needs to be followed by ultrasonic treatment in order to facilitate the removal of the detached deposits. These theoretical assumptions were confirmed by field tests on two wells. The use of the method leaded to an increase of the production by 40% and 109% respectively.
Optogenetic gene therapy to render remaining retinal cells light-sensitive in end-stage retinal degeneration is a promising strategy for treatment of individuals blind because of a variety of ...different inherited retinal degenerations. The clinical trials currently in progress focus on delivery of optogenetic genes to ganglion cells. Delivery of optogenetic molecules to cells in the outer neural retina is predicted to be even more advantageous because it harnesses more of the retinal circuitry. However, this approach has not yet been tested in large animal models. For this reason, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of optogenetic therapy targeting remaining diseased cone photoreceptors in the Rcd1 dog model of retinitis pigmentosa.
Imaging and measures of retinal function and functional vision were carried out, as well as terminal studies evaluating multi-electrode array recordings and histology.
Animals remained healthy and active throughout the study and showed improved retinal and visual function as assessed by electroretinography and visual-evoked potentials, improved navigational vision, and improved function of cone photoreceptors and the downstream retinal circuitry.
The findings demonstrate that an optogenetic approach targeting the outer retina in a blind large animal model can partially restore vision.
This work has translational relevance because the approach could potentially be extrapolated to treat humans who are totally blind because of retinal degenerative disease.
Water disinfection and potential sterilization in continuous flow was achieved in a hybrid reactor with a broadband hydrodynamic emitter combined with ultrasonic vibrations at different frequencies ...and with excess pressure. Such a combination showed synergistic effects by increasing the acoustic power in the reactor vortex flow. The present combined physical treatment, compared with sonication alone, could increase microorganism inactivation by 15–20%.
•Setup types for sonozonation are summarized based on ultrasonic horn and bath.•Synergistic effects of sonozonation are reviewed in terms of compounds properties.•Sonication notably improves mass ...transfer of ozone.•Sonication substantially enhances ozone decomposition and hydroxyl radical’s formation.•Both pH and ultrasonic frequency significantly affect degradation efficiency by sonozonation.
Ozonation (OZ) is an important advanced oxidation process to purify water and wastewater. Because of the lower solubility and instability of ozone (O3), selective oxidation and dependence on pH value, the industrial applications of OZ have been hindered by the following disadvantages: incomplete removal of pollutants, lower mineralization efficiency and the formation of toxic by-products. Meanwhile, OZ seems to have higher processing costs than other technologies. To improve the treatment efficiency and O3 utilization, several combined processes, such as H2O2/O3, UV/O3, and Cavitation/O3, have been explored, while the combined method of ultrasonication (US) with OZ is a promising treatment technology with a complex physicochemical mechanism. In US alone, the sonolysis of water molecules can produce more powerful unselective oxidant hydroxyl radicals (OH), and directly cause the sonochemical pyrolysis of volatile pollutants. In US/OZ, US can promote the mass transfer of O3, and also drive the chemical conversion of O3 to enhance the formation of OH. Various layouts of US/OZ devices and the interactive effects of US/OZ (synergism or antagonism) on the degradation of various organics are illustrated in this review. The main factors, including US frequency, pH value, and radical scavengers, significantly affect the mass transfer and decomposition of O3, the formation of OH and H2O2, the degradation rates of organics and the removal efficiencies of COD and TOC (mineralization). As a result, US can significantly increase the yield of OH, thereby improving the degradation efficiency and mineralization of refractory organics. However, US also enhances the decomposition of ozone, thereby reducing the concentration of O3 in water and impairing the efficiency of selective oxidation with O3 molecules.
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