2 research outputs found
Effect of Eco-Friendly Cyclodextrin on the Kinetics of Mixed Methane–Tetrahydrofuran Hydrate Formation
Use of environmentally friendly additives
to promote methane hydrate
formation is an active area of research for gas storage <i>via</i> solidified natural gas (SNG) technology. The key advantages of SNG
technology include a high degree of safety and a compact mode of natural
gas storage in comparison to conventional methods of NG storage. In
this paper, we evaluate the effect of β-cyclodextrin as a kinetic
promoter for mixed methane−tetrahydrofuran hydrate formation.
β-Cyclodextrin is an eco-friendly cyclic oligosaccharide containing
seven glucose monomers that form a ring structure. The concentration
of β-cyclodextrin was varied under different hydrate forming
conditions (temperature and pressure), and the formation kinetics
along with the morphology of mixed hydrate formation were observed.
It is found that β-cyclodextrin served as an effective kinetic
promoter for mixed methane–tetrahydrofuran hydrate formation
at moderate pressure and temperatures in a simple unstirred reactor
configuration. Further, no foam formation was observed during the
hydrate dissociation that envisages an enhanced gas recovery and suitability
of SNG technology for methane storage
Image_1_Functional molecular expression of nature killer cells correlated to HBsAg clearance in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients during PEG-IFN α-2a therapy.tif
ObjectiveTo explore whether the frequencies and functional molecules expression of Natural Killer cells (NK cells) are related to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) disappearance in hepatitis B e envelope antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) throughout peginterferon alpha-2a (PEG-IFN α-2a) treatment.MethodsIn this prospective research, HBeAg-positive patients with CHB received PEG-IFN α-2a treatment, completing 4-year follow-up. After PEG-IFN α-2a treatment, undetectable HBV DNA, HBsAg loss, and HBeAg disappearance were defined as functional cure. Proportions of NK, CD56dim, CD56bright, NKp46+, NKp46dim, NKp46high, and interferon alpha receptor 2 (IFNAR2)+ NK cells, and the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of NK cell surface receptors IFNAR2 and NKp46 were detected.Results66 patients were enrolled into the study in which 17 patients obtained functional cure. At baseline, hepatitis B virus desoxyribose nucleic acid (HBV DNA) titer in patients with functional cure was remarkably lower than that in Non-functional cure group. Compared with baseline, HBV DNA levels, HBsAg levels, and HBeAg levels significantly declined at week 12 and 24 of therapy in patients with functional cure. At baseline, the negative correlation between CD56bright NK% and HBV DNA and the negative correlation between CD56dim NK% and HBV DNA was showed; CD56bright NK% and IFNAR2 MFI in patients with functional cure were remarkably higher than those in patients without functional cure. After therapy, CD56bright NK% and NKp46high NK% in patients with functional cure were higher than those in patients without functional cure. In Functional cure group, after 24 weeks of treatment NK%, CD56bright NK%, IFNAR2 MFI weakly increased, and NKp46high NK% and NKp46 MFI significantly increased, meanwhile, CD56dim NK% and NKp46dim NK% decreased. Only NKp46 MFI increased after therapy in patients without functional cure.ConclusionThe lower HBV DNA load and the higher CD56bright NK% before therapy, and the higher the post-treatment CD56bright NK%, IFNAR2 MFI, NKp46high NK%, the easier to achieve functional cure.</p