Carbon dioxide recovery by means of tsa in a sound assisted fluidized bed of fine activated carbon

A large decrease in CO2 emissions through capturing and separation will be required to keep greenhouse gases at tolerable levels (1). Though several CO2 capture technologies have been proposed, temperature swing adsorption (TSA), consisting in adsorbing the CO2 on a solid material and, then, inducing the sorbent regeneration and CO2 recovery by a temperature increase and gas purge, has the potential to become one of the leading techniques by complementing or replacing the current absorption technology due to its low energy requirement (2). With reference to the sorbent, great attention is focused on fine powders (3). Indeed, sorbent in the form of fine powders can be the substrate to realize new highly specific materials whose properties can be tuned at a molecular level and, besides that, most of the commercial adsorbent materials are generally available in the form of fine powders (3). In this respect, sound assisted fluidization is considered to be one of the best technological alternatives to handle and process large amounts of fine powders (4). Moreover, it has already been proved to promote and remarkably enhance the CO2 capture on fine sorbents, due to large gas-solid contact efficiency, high rate of mass/heat transfer and low pressure drops (5,6). This work is focused on the CO2 desorption process by TSA in a sound-assisted fluidized bed (40mm ID) of fine activated carbon (Sauter mean diameter = 0.39m). In particular, desorption tests have been performed under ordinary and sound assisted fluidization conditions (140dB - 80Hz) in order to assess the capability of the sound in promoting and enhancing the desorption process efficiency in terms of CO2 recovery and purity and desorption time (td). The results obtained show that the application of the sound results in higher desorption rates, CO2 recovery and purity. Very regular and stable desorption profiles can be obtained under sound assisted fluidization conditions (Fig. 1). This stability makes it possible to successfully realize a cyclic adsorption/desorption process. Then, the effect of desorption temperature (Tdes) (25 - 150°C) and N2 purge flowrate (45.2 – 90.4Nl h-1) on the regeneration efficiency has also been assessed (Fig. 2a and b). An increase of both of them positively affect the desorption process in terms of enhanced desorption kinetics. Increasing temperatures also yield higher CO2 purities, whereas, no remarkable dilution effect has been observed when increasing the N2 flow rate. Finally, the activated carbon keeps its performances over 16 adsorption/desorption cycles, in terms of amount of CO2 adsorbed (nads), breakthrough time (tb) and fraction of bed used at tb (W), due to the stability of the regeneration process under sound-assisted fluidization conditions (Fig. 3c). Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Potential Use of Tea Tree Oil as a Disinfectant Agent against Coronaviruses: A Combined Experimental and Simulation Study

: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the relevance of proper disinfection procedures and renewed interest in developing novel disinfectant materials as a preventive strategy to limit SARS-CoV-2 contamination. Given its widely known antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties, Melaleuca alternifolia essential oil, also named Tea tree oil (TTO), is recognized as a potential effective and safe natural disinfectant agent. In particular, the proposed antiviral activity of TTO involves the inhibition of viral entry and fusion, interfering with the structural dynamics of the membrane and with the protein envelope components. In this study, for the first time, we demonstrated the virucidal effects of TTO against the feline coronavirus (FCoVII) and the human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43), both used as surrogate models for SARS-CoV-2. Then, to atomistically uncover the possible effects exerted by TTO compounds on the outer surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virion, we performed Gaussian accelerated Molecular Dynamics simulations of a SARS-CoV-2 envelope portion, including a complete model of the Spike glycoprotein in the absence or presence of the three main TTO compounds (terpinen-4-ol, γ-terpinene, and 1,8-cineole). The obtained results allowed us to hypothesize the mechanism of action of TTO and its possible use as an anti-coronavirus disinfectant agent

Auditory cortex hypoperfusion: a metabolic hallmark in Beta Thalassemia

Abstract Background Sensorineural hearing loss in beta-thalassemia is common and it is generally associated with iron chelation therapy. However, data are scarce, especially on adult populations, and a possible involvement of the central auditory areas has not been investigated yet. We performed a multicenter cross-sectional audiological and single-center 3Tesla brain perfusion MRI study enrolling 77 transfusion-dependent/non transfusion-dependent adult patients and 56 healthy controls. Pure tone audiometry, demographics, clinical/laboratory and cognitive functioning data were recorded. Results Half of patients (52%) presented with high-frequency hearing deficit, with overt hypoacusia (Pure Tone Average (PTA) > 25 dB) in 35%, irrespective of iron chelation or clinical phenotype. Bilateral voxel clusters of significant relative hypoperfusion were found in the auditory cortex of beta-thalassemia patients, regardless of clinical phenotype. In controls and transfusion-dependent (but not in non-transfusion-dependent) patients, the relative auditory cortex perfusion values increased linearly with age (p < 0.04). Relative auditory cortex perfusion values showed a significant U-shaped correlation with PTA values among hearing loss patients, and a linear correlation with the full scale intelligence quotient (right side p = 0.01, left side p = 0.02) with its domain related to communication skills (right side p = 0.04, left side p = 0.07) in controls but not in beta-thalassemia patients. Audiometric test results did not correlate to cognitive test scores in any subgroup. Conclusions In conclusion, primary auditory cortex perfusion changes are a metabolic hallmark of adult beta-thalassemia, thus suggesting complex remodeling of the hearing function, that occurs regardless of chelation therapy and before clinically manifest hearing loss. The cognitive impact of perfusion changes is intriguing but requires further investigations

Correction to: Two years later: Is the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still having an impact on emergency surgery? An international cross-sectional survey among WSES members

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is still ongoing and a major challenge for health care services worldwide. In the first WSES COVID-19 emergency surgery survey, a strong negative impact on emergency surgery (ES) had been described already early in the pandemic situation. However, the knowledge is limited about current effects of the pandemic on patient flow through emergency rooms, daily routine and decision making in ES as well as their changes over time during the last two pandemic years. This second WSES COVID-19 emergency surgery survey investigates the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on ES during the course of the pandemic. Methods: A web survey had been distributed to medical specialists in ES during a four-week period from January 2022, investigating the impact of the pandemic on patients and septic diseases both requiring ES, structural problems due to the pandemic and time-to-intervention in ES routine. Results: 367 collaborators from 59 countries responded to the survey. The majority indicated that the pandemic still significantly impacts on treatment and outcome of surgical emergency patients (83.1% and 78.5%, respectively). As reasons, the collaborators reported decreased case load in ES (44.7%), but patients presenting with more prolonged and severe diseases, especially concerning perforated appendicitis (62.1%) and diverticulitis (57.5%). Otherwise, approximately 50% of the participants still observe a delay in time-to-intervention in ES compared with the situation before the pandemic. Relevant causes leading to enlarged time-to-intervention in ES during the pandemic are persistent problems with in-hospital logistics, lacks in medical staff as well as operating room and intensive care capacities during the pandemic. This leads not only to the need for triage or transferring of ES patients to other hospitals, reported by 64.0% and 48.8% of the collaborators, respectively, but also to paradigm shifts in treatment modalities to non-operative approaches reported by 67.3% of the participants, especially in uncomplicated appendicitis, cholecystitis and multiple-recurrent diverticulitis. Conclusions: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still significantly impacts on care and outcome of patients in ES. Well-known problems with in-hospital logistics are not sufficiently resolved by now; however, medical staff shortages and reduced capacities have been dramatically aggravated over last two pandemic years

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Sound-Assisted Fluidization for Temperature Swing Adsorption and Calcium Looping: A Review

Fine/ultra-fine cohesive powders find application in different industrial and chemical sectors. For example, they are considered in the framework of the Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), for the reduction of the carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere, and in the framework of the thermochemical energy storage (TCES) in concentrated solar power (CSP) plants. Therefore, developing of technologies able to handle/process big amounts of these materials is of great importance. In this context, the sound-assisted fluidized bed reactor (SAFB) designed and set-up in Naples represents a useful device to study the behavior of cohesive powders also in the framework of low and high temperature chemical processes, such as CO2 adsorption and Ca-looping. The present manuscript reviews the main results obtained so far using the SAFB. More specifically, the role played by the acoustic perturbation and its effect on the fluid dynamics of the system and on the performances/outcomes of the specific chemical processes are pointed out

Attivazione dei recettori per formil-peptidi e regolazione della NADPH ossidasi in lineee cellulari tumorali umane non fagocitiche

L’obiettivo del presente progetto è quello di identificare, in linee cellulari tumorali stimolate con ligandi per i recettori dei formil-peptidi, i pathway di segnale coinvolti nella fosforilazione di p47phox e quindi del controllo della NADPH ossidasi non fagocitica, nonchè la cascata di segnalazione capace di promuovere la proliferazione cellulare. In particolare ci proponiamo di: i) identificare il recettore per formil-peptidi e le componenti della ossidasi espressi nelle cellule HCT-116 (carcinoma umano del colon), HepG2 (epatoma umano), Saos-2 (osteosarcoma umano) e Calu-6 (carcinoma anaplastico umano del polmone), ii) valutare il ruolo dell’espressione e dell’attivazione di Nox, dopo stimolazione con gli opportuni ligandi, nella patogenesi dei tumori; iii) studiare il pathway di segnalazione intracellulare innescato dal legame agonista/recettore (FPR e/o FPRL1) che conduce all’attivazione di Nox e responsabile della proliferazione cellulare

Improvement of the Manufacturing Process of Tungsten Carbide-Cobalt Hard Metals by the Application of Sound Assisted Fluidization for the Mixing of the Powders

In this work, the technology of sound assisted fluidization has been used as an alternative mixing method to obtain homogeneous powder mixtures (WC, Co, and polyethylene glycol (PEG)) to be used in the standard steps of hard metal production. A preliminary experimental campaign was carried out to optimize the process parameters (sound intensity/frequency and fluidization velocity) to perform the mixing process. After that, the obtained powder mixture was pressed and subjected to the sintering process. The quality of the final sintered products was assessed by using different techniques (SEM analysis, magnetic properties analysis, relative density, and Vickers hardness). The effects of two operating variables, mixing temperature and shaping pressure, were also studied aiming at improving the quality of the final products in terms of reduced porosity and enhanced density and hardness. Finally, also the effect of the addition of an inhibitor (Cr3C2) to the mixture was assessed. © 2017 American Chemical Society

Fluidized Bed Combustion and Gasification of Fossil and Renewable Slurry Fuels

This article provides a comprehensive review of the state of the art and more recent developments of the thermochemical treatments of slurry fuels in fluidized beds (FB). The review focuses on FB combustion and gasification of slurry fuels based on coal, biomass, sludge, and wastes from industry, agriculture, and the civil sector. The investigations at research and industrial levels over the last decades are presented and discussed, highlighting the adopted technological solutions, the results in terms of feasibility and efficiency, and the perspectives of future development. The different behavior between bubbling and circulating beds was addressed, in particular the optimal choice depending on the process (combustion/gasification/pyrolysis) and fuel properties (e.g., water content). Fundamental studies on interactions between the slurry fuels and the hot bed materials are also reviewed. The cumulative trend of reviewed investigations over the last decades depicts the abandonment of coal‐based mixtures used in large plants, and the growing interest in the use of biomass‐based slurries for small size application. In this respect, the shift from coal to biomass opens new challenges because of the different properties of biomass (density, fibrous structure, spontaneous degradation, hydrophilic behavior, etc.). Biomass‐based slurries circumvent problems posed by using solid dry biomass, particularly in handling, storing, and feeding. Although slurry fuels represent a narrow sector, the results of the research investigations and the experience gained with coal can be exploited to contribute to the achievement of a circular approach based on renewable resources in the near future