Assessing Legislative Interest for a Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax in a Midwestern State

BACKGROUND: This study sought to ascertain the opinions of members of the Kansas Legislature regarding pending sugar-sweetened beverage taxation legislation, including perceptions that such a tax would generate revenue or be associated with personal sugar-sweetened beverage consumption habits. METHODS: This study utilized a cross-sectional survey design and was conducted by administering an electronic or telephone survey of the 2010-2011 Kansas Legislature. Publicly-listed contact information for the 165 members in both chambers of the 2010-2011 Kansas Legislature was obtained. State legislators were invited via e-mail, telephone, or both to complete the survey. The main outcome measure was the degree of agreement or disagreement with the idea of sugar-sweetened beverage taxation. RESULTS: Seventy-eight legislators (47.3%) responded. Of these, 90.5% disagreed or strongly disagreed with taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages, and 86.5% disagreed or strongly disagreed with taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages if generated funds were set aside to subsidize healthy choices. Party affiliation, geographic area represented, and personal consumption of sugar-sweetened behaviors were not associated significantly with legislators’ opinions of sugar-sweetened beverage taxation. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of respondents in the Kansas Legislature reported opposing a sugar-sweetened beverage tax. While some respondents identified obesity as a problem, taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages was not a favorable option among Kansas legislators

Nb-modified Ce/Ti oxide catalyst for the selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3 at low temperature

Recently, great attention has been paid to Ceria-based materials for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) with NH3 owing to their unique redox, oxygen storage, and acid-base properties. Two series of bimetallic catalysts issued from Titania modified by Ce and Nb were prepared by the one-step sol-gel method (SG) and by the sol-gel route followed by impregnation (WI). The resulting core-shell and bulk catalysts were tested in NH3-SCR of NOx. The impregnated Nb5/Ce40/Ti100 (WI) catalyst displayed 95% NOx conversion at 200 °C (GHSV = 60,000 mL·g−1·h−1, 1000 ppm NOx, 1000 ppm NH3, 5% O2/He) without forming N2O. The catalysts were characterized by various methods including ICP-OES, N2-physisorption, XRD, Raman, NH3-TPD, DRIFTS, XPS, and H2-TPR. The results showed that the introduction of Nb decreases the surface area and strengthens the surface acidity. This behavior can be explained by the strong interaction between Ceria and Titania which generates Ce-O-Ti units, as well as a high concentration of amorphous or highly dispersed Niobia. This should be the reason for the excellent performance of the catalyst prepared by the sol-gel method followed by impregnation. Furthermore, Nb5/Ce40/Ti100 (WI) has the largest NH3 adsorption capacity, which is helpful to promote the NH3-SCR reaction. The long-term stability and the effect of H2O on the catalysts were also evaluated

Thermodynamic and crystallographic properties of kornelite [Fe-2(SO4)(3)center dot similar to 7.75H(2)O] and paracoquimbite [Fe-2(SO4)(3)center dot 9H(2)O]

Enthalpies of formation of kornelite [Fe-2(SO4)(3)center dot similar to 7.75H(2)O] and paracoquimbite [Fe-2(SO4)(3)center dot 9H(2)O] were measured by acid (5 N HCl) solution calorimetry at T = 298.15 K. The samples were characterized chemically by an electron microprobe, and structurally by the means of single-crystal, in-house powder, and synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction. The refined structures for the two phases are provided, including estimates of the positions and concentration of non-stoichiometric water in structural channels of kornelite, location of the hydrogen atoms and the hydrogen bonding system in this phase. The measured enthalpies of formation from the elements (crystalline Fe, orthorhombic S, ideal gases O-2 and H-2) at T = 298.15 K are -4916.2 +/- 4.2 kJ/mol for kornelite and -5295.4 +/- 4.2 kJ/mol for paracoquimbite. We have used several algorithms to estimate the standard entropy of the two phases. Afterward, we calculated their Gibbs free energy of formation and constructed a phase diagram for kornelite, paracoquimbite, Fe-2(SO4)(3)center dot 5H(2)O, and Fe-2(SO4)(3) as a function of temperature and relative humidity of air. The topology of the phase diagram is very sensitive to the entropy estimates and the construction of a reliable phase diagram must await better constraints on entropy or Gibbs free energy of formation. Possible remedies of these problems are also discussed

Diagnostic Value of CEUS Prompting Liver Biopsy: Histopathological Correlation of Hepatic Lesions with Ambiguous Imaging Characteristics

Background: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) allows for dynamic analysis of vascularization patterns of unclear hepatic lesions. Our study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of CEUS for further characterizing suspicious liver lesions by comparing findings from CEUS examinations with corresponding histopathology. Methods: Between 2005 and 2016, 160 patients with unclear liver lesions underwent CEUS followed by liver biopsy. All examinations were performed by an experienced consultant radiologist (EFSUMB Level 3) and included native B-mode ultrasound, Color Doppler, and CEUS. A second-generation blood pool contrast agent was applied for CEUS. Results: CEUS was successfully performed in all patients without occurrence of any adverse side effects. CEUS showed a sensitivity of 94.5%, a specificity of 70.6%, a true positive rate of 87.3%, and a true negative rate of 85.7% compared to histopathological results as the reference standard. Conclusions: CEUS represents a safe imaging modality with a high diagnostic accuracy in assessing both—benign and malignant—liver lesions compared to corresponding histopathological results

Nb-Modified Ce/Ti Oxide Catalyst for the Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO with NH3 at Low Temperature

Recently, great attention has been paid to Ceria-based materials for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) with NH3 owing to their unique redox, oxygen storage, and acid-base properties. Two series of bimetallic catalysts issued from Titania modified by Ce and Nb were prepared by the one-step sol-gel method (SG) and by the sol-gel route followed by impregnation (WI). The resulting core-shell and bulk catalysts were tested in NH3-SCR of NOx. The impregnated Nb5/Ce40/Ti100 (WI) catalyst displayed 95% NOx conversion at 200 °C (GHSV = 60,000 mL·g−1·h−1, 1000 ppm NOx, 1000 ppm NH3, 5% O2/He) without forming N2O. The catalysts were characterized by various methods including ICP-OES, N2-physisorption, XRD, Raman, NH3-TPD, DRIFTS, XPS, and H2-TPR. The results showed that the introduction of Nb decreases the surface area and strengthens the surface acidity. This behavior can be explained by the strong interaction between Ceria and Titania which generates Ce-O-Ti units, as well as a high concentration of amorphous or highly dispersed Niobia. This should be the reason for the excellent performance of the catalyst prepared by the sol-gel method followed by impregnation. Furthermore, Nb5/Ce40/Ti100 (WI) has the largest NH3 adsorption capacity, which is helpful to promote the NH3-SCR reaction. The long-term stability and the effect of H2O on the catalysts were also evaluated

Nb-Modified Ce/Ti Oxide Catalyst for the Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO with NH3 at Low Temperature

Recently, great attention has been paid to Ceria-based materials for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) with NH3 owing to their unique redox, oxygen storage, and acid-base properties. Two series of bimetallic catalysts issued from Titania modified by Ce and Nb were prepared by the one-step sol-gel method (SG) and by the sol-gel route followed by impregnation (WI). The resulting core-shell and bulk catalysts were tested in NH3-SCR of NOx. The impregnated Nb5/Ce40/Ti100 (WI) catalyst displayed 95% NOx conversion at 200 °C (GHSV = 60,000 mL·g−1·h−1, 1000 ppm NOx, 1000 ppm NH3, 5% O2/He) without forming N2O. The catalysts were characterized by various methods including ICP-OES, N2-physisorption, XRD, Raman, NH3-TPD, DRIFTS, XPS, and H2-TPR. The results showed that the introduction of Nb decreases the surface area and strengthens the surface acidity. This behavior can be explained by the strong interaction between Ceria and Titania which generates Ce-O-Ti units, as well as a high concentration of amorphous or highly dispersed Niobia. This should be the reason for the excellent performance of the catalyst prepared by the sol-gel method followed by impregnation. Furthermore, Nb5/Ce40/Ti100 (WI) has the largest NH3 adsorption capacity, which is helpful to promote the NH3-SCR reaction. The long-term stability and the effect of H2O on the catalysts were also evaluated