Retention of elements relevant for a high-level nuclear waste disposal on Opalinus Clay as model for a host rock and Ca-bentonite as potential buffer and backfill material

The safe storage of high-level nuclear waste in deep geological formations is nowadays a great task for humanity since the materials will be harmful for several hundreds of thousands of years. To ensure the safe storage, all relevant interactions between the radionuclides, the technical barriers, the construction material and the surrounding host rock have to be known. This work contributes to a long-term safety case for a potential repository in clay formations in northern Germany as a model region. The retention behaviour of Eu3+ and UO2 2+ on Opalinus Clay as reference host rock is investigated in 0.01 M NaOCl4 and 0.4 M reference Opalinus Clay pore water. In this experiments, the pH value (2-12), the temperature (25 and 60 °C) and the content of organic matter are varied. Furthermore, the adsorption of Cs+ on Calcigel as potential buffer and backfill material is determined in high saline solutions (0.1-5 M). This is also done in presence of other relevant elements (Eu3+, UO2 2+ and I-). For the latter, a new method to measure iodine under acidic conditions via mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma is developed. Therefore, iodide gets oxidised by NaOCl to iodate. Following this, it is possible to quantify the metals and iodide in one measurement. The adsorption of Cs+ on Calcigel takes place under all investigated conditions but decreases with increasing ionic strength. The experiments can also be simulated very well via ion exchange modelling.Heutzutage ist die sichere Lagerung von hochradioaktivem Abfall in tiefen geologischen Formationen eine der größten Herausforderungen für die Menschheit, da seine Radiotoxizität für mehrere hunderttausend Jahre bestehen bleibt. Um die sichere Lagerung zu gewährleisten müssen alle relevanten Wechselwirkungen zwischen den Radionukliden, den technischen Barrieren, dem Konstruktionsmaterial und dem Wirtsgestein bekannt sein. Diese Arbeit trägt zur Langzeitsicherheitsanalyse eines potentiellen Endlagers in Tongesteinsformationen in der Modellregion Norddeutschland bei. Der Rückhalt von Eu3+ und UO2 2+ an Opalinuston als Referenzwirtsgestein wird in 0,01 M NaOCl4 und 0,4 M Referenzporenwasser untersucht. In diesen Experimenten wird der pH-Wert (2-12), die Temperatur (25 und 60 °C) und der Gehalt an Organik variiert. Des Weiteren wird die Adsorption von Cs+ an Calcigel als potentiellem Buffer- und Verfüllmaterial in hochsalinen Lösungen (0,1-5 M) bestimmt. Dies wird auch in Anwesenheit anderer relevanter Elemente (Eu3+, UO2 2+ und I-) durchgeführt. Dafür wird eine Methode entwickelt, um Iod mittels Massenspektrometrie mit induktiv gekoppeltem Plasma im sauren Milieu zu bestimmen. Diese Methode ermöglicht es, die Metalle und Iodid in einer Messung zu quantifizieren. Die Adsorption von Cs+ an Calcigel findet unter allen untersuchten Bedingungen statt, sinkt jedoch mit zunehmender Ionenstärke. Die Experimente können zudem sehr gut mittels Ionenaustauschmodellierungen simuliert werden

Time-Dependent Retention of a Mixture of Cs(I), Sm(III), Eu(III) and U(VI) as Waste Cocktail by Calcium Silicate Hydrate (C-S-H) Phases

In the context of the safe storage of high-level radioactive waste, the time-dependent retention of a waste cocktail (WC) consisting of Zr(IV), Mo(VI), Ru(III), Pd(II), Cs(I), Sm(III), Eu(III) and U(VI) was studied on the commercially available C-S-H phase Circosil®. The herein presented results focus on Cs(I), Sm(III), Eu(III) and U(VI). Precipitation and wall adsorption studies in the absence of the solid phase show only a small amount of precipitation for Sm(III) and Eu(III) (34 ± 18%) in the high-saline diluted Gipshut solution (DGS, pH 10.6, I = 2.6 M). For Cs(I) and U(VI), no precipitation was observed. In 0.1 M NaCl (pH 10.9), the measured retention could completely be attributed to wall adsorption for all four elements. The obtained Rd values for the time-dependent retention of Sm(III), Eu(III) and U(VI) on Circosil® of 105 to 106 L·kg−1 are in good agreement with the literature. For Cs(I) in the strongly saline background electrolytes, slightly higher Rd values of up to 8·102 L·kg−1 were determined for the crystalline Circosil® compared to the wet chemical C-S-H phases. Overall, the commercial product Circosil® is suitable as an alternative to synthesised C-S-H phases to observe trends in the retention behaviour of these elements. Comparison between both background electrolytes shows an increase in the amount and velocity of retention for all four elements with decreasing salinity. This confirms adsorption processes as the fastest and initial retention mechanism. Precipitation or incorporation of Eu(III), Sm(III) and U(VI) cannot be ruled out in the long term. Comparing the kinetic of this WC study to single-element studies in the literature, a longer uptake time to reach a steady state of 7 d in 0.1 M NaCl and 28 d in DGS instead of <1 d was observed for Eu(III) and Sm(III). The situation for Cs(I) is similar. This indicates competing effects between the different WC elements for adsorption sites on the C-S-H phases

Increasing Antibacterial Efficiency of Cu Surfaces by targeted Surface Functionalization via Ultrashort Pulsed Direct Laser Interference Patterning

Copper (Cu) exhibits great potential for application in the design of antimicrobial contact surfaces aiming to reduce pathogenic contamination in public areas as well as clinically critical environments. However, current application perspectives rely purely on the toxic effect of emitted Cu ions, without considering influences on the interaction of pathogenic microorganisms with the surface to enhance antimicrobial efficiency. In this study, it is investigated on how antibacterial properties of Cu surfaces against Escherichia coli can be increased by tailored functionalization of the substrate surface by means of ultrashort pulsed direct laser interference patterning (USP‐DLIP). Surface patterns in the scale range of single bacteria cells are fabricated to purposefully increase bacteria/surface contact area, while parallel modification of the surface chemistry allows to involve the aspect of surface wettability into bacterial attachment and the resulting antibacterial effectivity. The results exhibit a delicate interplay between bacterial adhesion and the expression of antibacterial properties, where a reduction of bacterial cell viability of up to 15‐fold can be achieved for E. coli on USP‐DLIP surfaces in comparison to smooth Cu surfaces. Thereby, it can be shown how the antimicrobial properties of copper surfaces can be additionally enhanced by targeted surface functionalization

Precision Nutrition in Chronic Inflammation

The molecular foundation of chronic in fl ammatory diseases (CIDs) can differ markedly between individuals. As our understanding of the biochemical mechanisms underlying individual disease manifestations and progressions expands, new strategies to adjust treatments to the patient ’ s characteristics will continue to profoundly transform clinical practice. Nutrition has long been recognized as an important determinant of in fl ammatory disease phenotypes and treatment response. Yet empirical work demonstrating the therapeutic effectiveness of patient-tailored nutrition remains scarce. This is mainly due to the challenges presented by long-term effects of nutrition, variations in inter-individual gastrointestinal microbiota, the multiplicity of human metabolic pathways potentially affected by food ingredients, nutrition behavior, and the complexity of food composition. Historically, these challenges have been addressed in both human studies and experimental model laboratory studies primarily by using individual nutrition data collection in tandem with large- scale biomolecular data acquisition (e.g. genomics, metabolomics, etc.). This review highlights recent fi ndings in the fi eld of precision nutrition and their potential implications for the development of personalized treatment strategies for CIDs. It emphasizes the importance of computational approaches to integrate nutritional information into multi- omics data analysis and to predict which molecular mechanisms may explain how nutrients intersect with disease pathways. We conclude that recent fi ndings point towards the unexhausted potential of nutrition as part of personalized medicine in chronic in fl ammation

Increasing Antibacterial Efficiency of Cu Surfaces by targeted Surface Functionalization via Ultrashort Pulsed Direct Laser Interference Patterning

Copper (Cu) exhibits great potential for application in the design of antimicrobial contact surfaces aiming to reduce pathogenic contamination in public areas as well as clinically critical environments. However, current application perspectives rely purely on the toxic effect of emitted Cu ions, without considering influences on the interaction of pathogenic microorganisms with the surface to enhance antimicrobial efficiency. In this study, it is investigated on how antibacterial properties of Cu surfaces against Escherichia coli can be increased by tailored functionalization of the substrate surface by means of ultrashort pulsed direct laser interference patterning (USP‐DLIP). Surface patterns in the scale range of single bacteria cells are fabricated to purposefully increase bacteria/surface contact area, while parallel modification of the surface chemistry allows to involve the aspect of surface wettability into bacterial attachment and the resulting antibacterial effectivity. The results exhibit a delicate interplay between bacterial adhesion and the expression of antibacterial properties, where a reduction of bacterial cell viability of up to 15‐fold can be achieved for E. coli on USP‐DLIP surfaces in comparison to smooth Cu surfaces. Thereby, it can be shown how the antimicrobial properties of copper surfaces can be additionally enhanced by targeted surface functionalization

Are self-report of disability pension and long-term sickness absence accurate? Comparisons of self-reported interview data with national register data in a Swedish twin cohort

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Self-reported disability pension (DP) and sickness absence are commonly used in epidemiological and other studies as a measure of exposure or even as an outcome. The aims were (1) to compare such self-reports with national register information in order to evaluate the validity of self-reported DP and sickness absence, and (2) to estimate the concordance of reporting behaviour in different twin zygosity groups, also by sex.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>All Swedish twins born 1933-1958 who participated in the Screening Across the Lifespan Twin study (SALT) 1998-2003, were included (31,122 individuals). The self-reported DP and long-term sickness absence (LTSA) at the time of interview was compared to the corresponding register information retrieved from the National Social Insurance Agency by calculating the proportions of agreements, kappa, sensitivity, specificity, concordance rates, and chi-square test, to evaluate construct validity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The proportions of overall agreement were 96% and specificity 99% for both DP and LTSA, while the sensitivity was 70% for DP and 45% for LTSA. Kappa estimates were 0.76 for DP, and 0.58 for LTSA. The proportions of positive agreement were 64% for DP and 42% for LTSA. No difference in response style was found between zygosity groups among complete twin pairs for DP and LTSA. Results were similar for women and men and across age. Kappa estimates for DP differed somewhat depending on years of education, 0.68 (college/university) vs. 0.77 (less than 13 years in school) but not for LTSA.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Self-reported DP data may be very useful in studies when register information is not available, however, register data is preferred especially for LTSA. The same degree of twin similarity was found for truthful self-report of DP and LTSA in both monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs. Thus, the response style was not influenced by genetic factors. One consequence of this would be that when estimating the relative importance of genetic and environmental effects from twin models, heritability estimates would not be biased.</p

Testing Laser-Structured Antimicrobial Surfaces Under Space Conditions: The Design of the ISS Experiment BIOFILMS

Maintaining crew health and safety are essential goals for long-term human missions to space. Attaining these goals requires the development of methods and materials for sustaining the crew’s health and safety. Paramount is microbiological monitoring and contamination reduction. Microbial biofilms are of special concern, because they can cause damage to spaceflight equipment and are difficult to eliminate due to their increased resistance to antibiotics and disinfectants. The introduction of antimicrobial surfaces for medical, pharmaceutical and industrial purposes has shown a unique potential for reducing and preventing biofilm formation. This article describes the development process of ESA’s BIOFILMS experiment, that will evaluate biofilm formation on various antimicrobial surfaces under spaceflight conditions. These surfaces will be composed of different metals with and without specified surface texture modifications. Staphylococcus capitis subsp. capitis, Cupriavidus metallidurans and Acinetobacter radioresistens are biofilm forming organisms that have been chosen as model organisms. The BIOFILMS experiment will study the biofilm formation potential of these organisms in microgravity on the International Space Station on inert surfaces (stainless steel AISI 304) as well as antimicrobial active copper (Cu) based metals that have undergone specific surface modification by Ultrashort Pulsed Direct Laser Interference Patterning (USP-DLIP). Data collected in 1 x g has shown that these surface modifications enhance the antimicrobial activity of Cu based metals. In the scope of this, the interaction between the surfaces and bacteria, which is highly determined by topography and surface chemistry, will be investigated. The data generated will be indispensable for the future selection of antimicrobial materials in support of human- and robotic-associated activities in space exploration

A longitudinal twin family study of the life course and individual development (TWINLIFE): Data collection and instruments of wave 1 face-to-face interviews

Brix J, Pupeter M, Rysina A, et al. A longitudinal twin family study of the life course and individual development (TWINLIFE): Data collection and instruments of wave 1 face-to-face interviews. TwinLife Technical Report Series. Vol 05. Bielefeld: Project TwinLife "Genetic and social causes of life chances" (Universität Bielefeld / Universität des Saarlandes); 2017

Increasing Antibacterial Efficiency of Cu Surfaces by targeted Surface Functionalization via Ultrashort Pulsed Direct Laser Interference Patterning

Copper (Cu) exhibits great potential for application in the design of antimicrobial contact surfaces aiming to reduce pathogenic contamination in public areas as well as clinically critical environments. However, current application perspectives rely purely on the toxic effect of emitted Cu ions, without considering influences on the interaction of pathogenic microorganisms with the surface to enhance antimicrobial efficiency. In this study, it is investigated on how antibacterial properties of Cu surfaces against Escherichia coli can be increased by tailored functionalization of the substrate surface by means of ultrashort pulsed direct laser interference patterning (USP-DLIP). Surface patterns in the scale range of single bacteria cells are fabricated to purposefully increase bacteria/surface contact area, while parallel modification of the surface chemistry allows to involve the aspect of surface wettability into bacterial attachment and the resulting antibacterial effectivity. The results exhibit a delicate interplay between bacterial adhesion and the expression of antibacterial properties, where a reduction of bacterial cell viability of up to 15-fold can be achieved for E. coli on USP-DLIP surfaces in comparison to smooth Cu surfaces. Thereby, it can be shown how the antimicrobial properties of copper surfaces can be additionally enhanced by targeted surface functionalization. © 2020 The Authors. Advanced Materials Interfaces published by Wiley-VCH Gmb

Recycling of All‐Solid‐State Li‐ion Batteries: A Case Study of the Separation of Individual Components Within a System Composed of LTO, LLZTO and NMC

With the current global projection of over 130 million electric vehicles (EVs), there soon will be a need for battery waste management. Especially for all‐solid‐state lithium‐ion batteries (lithium ASSBs), aspects of waste management and circular economy have not been addressed so far. Within such ASSBs, the use of solid‐electrolytes like garnet‐type Li₆.₅La₃Zr₁.₅Ta₀.₅O₁₂ (LLZTO) may shift focus on strategies to recover not only the transition metal elements but also elements like La/Zr/Ta. In this work, we present a two‐step recycling approach using citric acid as the leaching agent to separate and recover the individual components of a model cell comprising of Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO) anode, Li₆.₅La₃Zr₁.₅Ta₀.₅O₁₂ (LLZTO) garnet electrolyte and LiNi₁/₃Mn₁/₃Co₁/₃O₂ (NMC) cathode. We observe that by adjusting the concentration of citric acid, it was possible to separate the materials from each other without strong mixing of individual phases and also to maintain their principle performance characteristics. Thus, the process developed has a potential for upscaling and can guide towards considering separation capability of battery components in the development of lithium ASSBs