Synergistic effect of fuel agents and mass ratio for morpho-structural optimization of magnetic claybased nanocomposites with high adsorption capacity

International audienceThe study is focused on creating magnetic mesoporous materials through the insertion of a nickel ferrite into the structure of kaolin-type clay. Sol-gel auto-combustion method was employed to synthesize the materials, using glycine and tartaric acid as chelating/combustion agents. This is the first study on the combined effect of different fuel agents and of clay-to-ferrite molar ratio on the structural, textural, magnetic and adsorptive properties of nanocomposites. The value of the average pore size, registered in a range of 6.01 and 12.9 nm, indicates the dependence on both molar ratio and fuel agent. The textural properties of the materials, corroborated with those obtained from XRD, SEM and TEM and VSM, suggest that magnetic nanocomposites can be successfully used as adsorbents in the removal of harmful organics. The obtained nanocomposites show excellent adsorption, with up to 98% BB41 dye removal, and a facile recuperation, due to their magnetic properties. The maximum adsorption capacity of dye, of 752.2 mg/g, was obtained for C3Ni_act350, in the presence of H2O2 in solution. More than that, the adsorption capacity of magnetic composites increased with increasing the NiFe2O4 content

Multiple Faces of Cervical Lesions in Children

Pediatric sialolithiasis is a rare condition causing tumefaction, induration, redness, and pain of the affected gland. When the submandibular gland is involved, the lesion can be mistaken for an adenopathy. As there are few studies to elucidate this condition in children, we present a rare case of a 16-year-old female with suggestive symptoms, in which initial clinical examination and two ultrasound examinations mistook the lesion for an adenopathy. A computed tomography examination was performed and the correct diagnosis was established. The patient was sent for oro-maxilo-facial examination and sialolithotomy was performed. A 10-mm yellow calculus was extracted and postoperative case evolution was favorable under wide spectrum antibiotherapy, oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory therapy and silagog alimentation. Although submandibular adenopathies are much more frequent in the pediatric age group, when faced with a firm, immobile submandibular lesion, the pediatrician should consider the sialolithiasis diagnosis

Can Bioactive Food Substances Contribute to Cystic Fibrosis-Related Cardiovascular Disease Prevention?

Advances in cystic fibrosis (CF) care have significantly improved the quality of life and life expectancy of patients. Nutritional therapy based on a high-calorie, high-fat diet, antibiotics, as well as new therapies focused on CFTR modulators change the natural course of the disease. They do so by improving pulmonary function and growing BMI. However, the increased weight of such patients can lead to unwanted long-term cardiovascular effects. People with CF (pwCF) experience several cardiovascular risk factors. Such factors include a high-fat diet and increased dietary intake, altered lipid metabolism, a decrease in the level of fat-soluble antioxidants, heightened systemic inflammation, therapeutic interventions, and diabetes mellitus. PwCF must pay special attention to food and eating habits in order to maintain a nutritional status that is as close as possible to the proper physiological one. They also have to benefit from appropriate nutritional counseling, which is essential in the evolution and prognosis of the disease. Growing evidence collected in the last years shows that many bioactive food components, such as phytochemicals, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and antioxidants have favorable effects in the management of CF. An important positive effect is cardiovascular prevention. The possibility of preventing/reducing cardiovascular risk in CF patients enhances both quality of life and life expectancy in the long run