A closed-loop technology for metals recovery from e-waste: FENIX Project

Precious metals recovery from waste (in particular, electronic waste) has gained a high interest for the worldwide researchers. This is due to their large number of applications and also to achieve a conservation of primary raw materials. In other words, to apply the principle of circular economy. Therefore, using this approach, we are currently under progress with the development of a closed-loop process where the noble base metals coming from e-waste recycling are further used in the manufacturing of new products. This makes the objective of an European Project with the acronym FENIX which will last till the end of 2020. For the recovery of base and precious metals, innovative bio and hydrometallurgical process will be used. Then, the achieved products will be used for additive manufacturing of new electronic products and jewelries

a solution to smoluchowski s coagulation equation based on experimental data and a model to describe the frequency of particle collisions

Use of coagulants in treatment of wastewater from food industry is one of the most promising techniques to establish environment-friendly industries. To date, however, the coagulation process is not yet fully described in a manner which is conducive to practical applications and results. In fact, the coagulation process theoretical basis, i.e. the classical Smoluchowski's equation published in 1916, is so complex to solve that virtually no practical application exists in the field of applied chemistry. This article illustrates the Authors' endeavor to overcome this impasse. This has been achieved by constructing a mathematical model of the guiding force in the phenomenon, i.e. the frequency of particles collisions, and then utilizing this model to define, starting from Smoluchowski's equation, a function which describes both the coagulation and sedimentation processes depending on space (vertical coordinate z) and the concentration of coagulant. This study can be considered as the first step of a methodology of practical application of the Smoluchowski's equation to process and equipment design

A Non-Invasive Method for Detection of Antihypertensive Drugs in Biological Fluids: The Salivary Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

Objectives: Arterial hypertension is still the most frequent cause of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular morbidity and mortality. Antihypertensive treatment has proved effective in reduction of cardiovascular risk. Nevertheless, lifestyle interventions and pharmacological therapy in some cases are ineffective in reaching blood pressure target values, despite full dose and poly-pharmacological treatment. Poor adherence to medications is an important cause of treatment failure. Different methods to assess therapeutic adherence are currently available: Therapeutic drug monitoring in biological fluids has previously demonstrated its efficacy and reliability. Plasma and urine have been already used for this purpose, but they may be affected by some practical limitations. Saliva may represent a feasible alternative. Methods: Fourteen antihypertensive drugs and two metabolites were simultaneously tested in plasma, urine, and saliva. Tested molecules included: atenolol, nebivolol, clonidine, ramipril, olmesartan, telmisartan, valsartan, amlodipine, nifedipine, doxazosin, chlorthalidone, hydrochlorothiazide, indapamide, sacubitril, ramiprilat, and sacubitrilat. Therapeutic drug monitoring was performed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography, coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The method has been preliminarily evaluated in a cohort of hypertensive patients. Results: The method has been validated according to US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) guidelines. The application on a cohort of 32 hypertensive patients has demonstrated sensibility and specificity of 98% and 98.1%, respectively, with a good feasibility in real-life clinical practice. Conclusion: Saliva may represent a feasible biological sample for therapeutic drug monitoring by non-invasive collection, prompt availability, and potential accessibility also in out-of-clinic settings

Ipertensione arteriosa e dilatazione dell'aorta toracica: un mistero insoluto

Summary Introduction Acute and chronic aortic syndromes are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Silent risk factors such as arterial hypertension and aortic root dilatation can increase the likelihood of aortic dissection or rupture. The relationship between arterial hypertension and the dimensions of the aortic root dimension is a topic of active debate. Materials and methods We reviewed the literature on the physiopathology, diagnosis, natural history, and management of thoracic aortic aneurysms. Results Biological variables influencing the size of the aorta include age, sex, body surface area, pressure values, and stroke volume. Pathologic enlargement of the thoracic aorta can be caused by genetic, degenerative, inflammatory, traumatic, or toxic factors. Studies investigating the correlation between aortic dimensions and arterial pressures (diastolic, systolic, or pulse) have produced discordant results. Discussion Classically, emphasis has been placed on the importance of hypertension-related degeneration of the medial layer of the aortic wall, which leads to dilatation of the thoracic aorta, reduced aortic wall compliance, and increased pulse pressures. However, there are no published data that demonstrate unequivocally the existence of a pathogenetic correlation between arterial hypertension and aortic root dilatation. Furthermore, there is no evidence that antihypertensive therapy is effective in the management of nonsyndromic forms of aortic root dilatation. An interesting branch of research focuses on the importance of genetic predisposition in the pathogenesis of thoracic aortic aneurysms. Different genetic backgrounds could explain differences in the behaviour of aortic walls exposed to the same hemodynamic stress. Further study is needed to evaluate these focal physiopathological aspects

manganese recovering from alkaline spent batteries by ammonium peroxodisulfate

The process of manganese removal from spent battery leaching solutions, with ammonium peroxodisulfate, prior to recovery of zinc by electrolysis is presented. The experiments were carried out according to a 2 3 full factorial design considering ammonium peroxodisulfate concentration, temperature and pH as factors investigated. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out on the precipitation yields of Mn and Zn after 30 min, 1h, 2h and 3h of reaction. Optimal conditions for obtaining Mn as MnO 2 were 20 % (NH 4 ) 2 S 2 O 8 , 90 °C and pH 6. Data from XRF and AAS during the reaction at different time are presented to analyse the kinetic behaviour of the system. The MnO 2 precipitated and solutions have been characterized by XRF and XRD. The solid samples were kept at 800 °C for 1 h to produce chemical manganese dioxide (CMD) and were characterized by cyclic voltammetry for their electrochemical activity. The overall results denoted that chemical oxidation of manganese from spent batteries leaching solutions with ammonium peroxodisulfate is a suitable method for manganese removal as MnO 2 prior zinc recovery by electrolysis, also production of a suitable product (CMD) and it could be used in a process for recycling spent batteries

Gender differences in predictors of intensive care units admission among COVID-19 patients: The results of the SARS-RAS study of the italian society of hypertension

The global rate of intensive care unit (ICU) admission during the COVID-19 pandemic varies within countries and is among the main challenges for health care systems worldwide. Conflicting results have been reported about the response to coronavirus infection and COVID-19 outcomes in men and women. Understanding predictors of intensive care unit admission might be of help for future planning and management of the disease. Methods and findings We designed a cross-sectional observational multicenter nationwide survey in Italy to understand gender-related clinical predictors of ICU admission in patients with COVID-19. We analyzed information from 2378 charts of Italian patients certified for COVID-19 admitted in 26 hospitals. Three hundred ninety-five patients (16.6%) required ICU admission due to COVID19 infection, more frequently men (74%), with a higher prevalence of comorbidities (1,78\ub10,06 vs 1,54\ub10,03 p<0.05). In multivariable regression model main predictors of admission to ICU are male gender (OR 1,74 95% CI 1,36\u20132,22 p<0.0001) and presence of obesity (OR 2,88 95% CI 2,03\u20134,07 p<0.0001), chronic kidney disease (OR: 1,588; 95%, 1,036\u20132,434 p<0,05) and hypertension (OR: 1,314; 95% 1,039\u20131,662; p<0,05). In gender specific analysis, obesity, chronic kidney disease and hypertension are associated with higher rate of admission to ICU among men, whereas in women, obesity (OR: 2,564; 95% CI 1,336\u20134.920 p<0.0001) and heart failure (OR: 1,775 95% CI: 1,030\u20133,057) are associated with higher rate of ICU admission. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that gender is the primary determinant of the disease\u2019s severity among COVID-19. Obesity is the condition more often observed among those admitted to ICU within both genders

The 2020 Italian Society of Arterial Hypertension (SIIA) practical guidelines for the management of primary aldosteronism

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