Molecular Engineering in Catalysis: Immobilization of Shvo's Ruthenium Catalyst to Silica Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles

The functionalized Shvo’s catalyst precursor {3,4-[p-(EtO)3Si(CH2)3OPh]2-2,5-Ph2(η4-C4CO)}Ru(CO)3 (1) was covalently immobilized to the surface of magnetic nanoparticles, MNPs, including magnetite (Fe3O4) and magnetite covered by one, two and three independently added silica (SiO2) coatings (Fe3O4@SiO2, Fe3O4@SiO2@SiO2, Fe3O4@SiO2@SiO2@SiO2) resulting in the corresponding ruthenium catalysts Fe3O4@Ru (2a), Fe3O4@SiO2@Ru (2b), Fe3O4@SiO2@SiO2@Ru (2c), and Fe3O4@SiO2@SiO2@SiO2@Ru (2d). These catalysts were characterized by FT-IR, TEM, EDX, powder XRD, BET surface area analysis and BJH pore size and volume analysis. The catalytic performances of 2a–2d were tested for the conversion of levulinic acid (LA) to gamma-valerolactone (GVL) using formic acid (FA) as the hydrogen source. The catalysts were separated from the reaction mixture by using an external magnet. Catalysts on the silica coated MNPs showed higher activity than that of immobilized directly to Fe3O4. There were no significant differences in TONs, TOFs and yields of GVL using catalysts 2b–2d. Leaching test of the four catalysts showed that by increasing the number of independent silica coatings on the surface of magnetite significantly decreased iron leaching. The recyclability of 2b was investigated and it was reused several times without significant loss of the catalytic activity. Hot filtration test of 2c and 2d has established that the catalytic activity was due to the supported ruthenium catalyst and not from some active ruthenium species leached from the solid support to the solution under the reaction conditions

Soft computing számítógépes realizálása numerikus algoritmusokkal = Soft computing implementation by numerical algorithms

A Soft computing számítógépes realizálása számítógépes algoritmusokkal c. projektben elért eredmények a következők: 1. Kidolgozásra került a többdimenziós fuzzy kalkulusban is alkalmazható rácsmentes interpolációs technika. 2. Az evolúciós feladatok megoldására minőségi tulajdonságokat (monotonitás, energia megmaradás) is megőrző sokprocesszoros környezetben is hatékonyan alkalmazható numerikus algoritmusok kerültek kifejlesztésre. 3. A parciális differenciálegyenletek számítógépes megoldásához kifejlesztésre került egy ciklikus mátrix prekondicionert alkalmazó tartomány dekompozíciós párhuzamos algoritmus. 4. A nagyméretű lineáris egyenletrendszerek és nemlineáris minimalizálási feladatok megoldásához egy reziduum négyzet minimalizáláson alapuló új genetikai jellegű jól skálázható párhuzamos algoritmus került kifejlesztésre. | The main results of the project: Computer realization of soft computing by numerical algorithm: 1. Development of a meshless interpolation technique applicable for multidimensional fuzzy calculus. 2. Working out some parallel numerical algorithms preserving quality properties of the solution (monotonicity, conservative of energy) for evolution problems. 3. Development of a domain decomposition parallel algorithm for numerical solution of partial differential equations based on cyclic preconditioner matrices. 4. For large linear system of equation and for nonlinear minimizing problems development of a parallel scalable genetic algorithm based on residual minimization

Use of Gamma-Valerolactone as an Illuminating Liquid and Lighter Fluid

The sulfuric acid-catalyzed conversion of paper wastes in gamma-valerolactone (GVL) or dioxane leads to the formation of levulinic acid (LA) and formic acid (FA), which can be converted to GVL by transfer-hydrogenation using the Shvo catalyst in situ or separately. The isolation of LA and FA was assisted by the neutralization of the sulfuric acid with ammonia to form a biphasic system. While the ammonium sulfate and most of FA and some of LA were in the aqueous phase, the organic solvent-rich phase contained most of the LA and some of the FA. GVL was used as an illuminating liquid in glass lamps for hours without the formation of noticeable smoke and/or odor even in a small room. While neat GVL can be used for the safe but somewhat slow lighting of charcoal, the ignition with different mixtures of GVL (95 or 90 vol %) and ethanol (5 or 10 vol %) was reduced to a convenient few seconds. Ignition tests of charcoal combined with emission analyses revealed that by increasing the ethanol content to 10 vol % the relative VOC emission can be decreased by 15% compared to the commercial lighter fluids

Effect of Pre-Hospital Ticagrelor During the First 24 Hours After Primary PCI in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: The ATLANTIC-H Analysis

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this landmark exploratory analysis, ATLANTIC-H24, was to evaluate the effects of pre-hospital ticagrelor during the first 24 h after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the ATLANTIC (Administration of Ticagrelor in the cath Lab or in the Ambulance for New ST elevation myocardial infarction to open the Coronary artery study). BACKGROUND: The ATLANTIC trial in patients with ongoing ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction showed that pre-hospital ticagrelor was safe but did not improve pre-PCI coronary reperfusion compared with in-hospital ticagrelor. We hypothesized that the effect of pre-hospital ticagrelor may not have manifested until after PCI due to the rapid transfer time (31 min). METHODS: The ATLANTIC-H24 analysis included 1,629 patients who underwent PCI, evaluating platelet reactivity, Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction grade 3 flow, >/=70% ST-segment elevation resolution, and clinical endpoints over the first 24 h. RESULTS: Following PCI, largest between-group differences in platelet reactivity occurred at 1 to 6 h; coronary reperfusion rates numerically favored pre-hospital ticagrelor, and the degree of ST-segment elevation resolution was significantly greater in the pre-hospital group (median, 75.0% vs. 71.4%, p = 0.049). At 24 h, the composite ischemic endpoint was lower with pre-hospital ticagrelor (10.4% vs. 13.7%, p = 0.039), as were individual endpoints of definite stent thrombosis (p = 0.0078) and myocardial infarction (p = 0.031). All endpoints except death (1.1% vs. 0.2%, p = 0.048) favored pre-hospital ticagrelor, with no differences in bleeding events. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of pre-hospital ticagrelor became apparent after PCI, with numerical differences in platelet reactivity and immediate post-PCI reperfusion, associated with reductions in ischemic endpoints, over the first 24 h, whereas there was a small excess of mortality. (Administration of Ticagrelor in the cath Lab or in the Ambulance for New ST elevation myocardial infarction to open the Coronary artery [ATLANTIC, NCT01347580])

Emulating opportunistic networks with KauNet Triggers

In opportunistic networks the availability of an end-to-end path is no longer required. Instead opportunistic networks may take advantage of temporary connectivity opportunities. Opportunistic networks present a demanding environment for network emulation as the traditional emulation setup, where application/transport endpoints only send and receive packets from the network following a black box approach, is no longer applicable. Opportunistic networking protocols and applications additionally need to react to the dynamics of the underlying network beyond what is conveyed through the exchange of packets. In order to support IP-level emulation evaluations of applications and protocols that react to lower layer events, we have proposed the use of emulation triggers. Emulation triggers can emulate arbitrary cross-layer feedback and can be synchronized with other emulation effects. After introducing the design and implementation of triggers in the KauNet emulator, we describe the integration of triggers with the DTN2 reference implementation and illustrate how the functionality can be used to emulate a classical DTN data-mule scenario

Reconstructive periodontal therapy with simultaneous ridge augmentation. A clinical and histological case series report

Treatment of intrabony periodontal defects with a combination of a natural bone mineral (NBM) and guided tissue regeneration (GTR) has been shown to promote periodontal regeneration in intrabony defects. In certain clinical situations, the teeth presenting intrabony defects are located at close vicinity of the resorbed alveolar ridge. In these particular cases, it is of clinical interest to simultaneously reconstruct both the intrabony periodontal defect and the resorbed alveolar ridge, thus allowing insertion of endosseous dental implants. The aim of the present study was to present the clinical and histological results obtained with a new surgical technique designed to simultaneously reconstruct the intrabony defect and the adjacently located resorbed alveolar ridge. Eight patients with chronic advanced periodontitis displaying intrabony defects located in the close vicinity of resorbed alveolar ridges were consecutively enrolled in the study. After local anesthesia, mucoperiosteal flaps were raised, the granulation tissue removed, and the roots meticulously scaled and planed. A subepithelial connective tissue graft was harvested from the palate and sutured to the oral flap. The intrabony defect and the adjacent alveolar ridge were filled with a NBM and subsequently covered with a bioresorbable collagen membrane (GTR). At 11–20 months (mean, 13.9 ± 3.9 months) after surgery, implants were placed, core biopsies retrieved, and histologically evaluated. Mean pocket depth reduction measured 3.8 ± 1.7 mm and mean clinical attachment level gain 4.3 ± 2.2 mm, respectively. Reentry revealed in all cases a complete fill of the intrabony component and a mean additional vertical hard tissue gain of 1.8 ± 1.8 mm. The histologic evaluation indicated that most NBM particles were surrounded by bone. Mean new bone and mean graft area measured 17.8 ± 2.8% and 32.1 ± 8.3%, respectively. Within their limits, the present findings indicate that the described surgical approach may be successfully used in certain clinical cases to simultaneously treat intrabony defects and to reconstruct the resorbed alveolar ridge

Predictive regularity representations in deviance detection and auditory stream segregation: from conceptual to computational models

Predictive accounts of perception have received increasing attention in the past twenty years. Detecting violations of auditory regularities, as reflected by the Mismatch Negativity (MMN) auditory event-related potential, is amongst the phenomena seamlessly fitting this approach. Largely based on the MMN literature, we propose a psychological conceptual framework called the Auditory Event Representation System (AERS), which is based on the assumption that auditory regularity violation detection and the formation of auditory perceptual objects are based on the same predictive regularity representations. Based on this notion, a computational model of auditory stream segregation, called CHAINS, has been developed. In CHAINS, the auditory sensory event representation of each incoming sound is considered for being the continuation of likely combinations of the preceding sounds in the sequence, thus providing alternative interpretations of the auditory input. Detecting repeating patterns allows predicting upcoming sound events, thus providing a test and potential support for the corresponding interpretation. Alternative interpretations continuously compete for perceptual dominance. In this paper, we briefly describe AERS and deduce some general constraints from this conceptual model. We then go on to illustrate how these constraints are computationally specified in CHAINS

Taxonomy based on science is necessary for global conservation

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Development and Characterisation of Gastroretentive Solid Dosage Form Based on Melt Foaming

Dosage forms with increased gastric residence time are promising tools to increase bioavailability of drugs with narrow absorption window. Low-density floating formulations could avoid gastric emptying; therefore, sustained drug release can be achieved. Our aim was to develop a new technology to produce low-density floating formulations by melt foaming. Excipients were selected carefully, with the criteria of low gastric irritation, melting range below 70°C and well-known use in oral drug formulations. PEG 4000, Labrasol and stearic acid type 50 were used to create metronidazole dispersion which was foamed by air on atmospheric pressure using in-house developed apparatus at 53°C. Stearic acid was necessary to improve the foamability of the molten dispersion. Additionally, it reduced matrix erosion, thus prolonging drug dissolution and preserving hardness of the moulded foam. Labrasol as a liquid solubiliser can be used to increase drug release rate and drug solubility. Based on the SEM images, metronidazole in the molten foam remained in crystalline form. MicroCT scans with the electron microscopic images revealed that the foam has a closed-cell structure, where spherical voids have smooth inner wall, they are randomly dispersed, while adjacent voids often interconnected with each other. Drug release from all compositions followed Korsmeyer-Peppas kinetic model. Erosion of the matrix was the main mechanism of the release of metronidazole. Texture analysis confirmed that stearic acid plays a key role in preserving the integrity of the matrix during dissolution in acidic buffer. The technology creates low density and solid matrix system with micronsized air-filled voids