Oil shale phenol-derived aerogels as supports for palladium nanoparticles

Palladium hexafluoroacetylacetonate [Pd(C4HF6O)2], which is both soluble and easily reducible in supercritical carbon dioxide, was used to impregnate the porous structure of carbon aerogels based on phenolic compounds from oil shale processing water. Metallic nanoparticles uniformly distributed on the surface of the carbon matrix enable it to be used as a catalyst. Through the study of various pyrolysis programs and physical activation with CO2 and H2O in the carbon aerogel preparation process, significant increases in the BET specific surface area of the carbon supports (achieving values of over 1600 m2/g) were achieved, and the possibility of tailoring the porosity of the samples (microporosity ranging from 40% up to over 90%) was realized

Asbestos-related pleural and lung fibrosis in patients with retroperitoneal fibrosis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is a rare fibroinflammatory disease that leads to hydronephrosis and renal failure. In a case-control study, we have recently shown that asbestos exposure was the most important risk factor for RPF in the Finnish population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation of asbestos exposure to radiologically confirmed lung and pleural fibrosis among patients with RPF.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) was performed on 16 unexposed and 22 asbestos-exposed RPF patients and 18 asbestos-exposed controls. Parietal pleural plaques (PPP), diffuse pleural thickening (DPT) and parenchymal fibrosis were scored separately.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Most of the asbestos-exposed RPF patients and half of the asbestos-exposed controls had bilateral PPP, but only a few had lung fibrosis. Minor bilateral plaques were detected in two of the unexposed RPF patients, and none had lung fibrosis. DPT was most frequent and thickest in the asbestos-exposed RPF-patients. In three asbestos-exposed patients with RPF we observed exceptionally large pleural masses that were located anteriorly in the pleural space and continued into the anterior mediastinum.</p> <p>Asbestos exposure was associated with DPT in comparisons between RPF patients and controls (case-control analysis) as well as among RPF patients (case-case analysis).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The most distinctive feature of the asbestos-exposed RPF patients was a thick DPT. An asbestos-related pleural finding was common in the asbestos-exposed RPF patients, but only a few of these patients had parenchymal lung fibrosis. RPF without asbestos exposure was not associated with pleural or lung fibrosis. The findings suggest a shared etiology for RPF and pleural fibrosis and furthermore possibly a similar pathogenetic mechanisms.</p

Hyper-IgG4 disease: report and characterisation of a new disease

BACKGROUND: We highlight a chronic inflammatory disease we call 'hyper-IgG4 disease', which has many synonyms depending on the organ involved, the country of origin and the year of the report. It is characterized histologically by a lymphoplasmacytic inflammation with IgG4-positive cells and exuberant fibrosis, which leaves dense fibrosis on resolution. A typical example is idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis, but the initial report in 2001 was of sclerosing pancreatitis. METHODS: We report an index case with fever and severe systemic disease. We have also reviewed the histology of 11 further patients with idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis for evidence of IgG4-expressing plasma cells, and examined a wide range of other inflammatory conditions and fibrotic diseases as organ-specific controls. We have reviewed the published literature for disease associations with idiopathic, systemic fibrosing conditions and the synonyms: pseudotumour, myofibroblastic tumour, plasma cell granuloma, systemic fibrosis, xanthofibrogranulomatosis, and multifocal fibrosclerosis. RESULTS: Histology from all 12 patients showed, to varying degrees, fibrosis, intense inflammatory cell infiltration with lymphocytes, plasma cells, scattered neutrophils, and sometimes eosinophilic aggregates, with venulitis and obliterative arteritis. The majority of lymphocytes were T cells that expressed CD8 and CD4, with scattered B-cell-rich small lymphoid follicles. In all cases, there was a significant increase in IgG4-positive plasma cells compared with controls. In two cases, biopsies before and after steroid treatment were available, and only scattered plasma cells were seen after treatment, none of them expressing IgG4. Review of the literature shows that although pathology commonly appears confined to one organ, patients can have systemic symptoms and fever. In the active period, there is an acute phase response with a high serum concentration of IgG, and during this phase, there is a rapid clinical response to glucocorticoid steroid treatment. CONCLUSION: We believe that hyper-IgG4 disease is an important condition to recognise, as the diagnosis can be readily verified and the outcome with treatment is very good

Nickel and Nitrogen-Doped Bifunctional ORR and HER Electrocatalysts Derived from CO<inf>2</inf>

While nonprecious metal catalysts (NPMCs) have been shown to be viable alternatives for Pt-based catalyst materials in both proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and electrolyzers, all of the synthesis methods of these materials still have a positive carbon footprint. This means that, while the production of CO2 is avoided by converting to a hydrogen economy, a large amount of CO2 must be produced to drive this transition (as much as 600 kg of CO2 per kilogram of catalyst for CVD-based materials). Here, we demonstrate, for the first time, a sustainable method for synthesizing a bifunctional oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst directly from CO2 in a process that captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or flue gases instead of producing it as all previous methods for creating ORR/HER catalysts. The electocatalytic activity of the material is correlated to its structure and synthesis conditions by a thorough physicochemical analysis including rotating disk electrode (RDE) measurements, porosity analysis with N2 physisorption, scanning and transition electron microscopy imaging (SEM, TEM) and X-ray analysis of the materials' crystal structure and elemental composition. The material shows promising activity and paves way for a dual approach on reducing the CO2 footprint of the energy economy.This work was financially supported by the Estonian Research Council (Grant No. PRG1023). This research was also supported by the EU through the European Regional Development Fund (TK134 EQUiTANT, "Emerging Orders in Quantum and Nanomaterials", TK141, “Advanced Materials and High-Technology Devices for Energy Recuperation Systems”), (Projects Nos. 2014-2020.4.01.16-0041 and 2014- 2020.4.01.15-0005). The research leading to these results received funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program, under Grant Agreement No. 823717-ESTEEM3

Reticulation pattern without honeycombing on high-resolution CT is associated with the risk of disease progression in interstitial lung diseases

Abstract Background: The disease course of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is progressive and occasionally, other types of interstitial lung disease (ILD) may progress similarly to IPF. This study aimed to evaluate risk factors for disease progression within 24 months in patients with various ILDs. Methods: This prospective study obtained 97 patients with a suspected ILD who underwent a transbronchial lung cryobiopsy. The extent of several high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) patterns was assessed. Due to the inclusion criteria the study population presented a low extent of honeycombing and definite usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern on HRCT suggesting an early stage of ILD. Disease progression within 24 months despite treatment was defined as a relative decline of ≥ 10% in forced vital capacity (FVC), or a relative decline in FVC of ≥ 5% and one of the three additional criteria: (1) a decline in diffusion capacity to carbon monoxide (DLCO) ≥ 15%; (2) increased fibrosis on HRCT; (3) progressive symptoms, or progressive symptoms and increased fibrosis on HRCT. The same definition was utilized in patients with IPF and other ILDs. Risk factors for disease progression were evaluated in a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: Disease progression was revealed in 52% of the patients with ILD, 51% of the patients with IPF, and 53% of the patients with other types of ILD. A high extent of reticulation on HRCT (Odds ratio [OR] 3.11, 95% Confidence interval [CI] 1.21–7.98, P = 0.019) and never smoking (OR 3.11, CI 1.12–8.63, P = 0.029) were associated with disease progression whereas platelet count (OR 2.06 per 100 units increase, CI 0.96–4.45, P = 0.065) did not quite reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Higher extent of reticulation on HRCT and never smoking appeared to associate with the risk of disease progression within 24 months in ILD patients without honeycombing. Approximately half of the patients with ILD revealed disease progression, and similar proportions were observed in patients with IPF and in other types of ILD