Fe-Mn/ZrO2 catalysts: Sulfate-based-advanced oxidation process for the degradation of olive oil industry model pollutants

Fe, Mn and a bimetallic Fe[sbnd]Mn catalysts supported on ZrO2 were synthesized and tested for the activation of persulfate (PS) and peroxymonosulfate (PMS) in the degradation reaction of three different organic compounds: cinnamic acid (CA), benzoic acid (BA), and catechol (C). The catalysts were prepared and tested in order to evaluate the effect of the metal and the metal combination on the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The characterization of the catalysts was carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The best degradation results were obtained when PMS was activated with the bimetallic Fe-Mn/ZrO2 catalyst in the CA degradation. Moreover, the Fe-Mn/ZrO2 catalyst reusability was tested for up to three consecutive cycles of reaction, with mineralization levels >90%. A synergistic effect between the Fe and Mn metal species, which increases the catalyst activity if compared to the monometallic catalysts, is postulated. Both sulfate and hydroxyl radicals were generated in the PMS activation process. The activation mechanisms of the oxidants were proposed.Fil: Loffredo, Camila Macarena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Química del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Química. Instituto de Química del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Dennehy, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Química del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Química. Instituto de Química del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Química del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Química. Instituto de Química del Sur; Argentin

Evaluating Human Cell Survival and DNA Damage After Exposure to Various Amounts of Chlorine Dioxide and Exploring Its Use as a Potential Cancer Chemotherapy Agent

Chlorine Dioxide (ClO2) is a synthetic, green-yellowish gas with a chlorine-like, irritating odor that is used for the treatment of drinking water and food preservation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic potential of the chlorine dioxide in mammalian cells and to determine what dose of ClO2 is tolerable by normal cells and cells with aberrant DNA repair genes. Human and mouse embryonic cells were treated with various ClO2 dilutions ranging from 2.5 mM to 25 mM. The cell viability and metabolic activity was determined via MTT, a colorimetric assay. Human HEK293 cells exposed to 5mM of chlorine dioxide exhibit rapid cell death. Results from the alkaline comet assay indicate cells treated with a 50 mM ClO2 carry high levels of DNA breaks. Furthermore, mouse embryonic fibroblast cells lacking a key DNA repair gene, DNA polymerase beta, show an increased level of sensitivity to ClO2 indicating its use as a potential chemotherapy approach for cancer cells harboring defective DNA repair genes.https://digitalcommons.newhaven.edu/surf/1000/thumbnail.jp

Characterization of the shale gas production: A case study in a sector of the Lusitanian Basin

This study aims to characterize the shale gas exploration in Portugal through the impacts generated by its extraction technique – the Hydraulic fracturing – on the environmental, social and economic sector. The extraction of shale gas has been a controversial issue mainly due to its influence on oil prices and the negative environmental impacts involved in the exploitation process – in particular, the contaminated water that returns to the surface after the drilling process, i.e. the flowback water. To support this analysis, it was performed three different analyses: 1) a chemical analysis of a flowback water sample from the Marcellus formation, US; 2) delimitation of the study area in Lusitanian Basin based on its geological characteristics; 3) an investment sensitivity analysis applying the method of net present value (NPV). The chemical analysis revealed flowback water values within the expected parameters, confirming its high toxicity. Then, based on the analysis of surveys carried out in the Lusitanian Basin, the study area was delimited from Benfeito, Torres Vedras 4 to Sobral. Finally, the sensitivity analysis finds that, comparing with the base case scenario, the variation of Capital expenditure is the parameter that most influences the profits and payback period. To conclude, shale gas exploitation in Portugal would lead to high economic benefits, despite the existence of a relatively more inefficient fee system that fails to truthfully reflect its negative environmental impacts

Identification of genes coding for putative wax ester synthase/diacylglycerol acyltransferase enzymes in terrestrial and marine environments

Synthesis of neutral lipids such as triacylglycerols (TAG) and wax esters (WE) is catalyzed in bacteria by wax ester synthase/diacylglycerol acyltransferase enzymes (WS/DGAT). We investigated the diversity of genes encoding this enzyme in contrasting natural environments from Patagonia (Argentina). The content of petroleum hydrocarbons in samples collected from oil-producing areas was measured. PCR-based analysis covered WS/DGAT occurrence in marine sediments and soil. No product was obtained in seawater samples. All clones retrieved from marine sediments affiliated with gammaproteobacterial sequences and within them, most phylotypes formed a unique cluster related to putative WS/DGAT belonging to marine OM60 clade. In contrast, soils samples contained phylotypes only related to actinomycetes. Among them, phylotypes affiliated with representatives largely or recently reported as oleaginous bacteria, as well as with others considered as possible lipid-accumulating bacteria based on the analysis of their annotated genomes. Our study shows for the first time that the environment could contain a higher variety of ws/ dgat than that reported from bacterial isolates. The results of this study highlight the relevance of the environment in a natural process such as the synthesis and accumulation of neutral lipids. Particularly, both marine sediments and soil may serve as a useful source for novel WS/DGAT with biotechnological interest.Fil: Lanfranconi, Mariana Patricia. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Comodoro; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, Adrián F.. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Alvarez, Hector Manuel. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Comodoro; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

The Acoustic Environment of York Minster’s Chapter House

York Minster is the largest medieval Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe, renowned for its magnificent architecture and its stained glass windows. Both acoustic measurements and simulation techniques have been used to analyse the acoustic environment of its Chapter House, which dates from the 13th-century and features an octagonal geometry with Gothic Decorated stone walls replete of geometric patterns and enormous stained glass windows, covered by a decorated wooden vault. Measured and simulated room impulse responses served to better understand how their architectural features work together to create its highly reverberant acoustic field. The authors start by analysing its acoustic characteristics in relation to its original purpose as a meeting place of the cathedral’s Chapter, and end by reflecting on its modern use for a variety of cultural events, such as concerts and exhibitions. This work is part of the “Cathedral Acoustics” project, funded by the EC through the Marie-Sklodowska-Curie scheme

Machine learning identification of piezoelectric properties.

The behavior of a piezoelectric element can be reproduced with high accuracy using numerical simulations. However, simulations are limited by knowledge of the parameters in the piezoelectric model. The identification of the piezoelectric model can be addressed using different techniques but is still a problem for manufacturers and end users. In this paper, we present the use of a machine learning approach to determine the parameters in the model. In this first work, the main sensitive parameters, c11, c13, c33, c44 and e33 were predicted using a neural network numerically trained by using finite element simulations. Close to one million simulations were performed by changing the value of the selected parameters by ±10% around the starting point. To train the network, the values of a PZT 27 piezoelectric ceramic with a diameter of 20 mm and thickness of 2 mm were used as the initial seed. The first results were very encouraging, and provided the original parameters with a difference of less than 0.6% in the worst case. The proposed approach is extremely fast after the training of the neural network. It is suitable for manufacturers or end users that work with the same material and a fixed number of geometries

Lessons from long-run (1975–2017) structural change in Colombia’s coffee production

Although coffee is still an important agricultural commodity in Colombia, the coffee share of GDP has significantly declined over the past 40 years. Controlling for changes in relative prices, factor endowments, and technological change, we analyze the coffee share decline in conjunction with other agricultural output by applying a Vector Error Correction model. The results indicate that while market liberalization policies contributed to the declining coffee share of GDP, the decline was partly offset by the end of coffee export quotas. Our results support policies in favor of assistance for farmers to compete in international markets

Individuo, persona, sujeto. Los dilemas éticos de una antropología política de la mismidad y la alteridad

¿Cómo se articulan especismo y el humanismo? Para Aristóteles, los animales no tienen memoria, articulan phoné, no viven en polis y responden a la necesidad, lo que engendra una visión sobre la animalidad que incluye a esclavos, mujeres o niños. Y son sus argumentos sobre la superioridad natural de algunos pueblos los que serán sostenidos para sustentar la esclavitud en la controversia de Valladolid por parte de Sepúlveda contra Las casas, que reivindicaba la posición de De Vitoria. La condición de cosa o animal implica una jerarquía ontológica que será considerada peri physeos. Por otra parte, la tradición bíblica también es humanista. El hombre ha sido creado a imagen y semejanza de Dios, y sin entrar a discutir la versión yavhista que deriva a la mujer de la costilla de Adán, en todo caso cabe también una diferenciación. En nuestra investigación sobre las potencias de una ética y de una antropología no sustancialistas, abordamos los problemas contemporáneos del humanismo y del especismo. Se analizaron las fronteras, en muchos casos arbitrarias, entre los seres bióticos y abióticos. Dos discursos tan diversos sustentan un humanismo especista.Durante 2018, se investigó el especismo reflejado en los estudios sobre la animalidad, en particular todo el movimiento de Liberación animal liderado por Peter Singer en los 80, para luego profundizar en las argumentaciones sobre derechos de la animalidad de Tom Regan, y finalmente en la perspectiva antiespecista y “painnista” del psicólogo británico John Ryder. En cuanto a filosofía vegetal, se profundizó en los planteos sobre la vida de las plantas, presente en E. Coccia y otros autores.Así se fueron diseñando los fundamentos de una concepción tanto cosmopolítica (Viveiros de Castro, Latour) como ecosófica (Deleuze, Guattari). Allí se conjugan críticas al capitaloceno, entendido como una era geológica nacida en la Revolución Industrial y dedicada a la explotación intensiva de los recursos energéticos no renovables. Y las implicancias de estas nociones en las relaciones de los diversos modos de existencia con “Gaia”, como la denominan los científicos, y con las cosmovisiones amerindias con el perspectivismo y multinaturalismo que las caracteriza.También se investigó el planteo de una cosmología relacional y el concepto de interpenetración circumincesional propuesto por Nishitani, y los conceptos de inmersión e interpenetración expuestos por Coccia para una metafísica de la mixtura. Finalmente, la apertura de la mirada desde la perspectiva animal que puede encontrarse en la poética de Rilke y en los planteamientos de Derrida, que cuestionan el sin mundo o poco mundo atribuidos a las piedras o a los animales en la perspectiva heideggeriana

Synthesis of fatty acid methyl esters from pomace oil catalyzed by zinc stearate: A kinetic study of the transesterification and esterification reactions

In this work, the simultaneous transesterification and esterification reactions of olive pomace oil with methanol catalyzed by zinc stearate were studied. This catalyst is a crystalline solid at room temperature, but it is soluble in the reaction medium at reaction temperature. Zinc stearate has surfactant properties that cause the formation of an emulsion in the reaction system. The stability of the emulsion formed in the oil-methanol-catalyst system was compared to that in the FAME (fatty acid methyl esters)-methanol-catalyst system. It was observed that the emulsion formed in the presence of high amounts of FAME is much more unstable, which makes the catalyst easy to separate from the reaction products. The kinetics of esterification and transesterification were also studied. All the kinetic and equilibrium constants were determined with a complete model, considering the three stepwise reactions corresponding to the transesterification of triglycerides and the esterification of free fatty acids. The parameters obtained were used to model the operating conditions that would allow obtaining biodiesel that meets the quality standards.Fil: Alvarez Serafini, Mariana Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; ArgentinaFil: Tonetto, Gabriela Marta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; Argentin

La configuración de la violencia basada en género de pareja en Uruguay

La presente investigación se propone abordar, desde un enfoque cuantitativo, la temática de la Violencia Basada en Género (VBG) por parte de la pareja en Uruguay. Más específicamente, el objetivo consiste en determinar cómo se configuran las violencias de género en el ámbito de la pareja en Uruguay. Para alcanzar los objetivos se trabajó con la Encuesta Nacional de Violencia basadaen Género y Generaciones 2019 y se aplicaron diferentes métodos de investigación. En primer lugar, se realizó unanálisis de componentes principales, análisis factorial confirmatorio y se calculó el coeficiente Alfa de Cronbach para cada tipo de VBG (psicológica, física, económica, sexual y digital) de modo de verificarla validez y confiabilidad del cuestionario. En segundo lugar, se realizó un análisis de regresión logística, que permitió identificar los factores de riesgo asociado a cada tipo de VBG. Por último, se realizó un análisis de cluster bietápico para realizar la clasificación de las víctimas y se analizó en función de los factores de riesgo. Los resultados demuestran que la encuesta es, en parte, un instrumento útil para la medición de la VBG en los últimos 12 meses, pero en el caso de la VBG sexual y digital no lo es. A su vez, para la VBG psicológica es necesario medirla a partir de dos conceptos diferenciados. Sobre los factores de riesgo, solo se encuentran modelos ajustados para la VBG psicológica (2) y la VBG física; los principales factores son haber sido víctima de VBG en la infancia y tener un nivel socioeconómico bajo. Por último, la clasificación de víctimas, da cuenta de dos conglomerados; uno de víctimas de VBG psicológica (1) y otro de todos los tipos de VBG, con acentuación de mujeres jóvenes, de nivel socioeconómico bajo y que conviven con sus parejas.This research aims to address, from a quantitative approach, the issue of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) by the partnerin Uruguay. More specifically, the objective is to determine how gender violences areconfigured in the scope of the couplein Uruguay. To achieve the objectives, it was usedthe National Survey of Violence based on Gender and Generations 2019 and different research methods were applied. First, a principal component analysis, a confirmatory factor analysis, and Cronbach's Alpha coefficient were calculated for eachtype of GBV (psychological, physical, economic, sexual, and digital) in order to verify the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. Secondly, a logistic regression analysis was carried out, which made it possible to identify the risk factors associated with each type of GBV. Lastly, a two-stage cluster analysis was performed to classify the victims and was analyzed based on risk factors. The results show that the survey is, in part, a useful instrument for measuring GBV in the last 12 months, but inthe case of sexual and digital GBV it is not. At the same time, for psychological GBV it is necessary to measure it from two differentiated concepts. About risk factors, adjusted models were found only for psychological GBV (2) and physical GBV; the mainfactors are having been a victim of GBV in childhood and having a low socioeconomic level. Lastly, the classification of victims results in two clusters; one of victims of psychological GBV (1) and another of alltypes of GBV, with emphasis on young,lowsocioeconomic level and who live with their partner women