SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BIODIESEL FUELS FROM FURFURYL ALCOHOL AND SPENT COFFEE GROUNDS

ABSTRACT Biodiesel can be synthesized using several different triacylglycerides, alcohols, and catalysts. In this study, fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) and fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) were produced from their respective alcohols and coffee oil, using either a basic (K2CO3) catalyst or an acidic catalyst (H2SO4). Fatty acid furfuryl esters (FAFurEs) were produced using commercially-purchased cooking oils (canola, olive, corn, sunflower, and peanut) with furfuryl alcohol, a basic (K2CO3) catalyst, a co-solvent (THF), and an ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate). All samples were produced using either conventional heating methods (CH) or microwave-assisted heating methods (MW). All biodiesel samples were characterized using 1H-NMR. FaFurE samples also underwent bomb calorimetry studies. Acid catalysis was unsuccessful at producing either FAMEs or FAEEs from coffee oil. Base catalysis, however, was successful. FAMEs were produced in 73% conversion and FAEEs were produced in 81% conversion under base-catalyzed conditions. FAFurEs were produced on varying amounts ranging from 19% for sunflower oil to 75.7% for olive oil. Microwave heating was unsuccessful at producing FAFurEs, whereas conventional heating did yield FAFurE products

Critical analysis and assessment of EU policy on multifunctional land use activities in rural areas

Rural areas are becoming increasingly differentiated and gradually losing their agricultural specificity. They now need to support the coexistence of two logical approaches to occupation of their space: one based on the supply of agricultural and forestry products, the other on the various demands from local residents and seasonal tourists. Under these conditions the roles of agriculture, forestry, and tourism industry are evolving; the focus is no longer simply on supplying market goods while limiting the impacts of this supply on negative external factors but now also on participating in land development and meeting the manifold expectations of society. The paper analyses EU policies related to multifunctional land use activities on the national and regional level. The policy framework within which multifunctionality of land use activities is realized is determined by three EU policies, namely the Cohesion Policy, Rural Development Policy, and Enlargement Policy. The paper focus on six cases: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany, France and UK. Three of the case study sites (in Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Croatia) were/are influenced by the financial instruments of the Enlargement policies (PHARE, SAPARD, ISPA, IPA). The impact of EU policies is assessed in three domains – economic, social and environment. The scope of impact of the major driving forces for multifunctional land use activities is assessed and analyzed. Keywords: Multifunctionality, EU policy, Rural Developmen

Nanoshell-assisted cancer therapy: Targeted photothermal tumor ablation

This thesis details the development of a targeted nanoshell therapy for cancer specific photothermal ablation. By attaching targeting antibodies or ligands to the nanoshell surface, these targeted nanoshells preferentially bind to tumor sites. When NIR light is applied over the tumor region containing nanoshells, the nanoshells heat, thus destroying the tumor. The targeted nanoshells therapy is demonstrated here in vitro and in vivo, targeting both the cancer cells and the angiogenic vasculature. In vitro, anti-HER2 antibody was used to bind nanoshells directly to the cancer cells, which express HER2. The cancer vasculature was targeted in vitro and in vivo by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which binds to the VEGF receptor on endothelial cells. Nanoshells targeted against cancer cells were conjugated with anti-HER2 antibodies to facilitate the binding on nanoshells to SKBR-3 breast cancer cells. Upon NIR excitation, the nanoshell-laden cells were thermally ablated. Both membrane-bound nanoshells and NIR laser irradiation are required simultaneously to destroy the cancer cells. Cells incubated with targeted nanoshells without laser irradiation continued to be viable. When healthy cells and cancerous cells were co-cultured, cancer cells could still be targeted and ablated without damaging the adjacent healthy cells. Similar to anti-HER2 nanoshells binding cancer cells, nanoshells conjugated with the soluble VEGF bound vascular endothelial growth factor receptors on endothelial cells. Selectively killing endothelial cells removes the blood supply sustaining the tumor and demonstrates the feasibility of targeted nanoshells as an anti-angiogenic strategy. VEGF nanoshells incubated with endothelial cells in vitro produced a circular area of cell death after laser irradiation. A tumor-bearing mouse model further validated the vascular targeting when VEGF nanoshells induced tumor regression after systemic nanoshell delivery and laser irradiation. Both in vivo and in vitro studies confirmed the ability to selectively induce cell death with the photothermal interaction of immunonanoshells and NIR light. Immunonanoshells exposed to laser irradiation produced targeted cell death of cancer cells even when cancer cells were in close proximity to normal healthy cells. Immunonanoshells are a promising minimally invasive cancer therapy due to their biocompatibility, selective cell specific binding, and NIR-assisted photothermal destruction of tumor tissue

Risk of COVID-19 after natural infection or vaccinationResearch in context

Summary: Background: While vaccines have established utility against COVID-19, phase 3 efficacy studies have generally not comprehensively evaluated protection provided by previous infection or hybrid immunity (previous infection plus vaccination). Individual patient data from US government-supported harmonized vaccine trials provide an unprecedented sample population to address this issue. We characterized the protective efficacy of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and hybrid immunity against COVID-19 early in the pandemic over three-to six-month follow-up and compared with vaccine-associated protection. Methods: In this post-hoc cross-protocol analysis of the Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen, and Novavax COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials, we allocated participants into four groups based on previous-infection status at enrolment and treatment: no previous infection/placebo; previous infection/placebo; no previous infection/vaccine; and previous infection/vaccine. The main outcome was RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 >7–15 days (per original protocols) after final study injection. We calculated crude and adjusted efficacy measures. Findings: Previous infection/placebo participants had a 92% decreased risk of future COVID-19 compared to no previous infection/placebo participants (overall hazard ratio [HR] ratio: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.05–0.13). Among single-dose Janssen participants, hybrid immunity conferred greater protection than vaccine alone (HR: 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01–0.10). Too few infections were observed to draw statistical inferences comparing hybrid immunity to vaccine alone for other trials. Vaccination, previous infection, and hybrid immunity all provided near-complete protection against severe disease. Interpretation: Previous infection, any hybrid immunity, and two-dose vaccination all provided substantial protection against symptomatic and severe COVID-19 through the early Delta period. Thus, as a surrogate for natural infection, vaccination remains the safest approach to protection. Funding: National Institutes of Health

Risk of COVID-19 after natural infection or vaccinationResearch in context

Background: While vaccines have established utility against COVID-19, phase 3 efficacy studies have generally not comprehensively evaluated protection provided by previous infection or hybrid immunity (previous infection plus vaccination). Individual patient data from US government-supported harmonized vaccine trials provide an unprecedented sample population to address this issue. We characterized the protective efficacy of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and hybrid immunity against COVID-19 early in the pandemic over three-to six-month follow-up and compared with vaccine-associated protection. Methods: In this post-hoc cross-protocol analysis of the Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen, and Novavax COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials, we allocated participants into four groups based on previous-infection status at enrolment and treatment: no previous infection/placebo; previous infection/placebo; no previous infection/vaccine; and previous infection/vaccine. The main outcome was RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 >7–15 days (per original protocols) after final study injection. We calculated crude and adjusted efficacy measures. Findings: Previous infection/placebo participants had a 92% decreased risk of future COVID-19 compared to no previous infection/placebo participants (overall hazard ratio [HR] ratio: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.05–0.13). Among single-dose Janssen participants, hybrid immunity conferred greater protection than vaccine alone (HR: 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01–0.10). Too few infections were observed to draw statistical inferences comparing hybrid immunity to vaccine alone for other trials. Vaccination, previous infection, and hybrid immunity all provided near-complete protection against severe disease. Interpretation: Previous infection, any hybrid immunity, and two-dose vaccination all provided substantial protection against symptomatic and severe COVID-19 through the early Delta period. Thus, as a surrogate for natural infection, vaccination remains the safest approach to protection. Funding: National Institutes of Health