Improved Performances of a Fluidized Bed Photoreactor by a Microscale Illumination System

The performances of a gas-solid two-dimensional fluidized bed reactor in photocatalytic selective oxidation reactions, irradiated with traditional UV lamps or with a microscale illumination system based on UV emitting diodes (UVA-LEDs), have been compared. In the photocatalytic oxidative dehydrogenation of cyclohexane to benzene on catalyst the use of UVA-LEDs modules allowed to achieve a cyclohexane conversion and benzene yield higher than those obtained with traditional UV lamps. The better performances with UVA-LEDs are due to the UVA-LEDs small dimensions and small-angle emittance, which allow photons beam be directed towards the photoreactor windows, reducing the dispersion outside of photoreactor or the optical path length. As a consequence, the effectively illuminated mass of catalyst is greater. We have found that this illumination system is efficient for photo-oxidative dehydrogenation of cyclohexane to cyclohexene on sulphated and ethanol to acetaldehyde on

Improved Performances of a Fluidized Bed Photoreactor by a Microscale Illumination System

The performances of a gas-solid two-dimensional fluidized bed reactor in photocatalytic selective oxidation reactions, irradiated with traditional UV lamps or with a microscale illumination system based on UV emitting diodes (UVA-LEDs), have been compared. In the photocatalytic oxidative dehydrogenation of cyclohexane to benzene on MoOx/TiO2-A12O3 catalyst the use of UVA-LEDs modules allowed to achieve a cyclohexane conversion and benzene yield higher than those obtained with traditional UV lamps. The better performances with UVA-LEDs are due to the UVA-LEDs small dimensions and small-angle emittance, which allow photons beam be directed towards the photoreactor windows, reducing the dispersion outside of photoreactor or the optical path length. As a consequence, the effectively illuminated mass of catalyst is greater. We have found that this illumination system is efficient for photo-oxidative dehydrogenation of cyclohexane to cyclohexene on sulphated MoOx/-A12O3 and ethanol to acetaldehyde on VOx/TiO2

In the Shade of Dorado Group Giants: Tracing the Eventful Life of Member Galaxies in Optical and Far UV

Groups are key to understand the galaxy evolution: they contain most of the galaxies in Universe at present day, most of the stellar mass and have their own way to transform galaxies from active to passive. Our aim is understanding the mechanisms driving the co-evolution of galaxies in nearby groups. Rich of early-type galaxies showing shells and FUV bright rings, Dorado is a nearby (16.9 Mpc Firth et al. 2006, MNRAS, 372, 1856) loose (about 10 deg2 , Carrasco et al 2001, AJ, 121, 148) association still non-virialized, likely a way station towards rich, virialized groups. We are mapping the group via deep VST g, r SDSS filters and (hopefully) Astrosat-UVIT; Far and Near UV imaging from GALEX and Swift-UVOT are also available. Our targets include the giant earlytype galaxies (ETGs) marking the group backbone as well as their intermediate companions and dwarfs whose luminosity function is still largely incomplete. The optical and Far UV analysis is shedding light on the Dorado evolving phase, showing residual star formation in evolved giant ETGs

A Deep Look at NGC1533 in the Dorado Group with VST

We present a deep (μg ≍ 30 mag arcsec-2) surface photometry of NGC 1533, a barred early-type galaxy with an outer ring, situated in the east side of the Dorado group. The data were obtained with OmegaCAM@VST during the VEGAS surveys. Our surface photometry reveals the presence of an extended underlying disk in NGC 1533. Relevant asymmetries, arm-like structures and tails are detected in the galaxy both via un-sharp masking and by subtraction of galaxy model. The g-r color diagram and the color map suggest the presence of star formation regions at the inner edge of the ring, especially in the north side of the galaxy. These regions with UV features were already found with Swift-UVOT observations. Signatures of interaction between the NGC 1533, IC 2038 and IC 2039 are detected by our optical images. These signatures are in agreement with the HI map, that connects these three galaxies. Moreover these features seem to be the optical counterparts of the high-density regions of intragroup HI rings and arcs

Dorado and its member galaxies II: A UVIT picture of the NGC 1533 substructure

Dorado is a nearby (17.69 Mpc) strongly evolving galaxy group in the Southern Hemisphere. We are investigating the star formation in this group. This paper provides a FUV imaging of NGC 1533, IC 2038 and IC 2039, which form a substructure, south west of the Dorado group barycentre. FUV CaF2-1 UVIT-Astrosat images enrich our knowledge of the system provided by GALEX. In conjunction with deep optical wide-field, narrow-band Hα and 21-cm radio images we search for signatures of the interaction mechanisms looking in the FUV morphologies and derive the star formation rate. The shape of the FUV luminosity profile suggests the presence of a disk in all three galaxies. FUV emission is detected out to the optical size for IC 2038, and in compact structures corresponding to Hα and H II bright features in NGC 1533. A faint FUV emission, without an optical counterpart, reminiscent of the H I structure that surrounds the outskirts of NGC 1533 and extends up to IC 2038/2039, is revealed above the local background noise

Performance Assessment in Fingerprinting and Multi Component Quantitative NMR Analyses

An interlaboratory comparison (ILC) was organized with the aim to set up quality control indicators suitable for multicomponent quantitative analysis by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. A total of 36 NMR data sets (corresponding to 1260 NMR spectra) were produced by 30 participants using 34 NMR spectrometers. The calibration line method was chosen for the quantification of a five-component model mixture. Results show that quantitative NMR is a robust quantification tool and that 26 out of 36 data sets resulted in statistically equivalent calibration lines for all considered NMR signals. The performance of each laboratory was assessed by means of a new performance index (named Qp-score) which is related to the difference between the experimental and the consensus values of the slope of the calibration lines. Laboratories endowed with a Qp-score falling within the suitable acceptability range are qualified to produce NMR spectra that can be considered statistically equivalent in terms of relative intensities of the signals. In addition, the specific response of nuclei to the experimental excitation/relaxation conditions was addressed by means of the parameter named NR. NR is related to the difference between the theoretical and the consensus slopes of the calibration lines and is specific for each signal produced by a well-defined set of acquisition parameters

The polymorphism L412F in TLR3 inhibits autophagy and is a marker of severe COVID-19 in males

The polymorphism L412F in TLR3 has been associated with several infectious diseases. However, the mechanism underlying this association is still unexplored. Here, we show that the L412F polymorphism in TLR3 is a marker of severity in COVID-19. This association increases in the sub-cohort of males. Impaired macroautophagy/autophagy and reduced TNF/TNFα production was demonstrated in HEK293 cells transfected with TLR3L412F-encoding plasmid and stimulated with specific agonist poly(I:C). A statistically significant reduced survival at 28 days was shown in L412F COVID-19 patients treated with the autophagy-inhibitor hydroxychloroquine (p = 0.038). An increased frequency of autoimmune disorders such as co-morbidity was found in L412F COVID-19 males with specific class II HLA haplotypes prone to autoantigen presentation. Our analyses indicate that L412F polymorphism makes males at risk of severe COVID-19 and provides a rationale for reinterpreting clinical trials considering autophagy pathways. Abbreviations: AP: autophagosome; AUC: area under the curve; BafA1: bafilomycin A1; COVID-19: coronavirus disease-2019; HCQ: hydroxychloroquine; RAP: rapamycin; ROC: receiver operating characteristic; SARS-CoV-2: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; TLR: toll like receptor; TNF/TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor