Chitosan/silica composite membrane: adsorption of lead(II) Ion from aqueous solution

Chitosan membrane has the potential to separate lead(II) ions from aqueous solution. However, the kind of membrane has a drawback due to the low structural properties. Thus, this study investigates the role of silica in improving chitosan-based flat sheet membrane for removal of lead(II) ions from aqueous solution. The functional groups and structural morphologies were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared-Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectrometer and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), respectively. The membrane performance in terms of adsorption study was conducted at different pHs and initial concentration of lead(II) solution. The FTIR-ATR spectrum showed the existence of new absorption peak of chitosan/silica membrane. SEM images revealted the presence of microvoids on the cross-section of the chitosan/silica membrane whereas pure chitosan membrane possessed dense structure. The adsorption study showed that the composite membrane exhibited higher efficiency of lead(II) removal at optimum pH of 7.0 which was 89.27% as compared to 11.50% of pure chitosan membrane. The amount of lead(II) adsorbed onto the membrane was 57.60 mg/g. Therefore, it indicates the potential use of silica to improve the properties of chitosan membrane for removal of heavy metal from water solution

Optimization and designing collimator for boron neutron capture therapy at the thermal column of rtp

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a promising method to cure cancer by using interaction between boron compound and the slow neutron beam obtained from nuclear power reactor, nuclear research reactor and neutron generator. Based on the previous feasibility study shows that the thermal column can generate higher thermal neutrons for BNCT application at the TRIGA MARK II reactor. Currently, the facility for BNCT are planned to be developed at thermal column. Thus, the main objective was focused on the optimization of thermal neutron and epithermal neutron flux at the thermal column by designing collimator. This paper briefly goes through the characterization of collimator for the ideal neutron collimator design. Several collimators with variable geometries have been designed using Monte Carlo Simulation Codes of MCNPX. The results are then compared in term of thermal neutron, epithermal neutron and gamma fluxes yielded and the ideal collimator then optimize based on aperture size, shielding thickness and collimator condition This research is useful in the selection of neutron collimator design BNCT facility at the TRIGA MARK II reactor

Impact of primary kidney disease on the effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease: secondary analyses of the EMPA-KIDNEY trial

Background: The EMPA KIDNEY trial showed that empagliflozin reduced the risk of the primary composite outcome of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular death in patients with chronic kidney disease mainly through slowing progression. We aimed to assess how effects of empagliflozin might differ by primary kidney disease across its broad population. Methods: EMPA-KIDNEY, a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial, was conducted at 241 centres in eight countries (Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the UK, and the USA). Patients were eligible if their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 20 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or 45 to less than 90 mL/min per 1·73 m2 with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) of 200 mg/g or higher at screening. They were randomly assigned (1:1) to 10 mg oral empagliflozin once daily or matching placebo. Effects on kidney disease progression (defined as a sustained ≥40% eGFR decline from randomisation, end-stage kidney disease, a sustained eGFR below 10 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or death from kidney failure) were assessed using prespecified Cox models, and eGFR slope analyses used shared parameter models. Subgroup comparisons were performed by including relevant interaction terms in models. EMPA-KIDNEY is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03594110. Findings: Between May 15, 2019, and April 16, 2021, 6609 participants were randomly assigned and followed up for a median of 2·0 years (IQR 1·5–2·4). Prespecified subgroupings by primary kidney disease included 2057 (31·1%) participants with diabetic kidney disease, 1669 (25·3%) with glomerular disease, 1445 (21·9%) with hypertensive or renovascular disease, and 1438 (21·8%) with other or unknown causes. Kidney disease progression occurred in 384 (11·6%) of 3304 patients in the empagliflozin group and 504 (15·2%) of 3305 patients in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·71 [95% CI 0·62–0·81]), with no evidence that the relative effect size varied significantly by primary kidney disease (pheterogeneity=0·62). The between-group difference in chronic eGFR slopes (ie, from 2 months to final follow-up) was 1·37 mL/min per 1·73 m2 per year (95% CI 1·16–1·59), representing a 50% (42–58) reduction in the rate of chronic eGFR decline. This relative effect of empagliflozin on chronic eGFR slope was similar in analyses by different primary kidney diseases, including in explorations by type of glomerular disease and diabetes (p values for heterogeneity all >0·1). Interpretation: In a broad range of patients with chronic kidney disease at risk of progression, including a wide range of non-diabetic causes of chronic kidney disease, empagliflozin reduced risk of kidney disease progression. Relative effect sizes were broadly similar irrespective of the cause of primary kidney disease, suggesting that SGLT2 inhibitors should be part of a standard of care to minimise risk of kidney failure in chronic kidney disease. Funding: Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, and UK Medical Research Council

Whole-genome sequencing and annotation of Bacillus safensis RIT372 and Pseudomonas oryzihabitans RIT370 from Capsicum annuum (bird\u27s eye chili) and Capsicum chinense (yellow lantern chili), respectively

Here, we report the genome sequences of Bacillus safensis RIT372 and Pseudomonas oryzihabitans RIT370 from Capsicum spp. Annotation revealed gene clusters for the synthesis of bacilysin, lichensin, and bacillibactin and sporulation killing factor (skfA) in Bacillus safensis RIT372 and turnerbactin and carotenoid in Pseudomonas oryzihabitans RIT370

Effect of pH on electroless nickel deposition on alumina substrates for chip resistor application

Alumina has been used widely in electronics industry specifically for chip resistor application. Currently, the deposition of nickel on alumina surface using electrodeposition method suffered from the insufficient bonding between the metallic coating (nickel) and the ceramic substrate (alumina). Electroless deposition method however can produce strong adhesion between the metallic coating and ceramic substrate. In this research, the effect of pH on the electroless nickel on alumina substrate was investigated. The electroless deposition of nickel on alumina substrate was conducted at pH 4.0, 5.6 and pH 10.0 for 3, 5, 10, 20 and 30 minutes at constant temperature. The crystal structure of the substrate and coating was characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The surface morphology of the coating was observed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the coating thickness was measure by X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The coating performance was tested by using Standard ASTM D3359 (Tape-Test). It was found that the optimum pH of plating solution was 10.0 with the maximum thickness was obtained at 30 minutes of deposition with thickness of 1.15 µm. These optimum coating parameters shows homogeneous and uniform nickel deposition on the alumina surface as observed by SEM. Nickel deposition by electroless method at pH 4.0, 5.6, and 10.0 have excellent bonding with alumina substrate as shown by tape test analysis

The Electrical Conductivity of Copper (I) iodide (CuI) Thin Films Prepared by Mister Atomizer

In this paper, the copper (1) iodide (CuI) thin films were prepared by mister atomizer with different thickness. The effect of thickness of CuI thin films were done by varying the deposition flow rate and deposition time. The effects of thickness to its structural, electrical and optical properties were studied. The resistivity increases as the thickness of thin film increase with highest resistivity of 4.79 x 101 ȍ cm. The transmittance for most of the samples was transparent of above 80% in the visible wavelength. The transmittance and absorption coefficient was measured and then the energy gap was determined which shows the direct transition of n=2. The maximum band gap observed here is 2.82 eV for the thickest thin films. The observation on effect of thickness in this study shows that the increasing of thin film thickness increased the resistivity while the absorption coefficient decrease with slight rise of band gap

Study Of The Surface Integrity Of AISI 4140 Steel In Wire Electrical Discharge Machining

The Wire Electro Discharge Machining (WEDM) process is a violent thermal process where literally thousands of electrical discharges are produced in a fraction of a second in order to erode a certain volume of metal. The process is most used in situations where intricate complex shapes need to be machined in very hard materials (such as hardened tool steel). However, the process generates surface that have poor properties such as high tensile residual stresses, high surface roughness, presence of micro-cracks and micro-voids. These properties vary with different levels of the main machining parameters. The aim of this paper is to present experimental work that has been done in order to quantify the effect of some of the main WEDM parameters on the surface texture of AISI 4140 steel. 2D surface measurements were taken on all WEDM samples and 2D surface characterization has been carried out in order to calculate the different surface texture parameters. In this work, the surface characteristics caused by WEDM were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)