Toward Risk Assessment for Amniotic Fluid Embolisms

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Towards Traditional Carbon Fillers: Biochar-Based Reinforced Plastic

The global market of carbon-reinforced plastic represents one of the largest economic platforms. This sector is dominated by carbon black (CB) produced from traditional oil industry. Recently, high technological fillers such as carbon fibres or nanostructured carbon (i.e. carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphene oxide) fillers have tried to exploit their potential but without economic success. So, in this chapter we are going to analyse the use of an unconventional carbon filler called biochar. Biochar is the solid residue of pyrolysis and can be a solid and sustainable replacement for traditional and expensive fillers. In this chapter, we will provide overview of the last advancement in the use of biochar as filler for the production of reinforced plastics

Introducing the Novel Mixed Gaussian-Lorentzian Lineshape in the Analysis of the Raman Signal of Biochar

In this research, an innovative procedure is proposed to elaborate Raman spectra obtained from nanostructured and disordered solids. As a challenging case study, biochar, a bio-derived carbon based material, was selected. The complex structure of biochar (i.e., channeled surface, inorganic content) represents a serious challenge for Raman characterization. As widely reported, the Raman spectra are closely linked to thermal treatments of carbon material. The individual contributions to the Raman spectra are difficult to identify due to the numerous peaks that contribute to the spectra. To tackle this problem, we propose a brand new approach based on the introduction, on sound theoretical grounds, of a mixed Gaussian-–Lorentzian lineshape. As per the experimental part, biochar samples were carbonized in an inert atmosphere at various temperatures and their respective spectra were successfully decomposed using the new lineshape. The evolution of the structure with carbonization temperature was investigated by Raman and XRD analysis. The results of the two techniques fairly well agree. Compared to other approaches commonly reported in the literature this method (i) gives a sounder basis to the lineshape used in disordered materials, and (ii) appears to reduce the number of components, leading to an easier understanding of their origin

A Review on the Use of Biochar Derived Carbon Quantum Dots Production for Sensing Applications

Since their discovery, carbon dots have attracted a great deal of interest for their perspective biological applications. Nevertheless, the quenching of carbon dots photoluminescence represents an interesting feature for quantitative analysis in very low concentration of many species. A particular approach for the production of carbon dots is the use of biochar, a carbonized biomass, as a precursor. In this work, we overview the main achievements accomplished by using biochar-derived carbon dots for detecting and quantifying inorganic and organic species. We also provide background knowledge of the main properties, production and purification routes of carbon dots

Molecular study on Senecio fontanicola (S. doria group, Asteraceae) and its conservation status

Senecio fontanicola is endemic to black-bog-rush fens of southern Austria, north-western Slovenia and north-eastern Italy. It is characterized by oblanceolate leaves, a low number of supplementary bracts and glabrous achenes and it grows in marshy spring areas, fens and reed beds, between elevations from 20 to 850 m . The species was never described with molecular traits and during the last decades, S. fontanicola showed a dramatic decline due to land reclamation for agriculture. Therefore, the present study aims to characterize S. fontanicola using the molecular barcoding technique and to updated its distribution to propose a global risk category for the species, based on IUCN criteria. The three molecular markers  used in this study (trnH-psbA, rbcL, and ITS) clearly distinguished S. fontanicola from S. doria. s.s.and the revised distribution allowed the definition of the conservation status of the species, that is Endangered-EN B2ab(i,ii,iii,iv) following the B criterion of the IUCN guidelines

Molecular study on Senecio fontanicola (S. doria group, Asteraceae) and its conservation status

Senecio fontanicola is endemic to black-bog-rush fens of southern Austria, north-western Slovenia and north-eastern Italy. It is characterized by oblanceolate leaves, a low number of supplementary bracts and glabrous achenes and it grows in marshy spring areas, fens and reed beds, between elevations from 20 to 850 m . The species was never described with molecular traits and during the last decades, S. fontanicola showed a dramatic decline due to land reclamation for agriculture. Therefore, the present study aims to characterize S. fontanicola using the molecular barcoding technique and to updated its distribution to propose a global risk category for the species, based on IUCN criteria. The three molecular markers  used in this study (trnH-psbA, rbcL, and ITS) clearly distinguished S. fontanicola from S. doria. s.s.and the revised distribution allowed the definition of the conservation status of the species, that is Endangered-EN B2ab(i,ii,iii,iv) following the B criterion of the IUCN guidelines

Influence of Commercial Biochar Fillers on Brittleness/Ductility of Epoxy Resin Composites

Production of versatile composites is a very attractive field. Carbon containing epoxy resins are one of the most relevant reinforced plastics used for a wide number of applications. In this research, we studied the influence of five different commercial biochar samples for the selective enhancement of brittleness and ductility of an epoxy based composite. We proved the relationship between biochar morphology and composites mechanical properties with the aid of FT-IR and FE-SEM analysis. We were able to improve the neat resin mechanical properties by doubling its Young’s modulus and ultimate tensile strength using a wheat straw derived material, and to increase its elongation by 40%, we used a Miscanthus derived biochar

Evaluation of the environmental benefits of biochar addition into concrete-based composites

Biochar is a carbon by-product obtained from a termochemical conversion of biomass. Currently, biochar is generally treated in biomass landfill, representing an economic and environmental cost. Recent works focus their attention to the use of biochar as an alternative filler to produce more economic and environmental friendly composites. Some studies proved that the introduction of biochar as carbon filler can also increase mechanical [1] or electrical [2] properties. As a consequence, large scale production of composites containing biochar could have important effects both on the economic and environmental point of view. Please click on the file below for full content of the abstract

Waste Coffee Ground Biochar: A Material for Humidity Sensors

Worldwide consumption of coffee exceeds 11 billion tons/year. Used coffee grounds end up as landfill. However, the unique structural properties of its porous surface make coffee grounds popular for the adsorption of gaseous molecules. In the present work, we demonstrate the use of coffee grounds as a potential and cheap source for biochar carbon. The produced coffee ground biochar (CGB) was investigated as a sensing material for developing humidity sensors. CGB was fully characterized by using laser granulometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and the Brunnauer Emmett Teller (BET) technique in order to acquire a complete understanding of its structural and surface properties and composition. Subsequently humidity sensors were screen printed using an ink-containing CGB with polyvinyl butyral (PVB) acting as a temporary binder and ethylene glycol monobutyral ether, Emflow, as an organic vehicle so that the proper rheological characteristics were achieved. Screen-printed films were the heated at 300℃ in air. Humidity tests were performed under a flow of 1.7 L/min in the relative humidity range 0–100% at room temperature. The initial impedance of the film was 25.2 MΩ which changes to 12.3 MΩ under 98% humidity exposure. A sensor response was observed above 20 % relative humidity (RH). Both the response and recovery times were reasonably fast (less than 2 min)

Diffuse cutaneous manifestation in a new mother with COVID-19 (SARS-Cov-2)

Our case shows a cutaneous manifestation in a new mother with COVID-19 characterized by the simultaneous presence of erythematous, maculopapular lesions and urticaria-like skin lesions, further highlighting the variety of the clinical features which are associated with this new disease, still little known