Prediction of H2S and HCl formation during RDF and co-gasification in fluidized bed

Most solid fuels contain S and Cl and during their gasification, the formation of pollutants such as H2S and HCl becomes inevitable, however, a better understanding of the mechanism involved in their formation and subsequent destruction during the process could help to define operating conditions and to achieve synergy during co-gasification to minimize their emissions. The formation of these pollutants along with the partitioning of S and Cl in the gas and solid phases can be predicted using theoretical models in software packages like FactSage. If the tendency of H2S and HCl emissions predicted by the model corresponds to what has been observed, then an overall mechanism could be derived at using the thermochemical stability data. In this paper a comparison between numerical and experimental results is presented. The results obtained seem to suggest a relationship between the levels of sulphur in the fuels and the concentration of H2S in the gas phase, although the presence of K, Na and Ca may minimize the release of H2S. The formation of HCl seemed to be greatly affected by the inorganic matter of the fuels

Arquitetura de incubação, transição do mundo universitário para a profissão.

Dissertação apresentada na Universidade de Lisboa - Faculdade de Arquitetura, para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Arquitetur

Toxicological in vivo studies of an oral insulin nanosystem

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6TCR-4PKH640-7G/1/31df064ec957f50aa568d739cd5d741

Effects of grass silage and soybean meal supplementation on milk production and milk fatty acid profiles of grazing dairy cows

Copyright © American Dairy Science Association, 2008.The effects of supplementation with grass silage and replacement of some corn in the concentrate with soybean meal (SBM) on milk production, and milk fatty acid (FA) profiles were evaluated in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square study using 16 dairy cows grazing pasture composed of ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, and white clover. Each experimental period lasted for 3 wk. The 4 dietary treatments were PC, 20 h of access to grazing pasture, supplemented with 6 kg/d of corn-based concentrate mixture (96% corn; C); PCSB, 20 h of access to grazing pasture, supplemented with 6 kg/d of corn- and SBM-based concentrate mixture (78% corn and 18% SBM; CSB); SC, 7 h of access to grazing pasture during the day and 13 h of ad libitum access to grass silage at night, supplemented with 6 kg/d of C concentrate; and SCSB, 7 h of access to grazing pasture during the day and 13 h of ad libitum access to grass silage at night, supplemented with 6 kg/d of CSB concentrate. The concentrate mixtures were offered twice each day in the milking parlor and were consumed completely. Grass silage supplementation reduced dietary crude protein and concentration of total sugars, and dietary SBM inclusion increased dietary crude protein concentration and decreased dietary starch concentration. Milk yield and energy-corrected milk were increased by SBM supplementation of cows with access to grass silage. Milk protein concentration was lower in cows offered grass silage, regardless of whether SBM was fed. Dietary SBM inclusion tended to increase milk fat concentration. Plasma urea N was reduced by silage feeding and increased by SBM supplementation. Supplementation with grass silage overnight could represent a useful strategy for periods of lower pasture availability. Dietary inclusion of SBM in solely grazing cows had no effects on milk production and composition, exacerbated the inefficient capture of dietary N, and increased diet cost. Grass silage supplementation affected milk FA profiles, increasing both the FA derived from de novo synthesis and those derived from rumen microbial biomass, and decreasing the sum of C18 FA (mostly derived from diet or from mobilization of adipose tissue reserves). Milk fat concentrations of conjugated linoleic acid cis-9, trans-11, vaccenic acid (18:1 trans-11), and linolenic acid (18:3n-3) were unaffected by grass silage supplementation, suggesting that partial replacement of pasture by unwilted grass silage does not compromise the dietary quality of milk fat for humans

Hemodialysis vascular access coordinator: Three‐level model for access management

Management of vascular access is a challenge for the dialysis team, particularly tokeep the arteriovenous access working. The vascular access coordinator can posi-tively contribute to increase the number of arteriovenous fistulas and reduce centralvenous catheters. In this article, we introduce a new approach to vascular accessmanagement centered on (the results of setting up) the role of vascular access coor-dinator. We described the three-level model (3Level_M) for vascular access manage-ment organized in three levels: vascular access nurse manager, vascular accesscoordinator, and vascular access consultant. We defined the instrumental skills andtraining required to be developed by each element and clarify the articulationbetween the model and all members of the dialysis team related to vascular access.1|INTRODUCTIONThe implementation and effectiveness of renal replacement therapy(RRT) depend directly on appropriate vascular access, such as arterio-venous fistula (AVF) (best choice), or alternatively a graft or a centralvenous catheter (CVC).1Nowadays, chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are older, sufferfrom a larger number of comorbidities, and have more complex vascu-lar accesses. Therefore, the dialysis team and patients face new chal-lenges. The complications of the arteriovenous accesses are alreadydocumented and require supervision (monitoring and surveillance) inorder to decide the appropriate time to intervene.1,2Literature shows that the vascular access coordinator canhave an important contribution in the identification ofthese situations and in the implementation of a new approachleading to the best results in clinical care.3–8The vascularaccess coordinator's role can be crucial to improve the planning oftimely interventions free of thrombosis,7,6improve vascular accessoutcomes,3,7decrease the number of grafts and CVCs,5and applya quality policy with the vascular access.6The purpose of thisarticle is to analyze the vascular access coordinator's contribution(to) in the vascular access outcomes and introduce a newapproach on vascular access management, the three-level model(3Level_M).Received: 12 February 2023 Revised: 22 March 2023 Accepted: 26 March 2023DOI: 10.1111/sdi.13153Semin Dial.2023;1–6.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/sdi© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.1info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Authors’ Response

Dear Editor, We would like to thank Dr. Madias for his valuable comment on our original article entitled “QT interval prolongation in Takotsubo Syndrome: a frightening feature with no major prognostic impact” published in Monaldi Archives for Chest Disease on December 6, 2023..

Inhibition of ovine in vitro fertilization by anti-Prt antibody: hypothetical model for Prt/ZP interaction

BACKGROUND: The impact of prion proteins in the rules that dictate biological reproduction is still poorly understood. Likewise, the role of prnt gene, encoding the prion-like protein testis specific (Prt), in ram reproductive physiology remains largely unknown. In this study, we assessed the effect of Prt in ovine fertilization by using an anti-Prt antibody (APPA) in fertilization medium incubated with spermatozoa and oocytes. Moreover, a computational model was constructed to infer how the results obtained could be related to a hypothetical role for Prt in sperm-zona pellucida (ZP) binding. METHODS: Mature ovine oocytes were transferred to fertilization medium alone (control) or supplemented with APPA, or pre-immune serum (CSerum). Oocytes were inseminated with ovine spermatozoa and after 18 h, presumptive zygotes (n = 142) were fixed to evaluate fertilization rates or transferred (n = 374) for embryo culture until D6-7. Predicted ovine Prt tertiary structure was compared with data obtained by circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD) and a protein-protein computational docking model was estimated for a hypothetical Prt/ZP interaction. RESULTS: The fertilizing rate was lower (P = 0.006) in APPA group (46.0+/−6.79%) when compared to control (78.5+/−7.47%) and CSerum (64.5+/−6.65%) groups. In addition, the cleavage rate was higher (P < 0.0001) in control (44.1+/−4.15%) than in APPA group (19.7+/−4.22%). Prt CD spectroscopy showed a 22% alpha-helical structure in 30% (m/v) aqueous trifluoroethanol (TFE) and 17% alpha in 0.6% (m/v) TFE. The predominant alpha-helical secondary structure detected correlates with the predicted three dimensional structure for ovine Prt, which was subsequently used to test Prt/ZP docking. Computational analyses predicted a favorable Prt-binding activity towards ZP domains. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicates that the presence of APPA reduces the number of fertilized oocytes and of cleaved embryos. Moreover, the CD analysis data reinforces the predicted ovine Prt trend towards an alpha-helical structure. Predicted protein-protein docking suggests a possible interaction between Prt and ZP, thus supporting an important role for Prt in ovine fertilization

Novel Potent Metallocenes against Liver Stage Malaria

Novel conjugates of the antimalarial drug primaquine (compound 1) with ferrocene, named primacenes, have been synthesized and screened for their activities against blood stage and liver stage malaria in vitro and host-vector transmission in vivo. Both transmission-blocking and blood-schizontocidal activities of the parent drug were conserved only in primacenes bearing a basic aliphatic amine group. Liver stage activity did not require this structural feature, and all metallocenes tested were comparable to or better than primaquine in this regard. Remarkably, the replacement of primaquine's aliphatic chain by hexylferrocene, as in compound 7, led to a similar to 45-fold-higher level activity against liver stage parasitemia than that of primaquine

Práticas integradas de educação formal e não-formal de ciências nos cursos de formação inicial de professores

O estudo que se apresenta teve como principal finalidade identificar, caracterizar e partilhar, a nível de Instituições de Ensino Superior (lES), ações desenvolvidas nos cursos de formação de profissionais de educação, que potenciassem a promoção de competências de planificação, implementação e avaliação de práticas integradas de educação formal e não-formaL em ciências (PIEC). O estudo contemplou todas as lES públicas portuguesas que ofereciam cursos de formação de professores com componente de ciências: 25 lES e 75 cursos. Como técnica de recolha de dados optou-se pelo inquérito por entrevista, dirigida aos coordenadores/diretores de curso (CID). O retorno foi de 72%. Os dados foram analisados com recurso à técnica de análise de conteúdo através de um sistema categorial misto. Os C/D consideraram as PIEC muito importantes e afirmaram que os estudantes também lhe reconheciam importância para a sua formação, considerando contribuírem para o desenvolvimento dos seus conhecimentos, capacidades, atitudes e valores. Apesar disso, 11% dos inquiridos admite não se desenvolver PIEC em qualquer das Unidades Curriculares (UC) dos cursos dos quais são responsáveis. Em relação aos outros cursos, são identificadas as UC onde essas práticas predominam, assim como estratégias/atividades desenvolvidas. Relativamente à perceção dos C/D sobre a preparação dos estudantes para desenvolver PIEC, nas suas futuras práticas profissionais, 65% afirma ser insuficiente.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Detailed dimethylacetal and fatty acid composition of rumen content from lambs fed lucerne or concentrate supplemented with soybean oil

Articles in International JournalsLipid metabolism in the rumen is responsible for the complex fatty acid profile of rumen outflow compared with the dietary fatty acid composition, contributing to the lipid profile of ruminant products. A method for the detailed dimethylacetal and fatty acid analysis of rumen contents was developed and applied to rumen content collected from lambs fed lucerne or concentrate based diets supplemented with soybean oil. The methodological approach developed consisted on a basic/ acid direct transesterification followed by thin-layer chromatography to isolate fatty acid methyl esters from dimethylacetal, oxo- fatty acid and fatty acid dimethylesters. The dimethylacetal composition was quite similar to the fatty acid composition, presenting even-, odd- and branched-chain structures. Total and individual odd- and branched-chain dimethylacetals were mostly affected by basal diet. The presence of 18:1 dimethylacetals indicates that biohydrogenation intermediates might be incorporated in structural microbial lipids. Moreover, medium-chain fatty acid dimethylesters were identified for the first time in the rumen content despite their concentration being relatively low. The fatty acids containing 18 carbon-chain lengths comprise the majority of the fatty acids present in the rumen content, most of them being biohydrogenation intermediates of 18:2n26 and 18:3n23. Additionally, three oxo- fatty acids were identified in rumen samples, and 16-O-18:0 might be produced during biohydrogenation of the 18:3n23