Microstructural description of ion exchange membranes: The effect of PPy-based modification

Properties of ion exchange membranes (IEMs) both cationic and anionic were widely analysed before and after chemical. The modification aims to reduce the crossover phenomena typically observed in RFBs by incorporating polypyrrole (PPy) at the inner of commercial IEMs. In this work, we have explored the insight of membranes by structural and generalized conductivity considerations and its implications in terms of physicochemical characteristics. Transport Structural Parameters (TSP) have been obtained from the electrolyte concentration dependencies (NaCl, in this work). AEMs successfully increased their specific conductivity (between 2.5 and 3.9 times) whereas CEMs slightly decreased (between 1.3 and 2 times). This approach was useful for the description of membrane electro-transport by using the so-called two-phase model which considers an IEM as an heterophase system (particularly, gel and interstitial phase) and their arrangement. AEMs almost doubled increased whereas CEMs doubled decreased their internal microphase arrangement in terms of structural parameter (α). A modification of the established model was applied to the CEMs to better understand their specific behaviour after polymerization. Up to 3.5 times the diffusion coefficient was obtained in AEMs after PPy modification. Finally, based on TSP obtained we propose a microstructural description for the IEMs studied in this workThis work has been funded by the European Union under the HIGREEW project, Affordable High-performance Green Redox Flow batteries (Grant agreement no. 875613) H2020: LC-BAT-4-2019, by the Spanish Ministry of Economy PID 2020-116712RBC21 and Madrid Regional Research Council (CAM) grant. n. P2018/EMT-4344 BIOTRESC

DFT calculation, a practical tool to predict the electrochemical behaviour of organic electrolytes in aqueous redox flow batteries

Herein, a computational predictive tool for redox flow batteries based on NBO and ADCH charge distribution studies is presented and supported by experimental evidence. Using highly water soluble (>2 M) non-planar 2,2′ - bipyridinium salts as a case of study, this work presents a DFT protocol that successfully predicts the stability and forecasts their potential application as active materials for Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Batteries (AORFB). An initial theoretical-experimental characterization of selected bipyridines served to determine the effect of the ring size, geometry, and electron density on the physico-chemical properties of the materials. Nonetheless, the NBO and ADCH charge analyses were essential tools to understand the stability of the reduced species in terms of electronic delocalization and the importance of the molecular design on the stability of electrolyte for AORFB. Based on these results, the cell performance of seven-membered 2,2′ -bypiridinium salt, (2), and m-Me substituted homologous, (4), were compared. The significantly lower capacity decay rendered by compound 4 based electrolyte, (0.35%/cycle) compared with compound 2 based electrolyte, (0.71%/cycle) was in good agreement with the predicted stability. The aim of this work is to highlight the powerful synergy between DFT calculations and organic chemistry in predicting the behaviour of different negolytesThis work has been funded by the European Union under the HIGREEW project, Affordable High-performance Green Redox Flow batteries (Grant agreement no. 875613). H2020: LC-BAT-4-2019. A.C. Lopes acknowledges the Ramon y Cajal (RYC2021-032277-I) research fellowship, the financial support from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion ´ / AEI /10.13039/501100011033 and from European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR. We also thank the CCC-UAM (Graforr project) for allocation of computer tim

Rising rural body-mass index is the main driver of the global obesity epidemic in adults

Body-mass index (BMI) has increased steadily in most countries in parallel with a rise in the proportion of the population who live in cities(.)(1,2) This has led to a widely reported view that urbanization is one of the most important drivers of the global rise in obesity(3-6). Here we use 2,009 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight in more than 112 million adults, to report national, regional and global trends in mean BMI segregated by place of residence (a rural or urban area) from 1985 to 2017. We show that, contrary to the dominant paradigm, more than 55% of the global rise in mean BMI from 1985 to 2017-and more than 80% in some low- and middle-income regions-was due to increases in BMI in rural areas. This large contribution stems from the fact that, with the exception of women in sub-Saharan Africa, BMI is increasing at the same rate or faster in rural areas than in cities in low- and middle-income regions. These trends have in turn resulted in a closing-and in some countries reversal-of the gap in BMI between urban and rural areas in low- and middle-income countries, especially for women. In high-income and industrialized countries, we noted a persistently higher rural BMI, especially for women. There is an urgent need for an integrated approach to rural nutrition that enhances financial and physical access to healthy foods, to avoid replacing the rural undernutrition disadvantage in poor countries with a more general malnutrition disadvantage that entails excessive consumption of low-quality calories.Peer reviewe

Worldwide trends in hypertension prevalence and progress in treatment and control from 1990 to 2019: a pooled analysis of 1201 population-representative studies with 104 million participants.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension can be detected at the primary health-care level and low-cost treatments can effectively control hypertension. We aimed to measure the prevalence of hypertension and progress in its detection, treatment, and control from 1990 to 2019 for 200 countries and territories. METHODS: We used data from 1990 to 2019 on people aged 30-79 years from population-representative studies with measurement of blood pressure and data on blood pressure treatment. We defined hypertension as having systolic blood pressure 140 mm Hg or greater, diastolic blood pressure 90 mm Hg or greater, or taking medication for hypertension. We applied a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate the prevalence of hypertension and the proportion of people with hypertension who had a previous diagnosis (detection), who were taking medication for hypertension (treatment), and whose hypertension was controlled to below 140/90 mm Hg (control). The model allowed for trends over time to be non-linear and to vary by age. FINDINGS: The number of people aged 30-79 years with hypertension doubled from 1990 to 2019, from 331 (95% credible interval 306-359) million women and 317 (292-344) million men in 1990 to 626 (584-668) million women and 652 (604-698) million men in 2019, despite stable global age-standardised prevalence. In 2019, age-standardised hypertension prevalence was lowest in Canada and Peru for both men and women; in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and some countries in western Europe including Switzerland, Spain, and the UK for women; and in several low-income and middle-income countries such as Eritrea, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Solomon Islands for men. Hypertension prevalence surpassed 50% for women in two countries and men in nine countries, in central and eastern Europe, central Asia, Oceania, and Latin America. Globally, 59% (55-62) of women and 49% (46-52) of men with hypertension reported a previous diagnosis of hypertension in 2019, and 47% (43-51) of women and 38% (35-41) of men were treated. Control rates among people with hypertension in 2019 were 23% (20-27) for women and 18% (16-21) for men. In 2019, treatment and control rates were highest in South Korea, Canada, and Iceland (treatment >70%; control >50%), followed by the USA, Costa Rica, Germany, Portugal, and Taiwan. Treatment rates were less than 25% for women and less than 20% for men in Nepal, Indonesia, and some countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. Control rates were below 10% for women and men in these countries and for men in some countries in north Africa, central and south Asia, and eastern Europe. Treatment and control rates have improved in most countries since 1990, but we found little change in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. Improvements were largest in high-income countries, central Europe, and some upper-middle-income and recently high-income countries including Costa Rica, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Brazil, Chile, Turkey, and Iran. INTERPRETATION: Improvements in the detection, treatment, and control of hypertension have varied substantially across countries, with some middle-income countries now outperforming most high-income nations. The dual approach of reducing hypertension prevalence through primary prevention and enhancing its treatment and control is achievable not only in high-income countries but also in low-income and middle-income settings. FUNDING: WHO

Worldwide trends in hypertension prevalence and progress in treatment and control from 1990 to 2019: a pooled analysis of 1201 population-representative studies with 104 million participants

Background Hypertension can be detected at the primary health-care level and low-cost treatments can effectively control hypertension. We aimed to measure the prevalence of hypertension and progress in its detection, treatment, and control from 1990 to 2019 for 200 countries and territories. Methods We used data from 1990 to 2019 on people aged 30-79 years from population-representative studies with measurement of blood pressure and data on blood pressure treatment. We defined hypertension as having systolic blood pressure 140 mm Hg or greater, diastolic blood pressure 90 mm Hg or greater, or taking medication for hypertension. We applied a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate the prevalence of hypertension and the proportion of people with hypertension who had a previous diagnosis (detection), who were taking medication for hypertension (treatment), and whose hypertension was controlled to below 140/90 mm Hg (control). The model allowed for trends over time to be non-linear and to vary by age. Findings The number of people aged 30-79 years with hypertension doubled from 1990 to 2019, from 331 (95% credible interval 306-359) million women and 317 (292-344) million men in 1990 to 626 (584-668) million women and 652 (604-698) million men in 2019, despite stable global age-standardised prevalence. In 2019, age-standardised hypertension prevalence was lowest in Canada and Peru for both men and women; in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and some countries in western Europe including Switzerland, Spain, and the UK for women; and in several low-income and middle-income countries such as Eritrea, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Solomon Islands for men. Hypertension prevalence surpassed 50% for women in two countries and men in nine countries, in central and eastern Europe, central Asia, Oceania, and Latin America. Globally, 59% (55-62) of women and 49% (46-52) of men with hypertension reported a previous diagnosis of hypertension in 2019, and 47% (43-51) of women and 38% (35-41) of men were treated. Control rates among people with hypertension in 2019 were 23% (20-27) for women and 18% (16-21) for men. In 2019, treatment and control rates were highest in South Korea, Canada, and Iceland (treatment >70%; control >50%), followed by the USA, Costa Rica, Germany, Portugal, and Taiwan. Treatment rates were less than 25% for women and less than 20% for men in Nepal, Indonesia, and some countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. Control rates were below 10% for women and men in these countries and for men in some countries in north Africa, central and south Asia, and eastern Europe. Treatment and control rates have improved in most countries since 1990, but we found little change in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. Improvements were largest in high-income countries, central Europe, and some upper-middle-income and recently high-income countries including Costa Rica, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Brazil, Chile, Turkey, and Iran. Interpretation Improvements in the detection, treatment, and control of hypertension have varied substantially across countries, with some middle-income countries now outperforming most high-income nations. The dual approach of reducing hypertension prevalence through primary prevention and enhancing its treatment and control is achievable not only in high-income countries but also in low-income and middle-income settings. Copyright (C) 2021 World Health Organization; licensee Elsevier

Worldwide trends in hypertension prevalence and progress in treatment and control from 1990 to 2019: a pooled analysis of 1201 population-representative studies with 104 million participants

Background Hypertension can be detected at the primary health-care level and low-cost treatments can effectively control hypertension. We aimed to measure the prevalence of hypertension and progress in its detection, treatment, and control from 1990 to 2019 for 200 countries and territories. Methods We used data from 1990 to 2019 on people aged 30–79 years from population-representative studies with measurement of blood pressure and data on blood pressure treatment. We defined hypertension as having systolic blood pressure 140 mm Hg or greater, diastolic blood pressure 90 mm Hg or greater, or taking medication for hypertension. We applied a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate the prevalence of hypertension and the proportion of people with hypertension who had a previous diagnosis (detection), who were taking medication for hypertension (treatment), and whose hypertension was controlled to below 140/90 mm Hg (control). The model allowed for trends over time to be non-linear and to vary by age. Findings The number of people aged 30–79 years with hypertension doubled from 1990 to 2019, from 331 (95% credible interval 306–359) million women and 317 (292–344) million men in 1990 to 626 (584–668) million women and 652 (604–698) million men in 2019, despite stable global age-standardised prevalence. In 2019, age-standardised hypertension prevalence was lowest in Canada and Peru for both men and women; in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and some countries in western Europe including Switzerland, Spain, and the UK for women; and in several low-income and middle-income countries such as Eritrea, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Solomon Islands for men. Hypertension prevalence surpassed 50% for women in two countries and men in nine countries, in central and eastern Europe, central Asia, Oceania, and Latin America. Globally, 59% (55–62) of women and 49% (46–52) of men with hypertension reported a previous diagnosis of hypertension in 2019, and 47% (43–51) of women and 38% (35–41) of men were treated. Control rates among people with hypertension in 2019 were 23% (20–27) for women and 18% (16–21) for men. In 2019, treatment and control rates were highest in South Korea, Canada, and Iceland (treatment >70%; control >50%), followed by the USA, Costa Rica, Germany, Portugal, and Taiwan. Treatment rates were less than 25% for women and less than 20% for men in Nepal, Indonesia, and some countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. Control rates were below 10% for women and men in these countries and for men in some countries in north Africa, central and south Asia, and eastern Europe. Treatment and control rates have improved in most countries since 1990, but we found little change in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. Improvements were largest in high-income countries, central Europe, and some upper-middle-income and recently high-income countries including Costa Rica, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Brazil, Chile, Turkey, and Iran. Interpretation Improvements in the detection, treatment, and control of hypertension have varied substantially across countries, with some middle-income countries now outperforming most high-income nations. The dual approach of reducing hypertension prevalence through primary prevention and enhancing its treatment and control is achievable not only in high-income countries but also in low-income and middle-income settings

Understanding Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Batteries: A Guided Experimental Tour from Components Characterization to Final Assembly

The implementation of renewable energies into the electrical grid is one of our best options to mitigate the climate change. Redox flow batteries (RFB) are one of the most promising candidates for energy storage due to their scalability, durability and low cost. Despite this, just few studies have explained the basic concepts of RFBs and even fewer have reviewed the experimental conditions that are crucial for their development. This work aspired to be a helpful guide for beginner researchers who want to work in this exciting field. This guided tour aimed to clearly explain all the components and parameters of RFBs. Using a well-studied chemistry of anthraquinone (AQDS)-based anolyte and Na4[Fe(CN)6] catholyte, different techniques for the characterization of RFBs were described. The effects of some experimental parameters on battery performance such as electrolyte pH, O2 presence, membrane pretreatment and the capacity limiting side, were demonstrated. Furthermore, this analysis served to introduce different electrochemical techniques, i.e., load curve measurements, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and charge–discharge cycling tests. This work aimed to be the nexus between the basic concepts and the first experimental steps in the RFB field merging theory and experimental data

Zwitterionic poly(terphenylene piperidinium) membranes for vanadium redox flow batteries

Over recent years, non-fluorinated ion exchange membranes based on poly(terphenylene) backbones carrying different functional groups have shown potential application for vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). Generally, the ion exchange membrane in VRFBs is a critical component in terms of the output power, long-term stability and cost. Yet, the shortcomings of commercial membranes (e.g., Nafion) have become a substantial barrier to further commercializing VRFBs. After successfully fabricating and testing poly(terphenylene)-based membranes carrying piperidinium and sulfonic acid groups, respectively, for VRFBs, we have in the present work combined both these ionic groups in a single zwitterionic membrane. A series of poly(terphenylene)-based membranes containing zwitterionic (sulfoalkylated piperidinium) and cationic (piperidinium) groups in different ratios (40–60%) were synthesized and investigated. The VRFB using the zwitterionic membranes showed competitive performance compared to Nafion 212 regarding ionic conductivity, capacity retention, and chemical stability. In addition, it was shown that the VRFB performance was improved by increasing the content of zwitterionic groups within the membrane. A self-discharge time of more than 800 h and 78.7% average capacity retention for 500 VRFB cycles were achieved using a membrane with an optimized ratio (60% zwitterionic and 40% piperidinium groups). Furthermore, the chemical stability was promising, as there was no change in the chemical structure after 500 cycles. Our results represent a critical step for developing novel and competitive ion exchange membranes as an excellent alternative to the Nafion benchmark

Synthesis of poly(ethyl acrylate) by single electron transfer-degenerative chain transfer living radical polymerization in water catalyzed by Na2S2O4

Living radical polymerization of ethyl acrylate was achieved by single-electron-transfer/degenerative-chain transfer mediated living radical polymerization in water catalyzed by sodium dithionite. The plots of number-average molecular weight versus conversion and ln[M]0/[M] versus time are linear, indicating a controlled polymerization. This method leads to the preparation of alpha,omega-di(iodo)poly(ethyl acrylate) (alpha,omega-di(iodo)PEtA) macroinitiator that can be further functionalized. The molecular weight distributions were determined using a combination of three detectors (TriSEC): right-angle light scattering, a differential viscometer and refractive index. The method studied in this work represents a possible route to prepare well-tailored macromolecules made of ethyl acrylate in environmental friendly reaction medium. To the best of our knowledge there is no previous report dealing with the synthesis of PEtA by any LRP approach in aqueous medium. Furthermore, the method described in this article was successfully applied in pilot scale reactions under industrial production conditions. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 421-432, 200

Worldwide trends in blood pressure from 1975 to 2015:a pooled analysis of 1479 population-based measurement studies with 19.1 million participants

Abstract Background: Raised blood pressure is an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and chronic kidney disease. We estimated worldwide trends in mean systolic and mean diastolic blood pressure, and the prevalence of, and number of people with, raised blood pressure, defined as systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or higher or diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or higher. Methods: For this analysis, we pooled national, subnational, or community population-based studies that had measured blood pressure in adults aged 18 years and older. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends from 1975 to 2015 in mean systolic and mean diastolic blood pressure, and the prevalence of raised blood pressure for 200 countries. We calculated the contributions of changes in prevalence versus population growth and ageing to the increase in the number of adults with raised blood pressure. Findings: We pooled 1479 studies that had measured the blood pressures of 19.1 million adults. Global age-standardised mean systolic blood pressure in 2015 was 127.0 mm Hg (95% credible interval 125.7–128.3) in men and 122.3 mm Hg (121.0–123.6) in women; age-standardised mean diastolic blood pressure was 78.7 mm Hg (77.9–79.5) for men and 76.7 mm Hg (75.9–77.6) for women. Global age-standardised prevalence of raised blood pressure was 24.1% (21.4–27.1) in men and 20.1% (17.8–22.5) in women in 2015. Mean systolic and mean diastolic blood pressure decreased substantially from 1975 to 2015 in high-income western and Asia Pacific countries, moving these countries from having some of the highest worldwide blood pressure in 1975 to the lowest in 2015. Mean blood pressure also decreased in women in central and eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and, more recently, central Asia, Middle East, and north Africa, but the estimated trends in these super-regions had larger uncertainty than in high-income super-regions. By contrast, mean blood pressure might have increased in east and southeast Asia, south Asia, Oceania, and sub-Saharan Africa. In 2015, central and eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, and south Asia had the highest blood pressure levels. Prevalence of raised blood pressure decreased in high-income and some middle-income countries; it remained unchanged elsewhere. The number of adults with raised blood pressure increased from 594 million in 1975 to 1.13 billion in 2015, with the increase largely in low-income and middle-income countries. The global increase in the number of adults with raised blood pressure is a net effect of increase due to population growth and ageing, and decrease due to declining age-specific prevalence. Interpretation: During the past four decades, the highest worldwide blood pressure levels have shifted from high-income countries to low-income countries in south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa due to opposite trends, while blood pressure has been persistently high in central and eastern Europe