Minimization of the environmental impact in the chrome tanning process by a closed-loop recycling technology

Content: It is acknowledged that conventional chrome tanning in leather processing discharges significant amounts of chromium, dissolved solids and chlorides. The recycling technology is one of the effective solutions to reduce the environmental impact of chrome tanning waste water at source. In this work, a novel closed recycling technology of chrome tanning wastewater was applied in the tanning process of the goat skins at a pilot scale level. The properties of chrome tanning liquors obtained by the recycling technology and the resultant crust were analyzed. The results show that this close recycling process works well. The contents of Cr2O3, total organic carbon, ammonia nitrogen and chloride ion in the waste water tend to accumulate with the increase of recycling times, and finally reach a balance after 5 times of recycling. The obtained leather sample is full, soft and having a shrinkage temperature comparable to that of conventional chrome tanned leather. SEM images indicate that the resulting leather samples by this recycling technology show fine and clean grain and well-dispersed fibrils. TG and DSC results show that the thermal stability of wet blue leathers tanned by the circular process are similar to those tanned by conventional chrome tanning process. Compared with conventional chrome tanning technology, water, salt and chrome tanning agent are saved in this process, and the zero emission of chrome tanning wastewater is realized. The cleaner production technology exhibits promising application prospect for its economic and environmental benefits. Take-Away: 1. A novel closed recycling technology of chrome tanning wastewater was applied in the tanning process of the goat skins at a pilot scale level. 2. The chrome tanning liquors obtained by the recycling technology and the resultant crust were analyzed. 3. Water, Sodium chloride and chrome tanning agent are saved by the closed recycling technology, and the zero emission of chrome tanning wastewater is realized

TRIZ directed evolution for automobile fuel

Recently, Global Warming effect and Green House Gases (GHG) emissions have become one of the main concern for environment that principally come from the exhaust of fossil fuel combustion process (i.e. coal, crude oil, and natural gas). Electric Vehicles (EVs) industry has started taking the lead and showing significant competition in the market via Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) and fully Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) over the conventional fossil fuel powered vehicles which are going to ban (prohibit) within coming two decades as officially announced by many of global countries. Battery is the backbone of this evolution and it encourages many researchers and scientists to expedite their studies, experimental tests to discover the best reliable, sustainable, and safe resource of energy to meet the customers’ (vehicles users) values, satisfactions and expectations. This study aims to scientifically predict and analyze the future battery generation that last longer up to (500 km) with improved charging time (less than 30 min). A systematic evolution method called TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving) was used in this paper to link the historical data with present timeline in order to improve the main characteristics of the battery (e.g. energy density, durability, charging time and safety). TRIZ has variety of inventive tools (9 – Windows, S – Curve and Function Analysis), these tools are efficiently assist to predict and achieve the next generation of the future battery. By using the tools of Directed Evolution (DE) and utilizing Level of Innovation Domains, battery development is going to be deeply illustrated. Finally, logical recommendations were proposed to those personnel in charge to move forward to approach the future battery system with targeted features and characteristics

A Phase II Trial of AZD6244 (Selumetinib, ARRY-142886), an Oral MEK1/2 Inhibitor, in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma

AZD6244 is a MEK1/2 inhibitor with significant preclinical activity in multiple myeloma (MM) cells. This phase 2 study used a two-stage Simon design to determine the AZD6244 response rate in patients with relapsed or refractory MM

Enhanced optoelectronic quality of perovskite thin films with hypophosphorous acid for planar heterojunction solar cells

Solution-processed metal halide perovskite semiconductors, such as CH3NH3PbI3, have exhibited remarkable performance in solar cells, despite having non-negligible density of defect states. A likely candidate is halide vacancies within the perovskite crystals, or the presence of metallic lead, both generated due to the imbalanced I/Pb stoichiometry which could evolve during crystallization. Herein, we show that the addition of hypophosphorous acid (HPA) in the precursor solution can significantly improve the film quality, both electronically and topologically, and enhance the photoluminescence intensity, which leads to more efficient and reproducible photovoltaic devices. We demonstrate that the HPA can reduce the oxidized I2 back into I�, and our results indicate that this facilitates an improved stoichiometry in the perovskite crystal and a reduced density of metallic lead

Expression of miR-21 and its targets (PTEN, PDCD4, TM1) in flat epithelial atypia of the breast in relation to ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive carcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Flat epithelial atypia (FEA) of the breast is characterised by a few layers of mildly atypical luminal epithelial cells. Genetic changes found in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC) are also found in FEA, albeit at a lower concentration. So far, miRNA expression changes associated with invasive breast cancer, like miR-21, have not been studied in FEA.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We performed miRNA in-situ hybridization (ISH) on 15 cases with simultaneous presence of normal breast tissue, FEA and/or DCIS and 17 additional cases with IDC. Expression of the miR-21 targets PDCD4, TM1 and PTEN was investigated by immunohistochemistry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two out of fifteen cases showed positive staining for miR-21 in normal breast ductal epithelium, seven out of fifteen cases were positive in the FEA component and nine out of twelve cases were positive in the DCIS component. A positive staining of miR-21 was observed in 15 of 17 IDC cases. In 12 cases all three components were present in one tissue block and an increase of miR-21 from normal breast to FEA and to DCIS was observed in five cases. In three cases the FEA component was negative, whereas the DCIS component was positive for miR-21. In three other cases, normal, FEA and DCIS components were negative for miR-21 and in the last case all three components were positive. Overall we observed a gradual increase in percentage of miR-21 positive cases from normal, to FEA, DCIS and IDC. Immunohistochemical staining for PTEN revealed no obvious changes in staining intensities in normal, FEA, DCIS and IDC. Cytoplasmic staining of PDCD4 increased from normal to IDC, whereas, the nuclear staining decreased. TM1 staining decreased from positive in normal breast to negative in most DCIS and IDC cases. In FEA, the staining pattern for TM1 was similar to normal breast tissue.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Upregulation of miR-21 from normal ductal epithelial cells of the breast to FEA, DCIS and IDC parallels morphologically defined carcinogenesis. No clear relation was observed between the staining pattern of miR-21 and its previously reported target genes.</p

Synthesis and characterization of Sn‑doped TiO2 flm for antibacterial applications

Simple sol–gel method has been exploited to deposit Sn-doped TiO2 thin flms on glass substrates. The resultant coatings were characterized by X-ray difraction (XRD), UV–visible techniques (UV–Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and photoluminescence analysis (PL). The XRD pattern reveals an increase in crystallite size of the prepared samples with the increasing doping concentration. A decrease in doping concentrating resulted in the decrease in bandgap values. The diferent chemical bonds on these flms were identifed from their FTIR spectra. The photoluminescence analysis shows an increase in the emission peak intensity with increasing dopant concentration, and this can be attributed to the efect created due to surface states. The prepared samples were tested as antibacterial agent toward both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria like S.aureus (Staphylococcus aureus) and E.coli (Escherichia coli), respectively. The size of the inhibition zones indicates that the sample shows maximum inhibitory property toward E.coli when compared to S.aureus