Positive Correlation Between Heavy Alcoholic Drinking and SARS-Cov-2 Non-Infection Rate.

Introduction During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, rumors claimed that alcohol drinking could someway be useful in contrasting the contagion and even the disease. It appears opportune to bring some robust data to determine whether heavy alcohol drinkers and non-drinkers experienced different infection rates. Methods A cross-sectional study through a simple survey based on the social media software Weixin and the mini survey program Wenjuanxing was carried out in China after the zero-Covid policy ended, namely from 15:00 January 1, 2023, to 12:35 January 3, 2023. The evaluation was conducted among subjects belonging to the first author's Weixin community, mostly residents in the higher populated China area. Study participants received a questionary and were asked about their virus infection status, and were classified into two groups: (a) infected, meaning he/she has been infected at least once (whether recovered or not); (b) remain uninfected, meaning the virus has not infected him/her. A total of 211 subjects adhered to the survey. Alcoholic drinking behavior about liquors with no less than 40% alcohol content in volume was retrieved from the participants. In China, such beverages are almost uniquely referred to as the Chinese Spirits or BaiJiu. The frequency of drinking quantified the drinking behavior, and it is classified into three groups: never drink or drink occasionally (group A); drink one or two times per week (group B); drink three times per week or more often (group C). The hypothesis of an existing relationship between infection status and drinking behavior was advanced before data collection. The numbers of the uninfected people in each of the three drinking groups were counted, and the rates of not-infection were calculated. The rates are compared with each other to conclude whether significant differences exist, considering the size of the samples. The conclusion is drawn from standard hypothesis testing. Results The male/female ratio was 108/103 (51.2% and 48.8%), the mean age was 38.8 years (range 21-68), and the median age of 37.4 years. The total 211 participants fell into three groups with different drinking frequencies, with counts (percentages in total 211 participants) 139 (65.9%) in group A, 28 (13.3%) in group B, and 44 (20.8%) in group C. The number (percentage within the group) of uninfected members in groups A, B, and C are 29 (20.9%), 7 (25.0%), and 17 (38.6%), respectively. The statistical analysis through the Cochran-Armitage trend test gave a significative result: p=0.0209. Conclusions Within the methodology's limitations, this study shows the significant relationship between alcohol drinking habits and the chances of avoiding SARS-CoV-2 infection. A possible hypothesis explaining these findings is advanced. However, the authors warn about misleading conclusions and advocate research that could properly guide ethanol use in the present and other possible pandemics. Limitations This study is based on self-reported data from a specific community in China. There could be recall bias and social desirability bias, and the generalizability of the findings to other populations could be limited. Other factors that could influence infection rates, such as age, occupation, and health status, are not controlled in the present study. There could be other explanations for the observed relationship between alcohol drinking habits and infection rates.

A Review on Antiviral Plants Effective against Different Virus Types

The treatment of microbial infections has proven challenging for humans in recent years. Synthetic medications, such as antimicrobial agents, are used for treating these infections. Antimicrobials derived from natural sources have gained popularity as an alternative to manufactured medications due to their lack of adverse effects. Plants, which play a significant role in this setting, have historically served as a reliable natural defence against several pathogens. In this study, studies on plants used against viral diseases are mentioned. Studies on viruses that cause disease have been compiled in the literature. According to the findings, it has been reported in the literature that many different plant species are effective against herpes simplex virus (HSV-1, HSV-2), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), influenza virus (A, B) and parainfluenza, Poliovirus, Astrovirus, Parvovirus, Sindbis virus (SINV), Feline calicivirus (FCV), Rhinovirus, Echovirus, Rotavirus, Bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), Reovirus, Vaccinia virus (VACV), Cardiovirus A (Encephalomyocarditis virus;EMCV), Coxsackie virus, Semliki forest, Measles virus, Newcastle disease virus (NDV), Coronavirus, Adenovirus (ADV-3, ADV-5, ADV-8, ADV-11), Canine distemper virus (CDV), Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), Hepatitis A, B, C virus and Enterovirus. To combat viruses, plants can be considered a potentially invaluable natural resource.

Fluorescent study of wastewater and the effect of low quantity of disinfectant

In the last few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic the pollution with large quantities of medicaments, disinfectants and essential oils raised the importance of their detection in wastewater. The research of new techniques for diagnostics continues. Some promising methods for finding contaminators of different origin are based on the optic and spectral characteristics of the examined water. Those could be used in determining the exact pollutant. The spectroscopic examination could also be conducted real-time under in vivo conditions. In this research, we use fluorescence spectroscopy to investigate the purity of water probes from the discharge of the Iskar River near the treatment plant in Samokov (Bulgaria) and the influence of small amounts of disinfectants (ethanol). The results show that fluorescence can be used to determine the purity of water probes and little amounts of alcohol in wastewater.

Study on the possibility of raw seawater into beverage - using ethanol as a renewable resource

In COVID-19 pandemic in the world, alcohol (ethanol) can be listed as a sterilizing disinfectant. It absolutely played a Messianic function on the sterilization effect. And it is said that it has one more function called "salinity reduction" but that function is not widely known. The two functions (Sterilization & Salinity Reduction) mentioned above are extremely important regarding the theme of "raw seawater into beverage" in this study. It is thought that if the two functions are achieved other water quality items such as NO-2 and other items can be cleared with comparative ease. To put briefly the feature of modern waterworks in a word, it can be said that "source of water is river water and its sterilization is chlorine". In this study, we set up it with a completely new sanitization method (great reset), that is, "source of water is mixtures (seawater and rainwater) and its sterilization is ethanol". And it can be also expected that the capture and storage of ethanol as a renewable resource is basically possible by utilizing sunlight as a natural power. Therefore, we think that this resolves itself into a question of the choice (sense of value/culture) of the users. It means that how users finally balance out with three factors, i.e., cost, risk (safety) and benefit. Based on the viewpoint mentioned above, we examined the possibility of raw seawater into beverage using ethanol as a renewable resource to create humankind's wisdom to the settlement (breakthrough) of the water scarcity in the world including Asia and Africa. As a result, we have obtained the new findings that suggest the possibility of raw seawater into beverage using ethanol as a renewable resource.

Disentangling Short-Run COVID-19 Price Impact Pathways in the US Corn Market

Despite this focus on pandemic-related supply chain disruptions, fewer empirical studies have sought to isolate short-term price impacts in food and nonfood agricultural commodity markets.1 Understanding the drivers of short-term commodity price impacts is critical to understanding future susceptibility to major market shocks and to informing policies related to shock mitigation. Declines in ethanol production reached an estimated 2 billion gallons lost from March to November 2020, leading to a corresponding decline of 700 million bushels of corn usage and a loss of billions of dollars of ethanol producer surplus (Renewable Fuels Association, 2020b;Schmitz, Moss, and Schmitz, 2020). Increases in corn-based ethanol production that started in 2005 have linked agricultural commodity prices and energy markets as US ethanol production increased rapidly from 3.9 billion gallons in 2005 to 13.3 billion by 2010 and 15.8 billion by 2019 (Chakravorty, Hubert, and Nøstbakken, 2009;Wright, 2011;Roberts and Schlenker, 2013;Asgari, Saghaian, and Reed, 2020;US Department of Agriculture, 2021). Given that over 90% of US ethanol is used in mixtures of E10 gasoline and the US market reached a 10% "blend wall" in 2016, any reduction in gasoline use will cause proportional decreases in ethanol use (US Energy Information Administrationa, 2020;US Department of Agriculture, 2021).

Analysis of 70% Alcohol and Impurities: Analytical Methods, Quality Control, Health Risks and Legislation

In March 2020, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, which led to a series of recommendations regarding personal hygiene, among which, the use of alcohol 70% as hand sanitizers. Due to the great demand for this product, it became scarce and the regulatory agencies made the legislation for production by some industries, manipulation pharmacies, and laboratories more flexible. This situation promoted the commercialization of alcohol-based products within concentrations outside of the limits, compromising their efficiency. Therefore, this is important that these products are submitted to rigorous quality control to avoid harm issues to human health. However, ANVISA does not specify an official method for monitoring alcohol 70%, especially when impurities are present. Within this context, the present work aims to present the use of the classic technique, such as the gas chromatography, as well some alternative analytical methods applied to alcohol 70% determination, taking into account literature reports published in the last two pandemic years.

Efficacy and Safety of Inhalation of Nebulized Ethanol in COVID-19 Treatment: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Many efforts have been made and are currently being made to prevent and treat this global disease. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of nebulized ethanol (EtOH) in treating COVID-19. METHODS: A randomized clinical trial (RCT) of 99 symptomatic and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-positive patients admitted to a hospital receiving remdesivir-dexamethasone was conducted. They were randomly assigned to receive distilled water spray (control group (CG)) or 35% EtOH spray (intervention group (IG)). Both groups inhaled three puffs of spray (nebulizer) every six hours for a week. The primary outcome included Global Symptomatic Score (GSS) between the two groups at the first visit and on days three, seven, and 14. Secondary outcomes included the Clinical Status Scale (CSS; a seven-point ordinal scale ranging from death to complete recovery) and readmission rate. RESULTS: A total of 44 and 55 patients were enrolled in the IG and CG, respectively. Although there was no difference at admission, the GSS and CSS improved significantly in the IG (p = 0.016 and p = 0.001, respectively). The IG readmission rate was considerably lower (0% vs. 10.9%; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Inhaled-nebulized EtOH is effective in rapidly improving the clinical status and reducing further treatment. Due to its low cost, availability, and absent/tolerable adverse events, it could be recommended as an adjunctive treatment for moderate COVID-19. Further research on curative effects in more serious cases and in prevention is advisable.

Preparation of green-solvent-based polyamide nanofiber membrane and its air filtration performance

Objective The epidemic of COVID-19 and its variants is endangering human health. Wearing protective masks can effectively reduce the infection risk by resisting the inhalation of the polluted air containing the coronavirus. Electrospun polyamide nanofibers can be used as the core layer of protective masks and have lately received growing attention because of their high filtration performance and robust mechanical properties. However, existing electrospun polyamide nanofiber filters are usually prepared from toxic solvents which could cause severe environmental pollution and endanger workers' health, hence, their practical application should be restricted. Therefore, it is imperative to seek and develop green-solvent-based polyamide nanofiber filters. Method Innovative polyamide nanofiber filters were developed by direct electrospinning technique based on green solvents (Fig. 1). Ethanol as the solvent and water as the nonsolvent were adopted to prepare the green-solvent-based polyamide (GSPA) nanofibers by designing spinning solutions with different ethanol/water mass ratios (i.e., 10: 0, 9: 1, 8: 2, 7: 3, and 6: 4) . During electrospinning process, the working voltage, tip-to-collector distance, and solution extrusion speed were set as 30 kV, 15 cm and 1 mL/h, respectively. The nanofibers prepared with the different ethanol/water ratios were denoted as GSPA - 0, GSPA - 1, GSPA - 2, GSPA-3, and GSPA-4, respectively. Results It was found that water content had a great influence on the morphological structures of polyamide nanofibers (Fig. 2) - After introducing a small amount of water, the obtained GSPA - 1 nanofibers featuring thinner diameter of 332 nm were compared to the GSPA-0 nanofibers (499 nm). The enhanced conductivity (10. 5 μS/cm) of waterborne spinning solutions (Fig. 3) stimulated more charges on spinning jets and led to larger electrostatic force, thus greatly elongating the jets and thinning the fiber diameter. However, with the further increment of water concentrations from 20% to 40%, the obtained fibers exhibited an increased average diameter ranging from 443 to 1 553 nm, which was mainly attributed to the larger viscosity of spinning solutions. Although water cannot dissolve polyamide, homogenous waterborne polyamide/ethanol solutions can still be obtained with different ethanol/water mass ratios within a broad area in the stable region (Fig. 3) - The average pore size of GSPA -1 membranes decreased by 55% compared with that of GSPA-0 membranes, contributing to high filtration efficiency. Moreover, with different concentrations (10%, 20%, 30%) of water, the fluffy structure of GSPA nanofibers were achieved with a high porosity (> 80%), which would offer more passageways to transmit air rapidly. As the water concentration increased, the breaking strength of membranes increased at first and then decreased (Fig. 5), and the GSPA- 1 membranes exhibited the highest breaking strength of 5. 6 MPa, which was believed to be related to the enhanced entanglements and contacts among the adjacent fibers because of the small fiber diameter. The GSPA -1 membranes displayed the highest filtration efficiency (99. 02%) for the most penetration particles (PM0.3) by virtue of the small fiber diameter but suffered from poor permeability with a pressure drop of 158 Pa. Moreover, the GSPA- 1 membranes possessed the highest quality factor of 0. 029 3 Pa, suggesting the optimal filtration performance among different GSPA membranes. A high PM0.3 removal efficiency (>95%) was achieved for GSPA-1 filters under various airflow velocities ranging from 10 to 90 L/min (Fig. 7). Compared with conventional melt-blown fibers, the GSPA nanofibers featured a smaller diameter and higher Knudsen number (Fig. 8), and PM0.3 were captured mainly on the surfaces of green polyamide nanofibers (Fig. 9), demonstrating the higher adsorption ability benefiting from the larger specific surface area. Conclusion A cleaner production of polyamide nanofibers for air filtration was proposed by direct electrospinning based on green and sustaina le binary solvents of water and ethanol. For the first time, the structure including fiber diameter, porosity, and pore size of electrospun polyamide nanofibers were precisely tailored by manipulating water concentration in spinning solutions. The prepared environmentally friendly polyamide nanofiber filters feature the interconnected porous structure with the nanoscale ID building blocks (332 nm), mean pore size (0.7 μm), and porosity (84%), thus achieving efficient PM0.3 capture performance with the filtration efficiency of 99. 02% and pressure drop of 158 Pa, which could be comparable to previous toxic-solvent-processed nanofibers. Moreover, the GSPA nanofibers exhibit robust mechanical properties with an impressive breaking strength (5 . 6 MPa) and elongation (163. 9%), contributing to withstanding the external forces and deformation in the practical assembly and usage of resultant filters. It is envisaged that the green-solvent-based polyamide nanofibers could be used as promising candidates for next-generation air filters, and the proposed waterborne spinning strategy can provide valuable insights for cleaner production of advanced polyamide textiles. © 2023 China Textile Engineering Society. All rights reserved.

Time-Frequency Analysis of COVID-19 Shocks and Energy Commodities

In a time-frequency biwavelet framework, we analysed the short-, medium-, and long-term impacts of COVID-19-related shocks on ten energy commodities (i.e., Brent, crude oil, coal, heating oil, natural gas, gasoline, ethanol, naphtha, propane, and uranium) from January 2020 to April 2022. We document intervals of high and low coherence between COVID-19 cases and the returns on energy commodities across the short-, medium-, and long-term horizons. Low coherence at high frequencies indicated weak correlation and signified diversification, hedging, and safe-haven potentials in the short term of the pandemic. Our findings suggest that energy markets' dynamics were highly driven by the pandemic, causing significant changes in market returns, particularly across the medium- and low-frequency bands. Furthermore, the empirical results indicate dynamic lead-lag relationships between COVID-19 cases and energy returns between the medium- and long-term horizons, signifying that diversification could be sought through crossinvestment in different energy commodities. The results have significant implications for market participants, regulators, and practitioners.

Assessment of Antioxidant, Anti-Lipid Peroxidation, Antiglycation, Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Tyrosinase Properties of Dendrobium sulcatum Lindl

Dendrobium sulcatum Lindl or "Ueang Jampa-Nan” (Orchidaceae family) is widely dis-tributed in Thailand and Laos. It is classified in the genus Dendrobium, which is used in both traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine for health enhancement and anti-aging. The purpose of this study was to investigate the phytochemical constituents and bioefficacy of stems, leaves and flowers from D. sulcatum for cosmetic and cosmeceutical applications. Phenolic and flavonoid contents were tested for the phytochemical evaluation. The antioxidant (DPPH, FRAP and ABTS assays), anti-lipid peroxidation, antiglycation, anti-inflammatory and anti-tyrosinase properties were assessed for their bioefficacy. The results showed that the extracts of stem and leaf had higher total phenolic content than that of the flower, and the leaf extract had the highest flavonoid content. The antioxidant, anti-lipid peroxidation and anti-inflammatory activities of the extracts were greater in those from the stem and leaf compared with that of the flower. The leaf extract exhibited the greatest antiglycation property. The results of anti-tyrosinase analysis of the extracts showed that the leaf and flower exhibited potent activities with a percentage inhibition greater than 70% (at a concentration of 50 µg/mL). In conclusion, these findings suggest that the ethanolic extracts from different parts of D. sulcatum are promising sources of natural active ingredients for further cosmetic and cosmeceutical products.

Alcohol use trends in Dallas County during the COVID-19 pandemic

Alcohol (ethanol) is the most widely detected drug in forensic toxicology casework and an increase in consumption of alcohol was reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase in consumption could be attributed to rising stress levels and social isolation. To determine whether the pandemic had an impact on ethanol positivity and concentrations in cases analyzed by the Dallas County Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences, blood ethanol results were evaluated from January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2021. This time frame captured ethanol prevalence and concentrations before, during, and immediately following the pandemic for comparison. The average ethanol concentration in postmortem casework over the three years for each quarter ranged from 0.116 g/100 mL to 0.142 g/100 mL while the average concentration in driving while intoxicated (DWI) was higher, ranging from 0.173 g/100 mL to 0.188 g/100 mL. The ethanol positivity rate for postmortem casework remained relatively the same at approximately 20% during the time frame, while there was a decrease in ethanol positivity rate for DWI casework during the pandemic in April - June (Q2) 2020. However, the positivity rate returned to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2020. Despite the self-reported surveys of increased alcohol consumption during the pandemic, a corresponding increase in average ethanol concentrations was not observed in Dallas County and the surrounding area.Copyright © 2023

A Direct Catalytic Ethanol Fuel Cell (DCEFC) Modified by LDHs, or by Catalase-LDHs, and Improvement in Its Kinetic Performance: Applications for Human Saliva and Disinfectant Products for COVID-19.

In this work, it has been experimentally proven that the kinetic performance of a common Direct Catalytic Ethanol Fuel Cell (DCEFC) can be increased by introducing nanostructured (ZnII,AlIII(OH)2)+NO3-·H2O Layered Double Hydroxides (LDHs) into the anode compartment. Carrying out the measurements with the open-circuit voltage method and using a kinetic format, it has been shown that the introduction of LDHs in the anodic compartment implies a 1.3-fold increase in the calibration sensitivity of the method. This improvement becomes even greater in the presence of hydrogen peroxide in a solution. Furthermore, we show that the calibration sensitivity increased by 8-times, when the fuel cell is modified by the enzyme catalase, crosslinked on LDHs and in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. The fuel cell, thus modified (with or without enzyme), has been used for analytical applications on real samples, such as biological (human saliva) and hand disinfectant samples, commonly used for the prevention of COVID-19, obtaining very positive results from both analytical and kinetic points of view on ethanol detection. Moreover, if the increase in the calibration sensitivity is of great importance from the point of view of analytical applications, it must be remarked that the increase in the speed of the ethanol oxidation process in the fuel cell can also be extremely useful for the purposes of improving the energy performance of a DCEFC.

Ethanol vapor inhalation treatment inhibits lethal respiratory viral infection with Influenza A.

Ethanol (EtOH) effectively inactivates enveloped viruses in vitro, including influenza and SARS-CoV-2. Inhaled EtOH vapor may inhibit viral infection in mammalian respiratory tracts, but this has not yet been demonstrated. Here we report that unexpectedly low EtOH concentrations in solution, approximately 20% (v/v), rapidly inactivate influenza A virus (IAV) at mammalian body temperature (37°C) and are not toxic to lung epithelial cells upon apical exposure. Furthermore, brief exposure to 20% (v/v) EtOH decreases production of infectious progeny viruses in IAV-infected cells. Using an EtOH vapor exposure system that is expected to expose murine respiratory tracts to 20% (v/v) EtOH solution by gas-liquid equilibrium at 37°C, we demonstrate that brief EtOH vapor inhalation twice a day protects mice from lethal IAV respiratory infection by reducing viruses in the lungs without harmful side effects. Our data suggest that EtOH vapor inhalation may provide a versatile therapy against various respiratory viral infectious diseases.

An Analysis of Dynamic Correlations among Oil, Natural Gas and Ethanol Markets: New Evidence from the Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Crisis

After the economic shock caused by COVID-19, with relevant effects on both the supply and demand for energy assets, there was greater interest in understanding the relationships between key energy prices. In order to contribute to a deeper understanding of energy price relationships, this paper analyzes the dynamics between the weekly spot prices of oil, natural gas and benchmark ethanol in the US markets. The analysis period started on 23 June 2006 and ended on 10 June 2022. This study used the DMCA cross-correlation coefficient in a dynamic way, using sliding windows. Among the main results, it was found that: (i) in the post-pandemic period, oil and natural gas were not correlated, in both short- and long-term timescales;and (ii) ethanol was negatively associated with natural gas in the most recent post-pandemic period, especially in short-term scales. The results of the present study are potentially relevant for both market and public agents regarding investment diversification strategies and can aid public policies due to the understanding of the interrelationship between energy prices. © 2023 by the authors.

Mutual Effects of Zinc Concentration and Ratio of Red-Blue Light on Growth and Nutritional Quality of Flowering Chinese Cabbage Sprouts

The nutritional quality and biomass of various sprouts can be enhanced by Zn and red-blue light, especially the Brassica sprouts. However, the combined effects of this two on sprouts are rarely reported. In this study, different Zn concentrations (0, 1.74, 3.48, 10.43 and 17.39 mM) were combined with two ratios of red-blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) (R: B = 1:2, 1R2B;R: B = 2:1, 2R1B, at 70 μmol m−2 s−1 PPFD, 14 h/10 h, light/dark) to investigate their mutual effects on the growth, mineral elements, and nutritional quality in flowering Chinese cabbage sprouts (FCCS). Fresh weight, dry weight, contents of organic Zn, soluble sugar, vitamin C, total flavonoids, total polyphenol, FRAP (ferric ion-reducing antioxidant power) and DPPH (radical inhibition percentage of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) were significantly increased by Zn supplement (10.43 and 17.39 mM) and 2R1B, while hypocotyl length and moisture content were decreased remarkably by Zn supplement. Total glucosinolates contents in the sprouts increased dramatically under 2R1B compared with 1R2B, while photosynthetic pigments contents decreased. Heat map and principal component analysis showed that 2R1B + 17.39 mM Zn was the optimal treatment for the accumulation of biomass and health-promoting compound in FCCS, suggesting that a suitable combination of light quality and Zn supplement might be beneficial to zinc-biofortified FCCS production.

Effects of Alcohol-Blended Waste Plastic Oil on Engine Performance Characteristics and Emissions of a Diesel Engine

The current study aims to investigate and compare the effects of waste plastic oil blended with n-butanol on the characteristics of diesel engines and exhaust gas emissions. Waste plastic oil produced by the pyrolysis process was blended with n-butanol at 5%, 10%, and 15% by volume. Experiments were conducted on a four-stroke, four-cylinder, water-cooled, direct injection diesel engine with a variation of five engine loads, while the engine's speed was fixed at 2500 rpm. The experimental results showed that the main hydrocarbons present in WPO were within the range of diesel fuel (C13–C18, approximately 74.39%), while its specific gravity and flash point were out of the limit prescribed by the diesel fuel specification. The addition of n-butanol to WPO was found to reduce the engine's thermal efficiency and increase HC and CO emissions, especially when the engine operated at low-load conditions. In order to find the suitable ratio of n-butanol blends when the engine operated at the tested engine load, the optimization process was carried out by considering the engine's load and ratio of the n-butanol blend as input factors and the engine's performance and emissions as output factors. It was found that the multi-objective function produced by the general regression neural network (GRNN) can be modeled as the multi-objective function with high predictive performances. The coefficient of determination (R2), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and root mean square error (RSME) of the optimization model proposed in the study were 0.999, 2.606%, and 0.663, respectively, when brake thermal efficiency was considered, while nitrogen oxide values were 0.998, 6.915%, and 0.600, respectively. As for the results of the optimization using NSGA-II, a single optimum value may not be attained as with the other methods, but the optimization's boundary was obtained, which was established by making a trade-off between brake thermal efficiency and nitrogen oxide emissions. According to the Pareto frontier, the engine load and ratio of the n-butanol blend that caused the trade-off between maximum brake thermal efficiency and minimum nitrogen oxides are within the approximate range of 37 N.m to 104 N.m and 9% to 14%, respectively.

Electrochemical Sensing Platform Based on Renewable Carbon Modified with Antimony Nanoparticles for Methylparaben Detection in Personal Care Products

This paper describes for the first time the surface modification of glassy carbon (GC) electrodes with bamboo-based renewable carbon (RC) and antimony nanoparticles (SbNPs) for the determination of methylparaben (MePa) in personal care products (PCPs). The synthesized RC-SbNP material was successfully characterized by scanning electron microcopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The proposed sensor was applied in the detection of MePa using the optimized parameters by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The analytical range for detection of MePa was 0.2 to 9.0 µmol L−1, with limits of detection and quantification of 0.05 µmol L−1 and 0.16 µmol L−1, respectively. The determination of MePa in real PCP samples was performed using the proposed GC/RC-SbNP sensor by DPV and UV-vis spectrophotometry as comparative methodology. The use of RC-SbNP material for the development of electrochemical sensors brings a fresh approach to low-cost devices for MePa analysis.

World ethanol producers' rankings in major reshuffle

USA continues to be the largest producer of ethanol globally followed by Brazil. The Covid-l9 pandemic impacted the sector adversely as the rise in unemployment, plus the attendant restrictions on movement resulted 11: people driving much less than before and thereby decreasing demand for transportatian fuel. US companies Poet, Valera and AIM will continue to dominate the league table of top producers. The Brazilian company Raizen 1: expected to move up in rankings (to 4) 11: 2021/22 following the recent acquisition of the sugar-ethanhl producer Biosev.

Bioactive Compositions of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum J. Presl) Extracts and Their Capacities in Suppressing SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Binding to ACE2, Inhibiting ACE2, and Scavenging Free Radicals.

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum J. Presl) bark and its extracts are popular ingredients added to food and supplement products. It has various health effects, including potentially reducing the risk of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). In our study, the bioactives in cinnamon water and ethanol extracts were chemically identified, and their potential in suppressing SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) binding, reducing ACE2 availability, and scavenging free radicals was investigated. Twenty-seven and twenty-three compounds were tentatively identified in cinnamon water and ethanol extracts, respectively. Seven compounds, including saccharumoside C, two emodin-glucuronide isomers, two physcion-glucuronide isomers, and two type-A proanthocyanidin hexamers, were first reported in cinnamon. Cinnamon water and ethanol extracts suppressed the binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to ACE2 and inhibited ACE2 activity in a dose-dependent manner. Cinnamon ethanol extract had total phenolic content of 36.67 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g and free radical scavenging activities against HO• and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical cation (ABTS•+) of 1688.85 and 882.88 µmol Trolox equivalents (TE)/g, which were significantly higher than those of the water extract at 24.12 mg GAE/g and 583.12 and 210.36 µmol TE/g. The free radical scavenging activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH•) of cinnamon ethanol extract was lower than that of the water extract. The present study provides new evidence that cinnamon reduces the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 development.

Alcohol and lactation: Developmental deficits in a mouse model.

It is well documented that prenatal ethanol exposure via maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy alters brain and behavioral development in offspring. Thus, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) advises against maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. However, little emphasis has been placed on educating new parents about alcohol consumption while breastfeeding. This is partly due to a paucity of research on lactational ethanol exposure (LEE) effects in children; although, it has been shown that infants exposed to ethanol via breast milk frequently present with reduced body mass, low verbal IQ scores, and altered sleeping patterns. As approximately 36% of breastfeeding mothers in the US consume alcohol, continued research in this area is critical. Our study employed a novel murine LEE model, where offspring were exposed to ethanol via nursing from postnatal day (P) 6 through P20, a period correlated with infancy in humans. Compared to controls, LEE mice had reduced body weights and neocortical lengths at P20 and P30. Brain weights were also reduced in both ages in males, and at P20 for females, however, female brain weights recovered to control levels by P30. We investigated neocortical features and found that frontal cortex thickness was reduced in LEE males compared to controls. Analyses of dendritic spines in the prelimbic subdivision of medial prefrontal cortex revealed a trend of reduced densities in LEE mice. Results of behavioral tests suggest that LEE mice engage in higher risk-taking behavior, show abnormal stress regulation, and exhibit increased hyperactivity. In summary, our data describe potential adverse brain and behavioral developmental outcomes due to LEE. Thus, women should be advised to refrain from consuming alcohol during breastfeeding until additional research can better guide recommendations of safe maternal practices in early infancy.