Bioemulsifier production by Acinetobacter venetianus AMO1502: Potential for bioremediation and environmentally friendly applications.

At the best conditions of the bioprocess (30 °C, pH 7.0, 3.0 g/L NaCl) were obtained 0.66 g/L cell concentration, 3.3 g/L of bioemulsifier, which showed high emulsifying activity (53 % ± 2), reducing the surface tension of the water in 47.2 % (38 mN/m). The polymeric structure of the purified bioemulsifier comprised a carbohydrate backbone composed of hexose-based amino sugars with a monomeric mass of 1099 Da, structurally similar to emulsan. A. venetianus bioemulsifier is non-phytotoxic (GI% > 80 %) against Ocimum basilicum and Brassica oleracea and non-cytotoxic (LC50 5794 mg/L) against Artemia salina, being safe local organisms in comparison to other less eco-friendly synthetic emulsifiers. This bioemulsifier effectively dispersed spilled oil in vitro (C22-C33), reducing oil mass by 12 % (w/w) and dispersing oil in a displacement area of 75 cm2 (23.8 % of the spilled area). Thus, the isolated A. venetianus AMO1502 produced a bioemulsifier potentially applicable for environmentally friendly oil spill remediation.

Zeolites synthesis from phyllosilicates and their performance for CO2 adsorption.

Five phyllosilicates (kaolinite, montmorillonite, saponite, sepiolite and palygorskite) have been selected as starting materials for the synthesis of zeolites. Among them, kaolinite and montmorillonite display the lowest Si/Al molar ratio leading to aluminosilicates with high crystallinity. Thus, the hydrothermal treatment under basic conditions forms 4A zeolite when kaolinite is used as starting material while 13X zeolite is obtained when montmorillonite is used as starting material. The microporosity and CO2-adsorption capacity of the prepared zeolites are directly related to its crystallinity. Thus, in order to improve it, raw phyllosilicates were subjected to a microwave-assisted treatment to remove undesired Mg or Fe-species, which have a negative effect in the assembling of the zeolites by hydrothermal basic conditions in a second step. The highest adsorption value was 3.85 mmol/g at 25 °C and 760 mm of Hg for Mont-A-B sample after the consecutive treatments.

Prevenção e controle da COVID-19: estudo multicêntrico sobre a percepção e práticas no cotidiano das orientações médico-científicas pela população dos territórios de abrangência da atenção primária à saúde - relatório final ­ análise qualitativa / Prevention and control of COVID-19: multicenter study on the perception and practices in the daily life of medical-scientific guidelines by the population of the territories covered by primary health care - final report - qualitative analysis

O presente relatório apresenta a análise qualitativa dos dados do projeto multicêntrico intitulado "Prevenção e controle da covid-19: estudo multicêntrico sobre a percepção e práticas no cotidiano das orientações médico-científicas pela população dos territórios de abrangência da Atenção Primária à Saúde". Este projeto foi desenvolvido pela Rede de Pesquisa e Formação do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde da Família ­ PROFSAÚDE sobre covid-19. A equipe do projeto de pesquisa foi composta por uma coordenação nacional e por coordenações institucionais, representadas pelas figuras dos(as) coordenadores(as) e docentes do PROFSAÚDE nas Instituições de Ensino e Pesquisa, além de mestrandos e mestrandas do programa. Os dados da pesquisa foram coletados nas Unidades Básicas de Saúde pelos discentes do PROFSAÚDE, sob supervisão dos coordenadores institucionais, através de entrevistas individuais, semiestruturadas por um roteiro. Os participantes do estudo foram selecionados em todo território brasileiro sob responsabilidade dos pesquisadores responsáveis pelo estudo multicêntrico. A análise de dados de natureza qualitativa seguiu a técnica de análise de conteúdo do tipo temática, segundo referencial de Bardin (2016), utilizando o software MaxQDA ® 1 de forma indutiva (categorias que emergem dos dados) sob responsabilidade de especialistas. Os resultados da análise estão reunidos através de relatório com segmentos codificados, mapa de hierarquia de códigos e nuvem de palavras. Ademais, esses dados foram organizados em resultados nacionais, regionais e temáticos. Em nome do grupo de pesquisa Territórios, Modelagens e Práticas em Saúde da Família, cadastrado no Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), agradecemos a participação dos(as) alunos(as) do curso, dos docentes e coordenadores(as) institucionais da rede PROFSAÚDE, gestores municipais e trabalhadores e trabalhadoras da saúde que apoiaram a pesquisa nas Unidades Básicas de Saúde. Por fim, agradecemos aos usuários que aceitaram participar do estudo, ressaltando a importância da colaboração de todos para o desenvolvimento da pesquisa.

Portfólio de produção técnica e tecnológica do PROFSAÚDE / PROFSAÚDE's technical and technological production portfolio

O Mestrado Profissional em Saúde da Família (PROFSAÚDE) é um programa de pós-graduação stricto sensu, organizado em uma rede nacional formada por 45 instituições públicas de ensino superior, lideradas pela Associação Brasileira de Saúde Coletiva (ABRASCO) e pela Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ). O programa tem por finalidade formar profissionais de saúde para exercerem atividades de docência, preceptoria, gestão, investigação e ensino no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), fortalecendo as atividades de produção de conhecimento e ensino na Atenção Primária, nas diversas regiões do país. Ao longo de seus sete anos de criação, foram ofertadas quatro turmas, que formaram mais de 500 mestres em Saúde da Família em todo o Brasil. A modalidade de mestrado profissional oportuniza que os alunos utilizem os conhecimentos científicos para desenvolver produtos finais que respondam as necessidades do SUS, trazendo respostas para os problemas identificados no campo de prática, qualificando processos e produzindo conhecimento. O produto final pode trazer inovação e o desenvolvimento de produtos técnicos e tecnológicos para o SUS. O programa organizou no último ano uma série de debates e criou um Grupo de Trabalho (GT) para discutir o trabalho de conclusão do mestrado (TCM) e a produção técnica tecnológica. O foco das discussões foi a importância de pensar o produto final enquanto reflexões e discussões da prática profissional dos mestrandos e resolução de problemas de seus cenários de atuação, considerando o impacto dessa produção para transformação dos processos de trabalho e dos territórios. O PROFSAÚDE definiu que a produção técnica e tecnológica deve contribuir para o desenvolvimento e a disseminação de novos conhecimentos, processos ou tecnologias aplicados ao campo da atenção, gestão e educação, visando o fortalecimento da Atenção Primária. O programa iniciou, portanto, um processo de aperfeiçoamento teóricometodológico do itinerário de construção dos produtos finais. Ao reconhecer os desafios dos profissionais de fazer com que seus produtos sejam implantados nos diversos territórios do SUS, cada mestre pode percorrer um trajeto após a conclusão do curso, para incorporar seus trabalhos ao campo de prática. Esta obra apresenta uma coleção de 80 produtos desenvolvidos por egressos das três primeiras turmas do PROFSAÚDE. Essa produção técnica e tecnológica visa responder às demandas cotidianas do trabalho na Atenção Primária, constituindo-se como uma das principais interfaces entre a produção do conhecimento ­ fruto das reflexões desenvolvidas durante o mestrado ­ e os serviços e comunidades em que os discentes estão inseridos profissionalmente. Os produtos foram catalogados e estão dispostos segundo a região, o eixo e a Instituição de Ensino Superior, e apresentam um QR Code para acesso na íntegra. No eixo de atenção, foram desenvolvidos produtos com o objetivo de aprimorar e assegurar a qualidade do cuidado em saúde no âmbito da Atenção Primária à Saúde, bem como otimizar os processos de trabalho, incluindo fluxos de atendimento e serviços, desenvolvimento de instrumentos de sistematização, avaliação e acompanhamento do cuidado, matriz de ações, entre outros. No eixo de gestão, foram elaborados produtos voltados à melhoria dos processos administrativos e organizacionais para otimizar a eficiência e a qualidade dos serviços, tais como relatórios técnicos, planos de intervenção, modelo de avaliabilidade de plano de contingência, entre outros. No eixo de educação, foram desenvolvidos produtos voltados à educação em saúde e relacionados à formação de profissionais de saúde no âmbito da graduação e da pós-graduação, incluindo matriz e currículos inovadores, formação para preceptores, oficinas pedagógicas, projetos de residência e materiais didáticos. Este Portfólio representa o compromisso do PROFSAÚDE com a sociedade e com o fortalecimento da área. Trata-se da divulgação do que vem sendo desenvolvido dentro do programa e do impacto gerado pelo processo formativo do PROFSAÚDE em todo o Brasil. Acreditamos que esse movimento traz contribuições significativas, pois os produtos catalogados, e aqui reunidos, representam a pluralidade do país e contemplam diversas temáticas, na medida em que foram desenvolvidos em diferentes eixos, diferentes regiões e distintas realidades.

Prevenção e controle da covid-19: estudo multicêntrico sobre a percepção e práticas no cotidiano das orientações médico-científicas pela população dos territórios de abrangência da Atenção Primária à Saúde / Prevention and control of covid-19: multicenter study on the perception and daily practices of medical-scientific guidelines by the population of territories covered by Primary Health Care

Quando pensamos no Estudo Multicêntrico, pensamos no científico e no popular (de povo, de tradição, de memória e experiência), em diálogo nos territórios da Atenção Básica em Saúde do país. Como prevenir e promover saúde em meio a uma doença que ocupou quase todos os espaços da vida social? A covid-19 estava nas conversas sérias da ciência, no jornal das televisões, nas mensagens de Whatsapp™, nas orientações dos profissionais da saúde, nas trocas de receitas caseiras, no debate político. Assim, iniciamos com a pergunta: como a população está "traduzindo" as orientações médico-científicas, como estão se prevenindo e, ao mesmo tempo, estão se informando sobre a pandemia? Foram convidados a fazer parte do estudo os alunos, docentes e coordenadores do Mestrado Profissional em Saúde da Família ­ PROFSAÚDE, sendo um projeto estruturante do Programa, que deu origem ao grupo de pesquisa do CNPq "Territórios, Modelagens e Práticas em Saúde da Família". O estudo envolveu 21 instituições da Rede, de todas as regiões do país, com a aplicação em 128 Unidades Básicas de Saúde, nos 88 municípios de atuação dos mestrandos no país. Assim, participaram mais de 200 alunos e, pelo menos, 100 docentes e orientadores, tendo sido entrevistadas 7.085 famílias. Foi um verdadeiro mutirão nacional, enriquecido com as nuances locais e regionais. Os resultados da pesquisa mostram que a dinâmica territorial que aproxima as ações de saúde à vida das pessoas foi fundamental no enfrentamento e na mitigação de impactos de emergências sanitárias como a pandemia da covid-19. O estudo multicêntrico desenvolvido pelo Programa reitera a grande capilaridade da Rede PROFSÁUDE no território nacional, na produção de conhecimento técnico e científico para o aprimoramento da Estratégia de Saúde da Família e confirma seu compromisso com a formação de profissionais de saúde e com o fortalecimento do Sistema Único de Saúde.

Levantamento sorológico de brucelose em bovinos monitorados no estado da Bahia / Serological survey of brucellosis in cattle monitored in the estate of Bahia

A brucelose é uma doença bacteriana de grande importância para a economia pecuária e para a saúde pública por se tratar de uma zoonose. É uma doença infecto-contagiosa que tem com agente etiológico bactérias do gênero Brucella. Em bovinos, as espécies do gênero é a Brucella abortus, que são cocobacilos gram negativo, intracelulares facultativos, imóveis e não esporulado. A infecção apresenta evolução crônica e acomete animais de todas as idades, sendo mais frequente em indivíduos sexualmente maduros. O objetivo desse trabalho é investigar, por meio da sorologia para brucelose bovina, utilizando a técnica do ELISA indireto, amostras de animais reagentes abatidos em frigoríficos inspecionados no estado da Bahia. Foram utilizados 666 animais, selecionados aleatoriamente no momento do abate. O sangue foi coletado com finalidade de obtenção de soro, todas as amostras foram submetidas à prova de triagem do Antígeno Acidificado Tamponado (AAT), prova do 2mercaptoetanol (2-ME) e ELISA Indireto. Das amostras reagentes no teste do AAT, obteve-se uma prevalência estimada em 1,2%. A prevalência no teste do ELISA foi de 13,21% (n=86). Esse resultado sugere a ocorrência de falsos negativos quando se utiliza a prova do antígeno acidificado tamponado.

Brucellosis is a bacterial disease of great importance to the livestock economy and to public health because it is a zoonosis. It is an infectious disease that has etiologic agent with bacteria of the genus Brucella. In cattle, the species of the genus Brucella is Brucella abortus that are gram negative, facultative intracellular, real estate and not sporulated. The infection presents chronic and affects animals of all ages, being more frequent in sexually mature individuals. This study aimed to investigate through serology for brucellosis, using the technique of indirect ELISA, samples from positive animals slaughtered in slaughterhouses inspected in the state of Bahia. A total of 666 animals were used, randomly selected at the time of slaughter. Blood was collected in order to obtain serum, all samples were subjected to a screening test Antigen Buffered Acidified (AAT), proof of 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) and Indirect ELISA. Of reagents in the test samples of AAT obtained an estimated prevalence of 1.2%. The prevalence in the ELISA test was 13.21% (n = 86). This result suggests the occurrence of false negatives when using the buffered acidified antigen test.

Synthesis of MeOH and DME From CO2 Hydrogenation Over Commercial and Modified Catalysts.

Growing concern about climate change has been driving the search for solutions to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies have been proposed and developed as a way of giving CO2 a sustainable and economically viable destination. An interesting approach is the conversion of CO2 into valuable chemicals, such as methanol (MeOH) and dimethyl ether (DME), by means of catalytic hydrogenation on Cu-, Zn-, and Al-based catalysts. In this work, three catalysts were tested for the synthesis of MeOH and DME from CO2 using a single fixed-bed reactor. The first one was a commercial CuO/γ-Al2O3; the second one was CuO-ZnO/γ-Al2O3, obtained via incipient wetness impregnation of the first catalyst with an aqueous solution of zinc acetate; and the third one was a CZA catalyst obtained by the coprecipitation method. The samples were characterized by XRD, XRF, and N2 adsorption isotherms. The hydrogenation of CO2 was performed at 25 bar, 230°C, with a H2:CO2 ratio of 3 and space velocity of 1,200 ml (g cat · h)-1 in order to assess the potential of these catalysts in the conversion of CO2 to methanol and dimethyl ether. The catalyst activity was correlated to the adsorption isotherms of each reactant. The main results show that the highest CO2 conversion and the best yield of methanol are obtained with the CZACP catalyst, very likely due to its higher adsorption capacity of H2. In addition, although the presence of zinc oxide reduces the textural properties of the porous catalyst, CZAWI showed higher CO2 conversion than commercial catalyst CuO/γ-Al2O3.

How Reproducible are Surface Areas Calculated from the BET Equation?

Porosity and surface area analysis play a prominent role in modern materials science. At the heart of this sits the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) theory, which has been a remarkably successful contribution to the field of materials science. The BET method was developed in the 1930s for open surfaces but is now the most widely used metric for the estimation of surface areas of micro- and mesoporous materials. Despite its widespread use, the calculation of BET surface areas causes a spread in reported areas, resulting in reproducibility problems in both academia and industry. To prove this, for this analysis, 18 already-measured raw adsorption isotherms were provided to sixty-one labs, who were asked to calculate the corresponding BET areas. This round-robin exercise resulted in a wide range of values. Here, the reproducibility of BET area determination from identical isotherms is demonstrated to be a largely ignored issue, raising critical concerns over the reliability of reported BET areas. To solve this major issue, a new computational approach to accurately and systematically determine the BET area of nanoporous materials is developed. The software, called "BET surface identification" (BETSI), expands on the well-known Rouquerol criteria and makes an unambiguous BET area assignment possible.

Estudo bibliométrico da produção científica brasileira de Epidemiologia em Nutrição no período 1973-2020 / Estudio bibliométrico de la producción científica brasileña de Epidemiología en Nutrición en el período 1973-2020 / Bibliometric study of the Brazilian scientific production on Epidemiology in Nutrition in the period between 1973-2020

O artigo tem como objetivo o estudo da dinâmica das produções científicas de Epidemiologia em Nutrição do Brasil, utilizando a Bibliometria. A coleta de dados desenvolveu-se na base de dados Scopus, construindo estratégias de busca pautadas em descritores padronizados pelo DeCS e MeSH relacionadas à Nutrição, Epidemiologia Nutricional, Saúde Pública e Nutrição em Saúde Pública. Baseado em critérios de elegibilidade, foram selecionados 671 artigos. Os dados foram analisados apresentando indicadores bibliométricos, a evolução temporal de publicação dos artigos, os periódicos com o maior número de produções do tema, os autores com o maior quantitativo de registros, os artigos de maior impacto e as palavras-chave mais frequentes. Os documentos foram publicados entre 1973 e 2020 em 193 fontes por 5013 pesquisadores. Evidenciou-se o crescimento progressivo das produções ao longo desse tempo, especialmente na última década. As filiações mais relevantes corresponderam a instituições educativas da Região Sudeste e Sul. Observou-se um predomínio de publicações de nutrição infantil e nutrição materno-infantil, seguido de outros temas como a obesidade, a vigilância nutricional, os determinantes sociais e as doenças crônicas. Igualmente, o estudo apresentou tópicos menormente explorados como a nutrição do idoso e a nutrição de grupos populacionais vulneráveis como os quilombolas e os indígenas(AU)

El artículo tiene como objetivo estudiar la dinámica de las producciones científicas de Epidemiología en Nutrición en Brasil utilizando la Bibliometría. La recolección de datos se realizó en la base de datos Scopus, y se adoptaron estrategias de búsqueda basadas en descriptores estandarizados por los DECS/MESH relacionados con nutrición, Epidemiología Nutricional, salud pública y nutrición en salud pública. Sobre la base de los criterios de elegibilidad, se seleccionaron 671 artículos. Los datos se analizaron según indicadores bibliométricos, la evolución temporal de publicación de los artículos, las revistas con mayor número de producciones sobre el tema, los autores con mayor número de registros, los artículos con mayor impacto y las palabras clave más frecuentes. Los documentos fueron publicados entre 1973 y 2020 en 193 fuentes por 5013 investigadores. Se evidencia un crecimiento progresivo de la producción durante ese tiempo, especialmente en la última década. Las vinculaciones de los autores más relevantes correspondieron a instituciones educativas de las regiones Sudeste y Sur. Predominaron las publicaciones sobre nutrición infantil y nutrición materno-infantil, seguidas de otros temas como obesidad, vigilancia nutricional, determinantes sociales y enfermedades crónicas. Asimismo, el estudio presentó temas menos explorados, como la nutrición de adultos mayores y la nutrición de grupos poblacionales vulnerables como quilombolas e indígenas(AU)

The article aims to study the dynamics of scientific productions in Epidemiology in Nutrition in Brazil, using bibliometrics. Data collection was carried out in the Scopus database, building search strategies based on descriptors standardized by DeCS and MeSH related to nutrition, Nutritional Epidemiology, public health and nutrition in public health. Based on eligibility criteria, 671 articles were selected. Data were analyzed by presenting bibliometric indicators, the time evolution of article publication, journals with the highest number of productions on the topic, authors with the highest number of records, articles with the greatest impact and the most frequent keywords. The documents were published between 1973 and 2020 in 193 sources by 5013 researchers. The progressive growth of productions over that time was evidenced, especially in the last decade. The most relevant affiliations corresponded to educational institutions in the Southeast and South regions. There was a predominance of publications on child nutrition and maternal and child nutrition, followed by other topics such as obesity, nutritional surveillance, social determinants and chronic diseases. Likewise, the study presented topics that were less explored, such as the nutrition of the elderly and the nutrition of vulnerable population groups such as quilombolas and indigenous people(AU)

Protein Adsorption onto Modified Porous Silica by Single and Binary Human Serum Protein Solutions.

Typical porous silica (SBA-15) has been modified with pore expander agent (1,3,5-trimethylbenzene) and fluoride-species to diminish the length of the channels to obtain materials with different textural properties, varying the Si/Zr molar ratio between 20 and 5. These porous materials were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms at -196 °C and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), obtaining adsorbent with a surface area between 420-337 m2 g-1 and an average pore diameter with a maximum between 20-25 nm. These materials were studied in the adsorption of human blood serum proteins (human serum albumin-HSA and immunoglobulin G-IgG). Generally, the incorporation of small proportions was favorable for proteins adsorption. The adsorption data revealed that the maximum adsorption capacity was reached close to the pI. The batch purification experiments in binary human serum solutions showed that Si sample has considerable adsorption for IgG while HSA adsorption is relatively low, so it is possible its separation.

Effect of Calcination Temperature and Chemical Composition of PAN-Derived Carbon Microfibers on N2, CO2, and CH4 Adsorption.

This work investigates the interplay of carbonization temperature and the chemical composition of carbon microfibers (CMFs), and their impact on the equilibration time and adsorption of three molecules (N2, CO2, and CH4). PAN derived CMFs were synthesized by electrospinning and calcined at three distinct temperatures (600, 700 and 800 °C), which led to samples with different textural and chemical properties assessed by FTIR, TGA/DTA, XRD, Raman, TEM, XPS, and N2 adsorption. We examine why samples calcined at low/moderate temperatures (600 and 700 °C) show an open hysteresis loop in nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms at -196.15 °C. The equilibrium time in adsorption measurements is nearly the same for these samples, despite their distinct chemical compositions. Increasing the equilibrium time did not allow for the closure of the hysteresis loop, but by rising the analysis temperature this was achieved. By means of the isosteric enthalpy of adsorption measurements and ab initio calculations, adsorbent/adsorbate interactions for CO2, CH4 and N2 were found to be inversely proportional to the temperature of carbonization of the samples (CMF-600 > CMF-700 > CMF-800). The enhancement of adsorbent/adsorbate interaction at lower carbonization temperatures is directly related to the presence of nitrogen and oxygen functional groups on the surface of CMFs. Nonetheless, a higher concentration of heteroatoms also causes: (i) a reduction in the adsorption capacity of CO2 and CH4 and (ii) open hysteresis loops in N2 adsorption at cryogenic temperatures. Therefore, the calcination of PAN derived microfibers at temperatures above 800 °C is recommended, which results in materials with suitable micropore volume and a low content of surface heteroatoms, leading to high CO2 uptake while keeping acceptable selectivity with regards to CH4 and moderate adsorption enthalpies.

Left ventricular reverse remodeling and function by strain analysis in aortic stenosis: A CMR analysis of the EPICHEART study.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: In severe aortic stenosis (AS), the impact of aortic valve replacement (AVR) on left ventricular (LV) systolic function assessed by strain and measured by echocardiography or cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) has been controversial. We aimed to investigate LV systolic myocardial function changes six months after AVR using global longitudinal (GLS), circumferential (GCS) and radial (GRS) strain derived from CMR imaging. METHODS: We included 39 severe AS patients (69.3±7.8 years; 61.5% male) with preserved LV ejection fraction (LVEF) who were recruited as part of the EPICHEART study and underwent successful AVR (aortic valvular area: 0.8 cm2 (IQR: 0.2) pre- to 1.8 cm2 (IQR:0.5) post-AVR). Structural and functional parameters were assessed at baseline and six months after AVR, including LV GRS, GCS and GLS analysis by CMR, using cine short-axial and two-, three-, and four-chamber long-axial view. Comparison between baseline and postoperative LV remodeling was performed using Student t-test and Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: At six-month follow-up, LV mass, end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, stroke volume, cardiac output, lateral E/e', tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, right ventricular (RV) S wave velocity, GLS [-15.6% (IQR: 4.39) to -13.7% (IQR: 4.62)] and GCS [-17.8±3.58% to -16.1±2.94%] reduced significantly, while LVEF and GRS remained unchanged and lateral e' velocity increased. CONCLUSIONS: Despite favorable reverse LV structural and diastolic functional remodeling six months following AVR, GLS and GCS assessed by CMR reduced compared to baseline, LVEF remained unchanged. The clinical utility and timing of assessment of postoperative strain changes as a marker of systolic function progression needs further research.

Assessing CO2 Adsorption on Amino-Functionalized Mesocellular Foams Synthesized at Different Aging Temperatures.

A wide variety of solid sorbents has recently been synthesized for application in CO2 adsorption. Among them, mesoporous silicas deserve attention because of their ability to accommodate large concentrations of different chemicals as a consequence of their surface chemistry and tunable pore structure. Functionalized materials exhibit promising features for CO2 adsorption at high temperatures and low CO2 concentrations. This work aimed to assess the influence of the textural properties on the performance of CO2 adsorption on functionalized mesoporous silica. With this goal, several mesoporous silica foams were synthesized by varying the aging temperature, obtaining materials with larger pore diameter. Thus, the synthesized materials were functionalized by grafting or impregnation with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, polyethylenimine, and tetraethylenepentamine as amine sources. Finally, the amino functionalized materials were assessed for CO2 capture by means of equilibrium adsorption isotherms at 25, 45, and 65°C. Among the most outstanding results, high aging temperatures favor the performance of impregnated materials by exposing greater pore diameters. Low or intermediate temperatures favor grafting by preserving an appropriate density of silanol groups.

Modeling geosmin removal in a full-scale filter.

Taste and odor compounds affect drinking water safety perception and may drive consumers to less secure water sources. Adsorption, using powered activated carbon, is the most common method to remove these compounds but greatly increases the amount of sludge generated. Another way of removing taste and odor compounds is to use filters with granular activated carbon (GAC) but little is still known on how to design them. In this work, the homogeneous surface diffusion model (HSDM) was used to model bench-scale kinetic and isotherm experiments and to simulate the removal of geosmin in a full-scale GAC filter. Geosmin adsorption isotherm was best described by the Freundlich model in all used carbons and film resistance (Kf) was more relevant to adsorption kinetics than pore diffusion (Ds). The simulation showed that in a filter with an empty bed contact time of 5 minutes and raw water with geosmin concentrations of 50, 75, and 100 ng.L-1, the effluent would exceed the trash-hold concentration (10 ng.L-1) in 98, 77, and 66 days, respectively, without considering biological removal.

Representative Pores: An Efficient Method to Characterize Activated Carbons.

We propose a pore size analysis methodology for carbonaceous materials that reduces complexity while maintaining the significant elements of the structure-property relationship. This method chooses a limited number of representative pores, which will constitute a simplified kernel to describe the pore size distribution (PSD) of an activated carbon. In this study we use the representative pore sizes of 7.0, 8.9, 18.5, and 27.9 Å and N2 isotherms at 77.4 K to determine the PSD which is later applied to predict the adsorption equilibrium of other gases. In this study we demonstrate the ability to predict adsorption of different gas molecules on activated carbon from the PSD generated with representative pores (PSDrep). The methodology allows quick solutions for large-scale calculations for carbonaceous materials screening, in addition to make accessible an easily understood and prompt evaluation of the structure-property relationship of activated carbons. In addition to the details of the methodology already tested in different fields of application of carbonaceous materials, we present a new application related to the removal of organic contaminants in dilute aqueous solutions.

Meta-Analysis of Relation of Epicardial Adipose Tissue Volume to Left Atrial Dilation and to Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Functions.

Many studies have explored the hypothesis that epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) accumulation adversely affects cardiac remodeling. We assessed, through a systematic review and meta-analysis, whether EAT is linked to left atrial (LA) and left ventricular (LV) structure and function, irrespective of global or abdominal visceral adiposity. We searched MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies evaluating the association of EAT volume quantified by computed tomography with cardiac morphology and function. We used DerSimonian and Laird random-effects models to summarize the adjusted-effect of 10 ml variation of EAT on LA size, LV mass, LV diastolic and systolic functions parameters, and presence of diastolic dysfunction. We quantified heterogeneity using I2 statistic. We included 19 studies. Quantitative analysis by cardiac parameters, including LA dimension (n = 2,719), LV mass (n = 2,519), diastolic function (n = 3,741), and systolic function (n = 2,037) showed that EAT was associated with LA dilation (pooled B-coefficient: 0.12 mm; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.08 to 0.17; I2: 97%), LV hypertrophy (pooled B-coefficient: 1.21 g; 95% CI 0.63 to 1.79; I2: 77%), diastolic dysfunction (odds ratio: 1.35; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.57; I2: 0%), higher E/E' ratio (pooled B-coefficient: 0.28 cm/s; 95% CI 0.08 to 0.49; I2: 67%), lower E' velocity (pooled B-coefficient: -0.16 cm/s; 95% CI -0.22 to -0.09; I2: 43%), and E/A ratio (pooled B-coefficient: -0.01; 95% CI -0.02 to -0.001; I2: 70%), independently of body mass index. There was no association between EAT and LV systolic function. In conclusion, EAT volume measured by computed tomography was independently associated with LA dilation, LV hypertrophy, and diastolic dysfunction.

CO2 Capture with Mesoporous Silicas Modified with Amines by Double Functionalization: Assessment of Adsorption/Desorption Cycles.

CO2 adsorption on mesoporous silica modified with amine by double functionalization was studied. Adsorption microcalorimetry was used in order to investigate the influence of increasing the nitrogen surface density on double functionalized materials with respect to the only grafted materials. The distribution of sites and the rate-controlling mechanism of adsorption were evaluated. A Tian Calvet microcalorimeter coupled to a manometric setup was used to evaluate the energy distribution of adsorption sites and to calculate the thermokinetic parameters from the differential enthalpy curves. CO2 and N2 adsorption equilibrium isotherms at 50 and 75 °C were measured with a magnetic suspension balance, allowing for the computation of working capacity and selectivity at two temperatures. With these data, an Adsorbent Performance Indicator (API) was calculated and contrasted with other studied materials under the same conditions. The high values of API and selectivity confirmed that double functionalized mesoporous silica is a promising adsorbent for the post combustion process. The adsorption microcalorimetric study suggests a change in active sites distribution as the amine density increases. Maximum thermokinetic parameter suggests that physisorption on pores is the rate-controlling binding mechanism for the double-functionalized material.

Binary gas mixture adsorption-induced deformation of microporous carbons by Monte Carlo simulation.

Considering the thermodynamic grand potential for more than one adsorbate in an isothermal system, we generalize the model of adsorption-induced deformation of microporous carbons developed by Kowalczyk et al. [1]. We report a comprehensive study of the effects of adsorption-induced deformation of carbonaceous amorphous porous materials due to adsorption of carbon dioxide, methane and their mixtures. The adsorption process is simulated by using the Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) method and the calculations are then used to analyze experimental isotherms for the pure gases and mixtures with different molar fraction in the gas phase. The pore size distribution determined from an experimental isotherm is used for predicting the adsorption-induced deformation of both pure gases and their mixtures. The volumetric strain (ε) predictions from the GCMC method are compared against relevant experiments with good agreement found in the cases of pure gases.

Epicardial adipose tissue volume assessed by computed tomography and coronary artery disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the crude and adjusted associations between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume determined by computed tomography (CT) and coronary artery disease (CAD). MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were screened for all observational studies assessing the association between EAT volume and CAD. We calculated pooled odds ratio (OR) or hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association per 10 cm3 variation of EAT by five different definitions of CAD: obstructive or significant coronary stenosis (luminal narrowing ≥50% and ≥70%, respectively), presence of coronary artery calcification (CAC), myocardial ischaemia, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) using DerSimonian and Laird random-effects models. Seventy studies were identified comprising 41 534 subjects, mainly derived from community-based or hospital-based low-to-intermediate pretest probability of CAD populations. Participants with any outcome of CAD had a higher mean volume of EAT than those without. Accordingly, the analysis of crude associations showed that EAT volume was associated with obstructive stenosis, significant stenosis, any CAC, and MACE. Based on the analysis of adjusted associations, although attenuated, EAT volume remained associated with obstructive stenosis (OR 1.055, 95% CI 1.033-1.078; I2 = 63.5%), significant stenosis (OR 1.514, 95% CI 1.262-1.815; I2 = 51.8%), myocardial ischaemia (OR 1.062, 95% CI 1.006-1.122; I2 = 86.9%), and MACE (HR 1.040, 95% CI 1.024-1.056; I2 = 64.7%) but was only borderline significant with CAC (OR 1.007, 95% CI 1.000-1.011; I2 = 75.8%). In low-to-intermediate cardiovascular risk subjects, EAT volume was independently associated with coronary artery stenosis, myocardial ischaemia, and MACE.