Unexpected Penetration of CO Molecule into Zeolitic Micropores Almost Plugged by CuCl via π-Complexation of CO-CuCl.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a key reactant in several Fischer-Tropsch processes, including those used in light olefin and methanol syntheses. However, it is highly toxic and causes serious poisoning of noble metal catalysts. Thus, a solid adsorbent that can selectively capture CO, especially at low concentrations, is required. In this study, zeolite Y-based adsorbents in which Cu(I) ions occupy the supercage cation sites (CuCl/Y) are prepared via solid-state ion exchange. Volumetric adsorption measurements reveal that the Cu(I) ions significantly enhance CO adsorption in the low-pressure range by π-complexation. Furthermore, unexpected molecular sieving behavior, with extremely high CO/CO2 selectivity, is observed when excess CuCl homogeneously covers the zeolite pore structures. Thus, although CO has a larger kinetic diameter, it can penetrate the zeolite supercage while smaller molecules (i.e., Ar and CO2) cannot. Density functional theory calculations reveal that CO molecules can remain adsorbed in pseudoblocked pores by CuCl, thanks to the strong interaction of C 2p and Cu 3d states, resulting in the high CO/CO2 selectivity. One of the prepared adsorbents, CuCl/Y with 50 wt % CuCl, is capable of selectively capturing 3.04 mmol g-1 of CO with a CO/CO2 selectivity of >3370.

Detection of atrial fibrillation during pulpal blood flow assessment using Doppler ultrasound: a case report.

This report describes the case of a 52-year-old male patient who exhibited suspicious pulsation patterns during pulpal blood flow assessment using Doppler ultrasound. Initially, he was not aware of his cardiovascular problem; however, after referral to a medical clinic, he was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. The patient was injured in a motor vehicle accident and referred to our clinic for management of multiple traumatized teeth. On clinical examination, several teeth exhibited negative responses to cold and electrical sensibility tests. For accurate diagnosis, pulpal blood flow assessment using a Doppler ultrasound device was performed. During the tests, irregular pulsation patterns were detected, indicating the possibility of a cardiovascular problem. As he denied any history of cardiovascular problems, he was recommended to visit a medical doctor for further evaluation. The following day, he visited a medical clinic, and a 12-lead electrocardiogram was performed. He was ultimately diagnosed with atrial fibrillation with idioventricular rhythm, and was started on anticoagulant medication for prevention of thrombogenesis, which is a possible complication of atrial fibrillation. As presented in this case, Doppler ultrasound can provide useful information, not only about blood flow in the dental pulp, but also about an individual's pulsation rhythm. When a patient presents with irregular pulsation patterns in certain situations, the possibility of cardiovascular problems should be considered.

Predictive Guide for Collective CO2 Adsorption Properties of Mg-Al Mixed Oxides.

Although solid adsorption processes offer attractive benefits, such as reduced energy demands and penalties compared with liquid absorption processes, there are still pressing needs for solid adsorbents with high adsorption capacities, thermal efficiencies, and energy-intensive regeneration in gas-treatment processes. The CO2 adsorption capacities of layered double oxides (LDOs), which are attractive solid adsorbents, have an asymmetric volcano-type correlation with their relative crystallinities. Furthermore, new collective adsorption properties (adsorption capacity, adsorptive energy and charge-transfer amount based on the adsorbent weight) are proposed based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations and measured surface areas. The correlation of these collective properties with their crystallinities is in good agreement with the experimentally measured CO2 adsorptive capacity trend, providing a predictive guide for the development of solid adsorbents for gas-adsorption processes.

Secondary Crystal Growth on a Cracked Hydrotalcite-Based Film Synthesized by the Sol-Gel Method.

The sol-gel synthesis method is an attractive technology for the fabrication of ceramic films due to its preparation simplicity and ease of varying the metal composition. However, this technique presents some limitations in relation to the film thickness. Notably, when the film thickness exceeds the critical limit, large tensile stresses occur, resulting in a cracked morphology. In this study, a secondary crystal growth method was introduced as a post-treatment process for Mg/Al hydrotalcite-based films synthesized by the sol-gel method, which typically present a cracked morphology. The cracked hydrotalcite-based film was hydrothermally treated for the secondary growth of hydrotalcite crystals. In the resulting film, hydrotalcite grew with a vertical orientation, and the gaps formed during the sol-gel synthesis were filled with hydrotalcite after the crystal growth. The secondary crystal growth method provides a new solution for cracked ceramic films synthesized by the sol-gel method.

Hydrothermal synthesis of K2CO3-promoted hydrotalcite from hydroxide-form precursors for novel high-temperature CO2 sorbent.

In many materials for CO2 sorption, hydrotalcite is attracting substantial attention as a high temperature (200-500 °C) CO2 sorbent because of its fast sorption/desorption kinetics and easy regenerability. However, the CO2-sorption capacity of conventional hydrotalcite is relatively low for large-scale commercial use. To enhance CO2-sorption capacity, hydrotalcite is conventionally impregnated with alkali metals such as K2CO3. Although K2CO3-impregnated hydrotalcite has high CO2-sorption capacity, the preparation method takes long time and is inconvenient because hydrotalcite synthesis step and alkali metal impregnation step are separated. In this study, K2CO3-promoted hydrotalcite was newly synthesized from hydroxide-form percursors by a simple and eco-friendly method without a solvent-consuming washing step. Analysis based on X-ray diffraction indicated that the prepared samples had structures of well-defined hydrotalcite crystalline and un-reacted Mg(OH)2 precursor. Moreover, K2CO3 was successfully incorporated in hydrotalcite during the synthesis step. The prepared K2CO3-promoted hydrotalcite showed high CO2-sorption capacity and had potential for use as a high-temperature CO2 sorbent.

An unusual type of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

An unusual type of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was diagnosed in a 17-year-old girl who presented with dyspnea on exertion. The hypertrophied myocardium was localized to the anterior portion of the left ventricle from the base to the apex without left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. On cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), patchy and linear delayed hyperenhancement was shown in the anterior and inferior mid-wall, which is not concordant with the coronary artery territory.

[Studies on the Metagonimus fluke in the Daecheong reservoir and the upper stream of Geum river, Korea]

The prevalences of the fluke belonging to genus Metagonimus have been reported along the upper stream of inhabitants by several workers since 1980, however the taxonomical problems of the fluke was not yet settled. The larval flukes; cercaria and metacercaria as well as their intermediate hosts, and adult were studied in order to identify the Metagonimus in the areas. The results obtained are summarized as follows: The snails, Semisulcospira globus were collected from the three different localities along the upper stream of the River. The cercariae were found from 125(7.2%) out of 1,730 snails by natural emerging method, and were identified into 5 species including Metagonimus sp. (3.7%), Pseudexorchis major(1.4%), Cercaria nipponensis (0.9), Cercaria incerta (0.6%) and Cercaria yoshidae(0.6%). Cercariae of Metagonimus species had four to five oral spines on its anterior of the first line. The cercariae of Metagonimus were experimentally exposed to goldfish. Infection rate was 22.9% out of 105 goldfish, and the encysted metacercariae were found in fins(86.7%) and on scales (13.7%) of the fishes, but not in their muscle, head or visceral organs. Seven species of fish were caught in the Daecheong reservoir and the upper stream. Infestations with metacercaria of Metagonimus were found 100% in Opsariichtys bidens and the parasitized numbers of the metacercariae were observed from 250 to 2,400 per fish. In the upper stream, Zacco temmincki, Z. platypus and Pseudogobio esocinus were infected 100% with the metacercaria, on the other hand, the fishes caught in the reservoir showed the lower infestation rates, and a few metacercariae found in the fishes Carassius carassius and Cyprinus carpio in the reservoir and the stream. The majority of metacercariae was detected only on the scales of fishes. In order to know the infectivity and the distribution patterns in the intestine of hosts, rats and dogs were infected with the metacercariae obtained from O. bidens and Z. platypus. In addition the metacercariae obtained from Z. temmincki, P. esocinus and goldfish were given to the rats. The recovery rates of the worms in the small intestine of dogs were higher (63.3-65.8%) than those of the rats (3.5-31.6%). The flukes were found mostly in the middle and the lower part of small tntestine of the rats and the dogs, but no worm was collected in the upper part of the intestine of rats. The size of adult flukes varied by the hosts. In the adult flukes, oral sucker was smaller than ventral sucker, and the right and left testes were located diagonally, the uterine tubules circled around the upper left testis. The average egg size was 29.1 x 17.7 micro-meter. According to the above results, the flukes belonging to genus Metagonimus distributed along the Geum River was concluded to be identical with Miyata type of M. yokogawai as that Saito had proposed.