Improved Synthesis of Hollow Fiber SSZ-13 Zeolite Membranes for High-Pressure CO2/CH4 Separation.

High-silica CHA zeolite membranes are highly desired for natural gas upgrading because of their separation performance in combination with superior mechanical and chemical stability. However, the narrow synthesis condition range significantly constrains scale-up preparation. Herein, we propose a facile interzeolite conversion approach using the FAU zeolite to prepare SSZ-13 zeolite seeds, featuring a shorter induction and a longer crystallization period of the membrane synthesis on hollow fiber substrates. The membrane thickness was constant at ~3 µm over a wide span of synthesis time (24-96 h), while the selectivity (separation efficiency) was easily improved by extending the synthesis time without compromising permeance (throughput). At 0.2 MPa feed pressure and 303 K, the membranes showed an average CO2 permeance of (5.2±0.5)×10-7 mol m-2 s-1 Pa-1 (1530 GPU), with an average CO2/CH4 mixture selectivity of 143±7. Minimal defects ensure a high selectivity of 126 with a CO2 permeation flux of 0.4 mol m-2 s-1 at 6.1 MPa feed pressure, far surpassing requirements for industrial applications. The feasibility for successful scale-up of our approach was further demonstrated by the batch synthesis of 40 cm-long hollow fiber SSZ-13 zeolite membranes exhibiting CO2/CH4 mixture selectivity up to 400 (0.2 MPa feed pressure and 303 K) without using sweep gas.

Evaluation of use, comprehensibility and clarity of over-the-counter medicine labels: Consumers' perspectives and needs in Taiwan.

An estimate of one third of preventable medication errors occurred annually due to patients' misunderstanding of use instructions. To safeguard consumers' over-the-counter (OTC) medicine use and to develop future initiatives, this study evaluated the use, comprehensibility and clarity of the information labels on OTC packages from consumers' perspectives in Taiwan. This cross-sectional study was conducted at 29 community pharmacies; 50 pharmacy clerkship students helped participant enrolment from June to September 2017. Participants (n = 470) were 20 years old or above, Mandarin speaking, and with specific OTC purchases. A face-to-face survey was administered to investigate the degree to which participants read the package labels and their comprehension of correct medicine use. An 11-item survey was used to measure participants' specific OTC purchases (3 items), the use (2 items), comprehensibility (1 item) and clarity (2 items) of OTC package labels, in addition to the sociodemographic information (3 items). Participants were also solicited to provide opinions regarding package label redesign. Descriptive statistics and logistic regressions were applied for analyses. Findings show that most (84.0%) participants read instruction labels before use, with indications (79.4%), drug names (64.5%) and dosage and administration (59.8%) being the top reads. Only 30.0% of the participants fully understood how to take the medicines correctly. Younger (OR = 1.033, p < .001) and female participants (OR = 1.965, p = .014) with a higher level of education (OR = 1.940, p = .034) tended to read package label information prior to purchase or use. Younger participants (OR = 1.030, p < .001) and those who read OTC medicine labels before use (OR = 2.317, p = .004) were more likely to correctly understand medicine use. The findings indicate that older, male adults with a lower level of education should be targeted to ensure their correct understanding of OTC labels. Pharmacists should recite pertinent label information and, concomitantly, ensure consumers' understanding when providing medicine counselling.

Engaging consumers in wise use of over-the-counter medications in Taiwan: Development and evaluation of a structured medication counseling approach.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a tailored Symptom Allergy Indication Direction Self-care (SAIDS) counseling by pharmacists on consumers' correct understanding of over-the-counter (OTC) medication use. METHODS: This study used a time-based sampling of two independent cohorts at a single community pharmacy in Taiwan for two years beginning in December 2018. In the control cohort, participants received conventional counseling for the OTCs they selected. In the intervention cohort, participants received SAIDS counseling along with pointing out OTC package label instructions. A paper-and-pencil survey was administered face-to-face to evaluate participants' understanding for the correct use of OTCs. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to evaluate the effect of the SAIDS approach on cohorts' understanding of OTC use. RESULTS: Compared with conventional OTC counseling, participants reported better understanding regarding potential side effects of OTCs that they acquired (p < 0.001) and were more aware of strategies to cope with the associated side effects (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Despite the time constraints that pharmacists often can offer to each customer, the SAIDS counseling approach may refine the structure and effectiveness of pharmacists' OTC counseling skills and thereby improve consumers' understanding of their ailments and self-care medications in Taiwan.

Effects of different levels of modified palygorskite supplementation on the growth performance, immunity, oxidative status and intestinal integrity and barrier function of broilers.

This experiment was designed to investigate effects of different levels of modified palygorskite (MPal) supplementation on growth performance, immunity, oxidative status and intestinal integrity and barrier function of broilers. A total of 320 1-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned into 5 dietary treatments and fed a basal diet supplemented with 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 g/kg MPal, respectively, for a 42-day feeding trial. Treatments quadratically reduced feed/gain ratio (F:G) during 1-21 days and linearly decreased average daily feed intake and F:G during 22-42 days, and linearly and quadratically decreased average daily feed intake and F:G during overall period (p < 0.05, 0.50 g/kg treatment showed the lowest F:G). MPal supplementation increased the contents of 21-day jejunal secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) quadratically, and 21-day jejunal immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin M (IgM) and 42-day jejunal total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity linearly and quadratically (0.50 g/kg treatment showed the highest immunoglobulin concentration), whereas linearly reduced 21-day ileal SIgA level and 42-day jejunal malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and serum diamine oxidase activity, and quadratically decreased 21-day ileal MDA level (p < 0.05). The 42-day jejunal SIgA, IgG and IgM concentrations, and T-SOD activity in jejunum at 21 days and ileum at both 21 days and 42 days were quadratically increased with MPal administration (p < 0.05, 0.50 g/kg treatment showed the highest T-SOD activity). The mucin 2 mRNA abundances in 42-day jejunum and 21-day ileum were quadratically increased with MPal supplementation (p < 0.05). Treatments linearly increased 42-day ileal zonula occludens-1, claudin-3 and jejunal claudin-3 mRNA level, whereas linearly and quadratically increased ileal claudin-2 mRNA level (p < 0.05). In conclusion, MPal supplementation exhibited beneficial effects on growth performance, intestinal immunity, antioxidant capacity and intestinal integrity and barrier function of broiler with its optimum dosage being 0.5 g/kg.

Kinetic resolution of alpha-lipoic acid via enzymatic differentiation of a remote stereocenter.

Kinetic resolution of alpha-lipoic acid, a case of remote stereocenter discrimination, was accomplished using lipase from Aspergillus oryzae WZ007. Performance of this lipase was investigated for enantioselective esterification of (S)-alpha-lipoic acid, leaving the target product (R)-alpha-lipoic acid in unreacted form. The effects of chain length of alcohol, type of solvent, molar ratio of alcohol:acid, and reaction temperature were studied. The optimum reaction conditions were found to be esterification with n-octanol at 50 degrees C in heptane with an alcohol:acid molar ratio of 5:1. The conversion rate of alpha-lipoic acid was 75.2%, with an enantiomeric excess of 92.5% towards unreacted substrate in a reaction time of 48 h.