Synthesis of thermoresponsive copolymer/silica-coated magnetite nanoparticle composite and its application for heavy metal ion recovery

To enhance chemical stability and suppress of aggregation of magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs), which are used as a support for thermoresponsive copolymer immobilization, silica coating of the MNPs is applied via the electrooxidation method. Although the resulting silica coated-MNPs also formed aggregates, the size distribution of the aggregate shifted to smaller size range. Because of that, the surface area available for copolymer immobilization increased approximately 6.7 times at maximum as compared with that of the uncoated MNPs. It contributed to the increase of the amount of the immobilized copolymer on the silica-coated MNPs, which is approximately four times larger than that on the uncoated MNPs. Fe₃O₄ dissolution test confirmed enhancement of chemical stability of MNPs. The thermoresponsive copolymer immobilized on the silica-coated MNPs shows the ability to recycle Cu(II) ion from Cu(II) containing solution by changing temperature with significantly shorter time than those in other thermoresponsive adsorbents in gel form.     

Fire safe,sustainable loose furnishing

The aim of this exploratory study has been to investigate the fire properties and environmental aspects of different upholstery material combinations, mainly for domestic applications. An analysis of the sustainability and circularity of selected textiles, along with lifecycle assessment, is used to qualitatively evaluate materials from an environmental perspective. The cone calorimeter was the primary tool used to screen 20 different material combinations from a fire performance perspective. It was found that textile covers of conventional fibres such as wool, cotton and polyester, can be improved by blending them with fire resistant speciality fibres. A new three‐dimensional web structure has been examined as an alternative padding material, showing preliminary promising fire properties with regard to ignition time, heat release rates and smoke production.     

Characterization and variability of endotoxin and 3-hydroxy fatty acids in an office building during a particle intervention study

Air and dust samples were collected on two floors of an office building during a double-blind particle intervention study to examine spatial and temporal variability of airborne endotoxin over a period of weeks, and to characterize endotoxin activity and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) content in carpet and chair dust. Air samples were collected on multiple days within and across weeks. Dust samples were collected from carpets and chairs one day per week for three weeks. Endotoxin was measured using a Limulus assay. Dust samples were analyzed for LPS by determination of 3-hydroxy fatty acids (3-OHFAs) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The geometric mean (geometric standard deviation) for 96 indoor air samples was 0.24 (1.6) EU/m3. Significant within-floor spatial variation of airborne endotoxin was found (P < 0.0001, n = 80). Temporal variability of airborne endotoxin was not significant across weeks. Mean (+/- SD) endotoxin levels in carpet dust (59 +/- 9.3 EU/mg dust, n = 12) and in chair dust (38 +/- 7.7 EU/mg dust, n = 10) were significantly different (P < 0.001). Carbon chain length-dependent differences in 3-OHFA levels by dust source and floor were found. Enhanced air filtration did not significantly affect airborne endotoxin (P = 0.62); however, total dust mass and total endotoxin in carpet dust samples increased significantly after enhanced surface cleaning (P < 0.01). These findings suggest that spatial variability, dust source, and surface cleaning may influence building occupant exposures to endotoxin.     

Italian multicentre study on microbial environmental contamination in dental clinics: a pilot study

The dental practice is associated with a high risk of infections, both for patients and healthcare operators, and the environment may play an important role in the transmission of infectious diseases. A microbiological environmental investigation was carried out in six dental clinics as a pilot study for a larger multicentre study that will be performed by the Italian SItI (Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health) working group "Hygiene in Dentistry". Microbial contamination of water, air and surfaces was assessed in each clinic during the five working days of the week, before and during treatments. Air and surfaces were also examined at the end of the daily activity. A wide variation was found in microbial environmental contamination, both within the participating clinics and relative to the different sampling times. Microbial water contamination in Dental Unit Water Systems (DUWS) reached values of up to 26 × 10⁴ cfu/mL (colony forming units per millilitre). P. aeruginosa was found in 33% of the sampled DUWS and Legionella spp. in 50%. A significant decrease in the Total Viable Count (TVC) was recorded during the activity. Microbial air contamination showed the highest levels during dental treatments and tended to decrease at the end of the working activity (p < 0.05). Microbial buildup on surfaces increased significantly during the working hours. As these findings point out, research on microbial environmental contamination and the related risk factors in dental clinics should be expanded and should also be based on larger collections of data, in order to provide the essential knowledge aimed at targeted preventive interventions.     

Location and co-location in retail: a probabilistic approach using geo-coded data for metropolitan retail markets

In this paper, we employ geo-coded data at a fine spatial resolution for Sweden’s metropolitan areas to assess retail co-location. Retail clusters and their place in urban space are assessed from several angles. The probability of a specific type of retail unit to be established in a 250 by 250 m square is modelled as a function of (i) the presence of other similar retail establishments, (ii) the presence of stores that belong to other retail sectors and (iii) other characteristics of the square area, and its access to demand in the pertinent urban landscape. The analysis clarifies which types of retail clusters one can expect to find in a metropolitan region, as well as their relationship to the urban landscape. We analyse three distinct types of stores: clothing, household appliances, and specialized stores. Stores with high intensities of interaction are co-located, and predominantly located close to the urban cores, consistent with predictions from bid rent theory and central place theory. We further document negative location tendencies between shops that sell frequently purchased products and shops that sell durables. Moreover, our results highlight the importance of demand in the close surroundings, which is particularly strong for small-scale establishments.     

The sources of the urban wage premium by worker skills: Spatial sorting or agglomeration economies?

We estimate the respective importance of spatial sorting and agglomeration economies in explaining the urban wage premium for workers with different sets of skills. Sorting is the main source of the wage premium. Agglomeration economies are in general small, but are larger for workers with skills associated with non‐routine job tasks. They also appear to involve human capital accumulation, as evidenced by the change in the wage of workers moving away from denser regions. For workers with routine jobs, agglomeration economies are virtually non‐existent. Our results provide further evidence of spatial density bringing about productivity advantages primarily in contexts when problem‐solving and interaction with others are important.     

Thermophiles as Potential Source of Novel Endotoxin Antagonists: the Full Structure and Bioactivity of theLipo‐oligosaccharide from Thermomonas hydrothermalis

Thermomonas hydrothermalis is a Gram‐negative thermophilic bacterium that is able to live at 50 °C. This ability is attributed to chemical modifications, involving those to bacterial cell‐wall components, such as proteins and (glyco)lipids. As the main component of the outer membrane of Gram‐negative bacteria, lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) are exposed to the environment, thus they can undergo structural chemical changes to allow thermophilic bacteria to live at their optimal growth temperature. Furthermore, as one of the major target of the eukaryotic innate immune system, LPS elicits host immune response in a structure‐dependent mode; thus the uncommon chemical features of thermophilic bacterial LPSs might exert a different biological action on the innate immune system—an antagonistic effect, as shown in studies of LPS structure–activity relationship in the ongoing research into antagonist LPS candidates. Here, we report the complete structural and biological activity analysis of the lipo‐oligosaccharide isolated from Thermomonas hydrothermalis, achieved by a multidisciplinary approach (chemical analysis, NMR, MALDI MS and cellular immunology). We demonstrate a tricky and interesting structure combined with a very interesting effect on human innate immunity.     

From Side Chains Rattling on Picoseconds to Ensemble Simulations of Protein Folding

Simulations of biological macromolecules have evolved tremendously since the discoveries of the 1970s. The field has moved from simple simulations in vacuo on picosecond scales to milliseconds of accurate sampling of large proteins, and it has become a standard tool in biochemistry and biophysics, rather than a dedicated theoretical one. This is partly due to increasing computational power, but it would not have been possible without huge research efforts invested in new algorithms and software. Here, we illustrate some of this development, both past and future challenges, and in particular, discuss how the recent introduction of modern ensemble methods is breaking the trend of ever-longer simulations to instead focus on throughput and sampling. This has not only helped simulations become much more accurate, but it provides statistical error estimates, which are critical, as simulations are increasingly used to predict properties that have not yet been measured experimentally.