Separation and quantification of olefins and diolefins in cracked petroleum fractions using silver-ion high performance liquid chromatography

A method using normal phase high performance liquid chromatography for the analysis of olefins and diolefins in cracked petroleum samples is proposed and validated in this work. A silver-impregnated silica column is used to separate olefin and diolefin species, resulting in accurate quantification of both group-types. Separations are completed using an isocratic hexane mobile phase, with no sample clean up or backflushing required. Results from the analysis of 11 model compounds are shown, as well as quantification data for four representative samples; figures of merit are also described.     

Simultaneous handover scheme for IEEE 802.11 WLANs with IEEE 802.21 triggers

Handover performance in wireless networks is important, especially nowadays, when multimedia services are becoming increasingly available over the wireless devices. However, users expect uncompromised mobility when using the service. Thus, the support of multimedia services is not possible if handover is inefficient. At the same time it is clear that a strict separation between IP Layer and the Link Layer results in built-in sources of delay. The paper discusses the IEEE 802.11 and Mobile IPv4 handover performance in practical scenarios. We introduce a new simultaneous handover scheme with IEEE 802.21 triggers. In order to verify the handover performance, simulation experiments have been conducted, whose results are also presented and discussed.     

Metal Organic Framework Crystals in Mixed‐Matrix Membranes: Impact of the Filler Morphology on the Gas Separation Performance

Mixed‐matrix membranes comprising NH₂‐MIL‐53(Al) and Matrimid or 6FDA‐DAM have been investigated. The metal organic framework (MOF) loading has been varied between 5 and 20 wt%, while NH₂‐MIL‐53(Al) with three different morphologies, nanoparticles, nanorods, and microneedles has been dispersed in Matrimid. The synthesized membranes have been tested in the separation of CO₂ from CH₄ in an equimolar mixture. At 3 bar and 298 K for 8 wt% MOF loading, incorporation of NH₂‐MIL‐53(Al) nanoparticles leads to the largest improvement compared to nanorods and microneedles. The incorporation of the best performing filler, i.e., NH₂‐MIL‐53(Al) nanoparticles, into the highly permeable 6FDA‐DAM has a larger effect, and the CO₂ permeability increases up to 85% with slightly lower selectivities for 20 wt% MOF loading. Specifically, these membranes have a permeability of 660 Barrer with a CO₂/CH₄ separation factor of 28, leading to a performance very close to the Robeson limit of 2008. Furthermore, a new non‐destructive technique based on Raman spectroscopy mapping is introduced to assess the homogeneity of the filler dispersion in the polymer matrix. The MOF contribution can be calculated by modeling the spectra. The determined homogeneity of the MOF filler distribution in the polymer is confirmed by focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy analysis.     

Brookite Formation in TiO2?Ag Nanocomposites and Visible‐Light‐Induced Templated Growth of Ag Nanostructures in TiO2

TiO₂? Ag‐nanocomposites exhibit various desirable properties that make them suitable for a variety of applications, for example in photocatalysis and as bactericidal coatings. In this work, a new method for processing TiO₂? Ag nanocomposites is presented. The nanocomposite films are fabricated from one precursor solution with high silver loading of up to 50%. The resulting films exhibit a microstructure consisting of TiO₂? Ag_xO nanocomposites with a largely XRD‐amorphous TiO₂ matrix containing brookite nanocrystals. This specific microstructure absorbs in the visible range so that photoreduction of Ag ions can be accomplished by using visible light. The thin films can be patterned using simple shadow masks. The illuminated areas show a high density of self‐organized nanoparticles (SNPs) and nanorods (SNRs), which are templated by the TiO₂ porous network. The particle size can be tuned by varying the irradiation time. Most of the SNPs and SNRs form faceted crystals, which are mostly a combination of {111} and {110}. The application of these films as substrates for surface‐enhanced Raman scattering is shown. Enhancement factors as high as 4.6 × 10⁶ could be obtained using rhodamine 6G dye molecules. More applications should involve photocatalytic water purification using visible light.     

Mean on the Screen: Social Aggression in Programs Popular With Children

A content analysis was conducted to examine the portrayal of social aggression in the 50 most popular television programs among 2‐ to 11‐year‐old children. Results revealed that 92% of the programs in the sample contained some social aggression. On average, there were 14 different incidents of social aggression per hour in these shows, or one every 4 minutes. Compared to the portrayals of physical aggression, social aggression was more likely to be enacted by an attractive perpetrator, to be featured in a humorous context, and neither rewarded or punished. In these ways, social aggression on television poses more of a risk for imitation and learning than do portrayals of physical aggression. Findings are discussed in terms of social cognitive theory.     

The Zintl Compound Ca5Al2Sb6 for Low‐Cost Thermoelectric Power Generation

Understanding transport in Zintl compounds is important due to their unusual chemistry, structural complexity, and potential for good thermoelectric performance. Resistivity measurements indicate that undoped Ca₅Al₂Sb₆ is a charge‐balanced semiconductor with a bandgap of 0.5 eV, consistent with Zintl–Klemm charge counting rules. Substituting divalent calcium with monovalent sodium leads to the formation of free holes, and a transition from insulating to metallic electronic behavior is observed. Seebeck measurements yield a hole mass of ～2m_e, consistent with a structure containing both ionic and covalent bonding. The structural complexity of Zintl compounds is implicated in their unusually low thermal conductivity values. Indeed, Ca₅Al₂Sb₆ possesses an extremely low lattice thermal conductivity (0.6 W mK^?1 at 850 K), which approaches the minimum thermal conductivity limit at high temperature. A single parabolic band model is developed and predicts that Ca_4.75Na_0.25Al₂Sb₆ possesses a near‐optimal carrier concentration for thermoelectric power generation. A maximum zT > 0.6 is obtained at 1000 K.Beyond thermoelectric applications, the semiconductor Ca₅Al₂Sb₆ possesses a 1D covalent structure which should be amenable to interesting magnetic interactions when appropriately doped.     

Inflammation Regulates Haematopoietic Stem Cells and Their Niche

Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) reside in the bone marrow and are supported by the specialised microenvironment, a niche to maintain HSC quiescence. To deal with haematopoietic equilibrium disrupted during inflammation, HSCs are activated from quiescence directly and indirectly to generate more mature immune cells, especially the myeloid lineage cells. In the process of proliferation and differentiation, HSCs gradually lose their self-renewal potential. The extensive inflammation might cause HSC exhaustion/senescence and malignant transformation. Here, we summarise the current understanding of how HSC functions are maintained, damaged, or exhausted during acute, prolonged, and pathological inflammatory conditions. We also highlight the inflammation-altered HSC niche and its impact on escalating the insults on HSCs.     

Broad Spectrum Anti-Bacterial Activity and Non-Selective Toxicity of Gum Arabic Silver Nanoparticles

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are the most commercialized nanomaterials and presumed to be biocompatible based on the biological effects of the bulk material. However, their physico-chemical properties differ significantly to the bulk materials and are associated with unique biological properties. The study investigated the antimicrobial and cytotoxicity effects of AgNPs synthesized using gum arabic (GA), sodium borohydride (NaBH₄), and their combination as reducing agents. The AgNPs were characterized using ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis), dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The anti-bacterial activity was assessed using agar well diffusion and microdilution assays, and the cytotoxicity effects on Caco-2, HT-29 and KMST-6 cells using MTT assay. The GA-synthesized AgNPs (GA-AgNPs) demonstrated higher bactericidal activity against all bacteria, and non-selective cytotoxicity towards normal and cancer cells. AgNPs reduced by NaBH₄ (C-AgNPs) and the combination of GA and NaBH₄ (GAC-AgNPs) had insignificant anti-bacterial activity and cytotoxicity at ≥50 µg/mL. The study showed that despite the notion that AgNPs are safe and biocompatible, their toxicity cannot be overruled and that their toxicity can be channeled by using biocompatible polymers, thereby providing a therapeutic window at concentrations that are least harmful to mammalian cells but toxic to bacteria.     

Macrophage-Mediated Melanoma Reduction after HP-NAP Treatment in a Zebrafish Xenograft Model

The Helicobacter pylori Neutrophil Activating Protein (HP-NAP) is endowed with immunomodulatory properties that make it a potential candidate for anticancer therapeutic applications. By activating cytotoxic Th1 responses, HP-NAP inhibits the growth of bladder cancer and enhances the anti-tumor activity of oncolytic viruses in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer and neuroendocrine tumors. The possibility that HP-NAP exerts its anti-tumor effect also by modulating the activity of innate immune cells has not yet been explored. Taking advantage of the zebrafish model, we examined the therapeutic efficacy of HP-NAP against metastatic human melanoma, limiting the observational window to 9 days post-fertilization, well before the maturation of the adaptive immunity. Human melanoma cells were xenotransplanted into zebrafish embryos and tracked in the presence or absence of HP-NAP. The behavior and phenotype of macrophages and the impact of their drug-induced depletion were analyzed exploiting macrophage-expressed transgenes. HP-NAP administration efficiently inhibited tumor growth and metastasis and this was accompanied by strong recruitment of macrophages with a pro-inflammatory profile at the tumor site. The depletion of macrophages almost completely abrogated the ability of HP-NAP to counteract tumor growth. Our findings highlight the pivotal role of activated macrophages in counteracting melanoma growth and support the notion that HP-NAP might become a new biological therapeutic agent for the treatment of metastatic melanomas.