Degradation of emergent contaminants by UV,UV/H2O2 and neutral photo-Fenton at pilot scale in a domestic wastewater treatment plant

This study focuses on the removal of 22 selected micropollutants in an effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (MWTP) at pilot scale. A reactor of 37 L with five low pressure mercury lamps emitting at 254 nm (UV₂₅₄) was used. The 22 micropollutants include 15 pharmaceuticals, 2 X-Ray contrast medias, 1 corrosion inhibitor and 4 biocides/pesticides. Five of these 22 compounds were used as indicative substances as proposed by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) (carbamazepine, diclofenac, sulfamethoxazole, benzotriazole and mecoprop).     

Tubular dentin sealer penetration after different final irrigation protocols: A confocal laser scanning microscopy study

The aim of this study was to evaluate tubular dentin sealer penetration, comparing different final irrigation protocols using a conventional needle (CONV), EndoActivator system (EAS), EndoVac system (EVS), and ultrasound (PUI). Initially, fifty‐two first maxillary molars with a single canal in the palatal root, without abrupt curvatures, resorptive processes, or previous endodontic treatment were selected for this study. Then, the crowns were sectioned to obtain palatal roots 15 mm in length. The root canals were prepared with the ProTaper Universal System and irrigated with 5% NaOCl. Afterwards, the specimens were divided into four groups (n. 13), according to the final irrigation protocol: CONV, EAS, EVS, and PUI. After filling, slices at 3 mm and 5 mm from the apex were obtained for analysis by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Two‐way comparisons between the groups and the levels were performed with Games Howell's test (p < .05). Tubular dentin sealer penetration was higher at 5 mm compared with 3 mm from the apex (p < .05). The EAS group showed a higher percentage of tubular dentin sealer penetration, compared with the CONV group, at both levels. At 3 mm, there was no statistically significant difference among EAS, EVS, and PUI; however, these groups showed better performance, compared with the CONV group. At 5 mm, there was no statistically significant difference between the EAS and EVS groups, but both showed higher sealer penetration than the PUI group (p < .05). The EAS and EVS groups achieved better degrees of tubular dentin sealer penetration, compared with the other groups.     

An approach to mechanistic event recognition applied on monitoring organic matter depletion in SBRs

A fundamental practice in process engineering is monitoring the state dynamics of a system. Unfortunately, observability of some states is related to high costs, time, and efforts. The mechanistic event recognition (MER) aims to detect an event (defined as a change of the system with specific significance to the operation of the process) that cannot be directly observed but has some predictable effect on the dynamics of the systems. MER attempts to apply fault diagnosis techniques using mechanistic “recognition” models to describe the process. A systematic method for building recognition models using optimal experimental design tools is presented. As proof of concept, the MER approach to detect organic matter depletion in sequencing batch reactors, measuring only ammonia, dissolved oxygen, and nitroxides is applied. The event, that is, consumption of organic matter to a level below 50 gCOD/m³, was successfully detected even though microbial activity is known to continue after organic matter depletion. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 3460–3472, 2014     

Sirtuin 7 Deficiency Reduces Inflammation and Tubular Damage Induced by an Episode of Acute Kidney Injury

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a public health problem worldwide. Sirtuins are a family of seven NAD+-dependent deacylases, Overexpression of Sirtuin 1, 3, and 5 protect against AKI. However, the role of Sirtuin 7 (Sirt7) in AKI is not known. Here, we analyzed how Sirt7 deficient mice (KO-Sirt7) were affected by AKI. As expected, wild-type and Sirt7 heterozygotes mice that underwent renal ischemia/reperfusion (IR) exhibited the characteristic hallmarks of AKI: renal dysfunction, tubular damage, albuminuria, increased oxidative stress, and renal inflammation. In contrast, the KO-Sirt7+IR mice were protected from AKI, exhibiting lesser albuminuria and reduction in urinary biomarkers of tubular damage, despite similar renal dysfunction. The renoprotection in the Sirt7-KO+IR group was associated with reduced kidney weight, minor expression of inflammatory cytokines and less renal infiltration of inflammatory cells. This anti-inflammatory effect was related to diminished p65 expression and in its active phosphorylation, as well as by a reduction in p65 nuclear translocation. Sirt7 deficient mice are protected from AKI, suggesting that this histone deacetylase promotes tubular damage and renal inflammation. Therefore, our findings indicate that Sirt7 inhibitors may be an attractive therapeutic target to reduce NFκB signaling.     

CircRNAs as Potential Blood Biomarkers and Key Elements in Regulatory Networks in Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common type of cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death in the world. It is a disease that encompasses a variety of molecular alterations, including in non-coding RNAs such as circular RNAs (circRNAs). In the present study, we investigated hsa_circ_0000211, hsa_circ_0000284, hsa_circ_0000524, hsa_circ_0001136 and hsa_circ_0004771 expression profiles using RT-qPCR in 71 gastric tissue samples from GC patients (tumor and tumor-adjacent samples) and volunteers without cancer. In order to investigate the suitability of circRNAs as minimally invasive biomarkers, we also evaluated their expression profile through RT-qPCR in peripheral blood samples from patients with and without GC (n = 41). We also investigated the predicted interactions between circRNA-miRNA-mRNA and circRNA-RBP using the KEGG and Reactome databases. Overall, our results showed that hsa_circ_0000211, hsa_circ_0000284 and hsa_circ_0004771 presented equivalent expression profiles when analyzed by different methods (RNA-Seq and RT-qPCR) and different types of samples (tissue and blood). Further, functional enrichment results identified important signaling pathways related to GC. Thus, our data support the consideration of circRNAs as new, minimally invasive biomarkers capable of aiding in the diagnosis of GC and with great potential to be applied in clinical practice.     

Photography and microscopy of the instrumented n-Izod test

The ubiquitous n-Izod test is universal in its use yet condemned by its critics. Rather than criticize the test we have undertaken a course of study to understand it. In this work we report the photographic results taken at short exposure times with various delays after contact is made by the hammer. The photographic studies were made on polycarbonate and on modified and unmodified poly(vinyl chloride) with the notch radius as a variable. These results show that the damage is always contained within the notch. This permits an estimate of the strain rate, which depends on notch diameter. Instrumented n-Izod measurements show that most of the energy is absorbed before little bending takes place, meaning that the sample is primarily in tension. These observations lead to the conclusion that the test is a high speed tensile test whose strain rate can be varied by changing the notch radius. Microscopic measurements show that, when toughening nylon 6, with small (<200 nm) core//shell particles, the matrix suffers large local ductile deformations without particle cavitation. Rubber cavitation does not occur until after the particles have been deformed by the fracture process.     

Margarine-Like Emulsions Prepared with Coconut and Palm Oils: Analysis of Microstructure and Freeze–Thaw Stability by Differential Scanning Calorimetry

The objective was to study the microstructure and freeze–thaw stability of margarine-like emulsions formulated with vegetable fats using differential scanning calorimetry. Emulsions were prepared with 20% w/w dispersed aqueous phase and a continuous lipid phase composed by coconut oil (CO) and/or palm oil (PO) plus polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) as emulsifier. Mean temperature (T_M) and crystallization enthalpy (ΔH_c) were obtained from the exothermic peaks corresponding to freezing of aqueous phase. Successive cooling–heating–cooling cycles were applied to analyze changes in the exothermic peak. The emulsion prepared with CO (without PO) and 1% w/w PGPR in lipid phase showed higher water droplets size (T_M = −44.8 ± 0.1 °C) and lower quantity of stabilized aqueous phase (ΔH_c = 28.9 ± 1.2 J g⁻¹) prior to application of temperature cycles, while coalescence and (presumably) water transfer processes occurred during the treatment. The use of 2% w/w PGPR was sufficient to accomplish full stabilization of aqueous phase (T_M = −45.9 ± 0.1 °C; ΔH_c = 42.6 ± 0.3 J g⁻¹) before and after the freeze–thaw treatment. The total or partial (50%) substitution of CO by PO in emulsions with 1% w/w PGPR also improved the stability of the system, exhibiting slight microstructural changes. This enhanced stability would be linked to reduced water droplets size because of more rapid crystallization of lipid phase and immobilization of aqueous phase after emulsion preparation. In conclusion, it is possible to obtain margarine-like emulsions prepared with CO and/or PO using relatively low emulsifier concentration and maintaining a desired microstructure after freeze-thawing if the percentage ratio of both fats is controlled.     

Flue gas cleaning in power stations by using electron beam technology. Influence on PAH emissions

The electron beam technology (EBT), proven treatment for SO₂ and NO_x removal, is applied to different power stations as hot gas cleaning system. In this paper, an assessment of this technique installed in a Bulgarian power station on organic emissions is analyzed. The Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) content, not only emitted in the gas phase but also trapped in the solid phase, has been carried out before and after the irradiation. The main aim has been to know whether the EBT affects organic emissions, like PAH, as it happens with inorganic pollutants, like SO₂ and NO_x, studying EBT effects from an organic environmental point of view.     

Smith predictor based-sliding mode controller for integrating processes with elevated deadtime

An approach to control integrating processes with elevated deadtime using a Smith predictor sliding mode controller is presented. A PID sliding surface and an integrating first-order plus deadtime model have been used to synthesize the controller. Since the performance of existing controllers with a Smith predictor decrease in the presence of modeling errors, this paper presents a simple approach to combining the Smith predictor with the sliding mode concept, which is a proven, simple, and robust procedure. The proposed scheme has a set of tuning equations as a function of the characteristic parameters of the model. For implementation of our proposed approach, computer based industrial controllers that execute PID algorithms can be used. The performance and robustness of the proposed controller are compared with the Matausek-Mici? scheme for linear systems using simulations.     

Egg Consumption Modulates HDL Lipid Composition and Increases the Cholesterol-Accepting Capacity of Serum in Metabolic Syndrome

We recently demonstrated that daily whole egg consumption during moderate carbohydrate restriction leads to greater increases in plasma HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and improvements in HDL profiles in metabolic syndrome (MetS) when compared to intake of a yolk-free egg substitute. We further investigated the effects of this intervention on HDL composition and function, hypothesizing that the phospholipid species present in egg yolk modulate HDL lipid composition to increase the cholesterol-accepting capacity of subject serum. Men and women classified with MetS were randomly assigned to consume either three whole eggs (EGG, n = 20) per day or the equivalent amount of egg substitute (SUB, n = 17) throughout a 12-week moderate carbohydrate-restricted (25–30 % of energy) diet. Relative to other HDL lipids, HDL-cholesteryl ester content increased in all subjects, with greater increases in the SUB group. Further, HDL-triacylglycerol content was reduced in EGG group subjects with normal baseline plasma HDL-C, resulting in increases in HDL-CE/TAG ratios in both groups. Phospholipid analysis by mass spectrometry revealed that HDL became enriched in phosphatidylethanolamine in the EGG group, and that EGG group HDL better reflected sphingomyelin species present in the whole egg product at week 12 compared to baseline. Further, macrophage cholesterol efflux to EGG subject serum increased from baseline to week 12, whereas no changes were observed in the SUB group. Together, these findings suggest that daily egg consumption promotes favorable shifts in HDL lipid composition and function beyond increasing plasma HDL-C in MetS.