Modified POF Sensor for Gaseous Hydrogen Fluoride Monitoring in the Presence of Ionizing Radiations

This paper describes the development of a sensor designed to detect low concentrations of hydrogen fluoride (HF) in gas mixtures. The sensor employs a plastic optical fiber (POF) covered with a thin layer of glass- like material. HF attacks the glass and alters the fiber transmission capability so that the detection simply requires a LED and a photodiode. The coated POF is obtained by means of low-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition that allows the glass-like film to be deposited at low temperature without damaging the fiber core. The developed sensor will be installed in the recirculation gas system of the resistive plate chamber muon detector of the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment at the Large Hadron Collider accelerator of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN

Treatability of digested piggery/poultry manure by anammox bacteria

The liquid fraction of digested material is rich in ammonium and may require nitrogen removal. The aim of this research was to evaluate the applicability of the anammox process for the biological N removal from a supernatant coming from the anaerobic digestion of a mixture of piggery manure, poultry manure, and of agro-wastes. The supernatant was pre-treated in a partial nitritation pilot-scale reactor located at the farm. A batch procedure for testing the short term effect of high-strength wastewaters on anammox activity is presented. The anammox process was successfully applied for the first time to undiluted digestate, and the average N removal efficiency achieved during 350 days of experimentation in a SBR lab-scale reactor was 91%

Mapping the internal recognition surface of an octanuclear coordination cage using guest libraries

Size and shape criteria for guest binding inside the cavity of an octanuclear cubic coordination cage in water have been established using a new fluorescence displacement assay to quantify guest binding. For aliphatic cyclic ketones of increasing size (from C5 to C11), there is a linear relationship between ΔG for guest binding and the guest’s surface area: the change in ΔG for binding is 0.3 kJ mol–1 Å–2, corresponding to 5 kJ mol–1 for each additional CH2 group in the guest, in good agreement with expectations based on hydrophobic desolvation. The highest association constant is K = 1.2 × 106 M–1 for cycloundecanone, whose volume is approximately 50% of the cavity volume; for larger C12 and C13 cyclic ketones, the association constant progressively decreases as the guests become too large. For a series of C10 aliphatic ketones differing in shape but not size, ΔG for guest binding showed no correlation with surface area. These guests are close to the volume limit of the cavity (cf. Rebek’s 55% rule), so the association constant is sensitive to shape complementarity, with small changes in guest structure resulting in large changes in binding affinity. The most flexible members of this series (linear aliphatic ketones) did not bind, whereas the more preorganized cyclic ketones all have association constants of 104–105 M–1. A crystal structure of the cage·cycloundecanone complex shows that the guest carbonyl oxygen is directed into a binding pocket defined by a convergent set of CH groups, which act as weak hydrogen-bond donors, and also shows close contacts between the exterior surface of the disc-shaped guest and the interior surface of the pseudospherical cage cavity despite the slight mismatch in shape

Application of qualitative risk assessment to prioritize hazards in pork products in Brazil.

SafePork 2017

The digital whomanities project. Best practices for digital pedagogy in the pandemic era

This paper aims to enter the ongoing debate about the critical issues of digital pedagogy through the presentation of Digital WHOmanities, a series of online conferences and workshops held at the University of Bologna. Distance learning has become one of the most discussed topics in educational institutions during the spread of Covid-19, revealing a discrepancy between the rapid development of technology and the ability of learning environments to adapt to this turn. In view of this ongoing debate, Digital WHOmanities tried to define the complex and multifaceted figure of the digital humanist and to provide a methodological framework that could foster further online academic initiatives. Specifically, the accurate organization of timing and contents and the adoption of synchronous and asynchronous approaches have highlighted the effectiveness of flexible digital didactics

Unlocking the potential of Euglena gracilis cultivated in piggery wastewater: biomass production, nutrient removal, and biostimulant potential in lettuce and tomato plants

ABSTRACT: Microalgae are increasingly recognized as a valuable resource for bolstering sustainability in agriculture. However, current research and patents primarily focus on Chlorella spp., Scenedesmus spp., and Spirulina spp., thus leaving the vast diversity of microalgae relatively unexplored for agricultural applications. Euglena gracilis (Euglenophyta) is a microalga renowned for its resilience to diverse environmental stressors and capability to produce a variety of bioactive metabolites. This study investigated the potential of cultivating E. gracilis in piggery wastewater for nutrient recycling and as a source of beneficial biomolecules, particularly for biostimulant use. Utilizing raw wastewater diluted to 25% (P25) and pre-treated wastewater with photo-Fenton (PF), the research found that E. gracilis exhibited elevated cell density, biomass concentration, and overall cell health in both wastewaters compared to a synthetic medium (BG11-NPK). This was due to its efficient removal of nutrients, especially ammoniacal-nitrogen and phosphate, resulting in a biomass rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, amino acids, and paramylon content. The whole-cell biomass significantly enhanced the germination index of lettuce and tomato seeds compared to the water control. Additionally, it promoted cell expansion and root formation in cucumber cotyledons, exhibiting similarities to phytohormones such as gibberellin, cytokinin, and auxin. Furthermore, it is suggested that E. gracilis biomass contains molecules related to resistance to environmental stresses, particularly in tomatoes, given the enhancement in the seedling vigor index. E. gracilis exhibited remarkable adaptability to piggery wastewater, recycling nutrients and yielding biomass rich in bioactive molecules with potential as plant biostimulants. These findings significantly contribute to understanding E. gracilis's potential applications in agriculture and developing a circular bioeconomy.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication