Performance and economic efficiency of laying hens in response to adding zeolite to feed and litter.

This study investigated the effect of different levels of zeolite in laying hen (Silver Montazah) diet and litter on productive performance, egg quality criteria, and economics during the second stage of production (40-56 wk of age). An experiment with a 3 × 4 factorial design was performed to study the effects of four levels of zeolite (0, 10, 15, and 20 g/kg feed) in the diet and three levels of zeolite (0, 1.5, and 2 kg/m2) in the litter. Adding zeolite to diet and litter significantly improved final BW and BW change, egg number, egg weight, egg mass, laying rate, feed consumption (FC), and feed conversion ratio (FCR), as well as egg quality criteria when compared to the unsupplemented group. Additionally, adding zeolite at a level of 2 kg /m2 litter and 20 g/kg diet achieved the greatest enhancement in productive performance features. Therefore, it can be suggested that the greatest results were obtained in laying farms when zeolite was added as a litter addition and as a supplement to feed.

Risk assessment of early therapeutic anticoagulation following cranial surgery: an institutional case series.

OBJECTIVE: Postoperative thrombotic complications represent a unique challenge in cranial neurosurgery as primary treatment involves therapeutic anticoagulation. The decision to initiate therapy and its timing is nuanced, as surgeons must balance the risk of catastrophic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). With limited existing evidence to guide management, current practice patterns are subjective and inconsistent. The authors assessed their experience with early therapeutic anticoagulation (≤ 7 days postoperatively) initiation for thrombotic complications in neurosurgical patients undergoing cranial surgery to better understand the risks of catastrophic ICH. METHODS: Adult patients treated with early therapeutic anticoagulation following cranial surgery were considered. Anticoagulation indications were restricted to thrombotic or thromboembolic complications. Records were retrospectively reviewed for demographics, surgical details, and anticoagulation therapy start. The primary outcome was the incidence of catastrophic ICH, defined as ICH resulting in reoperation or death within 30 days of anticoagulation initiation. As a secondary outcome, post-anticoagulation cranial imaging was reviewed for new or worsening acute blood products. Fisher's exact and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to compare cohorts. Cumulative outcome analyses were performed for primary and secondary outcomes according to anticoagulation start time. RESULTS: Seventy-one patients satisfied the inclusion criteria. Anticoagulation commenced on mean postoperative day (POD) 4.3 (SD 2.2). Catastrophic ICH was observed in 7 patients (9.9%) and was associated with earlier anticoagulation initiation (p = 0.02). Of patients with catastrophic ICH, 6 (85.7%) had intra-axial exploration during their index surgery. Patients with intra-axial exploration were more likely to experience a catastrophic ICH postoperatively compared to those with extra-axial exploration alone (OR 8.5, p = 0.04). Of the 58 patients with postoperative imaging, 15 (25.9%) experienced new or worsening blood products. Catastrophic ICH was 9 times more likely with anticoagulation initiation within 48 hours of surgery (OR 8.9, p = 0.01). The cumulative catastrophic ICH risk decreased with delay in initiation of anticoagulation, from 21.1% on POD 2 to 9.9% on POD 7. Concurrent antiplatelet medication was not associated with either outcome measure. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of catastrophic ICH was significantly increased when anticoagulation was initiated within 48 hours of cranial surgery. Patients undergoing intra-axial exploration during their index surgery were at higher risk of a catastrophic ICH.

Biosimilars production in Africa opportunities & challenges.

The healthcare systems of African nations heavily rely on importing and repackaging biological medicine. More than 70% of the pharmaceutical products consumed in Africa are imported. The localization of biosimilar production can have a positive impact on the availability and cost of these products by reducing the expenses for African governments and making essential healthcare products more accessible to the population. However, it is evident that the developing countries, particularly African nations, face various obstacles and difficulties in localizing biosimilar production. These challenges encompass development, manufacturing, evaluation, and registration processes. In this review, we will highlight the significant hurdles and achievements encountered during the localization process of biosimilars.

Assessment of hypoxemia among young adults with sickle cell anaemia in steady state in southwestern Nigeria: a crosssectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Hypoxia is a known feature of sickle cell anaemia (SCA) which results from chronic anaemia and recurrent vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) which can cause tissue ischaemia that leads to an end organ damage. The hallmark of SCA is chronic anaemia and recurrent vaso-occlusive crisis. The aim of this study is to compare the oxygen saturation of sickle cell anaemic individuals with the normal haemoglobin type (Hb AA) control and also to determine the prevalence of hypoxemia among SCA. RESULTS: Two-hundred and twenty-two (136 Hb SS and 86 Hb AA) participated in the study. The mean ± SD of age (years), oxygen saturation (%) and pulse rate (bpm) of participants with sickle cell anaemia and Hb AA control were 21.85 ± 3.04 and 22.14 ± 3.18 (t = 0.701, p = 0.436), 95.21 ± 3.02 and 98.07 ± 0.81 (t=-8.598, p < 0.0001) and 77.10 ± 9.28 and 73.16 ± 8.52 (t = 3.173, p = 0.002) respectively. The prevalence of hypoxemia among SCA participants was 47.1%. Prevalence of hypoxemia in males with SCA was 60.9% while 39.1% of the females had hypoxemia.

Advancing sustainable water treatment strategies: harnessing magnetite-based photocatalysts and techno-economic analysis for enhanced wastewater management in the context of SDGs.

Herein, we explore the holistic integration of magnetite-based photocatalysts and techno-economic analysis (TEA) as a sustainable approach in wastewater treatment aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While considerable attention has been devoted to photocatalytic dye degradation, the nexus between these processes and techno-economic considerations remains relatively unexplored. The review comprehensively examines the fundamental characteristics of magnetite-based photocatalysts, encompassing synthesis methods, composition, and unique properties. It investigates their efficacy in photocatalytic degradation, addressing homogeneous and heterogeneous aspects while discussing strategies to optimize photodegradation efficiency, including curbing electron-hole recombination and mitigating scavenging effects and interference by ions and humic acid. Moreover, the management aspects of magnetite-based photocatalysts are examined, focusing on their reusability and regeneration post-dye removal, along with the potential for reusing treated wastewater in relevant industrial applications. From a techno-economic perspective, the study evaluates the financial feasibility of deploying magnetite-based photocatalysts in wastewater treatment, correlating reduced pollution and the marketing of treated water with social, economic, and environmental objectives. By advocating the integration of magnetite-based photocatalysts and TEA, this paper contributes insights into scalable and profitable sustainable wastewater treatment practices. It underscores the alignment of these practices with SDGs, emphasizing a comprehensive and holistic approach to managing wastewater in ways that meet environmental, economic, and societal objectives.

Artificial intelligence-enabled optimization of Fe/Zn@biochar photocatalyst for 2,6-dichlorophenol removal from petrochemical wastewater: A techno-economic perspective.

While numerous studies have addressed the photocatalytic degradation of 2,6-dichlorophenol (2,6-DCP) in wastewater, an existing research gap pertains to operational factors' optimization by non-linear prediction models to ensure a cost-effective and sustainable process. Herein, we focus on optimizing the photocatalytic degradation of 2,6-DCP using artificial intelligence modeling, aiming at minimizing initial capital outlay and ongoing operational expenses. Hence, Fe/Zn@biochar, a novel material, was synthesized, characterized, and applied to harness the dual capabilities of 2,6-DCP adsorption and degradation. Fe/Zn@biochar exhibited an adsorption energy of -21.858 kJ/mol, effectively capturing the 2,6-DCP molecules. This catalyst accumulated photo-excited electrons, which, upon interaction with adsorbed oxygen and/or dissolved oxygen generated •O2-. The •OH radicals could also be produced from h+ in the Fe/Zn@biochar valence band, cleaving the C-Cl bonds to Cl- ions, dechlorinated byproducts, and phenols. An artificial neural network (ANN) model, with a 4-10-1 topology, "trainlm" training function, and feed-forward back-propagation algorithm, was developed to predict the 2,6-DCP removal efficiency. The ANN prediction accuracy was expressed as R2 = 0.967 and mean squared error = 5.56e-22. The ANN-based optimized condition depicted that over 90% of 2,6-DCP could be eliminated under C0 = 130 mg/L, pH = 2.74, and catalyst dosage = 168 mg/L within ∼4 h. This optimum condition corresponded to a total cost of $7.70/m3, which was cheaper than the price estimated from the unoptimized photocatalytic system by 16%. Hence, the proposed ANN could be employed to enhance the 2,6-DCP photocatalytic degradation process with reduced operational expenses, providing practical and cost-effective solutions for petrochemical wastewater treatment.

Assessment of natural radionuclides in powder milk imported to Erbil Governorate, Kurdistan Region-Iraq.

In this study, the activity concentrations of 40K, 232Th, and 226Ra radionuclides were estimated in imported milk powder samples from 40 brands available in local markets in Erbil Governorate, Iraq. The measurements were performed using High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector. The results indicated that the average activity concentrations of 40K, 232Th, and 226Ra were 241, 0.476, and 1.23 Bq kg-1, respectively, and comparisons were made based on the typical consumption characteristics of powdered milk by Kurdistan residents. In all investigated age groups (2-17 years), the average annual effective doses were below the ICRP-recommended limit of 1 mSv y-1 for public exposure. Radiological hazard parameters were determined based on the measured radioactivity concentrations. The relation between all the determined activities of natural radionuclides and radiological parameters was examined using multivariate statistical analysis techniques such as histograms, descriptive statistics, and Pearson correlation analyses. The cancer risk in all samples was lower than the allowable value of (2.5 × 10-3), while the ingestion dose in two samples was higher than the worldwide acceptable value of (0.29) mSv y-1.

Assessment of the ability of the radiological incudo-stapedial angle to predict the stapedotomy technique type: a prospective case-series study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to propose a radiological classification of the incudo-stapedial angle by preoperative high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) images and to highlight its importance for predicting the use of reversal-steps stapedotomy (RSS) rather than the traditional non-reversal technique. METHODS: We included 83 candidates for stapedotomy operation. Two physicians measured the radiological incudo-stapedial joint angle in the preoperative HRCT. According to this measurement, the radiological incudo-stapedial joint was classified into three types: obtuse, right, and acute. In addition, this radiological classification was correlated with the intraoperative use of the stapedotomy technique, either reversal or non-reversal. RESULTS: The RSS technique was used in forty-two (97.7%) cases with an obtuse angle and twenty-six (89.7%) with a right angle. At the same time, the traditional non-reversal technique was used in all patients with an acute angle. The three groups differed significantly regarding the method used for stapedotomy (P value < 0.001). Moreover, Spearman's correlation coefficient revealed a significant correlation between the used technique and the radiological type of the incudo-stapedial angle (P value < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study proposed a preoperative radiological classification of the incudo-stapedial angle. This classification was significantly correlated with the type of stapedotomy technique. The RSS technique was feasible in most cases with an obtuse and right radiological incudo-stapedial angle. In contrast, the non-reversal method was used in all patients with an acute radiological incudo-stapedial angle. This radiological classification could predict the choice for the stapedotomy technique with an accuracy of 95.18%, a sensitivity of 73.33%, and a specificity of 100%.

Radiological health assessment of infant milk in Erbil Governorate, Iraq.

In this research, the radioactivity caused by natural radionuclides (40 K, 232Th, and 226Ra) was evaluated in infant milk consumed in Erbil, Iraq. The measurements were performed using an HPGe gamma-ray spectrometer. The variation of activity concentrations in milk samples was (99.56-256.9 Bq kg-1) for 40 K, (BDL-0.53 Bq kg-1) for 232Th, and (0.27-5.59 Bq kg-1) for 226Ra, as determined by the results. The radiological parameters of Eing, Dorg, and ELCR were calculated and compared to international standards. The correlation between computed radiological hazard parameters and natural radionuclides was analyzed statistically using Pearson's correlation. Overall, the results indicate that infant milk consumption in Erbil is radiologically safe and that consumers of these brands of milk are unlikely to be directly exposed to radiological health risks.

Babchi Oil-Based Nanoemulsion Hydrogel for the Management of Psoriasis: A Novel Energy Economic Approach Employing Biosurfactants.

The current research aimed to assess the Babchi oil nanoemulsion-based hydrogel prepared using biosurfactants through a low-energy emulsification process for the topical management of psoriasis. The emulsification capacity and solubilities of many nanoemulsion constituents such as surfactants, co-surfactants, and oil were considered to determine the range of concentration of the constituents. Pseudoternary phase diagrams were created using the method of titration. Nanoemulgel structure, morphology, micromeritics, conductivity, and viscosity were all optimized. The assessment of the Babchi oil nanoemulgel included particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), drug content, pH, spreadability, rheological management, ex vivo drug study, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging ability, in vitro drug release, release kinetics, and dermatokinetics. The selected ratios of the surfactant mixture (Smix) taken were 3:1. The entrapment efficiency estimated was 91.298%. The zeta potential of Babchi oil was observed to be -24.93 mV at 25 °C with water as a dispersant, viscosity as 0.887 cP, and material absorption as 0.01 nm. The size distribution of the particle was 108 nm by the intensity and the conductivity observed was 0.03359 mS/cm. The cumulative amount of Babchi oil penetrated and fluxed by nanoemulgel was considered larger (p ≤ 0.05) than the conventional formulations. Skin retention was observed to be good with decreased lag time. The formulation followed the Higuchi Korsmeyer for Fickian Peppas model for in vitro drug release studies. The oil was most effective on the epidermal layer of the skin for treatment. It was established that the Babchi oil nanoemulgel formulation had superior permeability capabilities for topical and transdermal administration and is a viable alternative to traditional formulations.

A Quantitative and Qualitative Assessment of Frozen Section Diagnosis Accuracy and Deferral Rate Across Organ Systems.

OBJECTIVES: Monitoring of frozen section diagnostic performance provides an important quality improvement measure. METHODS: Surgical specimens involving a frozen section diagnosis over a 3-year period were retrospectively reviewed. Glass slides were reviewed on cases with discordance. Discordance and deferral rates were calculated. RESULTS: Of 3,675 frozen section diagnoses included, 96 (2.7%) were discordant with the final diagnosis. Additionally, 114 frozen section diagnoses (3.1%) were deferred. The organ-specific discordance rates were lowest in breast and genitourinary specimens and highest for pancreas, lymph node, and gynecologic specimens. Deferral rates were highest in musculoskeletal, breast, and hepatobiliary cases and lowest in thyroid, parathyroid, and neuropathology cases. Discordance was explained by block-sampling error (45%), specimen-sampling error (27%), or interpretation error (27%). Discordant frozen section diagnoses from gynecologic specimens were responsible for 81% of specimen-sampling errors; frozen section diagnoses of lymph nodes, head and neck, and pancreas were responsible for 54% of interpretation errors; 51% of block-sampling errors involved lymph node evaluation for metastatic carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Careful gross evaluation and microscopic examination of multiple levels should minimize specimen-sampling error and block-sampling error, respectively. Periodic review of accuracy and deferral rates may help reduce errors and improve the overall performance of this essential procedure.

Influence of Using Various Levels of Protein Concentrate in Rations of Ayrshire Dairy Cows on Rumen Microbiome, Reproductive Traits and Economic Efficiency.

Animal feeding research has revealed a close relationship between the chemical composition and nutritional value of cow rations, the number of rumen bacterial communities and animal productivity. Our present research aimed to investigate the outcome of inclusion of different levels of protein concentrate in rations of Ayrshire dairy cows in relation to the rumen microbiome, reproductive traits and economic value. Forty-five Ayrshire cows were divided into three groups (15 in each). The first control group 0 AM was fed the basal ration, while the second 1 AM and third 2 AM groups were fed the basic ration with the sunflower cake replaced by different levels of protein concentrate Agro-Matic (1 and 1.5 kg/head/day, respectively). Ruminal fluid samples, reproductive parameters and economic value were studied. During the early lactation period, 120 days in milk (DIM), the number of pathogenic microorganisms decreased in both the 1 AM and 2 AM groups when compared with the control group 0 AM; moreover, a significant decrease in Peptococcus bacteria was recorded in the 1 AM group, while Fusobacterium decreased in the 2 AM group. At the end of lactation, the total number of cellulolytic bacteria increased with the use of protein concentrate in animals of the 1 AM group when compared with the control group. Regarding undesirable bacteria, the 2 AM group recorded the highest value for Lactobacilli and Actinobacteria when compared with the 0 AM group (0.18 and 8.90 vs. 0.04 and 4.24), and the differences were significant (p < 0.05). The insemination index and the duration of the days open period decreased in the 2 AM group, while the differences were p > 0.05. The profitability of milk production increased by 2.76% and 6.28% in both supplemented groups, and the differences compared to the 0 AM group were significant. We conclude that the supplementation of Agro-Matic caused no deviations from the normal standards of cellulolytic, amylolytic, transit and pathogenic bacteria, no impact on reproductive functions and significantly improved the profitability of the milk production process of Ayrshire dairy cows.

Facile Synthesis and Life Cycle Assessment of Highly Active Magnetic Sorbent Composite Derived from Mixed Plastic and Biomass Waste for Water Remediation.

Plastic and biomass waste pose a serious environmental risk; thus, herein, we mixed biomass waste with plastic bottle waste (PET) to produce char composite materials for producing a magnetic char composite for better separation when used in water treatment applications. This study also calculated the life cycle environmental impacts of the preparation of adsorbent material for 11 different indicator categories. For 1 functional unit (1 kg of pomace leaves as feedstock), abiotic depletion of fossil fuels and global warming potential were quantified as 7.17 MJ and 0.63 kg CO2 equiv for production of magnetic char composite materials. The magnetic char composite material (MPBC) was then used to remove crystal violet dye from its aqueous solution under various operational parameters. The kinetics and isotherm statistical theories showed that the sorption of CV dye onto MPBC was governed by pseudo-second-order, and Langmuir models, respectively. The quantitative assessment of sorption capacity clarifies that the produced MPBC exhibited an admirable ability of 256.41 mg g-1. Meanwhile, the recyclability of 92.4% of MPBC was demonstrated after 5 adsorption/desorption cycles. Findings from this study will inspire more sustainable and cost-effective production of magnetic sorbents, including those derived from combined plastic and biomass waste streams.

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, Gene Expression and Economic Evaluation of Parameters Associated with Mastitis Susceptibility in European Cattle Breeds.

The objective of this study was to explore single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), gene expression and economic evaluation of parameters associated with mastitis susceptibility in Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows. Two hundred and forty Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows (120 cows of each breed) were used in this study. The investigated dairy cows in each breed were allocated into two equal-sized groups (60 cows each); mastitis tolerant and affected groups. PCR-DNA sequencing of SELL, ABCG2, SLC11A1, FEZL, SOD1, CAT, GPX1, and AhpC/TSA revealed nucleotide sequence variations in the form of SNPs associated with mastitis tolerance/susceptibility in investigated Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows. Levels of SELL, SLC11A1 and FEZL gene expression were significantly up-regulated in mastitic Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows than in tolerant ones. Meanwhile, ABCG2, SOD1, CAT, GPX1, and AhpC/TSA genes were significantly downregulated. Regarding the economic parameters, significant differences were recorded for net returns and a reduction in the percentage of net profit, as the higher values of net returns were recorded for tolerant dairy cows than mastitic ones in both breeds; moreover, the net profit was reduced by 39% and 27% in mastitic Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows, respectively, when compared to tolerant ones. The results herein confirmed the potential significance of investigated genes as candidates for mastitis tolerance/susceptibility in Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows. Mastitis also has detrimental impacts on economic efficiency in dairy farms.

Efficient E-Mail Spam Detection Strategy Using Genetic Decision Tree Processing with NLP Features.

In this modern era, each and everything is computerized, and everyone has their own smart gadgets to communicate with others around the globe without any range limitations. Most of the communication pathways belong to smart applications, call options in smartphones, and other multiple ways, but e-mail communication is considered the main professional communication pathway, which allows business people as well as commercial and noncommercial organizations to communicate with one another or globally share some important official documents and reports. This global pathway attracts many attackers and intruders to do a scam with such innovations; in particular, the intruders generate false messages with some attractive contents and post them as e-mails to global users. This kind of unnecessary and not needed advertisement or threatening mails is considered as spam mails, which usually contain advertisements, promotions of a concern or institution, and so on. These mails are also considered or called junk mails, which will be reflected as the same category. In general, e-mails are the usual way of message delivery for business oriented as well as any official needs, but in some cases there is a necessity of transferring some voice instructions or messages to the destination via the same e-mail pathway. These kinds of voice-oriented e-mail accessing are called voice mails. The voice mail is generally composed to deliver the speech aspect instructions or information to the receiver to do some particular tasks or convey some important messages to the receiver. A voice-mail-enabled system allows users to communicate with one another based on speech input which the sender can communicate to the receiver via voice conversations, which is used to deliver voice information to the recipient. These kinds of mails are usually generated using personal computers or laptops and exchanged via general e-mail pathway, or separate paid and nonpaid mail gateways are available to deal with certain mail transactions. The above-mentioned e-mail spam is considered in many past researches and attains some solutions, but in case of voice-based e-mail aspect, there will be no options to manage such kind of security parameters. In this paper, a hybrid data processing mechanism is handled with respect to both text-enabled and voice-enabled e-mails, which is called Genetic Decision Tree Processing with Natural Language Processing (GDTPNLP). This proposed approach provides a way of identifying the e-mail spam in both textual e-mails and speech-enabled e-mails. The proposed approach of GDTPNLP provides higher spam detection rate in terms of text extraction speed, performance, cost efficiency, and accuracy. These all will be explained in detail with graphical output views in the Results and Discussion.

Assessment of angiotensin converting enzyme gene polymorphism in patients with psoriasis.

Psoriatic patients had diversity of clinical presentations and complications. Psoriasis can have significant interference with the patient's quality of life, recovery, and outcome. Some evidences suggest that the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) is present in the skin of psoriatic patients. This study intended to assess the patterns of ACE insertion/deletion (ACE ID) polymorphism and the levels of serum ACE among psoriatic patients in comparison to normal controls. The study included two groups: 20 patients with psoriasis and 20 apparently healthy adults with negative family history of psoriasis as a control group. Psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) was used to measure of severity of psoriasis. In both groups, ACE ID gene polymorphism was assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase reaction and serum ACE levels was evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. ACE ID genotype was significantly higher among the psoriatic group in comparison to the control group (40.0% versus 15.0%, respectively, p=0.016). D allele was significantly higher among the psoriatic group than the control group (25.0% versus 7.5%, respectively, p=0.034). ACE ID genotype carried significantly higher risk in psoriatic group versus control group (OR=3.8). The D allele carried higher risk in psoriatic group versus control group (OR=4.1). ACE serum levels were significantly higher among the psoriatic group compared to the control group (87.4±7.03 versus 2.3±0.7, respectively; p < 0.001). We concluded that ACE ID gene polymorphism may be considered as a risk factor for developing psoriasis.

Estimation and Prediction of Hospitalization and Medical Care Costs Using Regression in Machine Learning.

Medical costs are one of the most common recurring expenses in a person's life. Based on different research studies, BMI, ageing, smoking, and other factors are all related to greater personal medical care costs. The estimates of the expenditures of health care related to obesity are needed to help create cost-effective obesity prevention strategies. Obesity prevention at a young age is a top concern in global health, clinical practice, and public health. To avoid these restrictions, genetic variants are employed as instrumental variables in this research. Using statistics from public huge datasets, the impact of body mass index (BMI) on overall healthcare expenses is predicted. A multiview learning architecture can be used to leverage BMI information in records, including diagnostic texts, diagnostic IDs, and patient traits. A hierarchy perception structure was suggested to choose significant words, health checks, and diagnoses for training phase informative data representations, because various words, diagnoses, and previous health care have varying significance for expense calculation. In this system model, linear regression analysis, naive Bayes classifier, and random forest algorithms were compared using a business analytic method that applied statistical and machine-learning approaches. According to the results of our forecasting method, linear regression has the maximum accuracy of 97.89 percent in forecasting overall healthcare costs. In terms of financial statistics, our methodology provides a predictive method.

Assessment of Lewis-Acidic Surface Sites Using Tetrahydrofuran as a Suitable and Smart Probe Molecule.

Measuring the Lewis-acidic surface sites in catalysis is problematic when the material's surface area is very low (SBET ≤1 m2 ⋅ g-1 ). For the first time, a quantitative assessment of total acidic surface sites of very small surface area catalysts (MoO3 as pure and mixed with 5-30 % CdO (wt/wt), as well as CdO for comparison) was performed using a smart new probe molecule, tetrahydrofuran (THF). The results were nearly identical compared to using another commonly used probe molecule, pyridine. This audition is based on the limited values of the surface area of these samples that likely require a relatively moderate basic molecule as THF with pKb =16.08, rather than strong basic molecules such as NH3 (pKb =4.75) or pyridine (pKb =8.77). We propose mechanisms for the interaction of vapour phase molecules of THF with the Lewis-cationic Mo and Cd atoms of these catalysts. Besides, dehydration of isopropyl alcohol was used as a probe reaction to investigate the catalytic activity of these catalysts to further support our findings in the case of THF in a temperature range of 175-300 °C. A good agreement between the obtained data of sample MoO3 -10 % CdO, which is characterised by the highest surface area value, the population of Lewis-acidic sites and % selectivity of propylene at all the applied reaction temperatures was found.

Integrating life cycle assessment and characterisation techniques: A case study of biodiesel production utilising waste Prunus Armeniaca seeds (PAS) and a novel catalyst.

Prunus Armeniaca seed (PAS) oil was utilised as a waste biomass feedstock for biodiesel production via a novel catalytic system (SrO-La2O3) based on different stoichiometric ratios. The catalysts have been characterised and followed by a parametric analysis to optimise catalyst results. The catalyst with a stoichiometric ratio of Sr: La-8 (Sr-La-C) using parametric analysis showed an optimum yield of methyl esters is 97.28% at 65 °C, reaction time 75 min, catalyst loading 3 wt% and methanol to oil molar ratio of 9. The optimum catalyst was tested using various oil feedstocks such as waste cooking oil, sunflower oil, PAS oil, date seed oil and animal fat. The life cycle assessment was performed to evaluate the environmental impacts of biodiesel production utilising waste PAS, considering 1000 kg of biodiesel produced as 1 functional unit. The recorded results showed the cumulative abiotic depletion of fossil resources over the entire biodiesel production process as 22,920 MJ, global warming potential as 1150 kg CO2 equivalent, acidification potential as 4.89 kg SO2 equivalent and eutrophication potential as 0.2 kg PO43- equivalent for 1 tonne (1000 kg) of biodiesel produced. Furthermore, the energy ratio (measured as output energy divided by input energy) for the entire production process was 1.97. These results demonstrated that biodiesel obtained from the valorisation of waste PAS provides a suitable alternative to fossil fuels.

Green NP-HPTLC and green RP-HPTLC methods for the determination of thymoquinone: A contrast of validation parameters and greenness assessment.

INTRODUCTION: Thymoquinone (TQ) is a naturally derived bioactive compound with several therapeutic effects. OBJECTIVE: The highly sensitive, rapid and green normal-phase (NP)/reversed-phase (RP) high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) densitometry technique was developed for the determination of TQ in various plant extracts of different geographical regions, commercial capsules, creams and essential oils. METHODOLOGY: The NP densitometry estimation of TQ was performed using a cyclohexane-ethyl acetate (90:10, v/v) green solvent system, while, the RP-densitometry estimation of TQ was performed using an ethanol-water (80:20, v/v) green solvent system. The estimation of TQ was conducted at 259 nm. RESULTS: The NP and RP densitometry techniques were observed linear in the range of 25-1000 and 50-600 ng/band, respectively. All validation parameters such as accuracy, precision, robustness and sensitivity of NP/RP densitometry were observed within the limit of regulatory requirements and hence found to be suitable for the determination of TQ. The TQ contents were found to be highest in the Saudi Arabian extract followed by the Syrian extract, Indian extract, commercial capsules, commercial creams, Jordanian extract, Egyptian extract, Palestinian extract and commercial essential oils using NP densitometry. The TQ contents were found in same order using RP densitometry, but they were much lower than those recorded using NP densitometry. The Analytical GREEnness (AGREE) scores of NP and RP densitometry were found to be 0.82 and 0.84, respectively, suggesting an excellent greenness profile. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, NP/RP densitometry was found to be suitable for the pharmaceutical assay of TQ.