A Copper-Based Metal-Organic Framework for Selective Separation of C2 Hydrocarbons from Methane at Ambient Conditions: Experiment and Simulation.

C2 hydrocarbon separation from methane represents a technological challenge for natural gas upgrading. Herein, we report a new metal-organic framework, [Cu2L(DEF)2]·2DEF (UNT-14; H4L = 4,4',4″,4‴-((1E,1'E,1″E,1‴E)-benzene-1,2,4,5-tetrayltetrakis(ethene-2,1-diyl))tetrabenzoic acid; DEF = N,N-diethylformamide; UNT = University of North Texas). The linker design will potentially increase the surface area and adsorption energy owing to π(hydrocarbon)-π(linker)/M interactions, hence increasing C2 hydrocarbon/CH4 separation. Crystallographic data unravel an sql topology for UNT-14, whereby [Cu2(COO)4]···[L]4- paddle-wheel units afford two-dimensional porous sheets. Activated UNT-14a exhibits moderate porosity with an experimental Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 480 m2 g-1 (vs 1868 m2 g-1 from the crystallographic data). UNT-14a exhibits considerable C2 uptake capacity under ambient conditions vs CH4. GCMC simulations reveal higher isosteric heats of adsorption (Qst) and Henry's coefficients (KH) for UNT-14a vs related literature MOFs. Ideal adsorbed solution theory yields favorable adsorption selectivity of UNT-14a for equimolar C2Hn/CH4 gas mixtures, attaining 31.1, 11.9, and 14.8 for equimolar mixtures of C2H6/CH4, C2H4/CH4, and C2H2/CH4, respectively, manifesting efficient C2 hydrocarbon/CH4 separation. The highest C2 uptake and Qst being for ethane are also desirable technologically; it is attributed to the greatest number of "agostic" or other dispersion C-H bond interactions (6) vs 4/2/4 for ethylene/acetylene/methane.

The burden of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Australia: an analysis of Global Burden of Disease study from 1990 to 2019.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent liver disease. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data from 1990 to 2019 reported a rise in prevalence (9-13%) in Australia, which also ranked third highest for NAFLD prevalence compared to 14 similar countries. As a result of underdiagnosis, NAFLD burden is underestimated by GBD.

First case of focal epilepsy associated with SARS-coronavirus-2.

A healthy patient presented to Klinikum Altmühlfranken Weißenburg Hospital, Germany, with two morning attacks of painful muscle spasm in the left upper and lower limbs, without altered consciousness. Full examinations, radiological imaging, electroencephalography, lumbar puncture, and autoimmune profile were either normal or not consistent with patient's complaint. Subsequent epileptic episodes were observed on admission day and the following days; thus, the patient was diagnosed with focal epilepsy. The patient started to develop a fever and severe cough on day 4, and SARS-coronavirus-2 was confirmed through a nasopharyngeal swap. She received anticonvulsants and symptomatic treatments and completely recovered. This report emphasizes the potential nervous system involvement in severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 pathogenesis.

Compliance with standard precautions among baccalaureate nursing students in a Saudi university: A self-report study.

Meticulous observance of standard infection control precautions by health care providers is strongly recommended for every patient encounter. Assessment of nursing students' compliance should be carried out regularly in order to ensure adherence to protocols. Thus, this study was conducted to assess self-reported compliance with standard precautions among baccalaureates in nursing students in a Saudi university. A convenience sample of 236 nursing students was surveyed in this cross-sectional, self-reported study, using the Compliance with Standard Precaution Scale Arabic version (CSPS-A). Independent t-test and one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) were performed to examine the differences on compliance. A multiple regression analysis was performed to identify the factors affecting compliance. The overall compliance rate was 61.0%. The students reported highest compliance in disposing used sharp instruments and other sharp objects into sharps-only boxes, while the lowest compliance rate in using water only for hand washing. Significant differences in compliance were observed when respondents were grouped according to their demographic characteristics. Cultivating a supportive culture of adherence to infection control precautions among nursing students is of paramount importance. The clinical environment should be supportive of a culture where strict compliance with the control and prevention of infection is of prime importance.