NiS/Cd0.6Zn0.4S Schottky Junction Bifunctional Photocatalyst for Sunlight-Driven Highly Selective Catalytic Oxidation of Vanillyl Alcohol Towards Vanillin Coupled with Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Selective oxidation of biomass-based molecules to high-value chemicals in conjunction with hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is an innovative photocatalysis strategy. The key challenge is to design bifunctional photocatalysts with suitable band structures, which can achieve highly efficient generation of high-value chemicals and hydrogen. Herein, NiS/Cd_0.6Zn_0.4S Schottky junction bifunctional catalysts are constructed for sunlight-driven catalytic vanillyl alcohol (VAL) selective oxidation towards vanillin (VN) coupling HER. At optimal conditions, the 8% NiS/Cd_0.6Zn_0.4S photocatalyst achieves high activity of VN production (3.75 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹) and HER (3.84 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹). It also exhibits remarkable VAL conversion (66.9%), VN yield (52.1%), and selectivity (77.8%). The photocatalytic oxidation of VAL proceeds a carbon-centered radical mechanism via the cleavage of α_C–H bond. Experimental results and theoretical calculations show that NiS with metallic properties enhances the electron transfer capability. Importantly, a Ni-S-Cd “electron bridge” formed at the interface of NiS/Cd_0.6Zn_0.4S further improves the separation/transfer of electrone/h⁺ pairs and also furnishes HER active sites due to its smaller the |ΔG_H*| value, thereby resulting in a remarkably HER activity. This work sheds new light on the selective catalytic oxidation VAL to VN coupling HER, with a new pathway towards achieving its efficient HER efficiency.     

Hep-Pred: Hepatitis C Staging Prediction Using Fine Gaussian SVM

Hepatitis C is a contagious blood-borne infection, and it is mostly asymptomatic during the initial stages. Therefore, it is difficult to diagnose and treat patients in the early stages of infection. The disease’s progression to its last stages makes diagnosis and treatment more difficult. In this study, an AI system based on machine learning algorithms is presented to help healthcare professionals with an early diagnosis of hepatitis C. The dataset used for our Hep-Pred model is based on a literature study, and includes the records of 1385 patients infected with the hepatitis C virus. Patients in this dataset received treatment dosages for the hepatitis C virus for about 18 months. A former study divided the disease into four main stages. These stages have proven helpful for doctors to analyze the liver’s condition. The traditional way to check the staging is the biopsy, which is a painful and time-consuming process. This article aims to provide an effective and efficient approach to predict hepatitis C staging. For this purpose, the proposed technique uses a fine Gaussian SVM learning algorithm, providing 97.9% accurate results.     

Characterization of Fe2O3/CeO2 oxygen carriers for chemical looping hydrogen generation

Fe₂O₃ is currently the most proper active metal oxide for chemical looping hydrogen generation (CLHG). However, supports are necessary to improve the reactivity and redox stability. CeO₂ can enhance the oxygen mobility, leading to high redox reactivity and carbon deposition resistance, which can be an excellent alternative support for oxygen carriers. In this paper, Fe₂O₃/CeO₂ oxygen carriers prepared by the co-precipitation method with different Fe₂O₃ loadings were investigated on a batch fluidized bed regarding the hydrogen yield and purity, redox reactivity and stability in CLHG with CO as fuel. The results showed that Fe6Ce4 is the best given comprehensive performance with no CO or CO₂ observed in the obtained hydrogen (detection limit 0.01% in volume). The oxygen mobility property for the reducible support CeO₂ and the physical contact between un-integrated Fe₂O₃ and CeO₂ could improve the reduction of Fe₂O₃. In addition, the formation of the hematite-like solid solution and perovskite-type CeFeO₃ could bring about abundant oxygen vacancies and promote the oxygen mobility, which contributes to the elimination of carbon deposition, counteracts the negative effect of serious sintering and guarantees the reactivity and redox stability of the Fe₂O₃/CeO₂ oxygen carriers. The Fe₂O₃/CeO₂ oxygen carriers were characterized by carbon monoxide temperature-programmed reduction measurement and X-ray diffraction patterns, and Fe6Ce4 was also selected to be characterized by scanning electron microscopy images and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer analysis.     

Hydrogen rich syngas production from biomass gasification using synthesized Fe/CaO active catalysts

Biomass gasification for hydrogen rich syngas production was investigated using the Fe/CaO catalysts in a fluidized bed reactor. The synthesized catalysts were prepared by an impregnation method with different Fe/CaO mass ratios (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%) for enhancing H₂ concentration and syngas yields and then characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption and desorption isotherms test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and CO₂ absorption capacity test. The results showed that the Fe load had significant influences on the composition, textural properties and CO₂ adsorption capacity. Results of gasification experiments verified that the presence of Fe enhanced the concentration and yield of H₂. The highest syngas yield of 38.21 mol/kg biomass, H₂ yield of 26.40 mol/kg biomass, LHV values of 8.69 MJ/kg and gasification efficiency of 49.15% were obtained at an optimized mass ratio of Fe/CaO = 5%. In addition, the characterization results indicated that Ca₂Fe₂O₅ phase was formed. The Ca₂Fe₂O₅ had less CO₂ absorption capacity and effect on the gasification, but was considered to be a catalyst for tar cracking thus preventing the CaO deactivation.     

Predicting prognosis in lung cancer: use of proliferation marker, Ki67 monoclonal antibody

An investigation was carried out to assess the prognostic significance of proliferation marker Ki67 in a group of lung cancer patients treated by surgery (limited disease). Tissue was not available for Ki67 immunostaining in inoperable group. The diagnosis is established by bronchial biopsy which does not carry enough tissue for frozen section and counting. This study is supplemented by estimating the prognostic significance of histological sub-types in the operable group and in a group of inoperable patients with extensive disease. These are usually treated by radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. In all, 267 patients were studied including 105 treated by surgery. These patients attended King's College and Brompton Hospital, UK, between 1986 and 1989. With regard to proliferation marker Ki67 done for the surgical group, only patients with Ki67 scores of less than 5% did survive significantly longer than the rest. Histology did not make any significant contribution in determining prognosis in both operable and inoperable groups. Although follow-up is limited (mean 20 months), Ki67 antibody seems promising in identifying low and high grade disease in the initial stage of lung cancer. It may prove useful for category of patients with high scores to be placed on chemotherapy/radiotherapy. Results suggest that in the case of lung tumour, proliferative activity is a better prognostic indicator than histological type.     

Flexible Carbon Dots-Intercalated MXene Film Electrode with Outstanding Volumetric Performance for Supercapacitors

2D MXenes have emerged as promising supercapacitor electrode materials due to their metallic conductivity, pseudo-capacitive mechanism, and high density. However, layer-restacking is a bottleneck that restrains their ionic kinetics and active site exposure. Herein, a carbon dots-intercalated strategy is proposed to fabricate flexible MXene film electrodes with both large ion-accessible active surfaces and high density through gelation of calcium alginate (CA) within the MXene nanosheets followed by carbonization. The formation of CA hydrogel within the MXene nanosheets accompanied by evaporative drying endow the MXene/CA film with high density. In the carbonization process, the CA-derived carbon dots can intercalate into the MXene nanosheets, increasing the interlayer spacing and promoting the electrolytic diffusion inside the MXene film. Consequently, the carbon dots-intercalated MXene films exhibit high volumetric capacitance (1244.6 F cm⁻³ at 1 A g⁻¹), superior rate capability (662.5 F cm⁻³ at 1000 A g⁻¹), and excellent cycling stability (93.5% capacitance retention after 30 000 cycles) in 3 m H₂SO₄. Additionally, an all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitor based on the carbon dots-intercalated MXene film achieves a high volumetric energy density of 27.2 Wh L⁻¹. This study provides a simple yet efficient strategy to construct high-volumetric performance MXene film electrodes for advanced supercapacitors.     

Artificial intelligence (AI) for medical imaging to combat coronavirus disease (COVID-19): a detailed review with direction for future research

Artificial Intelligence Review - Since early 2020, the whole world has been facing the deadly and highly contagious disease named coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the World Health Organization...     

Nanoscale elastic modulus of single horizontal ZnO nanorod using nanoindentation experiment

We measure the elastic modulus of a single horizontal ZnO nanorod [NR] grown by a low-temperature hydrothermal chemical process on silicon substrates by performing room-temperature, direct load-controlled nanoindentation measurements. The configuration of the experiment for the single ZnO NR was achieved using a focused ion beam/scanning electron microscope dual-beam instrument. The single ZnO NR was positioned horizontally over a hole on a silicon wafer using a nanomanipulator, and both ends were bonded with platinum, defining a three-point bending configuration. The elastic modulus of the ZnO NR, extracted from the unloading curve using the well-known Oliver-Pharr method, resulted in a value of approximately 800 GPa. Also, we discuss the NR creep mechanism observed under indentation. The mechanical behavior reported in this paper will be a useful reference for the design and applications of future nanodevices.     

River Flood Susceptibility and Basin Maturity Analyzed Using a Coupled Approach of Geo-morphometric Parameters and SWAT Model

Water Resources Management - The morphometric attributes of a drainage basin reveal the hydrological and morphological dynamics of the area. Current work emphasizes the hydro-geomorphic...     

Effects of supports on hydrogen production and carbon deposition of Fe-based oxygen carriers in chemical looping hydrogen generation

Chemical looping hydrogen generation (CLHG) can produce high purity hydrogen from fuel gases with inherent separation of CO₂. However, the performance of oxygen carrier in CLHG varies with the support materials. In this paper, the reactivity, carbon deposition, redox stability, hydrogen yield and purity, and sintering behavior of the Fe-based oxygen carriers were analyzed to investigate the effects of supports, i.e. Al₂O₃, SiO₂, MgAl₂O₄, ZrO₂ and YSZ (yttrium-stabilized zirconia). The results showed that the properties of the oxygen carriers, e.g. carbon deposition, reactivity and stability, mainly depended on the support and its interaction with iron oxides. The reactivity and hydrogen yield for the oxygen carriers investigated followed the order: Fe₂O₃/MgAl₂O₄ > Fe₂O₃/ZrO₂ > Fe₂O₃/YSZ > Fe₂O₃/Al₂O₃ > Fe₂O₃/SiO₂, and the order of hydrogen purity was identical with that of hydrogen yield as a result of carbon deposition. Furthermore, the hydrogen purity of the Fe-based oxygen carriers supported by MgAl₂O₄, ZrO₂, or YSZ could reach above 99.5% and Fe₂O₃/YSZ showed the lowest carbon deposition. The oxygen carriers, Fe₂O₃/MgAl₂O₄ and Fe₂O₃/SiO₂, were selected to be characterized by SEM images and XRD patterns before and after the redox cycles.