Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca- Università del Piemonte Orientale
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Comparison of different activation methods for activated carbon produced using various methods from Phyllostachys edulis (bamboo moso) biomass
Get PDFPlant biomass is becoming an increasingly viable alternative for producing activated carbons, compared to fossil sources. The most commonly used biomass sources include agricultural waste, vegetable biomass from the food industry, and biomass waste from the processing of woody materials. Among the biomass that has received attention is bamboo. This grass it is capable of storing large quantities of CO2 during its growth phase, and appears to be a renewable resource with a fast-growing rate that can be utilized as a starting biomass for the production of activated carbon. There are multiple methodologies in the literature for preparing activated carbons from biomass, but each of these methodologies leads to the formation of materials with distinct properties. For this reason, three different pre-activation (two chemical and one physical method) and activation methods (using different KOH ratios and activation temperature) of preparing active carbons were applied and compared with each other. The materials obtained were compared using scanning electron microscopy to assess morphology, infrared spectroscopy to evaluate the surface functional groups, thermogravimetric analysis, and Raman spectroscopy to determine the water contenent and degree of graphitisation of the materials. Finally, through physisorption of nitrogen at 77 K it was possible to determine the surface area and porous volume. The materials produced demonstrated that bamboo can serve as a biomass for the preparation of activated carbons, and that different methodologies lead to the production of materials with different functionalities and chemical-physical properties
Rhizobia and non-rhizobial nodule bacteria with ACC deaminase increase both nodulation and stress resistance
Get PDFStrains of Rhizobia that possess the enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase facilitate the nodulation of cognate legume hosts. Some rhizobial strains that contain ACC deaminase also help plants to overcome some types of environmental stress including heat, salt, drought and the presence of heavy metals. In addition, non-rhizobial strains of bacteria isolated from legume nodules that contain ACC deaminase increase the extent of rhizobia nodulation and the resistance of the legume to environmental stresses. Here, the literature addressing the role of ACC deaminase in increasing legume nodulation and protecting plants against a range of environmental stresses is summarized and discussed
Super-higher-form symmetries
No full textWe generalize the study of higher-form-symmetries to theories with supersymmetry. Using a supergeometry formulation, we find that ordinary higher-form-symmetries nicely combine with supersymmetry to give rise to a much larger spectrum of topological conserved (super)currents. These can be classified as a supersymmetric version of Chern-Weil symmetries, and a brand new set of geometric-Chern-Weil symmetries whose generators are constructed using invariant differential forms in supermanifolds. For N=1 super-Maxwell theory in various dimensions, we build the topological operators generating these super-higher-form symmetries and construct defects carrying non-trivial charges. Notably, the charge is proportional to the super-linking number between the super-hypersurface supporting the symmetry generator and the one supporting the defect
Taste Fragmentalism
Get PDFThis paper explores taste fragmentalism, a novel approach to matters of taste and faultless disagreement. The view is inspired by Kit Fine’s fragmentalism about time, according to which the temporal dimension can be constituted—in an absolute manner—by states that are pairwise incompatible, provided that they do not obtain together. In the present paper, we will apply this metaphysical framework to taste states. In our proposal, two incompatible taste states (such as the state of rhubarb’s being tasty and the state of rhubarb’s being distasteful) can both constitute reality in an absolute manner, although no agent can have joint access to both states. We will then develop a formalised version of our view by means of an exact truthmaker semantics for taste assertions. Within this framework—we argue—our linguistic and inferential practices concerning cases of faultless disagreement are elegantly vindi- cated, thus suggesting that taste fragmentalism is worth of further consideration
Early versus Delayed Switching from Controlled to Assisted Ventilation: A Target Trial Emulation
No full textRationale: In critically ill patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation, switching from controlled to assisted ventilation is a crucial milestone toward ventilator liberation. The optimal timing for switching to assisted ventilation has not been studied. Objectives: Our objective was to determine whether a strategy of early compared with delayed switching affects the duration of invasive mechanical ventilation, ICU length of stay, and mortality. Methods: We conducted a target trial emulation using the prospective, global WEAN SAFE (the WorldwidE AssessmeNt of Separation of pAtients From ventilatory assistancE) dataset. Patients were eligible for switching if they were still on controlled mechanical ventilation, were not receiving neuromuscular blockers, and had PaO2:FIO2 ratios .150 mm Hg. We compared an “early switching” strategy (switch within 1 day after reaching switching eligibility criteria) with a “delayed switching” strategy (switch 1 or more days after reaching the switching eligibility criteria). The primary outcome was the 28-day cumulative incidence of successful extubation. Secondary outcomes included 28-day and 90-day ICU discharge and ICU mortality. Measurements and Main Results: A total of 1,489 patients met the switching eligibility criteria. The early-switch group had, on average, 4 additional days of being successfully extubated over the 28-day period (95% confidence interval [CI], 3–6 days; P, 0.001) compared with the delayed group, with a higher difference in cumulative incidence of successful extubation at Day 28 (7% [95% CI, 0–13%]; P = 0.04). Early switching was associated with an 11% higher cumulative incidence of ICU discharge at Day 28 (95% CI, 7–18%; P, 0.001) and an average of 7 additional days discharged from the ICU over the 90-day period (95% CI, 4–12 days; P, 0.001) compared with delayed switching. ICU mortality rates did not differ between the strategies. Conclusions: Early switching from controlled to assisted ventilation is associated with shorter duration of invasive mechanical ventilation and ICU stay compared with delayed switching
Major Elective Surgery Impact on Performance Status in Older Adults: A Prospective Observational Study
No full textBackground and Aims: This study evaluated the impact of major elective surgery on performance status, defined as functional and cognitive status, in older adults 3 months postoperatively. Secondary endpoints included assessing the need for domiciliary care, rehospitalization, or institutionalization, and evaluating associations with anesthesia type. Methods: In this observational prospective cohort study, 169 patients aged ≥ 70 underwent major elective surgery between May 2020 and June 2023; 150 had complete information at 3-months (T3). Decline in performance status, either functional or cognitive, was defined as a ≥ 10-point worsening in the Barthel Index (BI) or death, or a ≥ 3-point decline in Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), all measured 3 months after surgery. Results: Mean (SD) age was 77 (5) years, with a mean (SD) Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) of 7 (2). Most surgeries (133, 79%) were performed for oncologic indications. Baseline median [IQR] BI was 100 [100-100], and MMSE was 27 [25–28]. At T3, 44 (29%) patients showed a ≥ 10-point BI decline (p < 0.001) and 7 died, while 14% exhibited a ≥ 3-point MMSE decrease. Domiciliary care was required in 14 (9%) patients, while 26 (17%) were institutionalized. Fifty-five (37%) patients reported health sequelae within 3 months post-surgery. Multivariable regression analysis associated higher CCI and post-discharge health issues with BI decline or death, but not with MMSE. Domiciliary care needs or rehospitalization was linked to elevated CCI and laparotomic approach. Conclusion: Major elective surgery may compromise functional status in nearly one-third of older patients, especially those with high comorbidity and post-discharge sequelae. Cognitive decline was less prevalent, and the need for domiciliary or institutional care was relatively low. Trial Registration: URL: https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/prs/beta/studies/S000CLIN00000033/recordSummary; Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT05594277
Blank(et) Spaces: Weaving a Transfeminist Geography of Precarity in Academia
No full textThe paper presents a collective autoethnography of fourteen transfeminist scholars from diverse geographical backgrounds, exploring the experience of precarity within the Italian academic landscape. We have developed a supportive network, a virtual space where we could share our struggles in the competitive and isolating neoliberal academic system, away from its toxicity that often leaves us exhausted and burdened. Responding to the call from the transfeminist journal Lüvo for contributions on feminist and decolonial geographies, we engaged in a reflexive process that led us to imagine ourselves as islands within an archipelago, ultimately transforming into a patchwork blanket that is a metaphor for our solidarity and interconnectedness. We examine themes of loneliness, anxiety, and hypermobility, revealing how these experiences intersect with gender dynamics and academic hierarchies. Our work is about care and community, as we wove together our stories to challenge the neoliberal structures of academia. Through this collective work, we aim to illuminate the complexities of our experiences and foster alliances. We hope that others will join us in our struggle