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Activity-based travel demand models emerged mainly to fix the conceptual, statistical, and operational deficiencies of conventional trip-based models. This is done by microstimulating the activity scheduling behaviour of individuals/households instead of modelling the number of trips between the zones of an urban area. In the “Next Generation” of activity-based models (ABMs), researchers are making an effort to improve their capacity to replicate the travel-activity patterns of urban populations more realistically. Expanding the modelling time frame from a single day to an entire week is one of the essential aspects of the “Next Generation” of ABMs. Although there is still a long way to go before a comprehensive and operational week-long ABM can be developed, the literature on its different aspects, the theoretical and conceptual frameworks, and the efforts to collect multi-day travel-activity diaries are now at a stage that is worth a comprehensive and systematic review. Therefore, the current study is devoted to exploring the existing literature on multi-day activity-based modelling, categorising its elements in a systematic manner, searching for the research gaps in the existing models and proposing a comprehensive framework to fill those gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn this study, the progress of surface crack and high cycle fatigue of the surface piercing propellers (SPPs) are investigated numerically using the finite element method. The cyclic load is calculated from the hydrodynamic pressure on the blade by simulating the fluid around the blade using the computational fluid dynamics software STAR-CCM+. The initial cracks are assumed to be created near the blade root. The fatigue life is calculated from the Paris-Erdogan equation. The results show that the crack close to the root has a shorter life and the stresses at the crack front depend on the blade-water interaction duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: COVID-19 presented a significant challenge for patients with hypertension in terms of access to care. However, telemedicine offered the healthcare system opportunities that had previously been underutilized. Therefore, this study aims to systematically review the applications and outcomes of telemedicine for hypertension management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A structured search was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines across multiple databases, including PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Scopus. The search was limited to studies published from December 2019 until May 2023, resulting in a total of 3727 studies. After quality appraisal using the CASP checklists version 2018, 29 articles were included in the final review. Data analysis was performed using thematic analysis. Results: Most of the studies reviewed had used the proprietary platforms (N = 14) and 11 studies had used public platforms such as social messengers or email. Also 9 studies relied on phone calls (N = 9) to record and transmit the clinical data. Some studies had applied two different approaches (proprietary/public platforms and phone). six articles (20.7%) focused only on hypertension control, while 23 articles (79.3%) examined hypertension as a comorbidity with other diseases. Also, the study identified 88 unique concepts, 15 initial themes, and six final themes for outcomes of using telemedicine for hypertension management during the COVID-19 pandemic. These themes include BP control, BP measurement and recording, medication management, mental health, care continuity and use and acceptance. Conclusion: Telemedicine provides patients with hypertension with the opportunity to engage in medical consultations in a more convenient and comfortable manner, with the same validity as in-person visits. Telemedicine facilitates the creation of a connected network to support patients with high BP at any time and in any location. Limitations and issues may arise due to patients and healthcare staff's unfamiliarity with telemedicine. These issues can be resolved through the ongoing use and continuous feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Project risk management which has been rarely considered, especially in software projects, is a crucial process to complete projects successfully. This paper aims to propose a novel project risk management framework both to evaluate the project risks and to predict the success or failure of software projects based on their risk. This new framework uses Machine Learning (ML) and Multi-Attribute Decision-Making under a cloud model to effectively manage uncertainty. Based on the proposed framework, in the first stage, the important risks of the software projects are identified by an organized approach. Then, the risks are evaluated based on their probability and impacts on time, cost, and quality. In the second stage, the obtained results of the previous stage are entered into a new COPRAS method under the cloud model to rank the risks. Then, the risks are classified into various groups according to their rank. It helps project managers to gain a profound awareness of their high-priority project risks. In this paper, data on risks for fifty software projects has been collected. All the steps of the second stage are implemented on these projects in order to assess their risks. As a result, a data set whose features are nine types of software project risks and the label of success or failure of the projects is created. To recognize the pattern between risks' values and the success or failure of the projects, various efficient ML algorithms such as Naive Bayes, Logistic regression, Decision Tree, Bagging, Random Forest, and AdaBoost are applied. This framework can predict the success or failure of software projects based on their risks with good accuracy. The results depict that the Naive Bayes algorithm has the best results compared to others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In water distribution networks (WDN) equipped with pump as turbines (PATs), in addition to water pressure problems, energy production by PATs is also necessary in abnormal conditions. Reliability indices are the most important parameters in determining the efficiency of systems when components fail. In this research, while proving the correlation weakness of a number of previous indices with the energy, a new energy reliability index is introduced, and it's integrated with previous reliability indices. Since checking the performance of networks from different aspects leads to increasing accuracy and reducing design and operation costs, in the following, the correlation of each of the integrated indices with the performance indices (PI) of adequacy, equity, energy, adequacy- equity, adequacy-energy, equity-energy, and total are calculated for two WDNs. Finally, the most critical network pipes for repair and maintenance (for each of the performance indices) are determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) in the early universe remains a topic of profound interest and debate. In this paper, we investigate the formation and growth of the first SMBHs within the framework of Modified Gravity (MOG), where gravity exhibits increased strength. We explore how MOG, as an alternative to the standard model, may offer novel insights into the emergence of SMBHs and potentially reconcile the discrepancies observed in the accretion and growth processes. We examine the dynamics of gas and matter in this modified gravitational framework, shedding light on the unique interplay between gravity and the formation of SMBHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous studies on the association between the human development index (HDI) and road traffic death rate (RTDR) merely focus on developed countries, not reflecting the relationship between the HDI components and RTDR in a timetrend analysis. Accordingly, this study analyzes the trends of RTDR and their association with the HDI and its components from 2000 to 2019. Methods: The RTDR data of 154 countries were imported into the unconditional latent growth model (LGM) to assess the RTDR trends. The impact of the HDI and its components (viz., education, income, and life expectancy [LE viz]) on the trajectory of RTDR was also evaluated using the conditional LGM. Results: The results of the unconditional LGM indicated an overall decreasing trend in RTDR. The conditional LGM results revealed the negative effect of the HDI and its components on the model parameters. The findings of random forests indicated that education and LE were the most crucial variables. Conclusion: Overall, this study emphasizes the significance of HDI and its components, particularly education and LE, in lowering the number of traffic fatalities. In this sense, improving formal education and LE could be one of the main policies that policymakers could consider to reduce RTDR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In present study, the effect of different levels of oregano essential oil (0, 250 and 500 ppm) and gellan gum (0, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75%) on the physicochemical, microbial and sensory properties of doogh during 60 days of storage in refrigerator conditions. The results showed that gellan gum and oregano essential oil had no significant effect (p<0.05) on the chemical properties of doogh including acidity, pH, fat and dry matter. Adding gellan gum to doogh increased the viscosity and stability of Doogh. Oregano essential oil significantly increased (p<0.05) DPPH radical inhibition and reduced oxidation. The minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration of oregano essential oil on Escherichia coli are 1.6 and 3.12 mg/ml, respectively, and for Staphylococcus aureus, 0.4 and 0.80 mg/ml, respectively. was reported. In terms of sensory characteristics, the use of oregano essential oil and gellan gum did not have a significant effect (p<0.05) on the color of doogh, but the essential oil improved the flavor of doogh, gellan gum improved the mouth feeling. The doogh containing 0.5% gellan gum and 250 ppm of oregano essential oil had more acceptability and stability in terms of sensory properties and was free of contamination, which was recognized as the best treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, the Mn–Ni–Co doped APSO-34 nanostructured materials were studied in the C3H8-assisted reduction of NOx. The MeAPSO-34 samples were prepared via ultrasound-assisted hydrothermal design upon the isomorphous substitution of transition metal ions into the crystalline lattice. Several characterization techniques such as XRD, FESEM, EDX dot-mapping, BET-BJH, FTIR and TPD-NH3 were used for study the properties of the catalysts. The XRD patterns indicated that the rate of nucleation and crystal growth were different for incorporating the various dopant ions in the CHA framework. The entrance of Mn and Co into the silicoaluminophosphate framework led to the formation of small particles with uniform distribution. Based on the acidity results, the MnCoAPSO-34 molecular sieve favored the increase in the density and strength of acid sites. Furthermore, it was found that the strength and density of acid sites may have a clear effect on catalytic NOx reduction. Therefore, the MnCoAPSO-34 zeolite showed the maximum conversion of NOx to N2 (76%) at reaction temperature of 450°C. Moreover, the mechanism of MeAPSO-34 synthesis and also a set of reaction stages for propane-assisted NOx reduction based on the obtained data were presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel mesopores nanosheet Z-scheme NCQDs-BNiO/Bi 7 O 9 I 3 (NCQDs: nitrogen doped carbon quantum dots & BNiO: black nickel oxide) heterojunction nanophotocatalyst has been synthesized by the facile sono-solvothermal method in order to remove antibiotic/fluoroquinolones and solid/liquid phase photocatalytic reduction of CO 2 under the irradiation of simulated solar light. Several analyzes, have been performed to investigate the physical, chemical and optical properties of the synthesized photocatalysts. Raman analysis of NCQDs-BNiO/Bi 7 O 9 I 3 sample shows the increase of structural defects which is the result of the presence of NCQDs in the structure of this sample. The characteristics of the pore volume, surface area and pore diameter of the optimal photocatalyst have been estimated at about 0.209 cm3/g, 44.6 m2/g and 18.8 nm, respectively. The UV–vis DRS analysis indicated the increase in optical absorption range and two absorption edges (373.7 and 526.4 nm). Pharmaceutical pollutants like tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH), ofloxacin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin were removed by the photocatalytic degradation process in the order of 81.6%, 73.6%, 73.4% and 71.5%, respectively by NCQDs-BNiO/Bi 7 O 9 I 3 photocatalyst which it can be asserted because of efficacious happening of surface reactions, facilitation of mass transfer and surface adsorption, which shows the key effect of the created structural model and the usage of ultrasound waves. At the end the photoreduction activity of the quintessential photocatalyst was evaluated which could produce 43.437 µmol/g catalyst methanol after 8 h. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burns are global public health devastating and life-threatening injuries. Telehealth can be an appropriate answer for the effective utilization of health care resources, prevention referrals and reduce socio-economic burden of burns injuries. Thus, this study aimed to systematically evaluate the applications, opportunities, and challenges of using telehealth in burn injuries management. A structured search was conducted according to PRISMA statement guidelines in the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Science Direct as well as the Google Scholar for studies published until June 28, 2022. Of the total 2301 yielded studies, 36 articles were included in the final review. Quality appraisal was done according to the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) version 2018. Thematic analysis was applied for data analysis. Patient triage, transfer, and referral (38.9%) follow-up (22%), care (22%), consultation (9%), education (3%), and rehabilitation (3%) were the most prevalent application of telehealth, respectively. Our findings identified 72 unique concepts, eight initial themes, and two clinical and administrative final themes for opportunities of using telehealth in burn injury management. Furthermore, we identified 27 unique concepts, three initial themes, and two clinical and administrative final themes for remaining challenges. Despite providing pivotal opportunities such as improving burn injury diagnosis and quality of care, increasing patient and provider satisfaction, and cost containment using telehealth in burn injuries management, the concept faces challenges such as the impossibility of the physical examination of patients and technological difficulties. Our findings provide valuable information for policymakers and decision-makers infield of burn injuries and effective planning for using telehealth technology. • Burn injuries are global public health devastating and life-threatening injuries. • Telehealth can led to utilizing healthcare resources, preventing referrals, and reducing socio-economic burden of burns. • Patient triage, transfer, referral follow were the most common application of telehealth. • Improving burn injuries diagnosis and patients and provider satisfaction arecommon opportunities of telehealth in burns. • Impossibility of physical examination and technological difficulties are the main obstacles to using telehealth in burns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Poor pain control in burn patients as a great public health problem disrupts the healing and rehabilitation process and results in several adverse outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of intravenous lidocaine in reducing the pain of burn injuries. Materials and Methods: From August 2014 to March 2015, 66 eligible burn patients participated in the study and were randomly divided into two groups of lidocaine (L) and placebo (P). In group L, lidocaine 2% was injected at a bolus dose of 1.5 mg/kg followed by infusion at the dosage of 1.5 mg/kg/h, and in group P, saline was administrated. Pain severity was measured during 24 hours at baseline and 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 hours after intervention based on Numerical Rating Scale (NRS-11). Morphine consumption, Ramsay score, and side effects were also documented. Results: Finally the data from 60 patients were analyzed. Comparing baseline with 24 hours after intervention, NRS-11 scores decreased from 7.12±1.42 to 3.33±0.76 (P < 0.001) in group P and from 6.45±1.02 to 2.50±0.72 (P < 0.001) in group L. Moreover, the mean of NRS scores during 24 hours in the lidocaine group was significantly lower compared to the placebo group, 3.93±0.72 vs 4.73 ±1.14, (P = 0.03). The mean amounts of morphine consumption in group L were significantly lower compared to group P, 14.41 ± 4.86 vs 21.07±6.86, (P = 0.001). The mean of Ramsay score in group L was significantly lower compared to group P, 1.38±0.59 vs 1.45±0.6, (P = 0.014). Conclusions: This study revealed that intravenous lidocaine was an effective and safe drug for pain reduction in burn patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, simultaneous effect of Si source and CTAB application as surfactant was investigated in SAPO-34 preparation used for MTO process. Prepared samples were evaluated by FESEM, XRD, FTIR, BET and EDX analysis. TEOS application as Si source results in small crystallites of SAPO-34 due to its better solubility and smaller size. Consequently, in this case, CTAB cations could perform their hydrophobic capping effect more efficiently, because it is easier to create a hydrophobic cap around small crystallites compared to large ones. In case of fumed silica application, it seems that CTAB molecules cannot function as hydrophobic cap due to the larger crystallite size. The mentioned explanation was supported by the presented FESEM analysis. SAPO-34 with fumed silica as Si source has large crystallites which is leading to longer intracrystalline diffusion length enough for the reaction species and finally turning out to be coke deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread use of organic dyes in industrial applications consistently endangers the eco-system health. The photocatalytic degradation of organic wastewater has been recognized as a highly promising strategy for combating this environmental issue. Herein, A series of bimetallic Co2+Cr3+LDH anchored AgCl as excellent solar-light-responsive Ag-decorated staggered nano-heterojunctions were constructed using a facile sono-precipitation method and their performance toward degradation of various azo dyes were investigated. Ag-AgCl-CoCrLDH(3:1)-PU exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity by degrading acid orange 7, eosin Y, rhodamine B, methylene blue, and methyl orange with respective efficiencies of 100.0 %, 98.4 %, 94.0 %, 88.7 %, and 86.2 %. The photocatalyst characteristics were determined using XRD, FESEM, TEM, EDX, BET-BJH, FTIR, and UV–vis DRS techniques. The DRS analysis of Ag-AgCl-CoCrLDH(3:1)-PU photocatalyst (E g = 2.37 eV) revealed that the introducing of LDH in the heterostructure, along with the SPR effect of Ag particles, increased the visible light absorption capacity. Furthermore, the staggered band gap accelerated charge carrier transformation, resulting in a lower recombination rate. Based on the BET-BJH results, integration of LDH combined with ultrasound irradiation increased the S BET and pore volume (V p) to 19.5 m2/g and 0.052 cm3/g, respectively (compared to bare Ag-AgCl-PU with S BET and V p of 3.4 m2/g and 0.004 cm3/g, and non-sonicated Ag-AgCl-CoCrLDH(3:1)-P with S BET and V p of 16.8 m2/g and 0.016 cm3/g). The FESEM and TEM images clearly displayed the significant influence of sonication on well dispersion and de-agglomeration of nanoparticles. Subsequently, the reusability of nanophotocatalyst was examined, and a possible degradation mechanism was suggested. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implementation of hierarchical SAPO-34 zeotype, which was synthesized via a hard-template technique using secondary hard template, as a photocatalyst support for ZnO photocatalyst has been investigated. The ZnO/SAPO-34 (AC-U)-U photocatalyst was applied for photodegradation of dye molecules under simulated-solar-light irradiation. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning-electron-microscope (FESEM), Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BET-BJH), Differential reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), Temperature-programmed reduction of hydrogen (H 2 -TPR) and Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) analyses have been applied to investigate the physiochemical properties of the catalysts. The BET-BJH results indicated that applying hard-template (active carbon) coupled with sonication leads to a raise in mean pore diameter of sample from 0.5 to 16.6 nm (about 32 folds higher). H 2 -TPR analysis confirms that the ZnO is dispersed uniformly by utilizing sonication. Furthermore, morphological analyses showed that the sonicated sample have more channel-like defect on the surface. PL analysis demonstrates the lower recombination rate of electrons-holes for the composite structure. The hierarchical architecture compared to the conventional pore structure has significantly increased adsorption capacity of dye from 10.8% to 50.3% by modifying the texture and pore structure. Sonicated photocatalyst showed the highest methylene blue degradation efficiency (95.7%). Hence, the ZnO/SAPO-34 (AC-U)-U nanocomposite photocatalyst depicts as a promising reusable photocatalyst for the photodegradation of dye-polluted water. In present study, the ZnO/SAPO-34 nanocomposite was synthesized via co-precipitation method. XRD, FESEM, BET-BJH, DRS and PL analyses were carried out to investigate the various characteristics of as-prepared nanophotocatalysts. The pore-engineered SAPO-34 compared to the conventional pore-structure has significantly increased adsorption capacity of dye from 10.8% to 50.3% by modifying the texture and pore-structure. Among synthesized nanocomposites, ZnO/SAPO-34 (AC-U)-U, as solar-light-responsive nanophotocatalyst, displayed excellent photocatalytic performance over the photodegradation of methylene blue (for 30 mg/L: 95.7%) in the reaction time of 150 min. The improved photodegradation arises from the channel-like defects on the surface, higher dispersion of ZnO, enhanced texture and pore size. Hence, the ZnO/SAPO-34 (AC-U)-U nanocomposite photocatalyst depicts as a promising reusable photocatalyst for the photodegradation of dye-polluted water. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SAPO-34 zeotype with suitable physicochemical properties, was used to produce biodiesel as a clean fuel. The micropore nature of this catalyst limits the reaction because elainic acid molecules are too large to penetrate and access the internal pores of zeotype. The physicochemical properties of the synthesized catalysts were evaluated and compared using BET, XRD, TPD, EDX, FESEM, and HRTEM analyses. The simultaneous use of a carbon template and a heteroatom for doping in the synthesis of the catalyst (MCeAPSO-34) has a synergistic effect on increasing the pore diameter up to 4.1 nm. As expected, the MCeAPSO-34 zeotype gained 17, 12, and 27% more conversion rates than the CeAPSO-34 (doping effect), MSAPO-34 (carbon-template effect), and conventional SAPO-34 zeotypes in the production of biodiesel from elainic acid, respectively. Accommodation of CeO2 on the nanostructured MCeAPSO-34 zeotype by the solvothermal method increased the zeotype acidic sites from 73% to 89%. The use of ultrasound energy for distribution of the active phase increased the catalyst acidity and the conversion of 95% was obtained for the Ce/MCeAPSO-34 (U) catalyst. This catalyst has also converted 93% of the synthetic waste oil into biodiesel as a clean fuel. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the hexagonal structure of C 3 N 4 and the tetragonal phase of SnO 2 were combined via ultrasound-assisted solvothermal synthesis method for production of heterostructured nanoparticle-on-nanolayer tin(II) oxide-bulk carbon nitride. The bare SnO 2 and BGCN semiconductors and SnO 2 -BGCN heterojunctions were synthesized by different weight ratios of SnO 2 to BGCN and were examined for degradation of organic dyes under simulated sunlight irradiation. The results showed that the optimum SnO 2 -BGCN (3:1) photocatalyst was obtained with proper physicochemical properties and as well as photocatalytic activity. This sample with high accessible active sites through the pores degraded 98% of MO after 90 min. [Display omitted] • Fabrication of staggered heterostructured tin oxide nanoparticles on C 3 N 4 nanolayer. • Successfully design via ultrasonic-promoted solvothermal hybrid route. • Potential effect of ultrasound in the enhancement of photocatalyst properties. • Higher spectrum response and the effective separation of charge carriers. • Effectual efficiency of SnO 2 -Bulk g-C 3 N 4 (3:1) sample for degradation of dyes effluents. The present work introduced ultrasonic-promoted growth of staggered heterostructured nanoparticle-on-nanolayer tin(II) oxide-bulk carbon nanophotocatalysts. A series of SnO 2 -bulk g-C 3 N 4 nanophotocatalysts with various ratios of SnO 2 to bulk g-C 3 N 4 (BGCN) were prepared by an ultrasound-promoted solvothermal synthesis approach. The synthesized samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), Brunner, Emmett and Teller-Barrett-Joyner and Halenda (BET-BJH), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and differential reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) techniques. Due to the investigation of photocatalytic performance, the decomposition of methyl orange (MO) and acid orange 7 (AO7) was examined as model pollutants under simulated sunlight irradiation. Characterization results showed that tin oxide content in the nanocomposite framework had a significant effect on the structural properties of SnO 2 -BGCN photocatalysts. It was found that the most promoting result of SnO 2 was obtained over the SnO 2 -BGCN (3:1) sample prepared by 75 wt% SnO 2 and 25 wt% bulk g-C 3 N 4. The highest photoactivity was also ascribed to the SnO 2 -BGCN (3:1) sample (98% deletion of MO and 88% deletion of AO7), which led to the better separation efficiency of electrons and holes. Furthermore, the suggested reaction mechanism for dye degradation was discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High coke-resistant Ca-promoted NiCo–NiAl 2 O 4 nanocatalysts with different calcium loading (0, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.5 wt%) were synthesized via hybrid sol-gel-plasma method. Synthesized samples were applied in the CH 4 /CO 2 /O 2 reforming to H 2 reactions. Analyses revealed that the calcium addition caused the lower surface area, non-uniform distribution and larger particle size. Therefore, higher activity and yield were found for the nanocatalyst without calcium while catalytic activity and yield were descended for the other ones. This trend was according to the covering effect of calcium and undesirable effect of calcium over the surface area and particle size distribution. But owing to the enhanced coke gasification rate of Ca-rich samples, by increasing of Ca amount, coke deposition was descended and stable performance was promoted. Due to the time on stream performance (TOS) during the 48 h and at 750 °C, 1.5 wt% Ca-promoted NiCo–NiAl 2 O 4 (NCCa1.5A (SGP)) was stable, but demonstrated the lower yield. Moreover, 0.25 wt% Ca-promoted NiCo–NiAl 2 O 4 nanocatalyst (NCCa0.25A (SGP)) was illustrated the higher yield in comparison with NCCa1.5A (SGP). It must be noted that just 2.7% deactivation for H 2 yield was detected for NCCa0.25A (SGP) during the 48 h TOS performance. H 2 yield of the NCCa0.25A (SGP) at 850 °C was 84%. Based on the reverse trends of the yield and TOS performance, NCCa0.25A (SGP) was able to present as a promising nanocatalyst for CH 4 /CO 2 /O 2 reforming to H 2. Moreover, this offer was ascribed to the excellent coke resistance and superior catalytic performance of NCCa0.25A (SGP). • Synthesis of Ca-promoted NiCo/NiAl 2 O 4 nanocatalysts via hybrid sol-gel plasma method. • Uniform morphology and homogeneous particles size distribution for 0.25 wt% Ca-promoted one. • Stable yield and H 2 /CO ≈ 1 for 0.25 wt% Ca-promoted catalyst during 48 h stability test at 750 °C. • Low amount of coke deposition for 0.25 wt% Ca-promoted nanocatalyst after 48 h TOS. • 0.25 wt% Ca-promoted nanocatalyst preserved it structure after 48 h TOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research a series of metal oxides (SrO, La 2 O 3 , CaO, MgO, and Li 2 O) were loaded over Mg-spinels via a hybrid combustion-impregnation method. Nanocatalysts were characterized by XRD, FESEM, TEM, EDX, BET-BJH, and FTIR analyses. The XRD results showed the formation of pure crystalline phases in all of the nanocatalysts. Among all the nanocatalysts, the FESEM images and BET-BJH data displayed large pore diameters and high specific surface area for Li 2 O/MgAl 2 O 4. Also, the overview of 3D surface analysis demonstrated the rough surface for this nanocatalyst, in which the RMS parameter was evaluated to be 16.5 nm. The as-prepared nanocatalysts were successfully employed in green biodiesel production from sunflower oil (MeOH/Oil = 12 molar, catalyst loading = 5 wt%, temperature = 110 °C and time = 3 h). The superior activity of about 98% was obtained with Li 2 O/MgAl 2 O 4. The other remarkable outcome of this research was the reusability of Li 2 O/MgAl 2 O 4 through 6 reaction cycles with fresh feed in the same operational conditions. [Display omitted] • Successful synthesis of MgAl 2 O 4 spinel by solution combustion method. • Successful biodiesel production by SrO, La 2 O 3 , CaO, MgO and Li 2 O active phases. • Improved catalytic performance by applying Li 2 O as nanocatalyst active phase. • Confirmation of high reusability of Li 2 O/MgAl 2 O 4 in biodiesel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To successfully finalize projects and attain their determined purposes, it is indispensable to control all success criteria of a project. The time–cost trade-off (TCT) is known as a prevalent and efficient approach applied when the planned finish date of a project is not admitted by stakeholders, and consequently, the project duration must be decreased. This paper proposes a new mathematical model under fuzzy uncertainty to deal with the project cost–risk–quality trade-off problem (CRQT) under time constraints. Because of the unique nature of projects and their uncertain circumstances, applying crisp values for some project parameters does not seem appropriate. Hence, this paper employs fuzzy sets to resolve these weaknesses. In this study, two approaches are presented to handle proposed fuzzy multi-objective mathematical model. First, fuzzy credibility theory and then goal attainment method are used. Secondly, the model is solved by a fuzzy method based on expected interval and value and augmented ɛ-constraint method. A project from the literature review is adopted and solved by the presented methodology. The results demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the two proposed approaches for the introduced practical problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, Mg–Sn hydroxide (MgSn(OH) 6) nano semiconductor was synthesized using three different routes to investigate the texture/structure of MgSn(OH) 6 on the photocatalytic properties of MgSn(OH) 6 in RhB degradation. The nano semiconductors were characterized using XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, EDX, BET-BJH, DRS, PL, and the pHpzc. Morphological analyses for sono-hydrothermal sample showed 3D cubic microstructure. However, 3D cauliflower-like morphology was observed in the other samples. XRD analysis demonstrated the higher crystallinity of the sono-hydrothermal sample. BET-BJH analysis showed that the specific surface area and pore volume of this sample were 138.7 m2/g and 0.111 cm3/g, respectively. DRS analysis showed band-gap energy of about 4.1eV for all samples. Photocatalytic degradation experiments were conducted under UV-C light irradiation. The results demonstrated the advantage of the sono-hydrothermal sample owing to the cubic morphology, higher crystallinity and S BET , and lower recombination rate of the charge carriers. The photocatalytic degradation performance of the sample was evaluated in degradation of RhB, AO7, MO, and MB, which were 96, 93, 60, and 40%, respectively. The reusability study of sono-hydrothermal and hydrothermal samples was conducted in which the sono-hydrothermal sample showed higher efficiency and stability in four successive runs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Conducting a comprehensive interpretation of acidic and porous metal oxide-based catalysts employed in biodiesel production. • Exploring the critical physicochemical properties of catalysts to enhance biodiesel production efficiency. • Evaluating the impact of process parameters on catalyst performance in biodiesel production. • Identifying and introducing novel, high-potential catalysts for improved biodiesel production. • Offering strategic insights for selecting robust acidic metal oxide-based catalysts to optimize biodiesel production processes. This review paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the catalytic mechanisms involved in the esterification reaction essential for biodiesel production. The study begins by outlining the systematic approach employed to investigate the critical characteristics of catalysts that enhance efficiency in the esterification process. A detailed comparison of various categories of acidic porous catalysts reveals that metal oxide-based catalysts consistently outperform their counterparts. In particular, four primary groups of acidic, porous metal oxide catalysts are inspected to elucidate how specific catalyst properties influence performance outcomes. The synthesis method of these catalysts is identified as a crucial element of their catalytic activity. Furthermore, the review delves into key process parameters, including catalyst loading, alcohol-to-oil molar ratio, temperature, time, and feedstocks demonstrating their significant impact on overall catalyst performance. The findings culminate in the identification of novel and promising catalyst options, accompanied by strategic recommendations for selecting robust acidic metal oxide-based catalysts tailored for biodiesel production. This work not only advances the understanding of catalytic efficiency in biodiesel synthesis but also provides valuable insights for future research and industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Biodiesel production using highly recoverable clay-based plasma-treated Co 3 O 4 /Kaolin. • Identifying the potential effects of calcination temperature on the kaolin crystal phases. • High conversion rate toward impure waste cooking oil as a feedstock. • Plasma-treated samples demonstrate no reduction in conversion after 5 catalytic cycles. The research aimed to produce biodiesel using an effective approach involving clay-based plasma-treated Co 3 O 4 /Kaolin catalysts. Oleic acid and low-grade waste-oil were used as feedstock for biodiesel production. The synthesis involved different calcination temperatures (300, 400, and 500 °C) to optimize the crystallinity and phase structure of clay-based samples, enhancing catalytic activity. Plasma-treatment (1000 or 1500 V) was employed to disperse Co 3 O 4 on kaolin's surface, improving interaction and pore size distribution. Multiple characterization techniques including TEM, FESEM, XRD, EDX dot-mapping, BET-BJH, TPD-NH 3 and FTIR analyses were utilized to evaluate the prepared samples. FTIR and XRD confirmed successful preparation of Co/Kaolin composites, while EDX and XRD demonstrated well-distributed Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles. The influence of calcination temperature on kaolin's composition was highlighted, transforming kaolinite to metakaolinite at temperatures above 400 °C. Plasma-treated samples showed improved morphology, surface area, pore size distribution, and surface structure. TPD-NH 3 demonstrated that plasma-treatment had a beneficial impact on the acidic sites in the treated sample compared to the untreated one. Catalysts' performance was assessed in biodiesel production through an esterification reaction. Plasma-treated catalysts exhibited comparable conversion rates (98.7 % treated vs. 88.9 % untreated) under specific reaction conditions. Treated catalysts demonstrated enhanced reusability over multiple cycles, while the untreated catalyst's conversion reduced by 12.5 % after reuse. Notably, the Co/Kaolin(400)-P(1000) catalyst performed effectively even in the presence of low-grade waste-oil with NaCl, without perceptible deactivation. The study concluded that plasma-treatment improved catalyst attributes for biodiesel production, enhancing quality, economic viability, and catalyst stability and offers a potential way for optimizing catalysts in biodiesel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the Zn-spinel samples were synthesized via microwave combustion method using different fuel types and heating approach and characterized by various analyses. The characterization results revealed that the mesoporous and spongy-like morphology of Zn-spinel nanophotocatalyst with high surface area and proper crystalline structure was successfully gained through microwave-combustion synthesis method using glycine. The photocatalytic degradation of AO7, MO and MG over ZnAl 2 O 4 (MW-Gly) nanophotocatalyst were about 70.2, 64.4 and 61.4%, respectively. This enhanced photocatalytic performance is absolutely resulted from the improved photocatalysis stages of light absorption, mass transfer, pollutant molecule adsorption, effective separation of charge carriers and surface redox reactions. [Display omitted] • Successful design of Zn-spinel nanophotocatalyst by microwave combustion method. • Potential influence of fuel type on nanophotocatalyst physicochemical properties. • High photo stability of single component sunlight-responsive semiconductor. • Efficient degradation of high-concentration dyes under simulated sunlight exposure. • Superior catalytic activity of microwave assisted synthesized nanophotocatalyst. The present research was aimed to evaluate the contribution of fuel type and heating approach as the most significant parameters in the solution combustion synthesis method to provide the appropriate structure of the nanophotocatalyst with substantial properties and consequently, higher photo-degradation efficiency of dye pollutant under solar simulated light exposure. To this target, the Zn-spinel nanophotocatalysts were synthesized via one-step microwave combustion method (MW) using three fuels including ethylene glycol (EG), acetic acid (AA) and glycine (Gly) and two heating approach (microwave and muffle furnace (MF)). The prepared nanophotocatalysts were characterized through XRD, FESEM, TEM, EDX, BET-BJH, TG, H 2 -TPR, DRS, PL and pHpzc analyses. The photo-degradation efficiency of high-concentration orange II as a widely used textile dye in water was determined over the synthesized Zn-spinel photocatalysts under simulated sunlight irradiation. The characterization results revealed that the mesoporous and spongy-like morphology of Zn-spinel nanophotocatalyst (ZnAl 2 O 4 (Gly-MW)) with proper crystalline structure was successfully gained through microwave-combustion synthesis method using glycine. In neutral media (pH = 6), ZnAl 2 O 4 (Gly-MW) sample with the catalyst loading of 0.75 g/L during 160 min of simulated sunlight exposure showed the outstanding degradation efficiency (70.2%) of orange II (140 mg/L) which is about 17.6% higher than the sample prepared using the same fuel but with conventional heating method. The high chemical, mechanical and optical stability of ZnAl 2 O 4 (Gly-MW) after six cycles was achieved. Furthermore in this investigation, the effect of the dye solution pH on the degradation performance was studied and the degradation mechanism of orange II over ZnAl 2 O 4 (Gly-MW) nanophotocatalyst was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For men, early ejaculation is a serious health concern. Here, we tested the influence of modafinil (Profinil®) on early ejaculation. To this end, we performed a double-blind randomized clinical trial among men with early ejaculation. A total of 46 men with early ejaculation (mean age: 37.35 years) and in stable marital relationships with regular weekly penile-vaginal intercourse were randomly assigned either to the modafinil (100 mg) or to the placebo condition. Compounds were taken about 4–6h before intended penile-vaginal intercourse. At baseline and four weeks later at the end of the study, participants completed a series of self-rating questionnaires covering early ejaculation. Female partners also rated their male partners' early ejaculation profile. Dimensions of early ejaculation improved over time, but only so in the modafinil condition, while no improvements were observed in the placebo condition. Among male adults in stable marital relationships with regular weekly penile-vaginal intercourse modafinil improved dimensions of early ejaculation, always compared to placebo. Given the strong effect of modafinil on cognitive-executive processes, it is conceivable, that modafinil acted both via physiological and cognitive-executive pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the large size of free fatty acid molecules, they cannot diffuse into Al–Si–P Zeotype pores in the biofuel production process. Therefore, in the current work, to rectify this problem, in the synthesis of Al–Si–P zeotype by hydrothermal method, various weight percentages of the carbon casting and ultrasound waves for the uniform of the materials were used. Moreover, to enhancement the acidic strength and catalyst performance, Ceric oxide was accommodated on the Al–Si–P zeotype structure by sono-solvothermal synthesis. TPD-NH 3 , FESEM, HRTEM, BET-BJH, and EDX analyses were utilized for characterizing the samples developed in the present work. BET analysis has revealed that the optimized percentage of charcoal active is 4 wt %. By adding the sonication technique at the stage accommodating Ceric oxide on Al–Si–P zeotype, the conversion percentage increased from 77 to 94%. Test of the capability of modified Al–Si–P Zeotype with sonication and carbon casting to produce biofuel from waste oil delivered a conversion of 91.5%. Kinetic studies have shown that reaction of oil to biofuel is of the first degree, and the modified Al–Si–P Zeotype with sonication and carbon casting has the highest rate constant (0.0014 min−1) among all of the synthesized samples. [Display omitted] • Influence of charcoal templated design of Al–Si–P zeotype nanostructures. •Determining the optimal percentage of the carbon casting. •Resolving the diffusion problem of large FFA molecules into zeotype pores. •Effective solvothermal dispersion of cerium on zeotype. •Potential applications of the improved zeotype in produce biofuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a first attempt, the vibrational behaviors of point supported truncated conical sandwich shells with circumferential stiffeners, graphene platelets reinforced composite porous core and face sheets (GPLRC-PC-FS) are investigated. The point supports are simulated using the conventional elastic translational and rotational springs, which can be easily converted to the classical boundary conditions. The face sheets, porous core and the circumferential stiffeners are co-axially and perfectly bonded, and each of these components are reinforced by uniformly distributed and randomly oriented graphene platelets (GPLs). The motion equations are derived using a zigzag shell theory based on the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) in conjunction with the Chebyshev-Ritz method. The results are validated by carrying out the convergence study and performing the comparison studies with existing solutions in the literature. After that, the influences of porosity and its structures, the GPLs weight fraction and geometric dimensions, face sheets, geometric parameters of the shell, boundary conditions, and the stiffener parameters on the results are investigated. The results show that the number of point supports plays an important role on the fundamental frequency of the considered shells. Moreover, it is found that the porosity and its distribution pattern and circumferential stiffeners have considerable effects on the natural frequencies. Also, the results reveal that by adding a very small amount of GPLs, the frequencies increase significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work aimed to produce biodiesel from waste cooking oil (WCO) using a novel catalyst from acid-modified kaolin with ZrO 2 and CaO. The catalyst was created by acid-treatment of kaolin and then impregnating kaolin with ZrO 2 as an acid-active-component and CaO as a base-enhancer. Ultrasound was applied to disperse promoters on kaolin(T) and improve specific-surface-area and pore-volume. XRD, FESEM, FTIR, 3D-surface, EDX-dot mapping, TEM, BET-BJH, TPD-NH 3 , and TPD-CO 2 analyses were used for characterization. A one-pot experiment has been performed to generate biodiesel from WCO by esterification and transesterification under the reaction-conditions of 10 wt% catalyst-loading, 110 °C, 3 h, and m.r = 20. The selected-nanocatalyst, Zr-Ca/Kaolin(T)-U(300), was found to have a high-activity for producing biodiesel from WCO with total-conversion, FFA-conversion, and TG-conversion rates of 93.4%, 99.0%, and 73.4%, respectively. This outstanding performance is attributed to the high acid and base strength of the catalyst (total-acid-density = 0.453 mmol NH 3 /g and total-base-density = 0.324 mmol CO 2 /g), its well-dispersed enhancer, and its high specific-surface-area (22.49 m2/g) and pore-volume (0.09 cm3/g). The selected-nanocatalyst also demonstrated great stability against five-successive-cycles (activity-reduction = 2.1%) and NaCl as an impurity of WCO (activity-reduction = 1.6%). Overall, this work presents a promising-approach for producing biodiesel from WCO using a highly efficient and stable bi-functional nanocatalyst. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces novel double Z-scheme Ag 2 CrO 4 /Bi 2 O 3 –KBi 6 O 9 Br nanophotocatalysts for effectively degrading organic dyes, namely Crystal Violet, Acid Orange 7, Rhodamine B, and Eosin Y, from contaminated wastewater. The photocatalysts were thoroughly characterized using advanced techniques, including X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX-Dot Mapping), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH), Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS), and Photoluminescence (PL). XRD confirmed the formation of desired crystalline phases without impurities. FESEM and TEM observations revealed the unique morphology of Bi 2 O 3 –KBi 6 O 9 Br, with distributed Ag 2 CrO 4 nanoparticles on the surface, as confirmed by EDX-dot mapping. BET-BJH analyses indicated a specific surface area of 7.33 m2/g, including meso and macro pores with an average diameter of 10 nm and a total pore volume of 0.018 cm3/g for Ag 2 CrO 4 (25%)/Bi 2 O 3 –KBi 6 O 9 Br sample. DRS revealed notable shifts in absorption edges, suggesting the formation of a heterojunction, and PL analysis indicated a reduced charge carrier recombination rate, further enhancing the photocatalyst's efficacy. In a series of photocatalytic experiments lasting 240 min, using 1 g/L of Ag 2 CrO 4 (25%)/Bi 2 O 3 –KBi 6 O 9 Br, remarkable degradation efficiencies of 95.1%, 94.2%, 98.0%, and 89.6% were achieved for Crystal Violet, Acid Orange 7, Rhodamine B, and Eosin Y, respectively, at an initial concentration of 10 mg/L. The nanophotocatalyst also showed favourable stability after five consecutive reuses. Overall, the double Z-scheme heterostructure in the composite significantly improved the sample's properties and photocatalytic performance, making it highly effective in removing various organic dyes from wastewater. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of pumps in reverse function is one of the economically beneficial methods for off-grid power generation in micro-hydropower capacities. The traditional method of hydraulic loss calculation in turbomachinery based on pressure drop calculations is unable to determine the exact location of losses. In this paper, the irreversible energy losses within the PAT has been studied for the first time using entropy generation theory and the second law of thermodynamics point of view. In order to conduct numerical simulation, the 3-dimensional incompressible steady-state flow within the PAT is simulated by solving the Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. The shear stress transport (SST) turbulence model is considered for turbulence modeling. The quantity of direct (viscous) and turbulent entropy generation rate is calculated in different PAT components in 9 different flow rates in the range of 0.7Q BEP to 1.3Q BEP. The numerical results show that the turbulent term is the main factor of entropy production within the PAT (86.89%–90.98%), and thus, turbulent entropy generation is the dominant mechanism for hydraulic losses. More than 50% of the energy dissipation occurs within the PAT runner. Most of the losses within the runner take place at the blade leading edge, blade trailing edge and flow separation regions of the blade suction and pressure sides. The volumetric entropy generation rate analysis demonstrates that the draft tube has the most potential to generate irreversible losses among all the components (47.37%). Flow field analysis reveals that the blade inlet shock, flow deviation at the blade outlet, flow separation, backflow and vortices in flow passages are categorized as the main reasons for entropy production and irreversible hydraulic losses within the PAT components. The advantages of the entropy generation method including the determination of the exact location and quantity of energy dissipation within the PAT are indicated in this investigation. • The irreversible energy losses within the PAT has been studied. • Most of the losses within the runner take place at the blade leading edge and blade trailing edge. • Draft tube has the most potential to generate irreversible losses among all the components (47.37%). • Blade inlet shock, flow deviation, flow separation are categorized as the main reasons for entropy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We characterize the relaxation state of galaxy systems by providing an assessment of the reliability of the photometric and spectroscopic probe via the semianalytic galaxy evolution model. We quantify the correlations between the dynamical age of simuglated galaxy groups and popular proxies of halo relaxation in observation, which are mainly either spectroscopic or photometric. We find the photometric indicators demonstrate a stronger correlation with the dynamical relaxation of galaxy groups compared to the spectroscopic probes. We take advantage of the Anderson Darling statistic (A2) and the velocity segregation () as our spectroscopic indicators, and use the luminosity gap (Δm12) and the luminosity decentering (Doffset) as photometric ones. First, we find that a combination of Δm12 and Doffset evaluated by a bivariant relation () shows a good correlation with the dynamical age compared to all other indicators. Second, by using the observational X-ray surface brightness map, we show that the bivariant relation brings about some acceptable correlations with X-ray proxies. These correlations are as well as the correlations between A2 and X-ray proxies, offering a reliable yet fast and economical method of quantifying the relaxation of galaxy systems. This study demonstrates that using photometric data to determine the relaxation status of a group will lead to some promising results that are comparable with the more expensive spectroscopic counterpart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different crystallization times were studied during hydrothermally synthesis of ZSM-5 framework at moderate temperature to investigate the physicochemical properties and MTO catalytic behavior. The ZSM-5 samples were synthesized at moderate temperature (250 °C) and different crystallization times (24, 18, 12, 6, and 3 h). The synthesized samples were analyzed by XRD, FESEM, EDX, BET-BJH, FTIR, and TPD-NH3 experimental approaches. The results revealed that the purity of crystalline phase, nucleation rate, crystallinity, morphology, porosity, and acidic properties of catalysts depended on the condition of moderate temperature synthesis with strong dependence on crystallization time. This was indicative of the ZSM-5 zeolite prepared at short crystallization time (3 h) facilitated facile design of coffin-shaped ZSM-5 particles which were capable of producing improved properties could provide some useful indication for MTO reaction. So, the MTO catalytic process was carried out using the specific MTO reaction condition of T = 460 °C, CH3OH: H2O = 1:1 (vol:vol) and the feed gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) = 10500 cm3/gcat.h). The ZSM-5(250-3) catalyst showed an enhanced selectivity toward desired olefins, whereas it presented 65% selectivity to propylene and 9% selectivity to ethylene after 35 h on stream. The possible reaction pathway for facile design synthesis of ZSM-5 catalyst via moderate temperature was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Road traffic fatalities (RTF) is the 8th cause of mortality around the world. At the end of the Decade of Action, it would be of utmost importance to revisit our knowledge on the determinants of RTF. The aim of this study is to assess factors related to RTF at global level.Methods: We used road safety development index which accounts for the interactions between system, human and products to assess the RTF in 115 and 113 countries in 2013 and 2016, respectively. To analyze data, three statistical procedures (linear regression, classification and regression trees, and multivariate adaptive regression splines) were employed.Results: Classification and regression trees has the best performance amongst all others followed by multivariate adaptive regression splines for 2013 and 2016 data set with an R2 around 0.83. Results show that any increase in human development index was associated with RTF reduction. Comparing RTF data of 2013 and 2016, 8 countries experienced a change of more than 30%, which demonstrated a significant relationship with GINI index (named after Corrado Gini). Considering the three components of human development index, it is revealed that education explained most of RTF variation in classification and regression trees model followed by income and life expectancy.Conclusion: Policymakers should consider road collisions as a socio-economic issue. In this regard, they can make provisions to reduce RTF in the long run by focusing on enhancing the three components of human development index, mainly education. However, there is a need to investigate the causation pathway among these three components with RTF with different time-trend procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urea-nitrate combustion and homogeneous precipitation methods have been comparatively examined for the preparation of CuO/CeO2/ZrO2/Al2O3 catalysts. Their physicochemical properties, as well as their hydrogen production ability via the steam reforming of methanol, have been studied. Prepared catalysts were characterized using XRD, FESEM, EDX, BET, and FTIR analyses. Characterization analyses and catalytic performance studies showed that the preparation method plays an important role in the synthesis of catalysts. XRD analysis showed that the homogeneous precipitation method can prepare catalyst with smaller copper crystallites and better surface dispersion compared with the combustion synthesis method. EDX results illustrated homogenous dispersion of elements. BET and FESEM showed the surface area improvement and lower size distribution, respectively, during synthesis of catalysts by the homogeneous precipitation method. Catalytic performance study also proved that catalyst prepared by the homogeneous precipitation method had better methanol conversion at all temperatures, whereas the sample fabricated by the urea-nitrate combustion synthesis method produces less CO. The stability test showed that the catalyst synthesized by the combustion synthesis method was quite stable for the steam reforming of methanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, MgO/MgFe 2 O 4 heterogeneous magnetic nanocatalyst was used in biodiesel production and to study its structural and morphological characteristics, various methods have been used in MgO addition on the support. Impregnation, Precipitation, Precipitation – Hydrothermal, Precipitation – Ultrasonic and Combustion methods were utilized to add the MgO on the MgFe 2 O 4 to find the suitable surface structure and catalytic activity. Combustion synthesis was used as a facile and low cost preparation route for fabrication of all nanocatalysts' support because of suitable porosity for the biodiesel production reaction. For this purpose, the samples were analysed by XRD, FESEM, EDX, BET-BJH, and FTIR and then used in the transesterification reaction. Results indicate the sheet like morphology in precipitation and precipitation-hydrothermal methods and lower particle size in combustion synthesized nanocatalyst. Suitable surface structure and proper pore size and volume caused the combustion prepared sample to score the highest yield of 92.9% in biodiesel production from sunflower oil. This sample showed proper stability and reusability potential while the structure remained intact after five times being used in the reaction. Due to the magnetic characteristic of the support the catalyst separation was easy and this caused negligible catalyst loss. Image 1 • Combustion fabrication of MgFe 2 O 4 support by solution method. • Applying of different methods in dispersion of MgO on MgFe 2 O 4 support. • Potential application of combustion dispersion of MgO on support. • Potential application of the nanocatalysts in biodiesel production from vegetable oil. • Facile nanocatalysts separation due to their magnetic property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In present work, the catalytic properties of MCM-41 were boosted by introducing Zr into its structure with various amounts of Si/Zr molar ratios. Then it was loaded by calcium through conventional impregnation and sono-dispersion. Synthesized nanocatalysts were analysed using EDX, XRD, FTIR, FESEM and BET-BJH techniques. The results of XRD technique revealed the fabrication of MCM-41 and CaO. The FESEM images proved that the surface particle sizes of the synthesized catalysts were in the range of nanoscale and EDX results represented that Ca was more effectively scattered over the support in sonicated samples compared to non-sonicated one. Also, both FESEM and BET-BJH analysis represented a decrease in MCM-41 specific surface area with Si/Zr molar ratio reduction. The catalytic performances of bifunctional samples were evaluated for transesterification and esterification reactions. The constant operational conditions were as follows: 70 °C, MeOH/Oil = 9 and 5 wt% catalyst. Generally, the obtained results demonstrated a remarkable improvement in biodiesel conversion due to an increase of Zr amounts in catalysts and also the sample which was exposed to ultrasound represented better reusability in comparison with the non-sonicated sample. Among the prepared samples, the sonicated Ca/ZM-U (Si/Zr = 10) sample was the best catalyst for biodiesel production with high reusability. In present work the catalytic properties of MCM-41 was improved by addition of Zr into its structure with various amounts of Si/Zr molar ratios. Then it was loaded by calcium with two methods: conventional impregnation and sono-dispersion. The catalytic performance of bifunctional nanocatalysts was evaluated for transesterification and esterification coinciding reactions under constant conditions. Generally by increasing Zr amount in catalysts, biodiesel conversion increased. Using ultrasound assisted impregnation synthesis method helped us to achieve the better catalyst stability with longer life time. Among the catalysts, Ca/ZM-U (Si/Zr = 10) showed higher biodiesel conversion and also better reusability in reaction environment and can be a suitable candidate for industrial biodiesel production. Image 101272 • Successfully doping of Zr into MCM-41 structure. • Efficient sono-enhanced dispersion of CaO over Zr-Doped MCM-41. • Superior effect of Si/Zr molar ratio on physicochemical properties of nanocatalysts. • Applying the synthesized nanocatalysts in conversion of waste cooking oil to biodiesel. • Enhanced reusability performance of sonochemically synthesized nanocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In present work, the catalytic properties of MCM-41 were boosted by introducing Zr into its structure with various amounts of Si/Zr molar ratios. Then it was loaded by calcium through conventional impregnation and sono-dispersion. Synthesized nanocatalysts were analysed using EDX, XRD, FTIR, FESEM and BET-BJH techniques. The results of XRD technique revealed the fabrication of MCM-41 and CaO. The FESEM images proved that the surface particle sizes of the synthesized catalysts were in the range of nanoscale and EDX results represented that Ca was more effectively scattered over the support in sonicated samples compared to non-sonicated one. Also, both FESEM and BET-BJH analysis represented a decrease in MCM-41 specific surface area with Si/Zr molar ratio reduction. The catalytic performances of bifunctional samples were evaluated for transesterification and esterification reactions. The constant operational conditions were as follows: 70 °C, MeOH/Oil = 9 and 5 wt% catalyst. Generally, the obtained results demonstrated a remarkable improvement in biodiesel conversion due to an increase of Zr amounts in catalysts and also the sample which was exposed to ultrasound represented better reusability in comparison with the non-sonicated sample. Among the prepared samples, the sonicated Ca/ZM-U (Si/Zr = 10) sample was the best catalyst for biodiesel production with high reusability. In present work the catalytic properties of MCM-41 was improved by addition of Zr into its structure with various amounts of Si/Zr molar ratios. Then it was loaded by calcium with two methods: conventional impregnation and sono-dispersion. The catalytic performance of bifunctional nanocatalysts was evaluated for transesterification and esterification coinciding reactions under constant conditions. Generally by increasing Zr amount in catalysts, biodiesel conversion increased. Using ultrasound assisted impregnation synthesis method helped us to achieve the better catalyst stability with longer life time. Among the catalysts, Ca/ZM-U (Si/Zr = 10) showed higher biodiesel conversion and also better reusability in reaction environment and can be a suitable candidate for industrial biodiesel production. Image 101272 • Successfully doping of Zr into MCM-41 structure. • Efficient sono-enhanced dispersion of CaO over Zr-Doped MCM-41. • Superior effect of Si/Zr molar ratio on physicochemical properties of nanocatalysts. • Applying the synthesized nanocatalysts in conversion of waste cooking oil to biodiesel. • Enhanced reusability performance of sonochemically synthesized nanocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, MgO/Ca 2 Mn 3 O 8 nanocatalyst was used for the first time in the transesterification process for the production of green fuel from sunflower oil. Besides, the synthesis of layered nanostructured Ca 2 Mn 3 O 8 was done for first applied by combustion route as well. The effects of two heating sources including muffle furnace and microwave irradiation, and also various fuels including urea, glycine, and ethylene glycol were investigated on the characteristics of calcium-manganese oxide (Ca 2 Mn 3 O 8) as the support of the nanocatalysts loaded by MgO as active phase. The synthesized samples were characterized by different analyzes such as AFM, HRTEM, FESEM, FTIR, EDX, XRD, and BET-BJH. The nanocatalyst produced by the microwave irradiation combustion method and urea fuel scored the best performance. This nanocatalyst had the highest specific surface area (46.4 m2/g), and better pore size distribution, too. The roughness of this sample was reported at 5.1 nm in the range of 2 μm. It was found that the optimum sample has converted 96.7% of the oil extracted from sunflower seed to fatty acid esters that are gained by transesterification of fats with methanol. This sample exhibited better reusability in the same operating conditions in proportion to the sample synthesized with muffle furnace in twelve runs, which justified the positive influence of microwave irradiation on the catalytic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Cu(OH) 2 /g-C 3 N 4 photocatalysts were fabricated via precipitation and sonoprecipitation. Various physicochemical and electrochemical techniques were employed to investigate the physical and optical properties of the samples, while their photocatalytic performance was studied based on the water splitting. Based on the observations, Cu(OH) 2 was nominated as an stable and highly efficient non-precious cocatalyst for photocatalytic H 2 generation. 4Cu(OH) 2 /C 3 N 4 (U) sample demonstrated the highest performance (187 μmol/h/g) among the other samples with various loading of Cu(OH) 2 which is 31 times higher than pure C 3 N 4. This enhancement was because of the important role of Cu(OH) 2 as electron traps and active sites. Additionally, the photoactivity of the sono-synthesized photocatalyst was significantly higher than the one synthesized by precipitation method by 67%. The findings confirmed the promoting influence of ultrasound irradiation on providing well intimate cocatalyst-semiconductor interfacial contact, higher surface area and better dispersion of cocatalysts. This could facilitate the efficient transfer of electrons to cocatalyst and decrease charge carriers recombination where supported by PL, EIS and transient photocurrent results. This study addresses the sonochemical method as a promised rout for fabrication of a closely contact interface which is a key parameter to achieve more efficient noble metal free cocatalysts. Image 10 • Successfully sonoprecipitation of Cu(OH) 2 as earth abundant cocatalysts on g-C 3 N 4. • Elucidation of advantages of applying sonication through the loading of cocatalysts. • Promoting influence of ultrasound on providing well intimate interfacial contact. • Photoactivity enhancement by formation of Cu0 at the interface in induction period. • Proposed mechanism for enhanced H 2 evolution of sonosynthesized Cu(OH) 2 /g-C 3 N 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an approach for tolerant control and compensation of cyber attacks on the inputs and outputs of a cyber-physical system of rotary gantry type. The proposed control schemes are designed based on classic–intelligent control strategies for trajectory tracking and vibration control of a networked control system, which are developed for tip angular position control, while the system is prone to cyber attacks. The malicious attacks are assumed to be of denial of service (DoS) kind and cause packet loss with high probability in the two signals; control input and sensor output. In this paper, several classic and intelligent control strategies are studied in terms of robustness and effectiveness to attacks. Based on the results, a new hybrid control scheme is designed using linear quadratic regulation, sliding mode control, and artificial radial basis function neural network to alleviate the effect of DoS attacks and maintain the performance of the cyber-rotary gantry system in tracking applications. The neural network controller is trained during the control process. Its learning algorithm is based on the minimization of a cost function which contains the sliding surface. The hybrid control system is analyzed from the stability perspective. Moreover, the efficiency of the proposed scheme is validated by simulation on MATLAB Simulink platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluids slip on superhydrophobic surfaces. The slip velocity is modeled by Navier's slip-length. A user defined function (UDF) in ANSYS Fluent 15.0 was developed to implement the slip boundary condition. The UDF was validated for different values of slip length by two benchmark solutions in laminar and turbulent flows. We utilized a periodic approach to model the VLH turbine in steady-state condition. For modeling, single-phase is assumed and the shear stress transport model was used for turbulence modeling. The results of employing partial slip at different positions of the runner blade and other turbine components with a constant slip-length of 50 μm showed an approximately 4% improvement in the turbine hydraulic efficiency, at the design point and when only the runner blade is superhydrophobic. In addition to the design point analysis, the turbine efficiency values were studied at part and high load ranges. The entropy generation method was applied to the output results of the simulated cases to determine the energy dissipating zones and to detect the effect of superhydrophobic walls on the dissipation mechanisms. Since this work is the first numerical evaluation of superhydrophobic surfaces for VLH, the conclusions can be meaningful for future numerical and experimental studies. • Fluids slip on superhydrophobic surfaces and slip is modeled using Navier's slip length. • Partial slip is applied on components of a very low head (VLH) axial hydraulic turbine. • Making the runner blade superhydrophobic improves the turbine hydraulic efficiency by 4%. • The entropy generation method was applied to determine the energy dissipating zones. • The numerical results for efficiency and entropy generation rate trends were consistent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Synthesis of magnetic CuAl 2 O 4 /rGO nanocomposite treated by non-thermal plasma. • Potential effect of plasma in the enhancement of photocatalyst properties. • Confirmation the effect of rGO amount on optical/physicochemical properties. • Highest degradation efficiency of various dyes over CuAl 2 O 4 /rGO(1%)(Mag)-U-Plasma. • Higher spectrum response and the effective separation of charge carriers. This research investigates the photodegradation of Acid orange7 (AO7), Congo red (CR), Methyl orange (MO), and Malachite green (MG) organic dyes under simulated sunlight irradiation using a mesoporous magnetic CuAl 2 O 4 /rGO nanocomposite. The nanocomposites were synthesized with different weight percentages of rGO and 25 wt% of Fe 3 O 4 using ultrasound-assisted co-precipitation and one-pot sono-solvothermal methods, followed by non-thermal plasma treatment. Extensive characterization was performed using XRD, RAMAN, FESEM, TEM, BET-BJH, DRS, PL, and VSM techniques. Among the samples, the magnetic ultrasound-assisted CuAl 2 O 4 /rGO nanocomposite treated by plasma (CuAl 2 O 4 /rGO(1 %)(Mag)-U-Plasma) exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity, achieving a remarkable 98.1 % removal efficiency for AO7 dye within 120 min of simulated sunlight radiation. The superior performance of CuAl 2 O 4 /rGO(1 %)(Mag)-U-Plasma was attributed to its effective separation of electron-hole pairs, excellent visible-light absorption, smaller particle size, larger surface area (134.6 m2/g), larger pore volume (0.6173 cm3/g), suitable bandgap energy (1.8 eV), and well-designed nanocomposite structure, which suppressed the recombination-rate of photo-generated electron-holes. The influence of photocatalyst composition, ultrasound, plasma technology, and initial pH of the solution on AO7 photodegradation was investigated. The stability of the nanocomposite was assessed through five-recycling-processes, revealing only a negligible 7.3 % reduction in photocatalytic performance. Finally, a comprehensive photo-destruction mechanism for AO7 dye under sunlight-illumination using selected nanophotocatalyst was proposed. This study presents a highly efficient and stable photocatalyst for the removal of organic-dyes from water, contributing to the development of sustainable water purification technologies with broad applications in environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sequential vs. co-impregnation sono-dispersion of Mn-Cu over clinoptilolite. • Enhanced utilization of ultrasound irradiation in nanocatalyst preparation. • Complete oxidation of toluene at low temperature over synthesized nanocatalyst. • Modeling of the fixed bed reactor using combination of CFD with intelligent genetic accurate algorithm. • Determination of reaction kinetic parameters for the novel synthesized catalysts. A series of manganese-copper oxides on clinoptilolite with various impregnation sequences were synthesized using ultrasonic irradiation. Their properties were characterized by XRD, BET, FTIR, FESEM, and EDX techniques. The XRD patterns confirmed the formation of Mn 2 O 3 /MnO and CuO as the crystalline phase on clinoptilolite. FESEM images confirmed that manganese and copper dispersed on support in nano-range size. EDX results indicated uniform dispersion of the elements. FTIR patterns demonstrated that surface groups of nanocatalysts agree with the patterns of metals and support applied in nanocatalysts synthesis. Catalysts were investigated in the oxidation of toluene from the polluted air. Results showed that bimetallic nanocatalysts are more active than single metal oxide nanocatalysts) Mn 2 O 3 /MnO/CuO(causing the synergism effect of active phases. The highest catalytic activity was observed on the Mn/Cu/CLT nanocatalyst in which excess manganese oxide as active sites existed on the support and led to a decreased complete oxidation temperature of toluene. The result of toluene oxidation from the polluted air demonstrated that the prepared nanocatalyst was very active and stable. Also, the Mars–Van Krevelen kinetic model and the calculated kinetic parameters of this model were used to develop and express the toluene catalytic oxidation reaction rate on newly synthesized catalysts using the combination of CFD method with an intelligent genetic optimization algorithm. All results obtained using this method have an RMSE less than 0.1. Also, the activation energy based on the Arrhenius law for the toluene oxidation reaction using the Mn/Cu/CLT optimal nanocatalyst was calculated by this method equal to 98480 J/mol with RMSE 0.0248. Catalytic oxidation was utilized over a series of manganese-copper oxides on clinoptilolite with different impregnation sequence for removal of toluene from air. The nanocatalysts synthesized by ultrasound irradiation characterized by XRD, FESEM, EDX, FTIR and BET technique and tested for complete oxidation of toluene. Synthesis of catalysts by ultrasound energy led to preparation of nanocatalyst with uniform dispersion of active phase on support. Catalytic performance of nanocatalysts shows effect of impregnation sequence on activity of nanocatalysts. Also, the Mars–Van Krevelen model and the calculated kinetic parameters of this model were used to develop and express the catalytic oxidation rate of toluene of the newly synthesized catalysts using the CFD combination method with the intelligent genetic optimization algorithm. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to introduce emerging CeO 2 /Bi 24 O 31 Cl 10 /Bi 3 O 4 Cl ternary-hetero-assembly nanophotocatalysts through the fabrication process of microwave combustion-assisted sono-induced-hydrothermal (MCSH). Various characterization techniques were conducted to determine the properties of the resulting nanophotocatalysts synthesized at different weighted ratios. The CeO 2 /Bi 24 O 31 Cl 10 /Bi 3 O 4 Cl-MCSH nanophotocatalyst which weighted ratio of CeO 2 to Bi 24 O 31 Cl 10 /Bi 3 O 4 Cl is 3:1 showed a broad absorption range in the sunlight region and demonstrated tremendous performance in the removal of emerging contaminants such as norfloxacin (NOR) (87.6%), levofloxacin (70.2%), ofloxacin (66.2%) and ciprofloxacin-HCl (57.9%) after 180 min irradiation. In contrast, the CeO 2 /Bi 24 O 31 Cl 10 /Bi 3 O 4 Cl (3:1)-MCH sample, without ultrasound irradiation nanophotocatalyst, showed lower photocatalytic destruction such as norfloxacin 77.3%. As a result, it can be said that the presence of ultrasonic energy has led to particle size reduction and increased dispersion, resulting in a decrease in peak intensity based on XRD analysis. The DRS analysis showed that the optimal nanocomposite exhibited two distinct absorption edges at 415.6 and 487.8 nm, indicating that the desired composite had indeed been formed as well as the TEM signifies a consistent and evenly dispersed distribution of CeO 2 particles and Bi 24 O 31 Cl 10 /Bi 3 O 4 Cl plates of nanomaterial's prepared with ultrasound energy. The BET-BJH of surface characteristics and pore distribution indicates that the pores' dimensions in the CeO 2 -MC, CeO 2 /Bi 24 O 31 Cl 10 /Bi 3 O 4 Cl (3:1)-MCH, CeO 2 /Bi 24 O 31 Cl 10 /Bi 3 O 4 Cl (3:1)-MCSH, and Bi 24 O 31 Cl 10 /Bi 3 O 4 Cl -MC samples span meso to macro. The average pore sizes for these nano-sized photocatalysts are approximately 21.4, 23.8, 22.1, and 5.4 nm, correspondingly. The remarkable efficiency and reusable nature of the CeO 2 /Bi 24 O 31 Cl 10 /Bi 3 O 4 Cl (3:1)-MCSH nanophotocatalyst could be assigned to its well-balanced phases and the use of the sonication during its preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The natural crises national information system (NISNC) has a key role in promoting natural crisis management by analyzing and understanding the situation, managing and allocating the resources, coordinating actions and supporting of decision making and exchanging of information. The purpose of this paper is to examine the NISNC general and technical characteristics and functional capabilities in Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, and Turkey. Evidence Acquisition: This comparative study was conducted using databases like Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed and Scopus in the period from 2000 to 2017. The following featured were under the focus: being nationalized and computerized and availability of information. From among the 41 available studies, 24 were examined among which 12 belonged to Germany, 6 to the Netherlands, 3 to Romania and 3 to Turkey. Finally, the information obtained from different countries was compared on the basis of comparative tables. Results: In all countries, the Interior Ministry was in charge of NISNC and NISNC is used in the entire cycle of crisis management (the Netherlands is used only in the reaction phase). This system has a modular design, distributed database, and mirror server. Synchronization allows the data recording in a system gets registered in other systems. NISNC is designed for static and dynamic data collection, with offline access allowed only in the Netherlands. The most common functional capabilities of the NISNC in selected countries were resource management, communication and reporting, status management and geographic information system. Conclusion: NISNC leads to the improvement of cooperation, information exchange and coordination in the management of natural crises through providing methods, terminology, information formats, and standard operating procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Glow-discharge plasma was utilized for treating the KOH/carbonated calcium aluminate synthesized by MCM. Treated and untreated nanocatalysts were characterized by XRD, FESEM, EDX-dot mapping, TEM, TGA/DSC, FTIR and N 2 adsorption-desorption measurements. Moreover, some analyses were performed on the catalyst after assessment its catalytic activity in the microwave-assisted transesterification reaction. Treated and untreated nanocatalyst presented Ca 12 Al 14 O 33 structure as support which was covered by carbon groups. The plasma treating was significantly effect on the potassium component as surface active phase and interaction of potassium and calcium with aluminium cations such that no agglomeration of active phases with the highest crystallinity was observed. The plasma treated sample showed better textural properties than untreated nanocatalyst. The main advantage of plasma was clearly observed on the stability of the nanocatalyst that the reduction the activity of untreated sample was more than two times of those for treated nanocatalyst. The plasma treated KOH/Ca 12 Al 14 O 33 -C exhibited no deformation of support structure and leaching of calcium component in the reaction medium against of untreated sample. Therefore, the plasma–microwave hybrid synthesis method provides an excellent rout for preparation of surface modified nanocatalysts for biodiesel production with the highest activity and stability to decrease the production cost. Graphical abstract Microwave energy was utilized to fabricate carbonated calcium aluminate via microwave combustion method and potassium component was impregnated on the surface of support along with modification of surface via plasma energy. The synthesized catalyst has the ability for adsorption the microwave irradiation due to its carbon content, which increases the catalyst activity in the microwave-assisted transesterification reaction, and using for several times with less reduction in the activity due to increase the interaction of active phases and support via plasma treating. The plasma treated nanocatalyst converted around 99% of canola oil to biodiesel with around 3% reduction after using for three times. Image 1097718 Highlights • Synthesis of carbonated calcium aluminate by microwave combustion method. • Utilizing the plasma energy for well-bonding of potassium with surface of support. • Improvement the structural, textural, and crystals size and shape by plasma treating. • Comparison the activity and stability of both catalyst in transesterification reaction. • Precise assessment the properties of KCAC-P after utilizing in the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, the BiOI-Silica Aerogel composite was successfully synthesized using Sono-Solvothermal method. To obtain good dispersion of BiOI on Silica Aerogel the ultrasound irradiation was used. Characterization technics such as XRD, FESEM, EDX-dot mapping, FTIR, BET-BJH, UV–vis DRS and pH pzc were used to determine the physical, chemical and optical properties of the nanophotocatalysts. The results showed that BiOI(80)-Silica Aerogel(20) has more photocatalytic activity than the bare BiOI for degradation 10 mg/L concentration of Methylene blue, so that the removal rate of 96.5% was made using 0.5 gr of BiOI(80)-Silica Aerogel(20) at pH = 9 in 120 min. The reason for increasing the photocatalytic activity of BiOI-Silica Aerogel composite can be attributed to high specific surface area of Silica Aerogel that adsorb more dyes and also increase active sites in the photocatalyst composite. As a result, the adsorbed dyes are placed in the active phase of composite and increased photocatalyst activity. • Sono-solvothermal design of flowerlike BiOI/Silica-Aerogel photocatalyst. • Positive role of silica aerogel loading on photocatalyst physicochemical properties. • Potential application of flowerlike BiOI/Silica-Aerogel in degradation of organic dyes. • Enhanced water treatment degradation on BiOI(80)-SA(20) photocatalyst. • Kinetic study of designed flowerlike BiOI/Silica-Aerogel photocatalysts. In this study, in order to scrutiny the effect of adding Silica Aerogel to the BiOI for evaluation of photocatalytic performance, BiOI-Silica Aerogel with different percentages of Silica Aerogel (10, 20 and 30%) was synthesized by Sono-solvothermal method. In order to determine the physical, chemical and optical characteristics of synthesized photocatalysts, XRD, FESEM, EDX-dot mapping, FTIR, BET-BJH, UV–vis DRS and pH pzc have been used. The results of the characterization techniques showed that adding Silica Aerogel had a significant effect on physicochemical properties of BiOI. Photocatalytic activity of the samples was measured by degradation of organic pollutants such as Methylene Blue, Acid Orange 7 and Rhodamine B under visible light. From experimental data, it was also found that the amount of Silica Aerogel impressed photocatalyst performance. The best photocatalytic performance was obtained by adding 20% Silica Aerogel to BiOI. Furthermore, the effect of operational parameters such as pH, concentration of MB on the activity of BiOI(80)-SA(20) composite was evaluated. The results showed that MB at pH = 9 and a 0.5 g dosage of BiOI(80)-SA(20) had the highest removal percentage (96.5%) in 120 min. Finally, after 4 cycles, only 9.7% of the photocatalytic activity declined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examines whether mental toughness moderates the relationship between stress and four mental health outcomes (depressive symptoms, anxiety, burnout, and insomnia). In total, 207 medical students (Mage = 22.04 years, SD = 2.74, 51% male) from Iran took part in this cross-sectional study and completed a series of self-report questionnaires including the Perceived Stress Scale, the Mental Toughness Questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Maslach Burnout Inventory--Student Survey, and the Insomnia Severity Index. The findings show that stress was associated with more frequent health complaints across all outcomes, r = .36 to .72, p < .001, whereas mental toughness was associated with fewer mental health complaints (r =.39 to.71, p < .001). Elevated stress was only associated with higher depressive symptoms among students with low mental toughness scores, not among students with high mental toughness scores. Thus, our findings suggest that mental toughness may operate as a stress resilience resource among university students and may constitute a target variable for health interventions aimed at student populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, MCM-41 was utilized as the catalyst support of biodiesel production reaction from waste cooking oil. In order to synthesize the bifunctional nanocatalysts and achieve a modified support of high thermal stability and significant acidity, different amounts of Ce element was introduced to the support structure. Then, MgO as active phase, was dispersed on support surface using ultrasound. It was demonstrated that Ce substitution in support framework was considerably enhanced the biodiesel conversion. The highest acquired conversion was 94.3%, which was pertained to the Mg/CeM (Si/Ce = 10) nanocatalyst. The reusability of the Mg/CeM (Si/Ce = 10) was studied through five reaction cycles. The biodiesel conversion was entirely dropped about 3% at the end of the last cycle. • Sono-enhanced dispersion of MgO over Ce-doped MCM-41 nanocatalysts. • Enhance interactions between MgO and MCM-41 by applying ultrasound energy. • Confirmation the effect Si/Ce molar ratio on physicochemical properties of nanocatalysts. • Potential application of MgO/CeMCM-41 nanocatalyst. • Enhanced biodiesel conversion by Ce substitution into the support structure. In the present work, Mobil Composite Material no. 41 (MCM-41) utilized as the catalyst support for biodiesel production from Waste Cooking Oil (WCO). Different amounts of Si/Ce molar ratios (5, 10, 25, 50 and Ce = 0) introduced to the MCM-41 structure to synthesize the bifunctional nanocatalysts and achieve a modified support of high stability and acidity. Then, ultrasound used to disperse MgO active phase on support surface. The prepared nanocatalysts were investigated using various techniques as follows: XRD, EDX, TEM, FESEM, FTIR and BET. The XRD patterns along with the results of FTIR and BET analysis revealed the MCM-41 framework destruction while increasing the Ce content. The FESEM images of the nanocatalysts illustrated a well distribution and uniform morphology for the Mg/CeM (Si/Ce = 10). The particle size and size distribution of the Mg/CeM (Si/Ce = 10) were subsequently determined by TEM and FESEM images. Biodiesel production carried out under following constant operational parameters to evaluate catalytic performance of synthesized samples: T = 70 °C, catalyst loading = 5 wt%, methanol/oil molar ratio = 9, and 6 h reaction time. Ce substitution in support framework considerably enhanced the biodiesel conversion. The Mg/CeM (Si/Ce = 10) nanocatalyst demonstrated the highest conversion of 94.3%. The reusability of the Mg/CeM (Si/Ce = 10) studied in seven reaction cycles and biodiesel conversion reached to 88.7% at the end of seventh cycle which demonstrated its significant stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]