Search

The presence of phenol as an organic pollutant in industrial effluents is the biggest threat to the aquatic environment and human health. The aqueous-aqueous extraction process is an attractive method to treat saline phenolic wastewater (feed solution) via diffusion through a semi-permeable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to the receiving solution. To improve the value of mass transfer coefficient, thinning the PDMS layer and embedding it with nanoparticles/metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can lead to membrane defects or weakened mechanical strength, which is not promising for large-scale practical applications. Therefore, herein, an interfacial design strategy is demonstrated to disperse TiO 2 @ZIF-8 composites as hybrid particles into the top selective layer (PDMS) of TFC (thin-film composite) membrane to enhance polymer-filler compatibility and mass transfer coefficient. The TiO 2 @ZIF-8 composites enhanced the affinity to the polymer matrix, thereby increasing the mechanical stability and preventing interfacial voids and agglomeration. Moreover, the TiO 2 @ZIF-8 incorporated TFC membranes exhibited an enhanced mass transfer coefficient (k o) of (25.28 ± 0.5) × 10−7 and a reduced reverse salt flux of 9.5 mg/m2.h. The enhanced mechanical stability and mass transfer coefficient were attributed to the synergistic effect provided by TiO 2 @ZIF-8 composites, as ZIF-8 particles provided continuous pathways (pore-flow mode) and TiO 2 nanoparticles provided compactivity with PDMS. The synergistic effects of hybrid particles could provide a new strategy to develop PDMS for the extraction of various organic compounds. [Display omitted] • In-situ growth of TiO 2 on the ZIF-8 particles without altering the structure. • TiO 2 @ZIF-8 hybrid particle exhibited good interface interaction with PDMS. • The hybrid particles possessed inner pathways to transport the phenol molecules. • The k o value of phenol improved to 177.7 % by TiO 2 @ZIF-8 embedded TFC membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Venetoclax is a selective inhibitor of the antiapoptotic protein B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2). It is approved for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in combination with chemotherapy or hypomethylating agents. Interstitial pneumonitis due to venetoclax has not been described in the literature. We describe a case of a 79-year-old female who experienced SLL relapse and developed interstitial pneumonitis associated with venetoclax, which completely resolved after discontinuation of the medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), one of the largest logistics and transportation infrastructures to date, has focused on much work in the economics and political sciences. However, little research has been done on how BRI can affect supply chain management on the whole. Since BRI is a large-scale logistics infrastructure-building project, it is clear that it will have several implications for supply chains. This study aimed to fill this gap in supply chain management literature within the context of the BRI. In particular, this paper aimed to unveil the potential challenges and threats that BRI may bring to supply chain management. Using 20 semistructured interviews with supply chain managers located on the BRI lane in South Asian countries (Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, etc.), this study posed six distinct implications of BRI for logistics and supply chain management. This article concludes by articulating its contributions to theory and practice and, finally, limitations and future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green supply chain management (GSCM) practices have specific nuances and, therefore, they may support different competitive directions. However, a predominant assumption in the mainstream literature is that business strategy will have the same influence on the adoption of all GSCM practices. This is problematic as it may lead to a situation of strategic misalignment (i.e., GSCM practices are asynchronized with the strategic goals), which can result in corporate failure. To address this, our study takes a nuanced investigation to delineate the influence of business strategy (i.e., cost-leadership and differentiation strategy) on each type of the wide scope GSCM practices (i.e., internal environmental management (IEM), green purchasing (GP), eco-design (ED), customer collaboration (CC), and investment recovery (IR)), and in turn, on firm's financial performance in a developing country. An online survey received 142 responses from manufacturing companies in different industrial sectors in the country of Jordan. Our analysis revealed that cost-leadership followers pay limited attention to GSCM and focus only on implementing IR that is aligned with their aims. By contrast, differentiators are widely engaged with GSCM and place more emphasis on adopting those practices that support their competitive priorities, including IEM, GP, CC, and ED. Only IEM and IR are positively related to firm's financial performance. Accordingly, our study draws implications for theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid increase in world population has generated the issues of hunger, poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition. To meet the challenge of increased food production of better quality, the farmers were compelled to use more chemical fertilizers, especially in developing countries. The higher use of chemical fertilizers interrupts the food chain through eutrophication, the polluting air and soil by incorporating metals. Trace metals have a deleterious effect on soil microbial and plant growth. To minimize metal toxicity and maximize the production of food, there are different approaches that can lead to lessen the use of chemical fertilizers. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are capable to enhance the plant growth and can remediate metal contaminated soils. PGPR has the ability to improve food production with diverse attributes e.g. producing siderophores that promote rhizosphere trace metal sequestration and production of organic and inorganic acids thus affecting trace metal bioavailability and plant induced systemic tolerance (IST) to limit the crop metal accumulation. In this review paper, we have discussed the biological approach which is environmentally friendly and cost-effective mean for metal polluted soils and gives some new insights for safety use of PGPR in trace metal contaminated fields. Image 101 • Chemical fertilizers are one of the greatest source of metals loading into soil. • Use of excessive fertilizer can compromise the integrity of the water quality and soil properties. • PGPR can be an absolute approach to remediate metal contaminated soils. • Plants have induced an effective resistance to abiotic stresses by PGPR. • Role of ACCD with other PGP traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]