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Highly concentrated volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a precursor of PM2.5, are released from car-painting booths, laundries, printing presses, and refineries. H2, as an eco-friendly substitute to fossil fuels, can be produced by the steam reforming of highly concentrated VOCs. However, catalyst deactivation caused by coke accumulation is a serious issue in relation to steam-reforming reactions. A series of 15Ni-M/Al2O3 (M = 5 wt% of Ce, La, Sm, Fe, Tb, Ca, Mn, Sr, V, Hf, and Cs) has been synthesized to investigate their catalytic activity during the steam reforming of the highly concentrated toluene, xylene, and butyl acetate (6000–7000 ppm) mixture released from car-painting booths. The influence of the reaction conditions is studied at T = 400–600 °C, steam-to-carbon ratio (S/C) = 3–15, and gas-hourly-space-velocity (GHSV) = 15,000–40,000 h−1. NiCe/Al2O3 shows the optimal H2 yield and VOC conversion of 91 % and 99 %, respectively, at 550 °C, an S/C of 6, and a GHSV of 15,000 h−1 among all the prepared catalysts. Under the same reforming conditions, the unpromoted Ni/Al2O3 catalyst exhibits an H2 yield and VOC conversion of 73 % and 75 %, respectively. The NiCe/Al2O3 catalyst shows a stable H2 yield and VOC conversion over a 100 h reaction period, with a maximum coking rate of 1.80 mgc gcat-1h−1. The superior catalytic performance and durability of the NiCe/Al2O3 catalyst are associated with its low acidity, strong metal–support interaction, high metal dispersion with a small Ni crystallite size, high Ni0 (77 %) and Ce+3 (80 %) content, and abundant oxygen vacancies (91.4 %).

Objectives South Korea grapples with a disproportionately high incidence of unmet medical needs, a concern that is particularly acute among police officers, who are exposed to significant occupational risks. Given the pivotal role of police officers in upholding democratic values and public safety, their well-being holds critical societal implications. This study aims to determine the incidence of unmet medical needs among police officers and identify the influencing factors.Design This is a retrospective and cross-sectional study. Applying the Andersen behavioural model and multiple logistic regression analysis, we explored factors impacting unmet medical needs.Setting The study took place in South Korea and involved its total force of police officers.Participants Our analysis encompassed data from 6591 participants, representing 5.2% of South Korea’s total police officers.Outcome measures Unmet medical needs.Results Our findings revealed several influencing factors. First, predisposing factors included sex, with women experiencing a higher incidence of unmet medical needs. Second, enabling factors highlighted the significance of job positions and reduced annual leave guarantees in influencing unmet medical needs. Finally, need factors demonstrated the substantial impact of chronic diseases, heightened levels of depression, reduced subjective health assessments, increased stress levels and exposure to rough physical activity on driving unmet medical needs.Conclusions To mitigate and pre-empt the long-term health repercussions associated with unmet medical needs, intervention strategies should prioritise these identified factors. An integrated healthcare programme emerges as a critical necessity for addressing the healthcare challenges faced by police officers.

Objective: Although some previous studies have investigated health in police officers, investigations of related factors have been limited to work-related associations or those affecting certain police officers. To address this gap, this study investigated relationships between sociodemographic factors, work-related factors, health behaviors, health conditions, and self-rated bad health (SRBH) in Korean police officers. Methods: In 2021, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in cooperation with the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA). The respondents were 6,591 police officers aged 21–60 years, all of whom agreed to complete the survey online using the police agency’s intranet. After collecting data, we conducted a multiple logistic regression analysis to examine factors that were associated with SRBH, with calculations for adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). The study model included a range of individual socioeconomic characteristics, work-related variables, health behaviors, and health conditions. Results: Although the associated factors varied according to age group, several factors generally related to SRBH, including the lack of exercise, stress, having one or more chronic diseases, and work-related pain. By contrast, neither sex nor sleep duration were associated with SRBH of respondents. Monthly night work, smoking, and alcohol consumption were only associated with SRBH of certain age groups. Conclusions: Several variables clearly related to SRBH of police officers. In this context, health-related associations, especially stress and chronic diseases, tended to differ according to age, including those that should be considered to improve health. These findings have important implications for relevant healthcare programs and interventions.

The imperative transition to renewable energy drives the need for innovation. Biomass, particularly wood pellets, has demonstrated poor performance in co-firing scenarios. This study employed pyrolysis to convert wood pellets into biochar with improved fuel quality. The biochar production and characterization were investigated at pyrolysis temperatures of 400°C to 500°C. The findings revealed significant improvements: the observed fixed carbon content increased from 67.2% to 78.8%, and the calorific value increased 1.2 times higher within the pyrolysis temperature increased. On the other hand, as the pyrolysis temperature increased from 400°C to 500°C, biochar yields decreased from 49% to 37%. Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis revealed distinct weight loss during heating, illuminating component volatilization and residue accumulation. Furthermore, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy elucidated structural changes, demonstrating the evolution of cellulose and hemicellulose into aromatic structures. Ultimately, these insights into biochar characteristics informed the optimization of pyrolysis processes, contributing to the production of superior biochar for renewable energy applications. Keywords: biochar, biomass, carbon storage, pyrolysis, wood pellet

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has induced many lifestyle changes, with reductions in healthy activities, including walking. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to identify strategies to maintain good health during a pandemic. Demographics, walking habits, health behaviors, health status, recognition of social capital, and changes in walking practice of 800 residents were evaluated using a structured questionnaire. Among the participants, 73.9%, 15.8%, and 10.4% reported no change, a decrease, and an increase in walking practice, respectively. Individuals in their 50 s and 60 s showed 6.388- and 5.054-times greater increases in walking, respectively, than did those aged 19–29 years. Walking increased more among high-income people than among low-income people. Additionally, walking practice increased in people participating in social gatherings, those with pets that needed walks, those with a COVID-19 history, those who considered walking as both a habitual and leisure activity, those with nearly no stress, and those satisfied with their safety, the natural environment, and public transportation; other health behaviors or conditions were not related to an increase in walking practice. To maintain good health during a pandemic, walking practice should be promoted in people in their 20 s and low-income groups. Moreover, people should be encouraged to attend meetings, including online interaction, and safe walking routes should be created within the community. Walking should be encouraged as a method of relieving stress, and the benefits of walking for recovery after an infectious disease should be emphasized. Furthermore, the direct effects of walking should be studied.

As renewable energy source integration increases, P2G technology that can store surplus renewable power as methane is expected to expand. The development of a CO2 methanation catalyst, one of the core processes of the P2G concept, is being actively conducted. In this work, low-rank coal (LRC) was used as a catalyst support for CO2 methanation, as it can potentially enhance the diffusion and adsorption behavior by easily controlling the pore structure and composition. It can also improve the process efficiency owing to its simplicity (no pre-reduction step) and high thermal conductivity, compared to conventional metal oxide-supported catalysts. A screening of single metals (Ni, Co, Ru, Rh, and Pd) on LRC was performed, which showed that Ni was the most active. When Ni on the LRC catalyst was doped with a promoter (Ce and Mg), the CO2 conversion percentage increased by >10% compared to that of the single Ni catalyst. When the CO2 methanation activity was compared at 250–500 °C, the Ce-doped Ni/Eco and Mg-doped Ni/Eco catalysts showed similar or better activity than the commercial metal oxide-supported catalyst. In addition, the catalytic performance remained stable even after the test for an extended time (~200 h). The results of XRD, TEM, and TPR showed that highly efficient LRC-based CO2 methanation catalysts can be made when the metal dispersion and composition are modified.

Objective: Numerous studies have indicated that early decompressive craniectomy (DC) for patients with major infarction can be life-saving and enhance neurological outcomes. However, most of these studies were conducted by neurologists before the advent of intra-arterial thrombectomy (IA-Tx). This study aims to determine whether neurological status significantly impacts the final clinical outcome of patients who underwent DC following IA-Tx in major infarction. Methods: This analysis included 67 patients with major anterior circulation major infarction who underwent DC after IA-Tx, with or without intravenous tissue plasminogen activator. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records, radiological findings, and compared the neurological outcomes based on the "surgical time window" and neurological status at the time of surgery. Results: For patients treated with DC following IA-Tx, a Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score of 7 was the lowest score correlated with a favorable outcome (p=0.013). Favorable outcomes were significantly associated with successful recanalization after IA-Tx (p=0.001) and perfusion/diffusion (P/D)-mismatch evident on magnetic resonance imaging performed immediately prior to IA-Tx (p=0.007). However, the surgical time window (within 36 hours, p=0.389; within 48 hours, p=0.283) did not correlate with neurological outcomes. Conclusion: To date, early DC surgery after major infarction is crucial for patient outcomes. However, this study suggests that the indication for DC following IA-Tx should include neurological status (GCS ≤7), as some patients treated with early DC without considering the neurological status may undergo unnecessary surgery. Recanalization of the occluded vessel and P/D-mismatch are important for long-term neurological outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]