A simple wet chemical method has been developed to synthesize selenium nanoparticles (size 40–100 nm), by the reaction of sodium selenosulphate precursor with different organic acids in aqueous medium, under ambient conditions. Polyvinyl alcohol has been used to stabilize the selenium nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles can be separated from its sol by using a high-speed centrifuge and can be redispersed in aqueous medium with a sonicator. UV-visible optical absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-rays, differential scanning calorimetry, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy techniques have been employed to characterize the synthesized selenium nanoparticles.

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To establish the use of TEHDGA/isodecylalcohol/n-dodecane solvent system for actinide partitioning from HLW, the hydrolytic and radiolytic stability of the solvent was investigated. Hydrolysis of TEHDGA with nitric acid at room temperature was not observed. Radiolytic degradation was observed and found to increase with increase in absorbed dose. It was found that the presence of n-dodecane enhances the degradation of TEHDGA whereas isodecyl alcohol, the phase modifier, has no such effect. At gamma-radiation dose as high as 0.2 MGy, no significant loss of TEHDGA was observed. The degradation products were identified by GC-MS, the main products were formed by cleavage of ether and amide bonds of TEHDGA molecule. The extraction behavior of Am(III) at 4.0 M HNO3 does not vary much with increase in absorbed dose, however stripping behavior is affected by the presence of acidic degradation products formed during radiolysis. The findings indicate that the solvent retains its expected extraction and stripping properties up to a high gamma-radiation dose of 0.2 MGy. Irradiated solvent was purified and made suitable for reuse by treating it with 5% w/v Na2CO3 solution, basic alumina and finally by distillation at reduced pressure.

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The present work involves single-phase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of continuous flow pump-mixer employing topshrouded Rushton turbines with trapezoidal blades. Baffle-impeller interaction has been modeled using sliding mesh and multiple reference frame approaches. Standard k-model has been used for turbulence modeling. Several CFD runs representing different combinations of geometric and process parameters have been carried out. Results of CFD simulations have been used to find out two macroscopic performance parameters of pump-mixer-power consumption and head generated by the impeller. The simulation results have been compared with the experimental data obtained on a pilot-scale setup. Good agreement between CFD predictions and experimental results is observed. In most cases, sliding mesh approach is found to perform better than multiple reference frame approach. Details from CFD simulations have been used to have an insight into the pumping action of the impeller.

Polyacrylonitrile beads, containing the amidoximated polyacrylonitrile, were prepared for adsorption of uranium. The synthesized amidoximated polyacrylonitrile chelating beads were evaluated, for their ability to adsorb uranium from aqueous solution, at different temperatures and pH values. The kinetic measurement showed that about 120 min of equilibration time was enough, to remove saturation amount of uranium from the solution. The pseudo first-order and pseudo second-order equations were used to analyze the kinetic data, and the rate constants were determined. The equilibrium adsorption data were examined by the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherms. The data showed a better fit to the Langmuir isotherm. The loaded uranium could also be leached out from the beads, by treating with dilute acids. The uranium uptake capacity of the polymeric beads was found to be 3.5 mg/g of the swollen beads. Reusability of the beads was also established by multiple adsorption-desorption experiments. The pore volume and the surface area of the dried beads, measured by BET method, were found to be 1.93 cc/g and 320 m 2 /g, respectively.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease largely due to lifestyle and nutritional imbalance, resulting in insulin resistance, hyperglycemia and vascular complications. Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a major cause of end-stage renal failure contributing to morbidity and mortality worldwide. Therapeutic options to prevent or reverse DKD progression are limited. Endothelial and glomerular filtration barrier (GFB) dysfunction and sterile inflammation are associated with DKD. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), originally identified as an innate immune mechanism to combat infection, have been implicated in sterile inflammatory responses in non-communicable diseases. However, the contribution of NETs in DKD remains unknown. Here, we show that biomarkers of NETs are increased in diabetic mice and diabetic patients and that these changes correlate with DKD severity. Mechanistically, NETs promote NLRP3 inflammasome activation and glomerular endothelial dysfunction under high glucose stress in vitro and in vivo. Inhibition of NETs (PAD4 inhibitor) ameliorate endothelial dysfunction and renal injury in DKD. Taken together, NET-induced sterile inflammation promotes diabetes-associated endothelial dysfunction, identifying a new pathomechanism contributing to DKD. Inhibition of NETs may be a promising therapeutic strategy in DKD.

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