Direct photocatalytic conversion of aldehydes to esters using supported gold nanoparticles under visible light irradiation at room temperature

Visible light can drive esteri fi cation from aldehydes and alcohols using supported gold nanoparticles (Au/Al 2 O 3 ) as photo- catalysts at ambient temperatures. The gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) absorb visible light due to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) e ff ect, and the conduction electrons of the AuNPs gain the energy of the incident light. The energetic electrons, which concentrate at the NP surface, facilitate the activation of a range of aldehyde and alcohol substrates. The photocatalytic e ffi ciencies strongly depend on the Au loading, particle sizes of the AuNPs, irradiance, and wavelength of the light irradiation. Finally, a plausible reaction mechanism was proposed, and the Au/Al 2 O 3 catalysts can be reused several times without signi fi cantly losing activity. The knowledge acquired in this study may inspire further studies in new e ffi cient recyclable photocatalysts and a wide range of organic synthesis driven by sunlight.

Temperature monitoring of nonanaesthetised patients in a cardiac catheterisation laboratory

Aim and objectives To identify the prevalence that temperature reduced by more than 1°C from pre to post-procedure in a sample of non-anaesthetised patients undergoing procedures in a cardiac catheterisation laboratory. Background Advances in medical technology are minimising the invasiveness of diagnostic tests and treatments for disease, which is correspondingly increasing the number of medical procedures performed without sedation or anaesthesia. Procedural areas in which medical procedures are performed without anaesthesia are typically kept at a cool temperature for staff comfort. As such, there is a need to inform nursing practices in regard to the thermal management of non-anaesthetised patients undergoing procedures in surgical or procedural environments. Design Single-site observational study Methods Patients were included if they had undergone an elective procedure without sedation or anaesthesia in a cardiac catheterisation laboratory. Ambient room temperature was maintained between 18°C and 20°C. Passive warming with heated cotton blankets was applied. Nurses measured body temperature and thermal comfort before and after 342 procedures. Results Mean change in temperature was -0.08°C (Standard deviation 0.43). The reduction in temperature was more than 1°C after 11 procedures (3.2%). One patient whose temperature had reduced more than 1°C after their procedure reported thermal discomfort. A total of 12 patients were observed to be shivering post-procedure (3.6%). No demographic or clinical characteristics were associated with reduction in temperature of more than 1°C from pre to post-procedure. Conclusions Significant reduction in body temperature was rare in our sample of non-anaesthetised patients. Relevance to clinical practice Similar results would likely be found in other procedural contexts during procedures conducted in settings with comparable room temperatures where passive warming can also be applied with limited skin exposure.

A new low temperature synthesis route of fraipontite (Zn,Al)3(Si,Al)2O5(OH)4

A low temperature synthesis method based on the decomposition of urea at 90°C in water has been developed to synthesise fraipontite. This material is characterised by a basal reflection 001 at 7.44 Å. The trioctahedral nature of the fraipontite is shown by the presence of a 06l band around 1.54 Å, while a minor band around 1.51 Å indicates some cation ordering between Zn and Al resulting in Al-rich areas with a more dioctahedral nature. TEM and IR indicate that no separate kaolinite phase is present. An increase in the Al content however, did result in the formation of some SiO2 in the form of quartz. Minor impurities of carbonate salts were observed during the synthesis caused by to the formation of CO32- during the decomposition of urea.

Increased body temperature following subarachnoid haemorrhage : a retrospective correlational study

Introduction: Nursing clinicians are primarily responsible for the monitoring and treatment of increased body temperature. The body temperature of patients during their acute care hospital stay is measured at regular repeated intervals. In the event a patient is assessed with an elevated temperature, a multitude of decisions are required. The action of instigating temperature reducing strategies is based upon the assumption that elevated temperature is harmful and that the strategy employed will have some beneficial effect. Background and Significance: The potential harmful effects of increased body temperature (fever, hyperthermia) following neurological insult are well recognised. Although few studies have investigated this phenomenon in the diagnostic population of non-traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage, it has been demonstrated that increased body temperature occurs in 41 to 72% of patients with poor clinical outcome. However, in the Australian context the frequency, or other characteristics of increased body temperature, as well as the association between increased body temperature with poor clinical outcome has not been established. Design: This study used a correlational study design to: describe the frequency, duration and timing of increased body temperature; determine the association between increased body temperature and clinical outcome; and describe the clinical interventions used to manage increased body temperature in patients with non-traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage. A retrospective clinical chart audit was conducted on 43 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Findings: The major findings of this study were: increased body temperature occurred frequently; persisted for a long time; and onset did not occur until 20 hours after primary insult; increased body temperature was associated with death or dependent outcome; and no intervention was recorded in many instances. Conclusion: This study has quantified in a non-traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage patient population the characteristics of increased body temperature, established an association between increased body temperature with death or dependent outcome and described the current management of elevated temperatures in the Australian context to improve nursing practice, education and research.

High quality indoor environments for office buildings

The quality of office indoor environments is considered to consist of those factors that impact the occupants according to their health and well-being and (by consequence) their productivity. Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ) can be characterized by four indicators: • Indoor air quality indicators • Thermal comfort indicators • Lighting indicators • Noise indicators. Within each indicator, there are specific metrics that can be utilized in determining an acceptable quality of an indoor environment based on existing knowledge and best practice. Examples of these metrics are: indoor air levels of pollutants or odorants; operative temperature and its control; radiant asymmetry; task lighting; glare; ambient noise. The way in which these metrics impact occupants is not fully understood, especially when multiple metrics may interact in their impacts. It can be estimated that the potential cost of lost productivity from poor IEQ may be much in excess of other operating costs of a building. However, the relative productivity impacts of each of the four indicators is largely unknown. The CRC Project ‘Regenerating Construction to Enhance Sustainability’ has a focus on IEQ impacts before and after building refurbishment. This paper provides an overview of IEQ impacts and criteria and the implementation of a CRC project that is currently researching these factors during the refurbishment of a Melbourne office building. IEQ measurements and their impacts will be reported in a future paper