|   | 
Details
   web
Records
Author Finizola e Silva, M.; Cools, J.; Cools, J.; Van Passel, S.
Title A systematic review identifying the drivers and barriers to the adoption of climate-smart agriculture by smallholder farmers in Africa Type Administrative Services
Year 2024 Publication (up) Frontiers in environmental economics Abbreviated Journal
Volume 3 Issue Pages 1356335-14
Keywords Administrative Services; A3 Journal article; Economics; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM)
Abstract Climate change impact, food security concerns, and greenhouse gas emissions are pressuring agricultural production systems in developing countries. There is a need for a shift toward sustainable food systems. One of the concepts introduced to drive this shift is climate-smart agriculture (CSA), endorsed by international organizations to address multifaceted challenges. Despite widespread attention and support, the adoption of CSA among African farmers remains low. This systematic literature review aims to shed light on the factors influencing CSA adoption amongst African farmers. Within the articles identified as relevant, over 50 CSA practices and more than 40 factors influencing CSA adoption were distinguished. These influencing factors can be categorized as personal, farm- related, financial, environmental, and informational. The focus of this review is to identify and explain the overall impact (positive, negative, or mixed) of these factors on CSA adoption. Overall, many factors result in mixed effects, only some factors have an unambiguous positive or negative effect on CSA adoption. For instance, educational level emerges as a key personal factor, positively impacting CSA adoption, along with positive influences from farmers’ experience and farm size among farm-related factors. Financial factors reveal distinct patterns, with income from farming and access to credit positively influencing adoption, while off-farm income exhibits a negative effect. Environmental factors, though less researched, indicate positive impacts related to changes in rainfall patterns, temperature, and droughts. Lastly, informational factors consistently exhibit a positive effect on CSA adoption, with training, access to extension, group memberships, climate information, and CSA awareness playing crucial roles. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers seeking to enhance CSA adoption in Africa, offering a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted dynamics at play.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos Publication Date 2024-04-03
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:205017 Serial 9233
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Faust, V.; Boon, N.; Ganigué, R.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Udert, K.M.
Title Optimizing control strategies for urine nitrification : narrow pH control band enhances process stability and reduces nitrous oxide emissions Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication (up) Frontiers in environmental science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 11 Issue Pages 1275152-14
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Nitrification is well-suited for urine stabilization. No base dosage is required if the pH is controlled within an appropriate operating range by urine feeding, producing an ammonium-nitrate fertilizer. However, the process is highly dependent on the selected pH set-points and is susceptible to process failures such as nitrite accumulation or the growth of acid-tolerant ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. To address the need for a robust and reliable process in decentralized applications, two different strategies were tested: operating a two-position pH controller (inflow on/off) with a narrow pH control band at 6.20/6.25 (∆pH = 0.05, narrow-pH) vs. a wider pH control band at 6.00/6.50 (∆pH = 0.50, wide-pH). These variations in pH also cause variations in the chemical speciation of ammonia and nitrite and, as shown, the microbial production of nitrite. It was hypothesized that the higher fluctuations would result in greater microbial diversity and, thus, a more robust process. The diversity of nitrifiers was higher in the wide-pH reactor, while the diversity of the entire microbiome was similar in both systems. However, the wide-pH reactor was more susceptible to tested process disturbances caused by increasing pH or temperature, decreasing dissolved oxygen, or an influent stop. In addition, with an emission factor of 0.47%, the nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from the wide-pH reactor were twice as high as the N2O emissions from the narrow-pH reactor, most likely due to the nitrite fluctuations. Based on these results, a narrow control band is recommended for pH control in urine nitrification.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 001087861500001 Publication Date 2023-10-10
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2296-665x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:199585 Serial 8909
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Chirumamilla, C.S.; Palagani, A.; Kamaraj, B.; Declerck, K.; Verbeek, M.W.C.; Ryabtsova, O.; De Bosscher, K.; Bougarne, N.; Ruttens, B.; Gevaert, K.; Houtman, R.; De Vos, W.H.; Joossens, J.; van der Veken, P.; Augustyns, K.; van Ostade, X.; Bogaerts, A.; De Winter, H.; Vanden Berghe, W.
Title Selective glucocorticoid receptor properties of GSK866 analogs with cysteine reactive warheads Type Administrative Services
Year 2017 Publication (up) Frontiers in immunology Abbreviated Journal Front Immunol
Volume 8 Issue Pages 1324
Keywords Administrative Services; A1 Journal article; Pharmacology. Therapy; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT); Medicinal Chemistry (UAMC)
Abstract Synthetic glucocorticoids (GC) are the mainstay therapy for treatment of acute and chronic inflammatory disorders. Due to the high adverse effects associated with long-term use, GC pharmacology has focused since the nineties on more selective GC ligand-binding strategies, classified as selective glucocorticoid receptor (GR) agonists (SEGRAs) or selective glucocorticoid receptor modulators (SEGRMs). In the current study, GSK866 analogs with electrophilic covalent-binding warheads were developed with potential SEGRA properties to improve their clinical safety profile for long-lasting topical skin disease applications. Since the off-rate of a covalently binding drug is negligible compared to that of a non-covalent drug, its therapeutic effects can be prolonged and typically, smaller doses of the drug are necessary to reach the same level of therapeutic efficacy, thereby potentially reducing systemic side effects. Different analogs of SEGRA GSK866 coupled to cysteine reactive warheads were characterized for GR potency and selectivity in various biochemical and cellular assays. GR- and NFκB-dependent reporter gene studies show favorable anti-inflammatory properties with reduced GR transactivation of two non-steroidal GSK866 analogs UAMC-1217 and UAMC-1218, whereas UAMC-1158 and UAMC-1159 compounds failed to modulate cellular GR activity. These results were further supported by GR immuno-localization and S211 phospho-GR western analysis, illustrating significant GR phosphoactivation and nuclear translocation upon treatment of GSK866, UAMC-1217, or UAMC-1218, but not in case of UAMC-1158 or UAMC-1159. Furthermore, mass spectrometry analysis of tryptic peptides of recombinant GR ligand-binding domain (LBD) bound to UAMC-1217 or UAMC-1218 confirmed covalent cysteine-dependent GR binding. Finally, molecular dynamics simulations, as well as glucocorticoid receptor ligand-binding domain (GR-LBD) coregulator interaction profiling of the GR-LBD bound to GSK866 or its covalently binding analogs UAMC-1217 or UAMC-1218 revealed subtle conformational differences that might underlie their SEGRA properties. Altogether, GSK866 analogs UAMC-1217 and UAMC-1218 hold promise as a novel class of covalent-binding SEGRA ligands for the treatment of topical inflammatory skin disorders.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Place of publication unknown Editor
Language Wos 000414136300001 Publication Date 2017-11-01
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1664-3224 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 6.429 Times cited 2 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 6.429
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:146485 Serial 4750
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Marikutsa, A.; Rumyantseva, M.; Gaskov, A.; Batuk, M.; Hadermann, J.; Sarmadian, N.; Saniz, R.; Partoens, B.; Lamoen, D.
Title Effect of zinc oxide modification by indium oxide on microstructure, adsorbed surface species, and sensitivity to CO Type A1 Journal article
Year 2019 Publication (up) Frontiers in materials Abbreviated Journal
Volume 6 Issue 6 Pages
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Abstract Additives in semiconductor metal oxides are commonly used to improve sensing behavior of gas sensors. Due to complicated effects of additives on the materials microstructure, adsorption sites and reactivity to target gases the sensing mechanism with modified metal oxides is a matter of thorough research. Herein, we establish the promoting effect of nanocrystalline zinc oxide modification by 1-7 at.% of indium on the sensitivity to CO gas due to improved nanostructure dispersion and concentration of active sites. The sensing materials were synthesized via an aqueous coprecipitation route. Materials composition, particle size and BET area were evaluated using X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption isotherms, high-resolution electron microscopy techniques and EDX-mapping. Surface species of chemisorbed oxygen, OH-groups, and acid sites were characterized by probe molecule techniques and infrared spectroscopy. It was found that particle size of zinc oxide decreased and the BET area increased with the amount of indium oxide. The additive was observed as amorphous indium oxide segregated on agglomerated ZnO nanocrystals. The measured concentration of surface species was higher on In2O3-modified zinc oxide. With the increase of indium oxide content, the sensor response of ZnO/In2O3 to CO was improved. Using in situ infrared spectroscopy, it was shown that oxidation of CO molecules was enhanced on the modified zinc oxide surface. The effect of modifier was attributed to promotion of surface OH-groups and enhancement of CO oxidation on the segregated indium ions, as suggested by DFT in previous work.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000461540600001 Publication Date 2019-03-15
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2296-8016 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 11 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes ; Research was supported by the grant from Russian Science Foundation (project No. 18-73-00071). ; Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:158540 Serial 5205
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Chizhov, A.; Vasiliev, R.; Rumyantseva, M.; Krylov, I.; Drozdov, K.; Batuk, M.; Hadermann, J.; Abakumov, A.; Gaskov, A.
Title Light-activated sub-ppm NO2 detection by hybrid ZnO/QD nanomaterials vs. charge localization in core-shell QD Type A1 Journal article
Year 2019 Publication (up) Frontiers in materials Abbreviated Journal
Volume 6 Issue 6 Pages
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract New hybrid materials-photosensitized nanocomposites containing nanocrystal heterostructures with spatial charge separation, show high response for practically important sub-ppm level NO2 detection at room temperature. Nanocomposites ZnO/CdSe, ZnO/(CdS@CdSe), and ZnO/(ZnSe@CdS) were obtained by the immobilization of nanocrystals-colloidal quantum dots (QDs), on the matrix of nanocrystalline ZnO. The formation of crystalline core-shell structure of QDs was confirmed by HAADF-STEM coupled with EELS mapping. Optical properties of photosensitizers have been investigated by optical absorption and luminescence spectroscopy combined with spectral dependences of photoconductivity, which proved different charge localization regimes. Photoelectrical and gas sensor properties of nanocomposites have been studied at room temperature under green light (max = 535 nm) illumination in the presence of 0.12-2 ppm NO2 in air. It has been demonstrated that sensitization with type II heterostructure ZnSe@CdS with staggered gap provides the rapid growth of effective photoresponse with the increase in the NO2 concentration in air and the highest sensor sensitivity toward NO2. We believe that the use of core-shell QDs with spatial charge separation opens new possibilities in the development of light-activated gas sensors working without thermal heating.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000487641600002 Publication Date 2019-09-24
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2296-8016 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 1 Open Access
Notes ; This work was financially supported by RFBR grant No. 1653-76001 (RFBR – ERA.Net FONSENS 096) and in part by a grant from the St. Petersburg State University – Event 3-2018 (id: 26520408). AC acknowledges support from the RFBR grant No. 18-33-01004. ; Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:163776 Serial 5390
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ilgrande, C.; Leroy, B.; Wattiez, R.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Boon, N.; Clauwaert, P.
Title Metabolic and proteomic responses to salinity in synthetic nitrifying communities of Nitrosomonas spp. and Nitrobacter spp Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication (up) Frontiers in microbiology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 9 Issue Pages 2914
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Typically, nitrification is a two-stage microbial process and is key in wastewater treatment and nutrient recovery from waste streams. Changes in salinity represent a major stress factor that can trigger response mechanisms, impacting the activity and the physiology of bacteria. Despite its pivotal biotechnological role, little information is available on the specific response of nitrifying bacteria to varying levels of salinity. In this study, synthetic communities of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB Nitrosomonas europaea and/or Nitrosomonas ureae) and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB Nitrobacter winogradskyi and/or Nitrobacter vulgaris) were tested at 5, 10, and 30 mS cm-1 by adding sodium chloride to the mineral medium (0, 40, and 200 mM NaCl, respectively). Ammonia oxidation activity was less affected by salinity than nitrite oxidation. AOB, on their own or in combination with NOB, showed no significant difference in the ammonia oxidation rate among the three conditions. However, N. winogradskyi improved the absolute ammonia oxidation rate of both N. europaea and N. ureae. N. winogradskyis nitrite oxidation rate decreased to 42% residual activity upon exposure to 30 mS cm-1, also showing a similar behavior when tested with Nitrosomonas spp. The nitrite oxidation rate of N. vulgaris, as a single species, was not affected when adding sodium chloride up to 30 mS cm-1, however, its activity was completely inhibited when combined with Nitrosomonas spp. in the presence of ammonium/ammonia. The proteomic analysis of a co-culture of N. europaea and N. winogradskyi revealed the production of osmolytes, regulation of cell permeability and an oxidative stress response in N. europaea and an oxidative stress response in N. winogradskyi, as a result of increasing the salt concentration from 5 to 30 mS cm-1. A specific metabolic response observed in N. europaea suggests the role of carbon metabolism in the production of reducing power, possibly to meet the energy demands of the stress response mechanisms, induced by high salinity. For the first time, metabolic modifications and response mechanisms caused by the exposure to salinity were described, serving as a tool toward controllability and predictability of nitrifying systems exposed to salt fluctuations.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000451903700001 Publication Date 2018-11-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1664-302x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:155237 Serial 8217
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Vandekerckhove, T.G.L.; Bodé, S.; De Mulder, C.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Boon, N.
Title 13C incorporation as a tool to estimate biomass yields in thermophilic and mesophilic nitrifying communities Type A1 Journal article
Year 2019 Publication (up) Frontiers in microbiology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 10 Issue Pages 192
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Current methods determining biomass yield require sophisticated sensors for in situ measurements or multiple steady-state reactor runs. Determining the yield of specific groups of organisms in mixed cultures in a fast and easy manner remains challenging. This study describes a fast method to estimate the maximum biomass yield (Ymax), based on 13C incorporation during activity measurements. It was applied to mixed cultures containing ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) or archaea (AOA) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB), grown under mesophilic (1528∘C) and thermophilic (50∘C) conditions. Using this method, no distinction could be made between AOB and AOA co-existing in a community. A slight overestimation of the nitrifier biomass due to 13C redirection via SMP to heterotrophs could occur, meaning that this method determines the carbon fixation activity of the autotrophic microorganisms rather than the actual nitrifier biomass yield. Thermophilic AOA yields exceeded mesophilic AOB yields (0.22 vs. 0.060.11 g VSS g-1 N), possibly linked to a more efficient pathway for CO2 incorporation. NOB thermophilically produced less biomass (0.0250.028 vs. 0.0480.051 g VSS g-1 N), conceivably attributed to higher maintenance requirement, rendering less energy available for biomass synthesis. Interestingly, thermophilic nitrification yield was higher than its mesophilic counterpart, due to the dominance of AOA over AOB at higher temperatures. An instant temperature increase impacted the mesophilic AOB yield, corroborating the effect of maintenance requirement on production capacity. Model simulations of two realistic nitrification/denitrification plants were robust toward changing nitrifier yield in predicting effluent ammonium concentrations, whereas sludge composition was impacted. Summarized, a fast, precise and easily executable method was developed determining Ymax of ammonia and nitrite oxidizers in mixed communities.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000458681700001 Publication Date 2019-02-13
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1664-302x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:157126 Serial 8648
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Smets, B.; Boschker, H.T.S.; Wetherington, M.T.; Lelong, G.; Hidalgo-Martinez, S.; Polerecky, L.; Nuyts, G.; De Wael, K.; Meysman, F.J.R.
Title Multi-wavelength Raman microscopy of nickel-based electron transport in cable bacteria Type A1 Journal article
Year 2024 Publication (up) Frontiers in microbiology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 15 Issue Pages 1208033-16
Keywords A1 Journal article
Abstract Cable bacteria embed a network of conductive protein fibers in their cell envelope that efficiently guides electron transport over distances spanning up to several centimeters. This form of long-distance electron transport is unique in biology and is mediated by a metalloprotein with a sulfur-coordinated nickel (Ni) cofactor. However, the molecular structure of this cofactor remains presently unknown. Here, we applied multi-wavelength Raman microscopy to identify cell compounds linked to the unique cable bacterium physiology, combined with stable isotope labeling, and orientation-dependent and ultralow-frequency Raman microscopy to gain insight into the structure and organization of this novel Ni-cofactor. Raman spectra of native cable bacterium filaments reveal vibrational modes originating from cytochromes, polyphosphate granules, proteins, as well as the Ni-cofactor. After selective extraction of the conductive fiber network from the cell envelope, the Raman spectrum becomes simpler, and primarily retains vibrational modes associated with the Ni-cofactor. These Ni-cofactor modes exhibit intense Raman scattering as well as a strong orientation-dependent response. The signal intensity is particularly elevated when the polarization of incident laser light is parallel to the direction of the conductive fibers. This orientation dependence allows to selectively identify the modes that are associated with the Ni-cofactor. We identified 13 such modes, some of which display strong Raman signals across the entire range of applied wavelengths (405–1,064 nm). Assignment of vibrational modes, supported by stable isotope labeling, suggest that the structure of the Ni-cofactor shares a resemblance with that of nickel bis(1,2-dithiolene) complexes. Overall, our results indicate that cable bacteria have evolved a unique cofactor structure that does not resemble any of the known Ni-cofactors in biology.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 001189511900001 Publication Date 2024-03-08
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1664-302x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:205115 Serial 9214
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author McLachlan, G.; Majdak, P.; Reijniers, J.; Mihocic, M.; Peremans, H.
Title Dynamic spectral cues do not affect human sound localization during small head movements Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication (up) Frontiers in neuroscience Abbreviated Journal
Volume 17 Issue Pages 1027827-10
Keywords A1 Journal article; Psychology; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT); Engineering Management (ENM)
Abstract Natural listening involves a constant deployment of small head movement. Spatial listening is facilitated by head movements, especially when resolving front-back confusions, an otherwise common issue during sound localization under head-still conditions. The present study investigated which acoustic cues are utilized by human listeners to localize sounds using small head movements (below ±10° around the center). Seven normal-hearing subjects participated in a sound localization experiment in a virtual reality environment. Four acoustic cue stimulus conditions were presented (full spectrum, flattened spectrum, frozen spectrum, free-field) under three movement conditions (no movement, head rotations over the yaw axis and over the pitch axis). Localization performance was assessed using three metrics: lateral and polar precision error and front-back confusion rate. Analysis through mixed-effects models showed that even small yaw rotations provide a remarkable decrease in front-back confusion rate, whereas pitch rotations did not show much of an effect. Furthermore, MSS cues improved localization performance even in the presence of dITD cues. However, performance was similar between stimuli with and without dMSS cues. This indicates that human listeners utilize the MSS cues before the head moves, but do not rely on dMSS cues to localize sounds when utilizing small head movements.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000938567400001 Publication Date 2023-02-03
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1662-4548; 1662-453x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:194507 Serial 9025
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Spacova, I.; Ahannach, S.; Breynaert, A.; Erreygers, I.; Wittouck, S.; Bron, P.A.; Van Beeck, W.; Eilers, T.; Alloul, A.; Blansaer, N.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Hermans, N.; Lebeer, S.
Title Spontaneous riboflavin-overproducing Limosilactobacillus reuteri for biofortification of fermented foods Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication (up) Frontiers in Nutrition Abbreviated Journal
Volume 9 Issue Pages 916607-916619
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Riboflavin-producing lactic acid bacteria represent a promising and cost-effective strategy for food biofortification, but production levels are typically insufficient to support daily human requirements. In this study, we describe the novel human isolate Limosilactobacillus reuteri AMBV339 as a strong food biofortification candidate. This strain shows a high natural riboflavin (vitamin B2) overproduction of 18.36 mu g/ml, biomass production up to 6 x 10(10) colony-forming units/ml (in the typical range of model lactobacilli), and pH-lowering capacities to a pH as low as 4.03 in common plant-based (coconut, soy, and oat) and cow milk beverages when cultured up to 72 h at 37 degrees C. These properties were especially pronounced in coconut beverage and butter milk fermentations, and were sustained in co-culture with the model starter Streptococcus thermophilus. Furthermore, L. reuteri AMBV339 grown in laboratory media or in a coconut beverage survived in gastric juice and in a simulated gastrointestinal dialysis model with colon phase (GIDM-colon system) inoculated with fecal material from a healthy volunteer. Passive transport of L. reuteri AMBV339-produced riboflavin occurred in the small intestinal and colon stage of the GIDM system, and active transport via intestinal epithelial Caco-2 monolayers was also demonstrated. L. reuteri AMBV339 did not cause fecal microbiome perturbations in the GIDM-colon system and inhibited enteric bacterial pathogens in vitro. Taken together, our data suggests that L. reuteri AMBV339 represents a promising candidate to provide riboflavin fortification of plant-based and dairy foods, and has a high application potential in the human gastrointestinal tract.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000814856600001 Publication Date 2022-06-09
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2296-861x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 5 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189011 Serial 7211
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Freund, E.; Spadola, C.; Schmidt, A.; Privat-Maldonado, A.; Bogaerts, A.; von Woedtke, T.; Weltmann, K.-D.; Heidecke, C.-D.; Partecke, L.-I.; Käding, A.; Bekeschus, S.
Title Risk Evaluation of EMT and Inflammation in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Cells Following Plasma Treatment Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication (up) Frontiers in physics Abbreviated Journal Front. Phys.
Volume 8 Issue Pages
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract The requirements for new technologies to serve as anticancer agents go far beyond their toxicity potential. Novel applications also need to be safe on a molecular and patient level. In a broader sense, this also relates to cancer metastasis and inflammation. In a previous study, the toxicity of an atmospheric pressure argon plasma jet in four human pancreatic cancer cell lines was confirmed and plasma treatment did not promote metastasis in vitro and in ovo. Here, these results are extended by additional types of analysis and new models to validate and define on a molecular level the changes related to metastatic processes in pancreatic cancer cells following plasma treatment in vitro and in ovo. In solid tumors that were grown on the chorion-allantois membrane of fertilized chicken eggs (TUM-CAM), plasma treatment induced modest to profound apoptosis in the tissues. This, however, was not associated with a change in the expression levels of adhesion molecules, as shown using immunofluorescence of ultrathin tissue sections. Culturing of the cells detached from these solid tumors for 6d revealed a similar or smaller total growth area and expression of ZEB1, a transcription factor associated with cancer metastasis, in the plasma-treated pancreatic cancer tissues. Analysis of in vitro and in ovo supernatants of 13 different cytokines and chemokines revealed cell line-specific effects of the plasma treatment but a noticeable increase of, e.g., growth-promoting interleukin 10 was not observed. Moreover, markers of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a metastasis-promoting cellular program, were investigated. Plasma-treated pancreatic cancer cells did not present an EMT-profile. Finally, a realistic 3D tumor spheroid co-culture model with pancreatic stellate cells was employed, and the invasive properties in a gel-like cellular matrix were investigated. Tumor outgrowth and spread was similar or decreased in the plasma conditions. Altogether, these results provide valuable insights into the effect of plasma treatment on metastasis-related properties of cancer cells and did not suggest EMT-promoting effects of this novel cancer therapy.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000581086900001 Publication Date 2020-10-09
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2296-424X ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.1 Times cited Open Access
Notes We thankfully acknowledge the technical support by Felix Niessner and Antje Janetzko. We also thank Jonas Van Audenaerde and Evelien Smits for generating the transduced cell lines used in this study. Approved Most recent IF: 3.1; 2020 IF: NA
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:172448 Serial 6425
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Chen, B.; Gauquelin, N.; Green, R.J.; Verbeeck, J.; Rijnders, G.; Koster, G.
Title Asymmetric Interfacial Intermixing Associated Magnetic Coupling in LaMnO3/LaFeO3 Heterostructures Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication (up) Frontiers in physics Abbreviated Journal Front. Phys.
Volume 9 Issue Pages
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract The structural and magnetic properties of LaMnO<sub>3</sub>/LaFeO<sub>3</sub>(LMO/LFO) heterostructures are characterized using a combination of scanning transmission electron microscopy, electron energy-loss spectroscopy, bulk magnetometry, and resonant x-ray reflectivity. Unlike the relatively abrupt interface when LMO is deposited on top of LFO, the interface with reversed growth order shows significant cation intermixing of Mn<sup>3+</sup>and Fe<sup>3+</sup>, spreading ∼8 unit cells across the interface. The asymmetric interfacial chemical profiles result in distinct magnetic properties. The bilayer with abrupt interface shows a single magnetic hysteresis loop with strongly enhanced coercivity, as compared to the LMO plain film. However, the bilayer with intermixed interface shows a step-like hysteresis loop, associated with the separate switching of the “clean” and intermixed LMO sublayers. Our study illustrates the key role of interfacial chemical profile in determining the functional properties of oxide heterostructures.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000745284500001 Publication Date 2021-12-14
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2296-424X ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor Times cited 1 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes This work is supported by the international M-ERA.NET project SIOX (project 4288) and H2020 project ULPEC (project 732642). The X-Ant-EM microscope and the direct electron detector were partly funded by the Hercules fund from the Flemish Government. NG and JV acknowledge funding from GOA project “Solarpaint” of the University of Antwerp. RG was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). Part of the research described in this paper was performed at the Canadian Light Source, a national research facility of the University of Saskatchewan, which is supported by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), NSERC, the National Research Council (NRC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Government of Saskatchewan, and the University of Saskatchewan. Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:185176 Serial 6901
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Lu, X.P.; Bruggeman, P.J.; Reuter, S.; Naidis, G.; Bogaerts, A.; Laroussi, M.; Keidar, M.; Robert, E.; Pouvesle, J.-M.; Liu, D.W.; Ostrikov, K.(K.)
Title Grand challenges in low temperature plasmas Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication (up) Frontiers in physics Abbreviated Journal
Volume 10 Issue Pages 1040658-12
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Low temperature plasmas (LTPs) enable to create a highly reactive environment at near ambient temperatures due to the energetic electrons with typical kinetic energies in the range of 1 to 10 eV (1 eV = 11600K), which are being used in applications ranging from plasma etching of electronic chips and additive manufacturing to plasma-assisted combustion. LTPs are at the core of many advanced technologies. Without LTPs, many of the conveniences of modern society would simply not exist. New applications of LTPs are continuously being proposed. Researchers are facing many grand challenges before these new applications can be translated to practice. In this paper, we will discuss the challenges being faced in the field of LTPs, in particular for atmospheric pressure plasmas, with a focus on health, energy and sustainability.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000878212000001 Publication Date 2022-10-14
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2296-424x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor 3.1 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.1
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:192173 Serial 7267
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Singh, B.R.; Timsina, Y.N.; Lind, O.C.; Cagno, S.; Janssens, K.
Title Zinc and iron concentration as affected by nitrogen fertilization and their localization in wheat grain Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication (up) Frontiers in plant science Abbreviated Journal Front Plant Sci
Volume 9 Issue 9 Pages
Keywords A1 Journal article; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract Nearly half of the world cereal production comes from soils low or marginal in plant available zinc, leading to unsustainable and poor quality grain production. Therefore, the effects of nitrogen (N) rate and application time on zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) concentration in wheat grain were investigated. Wheat (Triticum aestivum var. Krabat) was grown in a growth chamber with 8 and 16 h of day and night periods, respectively. The N rates were 29, 43, and 57 mg N kg(-1) soil, equivalent to 80, 120, and 160 kg N ha(-1). Zinc and Fe were applied at 10 mg kg(-1) growth media. In one of the N treatments, additional Zn and Fe through foliar spray (6 mg of Zn or Fe in 10 ml water / pot) was applied. Micro-analytical localization of Zn and Fe within grain was performed using scanning macro-X-ray fluorescence (MA-XRF) and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The following data were obtained: grain and straw yield pot 1, 1000 grains weight, number of grains pot 1, whole grain protein content, concentration of Zn and Fe in the grains. Grain yield increased from 80 to 120 kg N ha(-1) rates only and decreased at 160 kg N ha(-1) g. Relatively higher protein content and Zn and Fe concentration in the grain were recorded with the split N application of 160 kg N ha(-1). Soil and foliar supply of Zn and Fe (Zn + Fes+f), with a single application of 120 kg N ha(-1) N at sowing, increased the concentration of Zn by 46% and of Fe by 35%, as compared to their growth media application only. Line scans of freshly cut areas of sliced grains showed co-localization of Zn and Fe within germ, crease and aleurone. We thus conclude that split application of N at 160 kg ha(-1) at sowing and stem elongation, in combination with soil and foliar application of Zn and Fe, can be a good agricultural practice to enhance protein content and the Zn and Fe concentration in grain.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000427034400002 Publication Date 2018-03-09
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1664-462x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.298 Times cited 8 Open Access
Notes ; The research part of this master study was financed by the project “Mineral Improved Food and Feed Crops for Human and Animal Health” (Project No. 332160UA) and by a grant from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the Program for Higher Education, Research and Development (HERD) in Western Balkan. The financial assistance for conducting this study is gratefully acknowledged. We also acknowledge the assistance by CERAD: this study has been funded by the Norwegian Research Council through its Centre of Excellence (CoE) funding scheme (Project No. 223268/F50). This research was supported by the Hercules Foundation (Brussels, Belgium) under grant AUHA09004 and FWO (Brussels, Belgium) Project Nos. G.0C12.13 and G.01769.09. ; Approved Most recent IF: 4.298
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:149859 Serial 5924
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Niklas, K.J.; Shi, P.; Gielis, J.; Schrader, J.; Niinemets, U.
Title Editorial: leaf functional traits : ecological and evolutionary implications Type Editorial
Year 2023 Publication (up) Frontiers in plant science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 14 Issue Pages 1169558-5
Keywords Editorial; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000964122500001 Publication Date 2023-03-21
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1664-462x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 5.6 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5.6; 2023 IF: 4.298
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:196076 Serial 7834
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Lin, S.; Shao, L.; Hui, C.; Song, Y.; Reddy, G.V.P.; Gielis, J.; Li, F.; Ding, Y.; Wei, Q.; Shi, P.; Reddy, G.V.P.
Title Why does not the leaf weight-area allometry of bamboos follow the 3/2-power law? Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication (up) Frontiers in plant science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 9 Issue Pages 583
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract The principle of similarity (Thompson, 1917) states that the weight of an organism follows the 3/2-power law of its surface area and is proportional to its volume on the condition that the density is constant. However, the allometric relationship between leaf weight and leaf area has been reported to greatly deviate from the 3/2-power law, with the irregularity of leaf density largely ignored for explaining this deviation. Here, we choose 11 bamboo species to explore the allometric relationships among leaf area (A), density (ρ), length (L), thickness (T), and weight (W). Because the edge of a bamboo leaf follows a simplified two-parameter Gielis equation, we could show that A ∝ L2 and that A ∝ T2. This then allowed us to derive the density-thickness allometry ρ ∝ Tb and the weight-area allometry W ∝ A(b+3)/2 ≈ A9/8, where b approximates −3/4. Leaf density is strikingly negatively associated with leaf thickness, and it is this inverse relationship that results in the weight-area allometry to deviate from the 3/2-power law. In conclusion, although plants are prone to invest less dry mass and thus produce thinner leaves when the leaf area is sufficient for photosynthesis, such leaf thinning needs to be accompanied with elevated density to ensure structural stability. The findings provide the insights on the evolutionary clue about the biomass investment and output of photosynthetic organs of plants. Because of the importance of leaves, plants could have enhanced the ratio of dry material per unit area of leaf in order to increase the efficiency of photosynthesis, relative the other parts of plants. Although the conclusion is drawn only based on 11 bamboo species, it should also be applicable to the other plants, especially considering previous works on the exponent of the weight-area relationship being less than 3/2 in plants.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000431415100001 Publication Date 2018-05-04
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1664-462x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:150948 Serial 8758
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author De Cocker, P.; Bessiere, Y.; Hernandez-Raquet, G.; Dubos, S.; Mercade, M.; Sun, X.Y.; Mozo, I.; Barillon, B.; Gaval, G.; Caligaris, M.; Ruel, S.M.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Sperandio, M.
Title Short and long term effect of decreasing temperature on anammox activity and enrichment in mainstream granular sludge process Type P1 Proceeding
Year 2017 Publication (up) Frontiers In Wastewater Treatment And Modelling, Ficwtm 2017 Abbreviated Journal
Volume 4 Issue Pages 50-54 T2 - Frontiers International Conference on W
Keywords P1 Proceeding; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract This study investigates the impact of lower temperature on short term and long term (down to 10 degrees C) on a completely anoxic anammox granular sludge process. This is the first time granular sludge Anammox is operated in pure anoxic condition in SBR and at low temperature. Conversion performance, kinetic parameters, sludge characteristics and microbial community were analyzed.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000430181700008 Publication Date 2017-05-04
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 978-3-319-58421-8; 978-3-319-58420-1; 978-3-319-58420-1 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:151640 Serial 8520
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Neyts, E.C.
Title The role of ions in plasma catalytic carbon nanotube growth : a review Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication (up) Frontiers of Chemical Science and Engineering Abbreviated Journal Front Chem Sci Eng
Volume 9 Issue 9 Pages 154-162
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract While it is well-known that the plasma-enhanced catalytic chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) offers a number of advantages over thermal CVD, the influence of the various individual contributing factors is not well understood. Especially the role of ions is unclear, since ions in plasmas are generally associated with sputtering rather than with growing a material. Even so, various studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of ion bombardment during the growth of CNTs. This review looks at the role of the ions in plasma-enhanced CNT growth as deduced from both experimental and simulation studies. Specific attention is paid to the beneficial effects of ion bombardment. Based on the available literature, it can be concluded that ions can be either beneficial or detrimental for carbon nanotube growth, depending on the exact conditions and the control over the growth process.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000360319600003 Publication Date 2015-06-11
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2095-0179 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.712 Times cited 8 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 1.712; 2015 IF: NA
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:127815 Serial 4239
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Neyts, E.C.
Title Atomistic simulations of plasma catalytic processes Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication (up) Frontiers of Chemical Science and Engineering Abbreviated Journal Front Chem Sci Eng
Volume 12 Issue 1 Pages 145-154
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract There is currently a growing interest in the realisation and optimization of hybrid plasma/catalyst systems for a multitude of applications, ranging from nanotechnology to environmental chemistry. In spite of this interest, there is, however, a lack in fundamental understanding of the underlying processes in such systems. While a lot of experimental research is already being carried out to gain this understanding, only recently the first simulations have appeared in the literature. In this contribution, an overview is presented on atomic scale simulations of plasma catalytic processes as carried out in our group. In particular, this contribution focusses on plasma-assisted catalyzed carbon nanostructure growth, and plasma catalysis for greenhouse gas conversion. Attention is paid to what can routinely be done, and where challenges persist.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000425156500017 Publication Date 2017-09-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2095-0179 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.712 Times cited 5 Open Access Not_Open_Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 1.712
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:149233 Serial 4927
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bogaerts, A.; Yusupov, M.; Razzokov, J.; Van der Paal, J.
Title Plasma for cancer treatment: How can RONS penetrate through the cell membrane? Answers from computer modeling Type A1 Journal article
Year 2019 Publication (up) Frontiers of Chemical Science and Engineering Abbreviated Journal Front Chem Sci Eng
Volume Issue Pages
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Plasma is gaining increasing interest for cancer

treatment, but the underlying mechanisms are not yet fully

understood. Using computer simulations at the molecular

level, we try to gain better insight in how plasma-generated

reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) can

penetrate through the cell membrane. Specifically, we

compare the permeability of various (hydrophilic and

hydrophobic) RONS across both oxidized and nonoxidized cell membranes. We also study pore formation,

and how it is hampered by higher concentrations of

cholesterol in the cell membrane, and we illustrate the

much higher permeability of H2O2 through aquaporin

channels. Both mechanisms may explain the selective

cytotoxic effect of plasma towards cancer cells. Finally, we

also discuss the synergistic effect of plasma-induced

oxidation and electric fields towards pore formation.

Keywords plasma medicine, cancer treatment, computer

modelling, cell membrane, reactive oxygen and nitrogen

species
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000468848400004 Publication Date 2019-03-22
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2095-0179 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.712 Times cited 5 Open Access Not_Open_Access: Available from 23.05.2020
Notes We acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation–Flanders (FWO; Grant Nos. 1200216N and 11U5416N). The computational work was carried out using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UA), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the UA. We are also very thankful to R. Cordeiro for the very interesting discussions. Approved Most recent IF: 1.712
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @UA @ admin @ c:irua:159977 Serial 5172
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Brault, P.; Chamorro-Coral, W.; Chuon, S.; Caillard, A.; Bauchire, J.-M.; Baranton, S.; Coutanceau, C.; Neyts, E.
Title Molecular dynamics simulations of initial Pd and PdO nanocluster growth in a magnetron gas aggregation source Type A1 Journal article
Year 2019 Publication (up) Frontiers of Chemical Science and Engineering Abbreviated Journal Front Chem Sci Eng
Volume 13 Issue 2 Pages 324-329
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Molecular dynamics simulations are carried out for describing growth of Pd and PdO nanoclusters using the ReaxFF force field. The resulting nanocluster structures are successfully compared to those of nanoclusters experimentally grown in a gas aggregation source. The PdO structure is quasi-crystalline as revealed by high resolution transmission microscope analysis for experimental PdO nanoclusters. The role of the nanocluster temperature in the molecular dynamics simulated growth is highlighted.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000468848400009 Publication Date 2019-03-26
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2095-0179 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.712 Times cited 3 Open Access Not_Open_Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 1.712
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:160278 Serial 5276
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Neyts, E.C.
Title Special Issue on future directions in plasma nanoscience Type Editorial
Year 2019 Publication (up) Frontiers of Chemical Science and Engineering Abbreviated Journal Front Chem Sci Eng
Volume 13 Issue 2 Pages 199-200
Keywords Editorial; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000468848400001 Publication Date 2019-05-14
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2095-0179 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.712 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 1.712
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:160277 Serial 5280
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Cheng, X.; Xu, W.; Wen, H.; Zhang, J.; Zhang, H.; Li, H.; Peeters, F.M.; Chen, Q.
Title Electronic properties of 2H-stacking bilayer MoS₂ measured by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication (up) Frontiers of physics Abbreviated Journal
Volume 18 Issue 5 Pages 53303-53311
Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Abstract Bilayer (BL) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is one of the most important electronic structures not only in valleytronics but also in realizing twistronic systems on the basis of the topological mosaics in moire superlattices. In this work, BL MoS2 on sapphire substrate with 2H-stacking structure is fabricated. We apply the terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy (TDS) for examining the basic optoelectronic properties of this kind of BL MoS2. The optical conductivity of BL MoS2 is obtained in temperature regime from 80 K to 280 K. Through fitting the experimental data with the theoretical formula, the key sample parameters of BL MoS2 can be determined, such as the electron density, the electronic relaxation time and the electronic localization factor. The temperature dependence of these parameters is examined and analyzed. We find that, similar to monolayer (ML) MoS2, BL MoS2 with 2H-stacking can respond strongly to THz radiation field and show semiconductor-like optoelectronic features. The theoretical calculations using density functional theory (DFT) can help us to further understand why the THz optoelectronic properties of BL MoS2 differ from those observed for ML MoS2. The results obtained from this study indicate that the THz TDS can be applied suitably to study the optoelectronic properties of BL MoS2 based twistronic systems for novel applications as optical and optoelectronic materials and devices.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000991955300002 Publication Date 2023-05-22
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2095-0462; 2095-0470 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 7.5 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 7.5; 2023 IF: 2.579
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:197398 Serial 8818
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Quintero-Coronel, D.A.; Lenis-Rodas, Y.A.; Corredor, L.; Perreault, P.; Bula, A.; Gonzalez-Quiroga, A.
Title Co-gasification of biomass and coal in a top-lit updraft fixed bed gasifier : syngas composition and its interchangeability with natural gas for combustion applications Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication (up) Fuel Abbreviated Journal Fuel
Volume 316 Issue Pages 123394-11
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract The co-gasification of biomass and coal is a promising approach for efficiently integrating the unique advantages of different gasification feedstock with syngas production. Additionally, syngas from the co-gasification of locally available biomass and coal could supplement the natural gas used in household and industrial burners. The top-lit updraft gasifier features a moving ignition front that starts at the top and propagates downward through the solids bed, while air enters from the bottom and the gas product flows upwards. This study assesses the co-gasification performance of palm kernel shell and high-volatile bituminous coal in a top-lit updraft fixed bed gasifier using 70, 85, and 100 vol% biomass and equivalence ratios ranging from 0.26 to 0.34. The results indicate that the ignition front propagates faster and is more uniform as the biomass volume increases. Micro GC analysis revealed that the H2/CO ratio remained in the range of 0.57–0.59, 0.49–0.51, and 0.42–0.46 for experiments with 70, 85, and 100 vol% biomass, respectively. A gas interchangeability analysis showed that syngas-natural gas blends with up to 15 vol% of syngas could combust in atmospheric natural gas burners without modifications. Thus, the top-lit updraft gasifier shows excellent potential for the co-gasification of coal and biomass. Further research on this technology should explore steam as a gasification agent to enhance the syngas energy content and continuous solids feeding.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000783173000003 Publication Date 2022-01-29
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0016-2361 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 7.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 7.4
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:187752 Serial 7136
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kummamuru, N.B.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Lenaerts, S.; Perreault, P.
Title Experimental investigation of methane hydrate formation in the presence of metallic packing Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication (up) Fuel Abbreviated Journal Fuel
Volume 323 Issue Pages 124269-10
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Clathrate hydrates gained significant attention as a viable option for large-scale storage of natural gas, primarily methane (CH4). Unlike employing the nanoconfinement for enhancing the nucleation sites and hydrate growth as in the porous materials, whose synthesis is often associated with high costs and poor batch reproducibility, a new approach for promoting CH4 hydrates using pure water (H2O) in an unstirred reactor packed with stainless steel beads (SSB) was proposed in this fundamental work, where the interstitial space between the beads was exploited for enhanced hydrate growth. SSB of two diameters, 5 mm and 2 mm, were used as. a packed bed to investigate their effects on CH4 hydrate formation at 273.65 K, 275.65 K, and 277.65 K with an initial pressure of 6 MPa. The thermal conductivity of SSB packing potentially aided hydrate growth by expelling the hydration heat, while, the results also revealed that driving force has a substantial impact on the rate of CH4 hydrate formation and gas uptake. The experiments conducted in both 5 mm and 2 mm SSB packed bed reactors showed a maximum gas uptake of 0.147 mol CH4/mol H2O at 273.65 K with water to hydrate conversion of 84.42% with no significant variation. The results established the promotion effect on the kinetics of CH4 hydrate formation in the unstirred reactor packed with 2 mm SSB due to the availability of more interstitial space offering multiple nucleation sites for CH4 hydrate by providing a larger specific surface area for H2O-CH4 reaction. Experiments with varying H2O content were also performed and the results showed that the water to hydrate conversion and rate of hydrate formation could be enhanced at a lower H2O content in a packed bed reactor. This study demonstrates that the use of costly or intricate porous materials can be made redundant, by exploiting the interstitial voids in packing of cheap and widely available SSB as a promising alternative material for enhancing the kinetics of artificial CH4 hydrate synthesis.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000799165400007 Publication Date 2022-04-27
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0016-2361 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 7.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 7.4
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:187830 Serial 7159
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Mercer, Er.; Van Alphen, S.; van Deursen, Cf.a.m.; Righart, Tw.h.; Bongers, Wa.; Snyders, R.; Bogaerts, A.; van de Sanden, Mc.m.; Peeters, Fj.j.
Title Post-plasma quenching to improve conversion and energy efficiency in a CO2 microwave plasma Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication (up) Fuel Abbreviated Journal
Volume 334 Issue Pages 126734
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Transforming CO2 into value-added chemicals is crucial to realizing a carbon–neutral economy, and plasma-based conversion, a Power-2-X technology, offers a promising route to realizing an efficient and scalable process. This paper investigates the effects of post-plasma placement of a converging–diverging nozzle in a vortex-stabilized 2.45 GHz CO2 microwave plasma reactor to increase energy efficiency and conversion. The CDN leads to a 21 % relative increase in energy efficiency (31 %) and CO2 conversion (13 %) at high flow rates and near-atmospheric conditions. The most significant performance improvement was seen at low flow rates and sub-atmospheric pressure (300 mbar), where energy efficiency was 23 % and conversion was 28 %, a 71 % relative increase over conditions without the CDN. Using CFD simulations, we found that the CDN produces a change in the flow geometry, leading to a confined temperature profile at the height of the plasma, and forced extraction of CO to the post-CDN region.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000891307400008 Publication Date 2022-11-26
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0016-2361 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 7.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes This research was supported by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (grant agreement No 810182 – SCOPE ERC Synergy project) and the Excellence of Science FWO-FNRS project (FWO grant ID GoF9618n, EOS ID 30505023). The computational resources and services used in this work were provided by the HPC core facility CalcUA of the Universiteit Antwerpen, and VSC (Flemish Supercomputer Center), funded by the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) and the Flemish Government. In addition, this work has been carried out as part of the Plasma Power to Gas research program with reference 15325, which is by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) and Alliander N.V. Approved Most recent IF: 7.4; 2023 IF: 4.601
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:192784 Serial 7235
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Potgieter-Vermaak, S.S.; Potgieter, J.H.; Kruger, R.A.; Spolnik, Z.; Van Grieken, R.
Title A characterisation of the surface properties of an ultra fine fly ash (UFFA) used in the polymer industry Type A1 Journal article
Year 2005 Publication (up) Fuel Abbreviated Journal
Volume 84 Issue 18 Pages 2295-2300
Keywords A1 Journal article; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000233053100002 Publication Date 2005-06-28
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0016-2361 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:54564 Serial 7603
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Mao, D.; van de Weghe, H.; Lookman, R.; Vanermen, G.; de Brucker, N.; Diels, L.
Title Resolving the unresolved complex mixture in motor oils using high-performance liquid chromatography followed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography Type A1 Journal article
Year 2009 Publication (up) Fuel Abbreviated Journal
Volume 88 Issue 2 Pages 312-318
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) followed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) was used for detailed group-type characterization of hydrocarbons present in motor oils. With conventional GC, motor oil is not well separated due to its complexity, resulting in a hump in the chromatogram: the unresolved complex mixture (UCM). With HPLC-GC×GC, motor oil hydrocarbons can be quantitatively separated into four major groups: alkanes, cycloalkanes, alkenes and aromatics. Each group can be further separated and divided by ring number or carbon number. Three selected motor oil samples were characterized by HPLC-GC×GC including two conventional motor oils and a synthetic motor oil. Using a proprietary silver-modified HPLC column, the aromatic components in motor oils were baseline separated from the aliphatic UCM and were then further separated by GC×GC based on their aromatic ring numbers. Accordingly, the aliphatic components were separated by GC×GC based on their saturated ring numbers. This paper illustrates the capabilities of HPLC-GC×GC for reliable and detailed quantitative group-type characterization of hydrocarbons present in motor oils.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000262129000011 Publication Date 2008-09-27
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0016-2361 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:75748 Serial 8474
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kummamuru, N.B.; Watson, G.; Ciocarlan, R.-G.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Cool, P.; Van Der Voort, P.; Perreault, P.
Title Accelerated methane storage in clathrate hydrates using mesoporous (Organo-) silica materials Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication (up) Fuel Abbreviated Journal
Volume 354 Issue Pages 129403-129418
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA)
Abstract Methane (CH4) clathrate hydrates have gained much attention in the ever-growing search for novel energy storage methods; however, they are currently limited due to their poor water-to-hydrate conversions and slow formation kinetics. To surmount these bottlenecks, significant research has been centered on the design of novel methods (porous media). In this vein, the present work explores two hydrophobic mesoporous solids, an alkyl-grafted mesoporous silica (SBA-15 C8) and a periodic mesoporous organosilica (Ring-PMO), in their ability to promote CH4 clathrates. Both materials have shown to facilitate CH4 clathrate formation at mild operating conditions (6 MPa and 269–276 K). The study revealed that the maximal CH4 storage capacities are strongly linked to the critical/optimal quantity of water in the system which was determined to be at 130% and 200% of the pore volume for SBA-15 C8 and Ring-PMO, respectively. Up to 90% and 95% of the maximum water-to-hydrate conversions were achieved in 90 min at the lowest experimental temperature and critical water content for SBA-15 C8 and Ring-PMO, respectively. At these conditions, SBA-15 C8 and Ring-PMO showed a maximum gas uptake of 98.2 and 101.2 mmol CH4/mol H2O, respectively. Both the materials exhibited no chemical or morphological changes post-clathrate formations (characterized using FT-IR, N2 sorption, XRD, and TEM), inferring their viability as clathrate promoters for multiple cycles. An integrated multistep model was considered adequate for representing the hydrate crystallization kinetics and fits well with the experimental kinetic data with a low average absolute deviation in water-to-hydrate conversions among the three distinct kinetic models analyzed. Overall, the results from this study demonstrate hydrophobic porous materials as effective promoters of CH4 clathrates, which could make clathrate-based CH4 storage and transport technology industrially viable.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 001059413200001 Publication Date 2023-08-07
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0016-2361 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 7.4 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access: Available from 07.02.2024
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 7.4; 2023 IF: 4.601
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:197987 Serial 8829
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Slaets, J.; Loenders, B.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Plasma-based dry reforming of CH4: Plasma effects vs. thermal conversion Type A1 Journal Article
Year 2024 Publication (up) Fuel Abbreviated Journal Fuel
Volume 360 Issue Pages 130650
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract In this work we evaluate the chemical kinetics of dry reforming of methane in warm plasmas (1000–4000 K) using modelling with a newly developed chemistry set, for a broad range of parameters (temperature, power density and CO2/CH4 ratio). We compare the model against thermodynamic equilibrium concentrations, serving as validation of the thermal chemical kinetics. Our model reveals that plasma-specific reactions (i.e., electron impact collisions) accelerate the kinetics compared to thermal conversion, rather than altering the overall kinetics pathways and intermediate products, for gas temperatures below 2000 K. For higher temperatures, the kinetics are dominated by heavy species collisions and are strictly thermal, with negligible influence of the electrons and ions on the overall kinetics. When studying the effects of different gas mixtures on the kinetics, we identify important intermediate species, side reactions and side products. The use of excess CO2 leads to H2O formation, at the expense of H2 formation, and the CO2 conversion itself is limited, only approaching full conversion near 4000 K. In contrast, full conversion of both reactants is only kinetically limited for mixtures with excess CH4, which also gives rise to the formation of C2H2, alongside syngas. Within the given parameter space, our model predicts the 30/70 ratio of CO2/CH4 to be the most optimal for syngas formation with a H2/CO ratio of 2.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 001138077700001 Publication Date 2023-12-15
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0016-2361 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 7.4 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access
Notes This research was supported by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant Agreement No. 810182 – SCOPE ERC Synergy project), the Catalisti-ICON project BluePlasma (Project No. HBC.2022.0445), the FWO-SBO project PlasMaCatDESIGN (FWO Grant ID S001619N), the Independent Research Fund Denmark (Project No. 0217-00231B) and through long-term structural funding (Methusalem). The computational resources and services used in this work were provided by the HPC core facility CalcUA of the Universiteit Antwerpen, and VSC (Flemish Supercomputer Center), funded by the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) and the Flemish Government. We also thank Bart Wanten, Roel Michiels, Pepijn Heirman, Claudia Verheyen, dr. Senne Van Alphen, dr. Elise Vervloessem, dr. Kevin van ’t Veer, dr. Joshua Boothroyd, dr. Omar Biondo and dr. Eduardo Morais for their expertise and feedback regarding the kinetics scheme. Approved Most recent IF: 7.4; 2024 IF: 4.601
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:201669 Serial 8973
Permanent link to this record