Round-the-clock water harvesting from dry air using a metal-organic framework

Harvesting water from the atmosphere is an important process to solve the extreme lack of water resources in arid regions. Adsorption-based atmospheric water harvesting(AWH) takes advantage of solar thermal energy to harvest water from air. This technique is particularly suitable for arid regions characterized by low humidity and an abundance of sunshine. Nonetheless, under low humidity conditions, AWH is highly dependent on water-adsorbing materials exhibiting excellent performance. In this work, a metal–organic framework(MOF), namely [Zn_(2)(bpy)(btec)(H_(2)O)_(2)]·2H_(2)O, also denoted as MWH-1, was investigated for application in water harvesting under low humidity conditions(<20%). Notably,MWH-1 displayed outstanding water and thermal stability. At temperatures of 293–333 K and low pressure, activated MWH-1a exhibited competitive water uptake(relative humidity(RH) = 5%,uptake>200 cm^(3)·cm^(-3);RH = 10%, uptake >250 cm^(3)·cm^(-3)). This ensured effective water harvesting at high temperatures during the day. In situ powder X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared analyses confirmed the sensitive water adsorption process of MWH-1a. The X-ray single-crystal study further demonstrated that single-crystal structures could be completely restored following water harvesting.MWH-1 showed good structural stability and enabled water harvesting under low humidity and high temperature conditions. Thus, it has the potential for application in round-the-clock water harvesting in extremely arid regions.

From “Employer-Employee” to “Family of Choice”: The Development of the Relationship between Philippine Worker Immigrants and Elderly Care Recipients

The current study adds to the pool of findings regarding experiences of female Philippine work immigrants employed in elderly caregiving in Israel, as they cope with their role as caregivers. Based on an analysis of the qualitative interviews with 27 Philippine women, three themes emerged. The first is the manner in which these caregivers perceive the treatment and care they give their elderly employers, taking into account the initial stage of the professional relationship, the various types of support, and the employer-employee interactions. The second theme deals with the manner in which these caregivers perceive their role once the relationship with the elderly care recipient is established and the employer’s needs and preferences become familiar;that is, once there is a clear caregiver-client relationship. The third theme deals with the manner in which the caregivers perceive their relationship with their elderly employers and with the employers’ family members, and the way they believe their employer and family perceive their role as caregivers. This stage of the relationship they define as “family of choice”. The combination of the three themes presents a comprehensive picture of positive change in terms of the caregivers perception of their role, and a shift in the manner in which they perceive their employers: from a “source of income” to “parent”.