On-line optimizing control of the intermittent simulated moving bed process

The I-SMB process is one of the modifications to the standard SMB process that has been demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally to exhibit rather competitive performance (Katsuo and Mazzotti in J Chromatogr A 1217:1354, 2010a, 3067, 2010b; Katsuo et al. in J Chromatogr A 1218:9345, 2011). This work aims at showing that also the I-SMB process can be controlled and optimized by using the optimizing on-line controller developed at ETH Zurich for the standard SMB process (Erdem et al. in Ind Eng Chem Res 43:405, 2004a, 3895, 2004b; Grossmann et al. in Adsorption 14:423, 2008, AIChE J 54:1942008). This is achieved by using a virtual I-SMB unit based on a detailed model of the process; past experience with the on-line controller shows that the controller’s behavior on a virtual platform is essentially the same as in laboratory experiments.     

Quantitative analysis of chloride in brackish water: an application to the hyperchromic effect of copper(II) ion with chloride ion.

A new modified method was applied to the determination of chloride anion in brackish water by using a common copper(II) sulfate solution and a spectrophotometer. The result of the quantitative analysis demonstrated that chloride concentrations were 1.61% w/v and 1.74% w/v at ebb tide and flood tide, respectively, of the Muya River. On the other hand, chloride concentrations were 1.17% w/v at ebb tide and 1.65% w/v at flood tide of the Yoshino River. The new method proved that chloride concentration corresponded well with results from Mohr and conductive methods. Therefore, the newly developed method can be exploited as common means to measure chloride concentration in aqueous solutions. Moreover, it is also valuable for application to other types of environmental samples.     

Construction of the adamantane core of plukenetione-type polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols

The construction of a highly functionalized adamantane core of plukenetione-type polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols (PPAPs) is described. The method features the construction of the bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane core (3) by successive Michael reactions and the construction of the adamantane core of plukenetione-type PPAPs by acid-catalyzed cyclization of a bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane precursor (2).     

Stereochemical investigation on the construction of poly-functionalized bicyclo[3.3.1]nonenones by successive Michael reactions of 2-cyclohexenones

A method for the practical construction of poly-functionalized bicyclo[3.3.1]nonenones by successive Michael reactions of cyclohexenones with acrylates using K2CO3 and TBAB (n-Bu4N+ Br-) was developed. The construction could be carried out in both stepwise and one-pot reactions with similar tendencies in regioselectivity. The alpha-regioselectivity in the intramolecular Michael reaction agreed with that stereoelectronically expected in intermolecular reactions based upon consideration of the HOMO orbital profile of the enolate I, the precursor to ring-closure, although the reaction site was trisubstituted and prone to steric hindrance in most of the examples presented. For the acetoxymethylacrylates substituted at either the alpha or gamma position, steric hindrance of the substituents (R2 and R3) served as a controlling factor to induce high regiocontrol. Facial selection in the protonation of enolate II, formed upon ring-closure, was also affected by these substituents. In both the intramolecular Michael reaction and the protonation of enolate II, the ammonium counter cation played an important role.     

Optofluidic detection for cellular phenotyping

Quantitative analysis of the output of processes and molecular interactions within a single cell is highly critical to the advancement of accurate disease screening and personalized medicine. Optical detection is one of the most broadly adapted measurement methods in biological and clinical assays and serves cellular phenotyping. Recently, microfluidics has obtained increasing attention due to several advantages, such as small sample and reagent volumes, very high throughput, and accurate flow control in the spatial and temporal domains. Optofluidics, which is the attempt to integrate optics with microfluidics, shows great promise to enable on-chip phenotypic measurements with high precision, sensitivity, specificity, and simplicity. This paper reviews the most recent developments of optofluidic technologies for cellular phenotyping optical detection.     

Electrochemical catalysis of the valence isomerization of quadricyclene

Electrochemical oxidation of quadricyclene results in its isomerization to norbornadiene by a redox chain mechanism.     

Chlorine distribution and structure–property relationship of chlorinated polypropylene

High-resolution proton magnetic resonance (PMR) spectroscopy was used to determine the chlorine distribution of chlorinated polypropylenes in 1,1,2,2,-tetrachloroethane solution and suspension (5–25 wt % chlorine). The determination is based on measuring the relative amounts of methyl and methylene groups which are α, β, and γ to chlorinecontaining groups in chlorinated polypropylenes. The results obtained from the 100 MHz and 220 MHz PMR spectrometers were compared with the theoretical predictions provided by Frendsdorff and Ekiner, based on the statistics of substitution polymers. Furthermore, the PMR data were correlated with infrared and differential scanning calorimetry data to obtain the structural and crystalline properties. The comparison showed that the suspension-chlorinated polypropylenes show structure heterogeneity and thermal instability, whereas polymers chlorinated in solution with gaseous chlorine show a random chlorine distribution and thermal stability compared with the former.     

Simultaneous analysis of monosaccharides and oligosaccharides by high-performance liquid chromatography with postcolumn fluorescence derivatization

To develop a fluorimetric HPLC technique for the simultaneous microanalysis of reducing mono- and oligosaccharides, the technique of linear gradient elution was introduced into the postcolumn fluorimetric detemination system of reducing saccharides with benzamidine. Fluorescence measurement was performed at 288 nm for excitation and 470 nm for emission and an optimization study for this postcolumn fluorescence derivatization carried out. Under optimum conditions, the detection limits of D-glucose and maltohexaose were 1.78 and 2.59 pmol, respectively. The present method was successfully applied to saccharide analysis and should prove useful for automated simultaneous microanalysis of reducing mono- and oligosaccharides in foods.     

HEMATOPORPHYRIN DERIVATIVE UPTAKE BY ATHEROMA IN ATHEROSCLEROTIC RABBITS: THE SPECTRA OF FLUORESCENCE FROM HEMATOPORPHYRIN DERIVATIVE DEMONSTRATED BY AN EXCIMER DYE LASER

Abstract A new diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic system consisting of an excimer pulse dye laser is presented. This report demonstrates the accumulation of hematoporphyrin derivative (HpD) in atheroma as shown by the fluorescence of HpD using this equipment. Atheroma was induced in the aorta of WHHL (Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic) rabbits, 5 mg kg⁻¹ HpD was injected intravenously and the rabbits were sacrificed 24 h later. The aorta was dissected and the localization of HpD was examined. Characteristic peaks of the fluorescence of HpD at 630, 665 and 690 nm wavelength were detected in the atheromatous lesion. However, in the fatty plaque, the emission peak at 630 nm was lower and the 665 nm peak faded away. No fluorescence with peaks was detected in the normal area. The ratio of fluorescence intensity in atheroma, border zones and normal areas was 10.4 : 5.0 : 1.0. On normal rabbits made atherosclerotic by diet and balloon damage, an ultra thin endoscopic catheter was inserted from the descending aorta of atherosclerotic rabbits under anesthesia. Essentially the same data was obtained by these studies in vivo as was obtained in the in vitro studies. The above data suggests the possibility of future applications of this equipment for diagnosis of atheroma.     

Fast and slow fluorescence emissions from pyrimidine vapor

The pressure and excitation-energy dependence of the fluorescence quantum yield and lifetime of pyrimidine vapor has been investigated in the pressure range 10^?3-10 torr. The results indicate that in conformity to the intermediate case the fluorescence of the isolated pyrimidine molecule consists of fast and slow components with lifetimes of the order of 1 ns and 10 μs, respectively. The total fluorescence quantum yield amounts to as high as 0.045. The yield of the slow fluorescence component decreases significantly with increasing excitation energy; this observation is interpreted as being due mainly to the lengthening of the radiative lifetime of that component.