Organomineral sorbents based on clinoptilolite-containing tuffs

The anion-exchange properties of a new organomineral sorbent obtained by modification of clinoptilolite-containing tuffs by polyhexamethyleneguanidine have been studied after different periods of storage (time after synthesis) and numbers of sorption-regeneration cycles. The sorbent can be used as a cation- and an anion-exchanger simultaneously. Selectivity coefficients (exchange constants) for F^–, SO₄ ^2–, and HPO₄ ^2– ionsvs. Cl^– ions on modified clinoptilolite-containing tuffs have been determined. The modification improves the mechanical properties of clinoptilolite tuffs.For part 1, see Ref. 1.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1554–1556, September, 1994.     

Enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity of CeO2@Zn0.5Cd0.5S by facile Ce(IV)/Ce(III) cycle

In this study, CeO₂@Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S heterostructure (Ce@ZCS) is synthesized via a simple two-step hydrothermal method. The effect of CeO₂ loading on the visible-light photoactivity of Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S is mainly investigated. It is found that Ce@ZCS shows a 1.9 times activity as high as ZCS for the MB degradation. The improved activity mainly results from the significant enhanced charge separation by CeO₂, in which the electron transfer is obviously promoted by the facile Ce(IV)/Ce(III) cycle. The excited electrons of ZCS is easy to transfer to CeO₂, thus obviously increasing the charge separation of ZCS. The accepted electrons by CeO₂ may easily be captured by the adsorbed O₂ to form O₂⁻, and then O₂⁻ could combine with H⁺/H₂O to form HO₂, and OH. Finally, O₂⁻, h⁺ and OH are confirmed as the major oxidative species in photocatalytic reaction for Ce@ZCS, and a possible photocatalytic mechanism is proposed. The cheap, efficient Ce@ZCS photocatalyst could be applied for practical waste water treatment.     

Effects of glucose,glutamine, and malate on the metabolism of spodoptera frugiperda clone 9 (sf9) cells

Optimal design and operation of bioreactors for insect cell culture is facilitated by functional relations providing quantitative information on cellular metabolite consumption kinetics, as well as on the specific cell growth rates (μ_G). Initial specific consumption rates of glucose, malate, and oxygen, and associated changes in μ_G, were measured forSpodoptera frugiperda clone 9 (Sf9) cells grown in batch suspension culture in medium containing 7–35 mM glucose, 0–16 mM malate, and 4–16 mM glutamine. The initial specific glucose consumption rate (q _G ) could be described by a modified Michaelis-Menten equation treating malate as a “competitive” inhibitorK ₁ = 6.5 mM) and glutamine as a “noncompetitive” inhibitorK _I = 14 mM) ofq _G , with aK _m of 7.1 mM for glucose. All three carbon sources were found to increase μ_G in a saturable manner, and a modified Monod equation was employed to describe this relationship (μ_Gmax = 0.047 h^-1). The initial specific oxygen consumption rate (q_O2) in Sf9 cells could be related to μ_G by the maintenance energy model, and it was calculated that, under typical culture conditions, about 15–20% of the cellular energy demand comes from functions not related to growth. Fitted parameters in mathematical expression for μg: K₄, Monod constant for glucose (mM); K₅, modified Monod constant for malate (mM); K₆, Monod constant for glutamine (mM); m_o2, specific consumption rate of oxygen by the cells under zero-growth conditions (nmol/cell/h); q_F, initial specific fumarate production rate (nmol/cell/ h);q _G , initial specific glucose consumption rate (nmol/cell/h); q_Gmax, maximum initial specific glucose consumption rate (nmol/cell/h);q _M , initial specific malate consumption rate (nmol/cell/h); q_o2, initial specific oxygen consumption rate (nmol/cell/h); Y_o2, cell yield on oxygen (cells/nmol); μ, initial specific cell growth rate (h^-1); μ_g, initial specific cell growth rate (h^-1); μG_max, maximum initial specific cell growth rate (h^-1).     

The circular chemistry conceptual framework: A way forward to sustainability in industry 4.0

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Fast-cycle trace analysis of dioxin in flue gas. Monitoring of the incineration of dioxin-containing waste from seveso

The fast trace analysis method used to monitor 2,3,7,8-TCDD in stack gas during the incineration of the waste from Seveso is described. The sampling of volatile organic compounds from flue gases, distributed between all three aggregation states, is based on a micromethod developed for the trace analysis of water using a specially dimensioned adsorptive charcoal filter (1.5 mg charcoal). In conjunction with subsequent GC/MS measurements the rapid “fast cycle trace analysis” ensured specific 2,3,7,8-TCDD detection down to 100 pg per m³ flue gas in cycle times of about 1–2 hours.     

Insights into the N-terminal Cu(II) and Cu(I) binding sites of the human copper transporter CTR1

Abstract

Copper transporter 1 (CTR1) is the main copper transporter in the eukaryotic system. CTR1 has several important roles: It binds Cu(II) ions that are present in the blood; it reduces those Cu(II) ions to Cu(I); and it subsequently transfers Cu(I) to the cytoplasmic domain, where the ion is delivered to various cellular pathways. Here, we seek to identify CTR1 binding sites for Cu(II) and Cu(I) and to shed light on the Cu(II)-to-Cu(I) reduction process. We focus on the first 14 amino acids of CTR1. This N-terminal segment is rich with histidine and methionine residues, which are known to bind Cu(II) and Cu(I), respectively; thus, this region has been suggested to have an important function in recruiting Cu(II) and reducing it to Cu(I). We utilize electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy together with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and UV-VIS spectroscopy and alanine substitution to reveal Cu(II) and Cu(I) binding sites in the focal 14-amino-acid segment. We show that H5 and H6 directly coordinate to Cu(II), whereas M7, M9, and M12 are involved in Cu(I) binding. This research is another step on the way to a complete understanding of the cellular copper regulation mechanism in humans.     

Fouling Mitigation in a Heat Exchanger: High Cycles of Concentration for a Cooling-Tower Application

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of a physical water treatment (PWT) technology on fouling mitigation in a simulated cooling tower operating at high cycles of concentration. Hard water was produced by evaporating pure water in a circulating open cooling tower, where dissolved calcium carbonate ions became concentrated with time. Heat transfer tests were conducted in a rectangular channel by varying the cycle of concentration (COC) from 5 to 10, and fouling resistances were measured over 270 hrs for each case with and without the PWT treatment. Another test was conducted with no blowdown case with and without the PWT treatment. The fouling resistance at 5 cycles with the PWT treatment was about 70% less than that in the case without the PWT treatment at the end of 270-hr tests. Even at 10 cycles, the PWT treatment reduced the fouling resistance by 60% from the value for the no treatment case. Thus, one can conclude that the PWT technology can help circulating cooling-tower water at relatively high COC for significant freshwater conservation, while keeping fouling resistances below industry standards.     

A QM/MM study on the reaction pathway leading to 2‐Aceto‐2‐hydroxybutyrate in the catalytic cycle of AHAS

The reaction between the intermediate 2‐hydroxyethyl‐thiamin diphosphate (HEThDP^?) and 2‐ketobutyrate, in the third step of the catalytic cycle of acetodydroxy acid synthase, is addressed from a theoretical point of view by means of hybrid quantum/molecular mechanical calculations. The QM region includes one molecule of 2‐ketobutyrate, the HEThDP^? intermediate, and the residues Arg 380 y Glu 139; whereas the MM region includes the rest of the protein. The study includes potential energy surface scans to identify and characterize critical points on it, transition state search and activation barrier calculations. The results show that the reaction occurs via a two‐step mechanism corresponding to the carboligation and proton transfer in the first stage; and the product release in the second step. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Impact of proliferation strategies on food web viability in a model with closed nutrient cycle

A food web model with a closed nutrient cycle is presented and analyzed via Monte Carlo simulations. The model consists of three trophic levels, each of which is populated by animals of one distinct species. While the species at the intermediate level feeds on the basal species, and is eaten by the predators living at the highest level, the basal species itself uses the detritus of animals from higher levels as the food resource. The individual organisms remain localized, but the species can invade new lattice areas via proliferation. The impact of different proliferation strategies on the viability of the system is investigated. From the phase diagrams generated in the simulations it follows that in general a strategy with the intermediate level species searching for food is the best for the survival of the system. The results indicate that both the intermediate and top level species play a critical role in maintaining the structure of the system.     

钟摆模型极限环的存在性研究

钟摆系统是一类典型的分段光滑系统,结合Filippov系统刻画语言,解释了当钟摆无能量补充时,钟摆最终会停止在滑动集上的原因.利用数值模拟的方法,给出钟摆系统在有能量补充时,存在极限环的条件.最后,结合环域定理证明了一般的钟摆模型存在唯一稳定的极限环.