Improved oxygen delivery in a continuous-roller-bottle reactor

Variations to the original aeration system in a continuous roller bottle reactor of novel design have been tested and compared for optimal oxygen (O) delivery. Reactor operating parameters that affect O transfer are rotation rate, liquid-volume level, fresh-feed rate, and supplementary-aeration rate. Design modifications to enhance gas-liquid O transfer include the addition of wall baffles and center baffles. The number and location of each of these baffles are compared for their effect on k_La values in the reaction chamber. The liquid feed into the system has been modified to improve the axial liquid mixing and O transfer.     

One-Pot Synthesis of 2,4,5-Trisubstituted Imidazoles Using MoO3/SiO2, an Efficient and Recyclable Catalyst

A simple one-pot synthesis has been developed for the synthesis of 2,4,5-trisubstituted imidazoles using an efficient and recyclable MoO₃/SiO₂ solid acid catalyst by condensation of benzil or benzoin, benzaldehyde, and ammonium acetate in acetonitrile as a solvent. Using this solid catalyst, the reactions could be carried out under mild reaction conditions with very good yield of imidazoles, up to 95%. This catalyst could be recycled very easily, which makes this methodology environmentally benign.     

Evidence for the involvement of silver nanoclusters during the Wolff rearrangement of alpha-diazoketones

In situ-generated silver nanoclusters(Ag(n)) during the reduction of either silver(I) oxide or other salts presumably catalyze the Wolff rearrangement of alpha-diazoketones. Their optical, physical, and catalytic properties depend on the starting silver(I) compound and the reaction conditions. [reaction: see text]     

Acetalization of glycerol using mesoporous MoO3/SiO2 solid acid catalyst

Acetalization of glycerol with various aldehydes has been carried out using mesoporous MoO₃/SiO₂ as a solid acid catalyst. A series of MoO₃/SiO₂ catalysts with varying MoO₃ loadings (1–20 mol%) were prepared by sol–gel technique using ethyl silicate-40 and ammonium heptamolybdate as silica and molybdenum source respectively. The sol–gel derived samples were calcined at 500 °C and characterized using various physicochemical characterization techniques. The XRD of the calcined samples showed the formation of amorphous phase up to 10 mol% MoO₃ loading and at higher loading of crystalline α-MoO₃ on amorphous silica support. TEM analyses of the materials showed the uniform distribution of MoO₃ nanoparticles on amorphous silica support. Raman spectroscopy showed the formation of silicomolybdic acid at low Mo loading and a mixture of α-MoO₃ and polymolybdate species at high Mo loadings. Moreover the Raman spectra of intermediate loading samples also suggest the presence of β-MoO₃. Acetalization of glycerol with benzaldehyde was carried out using series of MoO₃/SiO₂ catalysts with varying MoO₃ loadings (1–20 mol%). Among the series, MoO₃/SiO₂ with 20 mol% MoO₃ loadings was found to be the most active catalyst in acetalization under mild conditions. Maximum conversion of benzaldehyde (72%) was obtained in 8 h at 100 °C with 60% selectivity for the six-membered acetal using 20% MoO₃/SiO₂. Interestingly with substituted benzaldehydes under same reaction conditions the conversion of aldehydes decreased with increase in selectivity for six-membered acetals. These results indicate the potential of this catalyst for the acetalization of glycerol for an environmentally benign process.     

A Reverse Vaccinology Approach for the Identification of Potential Vaccine Candidates from Leishmania spp

Leishmaniasis is a group of diseases with a spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from cutaneous ulcers to visceral leishmaniasis, which results from the bite of an infected sandfly to human. Attempts to develop an effective vaccine have been shown to be feasible but no vaccine is in active clinical use. This study adopts a Reverse Vaccinology approach to identify common vaccine candidates from both highly pathogenic species Leishmania major and Leishmania infantum. Total proteome of both species were compared to identify common proteins, which are further taken for sub-cellular localization and transmembrane helices prediction. Plasma membrane proteins having only one transmembrane helix were first identified and analyzed which are non-homologous in human and mouse in order to avoid molecular mimicry with other proteins. Selected proteins were analyzed for their binding efficiency to both major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II alleles. As a result, 19 potential epitopes are screened in this study using different approaches, which can be further verified through in vivo experiments in MHC compatible animal models. This study demonstrates that Reverse Vaccinology approach has potential in discovering various immunogenic antigens from in silico analysis of pathogen??s genome or proteome instead of culturing the whole organism by conventional methods.     

In situ TDLAS measurement of absolute acetylene concentration profiles in a non-premixed laminar counter-flow flame

Acetylene (C₂H₂), as an important precursor for chemiluminescence species, is a key to understand, simulate and model the chemiluminescence and the related reaction paths. Hence we developed a high resolution spectrometer based on direct Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) allowing the first quantitative, calibration-free and spatially resolved in situ C₂H₂ measurement in an atmospheric non-premixed counter-flow flame supported on a Tsuji burner. A fiber-coupled distributed feedback diode laser near 1535 nm was used to measure several absolute C₂H₂ concentration profiles (peak concentrations up to 9700 ppm) in a laminar non-premixed CH₄/air flame (T up to 1950 K) supported on a modified Tsuji counter-flow burner with N₂ purge slots to minimize end flames. We achieve a fractional optical resolution of up to 5×10^?5 OD (1σ) in the flame, resulting in temperature-dependent acetylene detection limits for the P17e line at 6513 cm^?1 of up to 2.1 ppm?m. Absolute C₂H₂ concentration profiles were obtained by translating the burner through the laser beam using a DC motor with 100 μm step widths. Intercomparisons of the experimental C₂H₂ profiles with simulations using our new hydrocarbon oxidation mechanisms show excellent agreement in position, shape and in the absolute C₂H₂ values.     

Experimental and numerical study of chemiluminescent species in low-pressure flames

Chemiluminescence has been observed since the beginning of spectroscopy, nevertheless, important facts still remain unknown. Especially, reaction pathways leading to chemiluminescent species such as OH^?, CH^?, $\mathrm{C}_{2}^{*}$ , and $\mathrm{CO}_{2}^{*}$ are still under debate and cannot be modeled with standard codes for flame simulation. In several cases, even the source species of spectral features observed in flames are unknown. In recent years, there has been renewed interest in chemiluminescence, since it has been shown that this radiation can be used to determine flame parameters such as stoichiometry and heat release under some conditions. In this work, we present a reaction mechanism which predicts the OH^?, CH^? (in A- and B-state), and $\mathrm{C}_{2}^{*}$ emission strength in lean to fuel-rich stoichiometries. Measurements have been performed in a set of low-pressure flames which have already been well characterized by other methods. The flame front is resolved in these measurements, which allows a comparison of shape and position of the observed chemiluminescence with the respective simulated concentrations. To study the effects of varying fuels, methane flame diluted in hydrogen are measured as well. The 14 investigated premixed methane–oxygen–argon and methane–hydrogen–oxygen–argon flames span a wide parameter field of fuel stoichiometry (?=0.5 to 1.6) and hydrogen content (H₂ vol%=0 to 50). The relative comparison of measured and simulated excited species concentrations shows good agreement. The detailed and reliable modeling for several chemiluminescent species permits correlating heat release with all of these emissions under a large set of flame conditions. It appears from the present study that the normally used product of formaldehyde and OH concentration may be less well suited for such a prediction in the flames under investigation.