Thermal stability of the PBAT biofilms with cellulose nanostructures/essential oils for active packaging

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the thermal stability of the active films with the cellulose nanostructure (CNS, 5?mass%) treated with encapsulated essential oils (EOs), eugenol and linalool. CNS untreated and treated were incorporated in the poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) polymer matrix prepared by casting. In this study, all samples were characterized by FTIR, DRX, TG, DSC and SEM, elucidating the contribution of each component in the final films. CNS untreated and treated with EOs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), confirming the interaction between these components. The active biofilms were analyzed by TGA and DSC analyses (differential scanning calorimetry), confirming that their thermal stability was maintained similar to the neat PBAT film, without loss of properties. The CI (crystallinity index, %) of the polymeric films was calculated from heat fusion (ΔH) values, indicating that the incorporation of the nanostructures into the PBAT matrix increases the crystallinity of the biofilms, from 11.5 (neat PBAT) to 13.8% (PBAT/CNS-E), acting as a nucleating agent in the polymeric matrix. The presence of the EOs did not decrease the CNS stability, as well of the biocomposite films. Moreover, the thermal analysis confirmed that the EO was well involved by the CNS, before and after the incorporation in the PBAT polymer, as observed in the SEM images.

     

Search for Rare Decays of the Observed Higgs Boson and Additional Higgs Bosons with the ATLAS Detector

Physics of Atomic Nuclei - Searches for rare decays of the Standard Model Higgs boson and additional Higgs bosons are performed by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. They use the unprecedented amount...     

Versatile In Situ Generated N‐Boc‐Imines: Application to Phase‐Transfer‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Mannich‐Type Reactions

The efficient construction of nitrogen‐containing organic compounds is a major challenge in chemical synthesis. Imines are one of the most important classes of electrophiles for this transformation. However, both the available imines and applicable nucleophiles for them are quite limited given the existing preparative methods. Described herein are imine precursors which generate reactive imines with a wide variety of substituents under mild basic conditions. This approach enables the construction of various nitrogen‐containing molecules which cannot be accessed by the traditional approach. The utility of the novel imine precursor was demonstrated in the asymmetric Mannich‐type reaction under phase‐transfer conditions.     

One-dimensional migration of interstitial clusters in SUS316L and its model alloys at elevated temperatures

For self-interstitial atom (SIA) clusters in various concentrated alloys, one-dimensional (1D) migration is induced by electron irradiation around 300 K. But at elevated temperatures, the 1D migration frequency decreases to less than one-tenth of that around 300 K in iron-based bcc alloys. In this study, we examined mechanisms of 1D migration at elevated temperatures using in situ observation of SUS316L and its model alloys with high-voltage electron microscopy. First, for elevated temperatures, we examined the effects of annealing and short-term electron irradiation of SIA clusters on their subsequent 1D migration. In annealed SUS316L, 1D migration was suppressed and then recovered by prolonged irradiation at 300 K. In high-purity model alloy Fe-18Cr-13Ni, annealing or irradiation had no effect. Addition of carbon or oxygen to the model alloy suppressed 1D migration after annealing. Manganese and silicon did not suppress 1D migration after annealing but after short-term electron irradiation. The suppression was attributable to the pinning of SIA clusters by segregated solute elements, and the recovery was to the dissolution of the segregation by interatomic mixing under electron irradiation. Next, we examined 1D migration of SIA clusters in SUS316L under continuous electron irradiation at elevated temperatures. The 1D migration frequency at 673 K was proportional to the irradiation intensity. It was as high as half of that at 300 K. We proposed that 1D migration is controlled by the competition of two effects: induction of 1D migration by interatomic mixing and suppression by solute segregation.     

Design and synthesis of a biphenyl-based chiral amino sulfonamide with high catalytic performance in Mannich reactions

A biphenyl-based amino sulfonamide was designed to improve the intrinsic low catalytic activity of amine organocatalysts. The newly synthesized amino sulfonamide catalyst promoted the Mannich reaction in a highly enantioselective fashion and a remarkable catalyst turnover number was achieved.     

Application of DEM modified with enlarged particle model to simulation of bead motion in a bead mill

We applied the discrete element method （DEM） of simulation modified by an enlarged particle model to simulate bead motion in a large bead mill. The stainless-steel bead mill has inner diameter of 102 mm and mill length of 198 mm. The bead diameter and filling ratio were fixed respectively at 0.5 mm and 85%. The agitator rotational speed was changed from 1863 to 3261 rpm. The bead motion was monitored experimentally using a high-speed video camera through a transparent mill body. For the simulation, enlarged particle sizes were set as 3-6 mm in diameter. With the DEM modified by the enlarged particle model, the motion of enlarged particles in a mill was simulated.The velocity data of the simulated enlarged particles were compared with those obtained in the experiment. The simulated velocity of the enlarged particles depends on the virtual frictional coefficient in the DEM model. The optimized value of the virtual frictional coefficient can be determined by considering the accumulated mean value. Results show that the velocity of the enlarged particles simulated increases with an increase in the optimum virtual frictional coefficient, but the simulated velocity agrees well with that determined experimentally by optimizing the virtual frictional coefficient in the simulation. The computing time in the simulation decreases with increased particle size.     

Amperometric biosensor based on reductive H2O2 detection using pentacyanoferrate-bound polymer for creatinine determination

Pentacyanoferrate-bound poly(1-vinylimidazole) (PVI[Fe(CN)₅]) was selected as a mediator for amperometric creatinine determination based on the reductive H₂O₂ detection. Creatinine amidohydrolase (CNH), creatine amidohydrolase (CRH), sarcosine oxidase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and PVI[Fe(CN)₅] were crosslinked with poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PEGDGE) on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode for a creatinine biosensor fabrication. Reduction current was monitored at −0.1 V in the presence of creatinine and O₂. It is revealed that PVI[Fe(CN)₅] is suitable as a mediator for a bioelectrocatalytic reaction of POD, since PVI[Fe(CN)₅] neither reacts with reactants nor works as an electron acceptor of SOD. The amounts of PVI[Fe(CN)₅], PEGDGE, and enzymes were optimized toward creatinine detection. Nafion as a protecting film successfully prevented the enzyme layer from interferences. The detection limit and linear range in creatinine determination were 12 μM and 12–500 μM (R² = 0.993), respectively, and the sensitivity was 11 mA cm⁻² M⁻¹, which is applicable for urine creatinine tests. The results of the creatinine determination for four urine samples measured with this proposed method were compared with Jaffe method, and a good correlation was obtained between the results.     

Oxidative Bond Cleavage of the Silicon–Silicon Bond of a Pentacoordinated Disilicate

The Si Si bond of a pentacoordinated disilicate was readily cleaved by treatment with 2,3‐dichloro‐5,6‐dicyano‐p‐benzoquinone in the presence of sodium carbonate under mild conditions. The bond cleavage did not proceed under the same conditions after conversion of the disilicate into the corresponding monoanionic silylsilicate and neutral disilane by protonation. The difference in the charges of the Si Si bond compounds affects the reactivity toward an oxidant, resulting in the Si Si bond cleavage, considering that all of these compounds have a bond between pentacoordinated silicon atoms.     

Identification of Site-Specific Degradation in Bacterially Expressed Human Fibroblast Growth Factor 4 and Generation of an Aminoterminally Truncated,Stable Form

Fibroblast growth factor 4 (FGF4) is considered as a crucial gene for tumorigenesis in humans and the development of mammalian embryos. The secreted, mature form of human FGF4 is thought to be comprised of 175 amino acid residues (proline³² to leucine²⁰⁶, Pro³²-Leu²⁰⁶). Here, we found that bacterially expressed, 6× histidine (His)-tagged human FGF4 (Pro³²-Leu²⁰⁶) protein, referred to as HishFGF4, was unstable such as in phosphate-buffered saline. In these conditions, site-specific cleavage, including between Ser⁵⁴ and Leu⁵⁵, in HishFGF4 was identified. In order to generate stable human FGF4 derivatives, a 6× His-tagged human FGF4 (Leu⁵⁵-Leu²⁰⁶), termed HishFGF4L, was expressed in Escherichia coli. HishFGF4L could be purified from the supernatant of cell lysates by heparin column chromatography. In phosphate-buffered saline, HishFGF4L was considered as sufficiently stable. HishFGF4L exerted significant mitogenic activities in mouse embryonic fibroblast Balb/c 3T3 cells. In the presence of PD173074, an FGF receptor inhibitor, the growth-stimulating activity of HishFGF4L disappeared. Taken together, we suggest that HishFGF4L is capable of promoting cell growth via an authentic FGF signaling pathway. Our study provides a simple method for the production of a bioactive human FGF4 derivative in E. coli.     

LC–UV Methodology for Simultaneous Determination of Lamivudine and Zidovudine in Plasma by Liquid–Liquid Extraction

This study describes an accurate, sensitive, and specific chromatographic method for the simultaneous quantitative determination of lamivudine and zidovudine in human blood plasma, using stavudine as an internal standard. The chromatographic separation was performed using a C8 column (150 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm), and ultraviolet absorbency detection at 270 nm with gradient elution. Two mobile phases were used. Phase A contained 10 mM potassium phosphate and 3% acetonitrile, whereas Phase B contained methanol. A linear gradient was used with a variability of A-B phase proportion from 98–2% to 72–28%, respectively. The drug extraction was performed with two 4 mL aliquots of ethyl acetate.