Additive manufacturing approaches for biological power generation

As the consequences of global warming continue to affect the climate, there is an increased need for technologies that decrease dependence on fossil fuel consumption and promote sustainability. Additive manufacturing (AM) not only enables the scale-up and mass production of renewable energy technologies but also reduces cost and lead time, minimizes waste, and uses less energy than traditional manufacturing processes. Moreover, AM brings design and innovation to the forefront by allowing for design strategy revision and rapid prototyping. Herein, AM approaches used to fabricate devices that enable biological power generation are described. Biological power generation is a process through which biocatalysts – electroactive bacteria, enzymes, or cyanobacteria – harvest electrons from chemical substrates or light. Device engineering directs electron transfer events to a conductive material and maximizes power output. This review covers recent AM approaches for biological power generation in the form of microbial fuel cells (MFCs), enzymatic fuel cells, and biophotovoltaic cells with an emphasis on MFCs. Fabrication methods and materials for electrodes, chambers, inserts, membranes, and biofilms are described, along with impacts on device performance.     

Eight New 2‐(2‐Phenylethyl)chromone (=2‐(2‐Phenylethyl)‐4H‐1‐benzopyran‐4‐one) Derivatives from Aquilaria malaccensis Agarwood

Eight new and eight known 2‐(2‐phenylethyl)chromone (=2‐(2‐phenylethyl)‐4H‐1‐benzopyran‐4‐one) derivatives, i.e., 1 – 8 and 9 – 16 , respectively, together with the two known sesquiterpenoids 17 and 18 were isolated from a 70% MeOH extract of Aquilaria malaccensis (AM) agarwood chips. Their structures were determined based on extensive spectroscopic analysis and comparison with reported data.     

Simultaneous Determination of β-Artemether and its Metabolite Dihydroartemisinin in Human Plasma and Urine by a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Assay Using Electrospray Ionisation

A sensitive and selective method is described for the determination of β-artemether (AM) and its metabolite dihydroartemisinin (DHA) in human plasma and urine using artemisinin (IS) as internal standard. The method consists of a liquid-liquid extraction using 2,2,4-trimethylpentane – ethyl acetate (7:3 v/v) with subsequent evaporation of the supernatant to dryness followed by the analysis of the reconstituted sample by liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry (LC-MS) using positive electrospray ionisation (ESI). The acquisition was performed using a mass range scan and the ions (MH+?CH3OH) m/z 267.2, (MH+?H2O) m/z 267.2 and (MH+) m/z 283.2 for AM, DHA and IS respectively were used for compound quantifications. Chromatography was performed on a C18 reversed-phase column using a gradient of acetonitrile – ammonium acetate 10 mM, glacial acetic acid 0.1% as a mobile phase. The method was validated over a concentration range of 10–1000 ng mL^?1 using 1 mL of human plasma per assay and over a concentration range of 5–500 ng mL^?1 using 2 mL of human urine per assay. The method was applied to the quantitation of β-artemether and dihydroartemisinin in human plasma and urine of volunteers participating in a drug pharmacokinetic study.     

Semiempirical AM1 electrostatic potentials and AM1 electrostatic potential derived charges: A comparison with ab initio values

Electrostatic potentials calculated from AM1 wave functions have been compared with ab initio STO-3G values and qualitative agreement has been found. Atomic charges derived from AM1 electrostatic potentials for both experimental and AM1 optimized geometries are of comparable quality with STO-3G potential derived charges. These results suggest that the AM1 electrostatic potential may be useful both in its own right and also for deriving atomic charges for use in molecular dynamics studies.     

Selective Synthesis of [2＋2] Macrocyclic Schiff Bases from Chiral 1,4-Diamines

[2＋2] macrocyclic Schiff bases of three kinds have been synthesized from chiral 1,4-diamines by use of different methods. Macrocyclic Schiff bases 1a-1c have been selectively obtained based on a non-templated dilution method from chiral 1,4-diamines a-c and dialdehyde DA1, whereas macrocycles 2a-2c have been selectively produced from reaction of diamines a-c and dialdehyde DA2 in the presence of boric acid as templates. Macrocyclic Schiff bases 3a-3c have been afforded in high selectivity from diamines a-c and dialdehyde DA3 by means of sodium-template. All the titled compounds have been confirmed by ^1H NMR and ESI-MS analyses.     

Determination of antiviral nucleoside analogues AM365 and AM188 in perfusate and bile of the isolated perfused rat liver using HPLC

Development, validation and application of an HPLC assay for new antiviral nucleoside analogues AM365 and AM188 in isolated perfused rat liver perfusate and bile were performed. An analytical column (Phenosphere-NEXT, 250 x 4.6 mm, C(18), 4 microm, Phenomenex) was used in tandem with a guard column (4 x 3 mm, C(18), Phenomenex) and operated at 25 degrees C. The mobile phase [methanol:10 mmol/L sodium orthophosphate buffer (pH 7.0), 15:85, v/v] was pumped at 1 mL/min. The signal from a diode array detector was collected from 190 to 300 nm. The chromatogram was processed at 220 and 252 nm for AM365 and AM188, respectively. The HPLC method was validated by six intraday and seven interday runs. Standard curves were linear in the range 0.125-8.00 microg/mL for AM365 and AM188, and the lower limit of quantification for AM365 and AM188 was 0.125 microg/mL. Mean interday precision and accuracy of IPL perfusate quality control samples were within 8.8%, and mean intraday precision and accuracy were within 13.1%. The assay has been successfully used in the study of metabolism and disposition of AM365 in the isolated perfused rat liver.     

Comments on a comparison of AM1 with the recently developed PM3 method

A reparameterized version (PM3) of AM1 has recently been reported and the results for several hundred molecules compared with those from AM1 itself. The comparison implied that PM3 represents a significant improvement over the earlier treatment. The apparently poor performance of AM1 is, however, due to the inclusion of “AM1 results” for elements (A1,P,S) for which AM1 parameters were unavailable. If these are omitted, PM3 is seen to be only marginally better than AM1. Since this conclusion refers only to a specific set of stable molecules, it is not clear whether even this small improvement will apply to other species or studies of reactions. It is in any case insufficient to justify the confusion caused by the release of the new treatment.     

DNA sequencing by capillary electrophoresis using copolymers of acrylamide and N,N-dimethylacrylamide

Copolymers of acrylamide (AM) and N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA) with AM to DMA molar ratios of 3:1, 2:1 and 1:1 and molecular weights of about 2.2 MDa were synthesized. The polymers were tested as separation media in DNA sequencing analysis by capillary electrophoresis (CE). The dynamic coating ability of polydimethylacrylamide (PDMA) and the hydrophilicity of polyacrylamide (PAM) have been successfully combined in these random copolymers. A separation efficiency of over 10 million theoretical plates per meter has been reached by using the bare capillaries without the additional polymer coating step. Under optimized separation conditions for longer read length DNA sequencing, the separation ability of the copolymers decreased with decreasing AM to DMA molar ratio from 3:1, 2:1 and 1:1. In comparison with PAM, the copolymer with a 3:1 AM:DMA ratio showed a higher separation efficiency. By using a 2.5% w/v copolymer with 3:1 AM:DMA ratio, one base resolution of 0.55 up to 699 bases and 0.30 up to 963 bases have been achieved in about 80 min at ambient temperatures.     

SPECTROSCOPIC STUDIES OF CUTANEOUS PHOTOSENSITIZING AGENTS—IX. A SPIN TRAPPING STUDY OF THE PHOTOLYSIS OF AMIODARONE AND DESETHYLAMIODARONE

The photolysis of amiodarone (AM) and its major metabolite mono-N-desethylamiodarone (DEA), has been studied by absorption spectroscopy, electron spin resonance spectroscopy (spin trapping) and oxygraph measurements. Changes in the absorption spectrum of both AM and DEA upon UV irradiation indicate that both drugs undergo deiodination. Spin trapping experiments with 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane (MNP), α-phenyl-N- tert -butyl-nitrone (PBN) and 5.5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) suggest the formation of an aryl radical from AM during UV irradiation. Amiodarone also undergoes photoionization. Under aerobic conditions the photoelectron is scavenged by oxygen to give superoxide, which is trapped by DMPO. Oxygraph measurements further confirmed the consumption of oxygen and the generation of superoxide during the irradiation of aqueous solutions of AM. Deiodination, photoionization and superoxide formation were all observed at wavelengths as low as 335 nm, suggesting that some or all of these processes may be involved in AM-induced photosensitivity. The aryl radical derived from AM during UV irradiation abstracted a hydrogen atom from suitable donors (ethanol, glutathione, cysteine, linoleic acid). Reaction of the dienyl radical derived from linoleic acid would yield the corresponding peroxy radical thereby initiating lipid peroxidation. This would explain the deposition of lipofuscin, a pigment formed from the products of lipid peroxidation, in the skin of patients receiving AM.     

Water-soluble copolymers. XII. Copolymers of acrylamide with sodium-3-acrylamido-3-methylbutanoate: Synthesis and characterization

The copolymerization of acrylamide (AM) with sodium-3-acrylamido-3-methylbutanoate (NaAMB) has been studied. The value of r₁r₂ has been determined to be 0.56 for the AM–NaAMB pair. The molecular weights of the copolymers were relatively unaffected by monomer feed ratios. The copolymer microstructures, including run numbers and sequence distributions, were calculated from the reactivity ratios. The solution properties of the AM–NaAMB copolymers, as well as the NaAMB homopolymer, will be reported in a subsequent paper.     

在丙烯酰胺聚合反应中聚苯乙烯磺酸的大分子效应

本文研究了聚苯乙烯磺酸对丙烯酰胺聚合反应的影响。采用红外光谱、元素分析和电子能谱等手段研究了聚苯乙烯磺酸同丙烯酰胺分子间的相互作用。发现二者间存在着由磺酸基与酰胺基相互作用而形成的铵盐的结合形式,从而提出了在聚苯乙烯磺酸存在下丙烯酰胺聚合历程的模式,并以此机理解释了聚苯乙烯磺酸在丙烯酰胺聚合反应中的作用。     

Soluble narrow‐band‐gap copolymers containing novel cyclopentadithiophene units for organic photovoltaic cell applications

Five novel conjugated copolymers ( P1 – P5 ) containing coplanar cyclopentadithiophene (CPDT) units (incorporated with arylcyanovinyl and keto groups in different molar ratios) were synthesized and developed for the applications of polymer solar cells (PSCs). Polymers P1 – P5 covered broad absorption ranges from UV to near infrared (400–900 nm) with narrow optical band gaps of 1.38–1.70 eV, which are compatible with the maximum solar photon reflux. Partially reversible p‐ and n‐doping processes of P1 – P5 in electrochemical experiments were observed, and the proper molecular design for highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)/lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) levels of P1 – P5 induced the highest photovoltaic open‐circuit voltage in the PSC devices, compared with those previously reported CPDT‐based narrow‐band‐gap polymers. Powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analyses suggested that these copolymers formed self‐assembled π‐π stacking and pseudobilayered structures. Under 100 mW/cm² of AM 1.5 white‐light illumination, bulk heterojunction PSC devices containing an active layer of electron donor polymers P1 – P5 mixed with electron acceptor [6,6]‐phenyl C₆₁ butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) in the weight ratio of 1:4 were investigated. The PSC device containing P1 gave the best preliminary result with an open‐circuit voltage of 0.84 V, a short‐circuit current of 2.36 mA/cm², and a fill factor of 0.38, offering an overall power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.77% as well as a maximal quantum efficiency of 23% from the external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurements. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 2073–2092, 2009     

C CP MAS NMR and DFT study of vascular-selective drugs felodipine and amlodipine

Amlodipine besylate (AM) and felodipine (FL) have been studied in solid by ¹³C CP MAS NMR and DFT. The spectra have been successfully reproduced from the theoretical calculations of the nuclear magnetic shielding tensors, using the GIAO method, after the SCF partial geometry optimisation. A very good correlation between the ¹³C chemical shifts and quadrupole coupling constants for chlorobenzene, AM and FL was obtained. ¹³C NMR as well as ³⁵Cl NQR do not differentiate between S and R enantiomers of AM and FL due to the symmetry of the 4-aryl ring comprising one (AM) or two (FL) chlorine atoms oriented in a perpendicular fashion over the 1,4-DHP ring.     

Analysis of the core-repulsion functions used in AM1 and PM3 semiempirical calculations: Conformational analysis of ring systems

The AM1 and PM3 potential energy surfaces of cyclopentane have been compared and the energy difference between two (boat and chair) cyclohexane conformers analyzed. The effects of reparameterization and different core-repulsion functions (CRFs) have been studied. The H? H, C? H, and C? C CRF energy contributions have been calculated separately. The results show that the CRF energy corrections stabilize the correct (MM2 and ab initio) geometries. The PM3 equilibrium geometry of cyclopentane is closer to the MM2 and ab initio results than the AM1 geometry. It is known that above 190 pm the AM1 H? H CRF curve is smooth and negative but the PM3 H? H CRF curve has a trough and a shoulder. It has been shown that this latter oscillation is not damped by other parameters. As a result, the H? H PM3 energy gradient curve is different from the quasilinear AM1 and ab initio gradient curves. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

An AM1 semiempirical study of host-guest complexation in hemicarcerand complexes

Semiempirical AM1 calculations have been carried out on host-guest complexes of model hemicarcerands 1a and 2a. The justification for the choice of the AM1 Hamiltonian was based on a comparison between reported X-ray data for the smaller tetrabromocavitand 4a and computational results obtained using several different Hamiltonians. The complexation behavior of hemicarcerands 1a and 2a have been compared with experimental results reported by Cram et al. for the related hemicarcerands 1b and 2b. Based on this comparison, a criterion for predicting guest encapsulation was developed, E(complexation), which relies on the calculation of AM1 heats of formation for host, guest, and hemicarceplex. If E(complexation) is lower than 10 kcal/mol, then a guest will be encapsulated, while if it is greater than 30 kcal/mol, a guest will not be encapsulated. The use of constrained-path AM1 optimizations to determine the energy barriers to guest entry and exit from the host was found to be a useful tool for examining suitable host-guest combinations when the E(complexation) criteria does not hold. We have computed the barriers to exit of N, N-dimethylformamide (dmf) and furan from the hemicarcerand 1a, the former has been compared with the experiment and shows excellent agreement. Based on the success of the above computational methods in predicting which host-guest combinations will form stable hemicarceplexes we have synthesized a new target hemicarceplex 1b.furan.     

A spectrophotometric and thermodynamic study of the charge-transfer complexes of iodine with 2-aminomethyl-15-crown-5 in chloroform and 1,2-dichloroethane solutions

Interaction of 2-aminomethyl-15-crown-5 (AM15C5) with iodine has been investigated spectrophotometrically in chloroform and 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCE) solutions. The observed time dependence of the charge-transfer band and subsequent formation of I(3)(-) in solution were related to the slow transformation of the initially formed 1:1 AM15C5.I(2) outer complex to an inner electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complex, followed by fast reaction of the inner complex with iodine to form a triiodide ion. The pseudo-first-order rate constants were evaluated from the absorbance- and conductivity-time data. The stoichiometry and formation constants of the resulting EDA complexes have also been determined. Thermodynamic parameters, Delta H degrees and Delta S degrees , of the complexes have been determined from the temperature dependence of stability constants by Van't Hoff equation. The results indicate that iodine complexes of AM15C5 in both solvents are enthalpy stabilized but entropy destabilized. The influence of solvent properties on the kinetics and stability of the resulting charge-transfer complexes are discussed.     

NaHSO_3-O_2-MnSO_4体系引发丙烯酰胺水溶液聚合反应的研究

本文研究了NaHSO_3-O_2-MnSO_4体系引发丙烯酰胺(AM)水溶液聚合的动力学,并探讨了其引发机理。用该体系可在室温下迅速引发AM聚合,且所得的聚丙烯酰胺(PAM)分子量可达1000万。为了比较,对NaHSO_3-O_2等几个引发体系也作了一定研究。     

共轭烯烃的分子几何构型、电子结构和生成热的DMM和AM1、PM3的比较研究

运用Ｄｅｌｆｔ分子力学（ＤＭＭ）力场和程序以及半经验分子轨道ＡＭ１和ＰＭ３方法计算研究了丁二烯、苯、甲苯、联苯、苯乙烯、富烯、、环辛四烯、［２，２］对环烷和菲等１０个共轭烯烃分子的几何构型、电子结构和生成热．ＤＭＭ计算的几何构型和生成热与实验结果相吻合，电荷分布结果与从头计算结果较接近．ＡＭ１和ＰＭ３计算的几何构型较好，但计算的生成热与实验结果偏差较大．ＰＭ３计算值比ＡＭ１的稍好．     

Investigation of Homologous Series of Fatty Acids by TLC. Part I. Comparison of Separations of Fatty Acids on RP-18 Plates With and Without a Concentrating Zone

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - Fatty acids from pentanoic acid to tricosanoic acid have been separated on RP-18 plates with and without a concentrating zone....     

Synthesis of a core arabinomannan oligosaccharide of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The synthesis of a core arabinomannan (AM) oligosaccharide from Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been achieved using a convergent [6 + 6] glycosylation strategy and a defined set of building blocks. Dodecasaccharide 1, containing the key AM structural features of lipoarabinomannan (LAM), was obtained in excellent yield and selectivity from hexamannan 3 and hexaarabinan 5. This flexible synthetic strategy involves late-stage couplings and modifications, thus providing ready access to several different LAM fragments. The incorporation of a thiol linker at the reducing end of the oligosaccharide allows for the attachment of these compounds to microarrays and protein carriers.