Enhanced Production of Artemisinin by Hairy Root Cultivation of Artemisia annua in a Modified Stirred Tank Reactor

Artemisinin is an important drug commonly used in the treatment of malaria as a combination therapy. It is primarily produced by a plant Artemisia annua, however, its supply from plant is significantly lower than its huge demand and therefore alternative in vitro production routes are sought. Hairy root cultivation could be one such alternative production protocol. Agrobacterium rhizogenes was used to induce hairy roots of A. annua. Statistical optimization of media was thereafter attempted to maximize the biomass/artemisinin production. The growth and product formation kinetics and the significant role of O₂ in hairy root propagation were established in optimized media. Mass cultivation of hairy roots was, thereafter, attempted in a modified 3-L Stirred Tank Bioreactor (Applikon Dependable Instruments, The Netherlands) using optimized culture conditions. The reactor was suitably modified to obtain profuse growth of hairy roots by segregating and protecting the growing roots from the agitator rotation in the reactor using a perforated Teflon disk. It was possible to produce 18 g biomass L^?1 (on dry weight basis) and 4.63 mg L^?1 of artemisinin in 28 days, which increased to 10.33 mg L^?1 by the addition of elicitor methyl jasmonate.     

Bromo dimethyl sulfoxide osmium(II) complexes. Molecular structure of cis,fac-[OsBr2(dmso-S)3(dmso-O)]

Bromo dimethyl sulfoxide osmium(II) complexes were synthesized: trans-[OsBr₂(dmso-S)₄] (1) was obtained by the reaction of K₂[OsBr₆] with DMSO in the presence of SnBr₂ at 100°C and cis,fac-[OsBr₂(dmso-S)₃(dmso-O)] (2) was prepared by thermal isomerization of 1 in a DMSO solution at 150°C. The coordination mode of DMSO molecules was determined by IR and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that compound 2 crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2₁/n; a = 8.4711(5) Å, b = 27.7876(15) Å, c = 8.5569(5) Å, β = 115.7110(10)°; Z = 4. The coordination polyhedron of osmium is a distorted octahedron; the osmium environment is formed by two cis-arranged bromine atoms and three fac-S-coordinated and one O-coordinated DMSO molecules. The interconversion of complexes in solutions was studied by UV/Vis and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. In chloroform and DMSO, complex 2 isomerizes to cis-[OsBr₂(dmso-S)₄] and (in the light) to 1. The complexes trans-[OsX₂(dmso-d₆)₄], where X = Cl, Br, were isolated from DMSO-d ₆ and characterized by the IR spectra.     

Graft copolymers via combination of cationic polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization and their phase separation into spherical/worm-like nanostructures

Poly(p-chloromethyl styrene)-graft-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PCMS-g-PMMA) and poly(p-chloromethyl styrene)-graft-poly(benzyl methacrylate) (PCMS-g-PBzMA) graft copolymers with asymmetric branches are synthesized via the combination of cationic polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The process involves first, the preparation of poly(p-chloromethyl styrene) (PCMS-CH₂Cl) macroinitiator without any cross-linking or side reactions through pendant benzyl chloride (?CH₂Cl) functionality by cationic polymerization using a simple FeCl₃-based initiating system at 25 °C. The as-synthesized PCMS-CH₂Cl, without any transformation, is then used as the macroinitiator to graft PMMA and PBzMA branches by ATRP to produce PCMS-g-PMMA and PCMS-g-PBzMA graft copolymers of varying compositions with controlled molecular weight and moderately narrow polydispersities (M _w/M _n?≤?1.32). The resulting PCMS₂₁ -g-PMMA₂₃₂ graft copolymer in thin film form phase separates into spherical morphology with an average diameter of 170?±?72 nm. Whereas the PCMS₂₁ -g-PBzMA₁₅₆ graft copolymer gives worm-like nanostructures with an average length of 94 nm and width of 31 nm due to phase separation as visualized through atomic force microscopy. On the other hand, the phase-separated morphology is not very well-defined for other graft copolymers (PCMS₁₁₃ -g-PMMA₂₂₇ and PCMS₁₁₃ -g-PBzMA₁₅₄) thin films containing longer PCMS chains. This approach represents a rapid and convenient route to prepare unique spherical/worm-like polymer nanostructures. Figure

Well-defined poly(p-chloromethyl styrene)-graft-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PCMS-g-PMMA) and poly(p-chloromethyl styrene)-graft-poly(benzyl methacrylate) (PCMS-g-PBzMA) graft copolymers with asymmetric branches are synthesized by the combination of living cationic polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The resulting PCMS₂₁ -g-PMMA₂₃₂ and PCMS₂₁ -g-PBzMA₁₅₆ graft copolymers phase separate into nanostructured spherical and worm-like morphologies, respectively, in thin film form. The phase-separated morphology is not very well-defined for graft copolymers (PCMS₁₁₃ -g-PMMA₂₂₇ and PCMS₁₁₃ -g-PBzMA₁₅₄) thin films containing longer PCMS chains.     

A photoionization study of the van der Waals molecule C2H4 · HCl

The dissociation energy of the C₂H₄ · HCl van der Waals complex was determined to be 3.18±0.73 kcal mol^?1 by a dissociative photoionization technique. C₂H₄ · HCl was produced by free expansion of a 1:4 mixture of C₂H₄ in HCl and the clusters were ionized with tunable synchrotron radiation. The photoionization efficiency function of (C₂H₄ · HCl)⁺ from C₂H₄ · HCl was determined between 600 and 1,300 Å and the onset for (C₂H₄ · HCl)⁺ was established as 1,163±2 Å = 10.66±0.02 eV; these values give ΔH _f ⁰ (C₂H₄ · HCl) = ?10.7±0.7 kcal mol^?1 and ΔH _f ⁰ (C₂H₄·HCl⁺)=235.1±0.9 kcal mol^?1. A complex ion dissociation energyD ₀(C₂H₄ · HCl⁺) = ?0.3±0.9 kcal mol^?1 was calculated from the results. The major features on the PIE curve for C₂H₄ · HCl⁺ can be analyzed in terms of the known energetic features of C₂H ₄ ⁺ and HCl. An extended energy diagram for the C₂H₄ + HCl system is presented.     

Kinetics of Water-Mediated Fluctuations in Room Temperature Ionic Liquid: N,N-Diethyl-N-methyl-N-(2-methoxyethyl) Ammonium Tetrafluoroborate

The kinetics of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was assessed in the room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL)–x mol% H₂O system, where the RTIL is N,N-diethyl-N-methyl-N-(2-methoxyethyl) ammonium tetrafluoroborate, [DEME][BF₄]. During equilibration of a non-equilibrium state, the largest time evolution of SAXS was observed at approximately 90 mol% H₂O. Above 85 mol% (x _c), the SAXS intensity increased gradually for 24 h. For the larger q region, the prepeak and principal peak in X-ray diffraction patterns have no time dependence in the water-rich region (70–91 mol%). The long time relaxation process observed in SAXS was related to the outstanding pH oscillations at 90–95 mol% over several days in the [DEME][BF₄]–water system. The x _c for nonequilibrium anomalies is related to the equilibrated crossover concentration from 65–85 mol% (from SAXS) to 85–95 mol% (for the prepeak in X-ray diffraction) in the [DEME][BF₄]–H₂O system. Inside [DEME][BF₄], the dynamic and static properties of hydrogen bonding of water changed drastically at x _c.     

Ethylene oxidation under conditions of the oxidative coupling of methane

Ethylene conversion under conditions of the oxidative coupling of methane has been investigated. In an empty reactor above 740°C, ethylene oxidation occurs at a higher rate and its main product is carbon monoxide. Filling the reactor with an inert material (quartz) or a NaWMn/SiO₂ catalyst leads to a marked decrease in the ethylene conversion rate. Addition of methane to the reaction mixture dramatically slows down ethylene conversion rate and increases the C₃ hydrocarbon content of the reaction products. The kinetics of ethylene oxidation in the presence of methane over the NaWMn/SiO₂ catalyst is reported.     

Non-isothermal reduction of silica-supported nickel catalyst precursors in hydrogen atmosphere: a kinetic study and statistical interpretation

A series of silica-supported nickel catalyst precursors was synthesized with different SiO₂/Ni mole ratios (0.20, 0.80 and 1.15). Non-isothermal reduction of Ni catalyst precursors was investigated by temperature-programmed reduction at four different heating rates (2, 5, 10 and 20 °C min^?1), in a hydrogen atmosphere. Kinetic parameters (E _a, A) were determined using Friedman isoconversional method. It was found that for all mole ratios, apparent activation energy is practically constant in conversion range of α = 30–70 %. In considered conversion range, the following values of apparent activation energy were found: E _a = 129.5 kJ mol^?1 (SiO₂/Ni = 0.20), E _a = 133.8 kJ mol^?1 (SiO₂/Ni = 0.80) and E _a = 125.0 kJ mol^?1 (SiO₂/Ni = 1.15). Using two special functions (y(α) and z(α)), the kinetic model was determined. It was established that reduction of Ni catalyst precursors with different SiO₂/Ni mole ratios is a complex process and can be described by two-parameter ?esták–Berggren (SB) autocatalytic model. Based on established values of SB parameters for each mole ratio, the possible mechanism was discussed. It was found that for all investigated ratios, the Weibull distribution function fits very well the experimental data, in the wide range of conversions (α = 5–95 %). Based on obtained values of Weibull shape parameter (θ), it was found that experimentally evaluated density distribution functions of the apparent activation energies can be approximated by the unbalanced peaked normal distribution.     

Effects of Cu addition on the structure and magnetic properties of L10-FePt nanoparticles prepared by sol–gel method

(FePt)₁₀₀Cu₀, (FePt)₉₅Cu₅ and (FePt)₉₀Cu₁₀ nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully synthesized by the sol–gel method. The relationship between Cu doping and structure and magnetic properties of L1₀-FePt NPs was studied. The results indicated that all three samples originated a L1₀-FePt structure and Cu doping did not destroy the ordered structure of L1₀-FePt. By increasing the Cu content, c/a ratio of the FePtCu NPs linearly decreased. Pawley refinement showed symmetry of (FePt)₉₅Cu₅ NPs was still tetragonal. When the Cu concentration increased from 0 to 10 %, coercivity increased from 7,050 to 11,250 Oe. This result confirms that the prepared alloys can be promising candidates for magnetic storage applications.     

A core-shell surface magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers with fluorescence for λ-cyhalothrin selective recognition

In this study, we report here a general protocol for making core-shell magnetic Fe₃O₄/SiO₂-MPS/MIPs (MPS = 3-(methacryloxyl) propyl trimethoxysilane, MIPs = molecularly imprinted polymers, Fe₃O₄/SiO₂-MPS as core, MIPs as shell) via a surface molecular imprinting technique for optical detection of trace λ-cyhalothrin. The fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymer shell was first prepared by copolymerization of acrylamide with a small quantity of allyl fluorescein in the presence of λ-cyhalothrin to form recognition sites without doping. The magnetic Fe₃O₄/SiO₂-MPS/MIPs exhibited paramagnetism, high fluorescence intensity, and highly selective recognition. Using fluorescence quenching as a detecting tool, Fe₃O₄/SiO₂-MPS/MIPs were successfully applied to selectively and sensitively detect λ-cyhalothrin, and a linear relationship could be obtained covering a wide concentration range of 0–50 nM with a correlation coefficient of 0.9962 described by the Stern-Volmer equation. The experimental results of practical detection revealed that magnetic Fe₃O₄/SiO₂-MPS/MIPs as an attractive recognition element was satisfactory for determination of trace λ-cyhalothrin in honey samples. This study, therefore, demonstrated the potential of MIPs for detection of λ-cyhalothrin in food.     

Penning ionization electron spectrometry of hydrogen chloride

An electron spectrometric study has been performed on HCl using metastable helium and neon atoms as well as neon resonance photons. High resolution electron spectra were obtained with two different beam apparatuses for a mixed He(2¹ S, 2³ S) beam, a pure He(2³ S) beam, and, for the first time, state-selected pure Ne(3s ³ P ₂) and pure Ne(3s ³ P ₀) beams, and for NeI resonance photons. For the system He(2³ S)+HCl the vibrational populationsP(υ′) of the formed HCl⁺ (X ²∏ _i , υ′) and HCl⁺ (A ²Ω⁺, υ′) ions are found to differ from the Franck-Condon factors for unperturbed potentials, indicating slight bond stretching in HCl upon He(2³ S) approach. For He(2¹ S)+HCl the vibrational peak shapes and vibrational populations are substantially different from the He(2³ S) case, pointing to an additional, charge exchanged interaction (He⁺+HCl^?) in the entrance channel of the former system. For the first time, we have detected the electrons in both the He(2¹ S)+HCl and He(2³ S)+HCl spectra associated with the major mechanism for the formation of Cl⁺ ions: energy transfer to repulsive HCl** Rydberg states, dissociating toH(1s) and autoionizing Cl**(¹ D ₂ nl) atoms. For both Ne(³ P ₂)+HCl and Ne(³ P ₀)+HCl, the populationsP(υ′) of both final molecular states HCl⁺ (X, A) agree closely with the Franck-Condon factors at the average relative collision energyē _coll=55 meV and, for HCl⁺ (A ²Ω⁺), also atē _coll=130 meV.     

Toward mechanized peptide synthesis via polymeric reagents approach

Simultaneous application of high-molecular-weight active esters and polyvinylN,N- diethylbenzylamine was used as a basis for a continuous peptide synthesis via the polymeric reagents approach. Using the synthetic procedure developed, the hexapeptide Boc-L-Pro-L-Val-L-Lys[Z(p-NO₂)]-L-Val-L-Tyr(Dnp)-L-Pro-OBzr¹ and the tetrapeptide Boc-l-Lys[Z(p-NO₂)]-L-Lys[Z(p-NO₂)]-L-Arg(NO₂)-L-Arg(NO₂)-OBzr, corresponding to residues 19–24 and 15–18 of human ACTH, were synthesized in 63 and 70% overall yields, respectively.     

Stereoselective separation and pharmacokinetic dissipation of the chiral neonicotinoid sulfoxaflor in soil by ultraperformance convergence chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

Ultraperformance convergence chromatography/tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPC²-MS/MS) is a novel tool in separation science that combines the advantages of supercritical fluid chromatography with ultraperformance liquid chromatography/MS/MS technology. The use of nontoxic CO₂ fluid and a postcolumn additive to complement MS/MS allows better control of analyte retention for chiral separation and high-sensitivity determination with different chiral stationary phases. This paper reports the stereoselective separation and determination of the chiral neonicotinoid sulfoxaflor in vegetables and soil by UPC²-MS/MS. Baseline resolution (Rs?≥?1.56) of and high selectivity (LOQ?≤?1.83 μg/kg) for the four stereoisomers were achieved by postcolumn addition of 1 % formic acid–methanol to a Chiralpak IA-3 using CO₂/isopropanol/acetonitrile as the mobile phase at 40 °C, 2,500 psi, and for 6.5 min in electrospray ionization positive mode. Rearranged Van’t Hoff equations afforded the thermodynamic parameters ΔH ^ο and ΔS ^ο, which were analyzed to promote understanding of the enthalpy-driven separation of sulfoxaflor stereoisomers. The interday mean recovery, intraday repeatability, and interday reproducibility varied from 72.9 to 103.7 %, from 1.8 to 9.2 %, and from 3.1 to 9.4 %, respectively. The proposed method was used to study the pharmacokinetic dissipation of sulfoxaflor stereoisomers in soil under greenhouse conditions. The estimated half-life ranged from 5.59 to 6.03 d, and statistically nonsignificant enantioselective degradation was observed. This study not only demonstrates that the UPC²-MS/MS system is an efficient and sensitive method for sulfoxaflor stereoseparation, but also provides the first experimental evidence of the pharmacokinetic dissipation of sulfoxaflor stereoisomers in the environment. Graphical Abstract

Chemical structure and UPC²-MS/MS separation chromatogram of sulfoxaflor. (* stereogenic center)     

Electron attachment to HCl clusters

Negatively charged cluster ions of hydrogen chloride are formed by electron attachment to HCl clusters, which are produced in a seeded supersonic beam traversing a sustained gas discharge. Cluster ions of (HCl) _n ^? , withn=2, and tentatively withn=3 and 4 are observed. Cluster ions like Cl _n ^? , Cl _n ^? (HCl) _m , and withAr attached to them are also seen. The relevance to radiation chemistry of HCl if briefly discussed. Atoms evaporating from the hot, thoriated tungsten filament of the glow discharge lead to clusters such as Th _n ^? and its oxides.     

Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase and a biosensor for glucose based on a glass carbon electrode modified with MoS2 nanosheets decorated with gold nanoparticles

An electrochemical glucose biosensor was developed by immobilizing glucose oxidase (GOx) on a glass carbon electrode that was modified with molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) nanosheets that were decorated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The electrochemical performance of the modified electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry, and it is found that use of the AuNPs-decorated MoS₂ nanocomposite accelerates the electron transfer from electrode to the immobilized enzyme. This enables the direct electrochemistry of GOx without any electron mediator. The synergistic effect the MoS₂ nanosheets and the AuNPs result in excellent electrocatalytic activity. Glucose can be detected in the concentration range from 10 to 300 μM, and down to levels as low as 2.8 μM. The biosensor also displays good reproducibility and long-term stability, suggesting that it represents a promising tool for biological assays. Figure

A MoS₂-based glucose sensor has been prepared by gold nanoparticles-decorated MoS₂ nanocomposite, which exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity, reproducibility and long-term stability. It was applied to determine glucose concentration in human serum, suggest the sensor maybe promising for practical application.     

Investigation on the Binding of Terazosin Hydrochloride and Naftopidil to an Immobilized α 1-Adrenoceptor by Zonal Elution

The interaction between drugs and receptors is particularly important in revealing the drug acting mechanism and developing new leads. In this work, α ₁-Adrenoceptor (α ₁-AR) from HEK293 cell line is purified and immobilized on the surface of macro-pore silica gel to prepare an high-performance affinity chromatography stationary phase for the pursuit of drug–receptor interactions by competition zonal elution. Naftopidil is found to have only one type of binding site to α ₁-AR with an association constant of 1.45 × 10⁶ M^?1 and a concentration of binding sites of 1.56 × 10^?6 M, while terazosin hydrochloride proves to present two kinds of binding site on the receptor at which the association constants are determined to be 1.61 × 10⁵ M^?1 and 2.06 × 10³ M^?1, and the corresponding concentrations of the binding sites are 1.56 × 10^?6 M and 1.11 × 10^?3 M, respectively. It is concluded that the stationary phase containing attached α ₁-AR can be used to realize the binding of a drug to the receptor.     

Preparation of Cu (II)/PEI–QPEI/SiO2 nanopowder as antibacterial material

The silica nanoparticles were prepared by the sol–gel process, and then twice modified and grafted by polyethylenimine (PEI) on their surface. After quaternary ammonium reaction and chelated copper reaction, the PEI/SiO₂, QPEI/SiO₂, PEI–QPEI/SiO₂ and Cu (II)/PEI–QPEI/SiO₂ nanopowders were obtained in turn. The morphology and structure of the products were characterized through SEM, EDX, HRTEM, FTIR and element analysis. At the same time, the antibacterial activity of the products to E. coli and Candida were evaluated through quantification and qualitative ways, e.g. microcalorimetric method and culture dish method. The results suggested that the Cu (II)/PEI–QPEI/SiO₂, a novel three-component functional nanopowder, presented the best antibacterial activity to both E. coli and Candida duo to the synergistic sterilization capability of the ammonium salt and copper ions, compared with other products. It indicated that the Cu (II)/PEI–QPEI/SiO₂ nanopowder could be a novel antibacterial nanomaterial to widely application in preventing and minimizing bacteria of the organism and environment in future.     

Weak acid–base interaction induced assembly for the formation of rambutan-like poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride)/silica composite microspheres

To investigate the effect of surface functionality on the morphology of polymer/silica composite, poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride) (SMA) spheres prepared via precipitation polymerization method was employed. In water/ethanol solution, diethanolamine (DEA) was used to catalyze the hydrolysis reaction of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), and rambutan-like poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride)/silica (SMA/SiO₂) microspheres were synthesized through in situ sol–gel process. The obtained structure and morphology were characterized by FTIR, NMR, TEM, SEM, and TGA. The results showed that the hydrolyzed SMA chains on the surface was crucial to the nucleation and growth of silica, and the morphologies of SMA/SiO₂ composite microspheres can be controlled by the amount of DEA and the ratio of SMA/TEOS. In addition, the SMA/SiO₂ microspheres were used to prepare hierarchical structure of SMA/SiO₂/Ag particles, which were utilized for the construction of surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrate (SERS).     

KL 2,3 ionization in neon by electron impact in the range 1.5–50 keV: cross sections and alignment

We have measured the ratio of cross sections σ(KL _2,3)/σ(K) for neon for electron impact in the energy range ofE ₀=1.5 ... 50 keV via the intensity ofKL _2,3?LLL _2,3 Auger satellite lines relative to the intensity ofKL ₁ L _2,3 (³ P) diagram line. The experimental ratio decreases over the full range of energyE ₀ which is contrary to an earlier result by Carlson et al. We have also measured the alignment ofKL _2,3 ¹ P and³ P states via the angular distribution of Auger satellite intensity for the energy rangeE ₀=1.5 ... 4 keV, within experimental error we have found a zero alignment. The totalK Auger spectrum, measured forE ₀=40 keV and at the magic angle of emission ?=54.7°, has been decomposed into its components by using appropriate line shapes distorted by postcollision interaction. Finally, we discussed whether the lines observed at the high-energy side ofKL _2,3?LLL _2,3 Auger satellite lines can be interpreted as structures caused by an angular momentum exchange in the postcollision interaction predicted by Niehaus and Zwakhals.     

Phase-optimized chip-based liquid chromatography

In this contribution we introduce phase-optimized columns for highly efficient liquid chromatographic separations in microfluidic glass chips. In phase-optimized liquid chromatography the selectivity and geometry of the stationary phase are precisely adjusted to provide an optimal separation of a mixture of interest. The separation of nine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons under reversed-phase conditions was investigated. Standard HPLC was utilized to explore the retention parameters of each analyte on a set of five commercially available stationary phases. From these experiments the properties of an optimal on-chip column were calculated assuming a zero-void-volume performance for the chip chromatography. A phase-optimized on-chip column only 30 mm long provided baseline resolution of all signals within 4 min. The separation performance of a chip column comprising various stationary phases can be precisely predicted by a set of traditional HPLC experiments. The approach has great potential for the directed development of tailor-made chromatography chips for specific applications.     

Alignment of Ar+ (2p −1 2 P 3/2) ions after electron impact ionisation in the range 1 keV to 268 eV

We have measured the alignmentA ₂₀ of Ar⁺(2p ^{?1 2} P _3/2) ions after electron impact ionization in the range of primary electron energyE ₀=1000...268 eV (range of excess energyE ₁=750...19.5 eV) via the anisotropic angular distribution ofL ₃?M _2,3 M _2,3(¹ S ₀) Auger electrons. On decomposing the Auger spectra into their components special care was taken by including the effect of the postcollision interaction on the shape of Auger lines. The present alignment values forE ₀≧350 eV agree well with previously existing experimental values of DuBois and Rodbro and with theoretical DWBA results of Berezkho and Kabachnik, but forE ₀<350 eV they deviate systematically from the DWBA values. For the lowest impact energyE ₀, which is only 19.5 eV above threshold, we obtainedA ₂₀=+0.09(16). This value clearly indicates that in the ionisation process near threshold the two low-energy electrons escape not only with a two-electron partial waveL=0, according to Wannier's original assumption, but also with partial wavesL>0.