A fully consistent experimental and molecular simulation study of methane adsorption on activated carbon

The adsorption of pure methane in activated carbon Ecosorb was studied by combining grand canonical ensemble Monte Carlo molecular simulations and an experimental approach based on a gravimetric device. Experimental and calculated adsorption isotherms of methane were determined in supercritical conditions at 303.15 and 353.15 K and pressures up to 10 MPa. The comparison between both experimental and estimated data proves the consistency of the methodology used in this work, starting from the characterization of the porous media in terms of pore size distribution, the determination of the experimental adsorption isotherms, and the final estimation of computational results through estimated isotherms determination. Moreover, additional differential enthalpy of adsorption calculations were compared with experimental values obtained by means of a manometric/calorimetric technique. The good agreement shows the strength and the originality of this paper by combining experimental and computational homemade results allowing a complete characterization of the activated carbon substrate and its methane storage capacity.     

Random Polyesteramides Based on Glycolic Acid and β-Alanine

A series of random polyesteramides (PEAs) within a range of molar composition from 90/10 to 10/90 were synthesized by a direct melt polycondensation of glycolic acid and β-alanine. Their structures were fully characterized by NMR spectroscopy. The resulting copolymers are amorphous and present increasing glass transition temperatures at increasing β-alanine contents. The copolymers were also characterized by, FTIR, TGA and viscosimetry measurements.     

Electroactive self-assembled monolayers: Laviron's interaction model extended to non-random distribution of redox centers

The Laviron's interaction model, dedicated to randomly distributed electroactive adsorbed species, was extended to a non-random distribution in order to extract the current–voltage characteristics from any surface distribution of electroactive centers on self-assembled monolayer (SAM). Confronted to electrochemical behaviour of nitroxyl radical SAMs, the agreement observed between theory and experiments provides evidence of a distribution independence of the interaction parameters.     

Microwave-induced by-products in the synthesis of 2-(4-methyl-2-phenylpiperazinyl)pyridine-3-carbonitrile

The Letter describes the investigation of an industrial reaction of N-methylphenylpiperazine and chloronicotinonitrile, under microwave heating. Besides the formation of the expected 2-(4-methyl-2-phenylpiperazinyl)pyridine-3-carbonitrile (4), extension of the scale leads to unexpected by-products. A specific pathway due to the formation of a reactive ‘ionic alkylating intermediate’ formed in situ under microwave conditions is proposed to explain the results observed.     

Enantioselective synthesis of (R)- and (S)-N-Boc-morpholine-2-carboxylic acids by enzyme-catalyzed kinetic resolution: application to the synthesis of reboxetine analogs

The (R)- and (S)-N-Boc-morpholine-2-carboxylic acids 9 and 10 were prepared using an enantioselective synthesis employing a highly selective enzyme-catalyzed kinetic resolution of racemic n-butyl 4-benzylmorpholine-2-carboxylate (11) as the key step. Acids 9 and 10 were then converted efficiently and stereoselectively to reboxetine analogs 3 and 4.     

Optimization of capillary electrophoresis conditions for a glucagon competitive immunoassay using response surface methodology

The capillary electrophoresis (CE) conditions for a competitive immunoassay of glucagon were optimized for highest sensitivity of the immunoassay and resolution of the electrophoretic peaks using a Box–Behnken design. Injection time, voltage ramp time, and separation voltage were varied between three levels and two responses, bound-to-free (B/F) ratio of the immunoassay peaks and resolution between the peaks, were measured. Analysis of variance was applied to fit a predictive model, and a desirability function was used to simultaneously optimize both responses. A 10-s injection, 1.6-min ramp time, and a 22-kV separation voltage were the conditions found when high B/F was given more emphasis than high resolution. To test the model, calibration curves of a glucagon immunoassay were measured at the optimum and least optimum CE conditions. Optimal conditions increased the sensitivity of the immunoassay by 388% compared to the least optimum conditions while maintaining adequate resolution.

Lithiated c-V<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript> thin-film as positive electrode for rocking-chair solid-state lithium microbattery

We report for the first time the use of lithiated crystalline V₂O₅ thin films as positive electrode in all-solid-state microbatteries. Crystalline Li_xV₂O₅ films (x ≈ 0.8 and 1.5) are obtained by vacuum evaporation of metallic lithium deposited on sputtered c-V₂O₅. An all-solid-state lithium microbattery of Li_1.5V₂O₅/LiPON/Li exhibited a typical reversible capacity of 50 μAh/cm² in the potential range 3.8/2.15 V which exceeds by far the results known on all-solid-state lithium batteries using amorphous V₂O₅ films and lithiated amorphous Li_xV₂O₅ thin films as positive electrode. Hence, the present work opens the possibility of using high performance crystalline lithiated V₂O₅ thin films in rocking-chair solid-state microbatteries.     

A test of performance of breast MRI interpretation in a multicentre screening study

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the consistency and performance of radiologists interpreting breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two test sets of eight cases comprising cancers, benign disease, technical problems and parenchymal enhancement were prepared from two manufacturers' equipment (X and Y) and reported by 15 radiologists using the recording form and scoring system of the UK MRI breast screening study [(MAgnetic Resonance Imaging in Breast Screening (MARIBS)]. Variations in assessments of morphology, kinetic scores and diagnosis were measured by assessing intraobserver and interobserver variability and agreement. The sensitivity and specificity of reporting performances was determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: Intraobserver variation was seen in 13 (27.7%) of 47 of the radiologists' conclusions (four technical and seven pathological differences). Substantial interobserver variation was observed in the scores recorded for morphology, pattern of enhancement, quantification of enhancement and washout pattern. The overall sensitivity of breast MRI was high [88.6%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 77.4-94.7%], combined with a specificity of 69.2% (95% CI 60.5-76.7%). The sensitivities were similar for the two test sets (P=.3), but the specificity was significantly higher for the Manufacturer X dataset (P<.001). ROC curve analysis gave an area under the curve of 0.85 (95% CI 0.79-0.92) CONCLUSIONS: Substantial variation in all elements of the scoring system and in the overall diagnostic conclusions was observed between radiologists participating in MARIBS. High overall sensitivity was achieved with moderate specificity. Manufacturer-related differences in specificities possibly occurred because the numerical thresholds set for the scoring system were not optimised for both equipment manufacturers. Scoring systems developed on one equipment software may not be transferable to other manufacturers.