Production of Cellulolytic Enzymes by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus phoenicis</Emphasis> in Grape Waste using Response Surface Methodology

The production of cellulolytic enzymes by the fungus Aspergillus phoenicis was investigated. Grape waste from the winemaking industry was chosen as the growth substrate among several agro-industrial byproducts. A 2 × 2 central composite design was performed, utilizing the amount of grape waste and peptone as independent variables. The fungus was cultivated in submerged fermentation at 30 °C and 120 rpm for 120 h, and the activities of total cellulases, endoglucanases, and β-glucosidases were measured. Total cellulases were positively influenced by the linear increase of peptone concentration and decrease at axial concentrations of grape waste and peptone. Maximum activity of endoglucanase was observed by a linear increase of both grape waste and peptone concentrations. Concentrations of grape waste between 5 and 15 g/L had a positive effect on the production of β-glucosidase; peptone had no significant effects. The optimum production of the three cellulolytic activities was observed at values near the central point. A. phoenicis has the potential for the production of cellulases utilizing grape waste as the growth substrate.     

Butene concentration prediction in ethylene/propylene/1-butene terpolymers by FT-IR spectroscopy through multivariate statistical analysis and artificial neural networks

This paper reports the development of calibration models for quality control in the production of ethylene/propylene/1-butene terpolymers by the use of multivariate tools and FT-IR spectroscopy.1-Butene concentration prediction is achieved in terpolymers by coupling FT-IR spectroscopy to multivariate regression tools. A dataset of 26 terpolymers (14 coming from a constrained experimental design for mixtures, plus 12 terpolymers used for external validation) was analysed by FT-IR spectroscopy. An internal method of “Polimeri Europa” plant, based on ¹³C NMR spectroscopy is used to determine the percentage of 1-butene in the samples. Then, different multivariate tools are used for 1-butene concentration prediction based on the FT-IR spectra recorded. Different multivariate calibration methods were explored: principal component regression (PCR), partial least squares (PLS), stepwise OLS regression (SWR) and artificial neural networks (ANNs). The model obtained by back-propagation neural networks turned out to be the best one. The performances of the BP-ANN model were further improved by variable selection procedures based on the calculation of the first derivative of the network.The proposed approach allows the monitoring in real time of the polymer synthesis and the estimation of the characteristics of the product attainable from the concentration of 1-butene.     

Photoinitiation rate profiles during polymerization of a dimethacrylate-based resin photoinitiated with camphorquinone/amine. Influence of initiator photobleaching rate

The photodecomposition of camphorquinone (CQ)/amine during the photo polymerization of a dimethacrylate-based resin under continuous irradiation was investigated in thick samples. The global CQ photoconsumption was measured by monitoring the decrease in light absorption as a function of irradiation time and the kinetics were satisfactory fitted to a first order expression where the rate constant of photobleaching was proportional to the irradiation intensity. In a thick sample, the photobleaching of the photoinitiator is accompanied by a deeper penetration of the light through the underlying layers. These gradients of photoinitiator concentration, light intensity and photoinitiation rate along the path of irradiation were calculated. The photodecomposition reaction was spatially inhomogeneous and the degree of nonuniformity increased with increased initial sample absorbance. The influence of the photobleaching process on the polymerization reaction was examined. The photobleaching rate of CQ was much slower than the polymerization rate and only 20% of the initial amount of CQ was consumed before the polymerization reaction had almost ceased. Results obtained in this research highlight the inherent interlinking of light attenuation and photobleaching rate in bulk polymerizing systems.     

Fast sequential multi-element determination of Ca,Mg, K,Cu, Fe,Mn and Zn for foliar diagnosis using high-resolution continuum source flame atomic absorption spectrometry: Feasibility of secondary lines,side pixel registration and least-squares background correction

The fast sequential multi-element determination of Ca, Mg, K, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in plant tissues by high-resolution continuum source flame atomic absorption spectrometry is proposed. For this, the main lines for Cu (324.754 nm), Fe (248.327 nm), Mn (279.482 nm) and Zn (213.857 nm) were selected, and the secondary lines for Ca (239.856 nm), Mg (202.582 nm) and K (404.414 nm) were evaluated. The side pixel registration approach was studied to reduce sensitivity and extend the linear working range for Mg by measuring at wings (202.576 nm; 202.577 nm; 202.578 nm; 202.580 nm; 202.585 nm; 202.586 nm; 202.587 nm; 202.588 nm) of the secondary line. The interference caused by NO bands on Zn at 213.857 nm was removed using the least-squares background correction. Using the main lines for Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn, secondary lines for Ca and K, and line wing at 202.588 nm for Mg, and 5 mL min^− 1 sample flow-rate, calibration curves in the 0.1–0.5 mg L^− 1 Cu, 0.5–4.0 mg L^− 1 Fe, 0.5–4.0 mg L^− 1 Mn, 0.2–1.0 mg L^− 1 Zn, 10.0–100.0 mg L^− 1 Ca, 5.0–40.0 mg L^− 1 Mg and 50.0–250.0 mg L^− 1 K ranges were consistently obtained. Accuracy and precision were evaluated after analysis of five plant standard reference materials. Results were in agreement at a 95% confidence level (paired t-test) with certified values. The proposed method was applied to digests of sugar-cane leaves and results were close to those obtained by line-source flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Recoveries of Ca, Mg, K, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in the 89–103%, 84–107%, 87–103%, 85–105%, 92–106%, 91–114%, 96–114% intervals, respectively, were obtained. The limits of detection were 0.6 mg L^− 1 Ca, 0.4 mg L^− 1 Mg, 0.4 mg L^− 1 K, 7.7 µg L^− 1 Cu, 7.7 µg L^− 1 Fe, 1.5 µg L^− 1 Mn and 5.9 µg L^− 1 Zn.     

Photochemistry of Dihydrido(hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borato)(Z-cyclooctene)iridium. Synthetic Intermediates and Mechanism of the Photochemical Formation of Hydridophenyl(hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borato)(trimethyl phosphite)iridium

The photolysis of a benzene solution of [Tp(Me2)IrH(2)(COE)], 1 (Tp(Me2) = hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borate, COE = Z-cyclooctene), in the presence of P(OMe)(3), gives the stable novel complex [Tp(Me2)IrH(C(6)H(5))(P(OMe)(3))], 3a. The photochemical syntheses of [Tp(Me2)IrH(2)(P(OMe)(3))], from 1 and P(OMe)(3) in diethyl ether, and [Tp(Me2)IrH(2)(CH(2)=CHCOO(t)Bu)], from 1 in tert-butyl acrylate, are also reported. The above reactions and several experiments using C(6)D(6) and P(OCD(3))(3) show that, in all cases, the primary photoproduct is the 16-electron, five-coordinate iridium(III) intermediate {Tp(Me2)IrH(2)}, 6a, produced by loss of COE from 1. The above experiments also allow the postulation of a mechanistic pathway for the formation of 3a which involves the oxidative addition of an aromatic C-H bond by 6a. Furthemore, the photochemical reaction of 1 in the presence of P(OCD(3))(3) shows that, under the reaction conditions used, oxidative addition of C-H bonds of P(OMe)(3) and of coordinated Tp(Me2)-ligands, presumably, to the intermediates 6a and {Tp(Me2)IrH(C(6)H(5))}, also occurs. Thus, coordinatively unsaturated iridium(III) species readily activate C-H bonds.     

Enhancing the superconducting transition temperature of BaSi2 by structural tuning

We present a joint experimental and theoretical study of the superconducting phase of the layered binary silicide BaSi(2). Compared with the AlB(2) structure of graphite or diboridelike superconductors, in the hexagonal structure of binary silicides the sp(3) arrangement of silicon atoms leads to corrugated sheets. Through a high-pressure synthesis procedure we are able to modify the buckling of these sheets, enhancing the superconducting transition temperature from 6 to 8.9 K when the silicon planes flatten out. By performing ab initio calculations based on density-functional theory we explain how the electronic and phonon properties are strongly affected by changes in the buckling. This mechanism is likely present in other intercalated layered superconductors, opening the way to the tuning of superconductivity through the control of internal structural parameters.     

Hydrogen‐bonded nucleophile effects in ANS: the reactions of 1‐chloro and 1‐fluoro‐2,4‐dinitrobenzene with 2‐guanidinobenzimidazole, 1‐(2‐aminoethyl)piperidine and N‐(3‐aminopropyl)morpholine in aprotic solvents

The kinetics of the reactions of 2,4‐dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) and 2,4‐dinitrochlorobenzene (DNClB) with 2‐guanidinobenzimidazole (2‐GB) at 40 ± 0.2 °C in dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO), toluene, and in toluene–DMSO mixtures, and with 1‐(2‐aminoethyl)piperidine (2‐AEPip) and N‐(3‐aminopropyl)morpholine (3‐APMo) in toluene at 25 ± 0.2 °C were studied under pseudo first‐order conditions. For the reactions of 2‐GB carried out in pure DMSO, the second‐order rate coefficients were independent of the amine concentration. In contrast, the reactions of 2‐GB with DNFB in toluene, showed a kinetic behaviour consistent with a base‐catalysed decomposition of the zwitterionic intermediate. These results suggest an intramolecular H‐bonding of 2‐GB in toluene, which is not present in DMSO. To confirm this interpretation the reactions were studied in DMSO–toluene mixtures. Small amounts of DMSO produce significant increase in rate that is not expected on the basis of the classical effect of a dipolar aprotic medium; the effect is consistent with the formation of a nucleophile/co‐solvent mixed aggregate. For the reactions of 3‐APMo with both substrates in toluene, the second‐order rate coefficients, k_A, show a linear dependence on the [amine]. 3‐APMo is able to form a six‐membered ring by an intramolecular H‐bond which prevents the formation of self‐aggregates. In contrast, a third order was observed in the reactions with 2‐AEPip: these results can be interpreted as a H‐bonded homo‐aggregate of the amine acting as a better nucleophile than the monomer. Most of these results can be well explained within the frame of the ‘dimer nucleophile’ mechanism. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Archimedean ideals of valuation domains

Let R be a valuation domain. We prove that the only archimedean ideals of R are the principal ones or those isomorphic to P and only if the value group of R is complete.