Proteome analysis in the bovine adrenal medulla using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS)-based proteomics has been used to identify soluble proteins in the bovine adrenal medulla. This gland is a major source of hormones, opioids, neurotransmitters, and several vital proteins. The adrenal medulla proteins were first purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation. The resulting proteins were then pre-fractionated with a C-4 high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column. Each 2-min HPLC fraction was digested with trypsin, and separated further and analyzed using capillary liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (capLC/nanospray-MS/MS) to map the proteome of the adrenal medulla. The parent mass and sequence ion information thus obtained for tryptic peptides was used to search the NCBInr database using the SEQUEST search engine. A total of 195 proteins were identified, of which 71 had good scores (delta correlation value greater than 0.1, preliminary score above 200, and cross-correlation value above 2.5). The prominent proteins thus identified are secretogranin I precursor, chromogranin A, proenkephalin A precursor, myosin X, hemoglobin beta chain, hemoglobin alpha chain, heat shock protein 10 kDa, and replicase.     

SELECTIVE OXIDATION OF BENZYLIC ALCOHOLS USING CAN SUPPORTED ONTO SILICA GEL UNDER MICROWAVE IRRADIATION

Cerium ammonium nitrate (CAN) adsorbed on HNO ₃ /silica gel is a mild reagent for selective oxidation of benzylic alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes under microwave irradiation in solventless system.     

Evaluation of aortic stenosis severity using 4D flow jet shear layer detection for the measurement of valve effective orifice area

Aims

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of 4D flow MRI to assess valve effective orifice area (EOA) in patients with aortic stenosis as determined by the jet shear layer detection (JSLD) method.

Methods and Results

An in-vitro stenosis phantom was used for validation and in-vivo imaging was performed in 10 healthy controls and 40 patients with aortic stenosis. EOA was calculated by the JSLD method using standard 2D phase contrast MRI (PC-MRI) and 4D flow MRI measurements (EOA_JSLD-2D and EOA_JSLD-4D, respectively). As a reference standard, the continuity equation was used to calculate EOA (EOA_CE) with the 2D PC-MRI velocity field and compared to the EOA_JSLD measurements. The in-vitro results exhibited excellent agreement between flow theory (EOA = 0.78 cm²) and experimental measurement (EOA_JSLD-4D = 0.78 ± 0.01 cm²) for peak velocities ranging from 0.9 to 3.7 m/s. In-vivo results showed good correlation and agreement between EOA_JSLD-2D and EOA_CE (r = 0.91, p < 0.001; bias: − 0.01 ± 0.38 cm²; agreement limits: 0.75 to − 0.77 cm²), and between EOA_JSLD-4D and EOA_CE (r = 0.95, p < 0.001; bias: − 0.09 ± 0.26 cm²; limits: 0.43 to − 0.62 cm²).

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the feasibility of measuring EOA_JSLD using 4D flow MRI. The technique allows for optimization of the EOA measurement position by visualizing the 3D vena contracta, and avoids potential sources of EOA_CE measurement variability.     

The principles of bipolar electrochemistry and its electroanalysis applications

The present study reports the wireless technique that generates asymmetric reactivity on the surface of the conducting substrate without any direct electrical connection in the electrolyte solution by inducing external power. In recent years, bipolar electrochemical systems have received special attention that they are used for new kinds of electrochemical applications ranging from electrodeposition to electroanalytical chemistry. Bipolar electrochemistry is a unique technique because of the lack of direct electrical connection to the bipolar electrode. In this perspective article, we first illustrate the concept and history of the bipolar electrochemistry as well as their application based on the open and closed bipolar configuration in different fields.     

Green and rapid synthesis of dihydropyrimido [4,5‐b]quinolinetrione derivatives using CoFe2O4@PPA as high efficient solid acidic catalyst under ultrasonic irradiation

A new high efficient and green protocol for the preparation of dihydropyrimido[4,5‐b]quinolinetrione derivatives using magnetically solid acid catalyst was presented. High performance solid acid catalyst was prepared through a three‐step reaction. Firstly, CoFe₂O₄ nano particles were synthesized using co‐precipitation method. In second step, CoFe₂O₄ nano particles were coated with SiO₂ shell through treatment with tetraethyl orthosilicate (CoFe₂O₄@SiO₂). Finaly, CoFe₂O₄@SiO₂ was modified with polyphosphoric acid (CoFe₂O₄@SiO₂/PPA) in a simple manner. Green reusable catalyst was characterized in details using FTIR, VSM, TEM, FESEM, EDX and used as catalyst for the synthesis of dihydropyrimido[4,5‐b]quinolinetrione derivatives. Reaction was performed under ultrasonic irradiation as green, effective and mild conditions and products were achieved in high to excellent yields. Green and eco‐friendly conditions, short reaction times with high yield of products in addition to easy workup are some merits of presented method.     

Poly(p-xylene disulfide) and poly(p-xylene tetrasulfide): synthesis,cure and investigation of mechanical and thermophysical properties

Abstract

In this work, two polysulfide polymers were synthesized using aromatic organic monomer (α,α′-dichloro-p-xylene) and sodium disulfide (Na₂S₂) and sodium tetrasulfide (Na₂S₄) aqueous monomers. Then, the curing process of the polymers was carried out at 170° C using a rheometer. The structural characteristics of synthesized and cured samples were identified by Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopies. Also, morphological and thermophysical properties of samples were studied by using the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. Moreover, the molecular weight of the synthesized samples was determined by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR). Furthermore, the mechanical properties and hardness of the samples were investigated by tensile test and Shore A. The results showed that in the noncured samples during the increase of sulfur in the polymer structure, solubility was increased whereas it decreased the hardness, melting point (T_m ) and glass transition temperature (T_g ) of polymers. But in cured samples, hardness and T_g increase by increasing sulfur and the mechanical properties also improved. This is due to the increase in crosslinks. Also, Tm and solubility are not observed due to the formation of crosslinks.     

A Potentiometric Sensor for Cd2+ Based on Carbon Nanotube Paste Electrode Constructed from Room Temperature Ionic Liquid,Ionophore and Silica Nanoparticles

A novel and effective potentiometric sensor for the rapid determination of Cd²⁺ based on carbon paste electrode consisting of the room temperature ionic liquid 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, multiwalled carbon nanotubes, silica nanoparticles and ionophore was constructed. The prepared composite has a low potential drift, high selectivity and fast response time, which leads to a more stable potential signal. A linear dynamic range of 4.50×10^?9–1.00×10^?1 mol L^?1 with a detection limit of 2.00×10^?9 mol L^?1 was obtained. The modified electrode was successfully applied to the accurate determination of trace amounts of Cd²⁺ in environmental and biological samples.     

A Priori Evaluation of the Laminar Flamelet Decomposition Model for Turbulent Premixed Flames using DNS Data

Laminar flamelet decomposition (LFD) is a dynamic approach for modelling sub-filter scale turbulence-chemistry interactions in Large-Eddy Simulations using a stretched flamelet library. In this work, the performance of the LFD model – that was previously used only in non-premixed combustion—is investigated a priori for premixed combustion using positively-strained flamelets in the reactant-to-product configuration. For this purpose, a DNS database of methane-air premixed flames is utilized. The flames are propagating in a rectangular box under homogeneous isotropic turbulence conditions over a wide range of Karlovitz numbers. The results show that the LFD model can correctly account for the sub-filter scale turbulence-chemistry interactions to predict the filtered reaction rates and the filtered scalar field, provided that turbulent and laminar mixing are well predicted. The deviations from the DNS results are attributed to the shortcomings of the strained flamelet library and the non-flamelet effects. Finally, the LFD results are compared with a different sub-filter scale model using the same strained flamlelet library, and the relative performances of the two models are discussed.—

     

Design of Furan-Based Acceptors for Organic Photovoltaics

We explore a series of furan-based non-fullerene acceptors and report their optoelectronic properties, solid-state packing, photodegradation mechanism and application in photovoltaic devices. Incorporating furan building blocks leads to the expected enhanced backbone planarity, reduced band gap and red-shifted absorption of these acceptors. Still, their position in the molecule is critical for stability and device performance. We found that the photodegradation of these acceptors originates from two distinct pathways: electrocyclic photoisomerization and Diels–Alder cycloaddition of singlet oxygen. These mechanisms are of general significance to most non-fullerene acceptors, and the photostability depends strongly on the molecular structure. Placement of furans next to the acceptor termini leads to better photostability, well-balanced hole/electron transport, and significantly improved device performance. Methylfuran as the linker offers the best photostability and power conversion efficiency (>14 %), outperforming all furan-based acceptors reported to date and all indacenodithiophene-based acceptors. Our findings show the possibility of photostable furan-based alternatives to the currently omnipresent thiophene-based photovoltaic materials.