Low-temperature CO oxidation over Au-doped 13X-type zeolite catalysts: preparation and catalytic activity

Au-supported 13X-type zeolite (Au/13X) was synthesized using a common deposition–precipitation (DP) method with a solution of sodium carbonate as a precipitate agent. Further testing was conducted to test for catalytic oxidation of CO. A study was conducted on the effects of different preparation conditions (i.e., chloroauric acid concentration, solution temperature, pH of solution, and calcinations temperature) on Au/13X for CO oxidation. In respect to the catalytic activity, the relationship between different the preparation conditions and gold particles in 13X zeolite was analyzed using X-ray diffraction, TEM and XPS. The activity of Au/13X catalysts in CO oxidation was dependent on the chloroauric acid concentration. From XRD results, a higher chloroauric acid concentration induced larger gold nanoparticles, which resulted in lower catalytic activity. Results revealed that higher temperatures induced higher Au loading, homogeneous deposit, and smaller gold clusters on the support of 13X, resulting in higher CO activity. Furthermore, a pH of 5 or 6 generated greater amounts of Au loading and smaller Au particles on 13X than at a pH of 8 or 9. This may be a result of an effective exchange between Au(OH)2Cl2- and Au(OH)₃Cl^- on specific surface sites of zeolite under the pH’s 5 and 6. The sample calcined at 300°C showed the highest activity, which may be due to the sample’s calcined at 200°C inability to decompose completely to metallic gold while the sample calcined at 400°C had larger particles of gold deposited on the support. It can be concluded from this study that Au/13X prepared from a gold solution with an initial chloroauric acid solution concentration of 1.5 × 10^-3 mol·L^-1 gold solution pH of 6, solution temperature of around 90°C, and a calcination temperature of 300°C provides optimum catalytic activity for CO oxidation.     

Characterization and Release Kinetics of Allylthiosufinate and its Transforments from Poly(d,l-Lactide) Microspheres

In this work was described poly(d,l-lactide) microwave synthesis using tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate initiated ring-opening polymerization. Polymerization was performed at 100 °C with monomer to initiator molar ratio ([M]/[I]) of 5,000 in 30 min. The achieved number average molar mass of obtained polymers (determined by gel permeation chromatography) was 102,320 g/mol, with the polydispersion index, Q, 2.80. Structural characterization was performed by FT-IR spectroscopy followed characteristic bands. For applicative purposes the obtained polymer was purified during the procedure of microsphere preparation. Biodegradable microspheres prepared from poly(d,l-lactide) have been widely studied in recent years and have become well established controlled drug delivery systems. In this work microspheres were loaded with allyl thiosulfinate (allicin) and its transforments products (ajoene and vinyldithiine), as pharmacological active substances. The morphology of the microspheres was analyzed using a scanning electron microscope. Allicin was synthesized by acid oxidation of allyl disufide and purification of obtained products by liquid–liquid extraction with diethyl ether. Obtained allicin, purity 73%, was transformed using microwave in acetone solution, at solvent boiling temperature, for 5 min. For the quality and quantity analysis of allicin and its transformation process was used LC/MS chromatography. (E)- and (Z)-ajoene were detected at retention time 3.1 and 3.3 min, respectively, whence 3-vynil-4H-1,2-dithiine and 2-vynil-4H-1,3-dithiine were detected at 4.3 and 4.8 min, respectively. Retention time of allicin was 2.93 min, according to liquid chromatography results. HPLC method was used for assessment of pharmaceutical substances (alicine and alicine transforments) releasing from microspheres at room temperature in solutions with different pH (pH = 3 and pH = 8) for 24 h.     

Degradation of Polycaprolactone Modified with TPS or CaCO3 in Biotic/Abiotic Seawater

This paper is an investigation of the polymer degradation process in two types of seawater (with and without microorganisms) sourced from the Baltic Sea. The chosen polymeric materials were polycaprolactone modified with either thermoplastic starch (PCL/TPS?>?85%) or calcium carbonate (60% PCL/40% CaCO₃) compared directly against unmodified polycaprolactone. All samples were incubated for 28?weeks in seawater with and without microorganisms under laboratory conditions and analysed before and after the degradation process. Weight loss analysis, microscopic observations of polymer surfaces and tensile strength tests were used to determine the progress of polymer degradation. The experimental results obtained indicated, that in each of the experiments, degradation of tested polymeric samples occured. The process was more effective in seawater with microorganisms compared against systems without added microorganisms. The experiment in seawater demonstrated that modification of PCL with calcium carbonate did not encourage the degradation process; and in some circumstances inhibited it.     

PET from Used Beverage Bottles: A Material for Preparation of Biologically Degradable Copolyesters

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) from used colorless beverage bottles was solvolyzed by ethane-1,2-diol. Hydroxyl end-groups present in the mixture of polyols formed were used to initiate the polymerization of ??-caprolactone (CLO) at 190?°C. Polycondensation (190?°C) of the reaction mixture containing an equilibrium amount of lactone corresponding to the reaction temperature yield an aliphatic?Caromatic copolyester. A variety of copolyesters containing 20?C60?mol. % CLO structural units was prepared. The microstructure of their macromolecules was analyzed using ¹H?NMR spectroscopy. Copolyesters were characterized by thermal analysis and tensile tests and their biodegradation potential was checked by the composting test.     

Synthesis of Polylactide-b-Poly (Dimethyl Siloxane) Block Copolymers and Their Blends with Pure Polylactide

The synthesis of polylactide (PLA)-b-poly (dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) linear block copolymers and their use in blends with pure-PLA are described. PLA-b-PDMS linear block copolymers were obtained by the transesterification reaction in chloroform solution between poly(dimethyl siloxane) bis (2-aminopropyl ether) (molecular weight 2,000?Da) with PLA in the presence of stannous octoate. Molecular weights (Mw) of the block copolymers were varied from 53,800 to 63,600?Da while that of pristine PLA was 73,600?Da. The copolymers obtained were purified by fractional precipitation and then characterized by ¹H NMR, FTIR, GPC, viscometry and DSC techniques. Blends of pure PLA with PLA-b-PDMS block copolymers displayed improved elastic properties (elongation up to 140%) compared to pure PLA (elongation ~9%). Thermal, mechanical and morphological characterization of the blends were also conducted.     

Royal jelly inhibited N-acetylation and metabolism of 2-aminofluorene in human liver tumor cells (J5)

The present study was carried out to evaluate the question of whether or not royal jelly affects N-acetylation and metabolism of 2-aminofluorene (2-AF) in the human liver tumor cell line (J 5). N-acetylation and metabolism of 2-AF in intact J5 cells was determined by using high performance liquid chromatography for the amounts of acetylated and nonacetylated 2-AF and profile of 2-AF metabolism. The results indicated that royal jelly displayed a dose-dependent inhibition of N-acetylation of 2-AF in J5 cells. Royal jelly also decreased the profile of 2-AF metabolites in J5 cells. This report is the first demonstration which showed that royal jelly affects N-acetylation of 2-AF in human liver tumor cells (J5).     

Are Lévy flight patterns derived from the Weber–Fechner law in distance estimation?

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are regularly faced with the task of navigating back to their hives from remote food sources. They have evolved several methods to do this, including compass-directed “vector” flights and the use of landmarks. If these hive-centered mechanisms are disrupted, bees revert to searching for the hive, using an optimal Lévy flight searching strategy. The same strategy is adopted when a food source at a known location ceases to be available. Here, we show that the programming for this Lévy strategy does not need to be very sophisticated or clever on the bee’s part, as Lévy flight patterns can be derived from the Weber–Fechner law in a bee’s odometer. Odometry errors of a different kind occur in desert ants (Cataglyphis spp., Melophorus bagoti). The searching behaviors of these ants are very similar in overall structure to that of honeybees but do not display any Lévy flight characteristics. We suggest that errors in the estimation of distance can be implicitly involved in shaping the structure of systematic search behavior and should not be regarded as merely deficiencies in the odometer.     

利用甘油脱水酶基因构建产3-羟基丙醛工程菌及其表达比较

3-羟基丙醛(3-HPA)是一种重要的化工产品,可由甘油经甘油脱水酶作用后生成.为获得产3-HPA基因工程菌,在已构建含甘油脱水酶基因及其激活因子大亚基质粒pEtac-dhaB-gdrA的基础上,构建了包含小亚基gdrB激活因子的重组质粒pEtac-dhaB-gdrA-gdrB.利用大肠杆菌通用tac启动子将该质粒在不同Escherichia coli BL21、DH5a及JM109中进行表达.阳性转化子经IPTG诱导后,提取总RNA,以cDNA为模板进行RT-PCR发现,目标基因在不同宿主都能较好转录.SDS-PAGE、酶活测定和3-HPA浓度测定结果表明,目标蛋白表达存在差异;酶活分别为4.7(±0.44)、3.5(±0.95)、8.1(±0.66)U/mg;发酵液中3-HPA的含量分别为0.012(±0.0044)、0.014(±0.003)、0.375(±0.018)g L-1,重组E.coli JM109/pEtac-dhaB-gdrA-gdrB具有较好的甘油脱水酶基因表达和产3-HPA性能.该基因工程菌与克雷伯氏菌(Klebsiella pneumoniae)相比,发酵副产物明显较少,有利于后期提取,为生产3-HPA提供了一条新思路.     

软骨藻酸神经毒性作用机制研究进展

在拟菱形藻引发的有毒赤潮中产生的记忆缺失性贝毒(amnesic shellfish poison,ASP)软骨藻酸,经贝类等海洋生物摄入进入食物链,在对海洋生物造成危害的同时,也对人类健康造成威胁。软骨藻酸中毒者临床上表现为呕吐、腹痛和头痛等症状,严重者出现神经系统功能紊乱,如昏迷、抽搐和记忆缺失。软骨藻酸结构上与兴奋性氨基酸谷氨酸相似,它可以通过直接活化KA(kainate)受体和AMPA(α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid)受体介导兴奋性神经毒。本文主要从线粒体功能紊乱、内质网应激和神经炎症等方面就软骨藻酸的神经毒性作用机制进行了综述。     

水稻基因类型与生长环境对精米中砷积累的影响

砷(As)是动植物非必需的有毒类金属。水稻是对As有较强吸收和富集能力的大宗粮食作物,大米的食用是我国及东南亚地区人体暴露As的最主要途径,严重威胁人体健康。水稻籽粒中As的积累与水稻的基因型及众多环境因子密切相关,而且表现出复杂的交互作用。在浙江省选择了不同土壤砷背景值的5块水稻田,同时在嘉兴市农科院布置了人工添加As的盆栽实验,比较了20个水稻品种在这6个实验点的精米中As含量。结果表明,水稻基因型与环境及其相互作用对水稻籽粒中As的积累均有极显著影响,并且筛选得到了5个精米中As含量较低的基因型:秀水128、秀水09、秀水134、甬粳16和Y-05-8。