Novel sorbents of ethanol “salt confined to porous matrix” for adsorptive cooling

In this paper a new family of sorbents, specifically designed for ethanol sorption, is presented. The composites were synthesized by a dry impregnation of matrices with an aqueous solution of various salts. The ethanol sorption capacity of the composites, under conditions typical for adsorptive air conditioning cycle, has been measured by using an express method based on the Polanyi principle of temperature invariance. Results obtained show that the best novel composites have the ethanol sorption ability which is higher than that of known ethanol sorbents. The composite LiBr(30 wt.%)/SiO₂ appears to show the highest sorption capacity and an uptake variation Δw = 0.56 and 0.40 g/g for air conditioning and ice making cycles, respectively. They are much larger than those obtained for conventional adsorbents. The correspondent cooling coefficient of performance (COP) was estimated to be 0.66 and 0.61, which is comparable with the COP of the best water sorbents.     

Progress in improving high-temperature properties of thermosetting resins: development of the microheterogeneous model for the formation of crosslinked rolivsan-epoxy blends

Thermochemical transformations in blends of rolivsans (ROLs, i.e., compositions of (di)vinylaromatic ethers and thermosensitive (di)methacrylates) with epoxy resins were used to obtain new glassy heat resistant highly crosslinked ROLs/epoxy blends (block copolymers) which differ in composition, crosslink density, chemical, topological and morphological structure. The influence of the ROLs/epoxy blocks ratio in the blends and temperature-time regimes of curing on heat resistant properties of the materials was estimated by studying temperature dependences of breaking strength at three-point flexural test, dynamical elastic modulus, mechanical loss tangents (in dynamic mechanical analysis, DMA) and thermooxidative aging processes. Unusually high values of high temperature strength of the epoxy-modified ROLs were reached when using a new method for enhancing heat resistance and thermal stability of microheterogeneous network polymers (cured resins) consisting of highly crosslinked microdomains. These microdomains are weakly bound to each other by defective polymer interlayers. This method is illustrated by the example of transformations in ROLs/epoxy blends; it suggests (macro)molecular design and curing development. The method involves functionalization of microdomains, target delivery of epoxies into interlayers and carrying out high temperature chemical reactions in these interlayers. These reactions lead to additional crosslinking of supramolecular formations (highly crosslinked ROL microdomains) by epoxy bridges. The results obtained in the studies of structural transformations in rolivsans modified with epoxy resins were used as a basis for the new approach to enhancing heat resistance and thermal stability of thermosetting resins.     

Macroporous carbon aerogel as a novel adsorbent for immobilized enzymes and a support for the lipase-active heterogeneous biocatalysts for conversion of triglycerides and fatty acids

A macroporous carbon aerogel (MCA) was produced by in situ synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) via catalytic high-temperature decomposition of ethylene over the supported Fe:Co catalyst. A three-dimensional framework of ball-shaped MCA granules was formed by chaotic interlacing of growing CNTs and mechanical strength of the granules was high enough for their promising application in heterogeneous processes, in particular, bioconversion of fatty acids. The macroporous carbon aerogel was investigated as a novel support for adsorptive immobilization of an enzyme—Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase, followed by preparation of the lipase-active heterogeneous biocatalysts. It was found that the efficient and tight adsorption of the lipase on MCA occurred due to hydrophobic interactions. The amount of the lipase adsorbed in one dense adsorptive layer was equal to 110 mg per 1 g of the carbon aerogel. The lipase adsorbed in the 1st adsorptive layer possessed the maximum activity, 700–800 U/mg. The lipase-active heterogeneous biocatalysts were studied in the periodic processes of hydrolysis of emulsified triglycerides (tributyrin), interesterification of vegetable oil with ethyl acetate, and esterification of fatty acids (butyric C4:0, capric C10:0, and stearic C18:0) with isopentanol. It was found that T. lanuginosus lipase lost significantly its enzymatic activity during adsorption on the carbon aerogel; possible causes of the negative effect of such immobilization were discussed. The specific activity of the adsorbed lipase, as well as activity and stability of the biocatalysts depended foremost on the type of the reaction performed. The maximum activities of the biocatalysts were determined to be approximately 75·10³ and 2.5 U/g in tributyrin hydrolysis (aqueous media) and esterification of fatty acid (non-aqueous media), respectively. Stability of the biocatalysts was very high in the esterification reaction due to accumulation of essential water inside MCA. The lipase-active biocatalysts carried out the synthesis of isopentyl caprinate in organic solvents (hexane?+?diethyl ether) for several 100 h at 40 °C.     

Research of the historical forms in modern vernacular architecture of khabarovsk

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Molecular mobility and physical ageing of plasticized poly(lactide)

Molecular mobility and physical ageing of amorphous plasticized polylactide (PLA) with two different contents of mesolactide are studied with the help of thermal analysis. Used plasticizers are acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC) and triacetin (TA), two molecules with established miscibility and plasticizing efficiency. Lower plasticizer permanence of TA compared with ATBC is found. The plasticizer molecules decreased the size of the cooperativity domains at the glass transition temperature T_g and likely in the glassy state by decreasing intermacromolecular interactions and notwithstanding the mesolactide content of PLA and the chemical identity of the plasticizer. The recovery function is given and shows a significant effect of the plasticizer on the physical ageing. The supplementary free volume brought by the plasticizer enhances molecular mobility in the glassy state and increases structural relaxation at one order of magnitude. The comparison between different plasticizers reveals that the structural relaxation is however independent from the type of plasticizer and the percentage of mesolactide in PLA. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:858–865, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Vitamin A and Retinoids in Bladder Cancer Chemoprevention and Treatment: A Narrative Review of Current Evidence,Challenges and Future Prospects

Bladder cancer (BC) is the tenth most common cancer worldwide with a high recurrence rate, morbidity and mortality. Therefore, chemoprevention and improved treatment of BC are of paramount importance. Epidemiological studies suggest that adequate vitamin A intake may be associated with reduced BC risk. In addition, retinoids, natural and synthetic derivatives of vitamin A, are intensively studied in cancer research due to their antioxidant properties and their ability to regulate cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. Findings from in vivo and in vitro models of BC show great potential for the use of retinoids in the chemoprevention and treatment of BC. However, translation to the clinical practice is limited. In this narrative review we discuss: (i) vitamin A and retinoid metabolism and retinoic acid signalling, (ii) the pathobiology of BC and the need for chemoprevention, (iii) the epidemiological evidence for the role of dietary vitamin A in BC, (iv) mechanistic insights obtained from in vivo and in vitro models, (v) clinical trials of retinoids and the limitations of retinoid use, (vi) novel systems of retinoid delivery, and (vii) components of retinoid signalling pathways as potential novel therapeutic targets.     

Scouting around 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydrochromeno[3,2-c]pyridin-10-ones for Single- and Multitarget Ligands Directed towards Relevant Alzheimer's Targets

A number of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrochromeno[3,2-c]pyridin-10-one derivatives have been synthesized and screened against different targets involved in the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), such as acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase (AChE and BChE), monoamine oxidases A and B (MAO A and B), aggregation of β-amyloid (Aβ) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Derivatives 1 c , 3 b , 4 and 5 a showed multifaceted profiles of promising anti-AD features and returned well-balanced multitargeting inhibitory activities. Moreover, compound 1 f , a potent and selective human MAO B inhibitor (IC₅₀=0.89 μM), proved to be a safe neuroprotectant in a human neuroblastoma cell line (SH-SY5Y) by improving viability impaired by Aβ_1–42 and pro-oxidant insult. Furthermore, structure–activity relationships (SARs) and docking models were derived in order to assist further hit-to-lead optimization stage.     

Fabrication method of low-loss large single mode ridge Ti:LiNbO3 waveguides

We present a method for fabrication of smooth ridge waveguides by wet etching technique, using a special mixture of acids and applying a pretreatment procedure. By implementing this method, we fabricated 4.5 μm-deep large single mode ridge waveguides with walls and edges roughness comparable with the roughness of the non-etched regions, namely, less than 20 nm. Optical extra losses caused by the ridge creation were measured by the Fabry Perot technique and were 0.2 dB/cm@TM and 0.7 dB@TE for 1550 nm wavelength. Surface roughness, morphology, etching rates and propagation losses are presented and compared to the characteristics achieved by previously reported wet etching recipes.     

Single-molecule transport across an individual biomimetic nuclear pore complex

Nuclear pore complexes regulate the selective exchange of RNA and proteins across the nuclear envelope in eukaryotic cells. Biomimetic strategies offer new opportunities to investigate this remarkable transport phenomenon. Here, we show selective transport of proteins across individual biomimetic nuclear pore complexes at the single-molecule level. Each biomimetic complex is constructed by covalently tethering either Nup98 or Nup153 (phenylalanine-glycine (FG) nucleoporins) to a solid-state nanopore. Individual translocation events are monitored using ionic current measurements with sub-millisecond temporal resolution. Transport receptors (Impβ) proceed with a dwell time of ～2.5 ms for both Nup98- and Nup153-coated pores, whereas the passage of non-specific proteins is strongly inhibited with different degrees of selectivity. For pores up to ～25 nm in diameter, Nups form a dense and low-conducting barrier, whereas they adopt a more open structure in larger pores. Our biomimetic nuclear pore complex provides a quantitative platform for studying nucleocytoplasmic transport phenomena at the single-molecule level in vitro.