Oxidative dimerisation of propene to 1,5-hexadiene on Bi-Zn-O catalysts

The oxidative dimerisation of propene to 1,5-hexadiene has been investigated on Bi-Zn-O catalysts. The Bi₄₈ZnO₇₃ phase, observed in the catalysts calcined at 700 ° C is an active and selective catalyst for the formation of 1,5-hexadiene. The best catalytic performance (1,5-hexadiene selectivity 64%) has been obtained at 525 ° C, with a propene to oxygen ratio of 26, on a catalyst formed by Bi₄₈ZnO₇₃ with a small excess of ZnO.     

The correlation between the thermoelectric properties and stoichiometry in the boron carbide phase B4C-B10.5C

Electrical conductivity, thermoelectrical power and thermal conductivity measurements on boron carbide samples show that the electrical conductivity follows the small polaron hopping theory and that thermal conductivity occurs by phonon diffusion. The evolution of these properties with carbon content illustrates the particular role played by the 13.3 at% C compound in the phase homogeneity range B_10.5C to B₄C. The value of the figure of merit (0.85×10^–3 K at 1250 K) proves that this particular boron carbide compound could be a very interesting candidate material for high-temperature thermoelectrical conversion.     

Nuclear Receptor Nur77 Controls Cardiac Fibrosis through Distinct Actions on Fibroblasts and Cardiomyocytes

Fibrosis is a hallmark of adverse cardiac remodeling, which promotes heart failure, but it is also an essential repair mechanism to prevent cardiac rupture, signifying the importance of appropriate regulation of this process. In the remodeling heart, cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) differentiate into myofibroblasts (MyoFB), which are the key mediators of the fibrotic response. Additionally, cardiomyocytes are involved by providing pro-fibrotic cues. Nuclear receptor Nur77 is known to reduce cardiac hypertrophy and associated fibrosis; however, the exact function of Nur77 in the fibrotic response is yet unknown. Here, we show that Nur77-deficient mice exhibit severe myocardial wall thinning, rupture and reduced collagen fiber density after myocardial infarction and chronic isoproterenol (ISO) infusion. Upon Nur77 knockdown in cultured rat CFs, expression of MyoFB markers and extracellular matrix proteins is reduced after stimulation with ISO or transforming growth factor–β (TGF-β). Accordingly, Nur77-depleted CFs produce less collagen and exhibit diminished proliferation and wound closure capacity. Interestingly, Nur77 knockdown in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes results in increased paracrine induction of MyoFB differentiation, which was blocked by TGF-β receptor antagonism. Taken together, Nur77-mediated regulation involves CF-intrinsic promotion of CF-to-MyoFB transition and inhibition of cardiomyocyte-driven paracrine TGF-β-mediated MyoFB differentiation. As such, Nur77 provides distinct, cell-specific regulation of cardiac fibrosis.     

Link between Lipid Second Messengers and Osmotic Stress in Plants

Plants are subject to different types of stress, which consequently affect their growth and development. They have developed mechanisms for recognizing and processing an extracellular signal. Second messengers are transient molecules that modulate the physiological responses in plant cells under stress conditions. In this sense, it has been shown in various plant models that membrane lipids are substrates for the generation of second lipid messengers such as phosphoinositide, phosphatidic acid, sphingolipids, and lysophospholipids. In recent years, research on lipid second messengers has been moving toward using genetic and molecular approaches to reveal the molecular setting in which these molecules act in response to osmotic stress. In this sense, these studies have established that second messengers can transiently recruit target proteins to the membrane and, therefore, affect protein conformation, activity, and gene expression. This review summarizes recent advances in responses related to the link between lipid second messengers and osmotic stress in plant cells.     

Is LRP2 Involved in Leptin Transport over the Blood-Brain Barrier and Development of Obesity?

The mechanisms underlying the transport of leptin into the brain are still largely unclear. While the leptin receptor has been implicated in the transport process, recent evidence has suggested an additional role of LRP2 (megalin). To evaluate the function of LRP2 for leptin transport across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), we developed a novel leptin-luciferase fusion protein (pLG), which stimulated leptin signaling and was transported in an in vitro BBB model based on porcine endothelial cells. The LRP inhibitor RAP did not affect leptin transport, arguing against a role of LRP2. In line with this, the selective deletion of LRP2 in brain endothelial cells and epithelial cells of the choroid plexus did not influence bodyweight, body composition, food intake, or energy expenditure of mice. These findings suggest that LRP2 at the BBB is not involved in the transport of leptin into the brain, nor in the development of obesity as has previously been described.     

Correlations between relaxation time spectrum and melt spinning behavior of polypropylene. 1: Calculation of the relaxation spectrum as a log-normal distribution and influence of the molecular parameters

The linear viscoelastic behavior of commercial broad-distribution polypropylenes is studied. The samples underwent different controlled peroxide degradation rates, so they exhibit different molecular distributions. The relaxation spectrum is obtained by assuming that it takes the shape of a Log-Normal distribution. It is in agreement with the linear viscoelasticity theory by providing limiting values, contrary to other models. Moreover, the ratio τw/τn which takes place in this law is very useful to distinguish the synthesis differences of the samples when the Melt Flow Index alone cannot.     

Multivariate analysis of the correlation between noctuidae subfamilies and the chemical structure of their sex pheromones or male attractants

Female-emitted pheromones and sex attractants of Noctuidae were investigated using a specific computer procedure to analyze data collected from the literature. Correspondence analysis was used to survey the structure-activity relationships of sex pheromones in seven subfamilies. Structural, stereochemical, and functional features of active molecules were related to taxonomy. This multidimensional analysis revealed that the prevalent chemical frame of noctuid moth pheromones was a monounsaturated acetate withZ stereochemistry and a double bond on the fifth carbon closest to the nonfunctional branch of the molecule. Possible phylogenetic relationships within Noctuidae and between Noctuidae and other families are discussed in light of the sex pheromone biochemistry. Female sex pheromones appeared to be an additional character to be considered in the classification of noctuid moths.     

Functionalization of PVC by grafting of plasticizing group in a twin screw extruder

Substitution reactions are an appropriate way to attach chemical functions to polymer chains for improving properties and to diversify the application of polymer materials. The stereoselective substitution of chlorine atoms affords a useful way to plasticize polyvinychloride (PVC) by attaching appropriate plasticizing functions (ester group) such as isooctylthiosalicylate. Thus, the substitution of chlorine atoms of PVC by reactant bearing plasticizing groups was carried out in a continuous mixing apparatus such as a twin screw extruder. This continuous chemical engineering process taking place in the extruder is studied as the function of the residence time distribution (RTD) measured by a UV method. This function combined with the kinetics of the chemical reaction allows to define a new function G as the distribution of the extent of conversion by analogy with the RTD function.     

The effect of the framework structure on the chemical properties of the vanadium oxide species incorporated within zeolites

V-silicalite catalysts (VS-1 and VS-2) prepared by hydrothermal synthesis have been studied by ESR, XAFS (XANES and EXAFS) and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The in situ characterization of these V-silicalites shows that vanadium is present within the zeolitic framework as a highly dispersed tetrahedrally coordinated V-oxides, VO₄ unit, having a short V=O bond length. Photoluminescence spectroscopy in static and dynamic mode, as well as XAFS studies allow to detect in the V-silicalites different V species than that present in V-HMS or V/SiO₂, in terms of V=O bond length, vibrational energy, bond angle and lifetime of the excited triplet state. It is suggested that the combined contribution of the neighboring Si---OH group attached to the VO₄ unit and the zeolitic rigid framework structure of V-silicalites cause a more significant and pronounced effect on the chemical properties of the VO₄ unit than the flexible structure of V-HMS or V/SiO₂. Moreover, the dynamic quenching of the phosphorescence by the addition of reactant molecules such as NO or propane indicates that the V species in the excited triplet state can be expected to be the active sites for the photocatalytic reactions.