Photocatalytic decolorization of azo-dye with zinc oxide powder in an external UV light irradiation slurry photoreactor

Photocatalytic decolorization of azo-dye Orange II in water has been examined in an external UV light irradiation slurry photoreactor using zinc oxide (ZnO) as a semiconductor photocatalyst. The effects of process parameters such as light intensity, initial dye concentration, photocatalyst loading and initial solution pH on the decolorization rate of Orange II have been systematically investigated. A two-stage photocatalytic decolorization of Orange II, the first stage of fast decolorization rate and the subsequent second stage of rather slow decolorization rate, was found. The efficiency of decolorization of Orange II increased as initial Orange II concentration decreased and UV light intensity increased. There was the optimal ZnO concentration being around 1000 mg L(-1). The optimal pH was around 7.7, which was at the natural pH of the dye solution. The effect of aeration rate on the decolorization of Orange II has been also investigated and the enhancement of decolorization of Orange II with increasing aeration rate was found. By using a model for the light intensity profile in the external UV light irradiation slurry photoreactor, the simulation model for the decolorization of Orange II with ZnO photocatalyst has been developed. The proposed model in which the slow decolorization in the second stage as well as the initial fast decolorization is also taken into account could simulate the experimental results for UV light irradiation satisfactorily. The proposed simulation model in which the change of light intensity with time due to the decolorization of Orange II and the light scatter due to solid photocatalysts are considered will be very useful for practical engineering design of the slurry photoreactor of wastewater including textile dyes.     

Primary structure of two-chain botrocetin, a von Willebrand factor modulator purified from the venom of Bothrops jararaca

The complete amino acid sequence and location of the disulfide bonds of two-chain botrocetin, which promotes platelet agglutination in the presence of von Willebrand factor, from venom of the snake Bothrops jararaca are presented. Sequences of the alpha and beta subunits were determined by analysis of peptides generated by digestion of the S-pyridylethylated protein with Achromobacter protease I or alpha-chymotrypsin and by chemical cleavage with cyanogen bromide or 2-(2'-nitrophenylsulfenyl)-3-methyl-3-bromoindolenine. Two-chain botrocetin is a heterodimer composed of the alpha subunit (consisting of 133 amino acid residues) and the beta subunit (consisting of 125 amino acid residues) held together by a disulfide bond. Seven disulfide bonds link half-cystine residues 2 to 13, 30 to 128, and 103 to 120 of the alpha subunit; 2 to 13, 30 to 121, and 98 to 113 of the beta subunit; and 80 of the alpha subunit to 75 of the beta subunit. In terms of amino acid sequence and disulfide bond location, two-chain botrocetin is homologous to echinoidin (a sea urchin lectin) and other C-type (Ca(2+)-dependent) lectins.     

Bacterially Secretable Single-Chain Tandem Macrocyclic Peptides for High Affinity and Inhibitory Activity

The inhibition of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) is an effective approach for therapy. Owing to their large binding surface areas to target proteins, macrocyclic peptides are suitable molecules for PPI inhibition. In this study, we developed single-chain tandem macrocyclic peptides (STaMPtides) that inhibits the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor 2 (VEGFR2). They were artificially designed to comprise two different VEGFR2-binding macrocyclic peptides linked in tandem by peptide linkers and secreted by Corynebacterium glutamicum. Most potent VEGFR2-inhibitory STaMPtides with length-optimized linkers exhibited >1000 times stronger inhibitory activity than their parental monomeric peptides, possibly due to the avidity effect of heterodimerization. Our approach of using STaMPtides for PPI inhibition may be used to inhibit other extracellular factors, such as growth factors and cytokines.     

Real-time supply-demand schedule update and operation for generators and battery energy storage system based on forecasted and actual photovoltaic power outputs

The photovoltaic (PV) power output might be frequently curtailed to maintain electricity supply-demand balance in future power systems. In our previous study, we proposed a new method for updating the battery energy storage system (BESS) charge/discharge and the generator unit commitment (UC) schedules based on the forecasted and actual PV power outputs. The forecast dataset was updated every 3 h (eight times a day). Although the simulation results showed that the proposed method could reduce the supply-demand imbalances, it was not clear whether the forecasted or actual values made contributions. Therefore, in this study, we propose and evaluate a real-time scheduling and operation method using the forecasted and actual PV power outputs assuming that the forecasted dataset is updated only once a day. Numerical simulations of supply-demand operations are conducted on the power system model of the Kanto area of Japan for one year. The results show that the previous study method has a slight advantage over proposed method in terms of curtailed PV energy and operational cost of thermal generators reduction, but the difference is very small, indicating that the contribution of the actual PV power outputs is greater than that of the forecasted PV power outputs.     

Determination of Carbonyl Groups in Starches by Polarographic Techniques Using o-Phenylenediamine. V. Reactions of Periodate Oxidized Starches with o-Phenylenediamine.

The reaction of oxyamylose with o-phenylenediamine (OPD) in alkaline media produces quinoxalines which can be followed by polarographic method and the dialdehyde content can easily be determined polarographically. The lower limit of the determination of dialdehyde content may be 0.01 in the ratio of NaIO₄/AGU. Quinoxalines produced from oxyamylose were studied chromatographically and spectrophotometrically and compared with those from D-glucose. Three quinoxalines were identified with quinoxaline, 2-methylquinoxaline and 2-hydroxyethylquinoxaline. Mechanism of the reaction of oxyamylose with OPD is discussed.