An experimental comparison of a graphite electrode and a gas diffusion electrode for the cathodic production of hydrogen peroxide

This work studies the production of hydrogen peroxide through the cathodic reduction of oxygen in acidic medium, by comparing the results obtained using a commercial graphite and a gas diffusion electrode. A low pH was required to allow the application of hydrogen peroxide generation to an electro-Fenton process. The influence of applied potential and the gas flow composition were investigated. The gas diffusion electrode demonstrates a higher selectivity for hydrogen peroxide production, without significantly compromising the iron regeneration, thus making its successful application to a cathodic Fenton-like treatment, possible. Unlike the graphite cathode, the gas diffusion cathode also proved to be effective in the air flow.     

Pt–Ba–Al2O3 for NOx storage and reduction: Characterization of the dispersed species

Pt–Ba–Al₂O₃ active and selective for NO_x storage and selective reduction to N₂ has been prepared and tested. Characterization of the parent Al₂O₃, Pt–Al₂O₃ and Ba–Al₂O₃ materials, as well as of Pt–Ba–Al₂O₃ catalyst in the oxidized, reduced and sulphated state has been performed by FT-IR spectroscopy of low-temperature adsorbed carbon monoxide and of adsorbed acetonitrile. XRD, TEM and XPS analyses have also been performed. Evidence for the predominance of Ba species, which are highly dispersed on the alumina support surface, and may be carbonated or sulphated, has been provided. Competitive interaction of Pt and Ba species with the surface sites of alumina has also been found.     

Anodic,cathodic and combined treatments for the electrochemical oxidation of an effluent from the flame retardant industry

The electrochemical oxidation of an effluent from the manufacture of phosphorus based flame retardants was studied. To reach a residual concentration of reduced phosphorus lower than 10 mg L⁻¹, in compliance with Italian law for industrial wastewater disposal, anodic oxidation using a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode and electro-Fenton (EF) treatment were tested. The effects of some factors are optimised and a comparison of the reaction pathways is also presented. A combined treatment using EF with BDD conducted in an undivided cell is shown not to enhance the data obtained with BDD while a novel combined treatment using EF and BDD in a divided cell shows promising results when an anionic membrane is used as separation. In this last case the cell operates as two different batch reactors working with the same current. The anodic compartment, fed with raw effluent, provides partial oxidation, while the cathodic compartment, fed with the partially anodically oxidised solution, completes the treatment. When the effluent is transferred in the cathodic compartment, the anodic one is fed with fresh untreated solution. The advantage of this kind of coupling consists in the simultaneity of the two treatments which allows total oxidation with notable saving of charge and time.     

Coupling Interrupted Fischer and Multicomponent Joullié-Ugi to Chase Chemical Diversity: from Batch to Sustainable Flow Synthesis of Peptidomimetics

The generation of peptidomimetic substructures for medicinal chemistry purposes requires effective and divergent synthetic methods. We present in this work an efficient flow process that allows quick modulation of reagents for Joullié-Ugi multicomponent reaction, using spiroindolenines as core motifs. This sterically hindered imine equivalent could successfully be diversified using various isocyanides and amino acids in generally good space-time yields. A telescoped flow process combining interrupted Fischer reaction for spiroindolenine synthesis and subsequent Joullié-Ugi-type modification resulted in product formation in very good overall yield in less than 2 hours compared to 48 hours required in batch mode. The developed protocol can be seen as a general tool for rapid and facile generation of peptidomimetic compounds. We also showcase preliminary biological assessments for the prepared compounds.     

Discovery of an Allosteric Ligand Binding Site in SMYD3 Lysine Methyltransferase

SMYD3 is a multifunctional epigenetic enzyme with lysine methyltransferase activity and various interaction partners. It is implicated in the pathophysiology of cancers but with an unclear mechanism. To discover tool compounds for clarifying its biochemistry and potential as a therapeutic target, a set of drug-like compounds was screened in a biosensor-based competition assay. Diperodon was identified as an allosteric ligand; its R and S enantiomers were isolated, and their affinities to SMYD3 were determined (K_D=42 and 84 μM, respectively). Co-crystallization revealed that both enantiomers bind to a previously unidentified allosteric site in the C-terminal protein binding domain, consistent with its weak inhibitory effect. No competition between diperodon and HSP90 (a known SMYD3 interaction partner) was observed although SMYD3–HSP90 binding was confirmed (K_D=13 μM). Diperodon clearly represents a novel starting point for the design of tool compounds interacting with a druggable allosteric site, suitable for the exploration of noncatalytic SMYD3 functions and therapeutics with new mechanisms of action.     

An Update on Graphene-Based Nanomaterials for Neural Growth and Central Nervous System Regeneration

Thanks to their reduced size, great surface area, and capacity to interact with cells and tissues, nanomaterials present some attractive biological and chemical characteristics with potential uses in the field of biomedical applications. In this context, graphene and its chemical derivatives have been extensively used in many biomedical research areas from drug delivery to bioelectronics and tissue engineering. Graphene-based nanomaterials show excellent optical, mechanical, and biological properties. They can be used as a substrate in the field of tissue engineering due to their conductivity, allowing to study, and educate neural connections, and guide neural growth and differentiation; thus, graphene-based nanomaterials represent an emerging aspect in regenerative medicine. Moreover, there is now an urgent need to develop multifunctional and functionalized nanomaterials able to arrive at neuronal cells through the blood-brain barrier, to manage a specific drug delivery system. In this review, we will focus on the recent applications of graphene-based nanomaterials in vitro and in vivo, also combining graphene with other smart materials to achieve the best benefits in the fields of nervous tissue engineering and neural regenerative medicine. We will then highlight the potential use of these graphene-based materials to construct graphene 3D scaffolds able to stimulate neural growth and regeneration in vivo for clinical applications.