A new neuronal cell protecting substance, lavanduquinocin, produced by Streptomyces viridochromogenes

A new neuronal cell protecting substance, lavanduquinocin was isolated from Streptomyces viridochromogenes 2942-SVS3. It consists of a carbazole skeleton with an ortho quinone function and a cyclolavandulyl moiety. Lavanduquinocin protected neuronal hybridoma N18-RE-105 cells from L-glutamate toxicity with EC50 value 15.5 nm.     

Robust free-standing nanomembranes of organic/inorganic interpenetrating networks

Hybrid sol-gel materials have been a subject of intensive research during the past decades because these nanocomposites combine the versatility of organic polymers with the superior physical properties of glass. Here, we report the synthesis, by spin coating, of hybrid interpenetrating networks in the form of free-standing nanomembrane (around 35-nm thick) with unprecedented macroscopic size and characteristics. The quasi-2D interpenetration of the organic and inorganic networks brings to these materials a unique combination of properties that are not usually compatible within the same film: macroscopic robustness and homogeneity, nanoscale thickness, mechanical strength, high flexibility and optical transparency. Interestingly, such free-standing nanofilms of macroscopic size can seal large openings, are strong enough to hold amounts of liquid 70,000 times heavier than their own weight, and are flexible enough to reversibly pass through holes 30,000 times smaller than their own size.     

Characterization of oil produced by the direct liquefaction of Japanese oak in an aqueous 2-propanol solvent system

The heavy oil produced in the alkali catalyzed thermal liquefaction of Japanese Oak in the aqueous organic alcohol solvent system of water/2-propanol was partially characterized using an acid base fractionation and GC-MS. The acidic fraction comprised 25–30% of the recovery, and the neutral material was 13–20%. The amount of basic material was less than 1% of the original material. Proton and carbon NMR and the GC-MS identification of the composition of these fractions confirmed the presence of about 25% aromatics with most of the aromatics being mono- or di-substituted.     

Modeling of Ascending/Descending Velocity of Metal Droplet Emulsified in Pb-Salt System

Metal–slag emulsion is an important process to enhance the reaction rate between the two phases; thus, it improves the heat and mass transfer of the process significantly. Various experimental studies have been carried out, and some system specific relations have been proposed by various investigators. A unified, theoretical study is lacking to model this complex phenomenon. Therefore, two simple models based on fundamental laws for metal droplet velocity (both ascending and descending) and bubble velocity, as well as its position at any instant of time, have been proposed. Analytical solutions have been obtained for the developed equations. Analytical solutions have been verified for the droplet velocity, traveling time, and size distribution in slag phase by performing high-temperature experiments in a Pb-salt system and comparing the obtained data with theory. The proposed model has also been verified with published experimental data for various liquid systems with a wide range of physical properties. A good agreement has been found between the analytical solution and the experimental and published data in all cases.     

Influence of Partial Pressure of Sulfur and Oxygen on Distribution of Fe and Mn between Liquid Fe-Mn Oxysulfide and Molten Slag

The authors proposed an innovative process for recovering Mn from steelmaking slag. The process starts with the sulfurization of steelmaking slag to separate P from Mn by the formation of a liquid sulfide phase (matte). Then, the obtained matte is weakly oxidized to make a Mn-rich oxide phase without P. High-purity Fe-Mn alloys can therefore be produced by the reduction of the Mn-rich oxide phase. However, to the authors?? knowledge, the sulfurization of molten slag containing P and Mn has not been sufficiently investigated. It was recently found that P was not distributed to the matte in equilibrium with the molten slag. To gain knowledge of the process??s development, it is important to investigate the influence of the partial pressures of sulfur and oxygen on the equilibrium distribution of Mn and Fe between the matte and the molten slag. In the current work, a mineralogical microstructure analysis of the matte revealed that the existence of the oxysulfide and metal phases was dependent on the partial pressure of sulfur and oxygen. The Mn content of the matte increased with partial pressure of sulfur while the O content of the matte decreased. In contrast, the ratio of Mn/Fe in the matte was constant when the metal phase of the matte was observed at a log $ P_{{{\text{O}}_{2} }} $ below ?11. These results also corresponded to the relationship between the activity coefficient ratio of MnS/FeS and the mole fraction of MnS/FeS in the matte. The ?? _MnS/?? _FeS value decreased exponentially as the mole fraction of MnS/FeS increased.     

Fabrication of stable, highly flat gold film electrodes with an effective thickness on the order of 10 nm

Stable gold film electrodes were fabricated by a combination of sputtered gold and an epoxy adhesion layer on a glass substrate using the template-stripped technique. An XRR scan analysis indicated the thickness and roughness of the gold layer to be on the order of 10 nm and subnanometer, respectively. In spite of their small thickness, the electrode had sufficient conductivity and stuck to the subject during the electrochemical measurements as did the usual gold working electrodes.