Spectroscopic Examination of the Catalytic Decomposition of hydrogen Peroxide by a Copper (II) Complex of a Dissymmetric Schiff Base and an Imidazole Derivative.

Previous studies involving copper (II) complexed with a dissymmetric Schiff base and imidazole derivatives had identified catalase activity of these complexes towards H2O2. Reactions such as this are of great interest due to the important role of copper-based complexes in biological systems. Our research has been conducted to add to the base of knowledge regarding the efforts of other researchers to investigate copper complexes that exhibit similar reactivity as copper-based proteins towards dioxygen. The copper complex chosen for this study contained a tri-dentate Schiff base adduct which, when complexed with an imidazole derivative, limited the manner in which peroxo adducts could bind while providing distinct spectral peaks which were used to conduct kinetic studies. Our results indicate a reaction mechanism by which the role of the complexed copper (II) ion is to activate the peroxo adduct for decomposition through reactions with other peroxide molecules, dioxygen, and water

Calibration of the CoreLok Method for Determination of Missouri Aggregate Specific Gravities

Specific gravity and absorption are fundamental aggregate properties needed for hot-mix asphalt (HMA) and Portland cement concrete (PCC) mix design and/or volumetric determinations. MoDOT utilizes the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) standard test methods T 84 (for fine aggregates) and T 85 (for coarse aggregates) to determine these important properties. Criticisms of these procedures are the subjective nature of determining when the aggregates have reached the saturated, surface-dry (SSD) condition (especially T 84) and the substantial amount of time needed to complete the tests. The CoreLok method addresses these criticisms in that it is an objective and faster method for determining aggregate specific gravities. Oven-drying the aggregates to a constant mass is the only sample preparation necessary; there is no need to soak the aggregates for an extended period of time or to obtain the SSD condition in order to complete the test. Apart from sample preparation, the two-part test procedure takes approximately 30 minutes. However, working with dry aggregate poses its own problems and errors are introduced. Therefore to account for these errors, regression analyses were performed to calibrate or “correct” the CoreLok method test results to associated T 84/85 values

An algal enzyme required for biosynthesis of the most abundant marine carotenoids.

Fucoxanthin and its derivatives are the main light-harvesting pigments in the photosynthetic apparatus of many chromalveolate algae and represent the most abundant carotenoids in the world's oceans, thus being major facilitators of marine primary production. A central step in fucoxanthin biosynthesis that has been elusive so far is the conversion of violaxanthin to neoxanthin. Here, we show that in chromalveolates, this reaction is catalyzed by violaxanthin de-epoxidase-like (VDL) proteins and that VDL is also involved in the formation of other light-harvesting carotenoids such as peridinin or vaucheriaxanthin. VDL is closely related to the photoprotective enzyme violaxanthin de-epoxidase that operates in plants and most algae, revealing that in major phyla of marine algae, an ancient gene duplication triggered the evolution of carotenoid functions beyond photoprotection toward light harvesting

Measurement of Transient Fluid Temperature in the Heat Exchangers

In the chapter, a method for measuring the transient temperature of the flowing fluid based on time temperature changes of the thermometer is described. In the presented method, the thermometer is considered as an inertial system of first and second order. To reduce the influence of random errors in the temperature measurement, the local polynomial approximation based on nine points is used. As a result, the first and second derivatives of a temperature, which indicate how the temperature of the thermometer varies over time, are determined very accurately. Next, the time constant is defined as a function of fluid velocity for sheathed thermocouples with different diameters. The applicability of the presented method is demonstrated on real data in the experiment. The air temperature is estimated from measurements carried out by the three thermocouples having different outer diameters when the air velocity varied in time. A comparison of the computed temperatures of air gives confidence to the accuracy of the presented method. The method presented in this chapter for measuring the transient temperature of the fluid can be used for the online monitoring of fluid temperature change with time

Experimental Gravimetric Adsorption Equilibrium of n-Alkanes and Alkenes, Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen in MIL-53(Al) and Zeolite 5A

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Química e BioquímicaThe objective of this work was the measuring of adsorption equilibrium, by the gravimetric method. Experimental results are presented for the adsorption equilibrium of the series of n-alkanes, ethylene, nitrogen and carbon dioxide in two microporous materials, the metal-organic framework, MIL-53(Al) and zeolite 5A. Both of them have desirable characteristics for adsorption processes, such as the capture and storage of carbon dioxide, natural gas storage, separation of components of biogas, and separation of olefin/paraffin. The determination of the equilibrium of the pure components (ethane, propane, butane, ethylene, carbon dioxide and nitrogen) covers a wide range of thermodynamic conditions; temperatures between 303.15K and 373.15K, as well as pressure values between 0 and 50 bar. The adsorption equilibrium data were analyzed through the global adjustment for each adsorbate/adsorbent system, using the Sips and Toth models. The isosteric heat was also determined. The experimental data of methane, carbon dioxide and nitrogen were correlated successfully by the potential theory of adsorption collapsing into a single characteristic curve, independent of temperature. This analysis allows the extrapolation of adsorption data for other gases, for which no experimental data is still known. The adsorption capacity is generally higher in MIL-53(Al) than in zeolite 5A, and in the two adsorbents, the preferred adsorption capacity for carbon dioxide is a good indication that these materials have a strong potential in the capture and storage of carbon dioxide, in the purification of biogas or purification of methane from natural gas

Study of the Long-Term Desorption of Trichloroethylene from Clay Soils Using Infrared Spectroscopy

Slow desorption of contaminants from soil presents one of the greatest challenges to modeling contaminant fate and transport and implementing effective remediation technologies. The kinetics of long-term desorption of trichloroethylene (TCE) from powdered clay soils were studied to determine the desorption rates and mechanism. Infrared absorption spectroscopy was used to monitor the concentration of TCE desorbed from contaminated flint clay for 71 hours. Observed gas phase TCE concentrations as a function of time were compared to that predicted by a one-site Langmuir desorption mechanism. The Langmuir model, with a single type of bonding site, did not account for the release of entrained contaminant past the rapid desorption phase, indicating the need for a desorption model based more than one type of binding site. A second model, based on a Gamma distribution of desorption rate coefficients, fit the entire desorption profile. Application of infrared absorption spectroscopy to measure long-term desorption allowed continuous measurement of desorption over long time periods (days). A multiplex design in the optical detection system improved measurement capabilities, allowing quantification of contaminant to 0.06 torr of TCE. The ability to measure such small changes in contaminant concentration is an important development in characterizing and understanding long-term desorption trends

The effect of flow rate, spray distance and concentration of polymer quenchant on spray quenching performance of CHTE and IVF probes

An experimental investigation has been conducted on CHTE quench probes and IVF quench probes to determine the influence of flow rate, spray distance and concentration of AQ251 polymer quenchant on the cooling rate and heat transfer coefficient during spray quenching. Time-temperature data has been collected for each spraying condition using the CHTE spray quenching system. Heat transfer coefficients as a function of temperature have been estimated and compared by using lumped thermal capacity model and an inverse heat conduction model. The results revealed that the maximum cooling rate increases with increasing in the flow rate in varying concentration of polymer quenchant in both probes. It was also found that the cooling rate decreases with the increase of the concentration of polymer quenchant

8-Aryl-6-chloro-3-nitro-2-(phenylsulfonylmethyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines as potent antitrypanosomatid molecules bioactivated by type 1 nitroreductases

Based on a previously identified antileishmanial 6,8-dibromo-3-nitroimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine derivative, a Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction at position 8 of the scaffold was studied and optimized from a 8-bromo-6-chloro-3-nitroimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine substrate. Twenty-one original derivatives were prepared, screened in vitro for activity against L infantum axenic amastigotes and T. brucei brucei trypomastigotes and evaluated for their cytotoxicity on the HepG2 human cell line. Thus, 7 antileishmanial hit compounds were identified, displaying IC50 values in the 1.1-3 mu M range. Compounds 13 and 23, the 2 most selective molecules (SI = >18 or >17) were additionally tested on both the promastigote and intramacrophage amastigote stages of L donovani. The two molecules presented a good activity (IC50 = 1.2-1.3 mu M) on the promastigote stage but only molecule 23, bearing a 4-pyridinyl substituent at position 8, was active on the intracellular amastigote stage, with a good IC50 value (2.3 mu M), slightly lower than the one of miltefosine (IC50 = 4.3 mu M). The antiparasitic screening also revealed 8 antitrypanosomal hit compounds, including 14 and 20, 2 very active (IC50 = 0.04-0.16 mu M) and selective (SI = >313 to 550) molecules toward T brucei brucei, in comparison with drug-candidate fexinidazole (IC50 = 0.6 & SI > 333) or reference drugs suramin and eflornithine (respective IC50 = 0.03 and 13.3 mu M). Introducing an aryl moiety at position 8 of the scaffold quite significantly increased the antitrypanosomal activity of the pharmacophore. Antikinetoplastid molecules 13, 14, 20 and 23 were assessed for bioactivation by parasitic nitroreductases (either in L donovani or in T. brucei brucei), using genetically modified parasite strains that over-express NTRs: all these molecules are substrates of type 1 nitroreductases (NTRI), such as those that are responsible for the bioactivation of fexinidazole. Reduction potentials measured for these 4 hit compounds were higher than that of fexinidazole (-0.83 V), ranging from -0.70 to -0.64 V

Characterization of adaptability components of Brazilian isolates of Macrophomina pseudophaseolina

"This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Negreiros, Andréia Mitsa Paiva, Naama Jéssica de Assis Melo, Hohana Lissa de Sousa Medeiros, Fernando Henrique Alves Silva, Josep Armengol, and Rui Sales Júnior. 2020. "Characterization of Adaptability Components of Brazilian Isolates of Macrophomina Pseudophaseolina". Journal of Phytopathology 168 (7-8). Wiley: 490-99. doi:10.1111/jph.12927. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving."[EN] Macrophomina pseudophaseolina is a new Macrophomina species reported on different crop and weed species in Brazil, India and Senegal, but to date there are no studies about its adaptability components. In this work, a collection of 62 M. pseudophaseolina isolates obtained from roots of the weed species Trianthema portulacastrum and Boerhavia diffusa collected in Northeastern Brazil, was used to: (a) study the effect of temperature and salinity on mycelial growth, (b) to determine their sensitivity to the fungicide carbendazim and (c) to assess their aggressiveness on melon and watermelon seedlings. Results showed variability among M. pseudophaseolina isolates. The optimum temperature for mycelial growth ranged between 26.4 and 38.1oC. NaCl reduced the in vitro growth of all isolates, which were also highly sensitive to the fungicide carbendazim, exhibiting EC50 values ranging from 0.013 to 0.089 mg/L a.i. Disease severity values on melon and watermelon seedlings showed that M. pseudophaseolina isolates were more aggressive in melon than in watermelon. Information about adaptability components of M. pseudophaseolina obtained in this study could be incorporated on breeding programs for melon and watermelon crops.This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brazil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001 and by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq).Paiva Negreiros, AM.; Melo, N.; De Soussa Medeiros, H.; Alves Silva, F.; Armengol Fortí, J.; Sales Junior, R. (2020). Characterization of adaptability components of Brazilian isolates of Macrophomina pseudophaseolina. Journal of Phytopathology. 168(7-8):490-499. https://doi.org/10.1111/jph.12927S4904991687-8Ambrósio, M. M. Q., Dantas, A. C. A., Martínez-Perez, E., Medeiros, A. C., Nunes, G. H. S., & Picó, M. B. (2015). Screening a variable germplasm collection of Cucumis melo L. for seedling resistance to Macrophomina phaseolina. Euphytica, 206(2), 287-300. doi:10.1007/s10681-015-1452-xBrito, A. C. de Q., de Mello, J. F., Michereff, S. J., de Souza-Motta, C. M., & Machado, A. R. (2019). First report of Macrophomina pseudophaseolina causing stem dry rot in cassava in Brazil. Journal of Plant Pathology, 101(4), 1245-1245. doi:10.1007/s42161-019-00309-3Cervantes-Garcia, D., Saul Padilla-Ramirez, J., Simpson, J., & Mayek-Perez, N. (2003). Osmotic Potential Effects on In Vitro Growth, Morphology and Pathogenicity of Macrophomina phaseolina. Journal of Phytopathology, 151(7-8), 456-462. doi:10.1046/j.1439-0434.2003.00751.xFerreira, D. F. (2011). Sisvar: a computer statistical analysis system. Ciência e Agrotecnologia, 35(6), 1039-1042. doi:10.1590/s1413-70542011000600001Gupta, G. K., Sharma, S. K., & Ramteke, R. (2012). Biology, Epidemiology and Management of the Pathogenic Fungus Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid with Special Reference to Charcoal Rot of Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill). Journal of Phytopathology, 160(4), 167-180. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0434.2012.01884.xLannou, C. (2012). Variation and Selection of Quantitative Traits in Plant Pathogens. Annual Review of Phytopathology, 50(1), 319-338. doi:10.1146/annurev-phyto-081211-173031Machado, A. R., Pinho, D. B., Soares, D. J., Gomes, A. A. M., & Pereira, O. L. (2018). Bayesian analyses of five gene regions reveal a new phylogenetic species of Macrophomina associated with charcoal rot on oilseed crops in Brazil. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 153(1), 89-100. doi:10.1007/s10658-018-1545-1Mastan, A., Bharadwaj, R., Kushwaha, R. K., & Vivek Babu, C. S. (2019). Functional Fungal Endophytes in Coleus forskohlii Regulate Labdane Diterpene Biosynthesis for Elevated Forskolin Accumulation in Roots. Microbial Ecology, 78(4), 914-926. doi:10.1007/s00248-019-01376-wMedeiros, A. C., Melo, D. R. M. de, Ambrósio, M. M. de Q., Nunes, G. H. de S., & Costa, J. M. da. (2015). Métodos de inoculação de Rhizoctonia solani e Macrophomina phaseolina em meloeiro (Cucumis melo). Summa Phytopathologica, 41(4), 281-286. doi:10.1590/0100-5405/2083Mbaye, N., Mame, P. S., Ndiaga, C., & Ibrahima, N. (2015). Is the recently described Macrophomina pseudophaseolina pathogenically different from Macrophomina phaseolina? African Journal of Microbiology Research, 9(45), 2232-2238. doi:10.5897/ajmr2015.7742Negreiros, A. M. P., Sales Júnior, R., León, M., Melo, N. J., Michereff, S. J., Ambrósio, M. M., … Armengol, J. (2019). Identification and pathogenicity of Macrophomina species collected from weeds in melon fields in Northeastern Brazil. Journal of Phytopathology, 167(6), 326-337. doi:10.1111/jph.12801Francisco, de A. S. e S., & Carlos, A. V. de A. (2016). The Assistat Software Version 7.7 and its use in the analysis of experimental data. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 11(39), 3733-3740. doi:10.5897/ajar2016.11522Tonin, R. F. B., Avozani, A., Danelli, A. L. D., Reis, E. M., Zoldan, S. M., & Garcés-Fiallos, F. R. (2013). In vitro mycelial sensitivity of Macrophomina phaseolina to fungicides. Pesquisa Agropecuária Tropical, 43(4), 460-466. doi:10.1590/s1983-40632013000400014Wrather, J. A., Anderson, T. R., Arsyad, D. M., Tan, Y., Ploper, L. D., Porta-Puglia, A., … Yorinori, J. T. (2001). Soybean disease loss estimates for the top ten soybean-producing counries in 1998. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology, 23(2), 115-121. doi:10.1080/07060660109506918Zhan, J., & McDonald, B. A. (2013). Experimental Measures of Pathogen Competition and Relative Fitness. Annual Review of Phytopathology, 51(1), 131-153. doi:10.1146/annurev-phyto-082712-102302Zhao, L., Cai, J., He, W., & Zhang, Y. (2019). Macrophomina vaccinii sp. nov. causing blueberry stem blight in China. MycoKeys, 55, 1-14. doi:10.3897/mycokeys.55.3501