854 research outputs found
Rapid atom-efficient polyolefin plastics hydrogenolysis mediated by a well-defined single-site electrophilic/cationic organo-zirconium catalyst
Polyolefins comprise a major fraction of single-use plastics, yet their catalytic deconstruction/recycling has proven challenging due to their inert saturated hydrocarbon connectivities. Here a very electrophilic, formally cationic earth-abundant single-site organozirconium catalyst chemisorbed on a highly BrĂžnsted acidic sulfated alumina support and characterized by a broad array of experimental and theoretical techniques, is shown to mediate the rapid hydrogenolytic cleavage of molecular and macromolecular saturated hydrocarbons under mild conditions, with catalytic onset as low as 90 °C/0.5 atm H2 with 0.02 mol% catalyst loading. For polyethylene, quantitative hydrogenolysis to light hydrocarbons proceeds within 48 min with an activity of > 4000 mol(CH2 units)·mol(Zr)â1·hâ1 at 200 °C/2 atm H2 pressure. Under similar solventless conditions, polyethylene-coâ1-octene, isotactic polypropylene, and a post-consumer food container cap are rapidly hydrogenolyzed to low molecular mass hydrocarbons. Regarding mechanism, theory and experiment identify a turnover-limiting C-C scission pathway involving Ă-alkyl transfer rather than the more common Ï-bond metathesis
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Visual-olfactory integration in the human disease vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti
Mosquitoes rely on the integration of multiple sensory cues, including olfactory, visual, and thermal stimuli, to detect, identify, and locate their hosts [1, 2, 3, 4]. Although we increasingly know more about the role of chemosensory behaviors in mediating mosquito-host interactions [1], the role of visual cues is comparatively less studied [3], and how the combination of olfactory and visual information is integrated in the mosquito brain remains unknown. In the present study, we used a tethered-flight light-emitting diode (LED) arena, which allowed for quantitative control over the stimuli, and a control theoretic model to show that CO_2 modulates mosquito steering responses toward vertical bars. To gain insight into the neural basis of this olfactory and visual coupling, we conducted two-photon microscopy experiments in a new GCaMP6s-expressing mosquito line. Imaging revealed that neuropil regions within the lobula exhibited strong responses to objects, such as a bar, but showed little response to a large-field motion. Approximately 20% of the lobula neuropil we imaged were modulated when CO2 preceded the presentation of a moving bar. By contrast, responses in the antennal (olfactory) lobe were not modulated by visual stimuli presented before or after an olfactory stimulus. Together, our results suggest that asymmetric coupling between these sensory systems provides enhanced steering responses to discrete objects
Impact of Donor Milk on Short- and Long-Term Growth of Very Low Birth Weight Infants
Motherâs own milk (MOM) reduces the risk of morbidities in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. When MOM is unavailable, donor breastmilk (DM) is used, with unclear impact on short- and long-term growth. This retrospective analysis compared anthropometric data at six time points from birth to 20â24 months corrected age in VLBW infants who received MOM supplements of preterm formula (n = 160) versus fortified DM (n = 161) during neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization. The cohort was 46% female; mean birth weight and gestational age (GA) were 998 g and 27.3 weeks. Multilevel linear growth models assessed changes in growth z-scores short-term (to NICU discharge) and long-term (post-discharge), controlling for amount of DM or formula received in first 28 days of life, NICU length of stay (LOS), birth GA, and sex. Z-scores for weight and length decreased during hospitalization but increased for all parameters including head circumference post-discharge. Short-term growth was positively associated with LOS and birth GA. A higher preterm formula proportion, but not DM proportion, was associated with slower rates of decline in short-term growth trajectories, but feeding type was unrelated to long-term growth. In conclusion, controlling for total human milk fed, DM did not affect short- or long-term growth
A T8.5 Brown Dwarf Member of the Xi Ursae Majoris System
The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer has revealed a T8.5 brown dwarf (WISE
J111838.70+312537.9) that exhibits common proper motion with a
solar-neighborhood (8 pc) quadruple star system - Xi Ursae Majoris. The angular
separation is 8.5 arc-min, and the projected physical separation is about 4000
AU. The sub-solar metallicity and low chromospheric activity of Xi UMa A argue
that the system has an age of at least 2 Gyr. The infrared luminosity and color
of the brown dwarf suggests the mass of this companion ranges between 14 and 38
Jupiter masses for system ages of 2 and 8 Gyr respectively.Comment: AJ in press, 12 pages LaTeX with 6 figures. More astrometric data and
a laser guide star adaptive optics image adde
Evolutionary Signatures in the Formation of Low-Mass Protostars. II. Towards Reconciling Models and Observations
A long-standing problem in low-mass star formation is the "luminosity
problem," whereby protostars are underluminous compared to the accretion
luminosity expected both from theoretical collapse calculations and arguments
based on the minimum accretion rate necessary to form a star within the
embedded phase duration. Motivated by this luminosity problem, we present a set
of evolutionary models describing the collapse of low-mass, dense cores into
protostars, using the Young & Evans (2005) model as our starting point. We
calculate the radiative transfer of the collapsing cores throughout the full
duration of the collapse in two dimensions. From the resulting spectral energy
distributions, we calculate standard observational signatures to directly
compare to observations. We incorporate several modifications and additions to
the original Young & Evans model in an effort to better match observations with
model predictions. We find that scattering, 2-D geometry, mass-loss, and
outflow cavities all affect the model predictions, as expected, but none
resolve the luminosity problem. A cycle of episodic mass accretion, however,
can resolve this problem and bring the model predictions into better agreement
with observations. Standard assumptions about the interplay between mass
accretion and mass loss in our model give star formation efficiencies
consistent with recent observations that compare the core mass function (CMF)
and stellar initial mass function (IMF). The combination of outflow cavities
and episodic mass accretion reduce the connection between observational Class
and physical Stage to the point where neither of the two common observational
signatures (bolometric temperature and ratio of bolometric to submillimeter
luminosity) can be considered reliable indicators of physical Stage.Comment: 27 pages. Accepted for publication in Ap
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Reprogramming human T cell function and specificity with non-viral genome targeting.
Decades of work have aimed to genetically reprogram T cells for therapeutic purposes1,2 using recombinant viral vectors, which do not target transgenes to specific genomic sites3,4. The need for viral vectors has slowed down research and clinical use as their manufacturing and testing is lengthy and expensive. Genome editing brought the promise of specific and efficient insertion of large transgenes into target cells using homology-directed repair5,6. Here we developed a CRISPR-Cas9 genome-targeting system that does not require viral vectors, allowing rapid and efficient insertion of large DNA sequences (greater than one kilobase) at specific sites in the genomes of primary human T cells, while preserving cell viability and function. This permits individual or multiplexed modification of endogenous genes. First, we applied this strategy to correct a pathogenic IL2RA mutation in cells from patients with monogenic autoimmune disease, and demonstrate improved signalling function. Second, we replaced the endogenous T cell receptor (TCR) locus with a new TCR that redirected T cells to a cancer antigen. The resulting TCR-engineered T cells specifically recognized tumour antigens and mounted productive anti-tumour cell responses in vitro and in vivo. Together, these studies provide preclinical evidence that non-viral genome targeting can enable rapid and flexible experimental manipulation and therapeutic engineering of primary human immune cells
Nucleation and Growth of the Superconducting Phase in the Presence of a Current
We study the localized stationary solutions of the one-dimensional
time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equations in the presence of a current. These
threshold perturbations separate undercritical perturbations which return to
the normal phase from overcritical perturbations which lead to the
superconducting phase. Careful numerical work in the small-current limit shows
that the amplitude of these solutions is exponentially small in the current; we
provide an approximate analysis which captures this behavior. As the current is
increased toward the stall current J*, the width of these solutions diverges
resulting in widely separated normal-superconducting interfaces. We map out
numerically the dependence of J* on u (a parameter characterizing the material)
and use asymptotic analysis to derive the behaviors for large u (J* ~ u^-1/4)
and small u (J -> J_c, the critical deparing current), which agree with the
numerical work in these regimes. For currents other than J* the interface
moves, and in this case we study the interface velocity as a function of u and
J. We find that the velocities are bounded both as J -> 0 and as J -> J_c,
contrary to previous claims.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, Revte
The VLA Nascent Disk And Multiplicity (VANDAM) Survey of Perseus Protostars. Resolving the Sub-Arcsecond Binary System in NGC 1333 IRAS2A
We are conducting a Jansky VLA Ka-band (8 mm and 1 cm) and C-band (4 cm and
6.4 cm) survey of all known protostars in the Perseus Molecular Cloud,
providing resolution down to 0.06'' and 0.35" in Ka-band and
C-band, respectively. Here we present first results from this survey that
enable us to examine the source NGC 1333 IRAS2A in unprecedented detail and
resolve it into a proto-binary system separated by 0.621"0.006" (143
AU) at 8 mm, 1 cm, and 4 cm. These 2 sources (IRAS2A VLA1 and VLA2) are likely
driving the two orthogonal outflows known to originate from IRAS2A. The
brighter source IRAS2A VLA1 is extended perpendicular to its outflow in the VLA
data, with a deconvolved size of 0.055" (13 AU), possibly tracing a
protostellar disk. The recently reported candidate companions (IRAS2A MM2 and
MM3) are not detected in either our VLA data, CARMA 1.3 mm data, or SMA 850
m data. SMA CO (), CARMA CO (), and
lower resolution CARMA CO () observations are used to examine
the outflow origins and the nature of the candidate companions to IRAS2A VLA1.
The CO () and () data show that IRAS2A MM2 is
coincident with a bright CO emission spot in the east-west outflow, and IRAS2A
MM3 is within the north-south outflow. In contrast, IRAS2A VLA2 lies at the
east-west outflow symmetry point. We propose that IRAS2A VLA2 is the driving
source of the East-West outflow and a true companion to IRAS2A VLA1, whereas
IRAS2A MM2 and MM3 may not be protostellar.Comment: Accepted to ApJ, 27 pages, 6 Figures, 2 Table
Extracranial and Intracranial Vasculopathy With âMoyamoya Phenomenonâ in Association With Alagille Syndrome
Background: Alagille syndrome (AGS) is an autosomal-dominant, multisystem disorder caused by mutations in the JAG1 gene.Case Description: A 34-year-old man was referred to our service 10 years ago with focal seizures with impaired awareness and transient slurred speech. He had a 5-year history of intermittent left monocular low-flow retinopathy. He has a family history of AGS. General examination revealed mild hypertension, aortic regurgitation, and livedo reticularis. Neurological examination was normal.Investigations: He had mild hyperlipidaemia and persistently-positive lupus anticoagulant consistent with primary anti-phospholipid syndrome. Color Doppler ultrasound revealed low velocity flow in a narrowed extracranial left internal carotid artery (ICA). MR and CT angiography revealed a diffusely narrowed extracranial and intracranial left ICA. Formal cerebral angiography confirmed severe left ICA narrowing consistent with a left ICA âvasculopathyâ and moyamoya phenomenon. Transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a bicuspid aortic valve and aortic incompetence. Molecular genetic analysis identified a missense mutation (A211P) in exon 4 of the JAG1 gene, consistent with AGS.Discussion: AGS should be considered in young adults with TIAs/stroke and unexplained extracranial or intracranial vascular abnormalities, and/or moyamoya phenomenon, even in the absence of other typical phenotypic features. Gene panels should include JAG1 gene testing in similar patients
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