The influence of pyrolysis type on shale oil generation and its composition (Upper layer of Aleksinac oil shale, Serbia)

The influence of pyrolysis type on shale oil generation and its composition was studied. Different methods such as Rock-Eval pyrolysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and pyrolysis in the open and closed systems were applied. Samples from the Upper layer of Aleksinac oil shale (Serbia) were used as a substrate and first time characterized in detail. The impact of kerogen content and type on the shale oil generation in different pyrolysis systems was also estimated. Majority of the analysed samples have total organic carbon content > 5 wt. % and contain oil prone kerogen types I and/or II. Therefore, they can be of particular interest for the pyrolytic processing. Thermal behavior of analysed samples obtained by TGA is in agreement with Rock-Eval parameters. Pyrolysis of oil shale in the open system gives higher yield of shale oil than pyrolysis in the closed system. The yield of hydrocarbons (HCs) in shale oil produced by open pyrolysis system corresponds to an excellent source rock potential, while HCs yield from the closed system indicates a very good source rock potential. The kerogen content has a greater impact on the shale oil generation than kerogen type in the open pyrolysis system, while kerogen type plays a more important role on generation of shale oil than the kerogen content in the closed system. The composition of obtained shale oil showed certain undesirable features, due to the relatively high contents of olefinic HCs (open system) and polar compounds (closed system), which may require further treatment to be used

Nanostructured Fe2O3/TiO2 thick films prepared by screen printing

Nanostructured single layered (pure TiO2 , pure α-Fe2O3 and mixed Fe2O3 /TiO2 with two different oxide ratios, 2 : 3 and 3 : 2) and double layered (TiO2 layer over a Fe2O3 layer) thick films have been fabricated by screen printing technology on a glass substrate. The pastes used for film preparation were obtained by adding an organic vehicle to the oxide powders together with a small percentage of binding glass frit. Samples were dried up to 100 °C and sintered at 650 °C/60 minutes. Structural, morphological and optical studies have been carried out using XRD, SEM analyses and UV/Vis spectroscopy. The prepared pure and mixed Fe2O3 /TiO2 thick films had a homogenous nanostructure without secondary phases. Indirect band gaps were determined from the measured transmission spectra and the obtained values are in the range of literature data. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III45007

Converting Insulin-like Growth Factors 1 and 2 into High-Affinity Ligands for Insulin Receptor Isoform A by the Introduction of an Evolutionarily Divergent Mutation

Insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 (IGF-1 and -2, respectively) are protein hormones involved not only in normal growth and development but also in life span regulation and cancer. They exert their functions mainly through the IGF-1R or by binding to isoform A of the insulin receptor (IR-A). The development of IGF-1 and IGF-2 antagonists is of great clinical interest. Mutations of A4 and A8 sites of human insulin lead to disproportionate effects on hormone IR binding and activation. Here, we systematically modified IGF-1 sites 45, 46, and 49 and IGF-2 sites 45 and 48, which correspond, or are close, to insulin sites A4 and A8. The IGF-1R and IR-A binding and autophosphorylation potencies of these analogues were characterized. They retained the main IGF-1R-related properties, but the hormones with His49 in IGF-1 and His48 in IGF-2 showed significantly higher affinities for IR-A and for IR-B, being the strongest IGF-1- and IGF-2-like binders of these receptors ever reported. All analogues activated IR-A and IGF-1R without major discrepancies in their binding affinities. This study revealed that IR-A and IGF-1R contain specific sites, likely parts of their so-called sites 2′, which can interact differently with specifically modified IGF analogues. Moreover, a clear importance of IGF-2 site 44 for effective hormone folding was also observed. These findings may facilitate novel and rational engineering of new hormone analogues for IR-A and IGF-1R studies and for potential medical applications

Arsenic removal from aqueous solutions by sorption onto zirconium- and titanium-modified sorbents

Arsenic reduction in drinking water can include treatment by adsorption, switching to alternative water sources, or blending with water that has a lower arsenic concentration. Commercial sorbents MTM, Greensand and BIRM (Clack Corporation) were modified with zirconium and titanium after activation. The modifications were performed with titanium tetrachloride and zirconium tetrachloride. The modified sorbents were dried at different temperatures. The sorption of arsenate and arsenite dissolved in drinking water (200μg L-1) onto the sorbents were tested using a batch procedure. After removal of the sorbent, the concentration of arsenic was determined by HG-AAS. Zirconium-modified BIRM showed the best performance for the removal of both arsenite and arsenate. Modification of the greensand did not affect arsenic sorption ability. Zirconium-modified BIRM diminished the concentration of total As to below 5 μg L-1

Antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of naphthoquinone pigments from Onosma visianii Clem

In this study, the antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of isolated compounds from the roots of Onosma visianii were investigated. By using different chromatographic techniques and appropriate spectroscopic methods, the seven naphthoquinones were described: deoxyshikonin (1), isobutyrylshikonin (2), α-methylbutyrylshikonin (3), acetylshikonin (4), ß-hydroxyisovalerylshikonin (5), 5,8-O-dimethyl isobutyrylshikonin (6) and 5,8-O-dimethyl deoxyshikonin (7). Among the tested compounds, 3 and 4 exhibited the highest antibacterial activities toward all tested bacterial species (MIC50 and MIC90 for gram positive bacteria: 6.40 µg/mL-12.79 µg/mL and 6.82 µg/mL-13.60 µg/mL, respectively; for gram negative bacteria: 4.27 µg/mL-8.53 µg/mL and 4.77 µg/mL-9.54 µg/mL, respectively). Also, naphthoquinones 3 and 4 exhibited strong cytotoxic activity against MDA-MB-231 cells (IC50 values 86.0 µg/mL and 80.2 µg/mL, respectively), while compounds 1, 3, 4 and 5 significantly decreased viability of HCT116 cells (IC50 values of 97.8 µg/mL, 15.2 µg/mL, 24.6 µg/mL and 30.9 µg/mL, respectively). Our results indicated that all tested naphthoquinone pigments are potential candidates for clinical uses as antibacterial and cytotoxic agents

Influence of pressure and time on extraction process using supercritical CO2

The supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) by carbon dioxide (CO2) of Salvia officinalis L. was investigated. SFE by CO2 was performed at different pressure (80, 100, 150, 200 and 300 bar) and constant temperature of 40ºC (all other extraction conditions, such are flow rate, particle diameter of Salvia officinalis, extraction time were kept constant. The GC-MS method was used for determination of qualitative and quantitative composition of obtained extracts and essential oils

Characterization of trypsin-like enzymes from the midgut of Morimus funereus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) larvae

The pH along the midgut of M. funereus larvae had different values, being acidic in the anterior section and basic in the middle and posterior sections. Elastase- and chymotrypsin-like activities were highest in the middle, low in the anterior, and negligible in the posterior section of the midgut. Trypsin-like activities were detected along the whole midgut, with more than 90% of activity in the anterior section. The level of elastase- and chymotrypsin-like activity was very low compared to trypsin-like activity. In the anterior section of the midgut, two isoforms of trypsin-like enzymes were found, both being basic and almost completely inhibited by benzamidine

New ruthenium(II) bipyridyl complex : synthesis, crystal structure and cytotoxicity

A new Ru(II) bipyridyl complex with O-4-hydrogenpyridine-2,4-dicarboxylate was synthesized and characterized by IR, NMR and mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction analysis and elemental analysis. The electrochemical characteristics of the complex were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, revealing Ru(II)/Ru(III) electron transfer in the positive range of potentials. On the opposite potential side, multiple partially reversible peaks were dominant, representing subsequent reductions of the bulky bipyridyl moiety. The cytotoxic activity of the complex was tested in two human cancer cell lines: A549 (lung cancer) and K562 (leukemia) as well as non-tumor MRC-5 cells, by MTT assays. The IC50 values were >300 and 177.63+/-2.28 mu M for the A549 and K562 cells, respectively

Spectroscopic properties and antimicrobial activity of dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes with heterocyclic S,S’-ligands

Five new dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes of the general formula[MoO2(Rdtc)2], 1-5, where Rdtc-refer to piperidine- (Pipdtc), 4-morpholine-(Morphdtc), 4-thiomorpholine-(Timdtc), piperazine- (Pzdtc) or Nmethylpiperazine- (N-Mepzdtc) dithiocarbamates, respectively, have been prepared. Elemental analysis, conductometric measurements, electronic, IR and NMR spectroscopy have been employed to characterize them. Complexes 1-5 contain a cis-MoO2 group and are of an octahedral geometry. Two dithiocarbamato ions join as bidentates with both the sulphur atoms to the molybdenum atom. The presence of different heteroatom in the piperidinо moiety influences the v(C----N) and v(C----S) vibrations, which decrease in the order of the complexes with: Pipdtc > N-Mepipdtc > Morphdtc > Pzdtc > Timdtc ligands. On the basis of spectral data, molecular structures of complexes 1-5 were optimized on semiempirical molecular-orbital level, and the geometries, as obtained from calculations, described. Antimicrobial activity was tested against nine different laboratory control strains of bacteria and two strains of yeast Candida albicans. All tested strains were sensitive. Complexes bearing heteroatom in position 4 of piperidine moiety are significantly more potent against bacteria tested comparing to corresponding ligands

Fractionation of soil phosphorus in a long-term phosphate fertilization

The changes in inorganic and organic phosphorus (P) fractions of soil resulting from long-term fertilization (40 years) were investigated. In order to improve understanding of the sink and sources of phosphorus, P-fractions were extracted from soil samples of 0-30 and 30-60 cm depth with different amounts of monoammonium-phosphate (MAP) and then determined. Stagnosol was the type of the studied soil. Phosphate fertilizer was applied in 26, 39 and 52 kgP/ha amounts during the period of 40 years. Samples were subjected to sequential extraction according to the modified Chang and Jackson method and BCR (Community Bureau of Reference) sequential extraction procedure in order to extract different forms of phosphorus. The Certified Reference material CRM 684 (River Sediment Extractable Phosphorus) was used to provide accuracy of the instrument and both used methods. Furthermore, the association of phosphorus with substrates was provided by comparison of the results of sequential methods of phosphorus species with the sequential extraction of metals (Fe, Al, Mn and Ca). Results of continuous fertilization during 40 years indicated the increase of all the phosphorus forms in the soil except of phosphorus bound to calcium and organic phosphorus. Application of higher amounts of P-fertilizer resulted in dominance of Al-P fraction in studied soil which indicated that this fraction was the most responsible for the migration of phosphorus along the soil profile