Exploring LiZnNbO4 as a Host for New Colored Compounds: Synthesis, Structure, and Material Properties of NbZn1‐x Mx LiO4 (M=Mn, Co, Ni, Fe) and Nb1‐ySby Zn1‐x Mx LiO4 (M=Co, Ni)

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Exploring LiZnNbO4 as a Host for New Colored Compounds: Synthesis, Structure, and Material Properties of NbZn1-x Mx LiO4 (M=Mn, Co, Ni, Fe) and Nb1-ySby Zn1-x Mx LiO4 (M=Co, Ni)

Transition elements (Co2+, Ni2+, and Cu2+ ions) were substituted in place of tetrahedral Zn2+ ions in the tetragonal non-centrosymmetric spinel LiZnNbO4 (LZN) and LiZnNb0.5Sb0.5O4 (LZSN) compounds to form new colored compounds. The dielectric studies indicated reasonable values with low loss. The compounds were SHG-active. Magnetic studies reveal the Co2+ substituted Li(Zn0.25Co0.75)NbO4 compound to be antiferromagnetic in nature.


Abstract

The non - centrosymmetric tetragonal inverse spinel structure of LiZnNbO4 has been explored with a view to prepare new colored compounds. The substitution of Co2+, Ni2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, and Cu2+ ions were attempted in the place of Zn2+ ions and Sb5+ ions in place of Nb5+ ions. The studies indicated that 0.75 Zn2+ ions in LiZnNbO4 can be replaced by Co2+ ions and 0.5 Zn2+ ions in LiZnNb0.5Sb0.5O4 compound. The substitution of Co2+ ions gives rise to different shades of blue color in Li(Zn1-xCox)NbO4 compounds and from ink blue to blue-green color in Li(Zn1-xCox)(Nb0.5Sb0.5)O4 compounds. The different colors observed in the present study were explained by the traditional allowed d-d transitions as well as the metal-to-metal charge transfer (MMCT) transitions involving Nb5+ (4d 0) ions and partially filled 3d electrons. The SHG studies indicate that the prepared compounds are SHG active. All the compounds exhibit reasonable dielectric behavior with low loss. The XPS studies confirm the oxidation states of the different substituted ions. Raman studies indicate variations in the bands due to the substitutions in the parent LiZnNbO4 phase. Magnetic studies on the Co2+ ions substituted compounds suggest antiferromagnetic behavior.

Optimizing Renewable Ammonia Production for a Sustainable Fertilizer Supply Chain Transition

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Optimizing Renewable Ammonia Production for a Sustainable Fertilizer Supply Chain Transition

Ammonia produced locally from renewable energy and water electrolysis can be economically competitive with the existing fossil-based global market if its production systems are designed and deployed optimally over the next decade. This transition would reduce the carbon intensity of nitrogen fertilizer by 99 % while ensuring stable and predictable fertilizer prices for the farmers who use this indispensable commodity.


Abstract

Local renewable ammonia production using electrolytic hydrogen is an emerging approach to alleviate emissions attributed to synthetic nitrogen fertilizer production while also insulating against fluctuations in fertilizer prices and mitigating transportation costs and emissions. However, replacing ammonia currently produced using fossil fuels will not be immediate. To this end, we develop a supply chain transition model, which first optimizes the design and hourly operation of new renewable ammonia facilities to minimize production costs and then optimizes the annual installation timing, production scale, and location of these new renewable facilities along with ammonia transportation to meet county resolution demands. The objective is to augment and eventually replace conventional ammonia market imports in an economically competitive manner. We performed a case study for Minnesota's ammonia supply chain and found that a full transition to in-state renewable production by 2032 is optimal. This is incentivized by the U.S. federal government's clean hydrogen production credits. This transition results in 99 % reduction in carbon intensity along with stable supply costs below $475 per metric tonne. New renewable production facilities are an order of magnitude smaller than existing conventional plants. They use both wind and solar resources and operate dynamically to minimize expensive battery and hydrogen storage capacities.

Nutraceutical Activity of Anthocyanins from the Edible Berries of Rhamnus pompana

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Nutraceutical Activity of Anthocyanins from the Edible Berries of Rhamnus pompana


Abstract

We present the inhibitory properties of the R. pompana anthocyanin fraction (RPAF) and its major constituents on alpha-glucosidase (AG), pancreatic lipase (PL), HMG-CoA reductase, and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). The effect of RPAF was also evaluated in ICR male mice subjected to oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and hypercaloric/atherogenic diet for 30 days. RP-HPLC/MS profiling revealed that RPAF contained five major anthocyanins and induced slight inhibition on PL and HMG-CoA reductase (IC50, 245–338 μg mL−1) whereas strong activity on AG and ODC (IC50, 130–133 μg mL−1) was observed. Kinetic studies and molecular docking with pelargonidin-3-O-rutinoside (P3R) on ODC, revealed changes in Km (0.9514–0.9746 mM) and Vmax (1.96–2.32 μmol mg−1 min−1) suggesting mixed inhibition and molecular interaction with two active sites of ODC. P3R showed antiproliferative activity (IC50, 46.5 μM) and decreased polyamine accumulation in DLD-1 cells. The results of OGTT confirmed that RPAF regulates postprandial glucose levels in diabetic animals which experienced a significant glucose depletion (30 %; p<0.001) from 30 to 120 min post-treatment. Prolonged supplementation of RPAF caused significant decrease (p<0.001) in plasma glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-c and triglycerides as well as significant increase (p<0.001) of HDL-c compared with normoglycemic untreated animals.

Design, Synthesis, Anticancer Evaluation and Molecular Modeling Studies of New Thiazolidinone‐Benzoate Scaffold as EGFR Inhibitors, Cell Cycle Interruption and Apoptosis Inducers in HepG2

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Design, Synthesis, Anticancer Evaluation and Molecular Modeling Studies of New Thiazolidinone-Benzoate Scaffold as EGFR Inhibitors, Cell Cycle Interruption and Apoptosis Inducers in HepG2


Abstract

Synthesis of new anticancer candidates with protein kinases inhibitory potency is a major goal of pharmaceutical science and synthetic research. This current work represents the synthesis of a series of substituted benzoate-thiazolidinones. Most prepared thiazolidinones were evaluated in vitro for their potential anticancer activity against three cell lines by MTT assay, and they found to be more effective against cancer cell lines with no harm toward normal cells. Thiazolidinones 5 c and 5 h were further evaluated to be kinase inhibitors against EGFR showing effective inhibitory impact (with IC50 value; 0.2±0.009 and 0.098±0.004 μM, for 5 c and 5 h, respectively). Furthermore, 5 c and 5 h have effects on cell cycle and apoptosis induction capability in HepG2 cell lines by DNA-flow cytometry analysis and annexin V-FITC apoptosis assay, respectively. The results showed that they have effect of disrupting the cell cycle and causing cell mortality by apoptosis in the treated cells. Moreover, molecular docking studies showed better binding patterns for 5 c and 5 h with the active site of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein kinase (PDB code 1M17). Finally, toxicity risk and physicochemical characterization by Osiris method was performed on most of the compounds, revealing excellent properties as possible drugs.

On the Tunability of Toxicity for Viologen‐Derivatives as Anolyte for Neutral Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Batteries

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On the Tunability of Toxicity for Viologen-Derivatives as Anolyte for Neutral Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Batteries

Viologen toxicity: The long-established toxicity of the herbicide methyl-viologen raises concern for deployment of viologen-derivatives as anolyte for neutral aqueous organic redox flow batteries (AORFB) at large scale. Here we show that non-toxic viologen derivatives can be molecularly engineered, holding great promise as safe anolytes for AORFB.


Abstract

Viologen-derivatives are the most widely used redox organic molecules for neutral pH negative electrolyte of redox flow batteries. However, the long-established toxicity of the herbicide methyl-viologen raises concern for deployment of viologen-derivatives at large scale in flow batteries. Herein, we demonstrate the radically different cytotoxicity and toxicology of a series of viologen-derivatives in in vitro assays using model organisms representative of human and environmental exposure, namely human lung carcinoma epithelial cell line (A549) and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The results show that safe viologen derivatives can be molecularly engineered, representing a promising family of negolyte materials for neutral redox flow batteries.

Nutraceutical Activity of Anthocyanins from the Edible Berries of Rhamnus pompana

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Nutraceutical Activity of Anthocyanins from the Edible Berries of Rhamnus pompana

Front Cover. The berries of Rhamnus pompana are a traditionally consumed by people of the northeastern highlands of Puebla-Mexico as a result of Nahuatl inheritance. These fruits contained five anthocyanins with the capacity to reduce the levels of plasma glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides in mice. Same compounds were able to decrease the specific activity of key enzymes including human ornithine decarboxylase and avoided polyamine accumulation in DLD-1 cancer cells, as reported by Y. Pechaeco-Hernández et al. in their research article at 10.1002/cbdv.202301034.


Application of Biological Nanopore Sequencing Technology in the Detection of Microorganisms

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Application of Biological Nanopore Sequencing Technology in the Detection of Microorganisms†


Comprehensive Summary

Environmental pollution and the spread of pathogenic microorganisms pose a significant threat to the health of humans and the planet. Thus, understanding and detecting microorganisms is crucial for maintaining a healthy living environment. Nanopore sequencing is a single-molecule detection method developed in the 1990s that has revolutionized various research fields. It offers several advantages over traditional sequencing methods, including low cost, label-free, time-saving detection speed, long sequencing reading, real-time monitoring, convenient carrying, and other significant advantages. In this review, we summarize the technical principles and characteristics of nanopore sequencing and discuss its applications in amplicon sequencing, metagenome sequencing, and whole-genome sequencing of environmental microorganisms, as well as its in situ application under some special circumstances. We also analyze the advantages and challenges of nanopore sequencing in microbiology research. Overall, nanopore sequencing has the potential to greatly enhance the detection and understanding of microorganisms in environmental research, but further developments are needed to overcome the current challenges.