Addition Of Reagents Research Articles

Electroreductive Cross‐Electrophile Coupling of Aromatic Carbonyl Compounds and Alkyl Bromides

AbstractClassical methods for the synthesis of tertiary alcohols mainly rely on the nucleophilic addition of organometallic reagents to carbonyl compounds. Here, we disclose a strategy for synthesizing tertiary alcohols via electroreductive cross‐electrophile coupling of aromatic carbonyl compounds and alkyl bromides (allyl, propargyl, benzyl and cyclohexyl bromides). This procedure features good substrate tolerance and friendly conditions (undivided cell, cheap and reusable carbon electrodes, reaction in open air, room temperature, without any external transition metal/activating reagent). Using this method, 32 desired products can be obtained with moderate to good yields, and gram‐scale synthesis is feasible, demonstrating the practicality of this approach.

Reversible electrochemical pH modulation in thin-layer compartments using poly(aniline-co-o-aminophenol)

The analysis of many environmental and clinical samples requires the modification of the original pH, which is conventionally carried out by manual/automatic addition of acid, base, or buffering reagents. In the case of decentralized measurements, often, this approach is not plausible. Instead, reagentless alternatives, such as electrochemically activated in-situ pH adjustments, are suitable. Herein, we present a method for electrochemical, reversible pH modulation of thin-layer samples (<100 µm thickness) using the co-polymer poly(aniline-co-o-aminophenol) (PANOA). The PANOA’s electropolymerization strategy was optimized considering the proton exchange properties in the final material. Thus, limiting the maximum anodic potential to 0.85 V and with the number of cyclic scans being ≤150), the optimal pH modulation capabilities were observed. The reversible proton exchange properties of PANOA were quantified by monitoring the pH inside the thin-layer sample (volume of 0.6 µL), which was defined by a 3D-printed microfluidic cell and a pH-sensor placed in a face planar configuration to the PANOA film. A pH value in the range of 2–4 can repeatably be reached in the samples in 3 min, purely by an electrochemical means and without the addition of external reagents. The concept has been demonstrated to acidify samples at environmental pH (artificial samples and Seawater). The outcomes suggest that the family of polyaniline-co-polymers are interesting to be explored and utilized for electrochemically based pH modulation strategies, if careful considerations are taken regarding their electropolymerization process. Overall, such materials could contribute to the development of continuous, decentralized measuring devices requiring acidification for the formal detection of environmental markers, such as nutrients, carbon species speciation and alkalinity, among others.

Weakly ionized gold nanoparticles amplify immunoassays for ultrasensitive point-of-care sensors.

Gold nanoparticle-based lateral flow immunoassays (AuNP LFIAs) are widely used point-of-care (POC) sensors for in vitro diagnostics. However, the sensitivity limitation of conventional AuNP LFIAs impedes the detection of trace biomarkers. Several studies have explored the size and shape factors of AuNPs and derivative nanohybrids, showing limited improvements or enhanced sensitivity at the cost of convenience and affordability. Here, we investigated surface chemistry on the sensitivity of AuNP LFIAs. By modifying surface ligands, a surface chemistry strategy involving weakly ionized AuNPs enables ultrasensitive naked-eye LFIAs (~100-fold enhanced sensitivity). We demonstrated how this surface chemistry-amplified immunoassay approach modulates nanointerfacial bindings to promote antibody adsorption and higher activity of adsorbed antibodies. This surface chemistry design eliminates complex nanosynthesis, auxiliary devices, or additional reagents while efficiently improving sensitivity with advantages: simplified fabrication process, excellent reproducibility and reliability, and ultrasensitivity toward various biomarkers. The surface chemistry using weakly ionized AuNPs represents a versatile approach for sensitizing POC sensors.

Development of a rapid and fully automated factor VIII inhibitor assay, insensitive to emicizumab, and a lowest level of quantification of 0.2 BU/mL

BackgroundFactor (F)VIII inhibitors are measured using labor- and resource-expensive Nijmegen or Bethesda assays, which lack sensitivity for low-titer inhibitors and show high variations in quality surveys, mainly because of manual assay procedures. ObjectivesThe goal of this study was the development of a fast and fully automated FVIII inhibitor assay by using recombinant (r)FVIII as substrate and dedicated equipment for execution of the test. MethodsA new rapid, fully automated, FVIII inhibitor assay is presented, the core of which is use of full-length recombinant FVIII (rFVIII; Kovaltry, Bayer) as inhibitor substrate instead of plasma FVIII, resulting in rapid binding of inhibitors to rFVIII due to absence of von Willebrand factor. Dramatic shortening of incubation time facilitated full automation on an analyzer capable of 3 subsequent sample dilution steps and 3 reagent additions. Equal volume mixtures of sample and rFVIII (1.0 U/mL) were incubated for 10 minutes at 37 °C, whereafter remaining FVIII activity was analyzed with a kinetic chromogenic assay, allowing inhibitor activity calculation without preceding FVIII activity calibration, using a Ceveron s100 analyzer (Technoclone). ResultsMean titer in 60 nonhemophiliacs was 0.0 BU/mL (SD, 0.1), yielding a limit of blank of 0.1 BU/mL and lower limit of quantification of 0.2 BU/mL. Analyses were performed with the new method and a Nijmegen assay in 28 inhibitor-positive clinical samples, 14 containing emicizumab and 14 without. Correlation coefficient in emicizumab-free type I inhibitor samples was 1.0. Emicizumab dependency of the method was excluded in spiking experiments with inhibitor-positive samples. Reproducibility was tested by analyzing 7 samples in 3 laboratories for 5 days, twice daily; coefficients of variation of all samples were <15%. ConclusionWe present development data of a sensitive and specific rapid, automated FVIII inhibitor assay generating results within 20 minutes that is less resource-intensive than standard assays with potential to improve assay variability.

Synergetic recycling of permanent magnet and Li-ion battery cathode material for metals recovery

Rare earth elements (REEs)-based (NdFeB) magnets and lithium−ion batteries (LIBs) are critical for a low−carbon economy. Their production depends on critical elements like REEs, Li, Co and Ni. Recycling of these products have been explored separately as a potential solution. Conventional methods for recycling NdFeB magnets and LIBs face challenges like high energy consumption, lengthy processing, excessive reagent usage, and waste generation. In this study, a novel synergetic recycling methodology is proposed to minimize these challenges. The idea is based on using waste ferrous sulfate solution generated during magnet leaching as a reducing and leaching reagent for battery recycling thereby eliminating the need for additional reagents for oxidation of iron in NdFeB and reduction of cathode material in LIBs. The magnet is leached in diluted H2SO4 at 70 °C followed by double sulfate precipitation for REEs with Na2SO4. The REE-depleted but acidic ferrous solution is then used for reductive leaching of cathode material at 90 °C. The overall recovery rates of REEs, Li, Co, Ni, and Mn in this process are >95%. The iron from magnet material is recovered as crystalline and easily-filterable iron compound that can be converted to goethite and used as a byproduct. This synergetic approach not only reduces reagent consumption and waste generation aligning with the principles of circular economy but also offers improved efficiency, resource conservation, and environmental sustainability.

Reduction of styrene compounds by hydrogen iodide

Reduction of styrene compounds was achieved by the simple method of adding more than 2.5 equivalents of an aqueous HI solution in chlorobenzene under refluxing conditions for 8 h to give the product in medium to excellent yields. There was no need to add further additional reagent and catalyst. HI was a specific reagent for this reduction reaction. Increment of the amount of HI was efficient to increase the yield rather than to elongate the reaction time. This reaction could be applied to compounds bearing halogen and sulfur atoms, which would act as reductive site and poisoning of the transition-metal catalyst, respectively. The yield was decreased in the case of the compounds bearing small substituent such as propyl and butyl groups on olefin. This reaction proceeded via the iodinated intermediate followed by the reduction of C-I bond. The reduction mechanism would contain the radical cleavage of the C-I bond.

Development of a Smartphone-Integrated Handheld Automated Biochemical Analyzer for Point-of-Care Testing of Urinary Albumin

The level of urinary albumin is a critical indicator for the early diagnosis and management of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, existing methods for detecting albumin are not conducive to point-of-care testing due to the complexity of reagent addition and incubation processes. This study presents a smartphone-integrated handheld automated biochemical analyzer (sHABA) designed for point-of-care testing of urinary albumin. The sHABA features a pre-loaded, disposable reagent cassette with reagents for the albumin assay arranged in the order of their addition within a hose. The smartphone-integrated analyzer can drive the reagents following a preset program, to enable automatic sequential addition. The sHABA has a detection limit for albumin of 5.9 mg/L and a linear detection range from 7 to 450 mg/L. The consistency of albumin level detection in 931 urine samples using sHABA with clinical tests indicates good sensitivity (95.78%) and specificity (90.16%). This research advances the field by providing an automated detection method for albumin in a portable device, allowing even untrained individuals to monitor CKD in real time at the patient's bedside. In the context of promoting tiered diagnosis and treatment, the sHABA has the potential to become an essential tool for the early diagnosis and comprehensive management of CKD and other chronic conditions.

Gold recovery from roasted refractory gold concentrate through cyclic extraction using MnO2-assisted thiocyanate leaching and cementation with zinc powder

Cyanidation has long served as the industrial standard in the gold industry, necessitating heightened attention to cyanide management owing to its inherent toxicity. This study developed a novel MnO2-assisted thiocyanate leaching system as an alternative to cyanide. The sample was generated from a refractory gold concentrate processed by roasting, containing 54.4 g/t gold with iron oxide and quartz as the major mineral phases. Within the framework of the novel system, gold recovery was investigated in terms of gold association, recovery behavior, thermodynamics, and optimization using cyclic extraction protocols. The most suitable leaching conditions were determined as 1.20 mol/L NaSCN, 4.00 mmol/L MnO2, pH at 1.00, liquid-to-solid ratio of 4 mL/g, and leaching duration of 24 h, resulting in a maximum gold extraction of 94.8%. Subsequent zinc precipitation facilitated a gold recovery of 99.4% from the leachate. Furthermore, the implementation of a cyclic extraction scheme, coupled with reagent addition to offset consumption, yielded a significant thiocyanate dosage reduction by 75% while maintaining gold recovery. This acidic leaching system yields satisfactory gold recovery with minimized reagent consumption, particularly suited for refractory gold ore that has undergone acidic pretreatment.

Dual-Rule-Based Weighted Fuzzy Interpolative Reasoning Module and Temporal Encoder–Decoder Bayesian Network for Reagent Addition Control

Dual-Rule-Based Weighted Fuzzy Interpolative Reasoning Module and Temporal Encoder–Decoder Bayesian Network for Reagent Addition Control

Liquid-phase synthesis and luminescence properties of Gd2O2S:Pr,Ce nanophosphors from a novel sulfur source

Gd2O2S:Pr,Ce nanophosphors have been prepared by liquid-phase method using NH2SO3H as the sulfur source for the first time. The formula of the novel precursor was determined as Gd2(OH)x(NH2SO3)6-x∙nH2O by EDS, TG-DSC and FT-IR spectroscopy, and the precursor exhibited an amorphous structure and lamellar morphology as deduced from XRD and SEM. The optimum pH was 8 and the optimum calcination temperature was 1000 °C for the preparation of Gd2O2S:Pr,Ce from the precursor. The PL quantum yield and the fluorescence lifetime of Gd2O2S:Pr,Ce powder was 53.62 % and 2.48 μs respectively, which will allow the preparation of ceramic scintillators with high optical output and energy resolution. Compared to the traditional sulfur sources such as sublimed sulfur, and H2SO4, NH2SO3H is harmless and avoids pollution gases during the preparation of Gd2O2S:Pr,Ce nanophosphors. It also eliminates the need to add additional reagents, simplifying the preparation steps and reducing production costs.

Macro and micro-scale material removal mechanisms during ECM/hybrid laser-ECM of a passivating multiphase NbC–Ni cermet

Electrochemical machining (ECM) is a non-contact and athermal machining process where the material removal is accomplished through controlled anodic dissolution of the workpiece governed by Faraday laws. ECM process has been hybridized with several other processes for improving material processing windows. Hybrid laser electrochemical machining (LECM) synergistically applies electrochemical and laser process energies with added benefits of escalated reaction kinetics leading to enhanced transpassive dissolution, weakening of passivation layer, process localisation and uniform dissolution. The laser energy acts as a localised and controllable heat source thereby offering multi-fold processing benefits. For alloys and cermets, a characteristic surficial fingerprint is the presence of inhomogeneous multiphase dissolution and sporadically distributed passivation layer, necessitating addition of aggressive reagents in electrolytes. LECM has the potential to addresses these challenges while processing in pH neutral electrolytes. Previous works have very limited analysis on the macro and micro removal mechanisms while processing relevant strategic materials and multitude of applications of LECM remain unexploited. Therefore, this work presents in-depth investigations into macro and micro-scale material removal mechanisms of ECM/LECM on sintered niobium carbide with nickel binder (NbC–Ni), which is a potential cobalt-free alternative to tungsten carbide. The results revealed new insights into the removal behaviour of the constituent phases which differed from the first principles and their interaction with the laser. During ECM, the Ni phase dissolved preferentially and influenced the surface pattern and particle breakout which was reduced with laser assistance. The surface evolution characteristics were also analysed based on the ridge-crevice pattern. Additionally, the weakening of passive layer was correlated with the pulse analysis that revealed quantitatively the different process regimes occurring during ECM and LECM. The grain level study revealed that orientation effects still exist during LECM and the grains with higher surface energy (FCC (001) vicinal planes) passivated more and dissolved less. Furthermore, the improvement in surface quality, overcut and reduction in particle breakout with LECM process makes it promising for machining newer recipes of metal carbides.

Cascade Radical Pathway-Enabled Nitrogen-Sulfur Coupling: Access to Isothiazolo[3,4-b]-meso-tetraarylporphyrins.

A catalyst-free radical-mediated domino strategy for the construction of isothiazolo[3,4-b]-meso-tetraarylporphyrins was developed. During the course of the reaction, 2-benzothioylamino-3-thioformyl-meso-tetraarylporphyrins generated in situ after the addition of Lawesson's reagent to a solution of 2-benzoylamino-3-formyl-meso-tetraarylporphyrins in refluxing toluene underwent a homolytic cleavage to produce nitrogen-sulfur radicals. Subsequently, the formation of a new N-S bond through an intramolecular cascade radical coupling provided direct access to novel β-isothiazole-fused porphyrins.

Efficient production and purification of 32P radioisotope from sulfur by dry distillation: A practical approach with high radiochemical purity

The 32P radioisotope, with a half-life of 14.3 days and an energy level of 1.71 MeV, has diverse applications in medicine and research. Consequently, producing a carrier-free 32P radioisotope characterized by high radiochemical and radionuclide purity is imperative. Two primary methods for generating 32P radioisotopes exist: irradiating phosphorus through the nuclear reaction (n,γ) or irradiating sulfur through the nuclear reaction (n,p). Using sulfur as a target material provides several advantages. Besides the fact that the chemical element produced after irradiation (32P) differs from the irradiated element (32S), it also produces a32P radioisotope with a higher specific activity than using 31P as the target. The production of the radioisotope 32P from sulfur employs the dry distillation method, capitalizing on sulfur's easily sublimated nature. The volatility of sulfur when heated makes it easy to separate the resulting sulfur and radioisotope 32P without the need for additional reagents. This research aims to establish a practical method for producing the 32P radioisotope using the dry distillation technique. The dry distillation method utilizes a quartz ampoule containing a mixture of 32P and 35S radionuclides, a distillation tube wrapped with heating tape, and a condenser to collect the distilled sulfur. Sulfur, serving as the target material, undergoes irradiation in the reactor at the Central Irradiation Position (CIP) through the 32S(n,p)32P nuclear reaction with a fast neutron flux of 5.380 × 1013 n/cm2.sec. Separation is achieved through distillation at a temperature of 440 °C. The residual separation products are then dissolved in a 0.1 N HCl solution. The purification process involves using an AG50 WX8 cation exchange resin column, which is pre-conditioned with 0.1 N HCl. The resulting eluate contains the 32P radioisotope. The radiochemical purity of the 32P radioisotope is analyzed using thin-layer chromatography (TLC). In this analysis, a PEI Cellulose plate serves as the stationary phase, and a KH2PO4 solution acts as the mobile phase. This vacuum-free distillation method successfully separates the 32P radioisotope from sulfur, achieving a separation efficiency of 55.1 ± 9.9% (n = 7). The average activity produced after the purification process is 5.690E+10 Bq. Purifying the 32P radioisotope results in a radiochemical purity of 99.97% at Rf 0.7110, as orthophosphate, the radionuclide purity exceeds 99%.

4‐Methyltetrahydropyran: A Versatile Alternative Solvent for the Preparation of Chiral BINOL Catalysts and the Asymmetric Alkylation of Aldehydes

AbstractWe herein report that the highly hydrophobic ether 4‐MeTHP constitutes a promising resource for the development of sustainable synthetic methodologies grounded on the use of organometallic reagents. The beneficial effects of 4‐MeTHP as reaction medium are illustrated in the organolithium‐promoted anionic ortho‐Fries rearrangement of 1,1’‐bi‐2‐naphthol (BINOL)‐based carbamates under bench‐type conditions. The use of 4‐MeTHP induces a remarkable and unexpected stability of the organolithiums species, enabling the efficient preparation of chiral (bis)carboxamide catalysts. Furthermore, superior performances of 4‐MeTHP than other environmentally responsible solvents are observed using the synthesized BINOL catalysts in the asymmetric addition of organozinc reagents to aldehydes. Spectroscopic studies in solution suggest that 4‐MeTHP plays a key role in these reactions by inducing the preferential formation of a reactive monomeric dinuclear complex. This methodology allows for the asymmetric assembly of enantioenriched secondary alcohols in good yields and high stereoselectivity, working at 0 °C and under air.

High-accuracy quantitative model for phosphate anions in solution based on absorption spectroscopy and machine learning algorithms

The eutrophication pollution caused by excessive phosphorus seriously affects production and daily life of the people. Accurate and rapid detection of phosphate is crucial for water quality management and cleaner production. Currently, most analytical methods for phosphates involve the addition of multiple chemical reagents and are incapable of simultaneous quantification of total phosphorus (TP) and phosphate anions. The environmental friendliness and analytical performance of the methods need to be improved. Here, we established a green and high-accuracy quantitative model based on absorption spectroscopy and machine learning algorithms, which achieved the analysis of TP, H2PO4− and HPO42−. Based on the pH and absorption spectra of phosphate anions, classification and regression tree (CART), random forest (RF), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithms were used to train the original absorption spectra data, first-order derivative spectra data, and multiple feature parameter data of phosphate solutions with pH 4.7–10.0. By comparing the R2, root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) evaluation indicators, it was found that the phosphate anions quantitative model established using the CART based on the feature parameters of 187 nm performed the best, R2 > 0.9999, RMSE <3.4 × 10−6, MAE <8.1 × 10−7. The quantitative ranges of TP, H2PO4−, and HPO42− were 3.98 × 10−4—9.33 × 10−4 mol/L, 5.98 × 10−6—4.20 × 10−4 mol/L and 1.53 × 10−6—7.43 × 10−4 mol/L, respectively. Moreover, the quantitative model was optimized based on the spectral characteristics of 14 interfering ions, to improve the model analytical performance for unknown samples. The quantitative model developed in the study achieves accurate analysis of TP, H2PO4− and HPO42−, which is in line with green chemistry concept, and has the potential for prediction and early warning of water environment quality.

Plasma-solution synthesis of cobalt oxides

The production of nanosized oxide materials is an important practical problem. This is due to the fact that many of these substances are intensively used as catalysts, microelectronic devices, medical applications, etc. Among the various methods for their production, methods based on the use of gas-discharge plasma are the least studied. But these methods, compared to others, have a number of significant advantages. Among them, the main ones are high process rates and the absence of additional reagents. Therefore, in this work the regularities of the processes of formation of insoluble compounds under the action of a direct current discharge of atmospheric pressure in air on aqueous solutions of cobalt (II) nitrate have been studied. The solutions served as the cathode and anode of the discharge. The discharge was excited by applying a high voltage to two pointed titanium electrodes placed above the liquid anode and liquid cathode in the H-shaped cell. The range of discharge currents was (20–80) mA, and the range of concentrations was (20–60) mmol l−1. It was discovered that when a discharge acts on a liquid anode, a colloidal solution is formed in it, the destruction of which leads to the formation of precipitates. Based on measurements of the kinetics of consumption of Co2+ ions (spectrophotometric method) and the power inputted in the discharge, the rates of this process, effective rate constants, as well as the degree of conversion of Co2+ ions and energy yields of conversion were determined. These parameters depended on the discharge current and the initial concentration of the solution. The values of the constants were ∼(0.2–6) × 10−1 s−1, the energy yields were ∼(0.2–0.5) ions per 100 eV, and the degrees of conversion were ∼(0.1–0.5). The resulting powders were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The sizes of the powder aggregates were estimated from the results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Scherrer’s relation. It turned out that the resulting precipitates were a mixture of amorphous Co2+ and Co3+ hydroxides. Their calcination in air led, depending on the temperature, to the formation of predominantly cubic either CoO or Co3O4. The size of the aggregates of the calcined samples was ∼500 nm. The specific surface area of the powders, determined by the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method, was ∼53 m2 g−1. The average pore volume and their size was ∼17 cm3 g−1 and ∼240 Å. The advantages of the proposed method over other methods are high process rates (process time ∼10 min) and the absence of any additional reagents.

Step-by-step optimisation of the radiosynthesis of the brain HDAC6 radioligand [18F]FSW-100 for clinical applications

BackgroundHistone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) is an emerging target for the treatment and diagnosis of proteinopathies. [18F]FSW-100 was recently developed as a promising brain-penetrating radioligand for HDAC6 PET imaging and the process validation of [18F]FSW-100 radiosynthesis for clinical use is complete, but no detailed synthetic strategy nor process optimisation has been reported. Here, we describe the optimisation of several processes in [18F]FSW-100 radiosynthesis, including the 18F-fluorination reaction, semipurification of the 18F-intermediate, and purification of the product by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), to achieve a radiochemical yield (RCY) adequate for clinical applications of the radioligand. Our findings will aid optimisation of radiosynthesis processes in general.ResultsIn the 18F-fluorination reaction, the amount of copper reagent was reduced without reducing the nonisolated RCY of the intermediate (50%), thus reducing the risk of copper contamination in the product injection solution. Optimising the solid-phase extraction (SPE) conditions for semipurification of the intermediate improved its recovery efficiency. The addition of anti-radiolysis reagents to the mobile phase for the HPLC purification of [18F]FSW-100 increased its activity yield in radiosynthesis using a high [18F]fluoride radioactivity of approximately 50 GBq. The SPE-based formulation method and additives for the injection solution were optimised, and the resulting [18F]FSW-100 injection solution was stable for over 2 h with a radiochemical purity of greater than 95%.ConclusionsOf all the reconsidered processes, we found that optimisation of the SPE-based semipurification of the intermediate and of the mobile phase for HPLC purification in particular improved the RCY of [18F]FSW-100, doubling it compared to that of the original protocol. The radioactivity of [18F]FSW-100 synthesized using the optimized protocol was sufficient for multiple doses for a clinical study.

Low-maintenance anti-scaling of nanofiltration pretreated by bipolar-induced electrolysis for decentralized water supply

Nanofiltration (NF) offers an effective solution to ensure a decentralized water supply. However, its reliance on dosing for pre-precipitation and anti-scaling severely complicates its maintenance, adding to its cost and limiting its application, especially in rural areas. In this study, a bipolar-induced electrolysis (BIE) pretreatment method was developed to reduce the NF membrane scaling potential without the need for additional reagents. The water flux of the BIE-NF increased by 24.2 ± 6.5 % compared to traditional NF. This benefits from the synergistic effects of electrocoagulation (EC) and electro-precipitation (EP) of BIE to remove hardness ions (36.8 ± 0.7 g CaCO3 m−2 h−1), 26.2 ± 2.6 % and 16.1 ± 4.7 % faster than that of traditional EP and EC, respectively, exhibiting robust resistance to the interfering ions and organics. The unit energy consumption of BIE was only 18.9 ± 1.0 kWh/(kg CaCO3), 11.8 ± 1.9 % and 67.0 ± 1.4 % lower than that of EP and EC, respectively. After BIE electrolysis, the Ca, humic acid, and Mg contents were dramatically reduced, and a uniformly loose fouling layer formed on the NF membrane, demonstrating alleviated membrane scaling. Remarkably, BIE softening demonstrated its stability and feasibility in sustaining 120.0 m3/d of drinking water to rural populations without requiring additional reagents or manual maintenance, minimizing the operation and maintenance cost to 5.1 US cents/m3 water, 29.0 % lower than the cost of conventional dosing pretreatment. This study offers a low-cost and sustainable method for water supply through decentralized membrane purification.

T Cell Activators Exhibit Distinct Downstream Effects on Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Phenotype and Function.

T cell activation is an essential step in chimeric Ag receptor (CAR) T (CAR T) cell manufacturing and is accomplished by the addition of activator reagents that trigger the TCR and provide costimulation. We explore several T cell activation reagents and examine their effects on key attributes of CAR T cell cultures, such as activation/exhaustion markers, cell expansion, gene expression, and transduction efficiency. Four distinct activators were examined, all using anti-CD3 and anti-CD28, but incorporating different mechanisms of delivery: Dynabeads (magnetic microspheres), TransAct (polymeric nanomatrix), Cloudz (alginate hydrogel), and Microbubbles (lipid membrane containing perfluorocarbon gas). Clinical-grade lentiviral vector was used to transduce cells with a bivalent CD19/CD22 CAR, and cell counts and flow cytometry were used to monitor the cells throughout the culture. We observed differences in CD4/CD8 ratio when stimulating with the Cloudz activator, where there was a significant skewing toward CD8 T cells. The naive T cell subset expressing CD62L+CCR7+CD45RA+ was the highest in all donors when stimulating with Dynabeads, whereas effector/effector memory cells were highest when using the Cloudz. Functional assays demonstrated differences in killing of target cells and proinflammatory cytokine secretion, with the highest killing from the Cloudz-stimulated cells among all donors. This study demonstrates that the means by which these stimulatory Abs are presented to T cells contribute to the activation, resulting in differing effects on CAR T cell function. These studies highlight important differences in the final product that should be considered when manufacturing CAR T cells for patients in the clinic.

Evaluation of an Electrocoagulation Process Modified by Fenton Reagent

This article is oriented to the degradation of nickel in an ionic state at laboratory level from synthetic water made with nickel sulfate, using the electrocoagulation process with aluminum cathodes and modifying this process by the addition of the Fenton reagent, which results from the combination of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) being this reagent a catalyst and oxo-coagulant agent, The efficiency of this reagent will be compared with the typical treatment with aluminum sulfate, which is a typical process based on ion exchange/coagulation at the same percentage concentrations as the Fenton reagent. For this purpose, the optimum conditions of the advanced electrocoagulation process were determined, which consisted of determining the concentrations of Fenton’s reagent at concentrations of 150 ppm, 300 ppm, and 450 ppm, in addition to the operating variables such as pH of 8 and 10, voltage of 17.5 V and 19 V and their reaction time, which were compared with aluminum sulfate at 300 ppm, 600 ppm, and 900 ppm. The results obtained with respect to the typical treatment were 0% nickel degradation. However, with the advanced oxidation treatment, an average reduction of 97.5% was found at the conditions of 19 V, pH 10, and Fenton 150 ppm in a time of 30 min.