Carbon Chain Research Articles

Lipid production from biofilms of Marinobacter atlanticus in a fixed bed bioreactor

BackgroundBiotechnologies that utilize microorganisms as production hosts for lipid synthesis will enable an efficient and sustainable solution to produce lipids, decreasing reliance on traditional routes for production (either petrochemical or plant-derived) and supporting a circular bioeconomy. To realize this goal, continuous biomanufacturing processes must be developed to maximize productivity and minimize costs compared to traditional batch fermentation processes.ResultsHere, we utilized biofilms of the marine bacterium, Marinobacter atlanticus, to produce wax esters from succinate (i.e., a non-sugar feedstock) to determine its potential to serve as a production chassis in a continuous flow, biofilm-based biomanufacturing process. To accomplish this, we evaluated growth as a function of protein concentration and wax ester production from M. atlanticus biofilms in a continuously operated 3-D printed fixed bed bioreactor. We determined that exposing M. atlanticus biofilms to alternating nitrogen-rich (1.8 mM NH4+) and nitrogen-poor (0 mM NH4+) conditions in the bioreactor resulted in wax ester production (26 ± 5 mg/L, normalized to reactor volume) at a similar concentration to what is observed from planktonic M. atlanticus cells grown in shake flasks previously in our lab (ca. 25 mg/L cell culture). The wax ester profile was predominated by multiple compounds with 32 carbon chain length (C32; 50–60% of the total). Biomass production in the reactor was positively correlated with dilution rate, as indicated by protein concentration (maximum of 1380 ± 110 mg/L at 0.4 min−1 dilution rate) and oxygen uptake rate (maximum of 4 mmol O2/L/h at 0.4 min−1 dilution rate) measurements at different flow rates. Further, we determined the baseline succinate consumption rate for M. atlanticus biofilms to be 0.16 ± 0.03 mmol/L/h, which indicated that oxygen is the limiting reactant in the process.ConclusionThe results presented here are the first step toward demonstrating that M. atlanticus biofilms can be used as the basis for development of a continuous flow wax ester biomanufacturing process from non-sugar feedstocks, which will further enable sustainable lipid production in a future circular bioeconomy

Elucidation of Antimicrobials and Biofilm Inhibitors Derived from a Polyacetylene Core

The development of new antibiotics with unique mechanisms of action is paramount to combating the growing threat of antibiotic resistance. Recently, based on inspiration from natural products, an asymmetrical polyacetylene core structure was examined for its bioactivity and found to have differential specificity for different bacterial species based on the substituents around the conjugated alkyne. This research further probes the structural requirements for bioactivity through a systematic synthesis and investigation of new compounds with variable carbon chain length, alkynyl subunits, and alcohol substitution. Furthermore, the research examines the activity of the new compounds towards the inhibition of biofilm formation. Overall, several key new polyyne compounds have been identified in both decreasing bacterial viability and in disrupting pre-formed biofilms. These properties are key in the fight against bacterial infections and will be helpful in the further development of new antibiotic agents.

Effect of amphiphilic nanoparticles and non-ionic surfactants on emulsion stability

Abstract To investigate the effect of amphiphilic nanoparticles and nonionic surfactants on the stability of emulsions, SiO2 nanoparticles were first locally surface modified with organosiloxanes of different carbon chain lengths to prepare amphiphilic nanoparticles with different hydrophobic properties, and then the effects of surfactant type and concentration, interfacial tension and its composite system with the amphiphilic nanoparticles on the stability of emulsions was investigated. The experimental results demonstrate, the OP-50 exhibits the most effective emulsification properties at a concentration of 0.1 %. However, the emulsion stability is significantly compromised. The emulsification effect of OP-50 with amphiphilic nanoparticles at a concentration of 0.1 % remained unaltered, while the emulsion stability was markedly enhanced compared to that of a single system. The modulus of expansion of OP-50 was 11.8 mN m−1, while that of OP-50 compounded with C8-10:1 was 120 mN m−1. The incorporation of modified nanoparticles with varying lengths of carbon chains was shown to effectively enhance the modulus of expansion of the oil–water interfacial interface. The results of this study are informative for the application of oil repellents in the mechanism of enhanced recovery.

Synthesis of Ngai Reagent and Longer Carbon Chain Variants for Perfluoroalkoxylations.

We present a straightforward method for the synthesis of Ngai trifluoromethoxy reagent and longer carbon chain variants, thereby expanding the range of options for perfluoroalkoxylation reactions. Utilizing cost-effective sodium perfluoroalkane sulfinates (RfSO2Na) and N-hydroxylamines, we achieved efficient oxidative cross-coupling reactions facilitated by cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate (CAN) without the need for transition-metal catalysts. The methodology proved effective not only for the synthesis of Ngai-type radical perfluoroalkoxylation reagents but also Qing-type nucleophilic perfluoroalkoxylation reagents.

Polythiophene side chain chemistry and its impact on advanced composite anodes for lithium-ion batteries.

In the development of high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the design of polymer binders, particularly through manipulation of side-chain chemistry, plays a pivotal role in optimizing electrode stability, ion transport, and adaptability to the volume changes during cycling. In particular, poly[3-(potassium-4-butanoate)thiophene-2,5-diyl] (P3KBT) increases magnetite and silicon capacity and cycling stability. This work explores the impact of polythiophene alkyl sidechain length on anode characteristics, aiming to enhance performance in LIBs. P3KBT and its alkyl chain alternatives, poly[3-(potassium-5-pentanoate)thiophene-2,5-diyl] (P3KPT) and poly[3-(potassium-6-hexanoate)thiophene-2,5-diyl] (P3KHT) were systematically investigated over 300 charge-discharge cycles. The experiments were designed to assess how varying side-chain length affects the stability, ion transport, and capacity retention of the electrodes. The results revealed that P3KHT, with its longer alkyl chain, exhibited superior capacity retention and reduced charge-transfer resistance after 300 cycles compared to its shorter chain analogs. The findings demonstrate that tailored side chains can improve ion transport, structural integrity, and capacity retention, addressing critical challenges in LIBs such as capacity fade and electrode degradation. This research contributes to the development of next-generation LIBs with enhanced performance and reliability.

Coordination strategy and contract design of platform supply chain for large-scale sports events with low carbon preference.

The organization of sports events, while generating economic benefits, inevitably imposes significant environmental pressures. Conducting green and low-carbon sports events have become a global consensus. In addressing the carbon emissions and benefit coordination issues on the production end of infrastructure construction for large-scale sports events, we considers the significant role of digital platforms in the industry's low-carbon transformation and upgrade, and innovatively incorporates platforms as decision-making entities and investigates the equilibrium strategies for low-carbon cooperation under three different power structures: one led by the sports events materials supplier, one by the materials distributor, and one by the integrated service platform. Additionally, it designs related cost-sharing contracts. The findings suggest that: centralized decision-making is more conducive to aligning the interests of various entities within the sports events platform supply chain. Different power structures have distinct impacts on overall supply chain profits and carbon emissions. Specifically, the supply chain achieves the highest overall profit under the domination of the integrated service platform, while the lowest level of carbon reduction occurs under the domination of the materials distributor. These results provide strategic insights for the low-carbon development of sports events and the coordinated cooperation within platform supply chain.

Transcriptome-based analysis reveals the toxic effects of perfluorononanoic acid by affecting the development of the cardiovascular system and lipid metabolism in zebrafish.

Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) is a perfluoroalkyl acid containing nine carbon chains, with an additional carbon‑fluorine bond that makes it more stable and toxic. Studies have shown that PFNA can harm the reproductive, immune, and nervous systems, as well as many organs, which can increase the risk of cancer. In this study, zebrafish embryos were treated with 0 and 100 μM PFNA for 72 and 96 hpf, and their angiogenesis and haematopoiesis were observed under laser confocal microscopy using Tg (fli1:EGFP) and Tg (gata1:DsRed) transgenic zebrafish. The data showed that PFNA exposure decreased heart rate and slowed blood flow in zebrafish. PFNA was found to inhibit erythropoiesis by O-dianisidine staining. RNA-seq analysis was used to compare gene expression changes in zebrafish from control and 100 μM PFNA-exposed groups at 72 hpf. KEGG results showed significant enrichment of PPAR signaling pathway, fatty acid metabolism, steroid biosynthesis and apoptosis. The RNA-seq results were validated by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Oil red O staining and Filipin staining showed increased lipid accumulation after PFNA exposure, and TUNEL staining showed that PFNA exposure led to apoptosis. In conclusion, exposure to PFNA may cause toxic effects in zebrafish by affecting cardiovascular development, causing lipid accumulation and promoting apoptosis.

Designing dicationic organic salts and ionic liquids exhibiting high fluorescence in the solid state

Dicationic ionic liquids (DILs) are emerging as a powerful, next-generation approach to designing applied ILs because of their superior physicochemical properties as well as their diverse complexity and tunability for task specific applications. DILs are scarce in the literature compared to monocationic ILs (MILs), and one of their main issues is their expected tendency to possess higher melting temperatures. A series of 1,4-bis[2-(4-pyridyl)ethenyl]benzene and 1,4-bis[2-(2-pyridyl)ethenyl]benzene quaternary salts (Q-BPEBs) with different counterions (bromide, tosylate, and triflimide) and carbon chain lengths (C6, C9, and C12) have been synthesized for their potential as DILs with thermal properties and strong photoluminescent properties in the solid state. All Q-BPEB salts demonstrated robust thermal stabilities as determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms for Q-BPEB tosylates and triflimides displayed crystalline polymorphisms before melting transitions as verified by polarizing optical microscopy (POM). The Q-BPEB bromide and tosylate salts all showed high melting points of above >170 °C because of their dicationic rigid structures and strong ionic interactions of their anions. Once the Q-BPEB tosylates were exchanged with triflimide ions, para- isomers 1aTf2N-1cTf2N still possessed very high melting points (>225 °C), however, the ortho- isomers 2aTf2N, 2bTf2N, and 2cTf2N exhibited melting points lower than 100 °C, classifying them as DILs. Their photoluminescent properties were also studied in methanol with the emission values of λem = 476-482 nm for the para- isomers and those of λem = 448-453 nm for the ortho- isomers. In the solid state, the Q-BPEB salts exhibited strong fluorescence with quantum yields of up to 50%. The relatively simple synthesis of these fluorescent dicationic organic salts and ILs are pertinent towards the scarcity of these materials in the literature and provide a deeper insight on the design of fluorescent ILs containing more than one charge center.

Boosting CO2 selectivity by mono- and dicarboxylate-based ionic liquids impregnation into ZIF-8 for post-combustion separation

Post-combustion carbon dioxide (CO2) capture/separation is considered one of the main ways to minimize the impact of global warming caused by this greenhouse gas. This work used eight mono- and dicarboxylate-based ionic liquids (ILs) to impregnate metal-organic framework (MOF) ZIF-8. This anionic effect was studied for these mostly unreported IL@MOF composites to determine its impact on gas sorption and selectivity performance. Characterization results confirmed IL impregnation into the structure of ZIF-8, along with the conservation of microporosity and crystallinity in composites. Sorption-desorption equilibrium measurements were performed, and CO2 and nitrogen (N2) isotherms were obtained at 303 K for ZIF-8 and IL@ZIF-8 composites. At 0.15 bar, the dicarboxylate-based composite [C2MIM]2[Glu]@ZIF-8 showed the highest CO2 gas sorption, showing 50 % more sorption capacity than the best monocarboxylate-base composites at this pressure. Dicarboxylate-based composites also showed remarkable N2 sorption in the low-pressure range. The ideal CO2/N2 selectivity for a typical post-combustion composition was calculated, and a trend regarding the anionic carbon chain size was observed. The composite [C2MIM][Cap]@ZIF-8 showed nearly five times more selectivity than the pristine ZIF-8 at 1 bar of total pressure. Dicarboxylate-based composites, given their low-pressure high N2 sorption capacity, were not as selective as their respective monocarboxylate-based IL@ZIF-8 materials with the same carbon chain size.

Pyrolysis kinetics and reaction mechanism of waste medical masks by sectional heating process

The COVID-19 epidemic has led to a significant upsurge in the accumulation of waste medical masks. This work focuses on the detailed examination of waste medical masks’ pyrolysis kinetic and reaction mechanism, employing a sectional heating process. The degradation properties were analyzed via thermal gravimetric analysis and pyrolysis reactor. The comprehensive kinetic process was studied using model-free and model-fitting methods, which determined the apparent activation energy and pre-exponential factor. The calculated average value for these parameters was 221.32 kJ/mol and 2.6 × 1014 min−1, respectively. The pyrolysis process was carried out at three distinct temperatures: 380, 470, and 490 ℃, corresponding to the initial peak degradation rate and final degradation temperatures determined by TGA results. The total yield of oil, gas and tar was 88.6 %, 11.3 % and 0.1 %, respectively. The identification and quantification of pyrolysis products were achieved through GC–MS and FTIR. It was observed that higher pyrolysis temperature facilitated the generation of alkanes and hydrocarbons with lower carbon chain lengths in oil products and propylene monomers in gas products. The dominant pyrolysis products in oil under 380 ℃, 470 ℃ and 490 ℃ were C20, C20 and C12 with the yield of 36.17 %, 48.96 % and 43.35 %, respectively. And the corresponding dominant products in gas all were propylene with the yield of 34.74 %, 53.02 % and 54.55 %, respectively. Furthermore, a reaction mechanism was postulated to elucidate the pyrolysis process under varying temperature conditions.

Early pregnancy serum PFAS are associated with alterations in the maternal lipidome

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been detected in the blood of humans and animals worldwide. Exposure to some PFAS are associated with multiple adverse pregnancy outcomes. Existing literature has identified a strong association with PFAS exposure and metabolic dysfunction in humans, including modification of lipid metabolism. Using a subset of the Michigan Mother-Infant Pairs cohort (n=95), this study investigated associations between first trimester plasma levels of PFAS and maternal lipids and metabolites in the first trimester (T1), at the time of delivery (T3), and in the infant cord blood (CB) using untargeted shotgun lipidomics and metabolomics. Identifying PFAS-induced alterations in the maternal lipid- or metabolome at specific timepoints may help elucidate windows of susceptibility to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Out of 9 PFAS measured, 7 were detected in at least 20% of samples and were used for further analyses. PFOS and PFHxS were measured at the highest concentrations with medians of 5.76 ng/ml and 3.33 ng/ml, respectively. PFOA, PFNA, and PFDA had lower measured values with medians of < 1.2 ng/mL. PFHxS concentrations were positively associated with monounsaturated sphingomyelins (SMs) in T1 maternal plasma in adjusted models, determined by an adjusted p-value (q) < 0.1. PFHxS was positively associated with saturated and polyunsaturated SMs and inversely associated with saturated diacylglycerols in T1. Following metabolite-specific analysis, two mono-unsaturated diacylglycerols with carbon chain lengths of 32 and 35 were inversely associated with PFHxS in T1. In T3, only the association between PFHxS and SMs remained, but was attenuated. In addition, PFDA was associated with an increase in polyunsaturated plasmenyl-phosphatidylethanolamines in T3. No associations were identified between PFAS and infant cord blood lipids. Continued research into PFAS associated disruptions in lipid metabolism at sensitive stages of gestation may provide insight into the mechanisms that lead to adverse birth and pregnancy outcomes.

Synthesis and oil displacement performance evaluation of asymmetric anionic gemini surfactants

In order to further enhance the water flooding performance in low-permeability tight oil reservoirs, a novel gemini surfactant with high interfacial activity, hydrophilic wettability, and good injectivity and mobility control was developed. Using n-alkylamine (C12–C18), 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropylsulfonate sodium, sodium chloroacetate, and succinic anhydride as raw materials, a series of gemini surfactants with asymmetric hydrophilic head groups (GDCS m-4-m; m = 12, 14, 16, 18) were synthesized via substitution and ring-opening reactions. The structures of the synthesized products were characterized by FTIR and 1H NMR, and their surface and interfacial properties as well as their thickening abilities were evaluated. The optimal gemini surfactant was selected for further oil displacement and wettability alteration tests. The results indicate that the synthesized product is consistent with the molecular structure of the target design product. The surface tension and interfacial tension of GDCS m-4-m series surfactant solutions initially decrease and then increase with the increase in the number of carbon atoms in the hydrophobic carbon chain. Its thickening ability increases as the number of carbon atoms in the hydrophobic carbon chain increases. GDCS16-4-16 exhibited the best surface and interfacial activities, with a critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 0.344 mmol/L, surface tension of 24.04 mN/m, and an interfacial tension as low as 2.16 × 10−2 mN/m at 0.5 wt%. The flooding system formulated with GDCS16-4-16 demonstrated excellent mobility control and oil washing capabilities, and could shift the wettability of rock surfaces to highly hydrophilic. In dual-core flooding experiments, with gradient differentials of 3, 5, and 7, the comprehensive oil recovery increased by 12.81 %, 13.88 %, and 11.78 %, respectively, after injecting 0.4 PV of GDCS16-4-16 surfactant solution followed by subsequent water flooding. This indicates a significant potential to enhance recovery in low-permeability tight sandstone reservoirs, presenting promising application prospects in the development of such formations.

Occurrence, Bioaccumulation, and Trophic Transfer of Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (SCCPs) in a Marine Food Web from Laizhou Bay, Bohai Sea (Eastern China)

Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are a persistent organic pollutant, and limited information is available on their bioaccumulation and trophic transfer, which would be affected by carbon chain length, chlorine content, and hydrophobicity. In this study, relevant data on SCCPs in water, sediments, and organisms collected from Laizhou Bay were analyzed to investigate the specific distribution of SCCPs and their bioaccumulation and trophic transfer. In water and sediments, the average SCCP concentrations (ΣSCCPs) were 362.23 ± 81.03 ng/L and 609.68 ± 90.28 ng/g d.w., respectively. In 28 species of organisms, the ΣSCCPs varied from 70.05 to 47,244.13 ng/g l.w. (average = 648 ± 7360) and the predominant homologs were C13 (average = 34.91%) and Cl5–7 (average = 93.13%), differing from those in water (average = C11 32.75% and average = Cl5–7 88%) and sediments (average = C13 31.60% and average = Cl6–8 87.16%). The logarithm bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) of ΣSCCPs were 1.18–2.74 and were positively correlated with the log Kow. A significant negative linear relationship was observed between biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) and log Kow. It is suggested that the hydrophobicity may affect the bioaccumulation of SCCPs. SCCPs demonstrated a trophic magnification factor (TMF) ranging from 2.19 to 3.00 (average = 2.51) and exhibited a significant linear correlation with carbon chain length (p &lt; 0.05) and log Kow values (p &lt; 0.05), suggesting that SCCPs have biomagnification potential in Laizhou Bay that is affected by hydrophobicity and carbon chain length.

Photocatalytic Cascade Trifluoromethylation/Cyclization: Selective Synthesis of Trifluoroethylated Benzopyran and Benzopyranone Derivatives

AbstractWe have realized a photocatalytic radical cascade cyclization reaction enabling the one‐step synthesis of rare trifluoroethyl benzopyran derivatives with a wide variety of structures in excellent yields. Furthermore, the approach exhibits low catalyst loading, high regioselectivity and wide applicability under mild conditions. The selectivity of this transformation is influenced by the length of the carbon chain of the benzaldehyde, as demonstrated by density functional theory calculations. Additionally, scaling up the photocatalytic process can be readily accomplished.

Bridging sodium storage behavior and microstructure in broad-leaf lignin hard carbon for sodium-ion batteries

Hard carbon (HC) has emerged as the most promising anode material for the sodium ion battery because high theoretical capacity and cost-effective properties. However, unsatisfactory specific capacity and initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) significantly impede its further advancement. Moreover, the correlation between the microstructure and electrochemical performance has been not thoroughly elaborated. Here, a straightforward approach to regulate the closed nanopore and defect structure in the hard carbon matrix by adjusting the pyrolysis temperatures. Higher pyrolysis temperature will promote the growth of a long carbon chain and further fold and shrink generating more closed nanopores, which was beneficial to improve the Na+ plateau capacity. The long-range ordered turbostratic graphite domain structure should be avoided, as it can lead to a reduction in reversible capacity. Through detailed analysis of the hard carbon microstructure evolution and electrochemical performance, the relationship of which has been established. Simultaneously, the optimized hard carbon pyrolyzed at 1500 °C displays a remarkable reversible specific capacity of 338 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C with a high ICE of 87%. Based on the detailed analysis, a microstructure-dependent mechanism ‘adsorption-intercalation-filling’ was proposed for a comprehensive understanding of the sodium ion storage behavior. More significantly, fabricated 18650 cylindrical batteries demonstrate a high reversible capacity of 1175 mAh at 0.1 C with outstanding cycle stability (82.9% after 225 cycles at 0.5 C), outperforming commercial hard carbon counterparts. Our work provides deep insight into the rational design of the hard carbon structure and provides the possibility of building practical SIBs with high performance.

Probing Different Lengths of the Tertiary Amine Head Group on Triglyceride-Mimetic Ionizable Lipid-Mediated siRNA Delivery.

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have been utilized to deliver small interfering RNA (siRNA) to treat acute liver injury. However, LNPs exhibit suboptimal lysosomal escape capabilities and biodegradability. To address these limitations, we have designed triglyceride-mimetic ionizable lipids by conjugating N,N-dimethyl tertiary amine head groups to the sn-2 position of triglyceride (TG) through ester bonds. These ionizable lipids were abbreviated as 2C-TG, 3C-TG, and 4C-TG, with N,N-dimethyl tertiary amine head groups located in the β-, γ-, and δ-positions of the ester linkage bond, respectively. The uniform-size LNPs were prepared by using the ethanol dilution method. Notably, the position of the tertiary amine head group within the carbon chain of triglyceride-mimetic ionizable lipids is found to significantly influence critical parameters, including the encapsulation rate, pKa, cellular uptake, lysosomal escape, lipase release, and gene silencing efficiency. Our findings hold promise for improving the efficacy and safety of LNP-based siRNA therapeutics.

Theoretical study of the synergistic effect between glyceryl monooleate lubricant and carboxymethylcellulose in reducing the coefficient of friction of water-based drilling fluids.

Drilling fluids must reduce the coefficient of friction between the drilling equipment and the drilled rock or well casing. Friction forces become particularly relevant in drilling with a high angle gain, in which cases oil-based fluids are generally used. The latter are highly lubricating, but harmful to the environment. For environmental and economic reasons, there is great interest in the development of new additives that enable the use of water-based drilling fluids in all phases of well drilling. Preliminary experimental results show that there is a synergistic effect between glyceryl monooleate (GMO), normally used as lubricant additive, and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), a polysaccharide normally used in water-based drilling fluids as a rheological modifier, resulting in extremely low friction coefficients. This work aimed to clarify, through theoretical calculations, the interaction between CMC and GMO, as well as their role in reducing the coefficient of friction between the drilling equipment and the drilled rock when added to water-based fluids. Calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) were used to predict which, CMC or GMO, preferentially binds to the metal surface. The interactions between the polysaccharide and the surfactant were studied through a combination of classical molecular dynamics and DFT calculations. Finally, dynamic calculations were carried out involving fragments of the polysaccharide, the surfactant and hematite (Fe2O3) representing the metal surface, since in the experimental conditions the metal surface will be covered by a primary oxide layer. The results pointed to the preferential binding of CMC to hematite. Regarding the interaction between polymer and surfactant, it was found that the polar part of the GMO interacts with the CMC through hydrogen bonds while the nonpolar carbon chain remains close to the polymer due to hydrophobic interactions. Molecular dynamics calculations showed that GMO increases the binding energy of CMC to hematite and also that this increase in the binding energy is highly influenced by electrostatic interactions.

Multifunctional System with Camptothecin and [12]aneN3 Units for Effective In Vivo Anti Pancreatic Cancer through Synergistic Chemotherapy, Gene Therapy, and Photodynamic Therapy.

Maximizing drug cargo carrying capacity in blood circulation, controlling the in vivo fate of nanoparticles, and precisely drug release to tumor targets are the main aims of multifunctional nanomedicine-based antitumor therapy. Here we combined macrocyclic polyamine di(triazole-[12]aneN3) (M) and chemical drug camptothecin (CPT, C) through photosensitizer 1,1-dicyano-2-phenyl-2-(4-diphenylamino) phenyl-ethylene (DT) containing the cleavable disulfide (S) linkage as an all-in-one theranostic nanoprodrug, MDTSC. The corresponding compound with carbon chain (C) linkage, MDTCC, was also prepared for a comparison study. MDTSC showed the ability to carry plasmids, including the p53 tumor suppressor gene, to form lipoplexes with a size of ∼150 nm. Further addition of DOPE-PEG2k resulted in the hybrid lipoplexes MDTSC/DOPE-PEG2k@DNA, which showed good stability in blood circulation and good biocompatibility to normal cell lines. Experiments demonstrated that the hybrid lipoplexes were able to realize the successful cellular uptake and endosomal escape, to generate ROS under visible light irradiation as well as to trigger the localized release of CPT and the plasmid encoding p53 in tumor cells. In vitro, the hybrid lipoplexes showed better EGFP expression than the commercial Lipo2000, and markedly reduced tumor cell proliferation and migration rate irrespective of whether the BxPC-3 cell lines were grown on plates or 3D tumor spheroids. In vivo, the hybrid lipoplexes showed effective anticancer activity by reducing the BxPC-3 pancreatic tumor growth by 99% through the synergetic combination of chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and gene therapy. This research represented the first example of using a cocktail of three therapeutic approaches to achieve cooperative and effective anti pancreatic cancer treatment in vivo and in vitro.

Study on the differential effects of various hydrocarbon oil components on coal slime flotation performance

ABSTRACT To investigate the impact of different collectors on the surface forces of coal particles due to variations in their molecular structures and properties, this paper utilizes Materials Studio software to simulate a water-coal adsorption system. The aim is to explore the wetting behavior and mechanisms of different hydrocarbon oil components on coal surfaces. Through flotation experiments, the flotation efficiency and applicability of different hydrocarbon oils as collectors are evaluated. The influence of nine types of hydrocarbon oil collectors on the flotation performance of coal slime is examined, revealing the impact patterns of different hydrocarbon oil collectors on the hydrophobicity of coal samples. This provides a theoretical basis for the compounding of different collectors and the variability in flotation efficiency among various alkane collectors. The study found that n-tetradecane achieved a flotation yield of 70.88% at a pulp concentration of 80 g/L, while n-eicosane had the lowest clean coal ash content of 8.31%. XRD and contact angle analyses indicated that an appropriate increase in carbon chain length enhances flotation yield and reduces ash content, but excessively long carbon chains decrease selectivity, affecting the yield.

Structure-performance relationship and molecular structure optimization design of acid phosphate ester extractants

The extraction performance of acid phosphate ester extractants (PEEs) decreases significantly as the acidity of the aqueous phase increases. Therefore, finding PEEs suitable for high-acid environments has become critical to addressing their performance attenuation. However, the unclear structure-performance relationship of PEEs has led to a lack of guidance in experimental synthesis, significantly impeding the emergence of new acid-resistant PEEs. To tackle these issues, ten novel phenyl phosphate ester extractants were designed based on the molecular formula of phosphodiester (R1R2P(=O)OH) and the conjugation effect of the benzene ring. The relationship between the intrinsic extraction performance of acid PEEs and substituent groups (phenoxy, alkoxy, and alkyl) was quantitatively established by calculating the Gibbs free energy changes of three primary reactions (dimer dissociation, monomer acid ionization, and metal coordination) during divalent cobalt ion extraction. Additionally, the impact of different substitution sites (para, meta, and ortho) of the benzene ring on the extraction performance of acid PEEs was studied. The results indicated that introducing phenoxy groups into traditional acid PEEs (P204 and P507) can effectively enhance the extractants’ acid ionization ability and thermodynamic driving force. The extraction performance of acid PEEs is positively correlated with the number of phenoxy groups, and carbon chain substitution at the meta-position of the benzene ring is the most advantageous. By screening five low-toxicity and low-cost phenolic hydroxyl reagents currently available on the market, design a phenyl phosphate ester extractant ([(CH3)3CCH2C(CH3)2C6H4O]2P(=O)OH, P-4TO) that combines cost and performance advantages. Furthermore, the transition state theory was used to confirm the feasibility of preparing P-4TO, which provided a comprehensive theoretical research method for the future design and synthesis of efficient PEEs.