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A simple synthetic chemical process to produce metal oxide loaded carbon papers was developed using bacterial cellulose gel, which consisted of nanometer-sized fibrous cellulose and water. Metal ions were successfully impregnated into the gel via aqueous solution media before drying and carbonization methods resulting in metal oxide contents that were easy to control through variations in the concentration of aqueous solutions. The papers loaded by molybdenum oxides were characterized as pseudocapacitor electrodes preliminary, and the large redox capacitance of the oxides was followed by a conductive fibrous carbon substrate, suggesting that a binder and carbon black additive-free electrode consisting of metal oxides and carbon paper was formed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In continuation of previously reported results, the ionic liquid 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-5-ene-1-ium acetate was also found to be a powerful non-derivatizing solvent for cellulosic waste such as paper and cardboard. The ionic liquid could dissolve all the present bio-polymers (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) in high concentrations, resulting in solutions with visco-elastic properties that were suitable for dry-jet wet fiber spinning. The cellulosic raw materials were refined gradually to identify the influence of residual components on the spinnability of the respective solution. Polymer degradation and losses in the spinning process could be avoided nearly entirely. With the exception of virtually unrefined cardboard, all the samples showed excellent spinnability, resulting in fibers with high tensile strength. Prototype textiles were produced to validate the quality of the fibers and demonstrate the possibility of using residual lignin in cardboard as a natural dye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial stewardship practices are critical in preventing the further erosion of treatment options for bacterial infections. Yet, at the same time, determination of an infection's antimicrobial susceptibility requires multiple rounds of culture and expensive lab automation systems. In this work, we report the use of paper-based surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensors and portable instrumentation to phenotypically discriminate multi-drug resistance with fewer culture steps than conventional clinical microbiology. Specifically, we demonstrate the identification of resistance to varying generations of β -lactam antibiotics by detecting the activity of particular β -lactamase enzymes in a multiplexed assay. The method utilizes molecular reporters that consist of β -lactams with SERS barcodes. Hydrolysis of the β -lactam by β -lactamase enzymes in the sample expels the barcode; the released sulfur-containing barcode is then detected via SERS. Using this approach, we demonstrate the differentiation of E. coli strains with (1) extended spectrum β -lactamase (ESBL), (2) narrow-spectrum β -lactamase, and (3) no resistance, using only a single measurement on a single sample. In addition, we experimentally validate an approach to expand the library of reporters through the simple chemical synthesis of new barcoded β -lactams. Importantly, the reported method determines the susceptibility based on phenotypic β -lactamase activity, which is aligned with current microbiology lab standards. This new method will enable the precise selection of effective β -lactam antibiotics (as opposed to defaulting to drugs of last resort) faster than current methods while using simple steps and low-cost portable instrumentation. Image 1 • We demonstrate phenotypic detection of β-lactamase activity using paper SERS sensors and portable instrumentation. • We show discrimination of β -lactamases with different degrees of resistance in a single sample on a single sensor. • We demonstrate a simple synthesis method to expand the library of SERS-based β -lactamase reporters. • We accomplish β-lactamase discrimination in significantly less time than conventional microbiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On-site multi-enzymes detection and inhibitors screening are still challenging and particularly urgent. Here, dual-channel foldable microfluidic paper (μPAD)-based parallel enzymatic reaction systems were fabricated for simultaneous visual colorimetric detecting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and α-glucosidase (α-Glu) together with screening inhibitors. μPAD composing of two layers with dual channels was designed and prepared facilely by a permanent marker. AChE and α-Glu catalyze pre-loaded substrates into products (thiocholine (TCh), ascorbic acid (AA)) on the 1st layer. Parallelly, oxidase-like MnO 2 nanosheets oxidize pre-dropped colorless 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to blue oxidized TMB (oxTMB) on the 2nd layer. After simple folding μPAD, TCh and AA can reduce oxTMB to TMB, resulting in color fading. Obviously, bioenzyme and nanozyme reactions under different pH can simultaneously occur on the μPAD. Furthermore, colorimetric results can be easily captured and on-site quantitatively analyzed by smartphone. As a result, a convenient, efficient, sensitive, and specific platform has been constructed for simultaneous detecting AChE and α-Glu in human serum samples (recoveries, 92.1–105.0%; relative standard deviations, < 3.6%), and screening inhibitors from synthesized compounds and natural products. The developed platform provides constructive insights for exploitation of visual detecting strategies for simultaneous sensing muti-targets for point-of-care testing of disease and development of drugs. [Display omitted] • Visual colorimetric detection of AChE and α-Glu and screening of inhibitors. • Dual-channel foldable μ PAD for on-site simultaneous visual detection. • Parallel enzymatic reaction strategy matches different working pH. • The proposed platform had facile, portable, and visual advantages in POCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A paper web produced under industrial conditions always exhibits an anisotropy in its mechanical properties measured in the machine and cross directions. Proper and fast information about current paper anisotropy would significantly increase the efficiency of web quality control systems and allow to produce paper with greater precision. The main objective of the work presented was to determine the possibility of measurement of paper anisotropy. The method proposed is based on the image analysis of the orientation and location of special markers -- luminescent fibres -- which were introduced to the structure of the paper. Studies have shown that the method of image analysis provides a detection of fibres with a satisfactory level of efficiency, thus allowing accurate examination of the anisotropy of the paper samples analysed. On the basis of experiments, it was also found that the method of image analysis proposed allows to detect fibres with an accuracy appropriate for the problem under consideration. The invention presented has already been registered in a Patent Office as submission no. P.411294. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a comparative study of two types of transformer solid insulation: standard Kraft and thermally upgraded Kraft papers. The paper samples were impregnated with two different fluids, namely a synthetic dielectric ester fluid, Midel 7131, and a synthesized mineral oil, Luminol Tri. The impregnated papers were submitted to, accelerated aging at 150°C, temperature higher than the temperatures found inside transformers, for extended periods. The results show that for the first hours of aging, the cellulose depolymerization was similar for all the four studied cases. At a specific point, the paper samples aged in the ester fluid exhibited a lower depolymerization exceeding the 8000 hours of aging without reaching the levelling-off degree of polymerization (LODP). A similar trend was observed through the decrease of mechanical properties of papers in the ester-based oil. However, the difference in performance of both fluids was amplified due to the temperature used; at lower temperatures the difference should be smaller. Additionally, a relationship between the degree of polymerization and the mechanical properties accessed by the tensile testing was obtained regardless of the type of paper or oil. The total acidity in the ester fluid was higher than in mineral oil. Methanol, a chemical marker that is closely linked to the rupture of 1,4-ß-glycosidic bonds of cellulose, showed a partial sensitivity to the cellulose aging in the ester fluid. Furan (C4H4O) content was monitored during the aging and its concentration was found to be sensitive to the depolymerization along with the decrease in the mechanical properties of cellulose papers regardless of the type of paper. More importantly, its concentration was found to be dependent on the type of oil. More investigations are needed to further confirm the importance of furan as an indirect indicator of the mechanical performance along with its correlation with the depolymerization of paper aged in ester fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A novel structurally simple calix[4]arene attached 1-aminoanthraquinone associated lower rim calix[4]arene conjugate was synthesized and has been used as turn on/off/on fluorescence probe for Mn2+, Cr3+ and F-. This chelation enhanced fluorescence - photoinduced electron transfer (CHEF-PET) based TAAC probe has been applied for its analytical application in real samples such as Mn2+ from blood serum, Cr3+ and F- from industrial effluent with 94–99% recovery. The limit of detection of this sensor is found to be 11 nM for Mn2+, 4 nM for Cr3+ and 19 nM for F- with the concentration range of 0–120 nM. Further, we report an easy-to-use, low cost and disposable paper-based sensing device for rapid chemical screening of Mn2+, Cr3+ and F-. The device comprises fluorescent sensing probes embedded into a nitrocellulose matrix where the resonance energy transfer phenomenon seems to be the sensing mechanism. It opens up new opportunities for simple and fast screening in remote settings where sophisticated instrumentation is not always available. The MOPAC-2016 software package has been used to optimize the TAAC using PM7 well established method and calculates the HOMO-LUMO energy band gap for structure TAAC and TAAC with Mn2+, Cr3+ and F- ion based structures. Graphical abstract fx1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biosensors have emerged as a valuable tool with high specificity and sensitivity for fast and reliable detection of hazardous substances in drinking water. Numerous substances have been addressed using synthetic biology approaches. However, many proposed biosensors are based on living, genetically modified organisms and are therefore limited in shelf life, usability and biosafety. We addressed these issues by the construction of an extensible, cell-free biosensor. Storage is possible through freeze drying on paper. Following the addition of an aqueous sample, a highly efficient cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) reaction is initiated. Specific allosteric transcription factors modulate the expression of ‘superfolder’ green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) depending on the presence of the substance of interest. The resulting fluorescence intensities are analyzed with a conventional smartphone accompanied by simple and cheap light filters. An ordinary differential equitation (ODE) model of the biosensors was developed, which enabled prediction and optimization of performance. With an optimized cell-free biosensor based on the Shigella flexneri MerR transcriptional activator, detection of 6 μg/L Hg(II) ions in water was achieved. Furthermore, a completely new biosensor for the detection of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), a substance used as date-rape drug, was established by employing the naturally occurring transcriptional repressor BlcR from Agrobacterium tumefaciens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A paper-structured catalyst (PSC) for biogas reforming was prepared with the aim of improving coking tolerance. During the paper-making process using inorganic fibers, Ni-loaded (Ce,Zr)O 2–δ particles were synthesized via co-precipitation and subsequent chemical reduction (on-paper synthesis). The effects of the CeO 2 /ZrO 2 weight ratio during preparation and the Ni loading amount on the catalytic activity for dry reforming of CH 4 were investigated at 750 °C. A Ni loading of 6 wt% with CeO 2 /ZrO 2 ≥ 1 led to stable CH 4 conversion of 85% without coking under a gas hourly space velocity of 3800 h −1 . The oxygen storage capacity of the (Ce,Zr)O 2–δ particles dispersed in the inorganic fiber network may contribute to the oxidation of carbonaceous species deposited on the catalyst surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing graphene-based hybrid papers or films as multifunctional electrodes has become the focus of clean energy devices due to the beneficial combination of their excellent electrical properties and multiple functions. However, limited attention has been paid to such hybrid papers with both outstanding mechanical and electrochemical properties. Recently, we fabricate rationally designed TiO 2 -B nanofibrils reinforced graphene paper, which can achieve high mechanical strength (88.5 MPa) without sacrificing their electrochemical properties. They further deliver capacities of 231 mAh g −1 (408.9 mAh cm −3 ) for Li-ion electrode and 201 mAh g −1 (355.8 mAh cm −3 ) for Na-ion electrode respectively at the same current density of 33.5 mA g −1 . The outstanding mechanical stability of as-prepared hybrid electrode is demonstrated with a prototype of a bendable Li-ion capacitor. Besides, the as-prepared electrodes also reveal great potential to serve as light weight and ultrathin electromagnetic interference shielding materials. Single layer of hybrid paper exhibits a shielding effectiveness of over 10 dB (corresponding ∼90% shielding). These results prove that TiO 2 -B nanofibrils reinforced graphene paper can serve as a multifunctional flexible electrode for diverse applications. Moreover, this work also demonstrates a novel strategy on how to enhance mechanical properties for those flexible electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the paper industry, the disposal and management of the yielded sludge are a considerable challenge. In our work, the paper mill sludge-derived magnetically separable heterogeneous catalyst (PMS-Fe-380) was prepared easily through a facile synthesis method. The morphology and structure of PMS-Fe-380 were fully characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Brunauer–Emmet–Teller analysis. The catalytic activity of PMS-Fe-380 was evaluated by degradation of Methylene Blue (MB). The reusability and stability of PMS-Fe-380 were evaluated in five repeated runs, which suggested that PMS-Fe-380 manifested excellent stability of catalytic activity. Moreover, leaching tests indicated that the leached iron is negligible (< 0.5 mg/L). This study provides an alternative environmentally friendly reuse method for paper mill sludge and a novel catalyst PMS-Fe-380 that can be considered as a promising heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Recycling waste paper can be considered as a means to displace the use of natural cellulose fibers applied in building materials, because it is composed mostly of cellulose. The water absorption and special surface area of cellulose fibers are the key properties for their use in building materials. The objective of this article was to study the production of recycled cellulose fibers from waste paper using ultrasonic wave processing. The physical and chemical properties of recycled cellulose fibers, such as water absorption, specific surface area and pore characteristics, etc., were investigated with various testing methods. The results indicated that the ultrasonic cavitation effect was feasible for the preparation of the secondary fibers. When the ultrasonic treatment time lasted for 10 min, the water absorptions of both newsprint fibers and kraft fibers increased significantly and reached the highest values of 12.5 g/g and 11.2 g/g, respectively, which were nearly two times than that of fibers without ultrasonic treatment. With a pretreatment of 20 min, the average length and fineness of recycled cellulose fibers decreased by 4% and 25%, respectively, and the length-diameter ratio of the recycled cellulose fibers was 1.28 times than that of the untreated fibers, which greatly increased the special surface area of the recycled cellulose fibers. This work also determined that NaOH was useful to improve the physical properties of the recycled cellulose fibers. Because the recycled cellulose fibers after processing, fulfilled several technical indexes, they can be considered as a filling material for used in cement-based materials. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41962. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The templated synthesis of hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanowires@metal-organic framework (MOF) core/shell nanofibers (named HAP@MIL-100(Fe) nanofibers) is demonstrated. The ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowires are adopted as a hard template for the nucleation and growth of MIL-100(Fe) (a typical MOF) through the layer-by-layer method. The Coulombic and chelation interactions between Ca2+ ions on the surface of the HAP nanowires and the COO− organic linkers of MIL-100(Fe) play key roles in the formation process. The as-prepared, water-stable HAP@MIL-100(Fe) nanofibers exhibit peroxidase-like activity toward the oxidation of different peroxidase substrates in the presence of H2O2, accompanied by a clear color change of the solution. Furthermore, a flexible, recyclable HAP@MIL-100(Fe) test paper is prepared successfully by using HAP@MIL-100(Fe) nanofibers as building blocks. A simple, low-cost, and sensitive colorimetric method for the detection of H2O2 and glucose is established based on the as-prepared, flexible, recyclable HAP@MIL-100(Fe) test paper. More importantly, the HAP@MIL-100(Fe) test paper can be recovered easily for reuse by simply dipping in absolute ethanol for just 30 min, thus showing excellent recyclability. With its combination of advantages such as easy transportation, easy storage and use, rapid recyclability, light weight, and high flexibility, this HAP@MIL-100(Fe) test paper is promising for wide applications in various fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the multiple potential health risks caused by exposure to BPA and the strengthened regulation of BPA-containing thermal papers, much concern has been raised recently regarding a BPA-type color developer in thermal papers. However, few efforts have so far been focused on the development of safer alternative materials to BPA. In this study, we examined the use of polymeric materials as a safer replacement for BPA in thermal papers. For this objective, a series of phenolic polymers, phenol-formaldehyde novolac and resole (PF-N and PF-R) and BPA-formaldehyde novolac and resole (BPAF-N and BPAF-R), were prepared. Among these polymers, a BPAF-N-type polymer was determined to be the most appropriate candidate for a developer material in thermal papers. Through printing tests of the prepared thermal papers, it was found that BPAF-N_8 polymer has a high static sensitivity and dark contrast of thermal papers similar to those of BPA, whereas the BPAF-N_16 and BPAF-N_30 polymers have lower static sensitivities than BPFA-N_8 and BPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amphoteric polyacrylamide (AmPAM) is a linear water-soluble polymer that has been applied in papermaking as an agent for flocculation, retention, filtration, and dry-strength improvement. However, AmPAM with different ranges of molecular weight (MW) have different properties in these processes. In this study, a series of AmPAMs were constructed with an anionic monomer, itaconic acid (IA), a cationic monomer, methacryloxyethyl-trimethyl ammonium chloride (DMC), and a main backbone of acrylamide (AM). Four factors influencing free radical polymerization, i.e., reaction temperature, pH, initiator load, and the concentration of monomers, were systematically investigated via an orthogonal test to determine their effects on the MW of AmPAM. Spectroscopy and isoelectric point assays were used to characterize the structure of the produced AmPAM, and the MW was assessed by calculating the viscosity. The reaction temperature had the greatest influence on the MW of AmPAM, followed by the solution pH and the initiator load. To determine the dry strength of papersheets containing AmPAM, the breaking length of handsheets was assessed after adding 0.5% AmPAM (based on fiber) with different MWs. The maximum value, 4.05 km, was 15.0% higher than the control and was obtained using AmPAM with a MW of 330 kDa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Thieme Chemistry and the Editors of SYNTHESIS and SYNLETT present the 'SYNTHESIS/ SYNLETT Best Paper Awards'. These annual awards honor the authors of the best original research papers in each of the journals, considering their immediate impact on the field of chemical synthesis. Cathleen Crudden, Masakazu Nambo and their co-workers are the recipients of the SYNLETT Best Paper Award 2017. The work was a collaboration between Nagoya University in Japan and Queen's University in Canada. The authors are recognized for their work on the synthesis of tetraarylmethanes through a formal cross-dehydrogenative coupling of triarylmethanes with arenes, promoted by triflic acid. Benjamin List, Editor-in-Chief of SYNLETT, commented:"Nambo, Yim, Fowler, and Crudden have developed an elegant synthesis of tetraarylmethanes that involves an acid-catalyzed oxidative coupling of an arene with triarylmethanes, which became readily accessible in previous studies by the authors. The reaction proceeds via trityl-type cations and enables the formation of fascinating products, in which four different arenes are connected via a single stereogenic carbon atom." SYNFORM spoke with Masakazu Nambo and Cathleen Crudden, who were happy to share some background information regarding the prize-winning paper as well as current research activities ongoing in their groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The life of an electrical transformer is mainly determined by that of its cellulosic solid insulation. The analysis of the chemical markers of cellulose degradation dissolved in oil is a simple and economical way to indirectly characterize the insulating paper. Methanol, a marker that is intimately linked to the rupturing of 1,4-β-glycosidic bonds of cellulose, has been observed together with ethanol during laboratory ageing experiments. Regardless of the simulated ageing conditions (temperature, humidity, air), the ratio of methanol to ethanol concentration is always higher than one (unity). However, in approximately 10 % of transformer oil samples, the ethanol generation is higher than that of methanol. In this study, thermal degradation by pyrolysis is coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to assess the volatile by-products generated at high temperatures with emphasis on methanol/ethanol generation. Some cellulose model compounds were also pyrolyzed and thermally aged in oil. The results showed that the generation of ethanol from paper pyrolysis is always smaller than for methanol, but it only occurs at temperatures higher than 300 °C. However, thermal ageing of levoglucosan in oil generates a massive amount of ethanol compared to methanol regardless of the conditions (temperature, humidity, air, nitrogen, acidity). The hypothesis that ethanol is a by-product of cellulose degradation through levoglucosan as an intermediary in power transformers is proposed. The presence of ethanol during transformer oil analysis is of high interest because it can be related to a thermal fault or hot spot within the solid insulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The object of study is chiral‐nematic and smectic A liquid crystals. The aim of the work is to develop new bistable materials with improved physico‐chemical and electro‐optical properties for various applications. Chiral liquid‐crystalline compounds and compounds characterized by the presence of the smectic A phase over a wide temperature range were synthesized during the studies. The influence of the viscoelastic properties of liquid crystals, the anchoring energy of the alignment material, and the helical twisting power of chiral dopants on the memory effect in chiral‐nematic liquid crystals was investigated. In order to clarify the possible mechanism of bistability in highly twisted nematics, we performed a numerical simulation of the reorientation of liquid crystal molecules in an electric field. It was also necessary to find out which parameters of the liquid crystal material have the greatest effect on the bistability. Based on the synthesized smectic compounds, mixtures with different values of optical anisotropy and viscosity were developed. The influence of the compounds structure (bridge fragments, polar groups, alkyl chains) on mesomorphic and basic physico‐chemical characteristics was determined. Electrically and electrochemically stable ion dopants were also synthesized with a number of organic cations and organic/inorganic anions. The composition of mixtures has been optimized for long‐term operation, especially in the upper operating temperature range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu-doped zinc oxide (Cu–ZnO) nanostructure was prepared using Whatman filter paper as a template by combustion method. For the synthesis of porous Cu–ZnO nanostructures the stoichiometric amount of precursors were impregnated in the filter papers and processed, thermally. The formation of wurtzite phase having crystallite size in the range of 20–24 nm was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The morphological study by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and field emission transmission electron microscopy (FETEM) shows size of nanoparticles in the range of 25–50 nm. The optical study shows red shift i.e. extended absorbance in the visible region due to Cu doping. The photoluminescence study of Cu–ZnO results quenching in the photoluminescence peak as effect of Cu doping in ZnO lattice. Considering the extended band gap in the visible region of as synthesized Cu–ZnO, the photocatalytic dye degradation activity of methylene blue (MB) was executed in presence of sunlight irradiation. The effect of salt concentration and PH on dye degradation activity also studied. The highest photocatalytic activity was observed for Cu–ZnO with 4% doping as compared with other Cu–ZnO and ZnO nanostructure. The photocatalytic performance of Cu–ZnO shows complete degradation of MB dye within 30 min for 4% Cu–ZnO nanostructure. The photocatalytic activity obtained is much higher as compare to earlier reports. The synthesis of Cu doped ZnO by paper templated method and its photocatalytic activity is hitherto unattempted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of nanoparticles (NPs) and nanostructured materials (NSMs) in papermaking originally emerged from the perspective of improving processing operations and reducing material consumption. However, a very broad range of nanomaterials (NMs) can be incorporated into the paper structure and allows creating paper products with novel properties. This review is of interdisciplinary nature, addressing the emerging area of nanotechnology in papermaking focusing on resources, chemical synthesis and processing, colloidal properties, and deposition methods. An overview of different NMs used in papermaking together with their intrinsic properties and a link to possible applications is presented from a chemical point of view. After a brief introduction on NMs classification and papermaking, their role as additives or pigments in the paper structure is described. The different compositions and morphologies of NMs and NSMs are included, based on wood components, inorganic, organic, carbon-based, and composite NPs. In a first approach, nanopaper substrates are made from fibrillary NPs, including cellulose-based or carbon-based NMs. In a second approach, the NPs can be added to a regular wood pulp as nanofillers or used in coating compositions as nanopigments. The most important processing steps for NMs in papermaking are illustrated including the internal filling of fiber lumen, LbL deposition or fiber wall modification, with important advances in the field on the in situ deposition of NPs on the paper fibers. Usually, the manufacture of products with advanced functionality is associated with complex processes and hazardous materials. A key to success is in understanding how the NMs, cellulose matrix, functional additives, and processes all interact to provide the intended paper functionality while reducing materials waste and keeping the processes simple and energy efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interview with professor of pharmacognosy and natural product chemistry Erwan Poupon and Laurent Evanno, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) working on total synthesis, who were the winners of the 2015 SYNTHESIS Best Paper Award which recognizes authors of original papers in the field of synthesis, is presented. Topics discussed include the aspects of their research paper, the application of the multidisciplinary projects which focuses on natural substances, and the role of organic synthesis.

The templated synthesis of ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowires@metal–organic framework core/shell (HAP@MIL‐100(Fe)) nanofibers has been demonstrated herein. The HAP@MIL‐100(Fe) nanofibers exhibited peroxidase‐like activity towards the oxidation of different peroxidase substrates in the presence of H2O2 accompanying with the clear color change of the solution. A new kind of flexible test paper was prepared by using HAP@MIL‐100(Fe) nanofibers as building blocks, which can be used for the detection of H2O2 and glucose, and it can be easily recovered, exhibiting excellent recyclability and promising applications in various fields. More information can be found in the Full Paper by Y.‐J. Zhu and Z.‐C. Xiong et al. on page 3328 ff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate a popular reinforcing agent in the papermaking industry through a quick, environmentally friendly, microwave-assisted method. The preparation and characterization of cellulose-CaCO3 composites through this route, in a mixed solution of an ionic liquid and ethylene glycol, can occur within a 10-min timeframe. The chemical compounds, calcium acetate and sodium carbonate, were used as reactants for the as-obtained CaCO3 crystals. A NaOH-urea aqueous solution was used to treat the cellulose and prepare cellulose- CaCO3 composites. It was discovered that the addition of ionic liquids favors the preparation of cellulose-CaCO3 composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Pharmaceuticals Best Paper Award 2015 given to publications including synthesis and biological evaluation about a potent (R)-alpha-bis-lipoyl derivative, radiolabeled trastuzumab imaging for metastatic breast tumors and orthotopic and ways of cell-specific evaluation.

This paper summarizes currently available data on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from African natural and agricultural lands, outlines the knowledge gaps and suggests future directions and strategies for GHG emission studies. GHG emission data were collected from 73 studies conducted in 22 countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Soil GHG emissions from African natural terrestrial systems ranged from 3.3 to 57.0 Mg carbon dioxide (CO2) ha-1 yr-1, -4.8 to 3.5 kg methane (CH4) ha-1 yr-1 and -0.1 to 13.7 kg nitrous oxide (N2O) ha-1 yr-1. Soil physical and chemical properties, rewetting, vegetation type, forest management and land-use changes were all found to be important factors affecting soil GHG emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions from African aquatic systems ranged from 5.7 to 232.0 Mg CO2 ha-1 yr-1, -26.3 to 2741.9 kg CH4 ha-1 yr-1 and 0.2 to 3.5 kg N2O ha-1 yr-1 and were strongly affected by discharge. Soil GHG emissions from African croplands ranged from 1.7 to 141.2 Mg CO2 ha-1 yr-1, -1.3 to 66.7 kg CH4 ha-1 yr-1and 0.05 to 112.0 kg N2O ha-1 yr-1 and the N2O emission factor (EF) ranged from 0.01 to 4.1%. Incorporation of crop residues or manure with inorganic fertilizers resulted in significant changes in GHG emissions but these were different for CO2 and N2O. Soil GHG emissions in vegetable gardens ranged from 73.3 to 132.0 Mg CO2 ha-1 yr-1 and 53.4 to 177.6 kg N2O ha-1 yr-1 and N2O EFs ranged from 3 to 4%. Soil CO2 and N2O emissions from agroforestry were 38.6 Mg CO2 ha-1 yr-1 and 0.2 to 26.7 kg N2O ha-1 yr-1, respectively. Improving fallow with nitrogen (N)-fixing trees increased CO2 and N2O emissions compared to conventional croplands and type and quality of plant residue is likely to be an important control factor affecting N2O emissions. Throughout agricultural lands, N2O emissions slowly increased with N inputs below 150 kg N ha-1 yr-1 and increased exponentially with N application rates up to 300 kg N ha-1 yr-1. The lowest yield-scaled N2O emissions were reported with N application rates ranging between 100 and 150 kg N ha-1. Overall, total CO2 equivalent (eq) emissions from African natural and agricultural lands were 56.9 ± 12.7 Pg CO2 eq yr-1 and natural and agricultural lands contributed 76.3 and 23.7%, respectively. Additional GHG emission measurements throughout Africa agricultural and natural lands are urgently required to reduce uncertainty on annual GHG emissions from the different land uses and identify major control factors and mitigation options on emissions. There is also a need to develop a common strategy for addressing this data gap that may involve identifying priorities for data acquisition, utilizing appropriate technologies, and establishing networks and collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Leveraging fine-tuned large language models, this study enhances the prediction of efficient chemical synthesis procedures, saving time and resources in laboratory workflows. The findings highlight the potential of tailored AI approaches in transforming organic synthesis through intelligent, data-driven methods. In optimizing organic chemical synthesis, researchers often face challenges in efficiently generating viable synthesis procedures that conserve time and resources in laboratory settings. This paper systematically analyzes multiple approaches to efficiently generate synthesis procedures for a wide variety of organic synthesis reactions, aiming to decrease time and resource consumption in laboratory work. We investigated the suitability of different sizes of BART, T5, FLAN-T5, molT5, and classic sequence-to-sequence transformer models for our text-to-text task and utilized a large dataset prepared specifically for the task. Experimental investigations demonstrated that a fine-tuned molT5-large model achieves a BLEU score of 47.75. The results demonstrate the capability of LLMs to predict chemical synthesis procedures involving 24 possible distinct actions, many of which include various parameters like solvents, reaction agents, temperature, duration, solvent ratios, and other specific parameters. Our findings show that only when the core reactants are used as input, the models learn to correctly predict what ancillary components need to be included in the resulting procedure. These results are valuable for AI researchers and chemists, suggesting that curated datasets and large language model fine-tuning techniques can be tailored for specific reaction classes and practical applications. This research contributes to the field by demonstrating how deep-learning-based methods can be customized to meet the specific requirements of chemical synthesis, leading to more intelligent and resource-efficient laboratory processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the chemical synthesis of nanocrystalline CuS thin films onto glass substrate at 40 ℃. The effect of the deposition time on the Raman spectroscopy results and physical properties was investigated. X-ray diffraction pattern showed the amorphous nature of CuS thin films deposited with deposition time of 20 min and transferred to orthorhombic crystal structure for CuS thin films with deposition time of 40 min. Raman modes observed at around 273 cm – 1 and 475 cm– 1 in CuS thin films support the formation of covellite CuS phase. FESEM images taken from the surfaces of chemically deposited nanocrystalline CuS thin films shows the dense structure, smooth and relatively void-free surfaces and surface looks well adhered to the glass substrate. The optical band gap was estimated to be in the range between 2.05 eV and 2.15 eV depending on the deposition time. Finally, as a result of the analysis, we can say that the variation in deposition time can affect the structural properties of CuS thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocatalytic water splitting for green hydrogen production necessitates effective electrocatalysts. Currently, commercial catalysts are primarily platinum-based. Therefore, finding catalysts with comparable catalytic activity but lower cost is essential. This paper describes spinel-structured catalysts containing nickel cobaltite NiCo2O4, graphene, and additionally doped with heteroatoms. The structure and elemental composition of the obtained materials were analyzed by research methods such as TEM, SEM-EDX, XRD, XPS, and Raman spectroscopy. The electrochemical measurements showed that hybrid materials containing nickel cobaltite NiCo2O4 doped with graphene are highly active catalysts in the hydrogen evolution reaction (Tafel slopes = 91 mV dec−1, overpotential = 468 mV and onset potential = -339 mV), while in the oxygen evolution reaction (Tafel slopes = 51 mV dec−1, overpotential = 1752 mV and onset potential = 370 mV), bare NiCo2O4 without the addition of carbon has a worse activity (for HER: Tafel slopes = 120 mV dec−1, overpotential - does not achieve and onset potential = -404 mV, for OER: Tafel slopes = 54 mV dec−1, overpotential = 1796 mV and onset potential = 410 mV). In terms of stability, comparable results were obtained for each synthesized compound for both the HER and OER reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the synthesis of two 6-azido-6-deoxy derivatives of phosphatidylinositol (PI), which contained different fatty acid chains. These syntheses, starting from methyl α-d-glucopyranoside, employed multiple regioselective transformations with Ferrier rearrangement as one of the key steps. The PI derivatives contained different fatty acid chains in the lipids and an azido group in the inositol residue to facilitate their further functionalization under bioorthogonal conditions. Therefore, they should be useful probes for the investigation of PI and related biology, such as PI phosphorylation, PI interaction with other molecules in cells, and the functions of lipid structures in these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monolignols represent pivotal alcohol-based constituents in lignin synthesis, playing indispensable roles in plant growth and development with profound implications for industries reliant on wood and paper. Monolignols and their derivates have multiple applications in several industries. Monolignols exhibit antioxidant activity due to their ability to donate hydrogen atoms or electrons to neutralize free radicals, thus preventing oxidative stress and damage to cells. Characterized by their alcohol functionalities, monolignols present three main forms: p-coumaryl alcohol, coniferyl alcohol, and sinapyl alcohol. In nature, particularly in plants, monolignols with geometry (E) predominate over their Z counterparts. The methods for obtaining the three canonical monolignols, two less-common monolignols, and a monolignol analogue are addressed to present an overview of these phenol-based compounds, particularly from a synthetic standpoint. A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis is used to explain the advantages and disadvantages of synthesizing monolignols, key alcohol-containing raw materials with enormous significance in both plant biology and industrial applications, using bench chemical methods. The uniqueness of this work is that it provides an overview of the synthetic pathways of monolignols to assist researchers in pharmaceutical and biological fields in selecting an appropriate procedure for the preparation of their lignin models. Moreover, we aim to inspire scientists, particularly chemists, to develop more sustainable synthetic protocols for monolignols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]