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The paper presents the results of thermodynamic and exhaust emission analyses of the combustion process using three combustion chambers. The combustion process research was performed on a single-cylinder AVL 5804 engine equipped with a dual-band compressed natural gas system supplied at different fuel pressures to the inlet channel and to the pre-chamber. Based on the performed analyses, the thermodynamic indicators of the combustion process and the emission factors were determined. Having the thermodynamic and emission analyses of the Turbulent Jet Ignition (TJI) combustion system, the pre-chamber was selected with the best collective features. The selection of the best chamber was made using the weighted-purpose method for average indicated pressure, CO and NOx emissions as well as the indicated engine efficiency, taking into account the impact factors.

Proper delivery of gaseous components of the charge into the combustion chamber enables controlling of combustion in the aspect of adiabatization of the process. The adiabatization obtained as result of surrounding of combustible mixture by recirculated exhaust gases should contribute to reducing formation of harmful components created during this process. The key issue here is the formation of radicals, which is not sufficiently recognized according fuels surrounded by non-combustible gases. The innovative nature of this work ensues from the experimental confirmation of so defined organizing of combustion process. Currently there are no tests concerning attempts of gas separation in the combustion chamber of engine with external source of ignition. Such separation would contribute to the increase of the adiabatization process while at the same time the combustion rate increases and reduces the combustion duration. This paper presents the next stage of research, which were preceded by simulation and experimental investigations. In the article the results of the impact of the strategy of non-combustible gas injections on combustion ratios for cylinder head with a centrally positioned ignition point have been discussed. The analysis has been based on the photo material for the period from the start of ignition to full coverage of the cylinder by the flame. Authors performed a comparative analysis (against the recorded images) of the thermodynamic indexes of the combustion process obtained from the indicator traces.

The article contains a thermodynamic analysis of a new combustion system that allows the combustion of stratified gas mixtures with mean air excess coefficient in the range 1.4-1.8. Spark ignition was used in the pre-chamber that has been mounted in the engine cylinder head and contained a rich mixture out of which a turbulent flow of ignited mixture is ejected. It allows spark-jet ignition and the turbulent combustion of the lean mixture in the main combustion chamber. This resulted in a two-stage combustion system for lean mixtures. The experimental study has been conducted using a single-cylinder test engine with a geometric compression ratio ε = 15.5 adapted for natural gas supply. The tests were performed at engine speed n = 2000 rpm under stationary engine load when the engine operating parameters and toxic compounds emissions have been recorded. Analysis of the results allowed to conclude that the evaluated combustion system offers large flexibility in the initiation of charge ignition through an appropriate control of the fuel quantities supplied into the pre-chamber and into the main combustion chamber. The research concluded with determining the charge ignition criterion for a suitably divided total fuel dose fed to the cylinder.

Styrylquinolines are heterocyclic compounds that are known for their antifungal and antimicrobial activity. Metal complexation through hydroxyl groups has been claimed to be a plausible mechanism of action for these types of compounds. A series of novel structures with protected hydroxyl groups have been designed and synthesized to verify the literature data. Their antifungal activity against wild-type Candida albicans strain and mutants with silenced efflux pumps activity has been determined. Combinations with fluconazole revealed synergistic interactions that were dependent on the substitution pattern. These results open a new route for designing active antifungal agents on a styrylquinoline scaffold.

A group of styrylquinolines were synthesized and tested for their anti-proliferative activity. Anti-proliferative activity was evaluated against the human colon carcinoma cell lines that had a normal expression of the p53 protein (HCT116 p53+/+) and mutants with a disabled TP53 gene (HCT116 p53-/-) and against the GM 07492 normal human fibroblast cell line. A SAR study revealed the importance of Cl and OH as substituents in the styryl moiety. Several of the compounds that were tested were found to have a marked anti-proliferative activity that was similar to or better than doxorubicin and were more active against the p53 null than the wild type cells. The cellular localization tests and caspase activity assays suggest a mechanism of action through the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis in a p53-independent manner. The activity of the styrylquinoline compounds may be associated with their DNA intercalating ability.

New styrylquinoline derivatives with their photophysical constants are described. The synthesis was achieved via Sonogashira coupling using the newly developed heterogeneous nano-Pd/Cu catalyst system, which provides an efficient synthesis of high purity products. The compounds were tested in preliminary fluorescent microscopy studies to in order to identify their preferable cellular localization, which appeared to be in the lipid cellular organelles. The spectroscopic properties of the compounds were measured and theoretical TD-DFT calculations were performed. A biological analysis of the quinolines that were tested consisted of cytotoxicity assays against normal human fibroblasts and colon adenocarcinoma cells. All of the compounds that were studied appeared to be safe and indifferent to cells in a high concentration range. The presented results suggest that the quinoline compounds that were investigated in this study may be valuable structures for development as fluorescent dyes that could have biological applications.

A series of styrylquinolines and quinolineamides based on the 8-hydroxyquinoline moiety were investigated as potential antimycobacterial agents. The lipophilicity of the compounds was measured using RP-HPLC and the tests of their activity against Mycobacterium kansasii, the M. avium complex, M. smegmatis, M. abscessus, M. tuberculosis and M. avium paratuberculosis was performed. Several of the compounds that were obtained appeared to be more effective than isoniazid and ciprofloxacin. The 5,7-dinitro-8-hydroxyquinoline derivative possessed the highest potency against M. abscessus and M. Smegmatis, which was about twice as effective as ciprofloxacin, while 2-(2-hydroxystyryl)-8-hydroxyquinoline-7-carboxylic acid appeared to be comparable with the standard drugs that are against the M. avium complex. The structure activity relationships are discussed.

Series of new ring-substituted styrylquinolines and two oxorhenium complexes were prepared and characterized. The compounds were analyzed using RP-HPLC to determine lipophilicity. Primary in vitro screening of the synthesized compounds was performed against fungal and bacterial strains. Some compounds were active against bacteria at micromolar level and against fungi at submicromolar level. Compounds 5,7-dichloro-2-[2-(2-ethoxyphenyl)vinyl]quinolin-8-ol expressed excellent antifungal activity comparable with or higher than the standard fluconazole as well as antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus strains comparable with or higher than the standards bacitracin, penicillin and ciprofloxacin. The structure-activity relationships are discussed., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A newly developed fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) system has combined the high-temporal resolution of a streak camera with the high-spatial resolution of a microscope to obtain a two-dimensional distribution of fluorescence lifetimes within living cells. The temporal resolution is as short as 20 ps. The effective field of view is 48 x 45 mum with 0.2 mum resolution using a 60x water immersion objective. Image acquisition time is as short as 3 s per image. Measured and published values of lifetime for standard fluophores are shown with good agreement. Examples of FLIM and fluorescence resonance energy transfer images are presented.