Water as a thermodynamic parameter of biosphere evolution

Water has a profound influence on the evolution of the biosphere and can be regarded as a thermodynamic parameter. The priorities and objectives in this research include determining the hydrological features of rivers and lakes in the region as indicators of the thermodynamic activity of water in the evolutionary processes; hydrology and ecology of the cryptobiosphere; the effects of water on the evolutionary adaptations and strategies in living organisms in biogeochemical systems of different origins; and the hydrology of possible alternative stable states of biogeochemical systems.

Effective Deoxidation Process of Titanium Scrap Using MgCl2 Molten Salt Electrolytic

To overcome the scarcity and resource limitations of Ti metal, deoxidation of Ti scrap was conducted through electrolytic refining and chemical reaction with MgCl2 molten salt electrolysis. The oxygen concentration in Ti scraps was decreased by the electrochemical and chemical reactions generated by the applied voltages. The optimized conditions for the process were derived by controlling the conditions and parameters by decreasing the thermodynamic activity of the reactants. The correlation between the deoxidation efficiency and the behavior of the voltage and current was confirmed by setting the conditions of the electrolysis process in various voltage ranges. In addition, the correlation between the presence of impurities and the measured oxygen concentration was evaluated. The surface element analysis result indicated that the salt that was not removed contained a certain amount of oxygen. Thus, the removal efficiencies of impurities and particles by deriving various post-treatment process conditions were analyzed. The results confirmed that the most stable and efficient current was formed at a specific higher voltage. Moreover, the best deoxidation result was 2425 ppm, which was 50% lower than that of the initial Ti scrap.

Absolute quantitation of serum antibody reactivity using the Richards growth model for antigen microspot titration

In spite of its pivotal role in the characterization of humoral immunity, there is no accepted method for the absolute quantitation of antigen specific serum antibodies. We devised a novel method to quantify polyclonal antibody reactivity, which exploits protein microspot assays and employs a novel analytical approach. Microarrays with a density series of disease specific antigen were treated with different serum dilutions and developed for IgG and IgA binding. By fitting binding data of both dilution series to a product of two generalized logistic functions, we obtained estimates of antibody reactivity of two immunoglobulin classes simultaneously. These estimates are the antigen concentrations required for reaching the inflection point of thermodynamic activity coefficient of antibodies and the limiting activity coefficient of antigen. By providing universal chemical units, this method may improve standardization of serological testing, the quality control of antibodies and the quantitative mapping of antibody-antigen interaction space.

Thermodynamic Analysis of Siderite Ore Carbonate Decomposition Process at Roasting

Carbonate decomposition with significant heat energy absorption takes place at siderite ore oxidizing roasting in a shaft furnace. Thermal dissociation of complex carbonates comprising the siderite ore was studied. Thermodynamic analysis was carried out for a sideroplesite decomposition process. Formulas allowing determination of the carbonate dissociation and exchange energy rates were obtained using the regular ion solution theory. The ion composition and thermodynamic activity simulation results were described for sideroplesites as well as iron and magnesium cation shares. The work output is of certain interest as knowing the initial sideroplesite decomposition temperature and the carbonate dissociation rate the optimal dimensions of various zones throughout the shaft furnace height may be defined, the roasting process time may be calculated and the optimal heat treatment conditions as well as the firing rate may be established.

Nanomaterials in Skin Regeneration and Rejuvenation

Skin is the external part of the human body; thus, it is exposed to outer stimuli leading to injuries and damage, due to being the tissue mostly affected by wounds and aging that compromise its protective function. The recent extension of the average lifespan raises the interest in products capable of counteracting skin related health conditions. However, the skin barrier is not easy to permeate and could be influenced by different factors. In the last decades an innovative pharmacotherapeutic approach has been possible thanks to the advent of nanomedicine. Nanodevices can represent an appropriate formulation to enhance the passive penetration, modulate drug solubility and increase the thermodynamic activity of drugs. Here, we summarize the recent nanotechnological approaches to maintain and replace skin homeostasis, with particular attention to nanomaterials applications on wound healing, regeneration and rejuvenation of skin tissue. The different nanomaterials as nanofibers, hydrogels, nanosuspensions, and nanoparticles are described and in particular we highlight their main chemical features that are useful in drug delivery and tissue regeneration.

Macroscopic Nonlocal Correlations in the Data Obtained in New Deep-Water Measurements

Macroscopic nonlocal correlations of random dissipative processes manifest at extremely low frequencies, meaning that observing them involves long-term experiments that maintain highly stable conditions in the detectors. This motivated the Baikal experiment, which investigates correlations between helio-geophysical processes featuring a high random component and test random processes in the detectors installed at various depths in the lake and at a remote land observatory. In the latest year-long experiment series, we focused on the data coming from the bottom detector, the one best protected from classical local interference. The results confirm that correlation with solar activity dominates the detector signal and, at the same time, it is easy to distinguish a forward correlation with thermodynamic activity in the upper active layer of Lake Baikal. The presence of this significant forward nonlocal correlation made it possible to simulate a realistic forecast of the active layer temperature a month ahead. We also detected an unusual diurnal variation in the relatively short-period spectrum of deep-water detector signals, presumably associated with the reemission of solar radiation by the Earth surface

New thermodynamic activity-based approach allows predicting the feasibility of glycolysis

Thermodynamic feasibility analyses help evaluating the feasibility of metabolic pathways. This is an important information used to develop new biotechnological processes and to understand metabolic processes in cells. However, literature standard data are uncertain for most biochemical reactions yielding wrong statements concerning their feasibility. In this article we present activity-based equilibrium constants for all the ten glycolytic reactions, accompanied by the standard reaction data (standard Gibbs energy of reaction and standard enthalpy of reaction). We further developed a thermodynamic activity-based approach that allows to correctly determine the feasibility of glycolysis under different chosen conditions. The results show for the first time that the feasibility of glycolysis can be explained by thermodynamics only if (1) correct standard data are used and if (2) the conditions in the cell at non-equilibrium states are accounted for in the analyses. The results here will help to determine the feasibility of other metabolisms and to understand metabolic processes in cells in the future.