Spectroscopic characterization of calcium phosphate precipitated under human eye conditions: An in vitro study.

Calcification is a well-known process of calcium phosphate mineralization observed in intraocular lenses. Despite the many works conducted in this field, there is no strict explanation of the mechanisms of this process. In order to better understand the phenomenon, i.e., the mechanisms and structural conditions that promote calcification, any research observations should be conducted under conditions that best reflect those of the human eye. Taking into account the specific anatomy and physicochemical conditions of the human eye, the problem under discussion becomes difficult to solve in vitro. In the present study, calcium phosphates formed under conditions similar to those in the human eye were characterized using SEM/EDS and infrared spectroscopy. Conducted study showed the formation of white spherical precipitates, which are unstable when extracted from solution. Such precipitates were characteristic of solutions containing 1.5-3.0 mM2 of solutes. Elemental analysis showed a Ca/P ratio of 1.64-1.65, which is similar to the ratio for hydroxyapatite (1.67). Chemical structure analysis revealed the presence of broad bending and stretching bands at 475-830 cm-1 and 880-1250 cm-1, respectively, which are characteristic of PO43- groups in apatite calcium phosphates. In further analysis involving numerical fitting the bands corresponding to apatitic PO43- and indicating the presence of calcium phosphates hydration were found. The results allow the selection of immersion media for further studies involving the incubation of hydrogel intraocular lenses.

Enhancement of Y5-xPrxSb3-yMy (M = Sn, Pb) Electrodes for Lithium- and Sodium-Ion Batteries by Structure Disordering and CNTs Additives.

The maximally disordered (MD) phases with the general formula Y5-xPrxSb3-yMy (M = Sn, Pb) are formed with partial substitution of Y by Pr and Sb by Sn or Pb in the binary Y5Sb3 compound. During the electrochemical lithiation and sodiation, the formation of Y5-xPrxSb3-yMyLiz and Y5-xPrxSb3-yMyNaz maximally disordered-high entropy intermetallic phases (MD-HEIP), as the result of insertion of Li/Na into octahedral voids, were observed. Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are an effective additive to improve the cycle stability of the Y5-xPrxSb3-yMy (M = Sn, Pb) anodes for lithium-ion (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Modification of Y5-xPrxSb3-ySny alloys by carbon nanotubes allowed us to significantly increase the discharge capacity of both types of batteries, which reaches 280 mAh · g-1 (for LIBs) and 160 mAh · g-1 (for SIBs), respectively. For Y5-xPrxSb3-yPby alloys in which antimony is replaced by lead, these capacities are slightly smaller and are 270 mAh · g-1 (for LIBs) and 155 mAh · g-1 (for SIBs), respectively. Results show that structure disordering and CNT additives could increase the electrode capacities up to 30% for LIBs and up to 25% for SIBs.

Penta-zirconium copper tribismuth.

Penta-zirconium copper tribismuth, Zr5CuBi3, crystallizes in the hexa-gonal Hf5CuSn3 structure type. The asymmetric unit contains two Zr sites (site symmetries 3.2 and m2m), one Cu site (site symmetry 3.m) and one Bi site (site symmetry m2m). The environment of the Bi atoms is a tetra-gonal anti-prism with one added atom and a coordination number (CN) of 9. The polyhedron around the Zr1 atom is a defective cubo-octa-hedron with CN = 11. The bicapped hexa-gonal anti-prism (CN = 14) is typical for Zr2 atoms. The Cu atom is enclosed in a eight-vertex polyhedron (octa-hedron with two centered faces). The metallic type of bonding was indicated by an analysis of the inter-atomic distances and electronic structure calculation data.

Diastereomers of N-alpha-phenylethyl-t-butylsulfinamide: absolute configurations and predominant conformations.

N-alpha-Phenylethyl-t-butylsulfinamide is a complicated system for determining molecular stereochemistry because of numerous possibilities for assigning the absolute configuration and a predominant conformation. Two diastereomers of N-alpha-phenylethyl-t-butylsulfinamide derived from (-)-(S)-alpha-phenylethyl amine, a (+)-diastereomer and a (-)-diastereomer, have been synthesized and their experimental chiroptical spectroscopic properties have been measured. These properties include vibrational circular dichroism, electronic circular dichroism and optical rotatory dispersion. Using these experimental data, in conjunction with corresponding density functional theoretical predictions, the absolute configuration and predominant conformations of these two diastereomers have been determined. Also, the absolute configuration of (-)-diastereomer has been independently confirmed by determining its structure from X-ray diffraction data.

Synthesis and phytotoxicity of new ionic liquids incorporating chiral cations and/or chiral anions.

The aim of this work was to synthesize chiral ionic liquids as chiral solvents for organic synthesis and to evaluate the phyto(eco)toxicity of the new products and starting N-alkylimidazoles and their potential environmental influence on soil and plants. Chiral ionic liquids containing anions such as Cl-, Br-, TsO-, PF6(-), NO3(-), CF3SO3(-), and (+)- and (-)-C6H5CH(OH)C(O)O- were synthesized using (-)-(1R)-6,6-dimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-ene-2-ethyl [(-)-(1R)-nopyl] halides (X = Cl, Br) and tosylate in 62-100% yields. The chloride 7 and the nitrate 13 ionic liquids possessed a toxicity dependent on the applied concentration. The lowest concentration causing a distinct reduction in plant germination/growth was 100 mg/kg. Spring barley better tolerated the ionic liquids (200 mg/kg) than common radish (100 mg/kg). The nitrate liquid did not exhibit an inhibiting effect on the germination ability of seeds. The starting N-methylimidazole used in lower concentrations (1 and 10 mg/kg of soil dry weight) was not phytotoxic, in contrast to higher doses (>1000 mg/kg).