Abstract: Biomembranes are under constant attack of free radicals that may lead to lipid oxidation in conditions of oxidative stress. The products generated during lipid oxidation are responsible for structural and dynamical changes which may jeopardize the membrane function. For instance, the local rearrangements of oxidized lipid molecules may induce membrane rupture. In this study, we investigated the effects of mechanical stress on oxidized phospholipid bilayers (PLBs). Model bilayers were stretched until pore formation (or poration) using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. We studied single-component homogeneous membranes composed of lipid oxidation products, as well as two-component heterogeneous membranes with coexisting native and oxidized domains. In homogeneous membranes, the oxidation products with —OH and —OOH groups reduced the areal strain required for pore formation, whereas the oxidation product with ]O group behaved similarly to the native membrane. In heterogeneous membranes composed of oxidized and non-oxidized domains, we tested the hypothesis according to which poration may be facilitated at the domain interface region. However, results were inconclusive due to their large statistical variance and sensitivity to simulation setup parameters. We pointed out important technical issues that need to be considered in future simulations of mechanically-induced poration of heterogeneous membranes. This research is of interest for photodynamic therapy and plasma medicine, because ruptured and intact plasma membranes are experimentally considered hallmarks of necrotic and apoptotic cell death.

Abstract: Atomic scale simulations have been shown to be a powerful tool for elucidating the growth mechanisms of carbon nanotubes. The growth picture is however not entirely clear yet due to the gap between current simulations and real experiments. We here simulate for the first time the nucleation and subsequent growth of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) from oxygen-containing hydrocarbon feedstocks using the hybrid Molecular Dynamics/Monte Carlo technique. The underlying nucleation mechanisms of Ni-catalysed SWNT growth are discussed in detail. Specifically, we find that as a function of the feedstock, different carbon fractions may emerge as the main growth species, due to a competition between the feedstock decomposition, its rehydroxylation and its contribution to etching of the growing SWNT. This study provides a further understanding of the feedstock effects in SWNT growth in comparison with available experimental evidence as well as with<italic>ab initio</italic>and other simulation data, thereby reducing the simulation–experiment gap.

Abstract: We have studied the dependence of the binding energy of a cubane dimer on the mutual orientation of and the distance between the composing monomers employing the second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation scheme (MP2) with the cc-pVDZ molecular basis set. We have found that the MP2 contribution from the molecular correlations is responsible for the bound state of the cubane dimer, whereas the Hartree-Fock contribution remains anti-bonding at all intermolecular distances. Starting with two molecules in the standard orientation and centers of mass at (0,0,0) and (0,0,d), respectively, the maximal binding energy is found at d = 5.125 Å and one of the monomers rotated by 45° about the z-axis. This configuration implies that the hydrogen atoms belonging to different monomers tend to repel each other. The results are in agreement with experimental data on the optimal packing of cubane molecules in the solid state.

Abstract: MFI zeolite nanosheets with thickness of 2 and 8 nm were synthesized, transformed into bifunctional catalysts by loading with platinum and tested in n-decane isomerization and hydrocracking. Detailed analysis of skeletal isomers and hydrocracked products revealed that the MFI nanosheets display transition-state shape-selectivity similar to bulk MFI zeolite crystals. The suppressed formation of bulky skeletal isomers and C5 cracking products are observed both in the nanosheets and the bulk crystals grown in three dimensions. This is typical for restricted transition-state shape-selectivity, characteristic for the MFI type pores. It is a first clear example of transition-state shape-selectivity inside a zeolitic nanosheet. Owing to the short diffusion path across the sheets, expression of diffusion-based discrimination of reaction products in the MFI nanosheets was limited. The 2-methylnonane formation among monobranched C10 isomers and 2,7-dimethyloctane among dibranched C10 isomers, which in MFI zeolite are favored by product diffusion, was much less favored on the nanosheets compared to the reference bulk ZSM-5 material.

Abstract: In present work, we have performed the Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations to quantify CO2 capture inside porous silica at high operating temperatures of 673.15 K and 873.15 K; and over a operating pressure range of 500 kPa – 4000 kPa that are methane steam reforming process parameters. Related chemical potential values at these thermodynamic conditions are obtained from the bulk phase simulations in the Canonical ensemble in conjunction with Widom’s insertion technique, where the CO2 has been accurately represented by TraPPE force field. Present structure of the porous silica is a single slit pore geometry of various heights (H = 20 Å, 31.6 Å, 63.2 Å and 126.5 Å), dimensions in which possible vapour-liquid equilibria for generic square well fluids has been reported in literature. Estimation of the pore-fluid interactions show a higher interaction between silica pore and adsorbed CO2 compared to the reported pore-fluid interactions between homogeneous carbon slit pore and adsorbed CO2; thus resulting in an enhancement of adsorption inside silica pores of H = 20 Å and H = 126.5 Å, which are respectively 3.5 times and 1.5 times higher than that in homogeneous carbon slit pores of same dimensions and at 673.15 K and 500 kPa. Estimated local density plots indicate the presence of structured layers due to more molecular packing, which confirms possible liquid-like and vapour-like phase coexistence of the supercritical bulk phase CO2 under confinement.

Abstract: A microscopic theory, which describes the orientational dynamics of C60 molecules in the face-centered cubic phase of C60-fullerite, is formulated or the case of a complex molecular structure. Interaction centers which comprise atoms, double bonds, and single bonds as molecular constituents contribute to the intermolecular potential. Orientation dependent physical properties are described in terms of symmetry-adapted rotator functions. It is found that a same set of rotator functions is sufficient even in the case of a complex molecular structure. Phase transition temperatures are discussed for various models of molecular structure.

Abstract: We have studied the molecular energy terms of the hole configurations (h(u)(+))(m), m=2,3,4,5 of C-60(m+) cations and the electronic configurations (t(1u))(n) n=2,3,4, as well as (t(1u))(n-1)t(1g) of the C-60(n-) anions. The lowest terms (within an energy span of 0.03 eV) for C-60(2+) are three triplets T-3(1g), (3)G(g), T-3(2g) and for C-60(3+) are three quartets T-4(1u), (4)G(u), T-4(2u), which favor Jahn-Teller distortions. For the ground state of C-60(2-) we find a triplet T-3(1g) in agreement with Hund's rules. Our method takes into account intramolecular direct and exchange multipolar Coulomb interactions.

Abstract: In spite of global actions, biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate. Despite the need for objectively comparable monetary standards to include biodiversity arguments in policymaking, research on the relationship between species diversity and its valuation from a societal perspective is still scarce. In this paper, a methodological framework for the valuation of natural predators based on their ecological role in the agroecosystem is introduced. The framework integrates a dynamic ecological model simulating interactions between species with an economic model, thereby quantifying the effect of reduced numbers of natural predators on the net farm income. The model attributes an objective monetary value to increased species diversity through the changes in the provisioning of a marketable good. Results indicate that the loss of three predators could decrease net farm income with 88.86 ha− 1 to 2186.5 ha− 1. For the pear production sector in Flanders in 2011, this constitutes to an indirect use value of 0,68 million for one predator and 16.63 million for the presence of three predators. The aim is to provide a justification for the argument for biodiversity conservation, based on the ecological function of species, through the delivery of comparable monetary standards.

Abstract: Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations were used to evaluate the air quality before and after the infrastructural change of an important traffic artery in Mortsel, Antwerp (Belgium). During the reconstruction works two pairs of traffic lanes were reduced to one in each direction. Two sampling campaigns were conducted: the first one before the works in 2003 and the second one in 2005, after the road works were finished. Sampling was performed on a weekly base with the use of passive diffusion tubes on the streets, and also indoors in nearby houses. The samples were analyzed by ion chromatography, from which data the NO2 concentrations in air could be calculated. These results were compared with NO2 values from the air monitoring station 42R801 of the Flemish Environment Agency in Borgerhout, Antwerp. On the base of different NO2 concentrations, correlated well with the traffic density, sampling locations were classified into three groups as follows: 1) heavily polluted (heavy traffic); 2) moderately polluted (medium traffic); or 3) less polluted (low traffic density). Sampling sites located further from the road works, enclosed to the group less polluted, showedthe lowestNO2 concentrations. The highestNO2 levelwas found for the locations close to reconstructionworks, which belonged to the group heavily polluted. The contribution of NO2 was at the samelevel before and after the roadworks. During the first campaign it ranged from30±7 µg/m3 to 71±11 µg/m3 and during the second sampling itwas between 36±17 µg/m3 and 73±17 µg/m3. These modernizationworks had no impact on preventing the traffic-related pollutant as NO2 and as a consequence no significant effect on the air quality in the studied region. It has been proven that the impact of traffic on the air quality is unmistakably high and simply reduction of the number of the traffic lanes, intended to discourage the traffic flow, had apparently no environmentally advantageous effect

Abstract: Two sampling campaigns in suburban places in the north zone of Santa Clara city, Cuba, have been carried out on a weekly base with the use of Radiello passive diffusion tubes in order to monitor the tropospheric ozone (O3) levels in 2010. The first campaign was scheduled from February to April (cold season) and the second one in August and October (warm season), both of them at two sampling sites, i.e., Farm and School of Art Instructors. After aqueous extraction, the samples were analyzed by UVVIS spectrophotometry. A seasonal trend was observed with the maximum O3 concentrations in the cold season and the minimum levels in the warm season. Samples collected during the cold season showed the highest O3 levels. Higher levels were reached at the Farm site with average values of about 58 ± 12 μg/m3, which exceeded the limit of the Cuban Standard 99:1999. In the warm season, the O3 concentrations were similar for both sites, but lower than those observed in the cold season. The overall, seasonal average value was found to be 24 μg/m3. Despite the higher weekly average temperatures in August, the O3 concentrations during this month showed the lowest values of the whole sampling period, which finding is in agreement with that reported by the Meteorological Institute of Cuba. Mathematical models, based on the Cochrane-Orcutt algorithm, were fitted to the acquired data set to explain the change in the tropospheric ozone concentrations under various meteorological conditions during the two campaigns. The correlation coefficients for both the cold and the warm seasons demonstrated a strong correlation, i.e., 0.779 and 0.951, respectively. The high correlation of wind speed in the model from the first sampling campaign explains the sharp decrease in O3 concentrations at the SAI sampling site from the sixth week of sampling.