CHIMIA
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Manufacturing Large-scale Materials with Structural Color
Get PDFLiving organisms frequently use structural color for coloration as an alternative mechanism to chemical pigmentation. Recently there has been a growing interest to translate structural color into synthetic materials as a more durable and less hazardous alternative to conventional pigments. Efforts to fabricate structurally colored materials take place in different fronts, from 3D printing to spray-coating and roll-to-roll casting. Stability, performance, and quality of the color, the environmental impact of the materials or their manufacturing methods are some of the heavily researched topics we discuss. First, we highlight recent examples of large-scale manufacturing technologies to fabricate structurally colored objects. Second, we discuss the current challenges to be tackled to create perfect appearances which aim at the full color gamut while caring for environmental concerns. Finally, we discuss possible scenarios that could be followed in order to involve other manufacturing methods for creating structurally colored objects
Photocycloadditions for the Design of Reversible Photopolymerizations
Get PDFThe quest for circular designs and ways to reuse polymer materials demands further advances in the development of reversible chemistries. Stimuli-responsive systems incorporated into polymer materials that enable the formation and cleavage of covalent bonds, hold great potential to reversibly decompose materials into their original building blocks. [2π+2π] photocycloadditions, for which the addition and reversion mechanism can be triggered by disparate wavelengths, stand as an attractive platform for triggering such controlled and reversible photoligation towards achieving renewable polymer materials. This perspective highlights the potential of this type of photochemistry to incorporate solid polymer materials and generate reversible polymerizations. The design of effective photoresponsive materials with specific functions requires the consideration of a number of parameters. Following a bottom-up approach – from molecular chemistry to macromolecular functionality – this perspective provides a recipe of the key aspects to consider in the design of such advanced renewable materials. Furthermore, examples of the state of the art in the field are highlighted and an overview of the fundamental challenges that remain is provided. Finally, an outlook on the next frontiers to cross is proposed
Ecological Chemistry of Pest Control in Push-Pull Intercropping Systems: What We Know, and Where to Go?
Get PDFPush-pull technology (PPT) employs mixed cropping for sustainable intensification: an intercrop repels or suppresses pests of the focal crop (push), while a trap crop attracts pests out of the field (pull), where they may be targeted for control. Underlying chemical-ecological mechanisms have been demonstrated in controlled settings, primarily for some of the best-established cereal PPT systems developed in east Africa. Yet, many questions remain regarding mechanisms, and strategies to adapt PPT for different crops and locations. We conducted a systematic review of scientific literature on PPT and related practices for biological control of pests of food and fodder. Of 3335 results, we identified 45 reporting on chemistry of trap- or intercropping systems for pest control, of which 30 focused on cereals or African pests. Seven of these reported primary chemical data: measurements from glasshouse and laboratory studies (5), or of field-collected samples (2). From these 30, we provide a database of compounds, discussing degrees of evidence for their mediation of push-pull. We depict hypothesized spatial distributions of selected compounds in PPT fields from physical properties and emission/exudation rates, and design of the east African cereal PPT system, and discuss influences on activity in field settings likely to affect success
Metabolomics in Ecology and Bioactive Natural Products Discovery: Challenges and Prospects for a Comprehensive Study of the Specialised Metabolome
Get PDFMetabolomics is playing an increasingly prominent role in chemical ecology and in the discovery of bioactive natural products (NPs). The identification of metabolites is a common/central objective in both research fields. NPs have significant biological properties and play roles in multiple chemical-ecological interactions. Classically, in pharmacognosy, their chemical structure is determined after a complex process of isolating and interpreting spectroscopic data. With the advent of powerful analytical techniques such as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) the annotation process of the specialised metabolome of plants and microorganisms has improved considerably. In this article, we summarise the possibilities opened by these advances and illustrate how we harnessed them in our own research to automate annotations of NPs and target the isolation of key compounds. In addition, we are also discussing the analytical and computational challenges associated with these emerging approaches and their perspective
Transporters for Bile Formation in Physiology and Pathophysiology
Get PDFThe liver fulfills many vital functions for the body, among them bile formation and detoxification. Bile salts are organic anions, are the major constituents of bile and are at high concentrations cytotoxic. Detoxification exposes the liver to many harmful compounds. This function is therefore potentially damaging to the liver. Impaired bile formation may lead to hepatic accumulation of bile salts and subsequently to liver disease. Diagnosis of liver diseases involves the measurement of so-called liver function parameters. This overview aims to characterize and summarize the role of organic anion transporters in bile formation at the protein level under normal physiologic conditions and in liver function tests used for diagnosing liver diseases in pathophysiologic situations