Oxygen Compounds Research Articles

An overview of cocoa nibs shell waste potential to achieve sustainable agriculture

Around 40 cocoa industries were established in Indonesia, and about 400 thousand kg of cacao beans were used for end-product. Deforestation decreases the productivity of cocoa beans and increases greenhouse gas emissions. Besides, 80% of cocoa fruit also consists of pod, shell, and pulp, contributing to residual biomass increment in cocoa industries. Research on cocoa biomass potencies has been carried out in cocoa plantations and the cocoa industry. Cocoa shells have several chemical compounds that benefit agriculture products and environments, such as minerals and nutritional compositions. Cocoa Nibs Shell (CNS), one of the by-products of cocoa processing, wastes about 13% of its production. Therefore, this research aims to give an overview and determine the potential use of CNS waste in agriculture by analyzing the bioactive compound in CNS to add more value to cocoa waste and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the waste. The authors used X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) to identify the bioactive compound in CNS. Subsequently, several bioactive compounds found in the XRF assay were P2O5, SO3, K2O, TiO2, MnO, Fe2O3, NiO, CuO, ZnO, Rb2O, SrO, BaO, Yb2O3, Re2O7. These bioactive compounds have a positive benefit in agriculture. MnO and Fe2O compounds are essential for fertilizer application. P2O5 and SO3 have potential benefits in crop protection. Moreover, CNS has a great characterization which is potential for biochar and bio-adsorbent on water irrigation treatment since it has carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen compounds. Those potencies are also essential to reduce industrial waste in cocoa and to achieve sustainability.

A light scatterer’s vistas on copper–oxygen superconductors

This review summarizes studies of the energy gap and selected electronic properties of CuO2 superconductors. The main focus is placed on results of inelastic light scattering experiments starting as early as 1987 just a year after the discovery of superconductivity in copper–oxygen compounds by Georg Bednorz and Alex Muller. I add a few historical and personal remarks on superconductivity in general and on the contribution of the eminent scientist Karl Alex Muller who passed away in January 2023.

Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses of Seedlings of Two Grape Cultivars with Distinct Tolerance Responses to Flooding and Post-Flooding Stress Conditions

Grapes, an important and widespread fruit crop providing multiple products, face increasing flooding risks due to intense and frequent extreme rainfall. It is thus imperative to fully understand the flood-tolerance mechanisms of grapevines. Here, RNA-seq and LC-MS/MS technologies were used to analyze the transcriptome and metabolome changes in the roots of SO4 (tolerant to flooding) and Kyoho (sensitive to flooding) grapes under flooding and post-flooding conditions. The results showed that the abundance of many metabolites in the phenylpropanoids and polyketides, organic acids and their derivatives, and organic oxygen compounds superclasses changed in different patterns between the Kyoho and SO4 grapes under flooding and post-flooding conditions. Jasmonic acid and the ascorbic acid–glutathione cycle played a pivotal role in coping with both hypoxia stress and reoxygenation stress incurred during flooding and post-flooding treatments in the SO4 cultivar. Under flooding stress, the regulatory mechanistic shift from aerobic respiration to anaerobic fermentation under hypoxia is partly missing in the Kyoho cultivar. In the post-flooding stage, many genes related to ethylene, gibberellins, cytokinins, and brassinosteroids biosynthesis and brassinosteroids-responsive genes were significantly downregulated in the Kyoho cultivar, adversely affecting growth recovery; however, their expression was not reduced in the SO4 cultivar. These findings enhance our understanding of the flooding-tolerance mechanisms in grapes.

Effectiveness of Mo, NiMo, and CoMo catalysts for co-hydroprocessing furfural-acetone aldol condensation adducts with atmospheric gas oil to produce biofuels

Nowadays, supported sulfide transition-metal-based catalysts (Mo, CoMo and NiMo) are the most used hydrotreating catalysts. However, hydrotreating oxygen compounds derived from biomass means a challenge due to their deactivation by sulfur leaching. The co-processing approach could be a compromise solution, as it was for the hydrotreating of other oxygen compounds, such as triglycerides. The present work reports the use of four types of commercial sulfide catalysts (Mo/Al2O3, NiMo/Al2O3, CoMo/Al2O3 and CoMo/TiO2) for the co-processing of furfural-acetone aldol condensation adducts (FAA: 5–10 wt%) with atmospheric gas oil and isopropanol as co-solvent. The experimental tests were carried out in a fixed bed reactor at industrial operating conditions (T = 320 °C, WHSV = 0.5 h−1, P = 5.5 MPa). The conversion of FAA to alkanes did not significantly affect catalyst hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation effectiveness (<1.0%). Moreover, C8 and C13 alkanes from FAA co-processing decreased hydrotreated gas oil density. Overall, our results point to the suitability of commercial sulfide hydrotreating catalysts for upgrading biomass-derived compounds to decarbonize current fuels using the existing refinery units.

Composition regulates dissolved organic matter adsorption onto iron (oxy)hydroxides and its competition with phosphate: Implications for organic carbon and phosphorus immobilization in lakes

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a heterogeneous pool of compounds and exhibits diverse adsorption characteristics with or without phosphorous (P) competition. The impacts of these factors on the burial and mobilization of organic carbon and P in aquatic ecosystems remain uncertain. In this study, an algae-derived DOM (ADOM) and a commercially available humic acid (HA) with distinct compositions were assessed for their adsorption behaviors onto iron (oxy)hydroxides (FeOx), both in the absence and presence of phosphate. ADOM contained less aromatics but more protein-like and highly unsaturated structures with oxygen compounds (HUSO) than HA. The adsorption capacity of FeOx was significantly greater for ADOM than for HA. Protein-like and HUSO compounds in ADOM and humic-like compounds and macromolecular aromatics in HA were preferentially adsorbed by FeOx. Moreover, ADOM demonstrated a stronger inhibitory effect on phosphate adsorption than HA. This observation suggests that the substantial release of autochthonous ADOM by algae could elevate internal P loading and pose challenges for the restoration of restore eutrophic lakes. The presence of phosphate suppressed the adsorption of protein-like compounds in ADOM onto FeOx, resulting in an increase in the relative abundance of protein-like compounds and a decrease in the relative abundance of humic-like compounds in post-adsorption ADOM. In contrast, phosphate exhibited no discernible impact on the compositional fractionation of HA. Collectively, our results show the source-composition characters of DOM influence the immobilization of both DOM and P in aquatic ecosystems through adsorption processes. The preferential adsorption of proteinaceous compounds within ADOM and aromatics within HA highlights the potential for the attachment with FeOx to diminish the original source-specific signatures of DOM, thereby contributing to the shared DOM characteristics observed across diverse aquatic environments.

An effective method of magnetic field treatment in increasing soil phosphorus availability in wheat rhizosphere

Magnetic fields are widely used as a physical energy source in industry and environmental governance. Their application in agriculture has also been reported; however, it remains unknown whether magnetic fields can be used to increase the availability of phosphorus in wheat fields and whether they have an effect on increasing phosphorus availability in the rhizosphere. In this study, we conducted an incubation experiment for soil and a field control experiment for wheat cultivation. In the wheat cultivation experiment, four magnetic field intensity treatments of 20, 40, 60, and 80 mT were set with 0 mT as a control (CK). Under the magnetic field intensity of 60 mT, the available phosphorus content increased by 7.06% at the booting stage, and acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase activities in rhizosphere soil increased by 19.89% and 9.26%, respectively, under 40 mT and by 12.16% and 26.70%, respectively, under 60 mT magnetic field intensities compared with CK. Moreover, compared with CK, the magnetic field mainly affected lipids and lipid-like molecules, organic oxygen compounds, phenylpropanoids, and polyketides in the rhizosphere metabolisms. The results of correlation analysis show that the abundance of rhizosphere metabolites was significantly correlated with the acid phosphatase activity, and the acid phosphatase activity was significantly correlated with the available phosphorus content. The results indicate that applying an appropriate magnetic field intensity to soil altered the abundance of wheat rhizosphere metabolites. Furthermore, the activity of phosphatase and the content of available phosphorus in the soil increased, which resulted in increased available phosphorus uptake by wheat plants. This study highlights that magnetic fields can be used as a means to increase phosphorus availability in soil.

Design, Synthesis, and Bioactivity Evaluation of Novel Rosin Diterpenoid Derivatives as Potential Anti-glioma Agents.

Glioma is the most common brain tumor and its treatment options are limited. Abietic acid and dehydroabietic acid are tricyclic diterpenoid oxygen compounds with strong lip solubility and anti-glioma activity. In this study, novel rosin diterpenoid derivatives were designed and synthesized using abietic acid and dehydrogenated abietic acid as lead compounds and their activities against T98G, U87MG, and U251 cells were evaluated by CCK-8 methods. The in vivo activity of compounds with stronger activity in vitro was preliminarily studied through the Zebrafish model. The results showed that the IC50 values of B6, B8, B10, and B12 were 11.47 to 210.6 μM, which were exhibited higher antiproliferative potency against T98G, U87MG, and U251. The scratch experiment showed that B12 inhibited the migration of T98G in a time-dependent and concentration-dependent manner. The results of in vivo activity further explained that B12 could inhibit the proliferation of the T98G. The pKa values of B6, B8, B10, and B12 were 7.17 to 7.35, which were within the ideal range of glioma drugs. The ADME predictions indicated that these derivatives could pass through the blood-brain barrier. In addition, molecular docking primarily explained interaction between compounds and protein. These results suggested that B12 should be a promising candidate that merits further attention in the development of anti-glioma drugs.

Fractal characteristics of coal surface structure during low-temperature oxidation and its effect on oxidizability

Pore structure and surface morphology are the key factors affecting coal spontaneous combustion. However, there are few studies that focus on quantitative descriptions of them. This paper presents an investigation into the evolution of the surface physical structure of different metamorphic coal during low-temperature oxidation. Specific surface area analyzer and atomic force microscopy were used to quantify the physical structure. The results indicate that the average pore size of coal decreases as the temperature increase, with low-metamorphic coal demonstrating a more pronounced reduction. Conversely, the specific surface area exhibits a gradual increase with temperature, particularly for the lignite. The evolution of surface morphology gradually changes from the fluctuation of low temperature to a flat surface with fewer high peaks. Meanwhile, the fractal dimension increasing with temperature also explain that the pore structure and surface morphology tend to become more complex during coal oxidation, especially the lignite. That is, the slopes of the fitting lines of fractal dimension vs temperature are higher for XLT coal than for YL coal and SG coal. The effect of coal surface structure on oxidizability is interpreted by the pore connectivity and oxygen adsorption on the surface during the coal oxygen compound reaction.

Comparative analysis of different metabolites in semen of Guanzhong dairy goats with different motility rates

In order to explore the different metabolites of buck semen with different motility stored at 4 °C, the semen of bucks was collected by artificial vagina. The collected semen was divided into high motility group and low motility group after treatment, with 6 replicates set for each group. The semen metabolites of high motility group and low motility group were detected by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS). The results showed that 101 different metabolites were detected in the high and low motility groups of bucks, of which 48 metabolites were significantly up-regulated (P < 0.05) and 53 metabolites were significantly down regulated (P < 0.05). Most of these metabolites belonged to lipids and lipid-like molecules, organic acids and their derivatives, and organic oxygen compounds, which were mainly related to energy metabolism. According to the functional enrichment analysis of the former differential metabolites in KEGG database, the top 20 most representative metabolic pathways were detected, among which the glycerophospholipid metabolic pathways changed significantly. From the perspective of metabolomics, this study revealed the differences of metabolites and characteristic compounds of semen with different motility of bucks under low temperature preservation, which provided a scientific basis for the preservation and utilization of semen of Guanzhong dairy goats in the future.

LC/MS- and GC/MS-based metabolomic profiling to determine changes in flavor quality and bioactive components of Phlebopus portentosus under low-temperature storage.

Low temperature is the most common method used to maintain the freshness of Phlebopus portentosus during long-distance transportation. However, there is no information regarding the nutritional changes that occur in P. portentosus preserved postharvest in low temperature. In this study, the changes in flavor quality and bioactive components in fruiting bodies stored at 4 °C for different storage periods were determined through LC/MS and GC/MS analyses. Sampling was performed at 0, 3, 5, 7, and 13 days storage. Based on the results, the metabolites present in caps and stipes were different at the same period and significantly different after 7 days of storage. A total of 583 and 500 different metabolites were detected in caps and stipes, respectively, and were mainly lipids and lipid-like molecules, organic acids and derivatives, organic oxygen compounds and others. Except for prenol lipids and nucleotides, the expression levels of most metabolites increased with longer storage time. In addition, geosmin was identified as the major contributor to earthy-musty odors, and the level of geosmin was increased when the storage time was short. The variations in these metabolites might cause changes in flavor quality and bioactive components in P. portentosus. Variations in these metabolites were thoroughly analyzed, and the results revealed how storage processes affect the postharvest quality of P. portentosus for the first time.

Comparison of volatile stream compositions obtained by the thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of date palm seeds

The thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of date palm seeds have been studied in a Py-GC/MS equipment and the components formed in their degradation have been identified and quantified to a certain extent. Thermal pyrolysis has been studied in the 450–600 °C range. Catalytic pyrolysis on a HZSM-5 zeolite have been carried out at 450 °C, with the catalyst/biomass ratios used being 1, 2 and 5. The temperature of 450 °C has been chosen in order to minimize energy requirements.Concerning thermal pyrolysis, acids, ketones, furans and anhydrosugars are the most abundant compound families in the condensable fraction, with their relative content being almost constant with temperature, except that of the anhydrosugar family, which decreases as temperature is increased. Concerning catalytic pyrolysis, the HZSM-5 zeolite has a great influence on product distribution, with the hydrocarbon yield, especially that of aromatics, being higher than in the thermal cracking and that of oxygenate compounds lower. In the gas fraction, the high content of propene and butenes is remarkable. Concerning the condensable fraction obtained in the catalytic pyrolysis, a detailed analysis of the aromatic compounds has been conducted, as it is a key factor for the bio-oil potential applications. Thus, the content of mononaromatic compounds increases more sharply than that of polyaromatic ones when the C/B ratio is increased. The relative content of all aromatic compounds or compound families increases as the C/B ratio is increased, except benzene derivatives, whose content peaks for C/B = 2, and then decreases for C/B = 5.

Retrospective analysis of production of main active ingredients and assortment of disinfectants in Ukraine

There are practically no disinfectants on the market of veterinary drugs that fully meet the requirements. This is due to the significant diversity and peculiarity of the structure of microorganisms and their ability to form resistance during long-term use of the same disinfectants. This is one of the reasons for the active search for effective active substances, the development of new drugs, and their registration, contributing to quite intensive changes in the range of disinfectants on the market. The work aimed to analyze the production, determine the share of domestic and imported disinfectants, determine the main active substances, and the range of disinfectants registered in Ukraine. The research material was a list of disinfectants registered in Ukraine used in animal husbandry, veterinary and humane medicine, and the food industry. It was established that from 2018 to 2022, 66 domestic and imported disinfectants were registered in Ukraine. Imported disinfectants are produced mainly in Great Britain, France, Belgium, Spain, Germany, Israel, Slovenia, Denmark, and the Netherlands. From among domestic companies, PP “Kronos Agro”, LLC “BioTestLab”, LLC “SANFORT-P”, LLC “Brovapharma”, LLC “Ukrvetprompostach”, LLC “Ukrainian-Polish joint enterprise “ZVK”, LLC “VetAgro” are engaged in the production of disinfectants, LLC “Inter-Syntez”, LLC “Ukrainian Chemical Technologies LTD”, LLC “GREENPAKS”, LLC NVK “Globus”, LLC “Vetsyntez”, PF “Termit”, LLC “ABM-Trade”, LLC “Dezsystema”, LLC “Tandem-2002”, NVPP “DEZO” and LLC “UKRTEK KO”. It was determined that manufacturers often use chlorine and oxygen as active ingredients, and the number of products with one active ingredient is relatively insignificant. Most often, the active substance of modern disinfectants is quaternary ammonium salts in combination with aldehydes. Their number is 33.4 % of all registered means. This means combining QAS and acids and QAS and oxygen compounds takes 3.2 times less time. Means containing other combinations of active substances are from 1.5 to 4.6 %. It was established that the leader in the production of imported “cleansing probiotics” (PIP – Probiotics In Progress) is the British company “Ingenious Probiotics”, which produces 66.7 % of registered products. Three companies produce this kind of disinfectant in our country; their assortment includes 23 names, and the largest share belongs to the company “Sirion”.

Mechanical properties and microscopic mechanism of active MgO-fly ash solidified saline soil in seasonal freezing areas

This paper presents an innovative method for improving the strength of salt-bearing clay under freeze–thaw cycles. The active magnesium oxide (MgO) and industrial waste fly ash were employed as primary solidifying materials in the seasonal freezing soil reinforcement process, and the reinforcement effect is achieved through carbonate crystals generated through carbonization tests. The solidification effect was investigated with varying ratios of solidifying materials, salt content, and freeze–thaw cycles. The experiment results revealed that the combination of active MgO and fly ash effectively enhances the strength of salt-bearing clay. Specifically, compared to unsolidified soil, the soil solidified with 8 % active MgO (8M0F) and a combination of 4 % active MgO and 4 % fly ash (4M4F) demonstrated a significant increase in ultimate strength by 14 and 12 times, respectively. Moreover, the number of freeze–thaw cycles exhibited a negative correlation with ultimate strength, whereas the salt content demonstrated a similar negative correlation. Microscopic analysis revealed that the 8M0F sample produced mainly magnesium carbonates and hydrogen and oxygen compounds, whereas the 4M4F sample generated primarily magnesium and calcium carbonates. The resulting compound crystals efficiently filled the internal pores and cemented the soil particles, leading to a substantial increase in strength. Overall, these results indicate that the active MgO combined with fly ash solidifying method can offer a viable and sustainable solution for improving the strength of salt-bearing clay in areas with seasonal freeze–thaw cycles.

EFEKTIVITAS EKSTRAK ETANOL DAUN KERSEN (Muntingia Calabura) TERHADAP PROFIL HISTOLOGI HEPAR TIKUS DIABETES

Diabetes mellitus occurs due to insulin resistance or absolute insulin deficiency as a result of damage to pancreatic beta cells. Long-term conditions of gluconeogenesis lead to auto-oxidation of glucose, protein glycation and activation of the polyol pathway which result in increased production of free radicals which is characterized by the formation of reactive oxygen compounds. Antioxidant compounds contained in Muntingia calabura L. leaves are expected to be able to protect liver cells from damage caused by free radicals with flavonoids as the dominant active compound. This study aims to test the effectiveness of Muntingia calabura L. leaf ethanol extract on the histological profile of diabetic rats. This research method is a laboratory experimental research, tissue staining using the hematoxylin eosin staining method. The results showed that the liver histology of diabetic rats after therapy with ethanol extract of Muntingia calabura L. leaves at dose I, dose II and dose III did not appear to be significantly different. Similar to the group of DM rats treated with glibenclamide, the hepatocyte cells appeared to be still experiencing enlargement, widening of the sinusoids and changes in parenchymatous cells. In addition, the ethanol extract of Muntingia calabura L. leaves dose I, II and III were also unable to regenerate the central vein. In conclusion, ethanol extract of Muntingia calabura L. leaf dose groups I, II and III were not effective in repairing hepatocyte necrosis.

Metabolic responses of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) to the insecticide thiamethoxam.

Thiamethoxam (TMX) is insecticidal, but also can trigger physiological and metabolic reactions of plant cycles. The objective of this work was to evaluate the physiological and metabolic effect of TMX on tea plants and its potential benefits. In this study, dose of TMX (0.09, 0.135 and 0.18 kg a.i./ha) were tested. Except for peroxidase (POD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST), chlorophyll, carotenoid, catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly affected compared with the controls. The CAT activity was increased by 3.38, 1.71, 2.91 times, respectively, under three doses of TMX treatment. The metabolic response between TMX treatment and control groups on the third day was compared using a widely targeted metabolomics. A total of 97 different metabolites were identified, including benzenoids, flavonoids, lipids and lipid-like molecules, organic acids and derivatives, organic nitrogen compounds, organic oxygen compounds, organoheterocyclic compounds, phenylpropanoids and polyketides, and others. Those metabolites were mapped on the perturbed metabolic pathways. The results demonstrated that the most perturbation occurred in flavone and flavonol biosynthesis. The beneficial secondary metabolites luteolin and kaempferol were upregulated 1.46 and 1.31 times respectively, which protect plants from biotic and abiotic stresses. Molecular docking models suggest interactions between TMX and flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase. Thiamethoxam spray positively promoted the physiological and metabolic response of tea plants. And this work also provided the useful information of TMX metabolism in tea plants as well as rational application of insecticides. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Bio Oil Production from Multi-Feed Stock Biomass Waste and The Upgrading Process for Quality Improvement - Mini Review

Bio-oil is an environmentally friendly liquid fuel produced from the condensation of vapor product of pyrolysis process. Bio-oil has higher calorific value compared to other oxygenated fuels (such as methanol), but its calorific value is still lower than diesel and other light fuel oils. Bio-oil can be used directly as fuel; however, it has several characteristics that adversely affect high-tech machines. Bio-oil is corrosive since it has a high acidity level, unstable at room temperature due to the high content of oxygenate compounds and has a low higher heating value (HHV) due to its high water content. Therefore, an upgrading process is needed to improve the quality before it can be further processed into liquid fuel and chemicals. Meanwhile, the raw material for bio-oil also varies, not only using single feedstock but also using mixed feedstock. However, studies on mixed bio-oil raw materials are still very limited. Thus, it is possible to study the process of producing bio-oil from a mixture of biomass waste using the catalytic pyrolysis method and improve the quality of bio-oil through the collection of phenolic compounds using the extraction process.

Heteroatomic organic compound as a novel corrosion inhibitor for carbon steel in sulfuric acid: Detail experimental, surface, molecular docking and computational studies

The prime objective of the present research is to explore the green synthesis of nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur-containing heteroatomic organic compound (TMP) using the ultrasound method and its application as a novel corrosion inhibitor for carbon steel in 1 M H2SO4 under hydrodynamic conditions at 1500 rpm. The performance ability of TMP rises from 42.80 % (without TMP) to 92.80 % (with TMP)/96.67 % (with TMP+KI). The TMP depicted the cathodic inhibitive nature. The charge transfer resistance (Rct) changes from 28.7 Ω cm−1 to 190.4 Ω cm−1 with the falling of double layer capacitance (Cdl) from 46 μF cm−2 to 28 μF cm−2 on the introduction of TMP supports the adsorption of TMP molecules at the active sites of the carbon steel surface. The molecular adsorption of TMP is governed by El-Awady isotherm. The results of the surface analysis support the creation of an inhibitive layer of TMP over the carbon steel surface. Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Monte Carlo simulations (MCS) calculations were further performed to justify the experimental results. Molecular docking was used to analyze the TMP and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) protein interaction.

Cu-Zn-based alloy/oxide interfaces for enhanced electroreduction of CO2 to C2+ products

The electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction to produce multi-carbon (C2+) hydrocarbons or oxygenate compounds is a promising route to obtain a renewable fuel of high energy density. However, producing C2+ at high current densities is still a challenge. Herein, we develop a Cu-Zn alloy/Cu-Zn aluminate oxide composite electrocatalytic system for enhanced conversion of CO2 to C2+ products. The Cu-Zn-Al-Layered Double Hydroxide (LDH) is used as a precursor to decompose into uniform Cu-Zn oxide/Cu-Zn aluminate pre-catalyst. Under electrochemical reduction, Cu-Zn oxide generates Cu-Zn alloy while Cu-Zn aluminate oxide remains unchanged. The alloy and oxide are closely stacked and arranged alternately, and the aluminate oxide induces the strong electron interaction of Cu, Zn and Al, creating a large number of highly active reaction interfaces composed of 0 to +3 valence metal sites. With the help of the interface effect, the optimized Cu9Zn1/Cu0.8Zn0.2Al2O4 catalyst achieves a Faradaic efficiency of 88.5% for C2+ products at a current density of 400 mA cm−2 at −1.15 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode. The in-situ Raman and attenuate total reflectance-infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR-IRAS) spectra show that the aluminate oxide at the interface significantly enhances the adsorption and activation of CO2 and the dissociation of H2O and strengthens the adsorption of CO intermediates, and the alloy promotes the C–C coupling to produce C2+ products. This work provides an efficient strategy to construct highly active reaction interfaces for industrial-scale electrochemical CO2RR.

The role of bismuth nanoparticles in the inhibition of bacterial infection.

Bismuth (Bi) combinations have been utilized for the treatment of bacterial infections. In addition, these metal compounds are most frequently utilized for treating gastrointestinal diseases. Usually, Bi is found as bismuthinite (Bi sulfide), bismite (Bi oxide), and bismuthite (Bi carbonate). Newly, Bi nanoparticles (BiNP) were produced for CT imaging or photothermal treatment and nanocarriers for medicine transfer. Further benefits, such as increased biocompatibility and specific surface area, are also seen in regular-size BiNPs. Low toxicity and ecologically favorable attributes have generated interest in BiNPs for biomedical approaches. Moreover, BiNPs offer an option for treating multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria because they communicate directly with the bacterial cell wall, induce adaptive and inherent immune reactions, generate reactive oxygen compounds, limit biofilm production, and stimulate intracellular impacts. In addition, BiNPs in amalgamation with X-ray therapy as well as have the capability to treat MDR bacteria. BiNPs as photothermal agents can realize the actual antibacterial through continuous efforts of investigators in the near future. In this article, we summarized the properties of BiNPs, and different preparation methods, also reviewed the latest advances in the BiNPs' performance and their therapeutic effects on various bacterial infections, such as Helicobacter pylori, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli.

Effects of extended transition milk feeding on blood metabolites of female Holstein dairy calves at 3 weeks of age: a liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry-based metabolomics approach

Transition milk (TRM) is a rich source of bioactive components that promotes intestinal development and growth, and reduces the susceptibility to diarrhoea in calves. The objective of this study was to characterise the effects of replacing pasteurised waste milk (none-saleable milk containing antibiotic and/or drug residues) with pasteurised TRM for 3 wk on blood metabolites of dairy calves at 21 d of age. A total of 84 healthy newborn female Holstein calves was blocked by birth order and assigned randomly to four treatment groups with partial replacement of pasteurised waste milk by TRM (second milking after parturition) at 0 (0 L/day TRM + 6 L/day milk), 0.5 (0.5 L/day TRM + 5.5 L/day milk), 1 (1 L/day TRM + 5 L/day milk), or 2 L (2 L/day TRM + 4 L/day milk) for a 21-day period. Serum metabolome was determined by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry-based metabolomics analysis on a subset of 26 randomly selected individuals from calves fed pasteurised waste milk (CON, 6 L/d milk; n = 13) or TRM (2 L/d TRM + 4 L/d milk; n = 13) at 21 d of age. The identified metabolites (194 out of 265) were categorised according to chemical class and the number of metabolites per class in the serum, amongst which glycerophospholipids 16% (n = 43), fatty acyls 7% (n = 19), organic acids 7% (n = 18), organic heterocyclic compounds 5% (n = 13), benzenoids 5% (n = 12), sphingolipids 5% (n = 12), organic oxygen compounds 4% (n = 11), and nucleic acids 3% (n = 9), were the predominant types. Significant differences in metabolites were determined by the volcano plot. Applying the volcano plot, only two metabolites (ceramide and phosphatidylserine) were significantly different between CON and TRM. Overall, our results suggested that prolonged TRM feeding for 3 wk had little effect on the serum metabolome of the dairy calves. We speculate that the potential effects of feeding TRM for 3 wk compared with waste milk were spatially limited to affect the composition of the local gut microbial community and the growth or function of the intestinal epithelium, not allowing detection of the likely effects in the serum through a metabolomic approach.