Differences In Composition Research Articles

High energy density and efficiency of laminated polymeric blend-based composites via introducing ultra-low content micrometer sheets

Polymeric blend-based composites are promising for dielectric capacitor due to the excellent dielectric and energy storage properties. However, the electric displacement difference (Dmax-Dr) and dielectric constant (εr) of the polymeric blend-based composites are incompatible, which further limits the improvement of the available energy densities (Ue). In this study, we propose the solution-processable laminated polymeric blend-based composites to address this challenge. The concurrent enhancement in Dmax-Dr, εr, Ue and charge-discharge efficiency (η) of designed composites is attributed to the synergistic interaction between macroscopic layered interfaces and microscopic interfaces. The laminated polymeric blend-based composites were fabricated by utilizing a blend of 50 wt% poly(vinylidene difluoride)-hexafluoropropylene (P(VDF-HFP)) and linear poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as the outer layer and P(VDF-HFP)/PMMA incorporated with an ultralow content alumina-modified strontium titanate plates (SrTiO3@Al2O3) the inner layer. As a result, laminated polymeric blend-based composite with the optimized content (0.5 vol%) delivers a maximum Ue of 14.36 J/cm3 due to highest Dmax-Dr of 7.96 μC/cm2, εr of 6.12 (1 kHz), Eb of 400 MV/m, and η of 76.6 %, outperforms those of representative polymer blend-based composites. Specially, laminated polymeric blend-based composite also exhibits the excellent energy storage reliability of different areas. Therefore, this contribution provides a viable approach to promote polymeric blend-based composites for capacitive energy storage.

Catheter Ablation Versus Antiarrhythmic Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

BackgroundClinical outcomes among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) treated with catheter ablation (CA) versus antiarrhythmic therapy (AAT) are not well-known. ObjectivesThis study compared morbidity and mortality among patients with AF and HFpEF treated with CA versus AAT. MethodsAF and HFpEF patients from January 2017-June 2023 were identified in TriNetX, a large global population-based database. Patients with prior diagnosis of HFrEF or crossover between AAT and CA were excluded. Baseline characteristics including age, sex, BMI, type of AF, comorbidities, and cardiovascular medications were compared. The two groups were 1:1 propensity matched for outcomes analysis. All-cause mortality, cerebrovascular accident (CVA)/transient ischemic attack (TIA), and acute HF were compared with Kaplan-Meier curves. ResultsPatients treated with CA (n=1959) and AAT (n=7689) were 1:1 propensity matched yielding 3632 patients with no significant differences in baseline characteristics. Compared to AAT, CA was associated with decreased mortality (9.2% vs. 20.5%; hazard ratio [HR]: 0.431; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.359 to 0.518; p<0.001). Additionally, CA was associated with reduced HFpEF (HR: 0.638; 95% CI, 0.550 to 0.741; p<0.001) and acute HFrEF (HR: 0.645; 95% CI, 0.452 to 0.920; p=0.015). There was no difference in composite of CVA/TIA (HR: 0.935; 95% CI: 0.725 to 1.207; p=0.607). ConclusionIn this retrospective study of patients with AF and HFpEF, CA was associated with lower mortality and risk of acute heart failure when compared with AAT.

Association of metabolic syndrome and frailty with postoperative complications in older gastric cancer patients: A body composition perspective.

To compare the characteristics of body compositions between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and frailty, and determine the independent and overlapping of MetS and frailty with postoperative complications among older patients with gastric cancer. A prospectively observational study. Two hundred and eighty six older patients from 60 to 80 years undergoing radical gastrectomy for the first time. MetS was diagnosed by the criteria from the 2020 edition of Chinese guideline for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and frailty was defined by frailty phenotype. An InBody770 impedance analyzer was used to measure body compositions and with 10 fat- and muscle-related indicators being included in this study. Based on the presence of frailty and MetS, patients were divided into the frailty group, MetS group, frailty+MetS group, and normal group, and the body compositions indicators of these groups were compared. Clavien-Dindo classification was used to grade the severity of postoperative complications. Univariate and multivariate regression models were performed to explore the independent and joint association of MetS and frailty with postoperative complications. The incidence rate of MetS, frailty, and frailty+MetS being 20.3%, 15.7%, and 4.2% respectively. Compared with the normal group, both fat and muscle compositions were decreased significantly in the frailty group (p < 0.05), while the statistically significant difference of fat-to-muscle mass ratio (FMR) and skeletal muscle mass to visceral fat area ratio (SVR) were not observed (p > 0.05). In contrast, except SVR, the other indicators of the MetS group were higher than the normal group (p < 0.05). As to the frailty+MetS group, there was a significant increase in fat compositions and FMR, as well as a significant decline in SVR (p < 0.05), while the difference of muscle compositions was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). There was an association of frailty with postoperative total (OR = 3.068, 95% CI: 1.402-6.713) and severe (OR = 9.423, 95% CI: 2.725-32.589) complications, but no association was found of MetS alone. MetS coexisting with frailty was associated with the highest risk of both total (OR = 3.852, 95% CI: 1.020-14.539) and severe (OR = 12.096, 95% CI: 2.183-67.024) complications. Both frailty and MetS coexisting with frailty had adverse effects on postoperative complications, which appeared greatly different characteristics in body compositions and therefore reinforced the importance of targeted nutritional or metabolic intervention. Although MetS alone were not significantly associated with postoperative complications, it is essential to focus on the causal relationship and development trend between MetS and frailty to prevent MetS from shifting into frailty, considering the highest risk in their coexistence state.

Differences of endophytic microbial compositions and metabolites in roots between fusarium wilt resistant and susceptible melon varieties

BackgroundStudies have shown that plant endophytic microbial communities are ubiquitous and closely related to plant growth and health. To clarify the mechanism of the melon varieties with high resistant to wilt, the endophytic microbial compositions and metabolites in roots of melon varieties with high resistant ability to wilt were analyzed.ResultsThe results showed that the abundances of Firmicutes, Ascomycota, Bacillus, Bradyrhizobium, Amycolatopsis, Actinospica, and Catenulispora all increased in roots of wilt high resistant melon varieties (MT) which compared to wilt susceptible melon varieties (MS). Meanwhile, Ochrobactrum, Bordetella, Roseateles, Staphylococcus, Acidovorax, Amycolatopsis, Catenulispora, Promicromonospora, and Gymnopilus were the unique endophytic microbes in roots of MT. Moreover, in comparison with the MS varieties, the functions of Defense mechanisms, Secondary metabolites biosynthesis, transport and catabolism, Nucleotide transport and metabolism, Signal transduction mechanisms, Coenzyme transport and metabolism, Carbohydrate transport and metabolism and Amino acid transport and metabolism all increased in roots of MT varieties. Additionally, the nucleotide metabolism and biosynthesis of cofactors metabolic pathways were also significantly increased in roots of MT varieties. On the other hand, the untargeted metabolome results showed that Biosynthesis of various plant secondary metabolites, Nucleotide metabolism and Biosynthesis of cofactors metabolic pathways were significantly increased in the expression of MT varieties; and the content of metabolic compounds such as flavonoids, Cinnamic acid compounds, Organic acid compounds, and Nucleotides were increased. In addition, the correlation between microbiome and metabolome indicates a significant correlation between the two.ConclusionsAll above results suggested that higher abundant antagonistic microbes and metabolic functions of endophytes in roots of wilt high resistant melon varieties (MT) were the important mechanisms for their high resistance to wilt.Graphical

Non-Linear Response of Alpha and Beta Diversity of Taxonomic and Functional Groups of Phytoplankton to Environmental Factors in Subtropical Reservoirs.

Exploring the response of the diversity of phytoplankton species and functional groups to environmental variables is extremely important in maintaining biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems. Although there were more taxonomic units at the species level than at the functional group level, it remained unclear whether species diversity was more sensitive than functional group diversity to environmental variables. In this study, taxonomic composition and alpha-beta diversity of phytoplankton were investigated in 23 subtropical reservoirs located in the Han River Basin in South China during wet and dry seasons. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and Generalized Dissimilarity Modelling (GDM) were employed to validate the response of phytoplankton species and functional group alpha-beta diversities to environmental variables. The results indicated that the community compositions of phytoplankton in eutrophic reservoirs were similar between wet and dry seasons, while there were distinct differences for community composition in oligotrophic-mesotrophic reservoirs between the two seasons. Across all reservoirs, there were no significant differences in alpha and beta diversities of species and functional groups between wet and dry seasons. The SEM and GDM results revealed that total phosphorus was the primary driving factor influencing alpha and beta diversities of species and functional groups in the 23 reservoirs. Meanwhile, the non-linear results of species beta diversity were stronger than the non-linear results of functional group beta diversity, indicating that phytoplankton species exhibited a higher explanatory power in responding to environmental changes compared to that of functional groups. Compared to that of species beta diversity, the response of functional group beta diversity to environmental variables was significantly lower in the dry season. These research findings lead to re-evaluating the common practice relating to the use of phytoplankton functional groups to assess environmental conditions, which may overlook the explanatory power of subtle changes at the species level, especially during periods of habitat diversification in the dry season.

Study of the phase formation of transparent magnesium aluminosilicate glass-ceramic materials

Current trends in the development of materials for optics and laser technology were analyzed. The prospects of creating passively Q-switched Yb-Er glass lasers with eye-safe emission wavelengths based on glass-ceramic magnesium aluminosilicate materials for compact pulsed lasers were established. The main types of transparent glass-ceramic materials were analyzed and the main criteria for the synthesis of transparent nanostructured glass-ceramic materials with a crystalline phase content of approximately 70–80 vol.% were substantiated. Compositions of magnesium aluminosilicate glasses were synthesized and the differences of compositions with different types of optical transparency were determined, taking into account their thermal prehistory. The mechanism of phase formation and the differences of MgO, Al2O3, MgO/Al2O3 and RO2 in their composition, which determine the character of crystallization, optical transparency and density under the conditions of heat treatment with a duration of 0.5 and 6 hours, were studied. The developed magnesium aluminosilicate glasses can be used as a basis for the creation of protective and functional high-strength nanostructured glass-ceramic materials based on spinel or cordierite with adjustable optical transparency for optics and laser technology.

Effects of different LED light curing units on the degree of conversion and microhardness of different composites: FT-IR and SEM-EDX analysis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of conversion (DC), Vickers microhardness (VHN), main components and surface properties of a microhybrid and two bulk-fill composite resins polymerized with second and third generation light emitting diodes (LED). Sixty cylindrical specimens of Filtek™ Bulk-Fill, everX Posterior (bulk technique) and Filtek Z250 (incremental technique) were prepared in plexiglass molds (5 mm in diameter and 4 mm in thickness) and cured with second-generation LED (Woodpecker LED.B) and third-generation LED (Valo) resulting in six groups (n = 10). DC was determined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and VHN with Vickers microhardness tester. The main components were identified by means of energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) microanalysis; whereas filler particles and surface properties were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). VHN and DC data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA, followed by t-test with Bonferroni correction for pairwise comparison (p < 0.05). When DC and VHN values were evaluated, after polymerization with second and third generation LED, there was a statistical difference in bulk-fill composites, while there was no statistical difference in microhybrid composite. While, the highest DC and VHN values were obtained after polymerization of Filtek Z250 with Valo, the lowest DC and VHN values were obtained with Filtek Bulk-Fill with Woodpecker LED.B. The degree of conversion and microhardness are affected by the structure of the composite resin and LEDs.

Comparison of the H2O, HDO and δD stratospheric climatologies between the MIPAS-ESA V8, MIPAS-IMK V5 and ACE-FTS V4.1/4.2 satellite datasets

Abstract. Variations in the isotopologic composition of water vapour are fundamental for understanding the relative importance of different mechanisms of water vapour transport from the tropical upper troposphere to the lower stratosphere. Previous comparisons obtained from observations of H2O and HDO by satellite instruments showed discrepancies. In this work, newer versions of H2O and HDO retrievals from Envisat/MIPAS and SCISAT/ACE-FTS are compared. Specifically, MIPAS-IMK V5, MIPAS-ESA V8 and ACE-FTS V4.1/4.2 for the common period from February 2004 to April 2012 are compared for the first time through a profile-to-profile approach and comparison based on climatological structures. The comparison is essential for the scientific community to assess the quality of new satellite data products, a necessary procedure to validate further scientific work. Averaged stratospheric H2O profiles reveal general good agreement between 16 and 30 km. Biases derived from the profile-to-profile comparison are around zero between 16 and 30 km for MIPAS-IMK and ACE-FTS comparison. For HDO and δD, low biases are found in the MIPAS-ESA and ACE-FTS comparison in the same range of altitudes, even if associated with a larger de-biased standard deviation. The zonally averaged cross sections of H2O and HDO exhibit the expected distribution that has been established in previous studies. For δD the tropical depletion in MIPAS-ESA occurs at the top of the dynamical tropopause, but this minimum is found at higher altitudes in the ACE-FTS and MIPAS-IMK dataset. The tape recorder signal is present in H2O and HDO for the three databases with slight quantitative differences. The δD annual variation for ACE-FTS data and MIPAS-ESA data is weaker compared to the MIPAS-IMK dataset, which shows a coherent tape recorder signal clearly detectable up to at least 30 km. The observed differences in the climatological δD composites between databases could lead to different interpretations regarding the water vapour transport processes toward the stratosphere. Therefore, it is important to further improve the quality of level 2 products.

Induction of labor vs expectant management among low-risk patients with 1 prior cesarean delivery

Studies that have compared induction of labor in individuals with 1 prior cesarean delivery to expectant management have shown conflicting results. To determine the association between clinical outcomes and induction of labor at 39weeks in a national sample of otherwise low-risk patients with 1 prior cesarean delivery. This cross-sectional study analyzed 2016 to 2021 US Vital Statistics birth certificate data. Individuals with vertex, singleton pregnancies, and 1 prior cesarean delivery were included. Patients with prior vaginal deliveries, delivery before 39 weeks 0 days or after 42weeks 6days of gestation, and medical comorbidities were excluded. The primary exposure of interest was induction of labor at 39weeks 0days to 39weeks 6days compared to expectant management with delivery from 40weeks 0days to 42weeks 6days. The primary outcome was vaginal delivery. The main secondary outcomes were separate maternal and neonatal morbidity composites. The maternal morbidity composite included uterine rupture, operative vaginal delivery, peripartum hysterectomy, intensive care unit admission, and transfusion. The neonatal morbidity composite included neonatal intensive care unit admission, Apgar score less than 5 at 5minutes, immediate ventilation, prolonged ventilation, and seizure or serious neurological dysfunction. Unadjusted and adjusted log binomial regression models accounting for demographic variables and the exposure of interest (induction vs expectant management) were performed. Results are presented as unadjusted and adjusted risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals. From 2016 to 2021, a total of 198,797 individuals with vertex, singleton pregnancies, and 1 prior cesarean were included in the primary analysis. Of these individuals, 25,915 (13.0%) underwent induction of labor from 39weeks 0days to 39weeks 6days and 172,882 (87.0%) were expectantly managed with deliveries between 40weeks 0days and 42weeks 6days. In adjusted analyses, patients induced at 39weeks were more likely to have a vaginal delivery when compared to those expectantly managed (38.0% vs 31.8%; adjusted risk ratio 1.32, 95% confidence interval 1.28, 1.36). Among those who had vaginal deliveries, induction of labor was associated with increased likelihood of operative vaginal delivery (11.1% vs 10.0; adjusted risk ratio 1.15, 95% confidence interval 1.07, 1.24). The maternal morbidity composite occurred in 0.9% of individuals in both the induction and expectant management groups (adjusted risk ratio 0.92, 95% confidence interval 0.79, 1.06). The rates of uterine rupture (0.3%), peripartum hysterectomy (0.04% vs 0.05%), and intensive care unit admission (0.1% vs 0.2%) were all relatively low and did not differ significantly between groups. There was also no significant difference in the neonatal morbidity composite between the induction and expectant management groups (7.3% vs 6.7%; adjusted risk ratio 1.04, 95% confidence interval 0.98, 1.09). When compared to expectant management, elective induction of labor at 39weeks in low-risk patients with 1 prior cesarean delivery was associated with a significantly higher likelihood of vaginal delivery with no difference in composite maternal and neonatal morbidity outcomes. Prospective studies are needed to better elucidate the risks and benefits of induction of labor in this patient population.

Er-Doped BiVO4/BiFeO3 Nanocomposites Synthesized via Sonochemical Process and Their Piezo-Photocatalytic Application.

In this work, Er-doped BiVO4/BiFeO3 composites are prepared using the sonochemical process with a difference of rare earth loading compositions. The crystallinity and chemical and morphological structure of as-synthesized samples were investigated via X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering, and electron microscopy, respectively. The diffuse reflectance technique was used to extract the optical property and calculate the optical band gap of the composite sample. The piezo-photocatalytic performance was evaluated according to the decomposition of a Rhodamine B organic compound. The decomposition of the organic compound was achieved under ultrasonic bath irradiation combined with light exposure. The Er-doped BiVO4/BiFeO3 composite heterojunction material exhibited significant enhancement of the piezo-photocatalytic activity under both ultrasonic and light irradiation due to the improvement in charge generation and separation. The result indicates that Er dopant strongly affects the phase transformation, change in morphology, and alternation in optical band gap of the BiVO4 matrix. The incorporation of BiFeO3 in the composite form with BiVO4 doped with 1%Er can improve the photocatalytic performance of BiVO4 via piezo-induced charge separation and charge recombination retardment.

The protective role of phlorizin against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute orchitis in mice associated with changes in gut microbiota composition

ObjectiveOrchitis is a common reproductive disease of male animals, which has serious implications to human and animal reproduction. Additionally, phlorizin (PHN), a common polyphenol in apples and strawberries, has a variety of biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anti-aging activities. We aimed to determine the protective effects and potential mechanisms of PHN in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute orchitis in mice.MethodAfter 21 days of PHN pretreatment, mice were injected with LPS to induce testicular inflammation, and then the changes of testicular tissue structure, expression of inflammatory factors, testosterone level, expression of testosterone-related genes, adhesion gene and protein expression were detected, and the structural changes in the intestinal flora after PHN treatment were further detected by 16SRNA.ResultOur results demonstrated that PHN treatment reduced LPS-induced testicular injury and body and testicular weight losses. The mRNA expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines-related genes and antioxidant enzyme activity were also decreased and elevated, respectively, by PHN administration; however, PHN treatment also reduced the LPS-induced decrease in testosterone levels in the testes. Additionally, further studies found that PHN increased the expression of marker proteins zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludin associated with the blood testosterone barrier compared with that in LPS treatment groups. To further examine the potential mechanisms of the protective effect of PHN on LPS-induced testicular injury, we compared the differences of gut microbiota compositions between the 100 mg/kg PHN treatment group and the control group using 16SRNA. Metagenomic analyses indicated that the abundances of Bacteroidetes, Muribaculaceae, Lactobacillaceae, uncultured bacterium f Muribaculaceae, and Lactobacillus in the PHN treatment group improved, while potential microbes that can induce intestinal diseases, including Verrucomicrobia, Epsilonbacteraeota, Akkermansiaceae, and Akkermansia decreased in the PHN treatment group.ConclusionOur results indicate that PHN pretreatment might alleviate orchitis by altering the composition of gut microflora, which may provide a reference for reducing the occurrence of acute orchitis in male animals.

Analysis of chemical compositions in different parts of Isodon japonicus using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS technique combined with chemometrics

In order to analyze the similarities and differences of chemical compositions between the roots and stems and leaves of Isodon japonicus(IJ), this study utilized UPLC-Q-TOF-MS technology to systematically characterize its chemical compositions, analyzed and identified the structure of its main compounds, and established a method for simultaneous determination of its content by refe-rence substance. A total of 34 major compounds in IJ, including 14 reference compounds, were identified or predicted online. Moreover, an UPLC-UV content determination method was developed for 11 compounds [danshensu, caffeic acid, vicenin-2,(1S,2S)-globoidnan B, rutin,(+)-rabdosiin,(-)-rabdosiin,(1S,2S)-rabdosiin, shimobashiric acid C, rosmarinic acid, and pedalitin]. The method exhibited excellent separation, stability, and repeatability, with a wide linear range(0.10-520.00 μg·mL~(-1)) and high linearity(R~2&gt;0.999). The average recovery rates ranged from 94.72% to 104.2%. The principal component analysis(PCA) demonstrated a clear difference between the roots and stems and leaves of IJ, indicating good separation by cluster. Furthermore, the orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) model was employed, and six main differentially identified compounds were identified: rosmarinic acid, shimobashiric acid C, epinodosin, pedalitin, rutin, and(1S,2S)-rabdosiin. In summary, this study established a strategy and method for distinguishing different parts of IJ, providing a valuable tool for quality control of IJ and a basis for the ratio-nal utilization and sustainable development of IJ.

Association between childhood obesity and gut microbiota: 16S rRNA gene sequencing-based cohort study.

This study aimed to identify characteristic gut genera in obese and normal-weight children (8-12 years old) using 16S rDNA sequencing. The research aimed to provide insights for mechanistic studies and prevention strategies for childhood obesity. Thirty normal-weight and thirty age- and sex-matched obese children were included. Questionnaires and body measurements were collected, and fecal samples underwent 16S rDNA sequencing. Significant differences in body mass index (BMI) and body-fat percentage were observed between the groups. Analysis of gut microbiota diversity revealed lower α-diversity in obese children. Di-fferences in gut microbiota composition were found between the two groups. Prevotella and Firmicutes were more abundant in the obese group, while Bacteroides and Sanguibacteroides were more prevalent in the control group. To identify the characteristic gut genera in obese and normal-weight children (8-12-year-old) using 16S rDNA sequencing, and provide a basis for subsequent mechanistic studies and prevention strategies for childhood obesity. Thirty each normal-weight, 1:1 matched for age and sex, and obese children, with an obese status from 2020 to 2022, were included in the control and obese groups, respectively. Basic information was collected through questionnaires and body measurements were obtained from both obese and normal-weight children. Fecal samples were collected from both groups and subjected to 16S rDNA sequencing using an Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform for gut microbiota diversity analysis. Significant differences in BMI and body-fat percentage were observed between the two groups. The Ace and Chao1 indices were significantly lower in the obese group than those in the control group, whereas differences were not significant in the Shannon and Simpson indices. Kruskal-Wallis tests indicated significant differences in unweighted and weighted UniFrac distances between the gut microbiota of normal-weight and obese children (P < 0.01), suggesting substantial disparities in both the species and quantity of gut microbiota between the two groups. Prevotella, Firmicutes, Bacteroides, and Sanguibacteroides were more abundant in the obese and control groups, respectively. Heatmap results demonstrated significant differences in the gut microbiota composition between obese and normal-weight children. Obese children exhibited lower α-diversity in their gut microbiota than did the normal-weight children. Significant differences were observed in the composition of gut microbiota between obese and normal-weight children.

Association of same-sex criminalisation laws and national HIV policies with HIV testing in African MSM: an ecological single-level and multilevel cross-sectional study of sub-Saharan African countries

BackgroundHIV incidence among men who have sex with men (MSM) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains high compared with the general population. Many countries in the region still criminalise consensual homosexual...

Primary study on frass fertilizers from mass-reared insects: Species variation, heat treatment effects, and implications for soil application at laboratory scale

Insect farming has gained popularity as a resource-efficient and eco-friendly method for managing organic wastes by converting them into high-quality protein, fat, and frass. Insect frass is a powerful organic fertilizer that enriches the soil with essential plant nutrients and enhances plant defense mechanisms through chitin stimulation. Given the importance of frass commercialization for many insect farmers and the use of increasingly diverse organic wastes as insect feedstocks, there is a need for legal guidelines to enable clean production practices. The recent introduction of a legal definition for frass and heat treatment requirements by the EU commission marks a significant step towards standardizing its quality; however, little is known about the processes shaping its nutritional profiles and contributing to its maturation. Our study addresses key knowledge gaps in frass composition and production practices. Here, we analyzed the physicochemical, plant-nutritional, and microbiological properties of black soldier fly, yellow mealworm, and Jamaican field cricket frass from mass-rearing operations and assessed the impact of hygienizing heat treatment on fertilizer properties and frass microbiota. The results showed that frass properties varied significantly across insect species, revealing concentrations of plant-available nutrients as high as 7000 μg NH4+-N, 150 μg NO2–NO3--N, and 20 mg available P per g of total solids. Heat treatment reduced microbial activity, biomass, and viable counts of pathogenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. In terms of frass microbiome composition, alpha diversity showed no significant differences between fresh and heat-treated frass samples; however, significant differences in microbial community composition were observed across the three insect species. Despite heat treatment, soil application of frass reactivated and boosted soil microbial activity, inducing up to a 25-fold increase in microbial respiration, suggesting no long-term detrimental effects on microorganisms. These findings not only enhance our understanding of insect frass as a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer but also have implications for regulatory frameworks, underscoring its promising potential for soil health and nutrient cycling. However, it is important to recognize the primary nature of this research, conducted at laboratory scale and over a short term. Future studies should aim to validate these findings in agricultural settings and explore additional factors influencing frass properties and its (long-term) interaction with soil ecosystems.

DNA metabarcoding reveals ecological patterns and driving mechanisms of archaeal, bacterial, and eukaryotic communities in sediments of the Sansha Yongle Blue Hole

The Sansha Yongle Blue Hole (SYBH) is the world’s deepest marine blue hole with unique physicochemical characteristics. However, our knowledge of the biodiversity and community structure in SYBH sediments remains limited, as past studies have mostly focused on microbial communities in the water column. Here, we collected sediment samples from the aerobic zone (3.1 to 38.6 m) and the deep anaerobic zone (150 m, 300 m) of the SYBH and extracted DNA to characterize the archaeal, bacterial, and eukaryotic communities inhabiting these sediments. Our results showed that the archaeal and bacterial communities were dominated by Thaumarchaeota and Proteobacteria, respectively. The dominant taxa of eukaryotes in different sites varied greatly, mainly including Phaeophyceae, Annelida, Diatomea and Arthropoda. All three examined domains showed clear vertical distributions and significant differences in community composition between the aerobic and anaerobic zones. Sulfide played a prominent role in structuring the three domains, followed by salinity, nitrous oxide, pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen, all of which were positively correlated with the turnover component, the main contributor to beta diversity. Neutral community model revealed that stochastic processes contributed to more than half of the community variations across the three domains. Co-occurrence network showed an equal number of positive and negative interactions in the archaeal network, while positive interactions accounted for ~ 80% in the bacterial and eukaryotic networks. Our findings reveal the ecological features of prokaryotes and eukaryotes in SYBH sediments and shed new light on community dynamics and survival strategies in the special environment of marine blue holes.

Sex-specific element accumulation in honey bees (Apis mellifera).

Honey bees are social insects that show division of labor and sexual dimorphism. Female honey bees differentiate in two different castes, queens or worker bees, while males are called drones. Worker bees have different tasks in the hive including collection of food, its processing, caring for brood, protecting the hive, or producing wax. The drones' only role is to mate with a virgin queen. Many studies have dealt with differences in physiology, behavior, and morphology of workers and drones. This is the first study that demonstrates differences in element accumulation and composition between workers and drones honey bees. Using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, we found that worker honey bees have higher concentrations of most elements analyzed. Drones had higher concentrations of elements essential to bees, Na, P, S, Zn, Cu, and especially Se (2.2 × higher), which is known to be important for sperm quality and fertility in many animals. Until now higher Se content was not observed in male insects. These differences can be attributed to different environmental exposure, reproductive role of drones, but mostly to the food workers and drones consume. Worker bees feed on bee bread, which is rich in minerals. Drones are fed food pre-processed by worker bees.

Douglas fir bark: composition, extracts utilization and enzymatic treatment for enrichment of bioactive constituents

Abstract Bark residues from Douglas fir are an abundant resource that is currently used primarily in low-value energy recovery or is landfilled. Bark extractives are rich in diverse compounds like terpenes, fatty acids, phenols, and sugars with potential uses in a variety of high value applications. The study explores the potential of enzymatic hydrolysis to improve phenolic compounds from Douglas fir bark. It also assesses differences in chemical composition among rhytidome, phloem, and comingled bark fractions from an industrial waste pile. Phloem fractions exhibit higher yields of extractives, rhytidome fractions have elevated lignin levels, while the comingled fraction lies between the two except in ash content which was higher than in the separated fractions. Fungal decay tests with Gloeophyllum trabeum and Coniophora puteana on extract treated wood suggest potential for growth inhibition in extracts, about 58–31 % and 30–7% mass loss (in average) respectively, but due to high mass loss at low concentrations an enzymatic modification approach seems crucial for enhanced inhibition. Growth responses in whole-cell fermentation approach display variability depending on the participating microorganisms. Enzymatic hydrolysis with beta-glucosidase improved the antioxidant properties of bark extracts and holds promise for altering the chemical composition and enhancing bioactivity.

Differentiation of bacterial communities on five common plastics after six days of exposure to Caribbean coastal waters

Plastic pollution in coastal areas, particularly in subtropical and tropical regions, remains a pervasive environmental issue. Marine plastic debris provides an artificial surface that rapidly accumulates a dynamic microbial biofilm upon entering the marine ecosystem. Especially the early stages of colonization are critical in shaping the microbial community. This study investigates the early microbial colonization, in less than a week, on five different plastic polymers in Caribbean coastal waters through 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. We discovered shared bacterial taxa among the various plastic polymers and sampling timepoints, with dominant orders being Flavobacteriales, Rhodobacterales, Rhizobiales, and Pseudomonadales. Statistical analysis confirmed significant differences in community composition between the two sampling points, with polystyrene exhibiting a distinct microbial community on day 6 compared to polyethylene, polypropylene, and nylon. We found the same for polyethylene compared to nylon and polyethylene-terephthalate. Further examination identified 47 genera responsible for these differences, primarily belonging to the phyla Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota. Our data indicate an influence of both environmentally related stochastic processes and plastic-related specific factors during early colonization. Interestingly, we noticed an increase in the relative abundance of hydrocarbon and potentially plastic-degrading bacteria (PDB) from 12.4 to 34.5 % between the first and sixth day, suggesting their vital role in shaping the epiplastic community. Notably, some identified PDB have been reported to degrade the specific polymers studied, thus the monitored increase in relative abundance supports their role in plastic degradation. However, more research is required to fully understand their functioning and potential role in the epiplastic community. Our study provides insights into the prokaryotic colonization of marine plastics in the Caribbean basin, where to date studies have been limited despite high pollution rates.

Preliminary investigation on the analysis of the whole components of Pogejiuxin decoction and its formulation pattern based on ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Pogejiuxin decoction (PGJXD) is one of the most important formulas for the treatment of heart failure. However, there is a great lack of research on the material basis of this formula, especially research on its compatibility laws, which restricts its clinical use. Studying the complete ingredients and compatibility rules of PGJXD has great significance for guiding clinical medication. The entire formula, the major single herbs, the drug pairs and the disassembled formula were analyzed by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/QTOFMS/MS), matching the chemical composition database and global natural product social molecular networking to explain the chemical composition as well as the combination pattern of PGJXD. A total of 1048 chemical constituents were fully analyzed from the major single herbs, the drug pairs and the disassembled formula and 188 chemical constituents, including 13 potential novel compounds, were firstly identified from the whole formula. We found that the chemical compositions were reduced after the single herbs were matched to the other herbs, especially the significant reduction of highly toxic diester alkaloids after compatibility, indicating that the medicines of PGJXD were interdependent and controlled by each other. This study innovatively researches and compares the compositional differences between the entire formula of PGJXD, the single, paired and separated formulas, greatly extending our understanding of the chemical substance basis of these compounds, and preliminarily explores the compatibility laws of PGJXD, providing some theoretical guidance for clinical medication.