Excellent Substrate Research Articles

Kinetic and structural characterization of NUDT15 and NUDT18 as catalysts of isoprene pyrophosphate hydrolysis.

Isoprene pyrophosphates play a crucial role in the synthesis of a diverse array of essential nonsterol and sterol biomolecules and serve as substrates for posttranslational isoprenylation of proteins, enabling specific anchoring to cellular membranes. Hydrolysis of isoprene pyrophosphates would be a means to modulate their levels, downstream products, and protein isoprenylation. While NUDIX hydrolases from plants have been described to catalyze the hydrolysis of isoprene pyrophosphates, homologous enzymes with this function in animals have not yet been reported. In this study, we screened an extensive panel of human NUDIX hydrolases for activity in hydrolyzing isoprene pyrophosphates. We found that human nucleotide triphosphate diphosphatase NUDT15 and 8-oxo-dGDP phosphatase NUDT18 efficiently catalyze the hydrolysis of several physiologically relevant isoprene pyrophosphates. Notably, we demonstrate that geranyl pyrophosphate is an excellent substrate for NUDT18, with a catalytic efficiency of 2.1 × 105 m-1·s-1, thus making it the best substrate identified for NUDT18 to date. Similarly, geranyl pyrophosphate proved to be the best isoprene pyrophosphate substrate for NUDT15, with a catalytic efficiency of 4.0 × 104 M-1·s-1. LC-MS analysis of NUDT15 and NUDT18 catalyzed isoprene pyrophosphate hydrolysis revealed the generation of the corresponding monophosphates and inorganic phosphate. Furthermore, we solved the crystal structure of NUDT15 in complex with the hydrolysis product geranyl phosphate at a resolution of 1.70 Å. This structure revealed that the active site nicely accommodates the hydrophobic isoprenoid moiety and helped identify key binding residues. Our findings imply that isoprene pyrophosphates are endogenous substrates of NUDT15 and NUDT18, suggesting they are involved in animal isoprene pyrophosphate metabolism.

Graphene oxide-supported molybdenum complex as catalyst for peroxidase and catechol oxidase-like reactions

In this study, we synthesized a molybdenum complex, [MoO2(L)(H2O)] (1), utilizing a Schiff base ligand H2L (I), which was formed by reacting 3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde with the mono hydrazide of terephthalic ester in a methanolic solution. This complex was subsequently immobilized on a functionalized graphene oxide surface (APTES@GO), prepared using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and graphene oxide (GO), yielding the supported complex [MoO2(L)(H2O)]@APTES@GO (2). Both complexes were characterized through various analytical techniques, with single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) being specifically employed for complex 1. The catalytic activities of the homogeneous and heterogeneous complexes were assessed for their peroxidase-like and catechol oxidase-like functions, particularly in the oxidation of 3,3′-diaminobenzidine (DAB) and 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (3,5-DTBC) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Both complexes exhibited excellent catalytic efficiency (Kcat) and substrate binding affinity (KM), comparable to natural enzymes. Additionally, the supported complex demonstrated good reusability, maintaining its catalytic activity over five consecutive cycles.

Electrochemically‐Enabled Construction of N‐Acyl Iminophosphoranes

AbstractN‐acyl iminophosphoranes have shown significant potentials in various areas. This paper presents two electrochemical strategies for the successful construction of a series of substituted N‐acyl iminophosphoranes using electrochemical activation of hydroxylamines or dioxazolones to generate unprotected amide radicals and radical anions. The simple undivided cell with inexpensive electrode setups (graphite felts, carbon rods, and copper sheets) provides excellent substrates tolerance under mild conditions. This simple electrochemical construction of N‐acyl iminophosphoranes also has good scalability, practicability and extensibility. Furthermore, synthetic transformations of the N‐acyl iminophosphorane products have demonstrated the application potentials of the P=N bond.

Activity-based NIR specific fluorescent probe reveals the abnormal elevation of prolyl endopeptidase in hippocampus during Alzheimer's disease progression

Although prolyl endopeptidase (PREP) has become one of the important proteins to investigate the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), the activity of PREP in the brain of AD patients is still controversial. This study aims to construct a novel enzyme-activated near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence probe for in-situ detection and imaging of PREP in brain, as well as to reveal the relationship between the activity variation of PREP and the development of AD. For these purposes, based on PREP's unique endopeptidase activity catalyzing prolyl-bond hydrolysis and cleavage, four probes deriving from a good NIR fluorophore (ACM) were designed and synthesized. Observations indicated that the Z-GP-ACM exhibited superior selectivity and sensitivity in detecting PREP. In addition, molecular thermodynamic/kinetic calculations and enzymatic kinetics studies also showed that Z-GP-ACM was an excellent substrate for PREP. Subsequent experiments demonstrated that Z-GP-ACM can be used to measure and image endogenous PREP in living cells and mouse brain. We also revealed for the first time that PREP activity was abnormally increased in hippocampus of AD mice during the disease progression. All these results highlighted that Z-GP-ACM could be a promising tool for exploring the biological functions of endogenous PREP in living systems.

Surface-enhanced raman scattering properties of Au@TiO2 plasma exciton array structures

Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) is an ultrasensitive spectroscopic analysis technique widely used for molecular detection. SERS is characterized by rapid analysis, trace detection, ultra-high sensitivity, non-destructive, etc., and can analyze the concentration, composition, and structure of the detected substances. It has a significant potential for application in many fields, such as biomedicine, trace detection, food safety, and environmental protection. However, fabrication of homogeneous, stable, and ultrasensitive SERS substrates remains a challenge for the practical application of SERS technology. Precious metals and semiconductors have been proven attractive and versatile for SERS detection. In this work, three-dimensional Au@TiO2 substrates were prepared using a facile strategy, and two different types of Raman probe molecules were used to demonstrate the versatility of the design. Using 4-MBA as the probe molecule, the enhancement factor of the TiO2 substrate could reach 1.52×104, and the detection limit was as low as 10-16 M. The results indicate that the Au@TiO2 substrate is simple to prepare, inexpensive, and serves as an excellent SERS substrate structure. 4-MBA and R6G dual probe molecules demonstrate the universality of the Au@TiO2 nanocavity array structure. In the meantime, the results of the simulations match the experimental results. It also demonstrates that the three-dimensional Au@TiO2 has the potential to be an excellent SERS substrate.

Detection of myclobutanil and tebuconazole in apple using magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

The main challenge in Raman detection of pesticide residues in agricultural products is matrix interference, which hinders accurate identification of trace compounds in complicated agricultural samples. In this study, a novel surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy approach based on magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MMIP-SERS) was introduced for the rapid analysis of myclobutanil and tebuconazole in apples. The synthesized magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer selectively adsorbed triazole pesticides, effectively eliminating matrix interference in real samples. The saturation adsorption time for MMIPs was only 10 min. In addition, the synthesized colloidal gold served as an excellent substrate for enhancing the specific signals for myclobutanil and tebuconazole. We successfully identified the characteristic peak of tebuconazole at 1089 cm−1, while myclobutanil showed its characteristic peak at 632 cm−1. The series of experiments and recovery tests confirmed the high sensitivity of the developed MMIP-SERS method using colloidal gold as an enhanced substrate for fungicide analysis in apple samples. The linear detection ranges for myclobutanil and tebuconazole in apples were determined to be 0.2–10 mg/kg and 0.5–10 mg/kg, respectively. The limit of detection was 0.09 mg/kg for tebuconazole and 0.05 mg/kg for myclobutanil. This study provides a rapid and simple method for detecting myclobutanil and tebuconazole based on the synergistic effect of the imprinted polymer and SERS with good separation and detection performance.

Cardiac Uptake of the Adrenergic Imaging Agent meta-Iodobenzylguanidine (mIBG) Is Mediated by Organic Cation Transporter 3 (Oct3).

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic disease affecting 1%-2% of the global population.123I-labeled meta-iodobenzylguanidine (mIBG) is US Food and Drug Administration-approved for cardiac imaging and prognosis risk assessment in patients with HF. As a norepinephrine analog, mIBG is believed to be transported into adrenergic nerve terminals by the neuronal norepinephrine transporter (NET) and hence image sympathetic innervation of the myocardium. We previously showed that mIBG is an excellent substrate of organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3), an extraneuronal transporter expressed in cardiomyocytes. Here, we evaluated the in vivo impact of Oct3 on mIBG disposition and tissue distribution using Oct3 knockout mice. Oct3 +/+ and Oct3 -/- mice were administered with mIBG intravenously, and mIBG plasma pharmacokinetics and tissue exposures were determined. In Oct3 +/+ mice, mIBG exhibited extensive accumulation in multiple tissues (heart, salivary gland, liver, and adrenal gland). No difference was observed in overall plasma exposure between Oct3 +/+ and Oct3 -/- mice. Strikingly, cardiac mIBG was depleted in Oct3 -/- mice, resulting in 83% reduction in overall cardiac exposure (AUC0-24 h: 12.7 vs. 2.1 μg × h/g). mIBG tissue exposure (AUC0-24 h) was also reduced by 66%, 36%, and 31% in skeletal muscle, salivary gland, and lung, respectively, in Oct3 -/- mice. Our data demonstrated that Oct3 is the primary transporter responsible for cardiac mIBG uptake in vivo and suggested that cardiac mIBG imaging mainly measures OCT3 activity in cardiomyocytes but not NET-mediated uptake in adrenergic nerve endings. Our findings challenge the current paradigm in interpreting cardiac mIBG imaging results and suggest OCT3 as a potential genetic risk marker for HF prognosis. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: 123I-labeled meta-iodobenzylguanidine is used for cardiac imaging and risk assessment in heart failure patients. Contrary to the current belief that meta-iodobenzylguanidine (mIBG) tracks cardiac sympathetic innervation due to its uptake by the neuronal norepinephrine transporter, the authors demonstrated that cardiac mIBG uptake is mediated by the extraneuronal transporter Oct3. Their findings warrant a re-evaluation of the scientific rationale behind cardiac mIBG scan and further suggest organic cation transporter 3 as a risk factor for disease progression in heart failure patients.

Mechanistic understanding of nanoparticle interactions to achieve highly-ordered arrays through self-assembly for sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering detection of trace thiram

Over the last few decades, there is increasing worldwide concern over human health risks associated with extensive use of pesticides in agriculture. Developing excellent SERS substrate materials to achieve highly sensitive detection of pesticide residues in the food is very necessary owing to their serious threat to human health through food chains. Self-assembled metallic nanoparticles have been demonstrated to be excellent SERS substrate materials. Hence, alkanethiols-protected gold nanoparticles have been successfully prepared for forming larger-scale two-dimensional monolayer films. These films can be disassembled into a fluid state and re-assembled back to crystallized structure by controlling surface pressure. Further investigations reveal that their self-assembled structures are mainly dependent on the diameter of gold nanoparticles and ligand length. These results suggest that the size ratio of nanoparticle diameter/ligand length within the range of 4.45–2.35 facilitates the formation of highly ordered 2D arrays. Furthermore, these arrays present excellent Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering performances in the detection of trace thiram, which can cause environmental toxicity to the soil, water, animals and result in severe damage to human health. Therefore, the current study provides an effective way for preparing monodispersed hydrophobic gold nanoparticles and forming highly ordered 2D close-packed SERS substrate materials via self-assembly to detect pesticide residues in food. We believe that, our research provides not only advanced SERS substrate materials for excellent detection performance of thiram in food, but also novel fundamental understandings of self-assembly, manipulation of nanoparticle interactions, and controllable synthesis.

Electrochemical Nitro Reduction to Amines Using Pinacolborane as Reducing Agent

AbstractNitroaromatic compounds, as hazardous industrial pollutants, have long been extensively studied for their conversion into high-value aromatic amines. However, most of these transformation reactions require either transition-metal catalysts or high-temperature conditions. Therefore, we report an electrochemical approach utilizing pinacolborane as the reducing agent for the efficient reduction of nitroaromatic compounds. The reaction is characterized by its mild conditions and simplicity of operation, and it demonstrates excellent substrate adaptability and functional group compatibility.

Colloidal carbon soot templated TiO2/Ag surface functionalized 3D printed metal brushes as new generation surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates

This present work demonstrated the functional transformation of 3D printed metal substrates into a new family of Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering substrates, a promising approach in developing SERS-based Point-of-care (PoC) analytical platforms. l-Powder Bed Fusion (l-PBF, Additive manufacturing or 3D printing technique) printed metal substrates have rough surfaces, and exhibit high thermal stability and intrinsic chemical inertness, necessitating a suitable surface functionalization approach. This present work demonstrated a unique multi-stage approach to transform l-PBF printed metal structures as recyclable SERS substrates by colloidal carbon templating, chemical vapor deposition, and electroless plating methods sequentially. The surface of the printed metal structures was functionalized using the colloidal carbon soot particles, that were formed by the eucalyptus oil flame deposition method. These carbon particles were shown to interact with the metals present in the printed structures by forming metal carbides and function as an adlayer on the surface. Subsequent deposition of TiO2 onto these templates led to strong grafting of TiO2 and retaining the fractal structure of the soot template onto the metal surface. Electroless deposition of silver nanoparticles resulted in the formation of fractally structured TiO2/Ag nanostructures and these functionalized printed metal structures were shown as excellent SERS substrates in enhancing the vibrational spectral features of Rhodamine B (RhB). The presence of TiO2 photocatalyst on the surface was shown to remove the RhB analyte from the surface under photochemical conditions, which enables the regeneration of SERS activity, and the substrate can be recycled. The migration of metals from the printed metal structures into the fractally ordered TiO2/Ag nanostructures was found to enhance the photocatalytic activity and increase the recyclability of these substrates. This study demonstrates the potential of 3D-printed Inconel metal substrates as next-generation recyclable SERS platforms, offering a substantial advancement over traditional colloidal, thin-film, flexible, and hard SERS substrates.

Long-term seizure outcome after epilepsy surgery of neuroglial tumors

PurposeNeuroglial tumors are frequently associated with pharmacorefractory epilepsies. However, comprehensive knowledge about long-term outcomes after epilepsy surgery and the main prognostic factors for outcome is still limited. We sought to evaluate long-term outcomes and potential influencing factors in a large cohort of patients who underwent surgery for neuroglial tumors in a single-center setting.MethodsThe study analyzed the outcomes of 107 patients who underwent epilepsy surgery for neuroglial tumors between 2001 and 2020 at the Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, in Germany. The outcomes were evaluated using Engel classification. Differences in outcome related to potential prognostic factors were examined using the Chi2-test, Fisher’s exact test and sign test. Additionally, stepwise logistic regression analysis was employed to identify independent prognostic factors.ResultsComplete seizure freedom (Engel Class IA) was achieved in 75% of the operated patients at 12 months, and 56% at the last follow-up visit (70.4 ± 6.2 months, median: 40 months). Completeness of resection was a crucial factor for both 12-month follow-up outcomes and the longest available outcomes, whereas lobar tumor localization, histology (ganglioglioma vs. dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor), history of bilateral tonic–clonic seizures prior to surgery, invasive diagnostics, side of surgery (dominant vs. non-dominant hemisphere), age at epilepsy onset, age at surgery, and epilepsy duration did not consistently impact postsurgical outcomes. Among temporal lobe surgeries, patients who underwent lesionectomy and lesionectomy, including hippocampal resection, demonstrated similar outcomes.ConclusionNeuroglial tumors present as excellent surgical substrates in treating structural epilepsy. To achieve an optimal postsurgical outcome, a complete lesion resection should be pursued whenever possible.

A Single Terminal [NiII-OH] Catalyst for Direct Julia-Type Olefination and α-Alkylation Involving Sulfones and Alcohols.

A terminal [NiII-OH] complex 1, supported by triflamide-functionalized NHC ligands, showed divergent reactivity for the reaction of sulfone with alcohol, contingent on base concentration, temperature, and time. Julia-type olefination of alcohols with sulfones was achieved using one equiv. of base, whereas lowering base loading to 0.5 equiv. afforded α-alkylated sulfones. Besides excellent substrate scope and selectivity, biologically active stilbene derivatives DMU-212, pinosylvin, resveratrol, and piceatannol were synthesized in high yield under Julia-type olefination conditions. An extensive array of controlled experiments and DFT calculations provide valuable insight on the reaction pathway.

High sensitivity in quantitative analysis of mixed-size polystyrene micro/nanoplastics in one step

As emerging environmental pollutants, microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) pose a serious threat to human health. Owing to the lack of feasible and reliable analytical methods, the separation and identification of MPs and NPs of different sizes remains a challenge. In this study, a hyphenated method involving filtration and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for the separation and identification of MPs and NPs is reported. This method not only avoids the loss of MPs and NPs during the transfer process but also provides an excellent SERS substrate. The SERS substrate was fabricated by electrochemically depositing silver particles onto the reduced graphene oxide layer coated on stainless steel mesh. Results show that polystyrene (PS) MPs and NPs are efficiently separated on the SERS substrate via vacuum filtration, resulting in high retention rates (74.26 % ± 1.58 % for 100 nm, 81.06 % ± 1.49 % for 500 nm, and 97.73 % ±0.11 % for 5 μm) and low limit of detection (LOD). The LOD values of 100 nm, 500 nm, and 5 μm PS are 8.89 × 10−5, 3.39 × 10−5, and 1.57 × 10−4 μg/mL, respectively. More importantly, a linear relationship for uniform quantification of 100 nm, 500 nm, 3 μm and 5 μm PS was established, and the relationship is Y = 225.61 lgX + 1076.36 with R2 = 0.980. The method was validated for the quantitative analysis of a mixture of 100 nm, 500 nm PS NPs, 3 μm and 5 μm PS MPs in a ratio of 1:1:1:1, which successfully approaches the evaluation of evaluated PS NPs in the range of 10−4–10 μg/mL with an LOD value of approximately 7.82 × 10−5 μg/mL. Moreover, this method successfully detected (3.87 ± 0.06) × 10−5 μg MPs and NPs per gram of oyster tissue.

Lactic acid bacteria fermentation improves physicochemical properties, bioactivity, and metabolic profiles of Opuntia ficus-indica fruit juice

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation has been proven to promote human health. The effect of different LAB fermentation on the quality of Opuntia ficus-indica fruit juice (OFIJ) was investigated. OFIJ was an excellent substrate for fermentation, with colony counts of more than 8 log CFU/mL after fermentation. The fermentation altered the acid and sugar contents. Simultaneously, the total phenolic and anthocyanin contents significantly increased. Antioxidant activity enhanced significantly in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HNU082-fermented OFIJ, primarily in ABTS+ (increased by 16.81%) and DPPH (increased by 23.62%) free radical scavenging ability. Lacticaseibacillus paracasei HNU502-fermented OFIJ showed the most potent inhibition of xanthine oxidase (IC50 = 31.01 ± 3.88 mg TAC/L). Analysis of volatile and non-volatile compounds indicated that fermentation changed the flavor quality and metabolic profiles and caused the most significant modifications in amino acid metabolism. These findings offer valuable information into processing of OFIJ, making it a great choice for functional foods.

NiCrBSi/WC Composite Claddings Processed on AISI 316L Steel Alloy by the Direct Laser Deposition Process: Studies on Dry Sliding Wear Behavior and Wear Mechanism Maps

Abstract This study presented the wear behavior of the NiCrBSi/WC composite claddings processed on an AISI 316L steel alloy substrate by laser cladding approach. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) morphology of the claddings has shown excellent substrate–cladding interface bonding, good WC particulate distribution, and no noticeable cracks and voids. The electron dispersion spectroscope (EDS) spectra have confirmed the presence of respective NiCrBSi alloy matrix and WC elements. The XRD spectra have identified various phases and compounds such as gamma-Ni, FeNi3, Ni3B, Cr23C6, Ni3Si, and W2C commonly in all the processed composite claddings. The microhardness of the claddings was measured between 791 and 1086 HV0.2 for increasing the reinforcement WC particulate percentage from 15 wt% to 60 wt%. It is about 470% surface hardness enhancement with the processed composite claddings compared with the substrate alloy. The reinforcement of WC from 15 wt% to 60 wt% with the composite claddings resulted in wear resistance enhancement from 21.85% to 60.64% and the coefficient of friction from 56.87% to 77.92% against the substrate. The wear-rate maps and their respective cladding's worn surface morphology have described the wear mechanisms typically as adhesive, abrasive, oxidation, and delamination. The wear mechanisms are mainly influenced by the WC particulate percentage. The increased WC particulate content has increased the dominance of the abrasive wear mechanism while reducing the window of the adhesive wear mechanism. The windows of various wear mechanisms and their ranges, such as adhesive 0.0033 to 0.028, abrasion 0.010 to 0.067, oxidation 0.012 to 0.093, and delamination 0.015 to 0.120 mm3/m, for NiCrBSi/WC composite claddings comprehensibly represented the wear behavior for the varied conditions of dry sliding wear parameters.

Two 2D Metal-Organic Frameworks Based on Purine Carboxylic Acid Ligands for Photocatalytic Oxidation of Sulfides and CO2 Chemical Fixation.

Two two-dimensional (2D) layered metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), namely, {[Yb(L)(H2O)2NO3]·2H2O}n (Yb-MOF) and [Er(L)(H2O)3Cl]n (Er-MOF) (H2L = 5-((6H-purin-6-yl)amino)isophthalic acid), were constructed by a solvothermal method and characterized. The catalytic performance study showed that the Yb-MOF could efficiently catalyze the oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides under 15 W light-emitting diode (LED) blue light irradiation. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and free-radical trapping experiments demonstrated that the photocatalytic reaction process involved •O2-, and the corresponding mechanism was proposed. Moreover, Er-MOF exhibited good catalytic efficiency and excellent substrate tolerance in the cycloaddition reaction of CO2, and the reaction conditions were mild. After 5 cycles, the catalytic activities of two MOFs did not significantly decrease, and the framework structures remained unchanged. Therefore, the Yb-MOF and Er-MOF were considered efficient and stable heterogeneous catalysts.

Pedicled omental flaps for complex wound reconstruction following surgery for primary spine tumors of the mobile spine and sacrum.

Surgery for primary tumors of the mobile spine and sacrum often requires complex reconstruction techniques to cover soft-tissue defects and to treat wound and CSF-related complications. The anatomical, vascular, and immunoregulatory characteristics of the omentum make it an excellent local substrate for the management of radiation soft-tissue injury, infection, and extensive wound defects. This study describes the authors' experience in complex wound reconstruction using pedicled omental flaps to cover defects in surgery for mobile spine and sacral primary tumors. A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted on 34 patients who underwent pedicled omental flap reconstruction after en bloc resection of primary sacral and mobile spine tumors between 2010 and 2020. The study focused on assessing the indications for omental flap usage, including soft-tissue coverage, protection against postoperative radiation therapy, infection management, vascular supply for bone grafts, and dural defect and CSF leak repair. Patient demographic characteristics, tumor characteristics, surgical outcomes, and follow-up data were analyzed to determine the procedure's efficacy and complication rates. From 2010 to 2020, 34 patients underwent pedicled omental flap reconstruction after en bloc resection of sacral (24 of 34 [71%]) and mobile spine (10 of 34 [29%]) primary tumors, mostly chordomas. The patient cohort included 21 men and 13 women with a median (range) age of 60 (32-89) years. The most common indication for omental flap was soft-tissue coverage (20 of 34 [59%]). Other indications included protecting abdominopelvic organs for postoperative radiation therapy (6 of 34 [18%]), treating infections (5 of 34 [15%]), providing vascular supply for free fibular bone graft (1 of 34 [3%]), and repairing large dural defects and CSF leak (2 of 34 [6%]). The median (range) follow-up was 24 (0-132) months, during which 71% (24 of 34) of patients did not require additional surgery for wound-related complications. At last follow-up, 59% (20 of 34) had stable disease and 32% (11 of 34) had recurrence, had progression of disease, or had been discharged to hospice after treatment. The pedicled omentum is an effective local tissue graft that can be used for complex wound reconstruction and management of high-risk closures in primary spine tumors. This technique may have a lower rate of complications than other approaches and may influence surgical planning and flap selection in challenging cases.

Study on the tribological properties of hexagonal boron nitride flakes composite hydrophilic/hydrophobic ionic liquids films by self-assembly

Due to the weak out-of-plane van der Waals interaction between layers, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) with a stacking structure has been proven to be a promising lubrication material for its friction performance. However, obtaining h-BN composite films with excellent substrate bonding and low friction properties under high humidity remains challenging. Ionic liquids (ILs) composed of anions and cations that are liquid at or near room temperature have distinguished themselves in the field of lubrication (lubricating additives and lubricating films) due to their advantages of low saturated vapor pressure, good stability and high viscosity. Based on the relationship between lubrication performance and hygroscopicity of hydrophilic/hydrophobic ILs, a simple and flexible method for preparing h-BN composite hydrophilic/hydrophobic ILs films on metal substrates has been developed. h-BN has excellent antioxidant and moisture resistance as well as lubrication performance. Consequently, the influence of the hygroscopicity of ILs on the macroscopic tribological performance of h-BN composite hydrophilic/hydrophobic ILs films was investigated. The results showed that PVA/BNOH composite hydrophobic ILs films displayed a lower friction coefficient and outstanding wear resistance than those of PVA/BNOH composite hydrophilic ILs films in both atmosphere and high humidity. The synergies between the film layers, the intrinsic differences between the hydrophilic and hydrophobic ILs, and tribo-chemical reactions at friction interfaces greatly promoted the realization of excellent tribological performance of composite films. Additionally, the tribological properties of these films at high humidity were mainly related to the interaction between water molecules and the ILs.

Use of cactus pear pruning waste to improve soil properties and to produce high-quality compost

Bio-fertilizers could be a possible solution to help manage bio-waste problems and to maintain soil health conditions, especially in organic farms. Pruning of cactus pear produces from 6 to 10 tons/yearly of cladodes per hectare in specialized Italian orchards, which represents waste and a cost for disposal to farmers. Therefore, the aim of the work was to investigate the effects on soil physical properties, microflora activity, and basil plant growth of powdered pruning waste from cactus pear incorporated in the soil (10%, 20%, 30% 40% w/w). Moreover, we studied a dynamic composting process from fresh cladodes to produce stabilized end-products at the farm level. Our studies demonstrated that holding water ability and bulk density of soil were ameliorated by supplementing dried cladodes. Thus, gravitational and gravimetric water was positively correlated with the increase of added dried cladode in the soil (0.1% and 6.2 g H2O ± 0.3 in samples of 40% mixed soil versus 68% and 3.3 g H2O ± 0.3 in control). Furthermore, bulk density was reduced limiting soil compaction. Preliminary results on microbial activity suggested a possible selection/inhibition of some bacterial strains correlated with the increment of dry cladode supplementation. The basil plants grown in 20% mixed soil showed an increased biomass when compared to the control (+ 21%). Finally, raw cladode proved to be an excellent substrate for aerobic fermentation providing a final product of good quality and high moisture content (65%). These results are particularly relevant in organic agriculture where bio-fertilizers are recommended as economical, eco-friendly solution accessible also to marginal and small farms.

Towards a circular bioeconomy to produce methane by co-digestion of coffee and brewery waste using a mixture of anaerobic granular sludge and cattle manure as inoculum

Coffee processing wastes, such as solid (pulp and husk) and wastewater, co-digested with industrial brewery wastewater, serve as excellent substrates for generating methane in the anaerobic digestion process. This study compared methane production using different compositions of cattle manure (CM) and granular sludge from an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor used in poultry wastewater treatment (GS). Four anaerobic batch reactors (500 mL) were assembled, A (50% CM and 50% GS), B (60% CM and 40% GS), C (70% CM and 30% of GS) and D (60% CM and 40% GS). Equal concentrations of substrates were added to all reactors: pulp and husk pretreated by hydrothermolysis (1 g L−1), coffee (10 g COD L−1) and brewery (1.5 g COD L−1) wastewaters. Assays A, B and C were supplemented with 2 g L−1 of yeast extract, except for assay D. The reactors were operated at 37 °C and pH 7.0. In assay B, the highest CH4 production of 759.15 ± 19.20 mL CH4 g−1 TS was observed, possibly favored by the synergistic interactions between cellulolytic bacteria Christensenellaceae_R-7_group and Methanosaeta archaea, as inferred by genes encoding enzymes related to acetoclastic methanogenesis (acetyl-CoA synthetase). Consequently, the electricity production potential of assay B (45614.08 kWh−1 year−1) could meet the energy demand of a farm producing coffee and beer, contributing to a positive energy balance concerning methane generation.