FA Content Research Articles

Effects of Sulla Flexuosa Hay as Alternative Feed Resource on Goat's Milk Production and Quality.

Sulla flexuosa (Hedysarum flexuosum L.) is an endemic legume growing in some Mediterranean areas in rainfed and cold mountainous conditions. It could be used in goat diets as an alternative protein source instead of alfalfa to supplement forest rangeland. This study aimed to test the effects of incorporating Sulla flexuosa (SF) hay in the diet of Beni Arouss goats on their milk production and quality. The hay was introduced at two levels, i.e., 35 or 70% (SF70), on a DM basis; it partially or totally replaced the alfalfa hay of the control diet. Sulla flexuosa incorporation did not affect milk production or physicochemical composition. However, milk FA content varied in proportion to the percentage of SF incorporation. The SF70 diet was associated with increased milk levels in C18:1n-9, C18:2n-6, C18:3n-3, and C22:6n-3 and total monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and n-3 fatty acids. As a consequence, atherogenic and thrombogenic indices were improved. Additionally, better antioxidant capacity was observed in SF70.

Boosting the stability and growth of methylammonium lead bromide perovskites film doped with FA for solar cells

In this work, we investigated the lead methylammonium bromide with different contents of formamidinium (0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10%) deposited by a one-step spin coating method. The effect of FA in MA1-xFAxPbBr3 films was investigated. The crystal structures and morphology, and the optical properties were analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) as well as a UV–visible spectrometer, and the surface morphology and optical properties were characterized respectively. From the XRD results, it is found that the crystal structure exhibits 1 crystallographic orientation along the (001) and (002) planes at diffraction angles 2Ɵ = 15.70° and 30.91° respectively. The different layers show perovskite structures with rough surfaces without pinholes although the grain size appearance is different in each case. Optical analysis revealed an increase in the absorbance of the films with FA contents of 6%, 8% and 10% with increasing percentages. For the 2% and 4% contents, the absorbance decreases compared to that of 0% FA. We find that the band gaps are between 1.92 eV and 2.33 eV, the lowest corresponding to the 6% FA layer (1.92 eV). From the results obtained, we can say that the incorporation of FA in MAPbBr3 films is a good candidate for photovoltaic application.For the degradation study, we observed a decrease in the different peaks from XRD and absorption of the samples after 4 weeks in the ambient environment. This decrease is attenuated for some films such as thin films with 0% FA, 4% FA and 8% FA. The different morphological surfaces also experienced degradation. In general, we can say that some films are more or less resistant to the elements of the ambient atmosphere.

Relationships between growth-related traits with carcass and meat quality traits in Spanish Assaf suckling lambs

Suckling lamb meat is a relevant product in Mediterranean European dairy sheep farms, and the dairy breed Spanish Assaf is widely extended through the Iberian Peninsula. Knowledge of the influence of birth body weight (bBW) and growth rate on suckling lamb carcass and meat quality is scarce, but useful for breeding optimisation and product homogeneity. In turn, these growth-related traits of lambs might be affected by dietary restrictions of their dams. In this study, 34 male Assaf suckling lambs born from two groups of ewes that had been fed diets with different protein levels when they were prepubertal female lambs (17 lambs per group) were analysed. After birth, the suckling lambs were fed ad libitum on milk replacer until their sacrifice (10–12.5 kg live body weight). The quality traits evaluated in carcasses and meat were carcass compactness, fatness and jointing, meat composition, colour, texture and oxidative stability, and fatty acid profile. The dam group did not show significant effects on lamb growth characteristics or carcass and meat quality traits. The bBW factor showed a negative effect on leg subcutaneous fatness and a positive effect on the forequarter and shoulder percentages of the carcass. The bBW also resulted in increased moisture, lipid oxidation stability, and n-3 FA content (lowering the n-6/n-3 ratio) in the meat. Suckling lambs showing very low average daily gain (ADG) tended to present low carcass quality, i.e., higher bone percentage in the loin and low percentages of muscle or fat compared to those showing high ADG. Further studies are needed to confirm and explain the mechanisms of the significant effects reported here for bBW and ADG on the affected quality traits.

Constructing a Surface Multi-cationic Heterojunction for CsPbI1.5Br1.5 Perovskite Solar Cells with Efficiency beyond 14%

All-inorganic CsPbI1.5Br1.5 perovskite solar cells are considered as top cell candidates for tandem cells as a result of their excellent thermal stability and photoelectric performance. However, their power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) are still low and far below the theoretical limit mainly as a result of the severe non-radiative recombination and optical loss. Herein, we introduce an versatile method to construct a surface multi-cationic heterojunction to achieve an efficient and stable CsPbI1.5Br1.5 perovskite solar cell. By precisely controlling the content of FA+ and MA+ on PbBr2-rich perovskite films, a high-quality heterojunction layer is formed to help effectively passivate the surface defects and reduce the optical loss of the CsPbI1.5Br1.5 perovskite. In addition, the incorporation of a heterojunction layer can also improve energy-level alignment and reduce interfacial charge recombination loss. As a result, the champion device with the incorporation of SMH exhibits a PCE of 14.11%, which presents the highest reported efficiency for inorganic CsPbI1.5Br1.5 solar cells thus far while retaining 85% of the initial efficiency after 1000 h of storage without encapsulation.

Effect of fatty acid chain length on physicochemical properties of starch nanocomposites obtained via nanoprecipitation

To evaluate the effect of elaborate difference in the hydrophobicity of core material on encapsulation process and physicochemical properties of the composites, composites of starch and FA with various chain lengths (C:12–22) were prepared via nanoprecipitation. X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that all composites had a Vh-amylose crystalline unit cell, but the chain length of FA did not induce a clear change in crystallinity or the hydrodynamic mean diameter of the composites. As the chain length of FA increased from 12 to 22, FA content in the composites increased from 1.69 to 14.85 mg/g composite. The absorption analyses of Rose Bengal on the composite surfaces revealed that their hydrophobicity increased with increasing chain length of FA. The incorporation of FA enhanced the emulsification activity of the composites, and this result revealed that the composites could be applied as an emulsification agent. For longer FA, composite storage stability increased, but the release of FA by in vitro digestion was delayed.

Influence of additive contents on the properties of SiC ceramic membranes and their performance in oil‐water separation

AbstractThe high processing cost is the key challenge for the economic industrial use of SiC membrane The aim of this research was to fabricate mullite bonded porous SiC ceramic membrane at low temperature from novel combinations of fly ash and alumina (FA) in weight ratio 44.5:55.5 as sintering additives. The influences of FA and pore former content on the porosity, morphology, crystalline phase composition, mechanical performance, permeability properties were investigated. The membrane prepared at 1300°C using 20 wt% FA showed pure water permeability 3690 Lm−2h−1bar−1 and exhibited high oil removal efficiency of ∼ 98% from the synthetic oil‐water emulsion having oil concentration of 1000 mg/L. The corrosion behaviour of silicon carbide membrane in the strong acid and alkali solution and its mechanism were investigated. The utilization of fly ash successfully reduced the raw material cost and sintering temperature and the use of alumina reduced the amount of oxidation of SiC as well as increased the amount of mullite bond phase which resulted excellent mechanical strength to the final ceramics.

Mechanical behaviour and environmental benefit of eco-friendly steel fibre-reinforced dry UHPC incorporating high-volume fly ash and crumb rubber

This study evaluates the impact of high-volume fly ash (HVFA) and waste crumb rubber (CR) on the mechanical property and environmental benefit of steel fibre-reinforced dry UHPC (FR-DUHPC) designed in a previous study. FA was introduced at 20–60% by mass substitution for cement with fibre dosage of 1.5 vol. %. Then, waste CR with different meshes were added as partial/completed replacements of coarse and medium sand with three volume contents of fibres (0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5%). Test results indicated that in the case of 1.5% fibre reinforcement, the increase in FA content and the addition of CR aggregate markedly reduced the density, modulus of elasticity and strength behaviour, whereas had minimal effect on the post-peak ductility of the assessed mixtures under compression and bending loads. Owing to the adopted moist/steam curing and the continuous pozzolanic reaction, the contribution of FA effect to both strengths at various ages was apparently increased and 50% of cement substitution was considered to be the most suitable FA addition in this study. For rubberized concrete reinforced with 0.5–1.5% steel fibres, the mechanical properties increased gradually with fibre dosage and curing age. However, the effect was evidently weakened with the addition of finer CR aggregate, and increasing the fibre dosage contributed to more positive impact on ductility rather than the load-carrying capacity. In summary, the flexural property benefits derived from the inclusion of steel fibre, FA and waste CR, as well as the eco-friendly benefits derived from the cost saving, energy conservation and carbon emission reduction, render the developed lightweight concrete mixture to be broadly used in dry concrete applications with different strength requirements that are mainly subjected to bending loads during serviceability.

Effect of Collagen-Reactive Functional Monomer on Etch-and-Rinse Adhesives

In this study, we evaluated a novel functional monomer (4-formylphenyl acrylate [FA]) that can specifically and covalently bind to the dentin collagen matrix as a potential alternative hydrophobic diluent-like monomer for improving the durability of dentin bonding. Experimental adhesives with different FA contents (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%) were evaluated as partial substituents for the hydrophilic monomer 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, with the commercial adhesive One-Step (Bisco, Inc.) employed as the positive control. Their degree of conversion, viscosity, hydrophobicity, mechanical properties, and water absorption/solubility were measured as the comprehensive characterization. In situ zymographic assays were performed to determine the extent to which FA inhibits the endogenous hydrolytic activity of dentin. Finally, the bonding performances of the novel adhesives were evaluated with microtensile strength tests and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the incorporation of FA significantly improved the mobility of experimental adhesives attributable to the dilution property of FA. In contrast to the possible compromised rate of polymerization by hydroxyethyl methacrylate, FA exhibited typical characteristics of favorable copolymerization with polymerizable monomers in adhesives and improved the degree of conversion of experimental adhesives. The rigidity and hydrophobic properties of the phenyl framework of the FA molecule conferred superior mechanical properties and hydrolysis resistance to the novel experimental adhesives. An inhibitory effect on gelatinolytic activities within the hybrid layer was also observed in the in situ zymographic assays, even at a low FA concentration (10%). In conjunction with the significantly improved infiltration found via scanning electron microscopy, the experimental adhesives containing FA possessed significantly better-maintained microtensile strength, even after aging. Thus, the incorporation of this novel monomer endowed the experimental adhesives with multiple enhanced functionalities. These remarkable advantages highlight the suitability of the monomer for further applications in clinical practice.

Compressive strength analysis of fly ash-based geopolymer concrete using machine learning approaches

Cement is the primary component of concrete, an extensively used building material. When cement is manufactured or utilized, an excessive amount of gas is emitted into the atmosphere, which is detrimental to the environment. Using geopolymer concrete (GPC) is crucial in minimizing this flaw. Fly ash is used as the binder in geopolymer concrete and is commonly consumed to prepare composites of GPC. Compressive strength (C–S) is the most significant mechanical property for all types of concrete composites, including geopolymer concrete. Due to the importance of the C–S of concrete at 28 days in the design of structures, it is necessary to build a reliable model to predict the compressive strength of geopolymer concrete. A valid model for predicting the C–S of fly ash-based geopolymer concrete (FA-GPC) has been developed in this research for economic considerations. Therefore, the machine learning approach was used to predict the C–S of FA-GPC through artificial neural networks (ANNs), deep neural networks (DNNs), and deep residual networks (ResNet). In this regard, several academic research studies collected a comprehensive dataset of 860 samples and analyzed them to develop the three models. In the modeling process, twelve effective input parameters on the C–S of the FA-GPC, including the content of FA, fine aggregate (Fa), coarse aggregate (Ca), sodium silicate (SS), sodium hydroxide (SH), sodium silicate/sodium hydroxide ratio (SS/SH), silicon dioxide/alumina doped of FA (Si/Al), alkaline liquid/FA (AL/FA), sodium hydroxide concentration (M), curing temperature (CT), period of curing in ovens (CP), and sample ages (Sa), and the C–S of the FA-GPC as an output variable. Various statistical assessment criteria, such as the coefficient of determination, the mean-absolute percentage deviation, and root-mean-square deviation, were used to evaluate the efficiency of the developed models. The cross-validation technique (k-fold) confirmed the model's performance. The results indicated that the ResNet model predicted the C–S of FA-GPC mixtures better than the other models. Also, the sensitivity analysis of the three proposed models shows that the curing temperature, the ratio of alkaline liquid to the binder, and the amount of sodium silicate are the most important parameters for estimating the C–S of the FA-GPC.

Functionalized Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanomaterials for Electrochemiluminescent Detection of Cancer Cells

Biosensors capable of detecting cancer cell quantity is significant for cancer pathological investigation and prognosis. Herein, a facile electrochemiluminescent (ECL) biosensor is developed for cancer cell detection by comprehensively utilizing the features of functionalized graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) nanomaterials like well film-forming capability and functionalization level tunability. The solid-state ECL biosensor is fabricated via a simple dropping-drying method by subsequent deposition of g-CN nanosheets/graphene oxide nanocomposites (CNNS/GO) as ECL emitter, folate functionalized g-CN quantum dots (FA-CNQDs) as cancer cell capture agent, and bull serum albumin (BSA) as blocker to prevent nonspecific binding on glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs). The strong and stable ECL emission of CNNS/GO along with the tunability of FA content in FA-CNQDs endow the ECL biosensor with competitive sensitivity, which is able to detect folate receptor-positive cancer cells (HepG2) in the concentration range of 102 − 104 cells ml−1 under optimal condition. Additionally, the proposed ECL biosensor shows high specificity, reproducibility and long-term stability as well as good reliability towards serum sample detection.

Distinct dynamics of lipid accumulation by porcine cumulus cells during in vitro maturation with follicular fluid of low and high fatty acid contents

Follicular fluid (FF) is a complex biological medium providing a fully balanced microenvironment for the oocyte. The standard medium for in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes contains 10% of FF which due to its unknown and inconstant composition is a source of a significant variation. This study aimed to investigate whether follicular fluids of significantly different fatty acid contents (standardized follicular fluid) supplemented to porcine IVM media affects lipid metabolism of porcine oocytes and cumulus cells. Two categories of FF from cyclic gilts containing high (H) and low (L) FA content was added to IVM medium for oocytes from prepubertal gilts. Altogether, 521 cumulus oocyte-complexes (oocytes and corresponding cumulus cells) were analyzed for mRNA expression of 7 genes regulating lipid metabolism and selected traits of the lipid droplets (LD). The applied FFs of different FA levels exerted distinct effects on oocytes and cumulus cells (CCs). During IVM oocytes tended to utilize the lipids as demonstrated by the reduced LD number and lipid fluorescence, whereas cumulus cells accumulated lipids as indicated by the increase in LD number, the occupied area and fluorescence level. Changes in cumulus cells were independent of the FA content in the follicular fluid which means an efficient lipid accumulation during IVM. Final analysis including the effect of FA level on LD traits in oocytes and corresponding CCs revealed two distinct patterns. COCs matured in FF of high FA content were characterized by elevated dynamics of lipid accumulation in CCs and stable lipid content in oocytes. In the case of FF with low FA content, CCs accumulated lipids at a significantly lower rate whereas lipid level in oocytes was reduced. The alterations observed in the LD parameters were not accompanied by changes in oocyte nuclear maturation and in transcript level of any from the 7 analyzed genes. In conclusion, fatty acid content of the follicular fluid supplemented to porcine IVM medium affects lipid metabolism in cumulus cells of the maturing oocyte and application of a standardized FF may help to improve the quality of porcine oocytes matured in vitro.

Partial ozonation enhanced the content and aromatization of humic substances in activated sludge through chemical and microbial effects

Influences of partial ozonation on characteristics of humic substances (HS) in activated sludge (AS) was systematically investigated. It was firstly found that partial ozonation not only reduced sludge production, but also increased content and aromatization of HS in AS. The total extractable carbon of HS (TEC) in AS subjected to partial ozonation (i.e., an increasing O3 dosage, from 25 to 125 mg O3/g VS) considerably increased, from 138.7 ± 2.4 mg/L (SBR-25) to 151.6 ± 2.7 mg/L (SBR-125), which were 1.01–1.10 times the TEC of the control (SBR-0). In which the organic carbon of fulvic acids (FAC) and humic acids (HAC) increased from 30.9 ± 4.8 and 106.3 ± 4.6 mg/L (SBR-0) to 34.7 ± 1.3 and 116.9 ± 1.4 mg/L (SBR-125), respectively. SUVA254 values of both FA and HA in SBR-25∼SBR-125 were greater than their values in SBR-0. Mechanisms were clarified from chemical and microbial perspectives. During O3 treatment, organic nitrogenous substances and aliphatic compounds in HA were more mineralized and fused by O3; FA were more formed from soluble proteins and polysaccharides than mineralized. Consequently, HA content in AS was reduced with enhanced aromaticity, while FA content was increased with maintained aromaticity after O3 treatment. Then, after the ozonated AS was returned to SBR systems, the enhanced microorganism-led formation of HA in SBR from more accessible FA played a dominating role in the final increased TEC. Enhanced relative abundance (RA) of genera Lactococcus and Thauera after partial ozonation was possibly responsible for the increased RA of K00615 (tktA) and K00873 (pyk), promoting production of intermediates including phosphoenolpyruvate and erythrose-4-phosphate (initial metabolites for shikimate pathway) from glucose, enhancing HA formation related with shikimate pathway, and finally increasing the content and aromatization of HS. The results could guide researchers on improving sludge management by decreasing sludge production yield and enhancing sludge utilization potential through partial ozonation during wastewater treatment.

Effects of microalgal diet on growth, survival and fatty acid composition of larvae rock oyster Striostrea prismatica (Gray, 1825)

The biochemical nature and composition of fatty acids (FA's) in microalgae influence the nutritional quality and efficiency of this food source in bivalve larviculture. This research analyses the effect FA's content of Chaetoceros gracilis and Tisochrysis lutea on the FA's composition, growth and survival of Striostrea prismatica larvae. We analysed the FA's profiles of the microalgae, and the tissue of the larvae during a S. prismatica larviculture at day 1 (“D” larvae), day 8 (umbonate larvae) and day 22 (pediveliger) post fertilization (PF). Larvae growth and survival were evaluated during two phases: phase I from day 1 to day 8 PF and phase II from day 9 to day 22 PF. In phase I, we recorded a daily growth rate of 4.76 μm.day−1, while in phase II we recorded increases of 13.24 μm.day−1. In phase I, survival was 36.6%, and decreased further to 9.3% at the end of phase II. The sharp decrease in survival and low growth during phase I could possibly be explained by a specific nutritional deficiency of the microalgae diet (absence of FA's 15:0, 20:4n-3, 20:4n-6 and 22:5n- 3), especially if we consider the starting FA's profile of the “D” larvae. The larvae showed a high nutritional requirement for palmitic, stearic and oleic FA's and long-chain PUFA's, especially 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3. The absence of these FA's in the diet and their presence in the larval profile suggest that S. prismatica could have the ability to synthesize these FA's; however, more research is needed to corroborate this hypothesis.

Cadmium fractionation in soils affected by organic matter application: Transfer of cadmium to cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) tissues

Elevated cadmium (Cd) concentrations in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) beans have concerned chocolate consumers worldwide because of the potential detrimental human health effects. Compost application on the soil surface could modify the labile Cd in soils and yet it could enhance Cd bound to humic and fulvic acids, forming an organo-metallic complex that could reduce the availability of Cd to plants. This study investigated the effect of surface compost applications at two rates, the chemistry and fractionation of Cd at two soil depths, and the relationship of these soil Cd pools with plant uptake. The research was carried out on four Ecuadorian cacao farms. The compost was applied at 6.25 Mg·ha−1 (low) and 12.5 Mg·ha−1 (high) per annum. There was also a control treatment with no compost application. Soil samples were collected at two depths, surface (0–5 cm) and below surface (5–20 cm). Leaf samples and cacao pots were collected from each treatment. Soil Cd was fractionated into five operational pools. Additionally, the Cd-bound to fulvic acids and humic acids in soils were extracted separately. The EDTA-extractable fraction showed the highest concentration of Cd at both depths. Cadmium bound to fulvic acids was higher in compost-applied soils than in the control (p < 0.05) in all farms. Leaf and bean-Cd were negative and significantly correlated with the Cd extracted by EDTA, NaOH, HNO3, and FA-Cd pools. The mobility of Cd in soils cultivated with cacao, based on plant uptake, was strongly associated with the soils’ chemical characteristics, especially pH and SOC. The surface application of organic matter facilitates the redistribution of Cd in soil fractions, mainly in EDTA-, NaOH-, and HNO3-extractable fractions, suggesting a reduction in Cd soil–plant transfer via adsorption or complexation processes. Apparently, the application of high-quality compost, i.e., high FA content, could aid in mitigating Cd contamination in cacao orchards. Experiments on perennial crops merit a longer evaluation time to better assess the changes in plant-Cd.

The effects of FASN and DGAT1 gene polymorphism on colostrum and milk fatty acid composition of Charolais cows and growth in Charolais calves

Fatty acid composition of milk has become an important trait in dairy production, but there has not been a large amount of research on milk fat composition in beef cows. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of polymorphisms in the fatty acid synthase (FASN) and acyl-CoA diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT1) gene on milk and colostrum fatty acid composition, and their direct (calf) and indirect (cow/mother) relationships with calf birth weight and weight gain over 14 days. Eight Charolais cows and eight calves were genotyped using the PCR-RFLP method. The cows’ milk and colostrum fatty acid profiles and their calves’ weight at birth and 14 day weight gain were analysed. In the colostrum, cows with DGAT1 genotype KA had a significantly higher content of C4:0 and lower C10:0, and with FASN diplotype TW/AR a tendency for higher C14:0 and C16:0 colostrum FA content. In the milk, Charolais cows with diplotype TW/AR tended to have higher C14:1, C16:0 and C16:1, but lower C18:0 content. At the same time, no associations were found between DGAT1 genotypes and the fatty acid composition of milk. There were also no significant associations found between the studied SNPs and the calf’s birth weight and weight gain over 14 days, although calves with DGAT1 KA genotype tended to have higher birth weight.

Tracking dietary fatty acids in triacylglycerols and phospholipids of zooplankton

Abstract Fatty acids (FA) in lake zooplankton are largely provided by dietary FA and affected by taxonomic composition of zooplankton, temperature, and other environmental conditions. However, the extent to which dietary FA are retained and/or bioconverted in zooplankton remains unclear. In this lake study, we examined how dietary FA (seston), temperature and physico‐chemical variables (i.e., concentrations of chlorophyll a, dissolved organic carbon, nitrate, ammonium, phosphate) explained the FA variation in membrane (phospholipids; PL) and storage (triacylglycerols; TAG) lipids of zooplankton. We tested the hypotheses that: (1) increasing dietary FA increases the FA content stored as TAG by zooplankton, whereas the FA content in PL remains unaffected by naturally occurring changes in dietary FA supply; and (2) FA in seston better predict the FA variations stored by zooplankton as TAG, whereas lake temperature better predicts the FA variations in zooplankton PL. Results show that an increase in dietary polyunsaturated FA increased polyunsaturated FA in TAG and PL of zooplankton, but not eicosapentaenoic acid or docosahexaenoic acid in PL. Moreover, the FA content of seston was more similar to that of zooplankton TAG than it was to the content of PL, indicating major taxon‐specific differences in membrane FA. Dietary FA are a major predictor of FA in TAG of zooplankton, while the taxonomic composition of zooplankton is a major predictor of FA in PL. Temperature and physico‐chemical variables explained little of the variations in zooplankton FA. This field study improves our understanding of how FA in PL and TAG of different zooplankton taxa respond to changes of dietary FA, temperature, concentrations of chlorophyll‐a, dissolved organic carbon, nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate to fulfil their physiological requirements.

Increased Lipids in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by Multiple Regulations of DOF, LACS2, and CIS1.

Microalgal lipids are essential for biofuel and dietary supplement production. Lipid engineering for higher production has been studied for years. However, due to the complexity of lipid metabolism, single-gene engineering gradually encounters bottlenecks. Multiple gene regulation is more beneficial to boosting lipid accumulation and further clarifying the complex regulatory mechanism of lipid biosynthesis in the homeostasis of lipids, carbohydrates, and protein metabolism. Here, three lipid-related genes, DOF, LACS2, and CIS, were co-regulated in Chlamydomonas reinhartii by two circles of transformation to overexpress DOF and knock down LACS2 and CIS simultaneously. With the multiple regulations of these genes, the intracellular lipids and FA content increased by 142% and 52%, respectively, compared with CC849, whereas the starch and protein contents decreased by 45% and 24%. Transcriptomic analysis showed that genes in TAG and FA biosynthesis were up-regulated, and genes in starch and protein metabolism were down-regulated. This revealed that more carbon precursor fluxes from starch and protein metabolism were redirected towards lipid synthesis pathways. These results showed that regulating genes in various metabolisms contributed to carbon flux redirection and significantly improved intracellular lipids, demonstrating the potential of multiple gene regulation strategies and providing possible candidates for lipid overproduction in microalgae.

Properties of CNTs‐modified lead‐free BCTS ceramic–Portland fly ash cement composites

AbstractFly ash (FA) is widely used as a supplementary cementitious material in the production of Portland cement concrete. The effect of addition of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and FA on the properties of barium calcium stannate titanate (BCTS) ceramic–Portland FA cement composites was investigated. These composites have potential for use as sensors and transducers in the monitoring of structural health in concrete structures containing FA. CNTs were found to have filled the pores of the composites. All composites showed good compatibility with the concrete mix. The dielectric constant and electrical conductivity of composites were in the range 200–257 and 1.04 × 10–6 to 1.66 × 10−6 S/m, respectively. The presence of FA in composites increased the piezoelectric voltage coefficient (g33). Adding CNTs increased the piezoelectric charge coefficient (d33), thickness electromechanical coupling coefficient (Kt), and also g33 but decreased mechanical quality factor (Qm), which is related to good for the receiving sensor and transducer application. CNTs can improve the properties of these composites and composite with FA content at 10 vol.%, and CNTs at 1 vol.% exhibited the highest compressive strength and piezoelectric values (d33 = 44 pC/N, g33 = 20.21×10–3 V m/N, and Kt = 18.9%), along with higher g33 values, than pure BCTS ceramic.

Characterization and differentiation of pollen lipidomes and proteomes from different intrafloral stamens in heterantherous Senna bicapsularis.

Numerous compounds in pollen can affect the foraging decision-making of bees. Clarification of phytochemical components and identification of key substances for bee foraging preference in pollen are essential steps for apiculture and developing a conservation strategy. Senna bicapsularis, a heterantherous plant that possesses three different stamen types in the same flower, among which bees forage selectively, provides us with an ideal research model for identification of potential substances of bee foraging preference. The lipid and protein compositions of pollen from the anthers of different stamens of S. bicapsularis were investigated and compared. The polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs) were highest among lipid molecules in pollen from short (S) stamens than from long (L) and medium (M) stamens. This result is consistent with the FA content measurement, showing the highest FAs and UFAs content in S pollen, especially α-linolenic acid. We inferred that α-linolenic acid might be one of the key substances for bee foraging preference in pollen. Moreover, proteomic analysis showed that several differentially expressed proteins involved in lipid biosynthesis were highly accumulated in S pollen, such as choline kinase 2, 3-oxoacyl-ACP synthase-like protein and choline/ethanolamine phosphotransferase 1, in line with the highest FA content of S pollen. Additionally, DEPs involved in 'starch and sucrose metabolism', 'phenylpropanoid biosynthesis' and 'cyanoamino acid metabolism' were more represented in S compared with L and M pollen. The study suggests that differences in proteomic and lipidomic profiling among the three different stamen types might affect foraging decision-making of bumblebees.

Physicochemical and antioxidant properties of Coffea arabica honey from Western Oromia, Ethiopia

Coffea arabica is one of the most widely consumed and marketed commodities in the world. The study was designed to characterize C.arabica honey for botanical composition, physicochemical parameters, and antioxidant properties of honey. Twelve honey samples of C. arabica honey were collected during the flowering period of coffee flowers from the Zander hive. The physicochemical properties of honey and the Botanical origin of honey were determined based on Harmonized methods of the International Honey Commission. The antioxidant power of the coffee monofloral honey samples was determined by dissolving 1.5 gm of honey with 25 ml distilled water and mixing it with 25ml methanol and placed at 25◦C for sixty minutes of maceration using a temperature shaker. The pollen count percentage from honey indicated that all honey samples collected from Gera, Gomma, Yayu, and Manna districts were identified as coffee monofloral honey representing 84%, 93%, 75%, and 73 % of pollen count respectively. The mean moisture, ash, HMF, EC, FA, pH, fructose, glucose and sucrose content of Coffea arabica honey were 22.48%, 0.21%, 11.88, 0.49 mS/cm, 13.44 meq/Kg, 3.32, 32.77%, 32.9%, and 3.57% respectively. The total phenol and flavonoid content range from 42.1-82.1 and 21.7-59.7 mg/100 g of GAE/g respectively while the radical scavenging activity ranges from 60.2- 66.3%. The pollen analysis of honey from the area is coffee monofloral honey since its pollen count exceeds more than 45% and the honey quality also meets the Ethiopian and International standards. The antioxidant power of Coffee honey has a considerable amount of polyphenolics which have relevant antiradical activity.