Increase In Capacity Research Articles

Reinforcing and protecting leather-based relics using gelatin/tannic acid composites

Subject to environmental influences such as temperature, humidity, light, and microorganisms, leather-based relics are easily be deteriorated, which will damage their historical value. In this work, gelatin/tannic acid composites (Gel/TA) was prepared and characterized to investigate their potential as a novel approach for reinforcing and protecting leather-based relics. According to the characterization, it was found that hydrogen bonds was formed between gelatin and TA, and Gel/TA presented increases in the antioxidant capacity(82.12 %), compared to the gelatin. After reinforcing the aged leather with Gel/TA, the cross-linking between leather collagen fibers is more closely interconnected. The mechanical properties and antibacterial activity of leather-based relics are significantly improved. The oxidation resistance of leather-based relics increased from 20.72 % to 63.03 %. Under the condition of accelerated simulated aging, the time to reduce the mechanical properties of reinforced leather by 50 % was extended from 7.6 days to 10 days. At the same time, the color of leather-based relics changed slightly. This result suggested that the Gel/TA composites play an important role in the filling and reinforcement protection of leather artifacts. This work will put forward a feasible way to producing sustainable multifunctional materials for leather-based relics.

Energy-efficient solar heat supply system based on hybrid photovoltaic collector

Following the commitments made under the Paris Climate Agreement, the scientific community has initiated a strategic increase in the share of renewable energy sources while gradually reducing dependence on traditional carbon fuels. Priority is given to the acceleration of the development of the photovoltaic industry, which has shown a constant increase in capacity over the past decades. According to the energy and climate strategies of the European Union, a significant increase in the amount of energy generation due to solar sources is planned. Therefore, the article is devoted to the development of a solar heat supply system based on a hybrid thermal photovoltaic solar collector with an improved design and analysis of the main characteristics of its operation using computer modeling. The authors have developed a 3D computer model of the proposed hybrid system with a solar collector by using SolidWorks software. The change in the temperature of the heat carrier in the hybrid thermal photovoltaic solar collector under constant solar radiation was analyzed. The temperature change of the coolant in the thermal accumulator of the system was also investigated. The results of the simulation of thermal processes revealed the key regularities of the temperature increase during the computer experiment, both in the hybrid thermal photovoltaic solar collector and in the thermal accumulator. The change in the instantaneous specific heat capacity of the developed solar collector was analyzed, and its average efficiency was estimated. The trends of changes in the thermal efficiency of the developed heat supply system during the computer experiment were determined. The novelty of the study is that the design of the hybrid thermophotoelectric solar collector has been improved, its 3D computer model has been developed, and the main thermal characteristics of the developed heat supply system with constant solar radiation have been obtained, which will contribute to the development of calculation methods for such heat supply systems with hybrid solar collectors in the future.

Axial compressive performance of CFRP-steel composite tube confined seawater sea-sand concrete intermediate slender columns

To alleviate the scarcity of river sand resources and fully utilize the advantages of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP), a new type of CFRP-steel composite tube was developed to confine seawater-sea sand concrete (FCTSSC) column structures. This study conducted experimental research on FCTSSC intermediate slender columns for the first time, analyzing their failure modes and working mechanisms. The investigation explored the effects of outer CFRP layers and slenderness ratios on the mechanical performance. The results indicate that the FCTSSC intermediate slender column specimens exhibited global buckling accompanied by local bulging of steel tubes as their failure mode. The load-displacement curves can be divided into strong confinement and weak confinement models. Specimens confined by CFRP exhibited a 12.51–31 % increase in ultimate bearing capacity. The ultimate bearing capacity and its enhancement rate were positively correlated with the outer CFRP layers and negatively correlated with the slenderness ratio. Peak lateral displacements were positively correlated with both parameters. Finally, the model for calculating the axial compression ultimate bearing capacity of FCTSSC intermediate slender columns was proposed, providing a reference for future practical applications in offshore engineering.

Sorting versus screening in decentralized markets with adverse selection

We study the role of traders' meeting capacities in decentralized markets with adverse selection. Uninformed principals choose trading mechanisms to find an agent with whom to trade. Agents are privately informed about their quality and aim to match with one of the principals. We consider a rich set of meeting technologies and characterize the properties of the equilibrium allocations for each of them. In equilibrium, different agent types can be separated either via sorting—they self-select into different submarkets—or screening within the trading mechanism, or a combination of the two. We show that, as the meeting capacity increases, the equilibrium features more screening and less sorting. Interestingly, this increases price variability and reduces the average quality of trade as well as the total level of trade in the economy. The trading losses are, however, more than compensated by savings in entry costs so that welfare increases.

Heterogeneous traffic flow of expressway with Level 2 autonomous vehicles considering moving bottlenecks

With the development of autonomous driving technology, autonomous vehicles (AV) will gradually replace human-driven vehicles (HDV), but it will still be a mixed traffic flow of autonomous vehicles with different levels of automation for a long time. In addition to cars, trucks regarded as moving bottleneck are also an important part of traffic flow of expressway. In this paper, the elimination rule of moving bottleneck is introduced into the traffic flow model, and the improved hybrid traffic flow cellular automata model is proposed. Next, through numerical simulation, the existence and influence of moving bottleneck caused by heavy duty trucks are hypothesized and verified. The simulation results show that with the proportion of trucks increases, the influence range of moving bottleneck expands, resulting in the decrease of capacity and traffic congestion. Then, the impact of Level 2 autonomous vehicles (hereinafter referred to as L2 AVs) on the traffic flow of moving bottlenecks is explored. The simulation results show that with the proportion of L2 AVs increases, traffic capacity increases, and traffic congestion ratio at medium and high density decreases. Under medium density, the average velocity fluctuates greatly, while under high density, the average velocity decreases due to limitation of density. In summary, L2 AVs can alleviate influence of moving bottlenecks, increase traffic capacity, improve traffic congestion, and lift road safety. The cellular automata model of traffic flow including moving bottleneck proposed in this paper is based on the actual road situation, considering the fact that most of autonomous vehicles on the expressway currently are L2 AVs, and moving bottleneck is mainly caused by heavy trucks. This research contributes to an in-depth analysis of L2 AVs on heterogeneous traffic flows under moving bottleneck environment.

Molecular Weights of Dissolved Organic Matter Significantly Affect Photoaging of Microplastics.

The fate of ubiquitous microplastics (MPs) is largely influenced by dissolved organic matter (DOM) in aquatic environments, which has garnered significant attention. The reactivity of DOM is reported to be greatly regulated by molecular weights (MWs), yet little is known about the effects of different MW DOM on MP aging. Here, the aging behavior of polystyrene MPs (PSMPs) in the presence of different MW fulvic acids (FAs) and humic acids (HAs) was systematically investigated. Under ultraviolet (UV) illumination, O/C of PSMPs aged for 96 h surged from 0.008 to 0.146 in the lower MW FA (FA<1kDa) treatment, suggesting significant PSMP aging. However, FA exhibited a stronger effect on facilitating PSMP photoaging than HA, which can be attributed to the fact that FA<1kDa contains more quinone and phenolic moieties, demonstrating a higher redox capacity. Meanwhile, compared to other fractions, FA<1kDa was more actively involved in the increase of different reactive species yields by 50-290%, including •OH, which plays a key role in PSMP photoaging, and contributed to a 25% increase in electron-donating capacity (EDC). This study lays a theoretical foundation for a better understanding of the environmental fate of MPs.

Spin Symmetry Breaking-Induced Hubbard Gap Near-Closure in N-Coordinated MnO2 for Enhanced Aqueous Zinc-Ion Battery Performance.

Transition metal oxides (TMOs) are promising cathode materials for aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs), however, their performance is hindered by a substantial Hubbard gap, which limits electron transfer and battery cyclability. Addressing this, we introduce a heteroatom coordination approach, using triethanolamine to induce axial N coordination on Mn centers in MnO2, yielding N-coordinated MnO2 (TEAMO). This approach leverages the change of electronegativity disparity between Mn and ligands (O and N) to disrupt spin symmetry and augment spin polarization. This enhancement leads to the closure of the Hubbard gap, primarily driven by the intensified occupancy of the Mn eg orbitals. The resultant TEAMO exhibit a significant increase in storage capacity, reaching 351 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1. Our findings suggest a viable strategy for optimizing the electronic structure of TMO cathodes, enhancing the potential of ZIBs in energy storage technology.

The role of the heart in the evolution of aerobic performance.

Aerobic metabolism underlies vital traits such as locomotion and thermogenesis, and aerobic capacity influences fitness in many animals. The heart is a key determinant of aerobic capacity, but the relative influence of cardiac output versus other steps in the O2 transport pathway remains contentious. In this Commentary, we consider this issue by examining the mechanistic basis for adaptive increases in aerobic capacity (thermogenic V̇O2,max; also called summit metabolism) in deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) native to high altitude. Thermogenic V̇O2,max is increased by acclimation to cold hypoxia (simulating high-altitude conditions), and high-altitude populations generally have greater V̇O2,max than their low-altitude counterparts. This plastic and evolved variation in V̇O2,max is associated with corresponding variation in maximal cardiac output, along with variation in other traits across the O2 pathway (e.g. arterial O2 saturation, blood haemoglobin content and O2 affinity, tissue O2 extraction, tissue oxidative capacity). By applying fundamental principles of gas exchange, we show that the relative influence of cardiac output on V̇O2,max depends on the O2 diffusing capacity of thermogenic tissues (skeletal muscles and brown adipose tissues). Functional interactions between cardiac output and blood haemoglobin content determine circulatory O2 delivery and thus affect V̇O2,max, particularly in high-altitude environments where erythropoiesis can increase haematocrit and blood viscosity. There may also be functional linkages between cardiac output and tissue O2 diffusion due to the role of blood flow in determining capillary haematocrit and red blood cell flux. Therefore, the functional interactions between cardiac output and other traits in the O2 pathway underlie the adaptive evolution of aerobic capacities.

Spin Symmetry Breaking‐Induced Hubbard Gap Near‐Closure in N‐Coordinated MnO2 for Enhanced Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Battery Performance

AbstractTransition metal oxides (TMOs) are promising cathode materials for aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs), however, their performance is hindered by a substantial Hubbard gap, which limits electron transfer and battery cyclability. Addressing this, we introduce a heteroatom coordination approach, using triethanolamine to induce axial N coordination on Mn centers in MnO2, yielding N‐coordinated MnO2 (TEAMO). This approach leverages the change of electronegativity disparity between Mn and ligands (O and N) to disrupt spin symmetry and augment spin polarization. This enhancement leads to the closure of the Hubbard gap, primarily driven by the intensified occupancy of the Mn eg orbitals. The resultant TEAMO exhibit a significant increase in storage capacity, reaching 351 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1. Our findings suggest a viable strategy for optimizing the electronic structure of TMO cathodes, enhancing the potential of ZIBs in energy storage technology.

Wind Turbine Modeling, Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT), and Experimental Validation

The research presented is driven by the global increase in wind power capacity and the commitment of the scientific community to facilitate its integration into electrical grids. The focus of this study is the modeling of a wind turbine system, beginning with its mechanical components. To ensure the production of power at optimal levels, a control strategy for Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) based on Optimal Torque (OT) has been adopted. The model and control method, developed in Matlab/Simulink, have demonstrated their precision and efficacy through experimental verification using SCADA data acquired from an operational wind turbine.

6-Plex Tandem Phosphorus Tags (TPT) for Accurate Quantitative Proteomics.

Isobaric chemical labeling is a widely used strategy for high-throughput quantitative proteomics based on mass spectrometry. However, commercially available reagents have high costs in applications as well as the sensitivity limitations for detection of the trace protein samples. Previously, we developed a 2-plex isobaric labeling strategy based on phosphorus chemistry for ultrasensitive proteome quantification with high accuracy. In this work, 6-plex tandem phosphorus tags (TPT) were developed with 3-fold increase in the multiplexing quantitative capacity compared to the 2-plex isobaric phosphorus reagents introduced previously. High isotope enrichment of 18O labeling was incorporated into the phosphoryl group with three exchangeable oxygen atoms by using commercially available H218O. The combinational incorporations of 18O atom in reporter ions and balance group set up the low-cost foundation for development of multiplex TPT reagents. The novel 6-plex TPT reagents could produce phosphoramidate as unique reporter ions with approximately 1 Da mass difference and thus enable 6-plex quantitative analysis in high-resolution ESI-MS/MS analysis. Using HeLa cell tryptic peptides, we concluded that 6-plex TPT reagents could facilitate large-scale accurate quantitative proteomics with very high labeling efficiency.

Urban policy responses to climate hazards in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Urban in-migration, high birth rates and unchecked development are driving the continued growth of African cities. Much of this urbanization occurs in informal settlements, where unplanned growth exacerbates the impacts of climate hazards. Our paper explores the challenges faced by urban planners seeking to address climate change threats in African cities. Focusing on Addis Ababa, we conduct a robust policy analysis of urban government response. Our main finding is that Addis Ababa’s environmental challenges are primarily a result of urban development and inadequate planning and policy enforcement. Environmental challenges are exacerbated by rapidly intensifying climate impacts, but not driven by them. Improved city-level policy responses can potentially mitigate many of Addis Ababa’s current environmental challenges and prepare the city to weather future ones. We highlight four areas of policy weakness: (1) ineffective or absent policies concerning green space; (2) the exclusion of informal settlements from ongoing resilience planning efforts; (3) limited public trust and transparency; and (4) a lack of coordination across the multiple agencies in Addis charged with planning. Holistic, multi-stakeholder planning is inhibited by a lack of collaboration, limited stakeholder participation, and a reluctance to engage in productive dialogue. Resolving all four issues will only occur with sustained increases in social trust, expertise, governance capacity and capital.

Analysis and optimization design of internal pressure resistance of flexible composite pipe

Flexible composite pipes have the advantages of light weight, corrosion resistance, scale resistance, and low cost compared to carbon steel pipes, and have attracted much attention in the application of onshore oil and gas gathering and transportation systems. Understanding the relationship between the pressure-bearing mechanical properties of composite pipes and their structural characteristics is crucial for guiding their process application. To investigate the mechanical behavior of flexible composite pipes under internal pressure loads, discrete and combined finite element models were established to analyze the stress-strain characteristics of flexible composite pipes. The bursting strength was predicted, and the influence of winding angle and number of reinforcement layers on the pressure-bearing capacity of flexible composite pipes was revealed. The applicability of the two models in the analysis of internal pressure resistance of flexible composite pipes was evaluated using whole pipe strain testing and instantaneous hydrostatic burst experiments. The results showed that the reinforcement layer is the main pressure-bearing layer of flexible composite pipes, and the innermost reinforcement layer bears the highest pressure. The pressure-bearing capacity of flexible composite pipes significantly increases when the winding angle is greater than 53°, and the increase in pressure-bearing capacity slows down when the number of reinforcement layers exceeds 3. Under the combination model, the strain and bursting strength of flexible composite pipes were closer to the experimental results. The study clearly defines the stress-strain characteristics of flexible composite pipes under internal pressure load and the impact of process parameters, providing a basis for the optimization design of single well oil transmission pipelines in Xinjiang oilfield.

Comparative Analysis of Microabrasive Film Finishing Effects across Various Process Variants.

The paper investigates various methods of microfinishing and arrives at the best technique to produce a very smooth surface. Various setups, with and without oscillation, were developed, together with a microfinishing attachment used on conventional lathes and milling machines. The workpiece material used was an amorphous nickel-phosphorus Ni-P alloy. The surface roughness parameters, such as Sa, Sv, and Sp, were measured with the TalySurf CCI6000 instrument. For the measurement of the surface protrusions, an "analysis of islands" technique was used at various levels of cut-off. The 2BA method-machining below the workpiece axis with oscillation-turned out to be the most effective method applied because it had the highest density of protrusions while having the smallest value of surface roughness. Non-oscillation with the machining zone below the axis also becomes effective, indicating that repositioning can compensate for a lack of oscillation. Already, the very compact surface structure achieved with minimized depths in the valleys by the 2BA method supported the improvement in tribological performance and increase in load-carrying capacity, together with lubricant retention enhancement. These results show that the microfinishing process can be optimized by parameter tuning, and also, non-oscillating methods could come to be a practical alternative, probably reducing the complexity of equipment and cutting costs. Further studies need to be aimed at the scalability of these methods and their application to other materials and fields.

Germination time and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion impact on the isoflavone bioaccessibility and antioxidant capacities of soybean sprouts

Soybeans' isoflavone content increases with germination; nevertheless, their bioaccessibility in the gastrointestinal system is limited. This study evaluated the influence of germination time (1, 3, 5, and 7 days) and in vitro gastrointestinal conditions on the isoflavone profile of soybean sprouts. The total isoflavones (4.07 mg/g) and the malonyl genistin (1.37 mg/g) had the highest contents on day 5 in the gastric phase. The highest isoflavone bioaccessibility was observed in daidzein, genistein, and glycitin. An increase in antioxidant capacity was found during germination (day 7 > day 5 > day 3); however, the same trend was not observed during in vitro digestion. In summary, the results indicate that soybean sprouts germinated for 5 days may be more beneficial for consumption since they have the highest and most readily absorbed levels of isoflavones. These data suggest that soybean sprouts may be a functional food that provides bioavailable antioxidants.

Quantifying the impact of factors on soil available arsenic using machine learning

Arsenic (As) can accumulate in edible plant parts and thus pose a serious threat to human health. Identifying the contributions of various factors to soil available As is crucial for evaluating environmental risks. However, research quantitatively assessing the importance of soil properties on available As is scarce. In this study, we utilized 442 datasets covering total As, available As, and properties of farmland soils. The five machine learning models were employed to predict soil available As content, and the model with the best predictive performance was selected to calculate the importance of soil properties on available As and interpret the model results. The Random Forest model exhibited the best predictive performance, with R2 for the test set of dryland and paddy fields being 0.83 and 0.82 respectively, while also outperforming other machine learning models in terms of accuracy. Concurrently, evaluating the contribution of soil properties to soil available As revealed that increases in soil total arsenic, pH, organic matter (OM), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) led to higher soil available As content. Among these factors, soil total As had the greatest impact, followed by CEC. The influence of pH on soil available As was greater in dryland compared to OM, while in paddy fields, it was smaller than OM (p < 0.01). Sensitivity analysis results indicated that reducing soil total As content had the greatest effect on available As. In both dryland and paddy field soils, reducing soil total As had the most pronounced effect on available As, leading to reductions of 10.09% and 8.48%, respectively. Therefore, prioritizing the regulation of soil total As and CEC is crucial in As contamination management practices to alter As availability in farmland soils.

Distinct maturation, glucose metabolism, and inflammatory function of human monocytes-derived IDECs mediated by anti-IgE and Pam3CSK4 alone or in combination.

Cell energy metabolism controls the activation and function of dendritic cells (DCs). Inflammatory dendritic epidermal cells (IDECs) in skin lesions of atopic dermatitis (AD) express high-affinity IgE receptor (FcϵRI) and toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), which mediate the generation and maintenance of inflammation. However, cellular energy metabolism and effector function of IDECs mediated by FcϵRI and TLR2 have not been fully elucidated. IDECs in vitro were treated with TLR2 agonist Pam3CSK4 and anti-IgE alone or in combination for 24h. Further, we analyzed the expression of cell surface activation markers, production of inflammatory factors, and cellular energy metabolism profiles of IDECs by using flow cytometry, multiplex assay, RNA sequencing, targeted energy metabolism, and seahorse assays. Compared to the unstimulated or anti-IgE groups, Pam3CSK4 alone or combined with anti-IgE groups significantly increased the expression of CD80, CD83, and CD86 on IDECs, but did not affect the expression of the above markers in the anti-IgE group. The release of inflammatory cytokines increased in the Pam3CSK4 alone or combined with anti-IgE groups, while there was a weak increasing trend in the anti-IgE group. The glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway of carbon metabolism was affected in all treatment groups. Furthermore, compared to the control group, we found a decrease in pyruvic acid, upregulation of PFKM, downregulation of FBP1, and increase in extracellular lactate, glycolysis rate, and glycolysis capacity after all treatments, while there was no difference between each treatment group. However, there was no difference in glycolytic reserve and mitochondrial basic and maximum respiration among all groups. Our results indicate that glycolysis of IDECs may be activated through FcϵRI and TLR2 to upregulate inflammatory factors, suggesting that danger signals from bacteria or allergens might evoke an inflammatory response from AD through the glycolysis pathway.

Prenatal immune activation in mice induces long-term alterations in brain mitochondrial function

Prenatal exposure to infections is a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring, and alterations in mitochondrial function are discussed as a potential underlying factor. Here, using a mouse model of viral-like maternal immune activation (MIA) based on poly(I:C) (POL) treatment at gestational day (GD) 12, we show that adult offspring exhibit behavioral deficits, such as reduced levels of social interaction. In addition, we found increased nicotinamidadenindinucleotid (NADH)- and succinate-linked mitochondrial respiration and maximal electron transfer capacity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and in the amygdala (AMY) of males and females. The increase in respiratory capacity resulted from an increase in mitochondrial mass in neurons (as measured by complex IV activity and transcript expression), presumably to compensate for a reduction in mitochondrion-specific respiration. Moreover, in the PFC of control (CON) male offspring a higher excess capacity compared to females was observed, which was significantly reduced in the POL-exposed male offspring, and, along with a higher leak respiration, resulted in a lower mitochondrial coupling efficiency. Transcript expression of the uncoupling proteins (UCP4 and UCP5) showed a reduction in the PFC of POL male mice, suggesting mitochondrial dysfunction. In addition, in the PFC of CON females, a higher expression of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD1) was observed, suggesting a higher antioxidant capacity as compared to males. Finally, transcripts analysis of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics showed reduced expression of fission/fusion transcripts in PFC of POL offspring of both sexes. In conclusion, we show that MIA causes alterations in neuronal mitochondrial function and mass in the PFC and AMY of adult offspring with some effects differing between males and females.

Evaluation of ecosystem services vis-à-vis perceptions and attitudes of local communities towards Wetland conservation in Kashmir Himalaya

Valuation of ecosystem services along with the perceptions and attitudes of local communities is crucial for sustainable management of wetlands. This study assesses changes in wetland area and bathymetry, and provides insights into local community's perceptions of ecosystem services, and attitudes towards wetland conservation in Kashmir Himalaya, India. High-resolution satellite data was used to assess land use land cover (LULC) changes within the wetland. The bathymetry changes were assessed by performing depth measurements before and after dredging in 2019 and 2022, respectively. Perceptions of ecosystem services and attitudes of residents towards wetland management were examined through surveys in 182 households from the target population of 334 families. The findings reveal that Khushalsar wetland provides important provisioning (food, fodder, thatching mats, fish, vegetables), regulating (flood control, carbon sequestration, water quality improvement), supporting (habitat, biomass and oxygen production, water and nutrient cycling), and cultural services (aesthetic, education, spiritual). The economic benefits from provisioning services range from 240 USD/yr for minor vegetables to 1201–1802 USD/0.05 ha/yr for Nelumbo nucifera. The analysis of LULC changes indicates a ∼16.5% reduction in wetland area from 1980 to 2017, with a further ∼10% decrease from 2017 to 2021, resulting in an overall loss of ∼25% (27.1 ha) in wetland area from 1980 to 2021. Bathymetric assessments reveal an increase in maximum depth from 427 cm in 2019 to 547 cm in 2022 following dredging activities. Socioeconomic analysis showed the significance of Khushalsar wetland as an important source of livelihood for local communities. Survey results indicate that all the respondents have positive attitudes towards the protection and management of the Khushalsar wetland. The study demonstrates that human conservation activities have significantly contributed to positive changes in the wetland such as increase in depth and flood storage capacity. The study concludes that government protection along with active participation of local communities is indispensable for sustainable management of wetlands.

The Effect of Dietary Nitrate on the Oral Microbiome and Salivary Biomarkers in Individuals with High Blood Pressure

BackgroundGreen leafy vegetables (GLV) contain inorganic nitrate, an anion with potential prebiotic effects on the oral microbiome. However, it remains unclear whether GLV and pharmacological supplementation [potassium nitrate (PN)] with a nitrate salt induce similar effects on the oral microbiome. ObjectivesThis study aimed to compare the effect of GLV with PN supplementation on the oral microbiome composition and salivary biomarkers in individuals with high blood pressure. MethodsSeventy individuals were randomly allocated to 3 different groups to follow a 5-wk dietary intervention. Group 1 consumed 300 mg/d of nitrate in form of GLV. Group 2 consumed pills with 300 mg/d of PN and low-nitrate vegetables. Group 3 consumed pills with potassium chloride (placebo: PLAC) and low-nitrate vegetables. The oral microbiome composition and salivary biomarkers of oral health were analyzed before and after the dietary intervention. ResultsThe GLV and PN groups showed similar microbial changes, probably nitrate-dependent, including an increase in the abundance of Neisseria, Capnocytophaga, Campylobacter species, and a decrease in Veillonella, Megasphaera, Actinomyces, and Eubacterium species after the treatment. Increased abundance of Rothia species, and reduced abundance of Streptococcus, Prevotella, Actinomyces, and Mogibacterium species were observed in the GLV group, which could be nitrate-independent. GLV and PN treatments increased salivary pH, but only GLV treatment showed an increase in the salivary buffering capacity and a reduction of lactate. ConclusionThe combination of nitrate-dependent and nitrate-independent microbial changes in the GLV group has a stronger effect to potentially improve oral health biomarkers compared with PN.