Mass Loss Research Articles

Optimization of 3D-Printed Solar Evaporators for Enhanced Interfacial Solar Steam Generation and Beyond: Investigating Surface Modifications and Nanocomposite Coatings

The present work investigates the influence of variations in top evaporative surface angle of the 3D-printed solar evaporators in interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG). In this regard, different convex surface modifications such as 0˚, 15˚, 30˚ and 45˚ inclination are fabricated and covered with carbon cloth (CX-0, CX-15, CX-30 and CX-45). Among all, CX-45 evaporator exhibits better ISSG performance and hence, CX-45 evaporator is alone coated with as-synthesized tantalum oxide/potassium tantalate nanocomposite (CX-45/NC) and used to study the enhancement in ISSG. At 1 kW/m2 solar illumination, mass loss (ML), evaporation flux (EF) and efficiency (EY) are measured and found to be 2.5 g, 4.366 kg/m2h and 104.95% respectively for 60 min duration. Furthermore, the outdoor performance (∼656.791 W/m2 for 8 h) of the above evaporator exhibits better ML, EF and EY of about7.5 g, 1.637 kg/m2h and 59.99% respectively. We propose that: (i) increasing the top evaporative surface angle of the 3D evaporator enhances the surface area, facilitating the accumulation of a greater amount of water molecules (ii) the low thermal conductivity of the 3D-printed material prevents excessive heat flow to the bulk water (iii) the presence of water-absorbing groups within the carbon cloth accelerates the rate of water absorption (iv) applying a nanocomposite coating onto the carbon cloth surface enhances its ability to trap light energy effectively (v) enhanced surface roughness of the 3D-printed evaporator minimizes heat losses through mechanisms such as scattering and reflection. Moreover, the developed 3D-printed evaporator gives a sustainable solution for the purification of dye molecules and oil-water separation, as evident from this study.

Eco-Innovation in Energy: Solid Degradation Kinetics of Rejected Red Macroalgae (Kappaphycopsis cottonii) for Bio-Oil and Biochar Production

In the pursuit of renewable energy sources, biomass conversion into biofuels has garnered attention as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. This research focuses on the pyrolytic conversion of red macroalgae, specifically rejected Kappaphycus cottonii, an underutilized biomass in Indonesia, into valuable bio-energy carriers, while analyzing the solid degradation kinetics involved. The dried K. cottonii underwent slow pyrolysis at varying temperatures (400‒600 °C) and time intervals (10‒50 min). The impact of these variables on the yield of bio-oil and biochar, alongside the thermogravimetric profiles indicating mass loss, was thoroughly assessed. The study also explores the chemical kinetics of the decomposition process, utilizing the first-order reaction model to analyze the solid biomass conversion rate, activation energy, and frequency factor. Key findings demonstrate that the optimal pyrolysis temperature for maximizing bio-oil yield was precisely 500 °C, beyond which thermal cracking led to yield reductions. Reaction times also greatly affect yield, highlighting the importance of optimized pyrolysis conditions. The determined activation energy and frequency factor, based on the Arrhenius equation, highlighted K. cottonii's lower decomposition energy barrier relative to terrestrial biomass. This distinction is largely ascribed to its unique chemical makeup, notably a lower lignin content, positioning K. cottonii as an advantageous feedstock for biofuel production through pyrolysis.

Impact of acerola pulp on physical and chemical properties of lactose-free sweet bread during storage

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the total replacement of water with acerola pulp on the physical and chemical properties of sweet bread without lactose over five days of storage. Analyses of mass loss, soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, color, hardness, vitamin C, total phenolics and antioxidant activity were performed daily, for a period of five days, whereas proximate composition was determined just at the same day of baking. The proximate composition was not affected by the replacement of water for acerola pulp. The values of soluble solids and titratable acidity were higher in enriched bread, while pH exhibited the opposite behavior. Enriched bread is softer and more yellowish than control bread, became harder, orange and darker over storage. The levels of vitamin C and total phenolics, as well as the antioxidant activity of the enriched bread was higher than control bread (vitamin C increased from 0 to 33.67 mg/100 g, the total phenolics increased more than fourfold and the antioxidant activity tripled). However, these values gradually decreased over time. The enrichment of free-lactose sweet bread with acerola pulp was successful, providing an alternative for those who aspire to having a healthier diet/ life and for specific diets for those who have difficulty digesting lactose.

Effect of immersion time on bacterial community structure and sulfur metabolism in biofilm on concrete surface in sewer environment

This study focuses on an overlooked but critical issue: the composition and functional expression of microbial communities on the concrete surface in different areas of sewer pipes. Three immersion conditions were applied to simulate the duration of concrete in different areas ofsewers exposed to sewage, including short-term (L1), long-term (L2) and permanent immersion (L3). The properties of concrete under different immersion conditions and the bacterial diversity and functional capabilities in biofilms on the concrete surface were analyzed. Results showed that the L1 group was dominated by Halothiobacillus, whereas Desulfomicrobium was prominent in the L3 group. Significant differences in the predominant functional microbial communities and metabolic functional genes further confirmed the strong impact of immersion time on the pathways of microbial sulfur metabolism and concrete performance in sewer environment. Compared with the L2 and L3 groups, the decreased sewage immersion time resulted in an increase in the abundance and metabolic activity of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria in the L1 group. Hence, greater mass loss and gypsum production of concrete was found in the L1 group. The structural and functional differentiation of bacterial communities on the concrete surface observed in this study contributes to a better understanding of the uneven corrosion in real sewer pipes.

Đánh giá khả năng ức chế ăn mòn đồng M-1 và nhôm AK-7 của benzotriazol trong dung dịch axit xitric 5%

This paper presents the research results on the corrosion inhibition effect of benzotriazole on copper M-1 and aluminum AK-7 in 5% citric acid solution. Electrochemical test resultsshow that benzotriazole as a good corrosion inhibitors for copper M-1 and aluminum AK-7. The optimal protective concentration of benzotriazole in this condition is 0.5%, at which the protective effect for copper M-1 and aluminum AK-7 is 75.43% and 69.56% respectively. After 2 hours of corrosion test in glassware at 88±2°C by mass loss method with a concentration of 0.5% benzotriazole, the protective effect for copper M-1 and aluminum AK-7 reaches 69.1% and 65.4% respectively.

Microstructure Evolution and Molten Salt Corrosion Resistance Dependent on Pre-Oxidation Treatment of NiAl Coatings

The chloride-infused molten salt shows the most potential as the medium for the upcoming generation of concentrated solar power system. However, the molten salt put for ward higher corrosion resistance demand on the critical components of concentrated solar power system. The application of NiAl coating proves to be a highly efficient method for preventing corrosion. In this paper, the microstructure, adhesion, and corrosion resistance of NiAl coatings on 310S stainless steel with/without pre-oxidation treatment were studied. The coating predominantly consisted of β-NiAl phase nanocrystals with an Al content of 41.0 at.%. Continuous α-Al2O3 oxide film was formed and no obvious cracks were observed after pre-oxidation. The adhesion strength of NiAl coating was increased by about 70% to 40.0 N through pre-oxidation. Importantly, the corrosion results of NiAl coatings by pre-oxidation treatment in the mixed salt of NaCl/MgCl2/KCl at 1073.15 K for 10 h showed no obvious diffusion of molten salt elements into the coatings. Compared to 310S stainless steel, the pre-oxidized coating sample exhibited a significant reduction of 50.2% in corrosion mass loss. The pre-oxidation of the NiAl coating creates an Al2O3 oxidation layer that effectively blocks corrosion, offering a new method for protecting stainless steels in concentrated solar power system plants.

Association between insulin sensitivity and lean mass loss during weight loss.

The study objective was to assess the relationship between insulin sensitivity and changes in total lean mass (LM) and appendicular LM (ALM) during weight loss. Individuals were randomly assigned to either a standard or a moderately reduced carbohydrate diet for 16 weeks. Body composition was assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and insulin sensitivity index (SI) using an intravenous glucose tolerance test. Multiple linear regression was used to determine whether baseline SI was predictive of changes in total LM and ALM. Participants (n = 57; baseline BMI 32.1 ± 3.8 kg/m2) lost an average of 6.8 ± 3.2 kg of body weight (p < 0.001), with 1.5 ± 2.6 kg coming from LM (p < 0.05) and 0.5 ± 0.73 kg from ALM (p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that SI was inversely associated with changes in total LM (kilograms; β = 0.481, p < 0.001), after adjusting for baseline LM, fat mass, acute insulin response to glucose, and weight loss. Similar results were seen when assessing ALM loss (β = 0.359, p < 0.05). Identifying individuals with low insulin sensitivity prior to weight loss interventions may allow for a personalized approach aiming at minimizing LM loss.

Strong Fractionation of Deuterium and Helium in Sub-Neptune Atmospheres along the Radius Valley

We simulate atmospheric fractionation in escaping planetary atmospheres using IsoFATE, a new open-source numerical model. We expand the parameter space studied previously to planets with tenuous atmospheres that exhibit the greatest helium and deuterium enhancement. We simulate the effects of extreme-ultraviolet-driven photoevaporation and core-powered mass loss on deuterium–hydrogen and helium–hydrogen fractionation of sub-Neptune atmospheres around G, K, and M stars. Our simulations predict prominent populations of deuterium- and helium-enhanced planets along the upper edge of the radius valley with mean equilibrium temperatures of ≈370 K and as low as 150 K across stellar types. We find that fractionation is mechanism dependent, so constraining He/H and D/H abundances in sub-Neptune atmospheres offers a unique strategy to investigate the origin of the radius valley around low-mass stars. Fractionation is also strongly dependent on retained atmospheric mass, offering a proxy for planetary surface pressure as well as a way to distinguish between desiccated enveloped terrestrials and water worlds. Deuterium-enhanced planets tend to be helium dominated and CH4 depleted, providing a promising strategy to observe HDO in the 3.7 μm window. We present a list of promising targets for observational follow-up.

Dense Outflowing Molecular Gas in Massive Star-forming Regions

Dense outflowing gas, traced by transitions of molecules with large dipole moment, is important for understanding mass loss and feedback of massive star formation. HCN 3-2 and HCO+ 3-2 are good tracers of dense outflowing molecular gas, which are closely related to active star formation. In this study, we present on-the-fly mapping observations of HCN 3-2 and HCO+ 3-2 toward a sample of 33 massive star-forming regions using the 10-m Submillimeter Telescope. With the spatial distribution of line wings of HCO+ 3-2 and HCN 3-2, outflows are detected in 25 sources, resulting in a detection rate of 76%. The optically thin H13CN and H13CO+ 3-2 lines are used to identify line wings as outflows and estimate core mass. The mass M out, momentum P out, kinetic energy E K , force F out, and mass-loss rate Ṁout of outflow and core mass, are obtained for each source. A sublinear tight correlation is found between the mass of dense molecular outflow and core mass, with an index of ∼0.8 and a correlation coefficient of 0.88.

Advanced hybrid composites: A comparative study of glass and basalt fiber reinforcements in erosive environments

AbstractThis study looks at how erosive wear affects hybrid composites made by vacuum infusing glass and basalt fibers into an epoxy matrix. The study uses garnet abrasives and a design experiment method to test how resistant these hybrid composites are to erosion at 30°, 60°, and 90° angles of impact. The analysis included three‐dimensional profilometry and scanning electron microscopy. Results show that glass layers enhance erosion resistance, whereas basalt layers increase wear. Key quantitative findings include erosion rates and mass loss, highlighting impingement angle and erosion time as critical factors. At a 30° angle, basalt exhibited more severe wear (erosion rate: 0.8090 mg/g for 20 s) compared to glass (erosion rate: 0.5683 mg/g). Conversely, at 90°, the erosion rate for basalt decreased to 0.3643 mg/g, indicating a decreased sensitivity to this steeper angle. According to the ANOVA, impingement angle and erosion time account for 30.08% and 50.25% of the erosion rate variance, respectively. These findings advance our understanding of material behavior in hybrid composites and emphasize the strategic selection and layering of materials for enhanced durability. This research contributes to developing more sustainable composites, demonstrating natural fibers' potential to improve mechanical properties and erosion resistance.Highlights Glass layers enhance durability against erosive forces in hybrid composites. Basalt layers accelerate erosion rates, showing a need for strategic layering. Glass fiber reinforcement significantly improves wear performance. Hybrid constructions with glass a top basalt balance flexibility and durability. Emphasizes eco‐friendly advantages of natural materials in composites.

Fully-automated CT derived body composition analysis reveals sarcopenia in functioning adrenocortical carcinomas

Determination of body composition (the relative distribution of fat, muscle, and bone) has been used effectively to assess the risk of progression and overall clinical outcomes in different malignancies. Sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass) is especially associated with poor clinical outcomes in cancer. However, estimation of muscle mass through CT scan has been a cumbersome, manually intensive process requiring accurate contouring through dedicated personnel hours. Recently, fully automated technologies that can determine body composition in minutes have been developed and shown to be highly accurate in determining muscle, bone, and fat mass. We employed a fully automated technology, and analyzed images from a publicly available cancer imaging archive dataset (TCIA) and a tertiary academic center. The results show that adrenocortical carcinomas (ACC) have relatively sarcopenia compared to benign adrenal lesions. In addition, functional ACCs have accelerated sarcopenia compared to non-functional ACCs. Further longitudinal research might shed further light on the relationship between body component distribution and ACC prognosis, which will help us incorporate more nutritional strategies in cancer therapy.

A Pilot Study on Circulating, Cellular, and Tissue Biomarkers in Osteosarcopenic Patients

Aging comes with the loss of muscle and bone mass, leading to a condition known as osteosarcopenia. Circulating, cellular, and tissue biomarkers research for osteosarcopenia is relatively scarce and, currently, no established biomarkers exist. Here we find that osteosarcopenic patients exhibited elevated basophils and TNFα levels, along with decreased aPPT, PT/INR, IL15, alpha-Klotho, DHEA-S, and FGF-2 expression and distinctive bone and muscle tissue micro-architecture and biomarker expressions. They also displayed an increase in osteoclast precursors with a concomitant imbalance towards spontaneous osteoclastogenesis. Similarities were noted with osteopenic and sarcopenic patients, including a lower neutrophil percentage and altered cytokine expression. A linear discriminant analysis (LDA) on models based on selected biomarkers showed a classification accuracy in the range of 61–78%. Collectively, our data provide compelling evidence for novel biomarkers for osteosarcopenia that may hold potential as diagnostic tools to promote healthy aging.

Osteoporosis induced by cellular senescence: A mathematical model.

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by loss of bone mass, where bones become fragile and more likely to fracture. Bone density begins to decrease at age 50, and a state of osteoporosis is defined by loss of more than 25%. Cellular senescence is a permanent arrest of normal cell cycle, while maintaining cell viability. The number of senescent cells increase with age. Since osteoporosis is an aging disease, it is natural to consider the question to what extend senescent cells induce bone density loss and osteoporosis. In this paper we use a mathematical model to address this question. We determine the percent of bone loss for men and women during age 50 to 100 years, and the results depend on the rate η of net formation of senescent cell, with η = 1 being the average rate. In the case η = 1, the model simulations are in agreement with empirical data. We also consider senolytic drugs, like fisetin and quercetin, that selectively eliminate senescent cells, and assess their efficacy in terms of reducing bone loss. For example, at η = 1, with estrogen hormonal therapy and early treatment with fisetin, bone density loss for women by age 75 is 23.4% (below osteoporosis), while with no treatment with fisetin it is 25.8% (osteoporosis); without even a treatment with estrogen hormonal therapy, bone loss of 25.3% occurs already at age 65.

Thermal decomposition kinetics and aging lifetime prediction of waste rubbers in porous elastic road surface

The waste rubbers used as partly aggregates in porous elastic road surface (PERS) mixture are more easily to be attacked by the heat and oxygen during the service process. This study aims to investigate the thermal decomposition kinetics of waste rubbers in PERS and propose a method to predict the lifetime of waste rubbers. Firstly, the PERS mixtures containing unaged and aged waste rubbers were prepared with void ratio of 25 % and rubber particle content of 25 %. Then, from the water residual results, it can be seen that the residual stability and freezing-thawing splitting strength ratio of PERS mixtures containing waste rubbers being aged for 7 days significantly decreased to 65 % and 59 % compared with that of the unaged PERS mixture, which cannot be used as pavement. The thermal decomposition kinetics of waste rubbers fixed with the first-order reaction, which was related with the road performance of PERS mixtures by the mass loss rate of 17 % after being aged for 7 days. Based on that, the lifetime prediction equation of waste rubbers was established. It is expected that this work provides a new strategy for predicting the lifetime of waster rubbers in PERS pavement during the service process.

X-ray variability of the triplet star system LTT1445 and evaporation history of the planets around its A component

The high-energy environments of host stars could prove deleterious for their planets. It is crucial to ascertain this contextual information to characterize the atmospheres of terrestrial exoplanets. We aim to fully characterize a unique triple system, LTT1445, with three known rocky planets around LTT 1445A. We studied the X-ray irradiation and flaring of this system based on a new 50 ks Chandra observation, which is divided into 10 ks, 10 ks, and 30 ks segments conducted two days apart, and two months apart, respectively. These data were complemented by an archival Chandra observation approximately one year earlier and repeated observations with extended ROentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array (eROSITA), the soft X-ray instrument on the Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG) mission. This enabled the investigation of X-ray flux behavior across multiple time scales. With the observed X-ray flux from the exoplanet host star A, we estimated the photo-evaporation mass loss of each exoplanet. With the planet modeling package VPLanet we predicted the evolution and anticipated current atmospheric conditions. Our Chandra observations indicate that LTT 1445C is the dominant X-ray source, with additional contribution from LTT 1445B. We find that LTT 1445A, a slowly rotating star, exhibits no significant flare activity in the new Chandra dataset. Comparing the flux incident occuring on the exoplanets, we find that LTT 1445BC components do not pose a greater threat to the planets orbiting LTT 1445A than the emission from A itself. According to the results from the simulation, LTT 1445Ad could have the capacity to retain its water surface.

The role of sarcopenia in fragility fractures of the pelvis – is sarcopenia an underestimated risk factor?

BackgroundFragility fractures of the pelvis (FFPs) represent a significant health burden, particularly for the elderly. The role of sarcopenia, an age-related loss of muscle mass and function, in the development and impact of these fractures is not well understood. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and impact of osteoporosis and sarcopenia in patients presenting with FFPs.MethodsThis retrospective study evaluated 140 elderly patients with FFPs. The diagnosis of sarcopenia was assessed by psoas muscle area (PMA) and the height-adjusted psoas muscle index (PMI) measured on computed tomography (CT) scans. Clinical data, radiological findings and functional outcomes were recorded and compared with the presence or absence of sarcopenia and osteoporosis.ResultsOur study cohort comprised 119 female (85.0%) and 21 (15.0%) male patients. The mean age at the time of injury or onset of symptoms was 82.26 ± 8.50 years.Sarcopenia was diagnosed in 68.6% (n = 96) patients using PMA and 68.8% (n = 88) using PMI. 73.6% (n = 103) of our study population had osteoporosis and 20.0% (n = 28) presented with osteopenia. Patients with sarcopenia and osteoporosis had longer hospital stays (p < 0.04), a higher rate of complications (p < 0.048) and functional recovery was significantly impaired, as evidenced by a greater need for assistance in daily living (p < 0.03). However, they were less likely to undergo surgery (p < 0.03) and the type of FFP differed significantly (p < 0.04). There was no significant difference in mortality rate, pre-hospital health status, age or gender.ConclusionOur study highlights the important role of sarcopenia in FFPs in terms of the serious impact on health and quality of life in elderly patients especially when osteoporosis and sarcopenia occur together.Identifying and targeting sarcopenia in older patients may be an important strategy to reduce pelvic fractures and improve recovery. Further research is needed to develop effective prevention and treatment approaches that target muscle health in the elderly.

How thermal treatment affects the chemical composition and the physical, mechanical and swelling properties of Scots pine juvenile and mature wood

AbstractHigh variations in juvenile wood properties in the radial direction and its worse performance than mature wood make it less suitable for some applications and often treated as waste material. This study aimed to assess how thermal modification affects the chemical composition and the physical, mechanical and swelling properties of Scots pine juvenile and mature wood. An additional goal was to evaluate if the modification can equalise the differences in selected properties of juvenile wood to those of mature wood so that from waste material, juvenile wood can become a fully-fledged raw material for various industrial applications. Thermal treatment at 220 °C influenced wood chemical composition, degrading mainly hemicelluloses but also affecting cellulose and lignin, which resulted in a reduction of hydroxyls and carbonyl/carboxyl groups. These changes were more pronounced for mature than juvenile wood. It reduced mass loss and swelling rate, and increased swelling pressure in the tangential and radial directions to a higher degree for juvenile than mature wood. Changes in mechanical properties in compression were statistically significant only for mature wood, while wood hardness remained unaffected. Although the applied heat treatment improved the performance of juvenile wood by reducing its swelling rate, it did not equalise the examined properties between juvenile and mature wood. Since higher juvenile wood proportion is expected in the wood supply from the future intensively managed forests, there is still a need to find suitable modification methods or better processing techniques so that instead of being thrown away as waste, it could be used broadly in various industrial applications.

A Comparative Quality Control Study of Brand and Generic Amlodipine Tablets by In-Vitro Testing

The objective of this study was to conduct in-vitro quality control testing of brand versus generics of Amlodipine tablets. One brand and two generic Amlodipine tablets were used in the study. In the terms of weight variation, Brand, Generic A and Generic B have an above the mean weight limit variation of 2.15%, 2.23%, &amp; 1.43% respectively. The lower mean weight limit variations are 1.85%, 1.92% &amp; 1.23% respectively which are within the 7.5% standard limit of IP. Friability test shows that Brand, Generic A &amp; Generic B have an average friability of 0.5%, 0.480% ,0.3% mass loss, which are within 1%. mass lost limit of IP. Hardness test shows that Brand, Generic A &amp; Generic B have an average hardness of 0.9 kg/cm2, 2.3 kg/cm2 and 1 kg/cm2 respectively. The disintegration test shows that Brand, Generic A &amp; Generic B fall within 15-minutes time interval segment with disintegration time determined 20 sec, 3 min, 2.5 min respectively. In terms of drug assay brand, Generic A &amp; Generic B fall under IP limit of 90% to 110%. The Brand, Generic A &amp; Generic B have a drug dissolution percentage of 101%, 104%, 104% respectively within 30 minutes sampling time interval. The QC tests results for amlodipine tablets show that Brand, Generic A and Generic B confirm to the IP standards.

Muscle-specific PGC-1α modulates mitochondrial oxidative stress in aged sarcopenia through regulating Nrf2

BackgroundAged sarcopenia is characterized by loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, and mitochondrial dysregulation in skeletal myocyte is considered as a major factor. Here, we aimed to analyze the effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α) on mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in aged skeletal muscles. MethodsC2C12 cells were stimulated by 50 μM 7β-hydroxycholesterol (7β-OHC) to observe the changes of cellular ROS, mitochondrial ROS, and expression of PGC-1α and Nrf2. Different PGC-1α expression in cells was established by transfection with small interfering RNA (siRNA) or plasmids overexpressing PGC-1α (pEX-3-PGC-1α). The effects of different PGC-1α expression on cellular ROS, mitochondrial ROS and Nrf2 expression were measured in cells. Wild type (WT) mice and PGC-1α conditional knockout (CKO) mice were used to analyze the effects of PGC-1α on aged sarcopenia and expression of Nrf2 and CD38 in gastrocnemius muscles. Diethylmaleate, a Nrf2 activator, was used to analyze the connection between PGC-1α and Nrf2 in cells and in mice. ResultsIn C2C12 cells, the expressions of PGC-1α and Nrf2 were declined by the 7β-OHC treatment or PGC-1α silence. Moreover, PGC-1α silence increased the harmful ROS and decreased the Nrf2 protein expression in the 7β-OHC-treated cells. PGC-1α overexpression decreased the harmful ROS and increased the Nrf2 protein expression in the 7β-OHC-treated cells. Diethylmaleate treatment decreased the harmful ROS in the 7β-OHC-treated or PGC-1α siRNA-transfected cells. At the same age, muscle-specific PGC-1α deficiency aggravated aged sarcopenia, decreased Nrf2 expression and increased CD38 expression in gastrocnemius muscles compared with the WT mice. Diethylmaleate treatment improved the muscle function and decreased the CD38 expression in the old two genotypes. ConclusionsOur study demonstrated that PGC-1α modulated mitochondrial oxidative stress in aged sarcopenia through regulating Nrf2.

Hymenoscyphus fraxineus persistence in the ash litter

AbstractHymenoscyphus fraxineus causes ash dieback in Europe. It overwinters on ash leaf residue (rachis) within the forest litter. In late spring, the fungus produces apothecia on the rachises and releases ascospores to infect leaves. Previous studies reported that H. fraxineus was able to produce apothecia on the rachis for 5 years after the leaf infection under artificial conditions. However, ash litter is known to decompose rapidly in situ. We therefore monitored the decomposition kinetics of ash leaf debris and the persistence of the pathogen, as well as its ability to produce apothecia in the forest litter. For this, leaves shed in autumn in stands affected by ash dieback were placed in mesh bags and left in the forest litter for 6, 18 and 30 months. At each sampling period, litter mass loss and level of colonization of the rachises by H. fraxineus were measured, as was the pathogen's ability to produce apothecia on them. Despite high fragmentation, about 14% of the rachis dry weight remained in the mesh bags after 30 months, and the pathogen retained the ability to produce apothecia on these rachises. A simulation estimating the age composition of the colonized rachises present in the litter during the fruiting period was developed from these results. It shows that the persistence of H. fraxineus in old rachises of the litter represents a reservoir of inoculum that could compensate for poor colonization of autumn leaves and revive local outbreaks after years of unfavourable weather for the development of the pathogen.