Modification Of Composition Research Articles

Influence of ecological traits on spatio-temporal dynamics of an elasmobranch community in a heavily exploited basin

Elasmobranchs, which include sharks and batoids, play critical roles in maintaining the integrity and stability of marine food webs. However, these cartilaginous fish are among the most threatened vertebrate lineages due to their widespread depletion. Consequently, understanding dynamics and predicting changes of elasmobranch communities are major research topics in conservation ecology. Here, we leverage long-term catch data from a standardized bottom trawl survey conducted from 1996 to 2019, to evaluate the spatio-temporal dynamics of the elasmobranch community in the heavily exploited Adriatic Sea, where these fish have historically been depleted. We use joint species distribution modeling to quantify the responses of the species to environmental variation while also including important traits such as species age at first maturity, reproductive mode, trophic level, and phylogenetic information. We present spatio-temporal changes in the species community and associated modification of the trait composition, highlighting strong spatial and depth-mediated patterning. We observed an overall increase in the abundance of the dominant elasmobranch species, except for spurdog, which has shown a continued decline. However, our results showed that the present community displays lower age at first maturity and a smaller fraction of viviparous species compared to the earlier observed community due to changes in species’ relative abundance. The selected traits contributed considerably to explaining community patterns, suggesting that the integration of trait-based approaches in elasmobranch community analyses can aid efforts to conserve this important lineage of fish.

Lipidome Investigation of Carnosine Effect on Nude Mice Skin to Prevent UV-A Damage.

The lipid profile of skin is fundamental in the maintenance of the protective barrier against the external environment. Signaling and constitutive lipids of this large organ are involved in inflammation, metabolism, aging, and wound healing, such as phospholipids, triglycerides, FFA, and sphingomyelin. Skin exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation results in a photoaging process that is an accelerated form of aging. UV-A radiation deeply penetrates the dermis and promotes damage to DNA, lipids, and proteins by increasing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Carnosine, an endogenous β-alanyl-L-histidine dipeptide, demonstrated antioxidant properties that prevent photoaging and modification of skin protein profiling, making carnosine a compelling ingredient to consider for use in dermatology. The aim of this research was to investigate the modification of skin lipidome after UV-A treatment in presence or not of topic administration of carnosine. Quantitative analyses based on high-resolution mass spectrometry of nude mice skin-extracted lipids resulted in several modifications of barrier composition after UV-A radiation, with or without carnosine treatment. In total, 328 out of 683 molecules showed significant alteration-262 after UV-A radiation and 126 after UV-A and carnosine treatment versus controls. Importantly, the increased oxidized TGs after UV-A radiation, responsible of dermis photoaging, were completely reverted by carnosine application to prevent the UV-A damage. Network analyses also showed that the production of ROS and the calcium and TNF signaling were modulated by UV-A and carnosine. In conclusion, lipidome analyses attested the carnosine activity to prevent the UV-A damage, reducing the lipid oxidation, the inflammation, and the dysregulation of lipid skin barrier.

Influence of synthesized nanomaterials in the strength and durability of cementitious composites

The development of high-performance materials has been prompted by a constantly expanding infrastructure with complex technical constraints. Performance modification of cement composites using nanoparticles has been thoroughly researched to address demands in the construction industry. This cutting-edge review examines the various parameters of cement composites, such as fresh properties, mechanical properties, and durability characteristics that can be improved using synthesized nanomaterials such as nano-SiO2, nano-Al2O3, graphene oxide, and carbon nanotubes, as well as their inherent limitations. Based on the detailed review, the ideal replacement levels of nano-SiO2 (1–4 wt%), nano-Al2O3 (1–3 wt%), graphene oxide (0.05–0.1 wt%), and carbon nanotubes (0.1–0.5 wt%) can be recommended for the practical applications. It has been noted that the addition of synthesized nanomaterials tends to lower the workability of cement composites. However, nanoalumina, graphene oxide, nano-silica, and carbon nanotubes improve mechanical qualities such as compressive strength, flexural strength, and resistance to abrasion of the blended cementitious system at an optimum replacement level. Similarly, resistance against chemical attacks was imporved with the addition nano-silica, while the addition of graphene oxide in cement is more effective against chloride migration and fire exposure. The overall effect of synthesized nanomaterials is also compared in the study.

The Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Insulin Resistance.

Insulin resistance is a critical pathophysiological process in the onset and advancement of type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is well-recognized that alterations in the metabolism of lipids and aberrant fat buildup effectively trigger the development of resistance to insulin. Adjusting one's eating habits and managing weight appropriately are crucial for treating, controlling, and reducing the risk of T2DM because obesity and a lack of physical exercise are the primary factors responsible for the worldwide rise in T2DM. Omega-3 fatty acid is one of the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) that include long-chain omega-3 fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, commonly found in fish oils. Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs; 3 and 6 PUFAs) are essential for human health because they serve as metabolic precursors of eicosanoids, a class of signaling molecules that are essential for controlling a body's inflammation. Since humans are unable to produce any of the omega-3 or omega-6 PUFAs, they both constitute imperative nutritional ingredients. Long-standing concerns about long-chain omega-3 fatty acids' impact on diabetes management have been supported by experimental investigations that found significant increases in fasting glucose following omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and foods rich in PUFA and omega-3 fatty acid. Cellular explanations to explain the connection between inflammation and IR include mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and oxidative stress. Modifications in the lipid composition of mitochondrial membranes and/or receptor-mediated signaling may be part of the mechanism behind the activation of mitochondrial fusion by fish oil/omega-3 PUFA. The exact molecular processes by which omega-3 PUFAs control mitochondrial activity to defend against IR are still unknown.

Relationship between obesity, insulin resistance and cell membrane properties

Introduction and aim. The obesity is one of the greatest public health problems in developing countries and it is a triggering factor for diabetes associated with insulin resistance. The importance of cell membrane lipids as essential regulators of insulin resistance, since changes in the dynamic properties of the cell membrane (e.g., membrane fluidity), could be one of the events by which obesity affects insulin sensitivity. Thus, the insulin resistance may not only be a cause but also a consequence of lipid disorders such as dyslipidemia and/or cell membrane phospholipid composition change. The modification of plasma membrane lipid composition can change membrane biophysical properties and thus influencing protein-lipid interactions, enzymatic activity and regulation of surface receptors. Alterations in the lipid composition modify the fluidity of plasma membranes and the expression of membrane functions, such as receptor binding and enzyme activities. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the effects of the modulation of plasma membrane lipid composition and membrane fluidity in the functionality of membrane proteins involved in insulin activity, including the insulin receptor, glucose transport and Na + /K + ATPase and, in turn, the key features of the metabolic syndrome. Material and methods. References for that article were found through PubMed and Google Scholar, using terms: “obesity”, “insulin resistance” and “membrane properties”. The research was limited to abstracts and available full-text articles. Analysis of the literature. There is a strong relationship between dietary lipids, membrane lipid profiles and insulin resistance. The changes in the dynamic properties of the cell membrane (e.g., membrane fluidity), could be one of the events by which obesity affects insulin sensitivity. The modification of plasma membrane lipid composition can change membrane biophysical properties and thus influencing protein–lipid interactions, enzymatic activity, and regulation of surface receptors. Modifications of membrane phospholipid composition could have a role in the insulin action by altering membrane fluidity and, as a consequence, the insulin signaling pathway. Conclusion. As conclusion the membrane-lipid therapy approach can be used to treat important pathologies such as obesity and many others diseases such as : cancer, cardiovascular pathologies, neurodegenerative processes, obesity, metabolic disorders, inflammation, and infectious and autoimmune diseases. This pharmacological strategy aims to regulate cell functions by influencing lipid organization and membrane fluidity, inducing a concomitant modulation of membrane protein localization and activity which might serve to reverse the pathological state. Through this review we suggest an in-depth analysis of the membrane lipid therapy field, especially its molecular bases and its relevance to the development of innovative therapeutic approaches.

International Polymer Characterization Conference (POLY‐CHAR [Halle|Siegen] 2022)

The International Polymer Characterization Conference POLY-CHAR [Halle│Siegen] 2022 took place as a live digital event from 22nd to 25th May 2022. Organized jointly by the Fraunhofer IMWS in Halle, Germany, and the Institute of Physical Chemistry I of the University of Siegen, Germany, the IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry)-endorsed conference brought together more than 100 participants from five continents, who shared their research findings ranging from theoretical to experimental and fundamental to applied aspects of polymers. As a a nonprofit, non-governmental organization POLY-CHAR is devoted to creating a friendly interdisciplinary environment to share information, organize student exchange and cooperation, to hold international meetings and to provide a platform for scientist from all over the word. The annual POLY-CHAR conferences are not limited to mere “POLYmer CHARacterization”. Instead, POLY-CHAR offers an open platform for sharing ideas, presenting results, meeting old and making new friends in the scientific community. Topics cover a wide area in synthesis, characterization, modification and application of polymeric materials and composites, probably best summarized under the terms “Advanced Materials' and ‘Functional Materials”. The live digital format chosen for POLY-CHAR [Halle│Siegen] 2022 enabled unrestricted worldwide participation in times of global uncertainty regarding travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On the first day of the conference the POLY-CHAR Short Course was held. The topics of the lectures presented on the subsequent days by 5 plenary speakers, 24 invited speakers, 66 oral speakers, 9 poster presenters from 28 countries included (i) polymer synthesis, (ii) polymer characterization, (iii) polymer physics, theory and simulations, (iv) circular economy of polymers and sustainable applications, (v) polymers for biomedical applications, biopolymers, biomedical materials and biotechnology, (vi) biopolymers in nutrition and health, (vii) elastomers, amorphous materials, nanomaterials and smart materials, (viii) mechanics of polymers, and (ix) adhesives, coatings, and advanced hybrid materials. In addition to several POLY-CHAR and IUPAC prizes for outstanding oral presentations and posters of young scientists, the following prestigious prizes were awarded to well renowned scientists to honor their academic achievements: The Richard Robert Ernst Award went to Prof. Dr. Jianyong Jin (The University of Auckland, New Zealand), the Jean-Marie Lehn Award went to Prof. Dr. Zheng Li (Peking University, China) and the Pierre-Gilles de Gennes Award was awarded to José Luis Gómez Ribelles (Universitat Polìtècnica de València, Spain). This conference volume represents a focused selection of contributions from different areas of polymer and materials science. The next conference in the series, POLY-CHAR [Auckland] 2023, will be held in presence in Auckland, New Zealand, from January 22nd to 26th, 2023. This meeting will be co-hosted by Prof. Jianyong Jin and Prof. Duncan McGillvray. Sven Henning, Fraunhofer IMWS, Germany Ralf Lach, Institut für Polymerwerkstoffe e.V. (IPW), Germany Holger Schönherr, University of Siegen, Germany

Oxidative stress and protection against it in bacteria

Microorganisms are exposed to reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are formed in various ways, in particular, as a result of respiration or other intracellular processes, during metal-catalyzed Fenton reactions, as a result of the action of UV- and X-radiation, under the influence of some antimicrobial drugs, or during the host immune oxidative-burst response against infection agents. In this review, we take a look at the mechanisms of microbial cell damage, including damage of lipids and proteins. Lipid peroxidation (LPO) is one of the main molecular mechanisms involved in oxidative damage to cellular structures. A variety of products are formed during LPO reactions: alkoxyl radicals, peroxyl radicals, hydroperoxides, diene conjugates, carbonyl compounds, aldehyde adducts with biopolymers, alcohols, esters, etc. These products include cytotoxic and highly reactive compounds. Free radical reactions of protein damage occur via hydrogen atom abstraction from α-carbon or SH-, NH2-groups of aminoacids and electron abstraction from nucleophile centers of proteins resulting in the fragmentation of proteins, their denaturation and the formation of amino acid radicals. Bacteria show a significant adaptive potential to the influence of stress agents, including ROS. We summarized the data on bacterial antioxidant protection, ROS redox sensors, and regulators of bacterial cell response to ROS exposure, focusing on the features of anaerobic microorganisms, as their responses to the oxidative damage are the least studied, and many problems remain unsolved. This review contains information about changes in fatty acid composition of lipids of the plasma membrane to maintain the necessary fluidity, and, thus, counteract the effects of various stressing agents, including ROS. The main modifications of the fatty acid composition of lipids important for the regulation of membrane fluidity are described, in particular, via changes in the degree of lipid saturation, cis/trans isomerization, and synthesis of cyclopropane fatty acids.

Roles of chemistry modification for surface wettability of Polyether-Ether-Ketone (PEEK) by ultraviolet laser ablation

Tailoring the functionality of Polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) is critical for enhancing its application, which can be accomplished by the modification of surface morphology and chemistry. In the present work, we experimentally demonstrate the correlation of modified chemical composition of textured PEEK surface by 355 nm UV nanosecond pulsed laser ablation with enhanced surface wettability. Specifically, the impact of UV laser processing parameters on microgroove morphology and ablated surface quality of PEEK surface is evaluated, with which high precision grid surface textures with uniform ablation quality are fabricated. The modification of chemical elements and functional groups of textured PEEK surface by the laser ablation is further analyzed by XPS spectra characterization, which demonstrates the substantial change of C=O and O–C=O bonds, as well as freshly generated polar carboxylic acid groups. Experimental results indicate that the surface composition modification greatly increases surface polarity and surface free energy of textured PEEK surface accompanied by enhanced surface wettability.

Superior energy storage properties of (1-x)Ba0.85Ca0.15Zr0.1Ti0.9O3-xBi(Mg2/3Ta1/3)O3 lead-free ceramics

In this work, lead-free (1-x)Ba0.85Ca0.15Zr0.1Ti0.9O3-xBi(Mg2/3Ta1/3)O3 (BCZT-BMTx) relaxor ferroelectrics (RFEs) were prepared via a traditional solid-state reaction. BMT was introduced into ferroelectric (FE) BCZT ceramics by a strategy of composition modification, which remarkably inhibited the grain growth and triggered a FE-to-RFE phase transition. The breakdown strength (Eb) of BCZT ceramics was greatly improved by enhancing the band gap with Ta2O5 (∼4 eV) doping into B-site. BCZT-BMT8 ceramic possesses both high energy efficiency (η) of 93.87% and recoverable energy density (Wrec) of 3.4 J/cm3 at a relatively high Eb of 440 kV/cm, which are superior to most of other BaTiO3-based energy storage ceramics. Especially, excellent energy storage stability with respect to frequency (2–500 Hz, a variation of Wrec<4.27% and η < 2.65%) and temperature (30–130 °C, Wrec<13.5% and η < 2.4%) was obtained for BCZT-BMT8 ceramic. In brief, the enhanced Wrec and Eb with significantly high η indicated that BCZT-BMT8 ceramic is a promising candidate for energy storage capacitors.

Field performance of switchgrass plants engineered for reduced recalcitrance.

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a promising perennial bioenergy crop that achieves high yields with relatively low nutrient and energy inputs. Modification of cell wall composition for reduced recalcitrance can lower the costs of deconstructing biomass to fermentable sugars and other intermediates. We have engineered overexpression of OsAT10, encoding a rice BAHD acyltransferase and QsuB, encoding dehydroshikimate dehydratase from Corynebacterium glutamicum, to enhance saccharification efficiency in switchgrass. These engineering strategies demonstrated low lignin content, low ferulic acid esters, and increased saccharification yield during greenhouse studies in switchgrass and other plant species. In this work, transgenic switchgrass plants overexpressing either OsAT10 or QsuB were tested in the field in Davis, California, USA for three growing seasons. No significant differences in the content of lignin and cell wall-bound p-coumaric acid or ferulic acid were detected in transgenic OsAT10 lines compared with the untransformed Alamo control variety. However, the transgenic overexpressing QsuB lines had increased biomass yield and slightly increased biomass saccharification properties compared to the control plants. This work demonstrates good performance of engineered plants in the field, and also shows that the cell wall changes in the greenhouse were not replicated in the field, emphasizing the need to validate engineered plants under relevant field conditions.

Modification of Concrete Composition Doped by Sewage Sludge Fly Ash and Its Effect on Compressive Strength.

The sustainable development of construction materials is an essential aspect of current worldwide trends. Reusing post-production waste in the building industry has numerous positive effects on the environment. Since concrete is one of the materials that people manufacture and use the most, it will continue to be an integral element of the surrounding reality. In this study, the relationship between the individual components and parameters of concrete and its compressive strength properties was assessed. In the experimental works, concrete mixes with different contents of sand, gravel, Portland cement CEM II/B-S 42.5 N, water, superplasticizer, air-entraining admixture, and fly ash from the thermal conversion of municipal sewage sludge (SSFA) were designed. According to legal requirements in the European Union, SSFA waste from the sewage sludge incineration process in a fluidized bed furnace should not be stored in landfills but processed in various ways. Unfortunately, its generated amounts are too large, so new management technologies should be sought. During the experimental work, the compressive strength of concrete samples of various classes, namely, C8/10, C12/15, C16/20, C20/25, C25/30, C30/37, and C35/45, were measured. The higher-class concrete samples that were used, the greater the compressive strength obtained, ranging from 13.7 to 55.2 MPa. A correlation analysis was carried out between the mechanical strength of waste-modified concretes and the composition of concrete mixes (the amount of sand and gravel, cement, and FA), as well as the water-to-cement ratio and the sand point. No negative effect of the addition of SSFA on the strength of concrete samples was demonstrated, which translates into economic and environmental benefits.

Interfacial Modification and Bending Performance of 3D Orthogonal Woven Composites with Basalt Filament Yarns.

To improve their interfacial properties, 3D orthogonal woven fabrics with basalt filament yarns were modified with functionalized carboxylated carbon nanotubes (KH570-MWCNTs) and polydopamine (PDA). Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) testing were used. It was demonstrated that both methods could successfully modify basalt fiber (BF) 3D woven fabrics. The 3D orthogonal woven composites (3DOWC) were produced with epoxy resin and 3D orthogonal woven fabrics as raw material by the VARTM molding process. The bending properties of the 3DOWC were tested and analyzed by experimental and finite element analysis methods. The results showed that the bending properties of the 3DOWC modified by KH570-MWCNTs and PDA were significantly improved, and the maximum bending loads were increased by 31.5% and 31.0%. The findings of the finite element simulation and the experiment results were in good agreement, and the simulation error value was 3.37%. The correctness of the finite element simulation results and the model's validity further reveal the material's damage situation and damage mechanism in the bending process.

Modification of lignin composition by ectopic expressing wheat TaF5H1 led to decreased salt tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis plants

Lignin is an important cell wall component that provides plants with mechanical support and improved tolerance to pathogen attacks. Previous studies have shown that plants rich in S-lignin content or with a higher S/G ratio always exhibit higher efficiency in the utilization of lignocellulosic biomass. Ferulate 5-hydroxylase, or coniferaldehyde 5-hydroxylase (F5H, or CAld5H), is the critical enzyme in syringyl lignin biosynthesis. Some F5Hs have been characterized in several plant species, e.g., Arabidopsis, rice, and poplar. However, information about F5Hs in wheat remains unclear. In this study, a wheat F5H gene, TaF5H1, together with its native promoter (pTaF5H1), was functionally characterized in transgenic Arabidopsis. Gus staining results showed that TaF5H1 could be expressed predominantly in the highly lignified tissues in transgenic Arabidopsis plants carrying pTaF5H1:Gus. qRT-PCR results showed that TaF5H1 was significantly inhibited by NaCl treatment. Ectopic expression of TaF5H1 driven by pTaF5H1 (i.e., pTaF5H1:TaF5H1) could increase the biomass yield, S-lignin content, and S/G ratio in transgenic Arabidopsis plants, which could also restore the traces of S-lignin in fah1-2, the Arabidopsis F5H mutant, to an even higher level than the wild type (WT), suggesting that TaF5H1 is a critical enzyme in S lignin biosynthesis, and pTaF5H1:TaF5H1 module has potential in the manipulation of S-lignin composition without any compromise on the biomass yield. However, expression of pTaF5H1:TaF5H1 also led to decreased salt tolerance compared with the WT. RNA-seq analysis showed that many stress-responsive genes and genes responsible for the biosynthesis of cell walls were differentially expressed between the seedlings harboring pTaF5H1:TaF5H1 and the WT, hinting that manipulation of the cell wall components targeting F5H may also affect the stress adaptability of the modified plants due to the interference to the cell wall integrity. In summary, this study demonstrated that the wheat pTaF5H1: TaF5H1 cassette has the potential to modulate S-lignin composition without any compromise in biomass yield in future engineering practice. Still, its negative effect on stress adaptability to transgenic plants should also be considered.

Spatial-Selective Volumetric 4D Printing and Single-Photon Grafting of Biomolecules within Centimeter-Scale Hydrogels via Tomographic Manufacturing.

Conventional additive manufacturing and biofabrication techniques are unable to edit the chemicophysical properties of the printed object postprinting. Herein, a new approach is presented, leveraging light-based volumetric printing as a tool to spatially pattern any biomolecule of interest in custom-designed geometries even across large, centimeter-scale hydrogels. As biomaterial platform, a gelatin norbornene resin is developed with tunable mechanical properties suitable for tissue engineering applications. The resin can be volumetrically printed within seconds at high resolution (23.68 ± 10.75 μm). Thiol-ene click chemistry allows on-demand photografting of thiolated compounds postprinting, from small to large (bio)molecules (e.g., fluorescent dyes or growth factors). These molecules are covalently attached into printed structures using volumetric light projections, forming 3D geometries with high spatiotemporal control and ≈50 μm resolution. As a proof of concept, vascular endothelial growth factor is locally photografted into a bioprinted construct and demonstrated region-dependent enhanced adhesion and network formation of endothelial cells. This technology paves the way toward the precise spatiotemporal biofunctionalization and modification of the chemical composition of (bio)printed constructs to better guide cell behavior, build bioactive cue gradients. Moreover, it opens future possibilities for 4D printing to mimic the dynamic changes in morphogen presentation natively experienced in biological tissues.

Biomass and enzymatic activities of marine bacteria in the presence of multiple metals

Marine environments are a repository for metals, and humans have enhanced this phenomenon over the years. Heavy metals are notoriously toxic due to their ability to biomagnify in the food chain and interact with cellular components. Nevertheless, some bacteria have physiological mechanisms that enable them to survive in impacted environments. This characteristic makes them important as biotechnological tools for environmental remediation. Thus, we isolated a bacterial consortium in Guanabara Bay (Brazil), a place with a long metal pollution history. To test the growth efficiency of this consortium in Cu–Zn-Pb-Ni–Cd medium, we measured the activity of key enzymes of microbial activity (esterases and dehydrogenase) under acidic (4.0) and neutral pH conditions, as well as the number of living cells, biopolymer production, and changes in microbial composition during metal exposure. Additionally, we calculated the predicted physiology based on microbial taxonomy. During the assay, a slight modification in bacterial composition was observed, with low abundance changes and little production of carbohydrates. Oceanobacilluschironomi, Halolactibacillus miurensis, and Alkaliphilus oremlandii were predominant in pH 7, despite O. chironomi and Tissierella creatinophila in pH 4, and T. creatinophila in Cu–Zn-Pb-Ni–Cd treatment. The metabolism represented by esterases and dehydrogenase enzymes suggested bacterial investment in esterases to capture nutrients and meet the energy demand in an environment with metal stress. Their metabolism potentially shifted to chemoheterotrophy and recycling nitrogenous compounds. Moreover, concomitantly, bacteria produced more lipids and proteins, suggesting extracellular polymeric substance production and growth in a metal-stressed environment. The isolated consortium showed promise for bioremediation of multimetal contamination and could be a valuable tool in future bioremediation programs.

Influence of the Anodizing Time on the Microstructure and Immersion Stability of Tartaric-Sulfuric Acid Anodized Aluminum Alloys

Tartaric-sulfuric acid anodizing (TSA) has been selected by the aerospace industry to replace Cr(VI)-based anodizing treatments of aluminum alloys. Modification of the bath composition can result in the necessity to revise the process conditions, including the time necessary to obtain the desired properties of the anodized layer. This study focuses on the microstructure and immersion stability of the pilot scale anodized AA2024 aluminum alloy, with anodizing times of 25 min and 45 min. The layer structure was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and glow discharge optical emission spectrometry (GD-OES). The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to evaluate the corrosion resistance and immersion stability of the samples in 0.01 M NaCl solution. The density of pores formed in the 45 min anodized samples was higher which correlated with higher impedance modulus at equivalent immersion time and higher thickness of the oxide layer. Contact angle measurements demonstrated better wettability of the 45 min anodized sample. The results suggest that 45 min anodizing offers higher corrosion resistance and better initial adhesion with subsequent post-treatment such as sealing or painting.

Effects of monolauroyl-galactosylglycerol on membrane fatty acids and properties of Bacillus cereus.

The purpose of this study was to provide new ideas for the antibacterial mechanism of monolauroyl-galactosylglycerol (MLGG) from the perspective of cell membranes. The changes in cell membrane properties of Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) CMCC 66,301 exposed to different concentrations (1 × MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration), 2 × MIC, 1 × MBC (minimum bacterial concentration)) of MLGG were evaluated. It was found that the lag phase of B. cereus cells was prolonged at low concentration MLGG (1 × MIC and 2 × MIC), while about 2 log CFU/mL reduction in B. cereus populations were observed when exposed to high concentration MLGG (1 × MBC). MLGG treated B. cereus displayed obvious membrane depolarization, while membrane permeability had no change using PI (propidium iodide) staining. Significant increase in the membrane fluidity in response to MLGG exposure occurred, which was consistent with the modification of membrane fatty acids compositions, where the relative content of straight-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) increased, while branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) decreased significantly. The decreased transition Tm value and cell surface hydrophobicity was also observed. Additionally, effect of MLGG on bacterial membrane compositions were explored at the submolecular level by infrared spectroscopy. Resistance tests of B. cereus to MLGG had demonstrated the advantages of MLGG as a bacteriostatic agent. Collectively, these studies indicate that modifying the fatty acid composition and properties of cellular membranes through MLGG exposure is crucial for inhibiting bacteria growth, providing new insights into the antimicrobial mechanisms of MLGG. KEY POINTS: • Monolauroyl-galactosylglycerol inserted into B. cereus lipid bilayer membrane • Monolauroyl-galactosylglycerol treatment caused B. cereus membrane depolarization • Monolauroyl-galactosylglycerol resulted in B. cereus membrane fatty acids alteration.

Initiatives to Reduce the Content of Sodium in Food Products and Meals and Improve the Population's Health.

Table salt is the main source of sodium (Na) in the human diet. Excessive supply of Na in a diet is strongly linked to many non-communicable human diseases, such as hypertension, obesity and stomach cancer. The World Health Organization recommends that daily intake of salt in adult diets should be kept below 5 g/person/day, which corresponds to 2 g Na/person/day. However, on average, adults consume about 9-10 g/person/day, and children and young people about 7-8 g/person/day. Initiatives to reduce salt intake include modifications of food composition in collaboration with the food industry, education of consumers, salt marking on foodstuff labels and taxation of salt. A need also exists to educate society so that they choose low-sodium products. In view of the food technology and amount of salt intake, the most important and the easiest change to make is to reduce the content of salt in baked goods. This paper analyses the results of surveys regarding strategies to reduce salt content in food products and considers multifaceted initiatives to reduce salt intake as a possible efficient method of improving the population's health status.

Formation process of Pliocene cold seep carbonates from the southern Western Foothills, Southwestern Taiwan: A synthetical rare earth element and C–O–Sr–Nd isotope study

In this work, the Pliocene dolomitic carbonate concretions and pipes from Chiahsien of the Western Foothills, southwestern Taiwan were studied. We conducted a synthetical analysis of stable carbon and oxygen isotopes, rare earth element (REE) contents, and Sr and Nd isotopes, to trace the compositions and sources of pore fluids from which carbonates have precipitated and reconstruct the carbonate formation processes. The carbonates with low δ13C values (as low as −48.6‰) are promoted by the anaerobic oxidation of biogenic methane. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios of samples reflect the mixing of coeval bottom seawater and seep fluid enriched in 87Sr. The Nd isotopic signatures of studied carbonates indicate multiple Nd sources, including detrital components, Fe–Mn oxyhydroxides, organic matter, and seawater. The MREE-bulge patterns in samples are typical of anoxic conditions, which are supported by Ce anomalies. Our results demonstrate that the seepage intensity played a key role in the formation processes of concretions and pipes by controlling the depth of the sulfate-methane transition zone (SMTZ). The concretions characterized by the lowest δ13C values formed at a deeper depth in sediments under low methane flux, which suffered no/less influence of seawater. The representative pipe with obvious concentric lamination grew in a rim-to-core pattern. In the early stage, the variable flux of highly channelized seepage caused the fluctuation of carbon and oxygen isotopes. During the later stage, the modification of isotopic compositions in the core part were resulted from meteoric alteration. Our work provides insights into the formation process related to seepage evolution in ancient cold seeps on Taiwan Island.

Designing flower-like MOFs-derived N-doped carbon nanotubes encapsulated magnetic NiCo composites with multi-heterointerfaces for efficient electromagnetic wave absorption

In order to acquire exceptional electromagnetic wave absorption properties, the microstructure design and component modification of composites are essential. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), due to the unique metal–organic crystalline coordination, tunable morphology, high surface area, and well-defined pores, have been regarded as promising electromagnetic wave absorption materials precursors. However, the inadequate contact abilities between adjacent MOFs nanoparticles endow it with undesirable electromagnetic wave dissipation capacity at a low filler loading, which is a great challenge to break size effect of nanoparticles to achieve efficient absorption. Herein, NiCo-MOFs derived N-doped carbon nanotubes encapsulated with NiCo nanoparticles anchored on flowers-like composites (denoted as NCNT/NiCo/C) were successfully prepared through facile hydrothermal method followed by thermal chemical vapor deposition with melamine-assisted catalyst. By controlling the Ni/Co ratio in precursor, the tunable morphology and microstructure of MOFs are achieved. Most importantly, the derived N-doped carbon nanotubes tightly connect the adjacent nanosheets to construct the special 3D interconnected conductive network, which effectively accelerates the charge transfer and improves the conduction loss. And notably, the NCNT/NiCo/C composite delivers excellent electromagnetic wave absorption performance with minimum reflection loss of −66.1 dB and wide effective absorption bandwidth up to 4.64 GHz when the Ni/Co ratio is 1:1. This work provides a novel method for the preparation of morphology controllable MOFs-derived composites and realizes high-performance electromagnetic wave absorption properties.