Physicochemical Research Articles

Antitumoral melatonin-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers.

Aim: Cancer constitutes the second leading cause of death worldwide, with conventional therapies limited by significant side effects. Melatonin (MEL), a natural compound with antitumoral properties, suffers from instability and low solubility. To overcome these issues, MEL was encapsulated into nanostructured lipid carriers (MEL-NLC) containing rosehip oil to enhance stability and boost its antitumoral activity. Methods: MEL-NLC were optimized by a design of experiments approach and characterized for their physicochemical properties. Stability and biopharmaceutical behavior were assessed, along with interaction studies and in vitro antitumoral efficacy against various cancer cell lines. Results: Optimized MEL-NLC exhibited desirable physicochemical characteristics, including small particle size and sustained MEL release, along with long-term stability. In vitro studies demonstrated that MEL-NLC selectively induced cytotoxicity in several cancer cell lines while sparing healthy cells. Conclusion: MEL-NLC represent a promising alternative for cancer, combining enhanced stability and targeted antitumoral activity, potentially overcoming the limitations of conventional treatments.

Design of Collagen and Gelatin-based Electrospun Fibers for Biomedical Purposes: An Overview.

Collagen and gelatin are essential natural biopolymers commonly utilized in biomaterials and tissue engineering because of their excellent physicochemical and biocompatibility properties. They can be used either in combination with other biomacromolecules or particles or even exclusively for the enhancement of bone regeneration or for the development of biomimetic scaffolds. Collagen or gelatin derivatives can be transformed into nanofibrous materials with porous micro- or nanostructures and superior mechanical properties and biocompatibility using electrospinning technology. Specific attention was recently paid to electrospun mats of such biopolymers, due to their high ratio of surface area to volume, as well as their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low immunogenicity. The fiber mats with submicro- and nanometer scale can replicate the extracellular matrix structure of human tissues and organs, making them highly suitable for use in tissue engineering due to their exceptional bioaffinity. The drawbacks may include rapid degradation and complete dissolution in aqueous media. The use of gelatin/collagen electrospun nanofibers in this form is thus greatly restricted for biomedicine. Therefore, the cross-linking of these fibers is necessary for controlling their aqueous solubility. This led to enhanced biological characteristics of the fibers, rendering them excellent options for various biomedical uses. The objective of this review is to highlight the key research related to the electrospinning of collagen and gelatin, as well as their applications in the biomedical field. The review features a detailed examination of the electrospinning fiber mats, showcasing their varying structures and performances resulting from diverse solvents, electrospinning processes, and cross-linking methods. Judiciously selected examples from literature will be presented to demonstrate major advantages of such biofibers. The current developments and difficulties in this area of research are also being addressed.

Symmetric Refunctionalization of Diaminodinitropyrazine with Hydrazine and Aminotetrazole: Strategy for Enhancing Detonation Performance and Safety in Energetic Materials.

Two novel nitrogen-rich green energetic compounds were synthesized for the first time from readily available and cost-effective pyrazine starting materials. All newly synthesized molecules were comprehensively characterized, including infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, and thermogravimetric analysis-differential scanning calorimetry. All compounds have additionally been validated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The physicochemical properties of compounds 2, 4, and 5 were thoroughly investigated. Notably, all compounds exhibit remarkable performance, such as a high density (>1.84 g cm-3), excellent detonation properties (VOD > 8582 m s-1, and DP > 31.3 GPa), outstanding thermostability (>205 °C), and high insensitivity (IS > 35 J, and FS = 360 N). These attributes are quite comparable to those of secondary benchmark explosives such as TATB, RDX, LLM-105, and FOX-7. This tuned performance evidences that the incorporation of hydrazine, nitro, and aminotetrazole into the pyrazine framework fosters robust nonbonded interactions, ultimately enhancing thermal stability and reducing sensitivity. The findings of this study not only signify that compounds 2 and 5 have excellent detonation properties and stability but also prove that the strategy of replacing amino groups with hydrazine and aminotetrazole is a practical means of developing new insensitive energetic materials.

Biosynthesis of bacteriocin BacZY05-silver nanoconjugates and evaluation of their antibacterial properties.

Bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides produced by bacteria to prevent the growth of pathogens. Combining bacteriocins with metal nanoparticles, like silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), has developed into a viable strategy to get over bacteriocin limitations. In this study, bacteriocin BacZY05 was extracted from Bacillus subtilis ZY05 and purified using various techniques. The resulting purified bacteriocin was then combined with silver nanoparticles to form bacteriocin silver nanoconjugates (BacZY05-AgNPs). The physicochemical properties of the BacZY05-AgNPs were characterized using various analytical techniques. The mean diameter of the synthesized AgNPs was approximately 20-60nm with an oval or spherical shape. The antimicrobial activity of the BacZY05-AgNPs was evaluated against several indicator strains by their zone of inhibition (ZOI), using the agar well diffusion method. Compared to bacteriocin (ZOI- 13 to 20mm) and AgNPs (ZOI- 10-22mm) alone, the antibacterial activity data demonstrated a 1.3-1.5-fold increase in the activity of bacteriocin-nanoconjugates (ZOI- 22 to 26mm). For Staphylococcus aureus MTCC3103 and Klebsiella pneumoniae MTCC109, BacZY05-capped AgNPs exhibited the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), measuring 10.93µg/mL. For Salmonella typhi NCIM2501, the MIC was 28.75µg/mL. The highest MIC value was 57.5µg/mL for Escherichia coli DH5α and Vibrio cholerae MTCC3909. With BacZY05-capped AgNPs, the lowest minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 28.75µg/mL was observed for Staphylococcus aureus MTCC31003. In the cases of Salmonella typhi NCIM2501 and Klebsiella pneumoniae MTCC109 concentration was 57.5µg/mL. Vibrio cholerae MTCC3909 and Escherichia coli DH5α had the highest MBC values at 115µg/mL.

Investigating the Immune-Stimulating Potential of β-Glucan from Aureobasidium pullulans in Cancer Immunotherapy.

β-glucan, a polysaccharide found in various sources, exhibits unique physicochemical properties, yet its high polymerization limits clinical applications because of its solubility. Addressing this limitation, we introduce PPTEE-glycan, a highly purified soluble β-1,3/1,6-glucan derived from Aureobasidium pullulans. The refined PPTEE-glycan demonstrated robust immune stimulation in vitro, activated dendritic cells, and enhanced co-stimulatory markers, cytokines, and cross-presentation. Formulated as a PPTEE + microemulsion (ME), it elevated immune responses in vivo, promoting antigen-specific antibodies and CD8+ T cell proliferation. Intratumoral administration of PPTEE + ME in tumor-bearing mice induced notable tumor regression, which was linked to the activation of immunosuppressive cells. This study highlights the potential of high-purity Aureobasidium pullulans-derived β-glucan, particularly PPTEE, as promising immune adjuvants, offering novel avenues for advancing cancer immunotherapy.

Investigating the physicochemical properties, sensory profile and consumer acceptability of beetroot dark chocolate.

The incorporation of functional food ingredients in chocolate that seek to eliminate, if not completely, most of the added sugar content, as well as the use of alternative chocolate production techniques, have gained popularity in recent years. This study aimed to incorporate red beetroot powder into dark chocolate and investigate the effect of red beetroot powder concentration and processing time in a melanger on the physicochemical properties, sensory profile and consumer acceptability of beetroot dark chocolate. The addition of red beetroot powder increased the moisture content, particle size distribution and hardness of the chocolates, while the opposite was true for processing time with no effect on the colour. Except for taste, which had an average score of 3.2 ± 1.8 on the 7-point hedonic scale, consumers scored all the other sensory attributes of the chocolates above 4.0. Among the chocolates with red beetroot powder, samples with a 15% red beetroot powder addition had a high average overall acceptability score of >5, while the 30% sample scored <4. Red beetroot powder can be used to replace sugar in dark chocolate without affecting its physicochemical properties, sensory profile or consumer acceptability. However, the target market should be considered when determining the level of red beetroot powder incorporation in terms of chocolate taste. This research has the potential to improve the overall health-promoting properties of dark chocolate by eliminating added sugar (partially or completely). It would also help to diversify beetroot utilization, allow small-scale processors to venture into chocolate production and expand the small-scale chocolate value chain. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Nascently generated microplastics in freshwater stream are colonized by bacterial communities from stream and riparian sources.

The purpose of this study was to examine bacterial colonization of different types of microplastics through time in a freshwater ecosystem. Microplastics are persistent pollutants in aquatic ecosystems. Bacteria readily colonize microplastic surfaces and may contribute to their degradation, but the taxa involved, and their degradative abilities, differ based on factors such as microplastic chemistry, plastic age, and specific ecosystem types. Four different common types of newly manufactured microplastics, high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene, were incubated for 7 weeks in a freshwater stream and sampled. Sample collection was timed to examine the development of early and late bacterial biofilm communities. Microplastics were analyzed for changes to buoyancy, weight, contact angles (an indicator of surface roughness), bacterial community composition, and the number of bacterial cells. Time was the only significant contributing factor in the development of bacterial biofilm communities on microplastic disks over the 7-week study. Notably, the Comamonadaceae were abundant early in the study and decreased in abundance with time, while the Methylococcaceae demonstrated the opposite trend. Different physicochemical properties among the various types of microplastics had only a minor effect on bacterial community compositions of biofilms growing on the microplastics. Additionally, the surfaces of all microplastic disks became rougher over time in the stream. Collectively, our results show that microplastic surfaces undergo surface modification and community succession as time progresses, regardless of microplastic type, in a freshwater stream ecosystem.

Application of smart hydrogel materials in cartilage injury repair: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Cartilage injury is a common clinical condition, and treatment approaches have evolved over time from traditional conservative and surgical methods to regenerative repair. In this context, hydrogels, as widely used biomaterials in the field of cartilage repair, have garnered significant attention. Particularly, responsive hydrogels (also known as "smart hydrogels") have shown immense potential due to their ability to respond to various physicochemical properties and environmental changes. This paper aims to review the latest research developments of hydrogels in cartilage repair, utilizing a more systematic and comprehensive meta-analysis approach to evaluate the research status and application value of responsive hydrogels. The goal is to determine whether these materials demonstrate favorable therapeutic effects for subsequent clinical applications, thereby offering improved treatment methods for patients with cartilage injuries. This study employed a systematic literature search method to summarize the research progress of responsive hydrogels by retrieving literature on the subject and review studies. The search terms included "hydrogel" and "cartilage," covering data from database inception up to October 2023. The quality of the literature was independently evaluated using Review Manager v5.4 software. Quantifiable data was statistically analyzed using the R language. A total of 7 articles were retrieved for further meta-analysis. In the quality assessment, the studies demonstrated reliability and accuracy. The results of the meta-analysis indicated that responsive hydrogels exhibit unique advantages and effective therapeutic outcomes in the field of cartilage repair. Subgroup analysis revealed potential influences of factors such as different types of hydrogels and animal models on treatment effects. Responsive hydrogels show significant therapeutic effects and substantial application potential in the field of cartilage repair. This study provides strong scientific evidence for their further clinical applications and research, with the hope of promoting advancements in the treatment of cartilage injuries.

Biomolecular Interactions and Anticancer Mechanisms of Ru(II)-Arene Complexes of Cinnamaldehyde-Derived Thiosemicarbazone Ligands: Analysis Combining In Silico and In Vitro Approaches.

Our study focuses on synthesizing and exploring the potential of three N-(4) substituted thiosemicarbazones derived from cinnamic aldehyde, alongside their Ru(II)-(η6 -p-cymene)/(η6-benzene) complexes. The synthesized compounds were comprehensively characterized using a range of analytical techniques, including FT-IR, UV-visible spectroscopy, NMR (1H, 13C), and HRMS. We investigated their electronic and physicochemical properties via density functional theory (DFT). X-ray crystal structures validated structural differences identified by DFT. Molecular docking predicted promising bioactivities, supported by experimental observations. Notably, docking with EGFR suggested an inhibitory potential against this cancer-related protein. Spectroscopic titrations revealed significant DNA/BSA binding affinities, particularly with DNA intercalation and BSA hydrophobic interactions. RuPCAM displayed the strongest binding affinity with DNA (Kb = 6.23 × 107 M-1) and BSA (Kb = 9.75 × 105 M-1). Assessed the cytotoxicity of the complexes on cervical cancer cells (HeLa), and breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231), revealing remarkable potency. Additionally, selectivity was assessed by examining MCF-10a normal cell lines. The active complexes were found to trigger apoptosis, a vital cellular process crucial for evaluating their potential as anticancer agents utilizing staining assays and flow cytometry analysis. Intriguingly, complexation with Ru(II)-arene precursors significantly amplified the bioactivity of thiosemicarbazones, unveiling promising avenues toward the creation of powerful anticancer agents.

The Iron Binding Ability Maps the Fate of Food-Derived Transferrins: A Review.

As the demand for lactoferrin increases, the search for cost-effective alternative proteins becomes increasingly important. Attention naturally turns to other members of the transferrin family such as ovotransferrin. The iron-binding abilities of these proteins influence their characteristics, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This overview systematically summarizes the effects of the iron-binding ability on the fate of food-derived transferrins (lactoferrin and ovotransferrin) and their potential applications. The findings indicate that iron-binding ability significantly influences the structure of food-derived transferrins, particularly their tertiary structure. Changes in structure influence their physicochemical properties, which, in turn, lead to different behaviors in response to environmental variations. Thus, these proteins exhibit distinct digestive characteristics by the time they reach the small intestine, ultimately performing varied physiological functions in vivo. Consequently, food-derived transferrins with different iron-binding states may find diverse applications. Understanding this capability is essential for developing food-derived transferrins and driving innovation in lactoferrin-related industries.

Preparation and Evaluation of the In situ Gel-forming Chitosan Hydrogels for Nasal Delivery of Morphine in a Single Unit dose in Rats to Enhance the Analgesic Responses.

In this study, an in situ gel-forming chitosan hydrogel was prepared with the use of glutamate salt of chitosan (Ch-Ga), β-glycerophosphate (Gp), and morphine (Mor). The paper is focused on in vitro physicochemical properties and in-vivo analgesic effects of the prepared chitosan hydrogel. The thermosensitive properties of prepared chitosan hydrogel were evaluated during the different temperatures and times. The physicochemical properties of chitosan hydrogel were investigated by infrared (IR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). Also, its cell cytotoxicity effects were evaluated in murine NIH/3T3 normal cells. Subsequently, the distribution of chitosan hydrogel in the nasal cavity of rats and its analgesic responses were evaluated. The prepared chitosan hydrogel showed that it could be gelled at the temperature of 34 °C before leaving the nose in the shortest possible time of 30 s. The analgesic responses of the intranasal (IN) injection of chitosan hydrogel (IN-chitosan hydrogel, 10 mg Mor/kg) in a single unit dose in rat relative to the placebo and intranasal or intraperitoneal (IP) injection of free morphine solution (IN-Free Mor or IP-Free Mor, 10 mg Mor/kg) via the hot plate test, reveal that the IN-chitosan hydrogel could induce fast analgesic effects of morphine with maximum possible effect (MPE) of 93% after 5 min compare to the IN-Free Mor and IP-Free Mor with MPE of 80% after 15 min and 66% after 30 min, respectively. Also, prolonged analgesic effects with MPE of 78 % after 6 h of injection were only seen in the IN-chitosan hydrogel injected group. The obtained fluorescent images of rat's brain injected with IN-chitosan hydrogel containing doxorubicine (Dox) as a fluorescent agent showed that the mucosal adhesive and absorption enhancer properties of IN-chitosan hydrogel resulting in longer presence of them in the nasal cavity of rats followed by more absorption of Dox from the blood vessels of olfactory bulbs with a 74% color intensity compared to the IN-Free Mor and IN-Free Dox with 15%. These data reveal that the IN-chitosan hydrogel could induce fast and prolonged analgesic effects of morphine compare to the IN/IP-Free Mor, which could be considered as an in situ gel-forming thermosensitive chitosan hydrogel for nasal delivery of wide ranges of therapeutic agents.

Polymeric Micelles in Colorectal Cancer Therapy: A Comprehensive Review of Nano-drug Delivery Strategies, Copolymer Types, Physicochemical Characteristics, and Therapeutic Applications.

Polymeric micelles are becoming the method of choice for a nano-drug delivery system, especially in colorectal cancer treatment. These tiny structures have become popular for their amazing qualities that make drug delivery more efficient and therapies better. Colorectal cancer, also known as colon cancer, is one of the most common and deadly cancers in the world. Traditional chemotherapy is good, but it has big downsides, like harming other parts of the body and making people sick all over. Polymeric micelles give a new way to fix these problems by being easier on the body, breaking down naturally, and staying in the blood longer. The polymeric micelles, which are loaded with drugs, are sheltered within the tumor, which leads to a reduction in off-site effects and an increase in the targeting and accumulation of chemotherapeutics at the cancer site. This review paper elaborates on the current status of polymeric micelles as a method for nano-drug delivery for chemotherapy, emphasizing their efficacy in managing cancer. The paper also talks about the various types of copolymers that are used to create polymeric micelles, the different types of micelles, their physicochemical properties, the preparation process, characterization, and their application in cancer diagnostics.

Synthesis of Ursolic Acid-based Hybrids: In Vitro Antibacterial, Cytotoxicity Studies, In Silico Physicochemical and Pharmacokinetic Properties.

There is a critical need for the discovery of novel and effective antibacterial or anticancer molecules. Amine-linked ursolic acid-based hybrid compounds were prepared in good yields in the range of 60-68%. Their molecular structures were successfully confirmed using different spectroscopic methods including 1H/13C NMR, UHPLC-HRMS and FTIR spectroscopy. The in vitro cytotoxicity of some of these hybrid molecules against three human tumour cells, such as MDA-MB23, MCF7, and HeLa was evaluated using the MTT colorimetric method. Their antibacterial efficacy was evaluated against eleven bacterial pathogens using a serial dilution assay. Majority of the bacterial strains were inhibited significantly by compounds 17 and 24, with the lowest MIC values in the range of 15.3-31.25 μg/mL. Compound 16 exhibited higher cytotoxicity against HeLa cells than ursolic acid, with an IC50 value of 43.64 g/mL. The in vitro antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity of these hybrid compounds demonstrated that ursolic acid-based hybrid molecules are promising compounds. Further research into ursolic acid-based hybrid compounds is required.

Natural Phenolic Compounds with Antithrombotic and Antiplatelet Effects: A Drug-likeness Approach.

Thrombosis is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in a wide range of vessel diseases. Several studies have been conducted to identify antithrombotic agents from medicinal plants, and phenolic compounds (PCs) have been shown to effectively inhibit plasma coagulation and platelet aggregation. This study aimed to conduct a survey of the natural PCs with proven antithrombotic and antiplatelet activities, as well as to evaluate by computational modeling the physicochemical and toxicological properties of these compounds using drug-likeness approaches. The data were collected from the scientific database: 'Web of Science', 'Scifinder', 'Pubmed', 'ScienceDirect' and 'Google Scholar', the different classes of PCs with antithrombotic or antiplatelet effects were used as keywords. These molecules were also evaluated for their Drug-Likeness properties and toxicity to verify their profile for being candidates for new antithrombotic drugs. In this review, it was possible to register 85 lignans, 73 flavonoids, 28 coumarins, 21 quinones, 23 phenolic acids, 8 xanthones and 8 simple phenols. Activity records for tannins were not found in the researched databases. Of these 246 compounds, 213 did not violate any of Lipinski's rules of five, of which 125 (59%) showed non-toxicity, being promising candidates for new potential antithrombotic drugs. This review arouses interest in the isolation of phenolic compounds that may allow a new approach for the prevention of both arterial and venous thrombosis, with the potential to become alternatives in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Natural variability in yield and properties of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile kernel oil from different locations in Nigeria

Balanites aegyptiaca known as the desert date is an underutilized and neglected wild fruit tree/shrub of the arid and semi-arid zones with high economic potential. This study, therefore, was conducted to investigate the yield, physico-chemical and phytochemical properties, proximate and mineral composition of desert date kernel oil from different locations. Oil was extracted using the soxhlet apparatus, while hexane served as solvent. Standard procedures were used to determine the yield and properties of desert date kernel oil. The data obtained were subjected to the analysis of variance (p&lt; 0.05). Oil yield (%) was found to range from 21.09±1.04-43.95±1.85 and varied significantly among the locations. Acid and saponification values (mg KOH/g) increased significantly from 2.11±0.07 to 1.36±0.07 and 76.35±0.22 to 179.85±0.90, respectively. The refractive index ranged from 1.36±0.15 to 1.48±0.06, while the iodine value (mg KOH/g) varied significantly from 67.07±1.53 to 85.33±2.52. Saponins, tannins, and phenol were discovered to vary significantly among the locations, and range from 3.82±0.30 -5.83±0.45 (mg/100 g), 1.31±0.10 - 1.68±0.03 (mg/100 g) and 1.51±0.05 - 2.09±0.06 (mg/100 g), respectively. The broad variability observed in the properties of desert date kernel oil among locations indicates the feasibility of improving kernel oil yield and properties through selection

Biomedical applications of stimuli-responsive nanomaterials.

Nanomaterials have aroused great interests in drug delivery due to their nanoscale structure, facile modifiability, and multifunctional physicochemical properties. Currently, stimuli-responsive nanomaterials that can respond to endogenous or exogenous stimulus display strong potentials in biomedical applications. In comparison with conventional nanomaterials, stimuli-responsive nanomaterials can improve therapeutic efficiency and reduce the toxicity of drugs toward normal tissues through specific targeting and on-demand drug release at pathological sites. In this review, we summarize the responsive mechanism of a variety of stimulus, including pH, redox, and enzymes within pathological microenvironment, as well as exogenous stimulus such as thermal effect, magnetic field, light, and ultrasound. After that, biomedical applications (e.g., drug delivery, imaging, and theranostics) of stimuli-responsive nanomaterials in a diverse array of common diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, neurological disorders, inflammation, and bacterial infection, are presented and discussed. Finally, the remaining challenges and outlooks of future research directions for the biomedical applications of stimuli-responsive nanomaterials are also discussed. We hope that this review can provide valuable guidance for developing stimuli-responsive nanomaterials and accelerate their biomedical applications in diseases diagnosis and treatment.

The promotional effects of ZrO2 modification on the activity and selectivity of Co/SiC catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

Co/SiC catalysts have exhibited excellent performance in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction. However, few research focuses on investigating the effect of SiC supports surface properties of on catalyst performance. In this study, ZrO2 was utilized to modify the SiC surface, leading to the preparation of a series of Co-ZrO2/SiC catalysts. The physicochemical properties of the catalyst were comprehensively analyzed by using N2 adsorption, XRD, H2-TPR, XPS analyses. Catalytic performance was evaluated using a fixed bed reactor, shedding light on the effect of ZrO2 modified SiC support on cobalt-based Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalysts. The results indicated that ZrO2 surface modification on SiC resulted in an enhanced reduction degree of Co/SiC catalysts. Additionally, ZrO2 exhibited strong interaction with the amorphous phase on the SiC surface, thereby weakening the interaction between Co and the amorphous phase. This led to an increase in the electron density of cobalt species, consequently improving the selectivity of Co/SiC catalysts towards long-chain hydrocarbons.

Physicochemical Properties of (La,Sr)CoO3 Thick Films on Fe-25Cr Steel under Exposure to SOFC Cathode Operating Conditions

La0.6Sr0.4CoO3 (LSC) coatings with a thickness of 50–100 µm were deposited on Fe-25Cr ferritic stainless steel (DIN 50049) via screen printing. The required suspension had been prepared using fine LSC powders synthesised using EDTA gel processes. In its bulk form, the LSC consisted entirely of the rhombohedral phase with space group R-3c, and it exhibited high electrical conductivity (~144 S·cm−1). LSC-coated steel was oxidised in air at 1073 K, i.e., under conditions corresponding to SOFC cathode operation, for times of up to 144 h. The in situ electrical resistance of the steel/La0.6Sr0.4CoO3 layered system during oxidation was measured. The products formed on the samples after the oxidation reaction resulting from exposure to the corrosive medium were investigated using XRD, SEM-EDS, and TEM-SAD. The microstructural, nanostructural, phase, and chemical analysis of films was performed with a focus on the film/substrate interface. It was determined that the LSC coating interacts with the oxidised steel in the applied conditions, and a multi-layer interfacial zone is formed. Detailed TEM-SAD observations indicated the formation of a main layer consisting of SrCrO4, which was the reaction product of (La,Sr)CoO3, and the Cr2O3 scale formed on the metal surface. The formation of the SrCrO4 phase resulted in improved electrical conductivity of the investigated metal/ceramics layered composite material, as demonstrated by the low area-specific resistance values of 5 mΩ·cm2, thus making it potentially useful as a SOFC interconnect material operating at the tested temperature. In addition, the evaporation rate of chromium measured for the uncoated steel and the steel/La0.6Sr0.4CoO3 layered system likewise indicates that the coating is capable of acting as an effective barrier against the formation of volatile compounds of chromium.

Effects of natural and mechanical drying processes on unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, estradiol, and physicochemical properties of Rana chensinensis ovum

Although Rana chensinensis Ovum (RCO) is enriched with high nutritional value, its quality varies due to the different drying methods used by farmers. This study aims to explore the impact of natural and mechanical drying methods on the nutritional compositions and physicochemical properties of RCO. Five different drying methods were studied, including blast drying (BD), mild breeze light drying (MBLD), natural air drying (NAD), vacuum heat drying (VHD), and vacuum freeze drying (VFD). The quality assessment was based on unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) content, iodine value, estradiol, vitamin E, saponification value, thiobarbituric acid value (TBA), acid value, and antioxidant properties. The results showed that VFD had higher UFA content and lower acid value (139.950 ± 0.397 mg · g−1) and TBA value (0.097 ± 0.003) than others. VFD and NAD had higher iodine values (147.166 ± 1.475 and 146.803 ± 1.209, respectively) than others. There were no significant differences in estradiol, vitamin E, peroxide value and the clearance rates of ABTS+ free radicals and DPPH• free radicals with different drying methods. The findings will provide valuable insights into the industrialization of RCO.Graphical

Capillary adhesion of stick insects.

Scientific progress within the last few decades has revealed the functional morphology of an insect's sticky footpads-a compliant pad that secretes thin liquid films. However, the physico-chemical mechanisms underlying their adhesion remain elusive. Here, we explore these underlying mechanisms by simultaneously measuring adhesive force and contact geometry of the adhesive footpads of live, tethered Indian stick insects, Carausius morosus, spanning more than two orders of magnitude in body mass. We find that the adhesive force we measure is similar to the previous measurements that use a centrifuge. Our measurements afford us the opportunity to directly probe the adhesive stress in vivo and use existing theory on capillary adhesion to predict the surface tension of the secreted liquid and compare it to previous assumptions. From our predictions, we find that the surface tension required to generate the adhesive stresses we observed ranges between 0.68 and 12 mN . The low surface tension of the liquid would enhance the wetting of the stick insect's footpads and promote their ability to conform to various substrates. Our insights may inform the biomimetic design of capillary-based, reversible adhesives and motivate future studies on the physico-chemical properties of the secretedliquid.