Reduction In Droplet Size Research Articles

Assessment and Application of Modified Cationic Polyvinyl Alcohol Emulsifiers in Bitumen Emulsions

Abstract In this work, a series of emulsifiers were prepared by changing the molar ratio of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to the long chain quaternary ammonium salt (A0). The emulsifiers were characterised by FTIR and 1HNMR. The stability of the emulsions was checked and evaluated by determining the phase separation and by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The emulsion stability increased with increasing emulsifier concentration, which was mainly due to the reduced droplet size and increased viscosity of the emulsions. Stability was also dependent on pH. At pH values between 5 to 3, stability was increased, but at further decreasing pH values, the emulsion became unstable or the emulsion separated. This could be mainly because the excess of positive ions compresses the double electron layer. The experimental results showed that PVA as a macromolecular matrix material has a great application potential for the emulsification process.

What You Eat Matters: Nutrient Inputs Alter the Metabolism and Neuropeptide Expression in Egyptian Cotton Leaf Worm, Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Lipids and carbohydrates are the two primary energy sources for both animals and insects. Energy homeostasis is under strict control by the neuroendocrine system, and disruption of energy homeostasis leads to the development of various disorders, such as obesity, diabetes, fatty liver syndrome, and cardiac dysfunction. One critical factor in this respect is feeding habits and diet composition. Insects are good models to study the physiological and biochemical background of the effect of diet on energy homeostasis and related disorders; however, most studies are based on a single model species, Drosophila melanogaster. In the current study, we examined the effects of four different diets, high fat (HFD), high sugar (HSD), calcium-rich (CRD), and a plant-based (PBD) on energy homeostasis in younger (third instar) and older (fifth instar) larvae of the Egyptian cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in comparison to a regular artificial bean diet. Both HSD and HFD led to weight gain, while CRD had the opposite effect and PBD had no effect in fifth instar larvae and pupae. The pattern was the same for HSD and CRD in third instar larvae while a reduction in weight was detected with HFD and PBD. Larval development was shortest with the HSD, while HFD, CRD, and PBD led to retardation compared to the control. Triglyceride (TG) levels were higher with HFD, HSD, and PBD, with larger lipid droplet sizes, while CRD led to a reduction of TG levels and lipid droplet size. Trehalose levels were highest with HSD, while CRD led to a reduction at third instar larvae, and HFD and PBD had no effect. Fifth instar larvae had similar levels of trehalose with all diets. There was no difference in the expression of the genes encoding neuropeptides SpoliAKH and SpoliILP1-2 with different diets in third instar larvae, while all three genes were expressed primarily with HSD, and SpolisNPF was primarily expressed with HFD in fifth instar larvae. In summary, different diet treatments alter the development of insects, and energy and metabolic pathways through the regulation of peptide hormones.

Computational Studies of Air-Mist Spray Cooling in Continuous Casting

Due to the significant reduction in water droplet size caused by the strong air-water interaction in the spray nozzle, air-mist spray is one of the promising technologies for achieving high-rate heat transfer. This study numerically analyzed air-mist spray produced by a flat-fan atomizer using three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics simulations, and a multivariable linear regression was used to develop a correlation to predict the heat transfer coefficient using the casting operating conditions such as air-pressure, water flow rate, casting speed, and standoff distance. A four-step simulation approach was used to simulate the air-mist spray cooling capturing the turbulence and mixing of the two fluids in the nozzle, droplet formation, droplet transport and impingement heat transfer. Validations were made on the droplet size and on the VOF-DPM model which were in good agreement with experimental results. A 33% increase in air pressure increases the lumped HTC by 3.09 ± 2.07% depending on the other casting parameters while an 85% increase in water flow rate reduces the lumped HTC by 4.61 ± 2.57%. For casting speed, a 6.5% decrease in casting speed results in a 1.78 ± 1.42% increase in the lumped HTC. The results from this study would provide useful information in the continuous casting operations and optimization.

Weakly Anisotropic Dielectric Properties of Water Droplets at the Nanoscale.

The slab-confined water at the nanoscale exhibits anomalous dielectric properties compared to bulk water, for example, significantly low dielectric constant. In this work, we study the dielectric properties of nanoscale water droplets at room temperature using molecular dynamics simulations. We find that the nanoscale water droplets feature weakly anisotropic dielectric constant: the radial component of dielectric constants is distinctly smaller than the tangential component although they both decrease with reducing droplet size in a similar way. Such dielectric behavior is closely related to the orientational preference of water molecules near the convex surface. The molecular dipole prefers to slightly orientate toward the interior of droplets in contrast to the out-of-plane preference for free-standing water films and slab-confined water, which suppresses the fluctuation of dipole moments in the radial direction. Meanwhile, it facilitates the formation of the open hydrogen-bond network in the surface layer and ultimately leads to the relatively weak suppression of tangential fluctuations. The differential suppression is responsible for the anisotropic dielectric constant of water droplets. This anisotropic characteristic is also found in dielectric relaxation: both the radial and the tangential relaxation are consistently slowed down upon approaching surface but the latter is universally slower.

Cinnamon and paprika oleoresin emulsions: A study of physicochemical stability and antioxidant synergism

Cinnamon and paprika oleoresins (CPO) are by-products of the spice Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume and the fruit Capsicum annuum L., respectively. They present a hydrophobic nature and various active compounds that can act synergistically. However, they are both susceptible to degradation by light, oxygen, and temperature. This work aimed at identifying the synergistic effect of these oleoresin mixtures, incorporating them into emulsions and characterizing the obtained systems. The CPO concentration was 10%, and whey protein isolate (WPI), gum Arabic (GA), or maltodextrin (MD) were used as wall materials in different proportions, totalizing 30% solids. The synergistic effect was observed in the FRAP assay at a 1:1 CPO ratio, with its expected value being significantly higher than the values for individual oleoresins (p < 0.05). Emulsions containing GA were unstable, while the emulsions containing MD and WPI showed reduced droplet size and viscosity, remaining stable for 7 days. The sample with a 1:3 proportion of MD:WPI as wall material showed higher FRAP and ORAC antioxidant values (24.74 ± 0.83 and 28.77 ± 1.23 mmol TE/g of oleoresin, respectively) and 4.18 mg total carotenoids/g sample. These results suggest the emulsions have a protective effect on active compounds content and can be used as efficient delivery systems for food product applications.

Cloud Top Radiative Cooling Rate Drives Non‐Precipitating Stratiform Cloud Responses to Aerosol Concentration

AbstractIncreases in aerosol concentration are well known to influence the microphysical processes and radiative properties of clouds. By reducing droplet size, an increase in aerosol can lessen collision efficiency and increase liquid water path (LWP) in precipitating clouds or enhance evaporation rate and decrease LWP in non‐precipitating clouds. We utilize large eddy simulations to further investigate these aerosol indirect effects in Arctic mixed‐phase clouds and find, in agreement with previous studies, precipitating clouds to experience an increase in LWP and non‐precipitating clouds a decrease in LWP. Most importantly however, our results reveal a different explanation for why such an LWP decrease occurs in decoupled, non‐precipitating clouds. We find enhanced evaporation near cloud top to be driven primarily by a strengthening of maximum radiative cooling rate with aerosol concentration which drives stronger entrainment, an effect that holds true even in clouds that are optically thick.

Influence of dietary fiber on in-vitro lipid digestion of emulsions prepared with high-intensity ultrasound

In terms of disease prevention, nutrition is becoming an increasingly important aspect. Therefore, emulsions as an innovative food product containing health-promoting plant fiber and canola oil prepared with high-intensity ultrasound were investigated. They were analysed regarding their physicochemical properties and their influence on in-vitro digestion. Ultrasound led to a reduction in oil droplet size and a modification of plant fiber, which influenced their techno-functional properties and improved emulsion stability due to higher viscosities. It turned out that fibers with high amounts of soluble dietary fiber were able to stabilize the emulsions during in-vitro digestion until they entered the intestinal phase, forming a micelle-like network. The digestibility could be increased by about 5%. The usage of plant fibers in emulsions can help to increase the daily uptake of dietary fiber and at the same time counteract absorption deficiencies due to better fat digestibility.

A modified premix method for the emulsification of spearmint essential oil (Mentha spicata) by ceramic membranes

A versatile and innovative membrane emulsification system that utilizes a modified premix method was investigated for preparing oil/water emulsions from spearmint essential oil. The modified method (forced-air premix, FAP) is based on flowing air in parallel to the surface of the ceramic membrane at the permeate side, and it was compared to a traditional premix method (conventional premix, CVP) in which pressure was applied only to the feed stream. The influence of membrane pore size, transmembrane pressure, and airflow velocity on the oil emulsion properties was evaluated. In the FAP method, the air stream forces the early shearing and detachment of oil droplets right after the premix permeates the membrane. The results showed that the increase in the operating pressure resulted in the reduction of droplet size and span values for all membranes and methods evaluated. The higher surfactant concentration and presence of forced airflow influenced the reduction of the droplet size and dispersion of emulsions in the FAP method. Stable emulsions were obtained which 28 days of storage.

Abstract 3168: Pancreatic cancer lipid theft is mediated by MAP Kinase signaling in adipocytes

Abstract Obesity is a major risk factor which drives cancer progression in a variety of cancers, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In obese individuals the adipose tissue becomes reactive, therefore the crosstalk between adipose tissue and PDAC tumors is essential to understand the mechanisms underlying PDAC progression and cancer associated conditions like cachexia. Lipid loading in pancreatic cancer has been shown to drive a variety of protumor phenotypes, including increased growth and invasiveness. Previous work has shown that cancers including breast, ovarian, and melanoma have the capability to induce lipid transfer from adipocytes to cancer cells. However, lipid transfer from adipocytes to pancreatic cancer cells has not been shown nor has the mechanism been elucidated. In addition, most work has focused on how adipose tissue factors affect the cancer cells, while little has been done to understand how the cancer cells affect the adipocytes. We believe pancreatic cancer cells are capable of inducing lipid release from adipocytes by inducing the destabilization of lipid droplets. To test the capacity of PDAC to induce lipid release and transfer from adipocytes, differentiated adipocytes were loaded with the fatty acid, BODIPY 568 C12, and then co-cultured with pancreatic cancer cells using a transwell coculture system to prevent direct contact. BODIPY labeled lipid uptake was detected in cancer cells using both immunofluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. In the adipocytes, we observed destabilization of lipid droplet via loss in perilipin 1 immunofluorescence, decreased perilipin levels in western blot analysis, and as a reduction in lipid droplet size after co-culture. Similar results were observed when the experiment was repeated using cancer cell conditioned media instead of a co-culture system. Exposure to cancer conditioned media was found to induce increased pERK in the adipocytes. To determine whether cancer conditioned media was affecting adipocyte mitochondrial function, we used the Agilent Seahorse mitochondrial stress test. Results demonstrated that cancer conditioned media impaired the maximal mitochondrial respiration of adipocytes, which was blocked by MEK inhibition. We conclude that pancreatic cancer cells are capable of inducing lipid transfer from adipocytes by secreting soluble factors which increase lipolysis and MAP kinase signaling in adipocytes. Once lipids have been liberated from the adipocytes, the pancreatic cancer cells scavenge them as an energy source to drive cancer progression. We believe our findings demonstrate an active role for tumor-adipocyte crosstalk and could provide therapeutic targets for the treatment of PDAC in obese individuals or for cancer associated cachexia. Citation Format: Joseph Ambrose, Austin E. Eades, McKinnon Walsh, Michael N. VanSaun. Pancreatic cancer lipid theft is mediated by MAP Kinase signaling in adipocytes [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 3168.

Understanding the different emulsification mechanisms of pectin: Comparison between watermelon rind and two commercial pectin sources

In this work, an advanced approach combining small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments, rheology and confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to explain the different emulsification mechanisms of three pectin sources (pectin extracted from watermelon rind -WRP- and commercial citrus -CP- and apple pectin -AP). Very interestingly, three different emulsification mechanisms were identified, related to the structure and composition of the pectin extracts. WRP had significantly greater emulsifying capacity than commercial CP and AP. This enhanced emulsification ability was mainly ascribed to a combination of its relatively high protein content (mainly acting as the surface-active material), combined with the presence of longer sugar side chains in pectin, further contributing to stabilizing the oil droplets in the emulsions. All these structural features resulted in a reduction in the mean droplet size as the concentration increased, thus, hindering flocculation and coalescence during the short-term storage conditions at 4 °C. In contrast, AP had the lowest emulsification capacity, which was only related to its viscosifying effect (provided by its greater Mw), while CP, having the greatest homogalacturonan content, greatest linearity and a more balanced hydrophilic/hydrophobic character (reflected in the degree of esterification), was able to form a better adsorbed layer at the o/w interphase, although it could not avoid flocculation and creaming at low pectin concentration during refrigerated storage.

Towards an improved understanding of spray-dried emulsions: Impact of the emulsifying constituent combination on characteristics and storage stability

In spray-dried emulsions a wide range of emulsifying constituents including proteins and low molecular weight emulsifiers are used. Due to their different behaviour, combinations of different emulsifying constituents are common, whereupon their interactions may also adversely affect powder properties and stability. Therefore, the impact of whey protein isolate alone or in combination with lecithin, mono-/diglyceride and citrem as low molecular weight emulsifiers on powder characteristics and storage stability were investigated. Temperature stresses were applied to induce instability phenomena. A specific combination of protein and low molecular weight emulsifiers resulted in a reduction in oil droplet size while maintaining encapsulation efficiency. Induction of crystallisation through low temperature stress induced oil release in samples, in which templating for heterogeneous nucleation took place. High temperature stress caused Maillard reaction, protein-fat complexation and phase transition of the matrix resulting in colour changes and reduction of extractable oil.

Depletion ofPrmt1in Adipocytes Impairs Glucose Homeostasis in Diet-Induced Obesity

Protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) 1 is involved in the regulation of various metabolic pathways such as glucose metabolism in liver and atrophy in the skeletal muscle. However, the role of PRMT1 in the fat tissues under the disease state has not been elucidated to date. In this study, we delineate the function of this protein in adipocytes in vivo. PRMT1 expression was abundant in the white adipose tissues (WAT), which was induced upon a high-fat diet in mice and by obesity in humans. We found that adipocyte-specific depletion of Prmt1 resulted in decreased fat mass without overall changes in body weight in mice. Mechanistically, the depletion of Prmt1 in WAT led to the activation of the AMPK pathway, which was causal to the increased lipophagy, mitochondrial lipid catabolism, and the resultant reduction in lipid droplet size in WAT in vivo. Interestingly, despite the increased energy expenditure, we observed a promotion of adipose tissue inflammation and an ectopic accumulation of triglycerides in the peripheral tissues in Prmt1 adipocyte-specific knockout mice, which promoted the impaired insulin tolerance that is reminiscent of mouse models of lipodystrophy. These data collectively suggest that PRMT1 prevents WAT from excessive degradation of triglycerides by limiting AMPK-mediated lipid catabolism to control whole-body metabolic homeostasis in diet-induced obesity conditions.

SIRT5 Inhibition Induces Brown Fat-Like Phenotype in 3T3-L1 Preadipocytes.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity plays a key role in regulating systemic energy. The activation of BAT results in increased energy expenditure, making this tissue an attractive pharmacological target for therapies against obesity and type 2 diabetes. Sirtuin 5 (SIRT5) affects BAT function by regulating adipogenic transcription factor expression and mitochondrial respiration. We analyzed the expression of SIRT5 in the different adipose depots of mice. We treated 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and mouse primary preadipocyte cultures with the SIRT5 inhibitor MC3482 and investigated the effects of this compound on adipose differentiation and function. The administration of MC3482 during the early stages of differentiation promoted the expression of brown adipocyte and mitochondrial biogenesis markers. Upon treatment with MC3482, 3T3-L1 adipocytes showed an increased activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which is known to stimulate brown adipocyte differentiation. This effect was paralleled by an increase in autophagic/mitophagic flux and a reduction in lipid droplet size, mediated by a higher lipolytic rate. Of note, MC3482 increased the expression and the activity of adipose triglyceride lipase, without modulating hormone-sensitive lipase. Our findings reveal that SIRT5 inhibition stimulates brown adipogenesis in vitro, supporting this approach as a strategy to stimulate BAT and counteract obesity.

Numerical simulation on the growth of polydisperse fine SiO2 particles by water vapor condensation

The three-stage model was utilized to analyze the law of grown particle size distribution for amplification of polydisperse SiO2 particles in actual water vapor environment. The predicted results demonstrate that the dispersity is narrowed compared with experimental data and the difference between them is large at higher level of supersaturation. Moreover, representative affecting factors on particle growth are discussed. Specifically, the increase of particle number concentration is the significantly negative effect on the particle growth. It leads to the failure of nucleation of small size particles and condensation on large size particles resulting in the several times reduction of arithmetic mean droplet size. Additionally, the improvement of the peak of initial particle size and inlet gas flow temperature on the condition of heating gas flow is not beneficial to particle growth. Besides, the reduction of surface tension of liquid phase can improve the growth strongly at lower level of supersaturation.

Experimental study of flash boiling spray with isooctane, hexane, ethanol and their binary mixtures

The main objective of this study is to understand the effect of fuel properties on flash boiling sprays using multi-hole injectors. Macroscopic characteristics were investigated using Diffused Backlight Imaging (DBI) and quantified with liquid penetration length and spray angles. Phase Doppler Anemometry (PDA) was applied to measure the droplet size and velocity. Behaviors of spray with three single-component fuels (isooctane, hexane, ethanol) under different ambient pressures (100 kPa, 80 kPa, 50 kPa, 22 kPa) as well as their binary mixtures under different blend ratios (10%, 30%, 85%) were reported and analyzed. The results showed that adding ethanol or hexane to isooctane could both promote flash boiling by increasing the overall vapor pressure thus superheated degree. Under mixing ratios of 10% and 30%, sprays with ethanol blends showed more severe flash boiling comparing with sprays with hexane blends. Shorter liquid penetration and better liquid dispersion have been observed. Comparing with isooctane spray, the droplet size continuously decreased with increasing hexane content due to enhanced breakup and faster vaporization. Sprays with ethanol mixtures showed a different trend. Noticeable droplet size reduction has been observed for spray with 10% ethanol content. However, droplet size did not further decrease with higher blend ratios regardless of higher flash boiling intensity. Such observations indicate severe vaporization inhibition caused by the high latent heat of vaporization of ethanol. For sprays with all test fuels, collapsing occurred when the pressure ratio of ambient pressure to saturation pressure (Rp) dropped below 0.3.

Modeling droplet dispersion in a turbulent tubing flow at a high droplet holdup

Modeling emulsion formation in a turbulent tubing flow is required for different petroleum technology applications, such as surface oil/water separation or evaluation of accuracy of subsurface performance of specific logging equipment. Dispersion of noncoalescing droplets in a turbulent tubing flow at droplet holdups reaching 30% is modeled. An in-house developed engineering code based on the advection-diffusion population balance approach is employed for simulations. A model of droplet breakup, recently proposed and validated for high-dispersed phase volume fractions, is incorporated into the code. This model assumes that the droplet breakup process is driven by droplet fluctuations. According to the model, the mean-square droplet fluctuation velocity is calculated using the kinetic theory of granular media.This developed model is used to study dispersion of water in a turbulent oil flow through a tubing under realistic conditions. One of the important results is an explicit demonstration of a decrease in the droplet size reduction rate with an increase in the water holdup. An evolution of mean droplet sizes along the production tubing under different flow conditions is illustrated. The simulation tool developed is a significant step toward the ultimate goal: an ability to characterize water in oil emulsion prior to multiphase production logging.

Investigation on the Solidification Behavior of Bi Droplets Embedded in Cu Matrix by Nanocalorimetry

Background: The solidification of metals is usually initiated by heterogeneous nucleation, which, however, is less controllable due to the unexpected impurities. In this study, the nucleation behavior of micro- and nano-sized Bi droplets embedded in the Cu matrix, where well-identified catalyst interfaces were introduced, was studied. Objective: This paper demonstrated the nucleation behavior of the nano-sized Bi droplets embedded in the Cu matrix to determine the nucleation sites and contact angle. Methods: Cu-20Bi (wt. %) melt-spun ribbons consisting of numerous micro- and nano-sized Bi droplets embedded in the Cu matrix were prepared. Based on the structure characterization by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the nucleation behavior of these embedded Bi droplets was demonstrated by nanocalorimetry. Results: The orientation relationship between the nano-sized Bi droplets and the Cu matrix was determined. The undercooling of the nano-sized Bi droplets with the cooling rate was more stable than that of the micro-sized Bi droplets, and a nucleation contact angle of 72o was obtained. Conclusion: The undercooling increases with the reduction of droplet size. The nucleation of the Bi droplets is significantly affected by their interfacial structure with the Cu matrix. Compared with hexagonal Zn, the Cu matrix with face-centered cubic structure has a less catalytic effect on the nucleation of Bi.

Analytical photo-centrifuge-based prediction of shelf-life and droplet packing behaviour of nanoemulsions upon removal of excess micelles

An analytical photo-centrifuge was used to develop novel experimental methods to predict the shelf-life, rheology, and inter-droplet interactions in 40 wt% canola oil-in-water nanoemulsions stabilized by 3 and 5 wt% citric acid esters of monoglyceride (Citrem). The combined influence of micellar concentration and oil droplet size on the rheology, creaming stability, and compression behaviour was studied under a series of accelerated gravitations. Nanoemulsions without excess Citrem micelles were obtained by removing them from the continuous phase using multiple cycles of ultracentrifugation. Reduction in droplet size with an increase in Citrem concentration and the removal of excess micelles resulted in a significant increase in plateau storage moduli leading to a change in phase behaviour of the nanoemulsions from liquid to viscoelastic gels. Moreover, it also showed a simultaneous drastic decrease in nanodroplets creaming velocity under accelerated gravitation. The flow behaviour of the gels was well correlated with a critical relative centrifugal force required to initiate flow under accelerated gravitation. Additionally, the colloidal forces responsible for instability was satisfactorily explained by the packing behaviour of the nanodroplets studied under a series of compression and dilatational cycles of centrifugation. We showed that the strong electrostatic repulsive force between the nanodroplets without excess micelles led to a lower packing density during compaction that did not change significantly during successive dilatational cycles. The higher packing density or compaction in the presence of excess micelles was explained by the short-range attractive depletion forces leading to weak flocculation of nanodroplets. Overall, the presence and absence of excess micelles showed a significant influence on the rheology and accelerated stability of nanoemulsions, which can be further described by the colloidal forces between the nanodroplets using the real-time advanced photo-centrifuge.

Development of Drift-Reducing Spouts For Vineyard Pneumatic Sprayers: Measurement of Droplet Size Spectra Generated and Their Classification

Pneumatic spraying is especially sensitive to spray drift due to the production of small droplets that can be easily blown away from the treated field by the wind. Two prototypes of environmentally friendly pneumatic spouts were developed. The present work aims to check the effect of the spout modifications on the spray quality, to test the convenience of setting the liquid hose out of the spout in cannon-type and hand-type pneumatic nozzles and its effect on the droplet size, homogeneity and driftability in laboratory conditions. Laboratory trials simulating a real sprayer were conducted to test the influence of the hose insertion position (HP), including conventional (CP), alternative (AP), outer (OP) and extreme (XP), as well as the liquid flow rate (LFR) and the airflow speed (AS) on the droplet size (D50, D10 and D90), homogeneity and driftability (V100). Concurrently, the droplet size spectra obtained by the combination of aforementioned parameters (HP × LFR × AS) in both nozzles were also classified according to the ASABE S572.1. Results showed a marked reduction of AS outside the air spout, which led to droplet size increase. This hypothesis was confirmed by the droplet size spectra measured (D50, D10, D90 and V100). A clear influence of HP was found on every dependent variable, including those related with the droplet size. In both nozzles, the longer the distance to CP, the coarser the sprayed drops. Moreover, LFR and AS significantly increased and reduced droplet size, respectively. A higher heterogeneity in the generated drops was obtained in XP. This position yielded V100 values similar to those of the hydraulic low-drift nozzles, showing an effective drift reduction potential. The classification underlines that the variation of HP, alongside AS and LFR, allowed varying the spray quality from very fine to coarse/very coarse, providing farmers with a wide range of options to match the drift-reducing environmental requirements and the treatment specifications for every spray application.

ALS/FTLD-Linked Mutations in FUS Glycine Residues Cause Accelerated Gelation and Reduced Interactions with Wild-Type FUS

The RNA-binding protein fused in sarcoma (FUS) can form pathogenic inclusions in neurodegenerative diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar dementia (FTLD). Over 70 mutations in Fus are linked to ALS/FTLD. In patients, all Fus mutations are heterozygous, indicating that the mutant drives disease progression despite the presence of wild-type (WT) FUS. Here, we demonstrate that ALS/FTLD-linked FUS mutations in glycine (G) strikingly drive formation of droplets that do not readily interact with WT FUS, whereas arginine (R) mutants form mixed condensates with WT FUS. Remarkably, interactions between WT and G mutants are disfavored at the earliest stages of FUS nucleation. In contrast, R mutants physically interact with the WT FUS such that WT FUS recovers the mutant defects by reducing droplet size and increasing dynamic interactions with RNA. This result suggests disparate molecular mechanisms underlying ALS/FTLD pathogenesis and differing recovery potential depending on the type of mutation.