Decrease In Size Research Articles

A phylogenetic perspective of chromosome evolution in Formicidae.

Chromosomes, as carriers of genes, are the fundamental units of heredity, with the eukaryotic genome divided into multiple chromosomes. Each species typically has a consistent number of chromosomes within its lineage. Ants, however, display remarkable diversity in chromosome numbers, and previous studies have shown that this variation may correlate with ant diversity. As ants evolved, various karyotypes emerged, primarily through chromosomal fissions, leading to an increase in chromosome number and a decrease in chromosome size. In this study, we investigate chromosome evolution in ants from a phylogenetic perspective using ancestral reconstruction. Our analysis indicates that the most recent common ancestor of ants had an ancestral haploid chromosome number of eleven, likely composed of biarmed chromosomes. The bimodal distribution of karyotypes and the trend toward increased chromosome numbers align with previous assumptions. Although both dysploidy and ploidy changes have been indicated as likely mechanisms of chromosome number evolution. Descending dysploidy occurs consistently throughout the phylogeny, while changes in ploidy are believed to occur occasionally within the subfamilies during genus diversification. We propose, based on our results and previous evidence (e.g., genome size in ants), that both fusions and fissions contribute equally to karyotype changes in Formicidae. Additionally, changes in ploidy should not be fully ignored, as they can occur across specific lineages.

Effect of Closing Processus Vagınalis in Orchıdopexy to Recurrence and Testicular Atrophy – 15 Years Experience

Undescended testis is one of the most common pathologies encountered by pediatric surgeons. In traditional orchidopexy operation, patent processus vaginalis (PPV) is dissected from testicular vessels and spermatic cord. In this study, it was aimed to compare the results of undescended testis patients with and without PPV closure in terms of recurrence and atrophy. After the approval of the local ethics committee, patients who were operated for undescended testis between January 2007 and December 2022 were evaluated. Patients were determined in two groups. first group was with PPV ligation (n=171), second group was without PPV ligation (n=1637). Inguinal hernia was not observed after operation in 15 years of follow-up. There were 23 recurrences (%13,4) in group 1 and 48 recurrences (%2,9) in group 2. According to the preoperative evaluation; A decrease in testicular size was detected in 5 patients (2.9%) in Group 1 and 8 patients (0.4%) in Group 2 in the postoperative follow-up. There is no need to ligate the PPV with additional dissection and open the external oblique fascia if it is predicted that the spermatic cord and testicular vessels may come to scrotum without tension in patients who underwent orchiopexy surgery.

Structural, morphological and dielectric properties of Ni-doped ZnO nanoceramics prepared by Sol-gel method

Abstract The objective of this work is to synthesize new set of nanoceramics that improves structural integrity and dielectric performance while maintaining the desired characteristics of ZnO with the introduction of regulated Ni-doping. By using the sol-gel process, Ni-doped ZnO nanoceramics were successfully synthesized. Zn1–xNixO (x = 0, 0.05, 0.01, 0.15) wt % of Ni in to Zn precursor salts were added. Doping levels are considered to be low to moderate level, which typically lead to considerable changes in structural, optical, morphological and dielectric properties without modification of the nature of host ZnO. Higher concentrations greater than 15 % can result in the precipitation of isolated Ni or NiO phases which may negatively influence uniformity and consistency of the doped material. By using XRD for structural study, phase purity and the hexagonal wurtzite structure were confirmed. The integration of Ni2+ ions into the ZnO lattice is indicated by the change in lattice parameters and bond length for the Ni-doped ZnO sample. Samples follow almost same c/a ratio of an average of 1.601. An increase in “Ni” content results a decrease in crystallite size. Average crystallite size has been calculated ranging from 43.88 nm to 17.01 nm for ZnO to Zn0.85Ni0.15O samples. According to SEM analysis, the grains of the samples are uniformly dispersed. When the produced NPs were examined for purity using EDAX analysis, it was found that the beginning stoichiometries and the chemical composition of Zn, Ni, and O agreed well. The development of the ZnO phase was verified by the presence of a peak at 523 cm−1 in the FTIR spectra. According to the findings of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Ni was observed to be present in the ZnO lattice in the form of Ni2+.The Koops phenomenological theory and the Maxwell-Wagner model provide an explanation for the observed dielectric behaviour. It is noted that for pure ZnO, the dielectric constant and dielectric loss have maximum values, whereas for doped samples, these values decreases. Our sample is suitable for high frequency device application due to a negligible dielectric loss of 0.047 at 15 % Ni concentration in the high-frequency region. Ni-doping affects AC conductivity. At 10 MHz, Zn0.9Ni0.1O has the highest AC conductivity (2.654 × 10⁻⁴ (Ω cm)⁻1), while Zn0.85Ni0.15O shows a lower value (1.048 × 10⁻⁴ (Ω cm)⁻1), indicating a balance between doping level and grain boundary influence on conduction. The impedance study reveals that just one semicircle in all samples, indicating that the influence of grain boundaries is more significant than the contribution of individual grains.

Revealing Ultrafast Optical Nonlinearity of Trapped Exciton Polaritons in Atomically Thin Semiconductors.

Nonlinearities are fundamental to modern optical technologies. Exciton polaritons in semiconductor microcavities provide a promising route to strong nonlinearities. Monolayer TMDs, with tightly bound excitons and strong oscillator strength, enable polaritonic phenomena under ambient conditions but face challenges from weak polariton interactions due to small exciton Bohr radius. Although spatial confinement can boost polariton nonlinearity, the dynamics of trapped polaritons remain underexplored. Here we study the transient nonlinearities of confined polaritons in monolayer WS2 mesa cavities. We observe increasingly pronounced blueshifts within the first few picoseconds as trapping sizes decrease or excitonic fractions increase. Furthermore, our findings reveal that exciton-photon detuning, not trapping size, predominantly influences the time to reach the peak of transient nonlinearity. This insight aligns with the experimentally observed and theoretically simulated relaxation dynamics of trapped polaritons. Our findings pave the way for developing ultrafast all-optical polaritonic devices in TMD systems.

Impact of PbZr0.5Ti0.5O3 Particle Size on the Ferroelectric and Magnetoelectric Properties of Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4–PbZr0.5Ti0.5O3 Multiferroic Fluids

Herein, the impact of varying particle sizes of PbZr0.5Ti0.5O3 (PZT) powders on the ferroelectric and magnetoelectric properties of Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4–PbZr0.5Ti0.5O3 multiferroic fluids is investigated. The PZT ferroelectric powders with different particle sizes (0.36, 0.28, 0.31, 0.75, 1.20 μm) are successfully prepared by altering the ball milling time. The multiferroic fluids demonstrate overall good sedimentation stability. The study finds that the dielectric constant first decreases and then increases with the reduction in particle size. The ferroelectric properties improve with the decrease in particle size and the application of a magnetic field. The multiferroic fluids with a particle size of 0.36 μm exhibit the highest polarization change (960.37%) under an electric field of 2000 Hz, 20 kV cm−1, and a magnetic field of 700 Oe. Furthermore, the magnetoelectric coupling coefficient first increases and then decreases with the reduction of the ferroelectric particle size. The multiferroic fluids with a particle size of 0.36 μm demonstrate the highest magnetoelectric coupling coefficient of 17.22 V cm−1 Oe−1 at 2000 Hz, indicating superior magnetoelectric coupling performance. These findings provide valuable insights into optimizing multiferroic fluids for applications requiring a high magnetoelectric coupling effect.

The Impact of Acid Strength and Mineral Composition on Spontaneous Imbibition with Reactive Fluids

Capillary rise experiments are conducted in a set of calcareous and siliceous rocks with varying mineralogy and petrophysical properties to understand the coupled impact of reactivity and spontaneous imbibition. A capillary rise experiment is performed in each sample: first with deionized water, then with a dilute acidic solution, and finally again with deionized water, and the capillary rise profile for each is recorded. Pre- and post-acid petrophysical properties such as porosity, permeability, pore size distribution, and contact angle are measured for each sample. The mineral makeup of the rocks significantly influences how the acidic fluids penetrate the samples. The primary reactions are the dissolution of Ca- and Mg-rich minerals which alter the pore network. The higher acid strength results in higher capillary rise in calcareous rocks and results in an increase in the average pore size. The same pH acid results in lower capillary rise in the siliceous rocks, and a general decrease in the average pore size is observed. Changes in contact angle indicate increased water affinity in carbonate and reduced affinity in sandstone. The link between capillary interactions and fluid reactivity is often overlooked in fluid flow studies, and this research sheds light on the importance of reactivity during spontaneous imbibition, offering insights into dissolution and precipitation processes during capillary flow.

Innovative Ultralow Thermal Budget ZrHfOx Ferroelectric Films with Low-Temperature Phase Transition for Next-Generation High-Speed Multifunctional Devices.

By design of the element concentration, regulating the ratio of the t phase and the energy difference between t and o phases, the ZrHfOx (ZHO) film demonstrated the highest polarization value at a maximum processing temperature of only 280 °C without an annealing process, and it can withstand over 1010 polarization cycles without breakdown. The ZHO film maintains good ferroelectric performance in extreme temperature environments (4.55 to 473 K). Even under high-temperature conditions, the ZHO film shows exceptional endurance performance (>1010 at 423 K). These parameters represent the best overall performance reported in the literature to date. The polarization switching process can be accurately described by the nucleation limited switching (NLS) model, and the polarization switching time is expected to reach the sub-ns level as the device size decreases. The ZHO film demonstrates great potential in both process simplification and performance optimization, providing new possibilities for the application of ferroelectric devices.

MiR-198 targets TOPORS: implications for oral squamous cell carcinoma pathogenesis.

miRNAs play a critical role in the progression of various diseases, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), which represents a major health concern and is one of the leading causes for new cancer cases worldwide. The miRNA dysregulation causes havoc and could be attributed to various factors, with epigenetic silencing of tumor suppressor genes being a major contributor to tumorigenesis. In this study, we have explored the tumor suppressive role of miR-198 in OSCC. The tumor suppressive effect of miR-198 is established using miRNA analysis in OSCC cell lines, patient samples and xenograft nude mice model. The relationship between the miR-198 and TOPORS is explored using bioinformatics analyses, qRT-PCR, dual-luciferase reporter assay, Western blotting and cancer hall marks assays. The hypermethylation of the MIR198 promoter is confirmed using bisulfite sequencing PCR. We have found miR-198 to be upregulated in OSCC cells treated with 5-Azacytidine, a known DNA methyltransferase inhibitor. Upregulation of miR-198 in 5-Azacytidine treated OSCC cells appears to be due to methylation of the MIR198 promoter. Using bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay, we have identified TOPORS (TOP1 binding arginine/serine rich protein, E3 ubiquitin ligase) as a novel gene target for miR-198. miR-198-mediated repression of TOPORS decreases cell proliferation and anchorage-independent growth and enhances apoptosis of OSCC cells, which is dependent on the presence of the 3'UTR in TOPORS. An inverse correlation between the expression levels of miR-198 and TOPORS is observed in OSCC patient samples, highlighting the biological relevance of their interaction. Delivery of a synthetic miR-198 mimic to OSCC cells results in a significant decrease in xenograft size in nude mice, potentiating its use in therapeutics. These results suggest that miR-198 is epigenetically silenced in OSCC, which promotes tumor growth, in part, by upregulating the levels of TOPORS.

Are Speech Sound Difficulties Risk Factors for Difficulties in Language and Reading Skills? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Children with speech sound difficulties often require educational psychology services, yet systematic reviews examining the association between these difficulties and language or reading problems are lacking. This meta-analysis examines whether these children are at higher risk of language and reading difficulties compared to their peers. The study analyzed 290 effect sizes from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies that compared language and reading skills between children with speech sound difficulties and controls. Additionally, we evaluated 37 effect sizes from correlational studies in general populations to examine the relationship between speech sound skills and language or reading skills. Children with speech sound difficulties showed significant concurrent language (Hedges' g = -0.60) and reading (Hedges' g = -0.58) problems. Correlational studies also demonstrated a relationship between speech sound skills and language (r = .23) and reading (r = .23) skills. Phonological awareness and study quality were significant moderators. Longitudinal studies showed persistent or increasing group differences over time in language (Hedges' g = -0.85) and reading (Hedges' g = -0.50). These findings were consistent regardless of the severity or types of speech sound difficulties, nonverbal IQ, country, age, and publication year. However, a precision-effect test and the precision-effect estimate with standard errors analysis suggested a potential decrease in effect size due to publication bias from small sample sizes in primary studies. Children with speech sound difficulties are at an increased risk of language and reading difficulties, emphasizing the need for broader language assessments and early interventions to mitigate future academic difficulties. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.27849828.

Grapefruit-Derived Vesicles Loaded with Recombinant HSP70 Activate Antitumor Immunity in Colon Cancer In Vitro and In Vivo

Background/Objectives: Stress protein HSP70 administered exogenously has demonstrated high potential as an efficient adjuvant in antitumor immune response. To enhance the antigen-presenting activity, bioavailability, and stability of exogenous recombinant human HSP70, we propose incorporating it into plant extracellular vesicles. Earlier, we found that grapefruit-derived extracellular vesicles (GEV) were able to store the protein with no loss of its major function, chaperone activity. Methods: In this study, we tested whether HSP70 loaded into GEV (GEV-HSP70) could elicit an antitumor immune response in cellular and animal models of colorectal cancer. Results: To test the hypothesis in vitro, human and mouse colorectal cancer cell lines were used. We have shown that the addition of HSP70, either in free form or as part of GEVs, increases the sensitivity of human (HCT-116, DLD1) or mouse (CT-26) colon cancer cells to mouse cytotoxic lymphocytes and human NK-92 cells. Moreover, the amount of protein in the form of GEV-HSP70 required to cause the same activation of antitumor immunity was 20 times less than when HSP70 was added in free form. In a colon carcinoma model in vivo, GEV-HSP70 were inoculated subcutaneously into BALB/c mice together with CT-26 cells to form a tumor node. As compared with the control groups, we observed an increase in the lifespan of animals and a decrease in the tumor size, as well as a decrease in the level of TGFB1 IL-10 factors in the blood plasma. In vitro analysis of the immunomodulatory activity of GEV-HSP70 showed that antitumor response in GEV-HSP70-treated mice was associated with the accumulation of CD8+ cells. Conclusions: These results demonstrate the high feasibility and efficacy of the new technique based on HSP70 encapsulated in plant vesicles in activation of the specific response to colon tumors.

Impact of niobium doping on photocatalytic degradation efficiency of iron oxide nanoparticles for methylene blue dye under UV and sunlight

Iron oxide (Fe2O3) nanoparticles were synthesized using lemon peel extract with niobium (Nb) doping (2, 4, and 6 mmol) via a hydrothermal method. Characterization techniques included FTIR, UV–Vis spectroscopy, XRD, PSA, and zeta potential measurement. FTIR confirmed Nb integration, with Fe-O and Nb-O bonds at 1.65 Å and 1.34 Å. Nb doping reduced particle size (93.74 nm to 56.01 nm) and enhanced stability (zeta potential −13.04 to −37.31 mV). XRD analysis confirmed phase purity and crystalline structure, while the Scherrer and Williamson-Hall methods revealed decreases in crystallite size and lattice strain with higher Nb concentration. Bandgap analysis showed a red shift (3.08 to 2.28 eV) due to Nb-doped energy levels. Nb-doped Fe2O3 (6 mmol) achieved 87 % degradation of methylene blue (10 ppm) under sunlight in 2 h. Enhanced photocatalysis resulted from prolonged electron-hole recombination, generating reactive radicals. These Nb-doped Fe2O3 nanostructures are promising for pollutant degradation in water environments.

Histochemical and gene expression changes in Cannabis sativa hypocotyls exposed to increasing concentrations of cadmium and zinc

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a versatile crop that produces cellulosic bast fibres used in textiles and biocomposites. Is also finds use in phytoremediation, being a good candidate for the cultivation on marginal lands, such as those contaminated by heavy metals (HMs). HMs like cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) are known to affect plant growth and impair the biosynthesis of cellulose and lignin at the cell wall level. Since cellulose is the major component in the gelatinous layer of bast fibres, HMs can impact the structure of hemp fibres and, consequently, their mechanical properties. This study investigates how varying concentrations of Cd and Zn in the soil affect the bast fibres of hemp plantlets. The chosen model is the hypocotyl, as it is ideal for studying bast fibre development: it exhibits a temporal separation between the elongation and thickening phases within a short period of approximately three weeks. C. sativa plantlets were grown for 20 days, and the hypocotyls sampled to perform histochemical observations, gene expression analysis, as well as to quantify biomass yield and Cd/Zn accumulation. Hemp plantlets grown in soils with the three highest Zn concentrations were smaller than the control group, whereas no decrease in size was observed under elevated Cd concentrations. However, at the highest Cd concentration, the root system exhibited enhanced development, accompanied by a significant increase in dry weight across all the concentrations tested. The quantification of Cd and Zn showed that the roots were the main organs accumulating HMs. Cd at the two highest concentrations decreased significantly the lumen area of bast fibres and increased their cell wall thickness. Zn decreased significantly the lumen area, but it did not impact the thickness of the cell wall at the highest concentration. Cd also increased the number of secondary fibres. Immunohistochemistry highlighted a different pattern of crystalline cellulose distribution with a signal that was less homogeneous in the presence of Cd and Zn. Gene expression analysis revealed changes in transcripts encoding cellulose synthases, fasciclin-like arabinogalactan proteins, class III peroxidases. The results obtained shed light on the molecular response and bast fibre histological changes occurring in young hemp plants exposed to Cd and Zn.

Effect of grain size and temperature on mechanical properties of nanocrystalline nickel

Molecular dynamics simulations were employed to perform the nanoindentation analysis of nanocrystalline nickel with polycrystalline crystal structure at different grain sizes and temperatures under an indenter of spherical shape. The results indicate that during the nanoindentation process, dislocations are mainly present near grain boundaries. Atomic rearrangements occur around the indentation area, which leads to the formation of an amorphous region along the grain boundaries. The indentation region contains dislocations and amorphous structures. As the grain size decreases, the indentation stress decreases. However, for grain sizes below 13.7nm, a reverse Hall-Petch relationship is observed between grain size and hardness values. The elastic recovery rate in the depth direction increases with increasing grain size, and is greater than that in the width direction, so the influence of the grain size on the elastic recovery rate in the width direction is very small. At higher simulation temperatures, the load-displacement curve during nanoindentation exhibits significant fluctuations. The higher the simulated temperature, the greater the fluctuation of the load-displacement curve. The hardness values reaches the maximum value at 100K, and then decrease with the increase of temperatures. When the indentation depth remains constant, the number of atoms experiencing higher shear strains increases with increasing temperature.

Obicetrapib Alone and in Combination with Ezetimibe Reduces Atherosclerotic Lesion Prevalence, Size and Severity in ApoE*3-Leiden.CETP Mice

Background and Aims: Obicetrapib is a selective, potent, cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitor in clinical development for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and reduction of cardiovascular risk. It strongly reduces apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and increases plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Ezetimibe is a potent, selective inhibitor of biliary and dietary cholesterol absorption from the small intestine, also reducing LDL-C levels. The current study evaluated the effect of obicetrapib monotherapy and in combination with ezetimibe on atherosclerosis development in a mouse model for hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis.Methods: Female ApoE*3-Leiden.CETP transgenic mice were fed a Western diet with 0.05% w/w cholesterol (equivalent to daily human intake) or this diet containing obicetrapib alone (2 mg/kg/day), ezetimibe alone (on average 0.6 mg/kg/day), or the combination of obicetrapib and ezetimibe. After 28 weeks of treatment, atherosclerosis development was measured in the aortic roots.Results: Obicetrapib, ezetimibe, and the combination reduced total plasma cholesterol levels (-31%, -19% and -53%), mainly attributed to a decrease in non-HDL-C levels (-53%, -19% and -75%). Obicetrapib and combination treatment nearly completely blocked CETP activity (-98% and -98%). Obicetrapib, ezetimibe, and the combination reduced atherosclerotic lesion size (-90%, -50% and -98%) and reduced severe lesions (-82%, -31% and -98%). The percentage of unaffected segments was increased by obicetrapib and the combination treatment (+347%, +442%).Conclusions: Obicetrapib alone and the combination with ezetimibe robustly lowers non-HDL-C levels and impedes atherosclerosis development through a large decrease in atherosclerotic lesion size and severity.

Вплив структурних факторів на характеристику пластичності

The main theoretical standson the plasticity characteristic, which is determined by the proportion of plastic deformation in the total defo stands rmation and characterizes the ability of the material to undergo plastic deformation, were developed by Profes-sor Yu. V. Milman. This article is devoted to the experimental verification of theoretical statements about the influence of structural factors on the plasticity characteristic, which can be determined from measurements of hardness (H) and during standard mechanical tests (*). The study was performed on materials with different levels of plasticity (ARMCO–Fe, aluminum alloys AMg5, 7075 and monocrystalline silicon). ARMCO-Fe and aluminum alloy 7075 have different plasticity, but in the investigated range of grain change values (ARMCO–Fe d = 20—550 μm, aluminum alloy 7075 d = = 4—60 μm), the dependence of the plasticity characteristic on d is linear. ARMCO-Fe and aluminum alloy 7075 have different plasticity, but within the investigated range of grain sizes (ARMCO-Fe: d = 20—550 µm, aluminum alloy 7075: d = 4—50 µm), the change in plasticity characteristics in regard to grain size has linear dependences. The resulting dependences of the plasticity characteristic H and * on structural factors showed that a decrease in the grain size and an increase in the density of dislocations, which increase the yield strength of the material, lead to a decrease in the plasticity characteristic. The comparison of experimental data with theoretical ideas about the influence of structural factors on the plasticity characteristic showed a satisfactory match between the theory and the experiment (which will impact to the further development of the theory of the dependence of plasticity on other structural and external factors). Keywords: mechanical properties, plasticity, structure, dislocation density.

Impact of high-intensity ultrasound on interfacial protein adsorption of non-dairy whipping cream: Whipping properties and foam stabilization model

In this paper, the competitive adsorption and practical application characteristics of ultrasound treatment on the oil-water interface in non-dairy whipping cream were explored. The results showed that ultrasound treatment promoted the competitive adsorption of casein, resulting in an increase of interfacial protein loading in the system by 4.82 mg/m2 and a decrease in oil droplet size by 0.20 μm. In addition, due to the increase of interfacial protein in the system, the partial coalescence of the fat globule of systems decreased, which led to a rapid collapse of the foam after 2 days of storage. Ultrasound weakened the strength of the gel network inside emulsions, which weakened the anti-deformation ability of emulsions. Although the LVR of the ultrasonically treated samples narrowed after churning, the G′ value increased. In addition, the stress yield point of the foams shifted to higher strains as the ultrasonic power increased, implying better resistance to deformation.

Diabetic foot ulcer healing potential of Tagetes erecta L. flower extract on successive administration in alloxan-induced diabetic rats via modulation of liver functions

Diabetes mellitus is a prevalent endocrine disorder characterized by inadequate insulin production by the pancreas or improper utilization of insulin by the body, which imposes severe health complications, including cardiovascular, kidney, and neurological disorders with a high potential of foot ulcers. Globally, diabetes is responsible for over 70 % of limb amputations. Alloxan was used to induce diabetes in rats while foot ulcers were induced by the excision method in diabetic rats. Diabetes was confirmed by measuring the parameters like blood glucose, body weight changes, urine excretion, and other biomarker levels after oral administration of Tagetes erecta L. flower extract (TEFE) at different doses. During the work, it was observed that TEFE demonstrated a dose-dependent effect on blood sugar level from 370.2 mg/dl to 113.00 mg/dl and healing of diabetic foot ulcers in a 13 days animal model (p < 0.01). There is significant decline in SGOT, SPGT and ALP levels when compared with diseased group animals. Decrease in wound size was observed when TEFE was administered to diabetic foot ulcer rats. These exciting results steered to enumerate the possible role of TEFE in Diabetes mellitus through a panel of mechanisms of action like inhibition of free radical generation, modulation of liver enzymes and metabolism of glucose etc. The above findings support the hypoglycaemic and diabetic foot ulcer healing potential of TEFE. Moreover, further investigation is required to completely understand the possible mechanism of TEFE.

Effects of interaction between wheat bran dietary fiber and gluten protein on gluten protein aggregation behavior.

Effects of wheat bran dietary fiber (WBDF) as a nutritional additive on flour products quality mainly depends on the interaction between WBDF and gluten protein. In this study, the effects and mechanisms of WBDF with different particle sizes and additive amounts on gluten protein aggregation behavior were investigated. The results showed that the addition of WBDF led to a decrease in free sulfhydryl content, particle size, molecular weight and gluten macromer (GMP) content, an increase in zeta potential and SDS-extractable protein content, and a deterioration in the gluten network morphology compared to the control group, suggesting that the aggregation behavior of gluten protein was inhibited. When WBDF was added at 3 % and 6 %, dilution effect, mechanical shear, steric hindrance, and non-covalent binding were the main mechanisms leading to depolymerization. Further addition of WBDF (9 %, 12 %) inhibited the depolymerization of gluten protein due to competitive hydration and non-covalent binding. However, when WBDF was added at 15 %, the dilution effect, mechanical shear and steric hindrance of WBDF (88 μm < particle size<150 μm) dominated, and their inhibitory of aggregation induced the formation of a loose gluten network structure. In contrast, the weaker mechanical shear and steric hindrance effects of WBDF (particle size<88 μm) mitigated the degradation of gluten network structures by WBDF.

Enhanced CO2 Hydrogenation Performance of CoCrNiFeMn High Entropy Alloys

CO2 hydrogenation is a promising process for removing anthropogenic CO2 emissions and yielding C1 chemicals that can be utilized as fuels and valuable precursors for chemical synthesis. Commercial high-entropy alloys (HEAs) have widespread application in various fields owing to their exceptional thermal stability and tunable microstructure. However, their potential application as catalysts is often limited by the low exposure of active sites. In this study, the commercial CoCrNiFeMn powder was applied for atmospheric pressure CO2 hydrogenation and enhanced its catalytic performance by a combined treatment of ball milling and high-temperature H2 reduction. The high-energy ball milling results in a morphological transition in CoCrNiFeMn HEAs from spherical to irregular. This transformation leads to a significant decrease in particle size and more surface reactive sites. The high-temperature H2 reduction promoted the atomic rearrangement on the CoCrNiFeMn surface, thereby improving its alloy structural homogeneity. These modifications greatly improve the performance of CoCrNiFeMn for CO2 hydrogenation. This work introduces a facile modification approach to facilitate the catalytic efficiency of commercial HEAs in CO2 hydrogenation with high selectivity.

Comparative Investigation of structural, mechanical, corrosion, thrombogenicity, and antimicrobial properties of 1.5 wt% and 10 wt% PVA doped hydroxyapatite

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is a renowned bioceramic, having high biocompatibility, osteoconductivity, and osteogenesis properties. However, its mechanical properties are suboptimal. By introducing a hydrophilic polymer to HAp, a biomaterial with enhanced characteristics is formed. Furthermore, doping HAp with Mg2+, Ag+, and Zn2+ ions significantly boosts its biocompatibility, positioning it as a promising biomaterial. This study focuses on incorporating a low-weight percentage of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and the mentioned metal ions into HAp. Analysis via X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy reveals the successful integration of dopants into the HAp matrix. Composite samples exhibit a more compact morphology with reduced pore count and the crystallite size and cell volume decrease with tri dopants and PVA. The hardness of the composite sample increases and corrosion resistance improves. Dielectric studies confirm the conductive nature of the samples due to PVA. The composite sample's reduced pore size suggests enhanced hardness. Both samples show moderate thrombogenicity. Antimicrobial efficacy against E. coli and S. aureus is notably higher in the composite sample, showcasing its potential as an advanced biomaterial. A mechanism for antimicrobial efficacy.