Cold Treatment Research Articles

Anti-corrosion and anti-fouling superhydrophobic silicone coating with continuous micro/nano structure

At present, silicone superhydrophobic coatings are attracting much attention in the fields of anti-corrosion and antifouling, so they have a broad application prospect. In this paper, superhydrophobic surfaces with continuous micro/nano structure were prepared on various substrates using a simple blending method similar to the conventional preparation of RT vulcanized silicone rubber. The difference was that the new kinds of crosslinker (MF-S) was synthesized by 3-glycidyloxypropyltrimethocysilane and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. Linear fluorinated copolymer (L-SF) was prepared by free radical polymerization of 3-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane (MPTES) and 1H, 1H, 7H-dodecafluoroheptyl methacrylate (DFMA). And the condensation reaction with α, ω-dihydroxypodimethylsiloxane (PDMS), tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), and inorganic nanoparticles constructed superhydrophobic coatings with continuous micro- and nanostructures. The coating had a water contact angle (WCA) of up to 162° and a sliding angle (SA) as low as 2°. What's more, the WCA of the coating remained around 160° and the SA stayed below 5° after sandpaper abrasion, UV irradiation, and hot and cold treatment. The adhesion of the coating on different substrates was higher than 2 MPa. Due to the synergistic effect of the superhydrophobicity of the coating and the photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 nanoparticles, the coating achieves an antimicrobial efficiency of 97.8 % against Staphylococcus aureus. The synergistic effect of the air layer and the densification of the coating resulted in the electrical impedance modulus at the lowest frequency of the coating remaining two orders of magnitude higher than that of the bare carbon steel plate after several days of immersion in sodium chloride solution. The work showed great potential for application in anti-corrosion and anti-fouling coatings.

Alternation of social behaviors for zebrafish (Danio rerio) in response to acute cold stress.

Low temperature is one of the most common abiotic stresses for aquatic ectotherms. Ambient low temperatures reduce the metabolic rate of teleosts, therefore, teleosts have developed strategies to modulate their physiological status for energy saving in response to cold stress, including behaviors, circulatory system, respiratory function, and metabolic adjustments. Many teleosts are social animals and they can live in large schools to serve a variety of functions, including predator avoidance, foraging efficiency, and reproduction. However, the impacts of acute cold stress on social behaviors of fish remain unclear. In the present study, we test the hypothesis that zebrafish alter their social behaviors for energy saving as a strategy in response to acute cold stress. We found that acute cold stress increased shoaling behavior that reflected a save-energy strategy for fish to forage and escape from the predators under cold stress. The aggressive levels measured by fighting behavior tests and mirror fighting tests were reduced by cold treatment. In addition, we also found that acute cold stress impaired the learning ability but did not affect memory. Our findings provided evidence that acute cold stress alters the social behaviors of aquatic ectotherms for energy saving; knowledge of their responses to cold is essential for their conservation and management.

Effects of cold plasma treatment on reactive oxygen metabolism and storage quality of Brassica chinensis

Cold plasma (CP) is a promising non-thermal food preservation technique, which is used for the preservation of fruits and vegetables. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of CP treatment on the reactive oxygen metabolism, antimicrobial properties, and antioxidant activities in Brassica chinensis during storage at 4 ± 1 °C for 10 days. Postharvest Brassica chinensis were treated with CP for 6 min (CP-6), 9 min (CP-9), and 12 min (CP-12). To maintain a balance between microbial spoilage and storage quality, CP-9 was considered to be the optimal treatment time. Compared with the control group, Brassica chinensis in the CP-9 group showed a 12.7% increased antioxidant capacity, a reduction of the microbial count by 0.7 lg CFU g−1, and a delay in weight loss and soluble solid content reduction. CP inhibited the generation of superoxide anions, improved the activity of reactive oxygen species scavenging enzymes, and delayed the decrease in total antioxidant capacity. Altogether, CP treatment can be considered an advantageous approach to improve the safety and quality of fresh vegetables.

A novel R2R3-MYB transcription factor PbMYB1L of Pyrus bretschneideri regulates cold tolerance and anthocyanin accumulation.

PbMYB1L enhances the cold tolerance and anthocyanin accumulation of transgenic Arabidopsis by regulating the expression of genes related to the cold-responsive genes pathway and anthocyanin synthesis pathway. MYB transcription factors (TFs) have been demonstrated to play diverse roles in plant growth and development. In the present study, we identified a novel R2R3-MYB transcription factor, PbMYB1L, from the peel of 'Red Zaosu' pear (Pyrus bretschneideri), which was induced by cold stress and acted as a positive regulator in anthocyanin biosynthesis. Notably, the transgenic Arabidopsis lines exhibited enhanced tolerance to cold stress. Compared to the Arabidopsis wild-type plants, the transgenic lines displayed longer primary roots and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels including O2-, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and malondialdehyde (MDA). Furthermore, significant upregulation of key cold-responsive genes AtCBF1, AtCBF2, AtCBF3, AtCBF4, and AtKIN1 was observed in the transgenic plants under cold stress conditions compared to wild type. Arabidopsis plants overexpressing PbMYB1L had significant anthocyanin accumulation in leaves after cold treatment with quantitative results indicating higher expression of anthocyanin structural genes compared to wild type. These findings suggest that PbMYB1L not only plays a vital role in conferring cold tolerance but also acts as a crucial regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis.

The silicon regulates microbiome diversity and plant defenses during cold stress in Glycine max L.

With climate change, frequent exposure of bioenergy and food crops, specifically soybean (Glycine max L.), to low-temperature episodes is a major obstacle in maintaining sustainable plant growth at early growth stages. Silicon (Si) is a quasi-essential nutrient that can help to improve stress tolerance; however, how Si and a combination of cold stress episodes influence plant growth, plant physiology, and microbiome diversity has yet to be fully discovered. The soybean plants were exposed to cold stress (8-10°C) with or without applying Si, and the different plant organs (shoot and root) and rhizospheric soil were subjected to microbiome analysis. The plant growth, physiology, and gene expression analysis of plant defenses during stress and Si were investigated. We showed that cold stress significantly retarded soybean plants' growth and biomass, whereas, Si-treated plants showed ameliorated negative impacts on plant growth at early seedling stages. The beneficial effects of Si were also evident from significantly reduced antioxidant activities - suggesting lower cold-induced oxidative stress. Interestingly, Si also downregulated critical genes of the abscisic acid pathway and osmotic regulation (9-cis-epoxy carotenoid dioxygenase and dehydration-responsive element binding protein) during cold stress. Si positively influenced alpha and beta diversities of bacterial and fungal microbiomes with or without cold stress. Results showed significant variation in microbiome composition in the rhizosphere (root and soil) and phyllosphere (shoot) in Si-treated plants with or without cold stress exposures. Among microbiome phyla, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Ascomycota were significantly more abundant in Si treatments in cold stress than in control conditions. For the core microbiome, we identified 179 taxa, including 88 unique bacterial genera in which Edaphobacter, Haliangium, and Streptomyces were highly abundant. Enhanced extracellular enzyme activities in the cold and Si+cold treatments, specifically phosphatase and glucosidases, also reflected the microbiome abundance. In conclusion, this work elucidates cold-mediated changes in microbiome diversity and plant growth, including the positive impact Si can have on cold tolerance at early soybean growth stages - a step toward understanding crop productivity and stress tolerance.

Cold-induced deposition of bivalent H3K4me3-H3K27me3 modification and nucleosome depletion in Arabidopsis.

Epigenetic regulation of gene expression plays a crucial role in plant development and environmental adaptation. The H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 have not only been discovered in the regulation of gene expression in multiple biological processes but also in responses to abiotic stresses in plants. However, evidence for the presence of both H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 on the same nucleosome is sporadic. Cold-induced deposition of bivalent H3K4me3-H3K27me3 modifications and nucleosome depletion over a considerable number of active genes is documented in potato tubers and provides clues on an additional role of the bivalent modifications. Limited by the available information of genes encoding PcG/TrxG proteins as well as their corresponding mutants in potatoes, the molecular mechanism underlying the cold-induced deposition of the bivalent mark remains elusive. In this study, we found a similar deposition of the bivalent H3K4me3-H3K27me3 mark over 2129 active genes in cold-treated Arabidopsis Col-0 seedlings. The expression levels of the bivalent mark-associated genes tend to be independent of bivalent modification levels. However, these genes were associated with greater chromatin accessibility, presumably to provide a distinct chromatin environment for gene expression. In mutants clf28 and lhp1, failure to deposit H3K27me3 in active genes upon cold treatment implies that the CLF is potentially involved in cold-induced deposition of H3K27me3, with assistance from LHP1. Failure to deposit H3K4me3 during cold treatment in atx1-2 suggests a regulatory role of ATX1 in the deposition of H3K4me3. In addition, we observed a cold-induced global reduction in nucleosome occupancy, which is potentially mediated by LHP1 in an H3K27me3-dependent manner.

Spermidine activates adipose tissue thermogenesis through autophagy and fibroblast growth factor 21

Spermidine exerts protective roles in obesity, while the mechanism of spermidine in adipose tissue thermogenesis remains unclear. The present study first investigated the effect of spermidine on cold-stimulation and β3-adrenoceptor agonist-induced thermogenesis in lean and high-fat diet-induced obese mice. Next, the role of spermidine on glucose and lipid metabolism in different types of adipose tissue was determined. Here, we found that spermidine supplementation did not affect cold-stimulated thermogenesis in lean mice, while significantly promoting the activation of adipose tissue thermogenesis under cold stimulation and β3-adrenergic receptor agonist treatment in obese mice. Spermidine treatment markedly enhanced glucose and lipid metabolism in adipose tissues, and these results were associated with the activated autophagy pathway. Moreover, spermidine up-regulated fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) signaling and its downstream pathway, including PI3K/AKT and AMPK pathways in vivo and in vitro. Knockdown of Fgf21 or inhibition of PI3K/AKT and AMPK pathways in brown adipocytes abolished the thermogenesis-promoting effect of spermidine, suggesting that the effect of spermidine on adipose tissue thermogenesis might be regulated by FGF21 signaling via the PI3K/AKT and AMPK pathways. The present study provides new insight into the mechanism of spermidine on obesity and its metabolic complications, thereby laying a theoretical basis for the clinical application of spermidine.

Cold plasma treatment for fungal keratitis

Aims/Purpose: Fungal keratitis is serious ocular infection caused by any of the fungi species. It is treated with antifungal medications, in worst scenario with cornea transplantation. The therapy is still challenging due to poor drug penetration into the cornea. Cold plasma, produced by ionization of argon gas, contains especially reactive species but also UV radiation which damage microorganisms. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of cold plasma on human corneal epithelial cells (HCE), corneal tissue and multiple pathogen microorganisms to assess the opportunity of cold plasma treatment for fungal keratitis.Methods: The effect of cold plasma on HCE was analysed by the light microscopy, Live/Dead assay, metabolic activity assay, and immunohistochemistry. Disinfecting potential was analysed by plating prevalent yeasts (Candida albicans, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata) on agar plates and treated with cold plasma. Plasma treatment of infected human donor corneas with C. albicans was determined by measurement of O.D. of liquid culture.Results: The treatment of HCE by cold plasma led to the change of the morphology, significantly lower viability, metabolic activity and proliferation of the cells. Yeast strains were significantly eradicated completely after 5 min of cold plasma treatment (p ≤ 0.001). Cold plasma therapy of the infected human donor corneas showed the decrease of the infection in all tested time intervals with statistical significance (p ≤ 0.01, p < 0.05 and p ≤ 0.001 respectively for 1, 2 and 5 min treatment).Conclusions: Cold plasma treatment showed negative impact on the culture of HCE. The analysis of its effect on the whole corneal tissue is in progress. On the contrary, a significant reduction of CFU was observed in all examined Candida spp. and significant decrease of infection was determined in infected corneas. Therefore, the cold plasma technology showed a potential to be an effective treatment for fungal keratitis.

Whole-Mount Immunofluorescence Staining to Visualize Cell Cycle Progression in Mouse Oocyte Meiosis.

Whole-mount immunofluorescence allows direct visualization of the cellular architecture within cells. Here, we apply this technique to mouse oocytes to visualize spindle morphology and microtubule attachments to kinetochores, using a technique we call "cold treatment," at various phases of the meiotic cell cycle. This method allows the analysis of spindle structures at different meiosis I stages and at metaphase II. An adaptation of the protocol to the cell cycle stage of interest is described.

Incubation temperature induced developmental plasticity of cold responsive physiological phenotypes in Japanese Quails

Embryonic development is a critical period for phenotype formation. Environmental variation during embryonic development can induce changes in postnatal phenotypes of animals. The thyroxine secretion and aerobic metabolic activity of small birds are important phenotypes closely related to their winter survival. In the context of climate change, it is necessary to determine whether temperature variation during incubation in birds leads to developmental plasticity of these cold responsive phenotypes. We incubated Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica) eggs at 36.8 °C, 37.8 °C, and 38.8 °C, and raised the chicks to 35-day old at 22 °C with same raising conditions, then all the quails were exposed to gradually temperature dropping environment (from 15 °C to 0 °C). After cold treatment, serum T3 level, resting metabolic rate, skeletal muscle and liver metabolomes of the birds were measured. The serum T3 levels were significantly lower in the 38.8 °C group and significantly higher in the 36.8 °C group compared to the 37.8 °C group. The metabolic rate in the 38.8 °C group was significantly lower compared to the 37.8 °C group. Compared with the 37.8 °C group, metabolites involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle in the liver were significantly lower in the 38.8 °C group, and metabolites related to lipid oxidation metabolism and fatty acid biosynthesis were significantly lower in the skeletal muscles in the 38.8 °C group but significantly higher in the 36.8 °C group. These results indicate that incubation temperature variation can lead to developmental plasticity in cold responsive physiological phenotypes. Higher incubation temperature may impair the capacity of birds coping with cold challenge.

Post-COVID-19 Symptom Burden: Treatment with Forsythiae Fructus

COVID-19 is a widespread illness that affects human life. Following infection, many patients may suffer long-term sequelae of COVID-19. Forsythiae Fructus is a popular herbal treatment for the common cold and flu. According to studies, the active components in Forsythiae Fructus have potent antiviral properties and can treat various diseases by influencing several pathways. This article explores the mechanism of action and effectiveness of the active components in Forsythiae Fructus for treating COVID-19 through a literature review and network pharmacology techniques, emphasizing their effects on sequelae.

ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ ИЗНОСОСТОЙКОСТИ ГИЛЬЗ ЦИЛИНДРОВ, ВОССТАНОВЛЕННЫХ КЕРАМИЧЕСКИМ ПОКРЫТИЕМ

The results of the study of the workability and wear resistance of the combined coating of the restored cylinder liners obtained by applying a layer of aluminum powder to the cast-iron base by cold gas-dynamic spraying with subsequent treatment by microarc oxidation were presented. (Research purpose) The research purpose is a comparative analysis of the tribotechnical properties of the conjugations "sleeve coated with cold gas-dynamic spraying and treatment with microarc oxidation-counter-sample 100Cr6" and "sleeve (SH25 in the delivery state)-counter-sample 100Cr6" (reference pairing). (Materials and methods) Conducted a study of the workability of materials of the reference and reconstructed conjugations according to RD 50-662-88 "Guidelines. Methods of experimental evaluation of frictional compatibility of materials of friction conjugations". Comparative bench tests were performed on the wear resistance of the reference and restored conjugates according to GOST 23.224-86 "Ensuring the wear resistance of products. Methods for assessing the wear resistance of restored parts". (Results and discussion) The optimal modes of long-term operation and the limits of the interface operability were determined during the stepwise loading of the reference and restored tribo-couplings. The run-in coefficient and the wear factor of the couplings were calculated. It was found that the restored coupling "sleeve coated with cold gas-dynamic spraying and microarc oxidation treatment-counter-sample 100Cr6" has similar run-in rates with the reference coupling, and its wear resistance exceeds the wear resistance of the reference coupling by more than two times. (Conclusions) High indicators of workability and wear resistance of the restored interface "sleeve coated with cold gas-dynamic spraying and microarc oxidation treatment-counter-sample 100Cr6" in comparison with the reference sleeve (from SCH25 in the state of delivery) provide an increase in its durability and indicate the expediency of using the combined method in the restoration of cylinder liners.

ПРИМЕНЕНИЕ ИННОВАЦИОННЫХ ТЕХНОЛОГИЙ В УПРАВЛЕНИИ ИНФЕКЦИЯМИ В ЖИВОТНОВОДСТВЕ

Disinfection is the only effective way to combat infectious diseases and to prevent them in the livestock complex’s conditions, as well as one of the methods of adequate level product quality maintaining. By regard to livestock complexes, there are three main types of treatment: preventive, that is carried out before new premises commissioning; forced - systematical, upon detection of a sick animal; final, it is a set of measures taken to quarantine from the farm removing. In some cases, for example, at on dairy complexes or farms’ maternity wards where the forced disinfection is carried out, one of the most important tasks is a certain treatment method due to the completely impossibility the farm premises from animals to relieve. This is exactly the way for aerosol disinfection works. The use of modern portable aerosol systems allows to safe fast, efficient and aerosol disinfection, including at the presence of animals, that is certainly a huge advantage. For example, at cold mist generators using, treatment occurs by a cloud consisting of the smallest particles of disinfectant (5-50 microns) forming, which, once in the environment, settle on the surface for some time, even into the smallest cracks penetrating. The particles spraying this size exactly allows to spray a disinfectant without farm animals body harm. Unlike hot mist generators, cold mist treatment in the animals’ presence if the disinfectant is not toxic to animals can be carried out. In addition such portable systems using ensures high quality accurate of disinfectant application, economical consumption, processing time minimizing, and also air environment’s high quality treatment, that is a huge advantage due to the fact that many infectious diseases by airborne droplets are transmitted. In addition to cold mist generators, it is possible disinfection units for aerosol disinfection using.

Effects of cold plasma treatment on the surface and properties of poly(lactic acid) fibers

Effects of cold plasma treatment on the surface and properties of poly(lactic acid) fibers

Studies on morphometric traits and effect of presowing treatments in seeds of Mimusops elengi L.

Mimusops elengi L., (bullet wood) belongs to the family Sapotaceae and is a native tree species of Western Ghats, India. It is well known for its fruit, and fodder and is grown as an ornamental tree. Various parts of the tree are utilized in traditional medicinal practices. In this species, seed germination is rather difficult without pre-seed treatment. Hence, the present study was taken up to analyze the seed morphometric traits namely, seed length, seed width, and seed weight, and also to find the effect of different pre-sowing treatments on seed germination by following standard procedures. The study was conducted at the College of Forestry, Ponnampet, Kodagu district, Karnataka. The average length, width, and thickness of the seeds were 18.09 mm, 12.02 mm, and 6.33 mm, respectively. The maximum seed germination was observed in cold water treatment for 24 hours (34.44%) followed by GA3 500 ppm (30%) and the minimum was observed in hot water treatment (1.1%). Although the germination was poor in this species, treating the seeds of Mimusops elangi with cold water for a day increases the germination by 34.4 percent.

Potential of cold plasma in enhancing egg white protein for sustainable food applications: a comprehensive review

The objective of this review is to explore recent insights into the impact of cold plasma treatment on the structural and functional properties of egg white protein and to assess its potential for sustainable food applications.

High water temperature significantly influences swimming performance of New Zealand migratory species.

Anthropogenic structures in freshwater systems pose a significant threat by fragmenting habitats. Effective fish passage solutions must consider how environmental changes introduce variability into swimming performance. As temperature is considered the most important external factor influencing fish physiology, it is especially important to consider its effects on fish swimming performance. Even minor alterations in water properties, such as temperature and velocity, can profoundly affect fish metabolic demands, foraging behaviours, fitness and, consequently, swimming performance and passage success. In this study, we investigated the impact of varying water temperatures on the critical swimming speeds of four migratory New Zealand species. Our findings revealed a significant reduction in critical swimming speeds at higher water temperatures (26°C) compared to lower ones (8 and 15°C) for three out of four species (Galaxias maculatus, Galaxias brevipinnis and Gobiomorphus cotidianus). In contrast, Galaxias fasciatus exhibited no significant temperature-related changes in swimming performance, suggesting species-specific responses to temperature. The cold temperature treatment did not impact swimming performance for any of the studied species. As high water temperatures significantly reduce fish swimming performance, it is important to ensure that fish passage solutions are designed to accommodate a range of temperature changes, including spatial and temporal changes, ranging from diel to decadal fluctuations. Our research underscores the importance of incorporating temperature effects into fish passage models for habitat restoration, connectivity initiatives, and freshwater fish conservation. The influence of temperature on fish swimming performance can alter migration patterns and population dynamics, highlighting the need for adaptive conservation strategies. To ensure the resilience of freshwater ecosystems it is important to account for the impact of temperature on fish swimming performance, particularly in the context of a changing climate.

Metabolic profiles of Fufang Xiling Jiedu capsule in rats by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry.

Fufang Xiling Jiedu capsule (FXJC), a traditional Chinese medicine that evolved from "Yinqiao Powder", is widely used for the treatment of cold and influenza. However, due to a lack of in vivo metabolism research, the chemical components responsible for the therapeutic effects still remain unclear. Hence, this study aimed to describe the metabolic profiles of the FXJC in rat plasma, urine, and feces. A combined data mining strategy based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry was employed and 201 xenobiotics, including 117 prototype components and 84 metabolites were detected. Phenolic acids, flavonoids, triterpenes, and lignans were prominent ingredients absorbed in vivo, and the major metabolic pathways of the detected metabolites were glucuronidation, sulfation, methylation, and oxidation. This is the first systematic study on the metabolism of the FXJC in vivo, providing valuable information for future studies on the efficacy, toxicity, and mechanism of the FXJC.

Etnofarmakološka upotreba kantariona (Hypericum perforatum) na Rujan planini (Jugoistočna Srbija)

St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) has been traditionally used for centuries to treat various ailments. On Rujan Mountain, this plant was used in ethnomedicine (197 reports), ethnoveterinary (54 reports) and for other purposes (1 report). Out of the total of 130 respondents, 101 knew the use of St. John’s wort (78 Serbian, and 23 Albanian respondents). Respondents of Serbian nationality participated in greater numbers and gave more statements about the use of St. John’s wort. In ethnomedicine, St. John’s wort flowers were most often used (61.4%). The preparation of oil extract (58.9%) was the most used form. The external application was the most frequently used (62.4%). The treatment of skin burns was usually use (34%). In ethnoveterinary, the only application of St. John’s wort, according to the reports, was the use of oil extract form, prepared with the flowers for the external treatment of skin wounds in cows and goats. For other purposes, the respondents collected St. John’s wort in the field and sold it to buyers. New applications that have not been mentioned in previous research are the use of St. John’s wort for the treatment of colds, skin ulcers and in the prevention of health.

Temperature control system of hot and cold alternating treatment system based on Kalman filter combined with fuzzy logic

Abstract Aiming at the lag, overshoot, easy interference, and other problems of the temperature control of the heat exchanger in the current alternating hot and cold treatment of deep vein thrombosis equipment, a fuzzy temperature control method based on Kalman filtering is proposed to complete the filtering for the measurement noise through Kalman filtering. Finally, based on the fuzzy strategy to achieve fast response and overshoot control of temperature control, we analyze its fuzzy rules and reasoning through the study of fuzzy PID control. By using MATLAB software for simulation and comparison, it is proved that the accuracy of the designed heat exchanger temperature control system is greatly improved, the robustness of the system is better, the response speed is obviously improved, the amount of overshooting is reduced, the regulation time becomes shorter, and there is also a strong inhibition effect on the interference.