- Highlights
Rhodococcus erythropolis HX-2 is an effective petroleum degrading strain.
HX-2 is a potential source of biosurfactant production.
The biosurfactant NK reduces surface tension and exhibits high emulsification activity.
The biosurfactant NK is effective over a wide range of temperatures, pH and salinity.
The biosurfactant NK shows high solubilization efficiency for petroleum as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
- Highlights
Synthesis and characterization of novel indole-derived compounds.
X-ray diffraction studies demonstrate average crystalline size of the compounds.
Metal complexes act as good metallointercalators.
Metal complexes show higher antimicrobial activity compared to ligand.
Prediction of biological activities of the ligand by PASS online software.
Drug-like nature and bioavailability of synthesized compounds predicted by Swiss ADME predictor
Docking of the synthesized compounds with 1BNA and 3EQM using HEX 8.0 software.
- Highlights
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Evolution of microbial sulfur metabolisms is tracked by multiple sulfur isotopes
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Alkaline hydrothermal vents were an abode for early microbial life
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Sulfite detoxification prompted anaerobic respiration
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Reversal of respiratory electron transport chain (ETC) stimulated photothiotrophy
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Surplus e- acceptors permitted the emergence of elemental sulfur reduction
- Clinical significance
More insight is obtained in the mechanisms related to poor outcome in HFpEF patients since it was demonstrated that biomarkers associated with the high-risk cluster were related to the immune system, signal transduction cascades, cell interactions and metabolism
Biomarkers (and pathways) identified in this study may help select high-risk HFpEF patients which could be helpful for the inclusion/exclusion of patients in future trials.
Our findings may be the basis of investigating therapies specifically targeting these pathways and the potential use of corresponding markers potentially identifying patients with distinct mechanistic bioprofiles most likely to respond to the selected mechanistically targeted therapies.
- Practical applications
Nanoemulsions are a new and novel carrier for the transportation of bioactive compounds that can be affected during digestion. Then, the use of the enzyme-catalysed synthesis of structured lipids as emulsifiers is an alternative for increasing the bioavailability of compounds such as curcumin.
- Research highlights
An efficient immobilization protocol on polyurethane foam was developed
Polyethyleneimine and acetic acid were used to regulate the micro-environment concurrently
The activity of lipase immobilized on PUF-HCL-AA/PEI was improved by 2.41 times
Immobilized lipase exhibited excellent operational stability for vitamin A palmitate synthesis
Many consumers are transitioning away from single-use plastic products and turning to reusable alternatives. Oftentimes, this change is being made with the assumption that these alternatives have fewer environmental impacts; however, reusable products are frequently made from more environmentally intensive materials and have use phase impacts. This study used LCA to examine the GWP, water consumption, and primary nonrenewable energy use associated with reusable alternatives for single-use plastic kitchenware products and determined environmental payback periods.
MethodsThe environmental impacts for each reusable alternative are calculated on the functional units of 1 use, 1 year (5 uses/week), and 5 years (5 uses/week). Payback periods are calculated for each reusable alternative and defined as the number of times a consumer must reuse an alternative in order for the environmental impact per use to be equivalent to the environmental impact for the single-use product. The research explored the sensitivity of the results to different consumer washing and reuse behaviors, as well as local conditions such as overall transportation distances and the carbon intensity of different electricity grids. Product types studied included straws (4 reusable, 2 single-use), sandwich storage (2 reusable, 3 single-use), coffee cups (3 reusable, 2 single-use), and forks (1 single-use, 3 reusable).
Results and discussionEnvironmental impacts associated with the reusable alternatives were highly dependent on the use phase due to dishwashing, making payback period sensitive to washing frequency and method, and for GWP, carbon intensity of the energy grid (used for water heating). For single-use products, the material/manufacturing phase was the largest contributor to overall impacts. It was found that nine of the twelve reusable alternatives were able to breakeven in all three environmental indicators. The coffee cup product type was the only product type to have one reusable alternative, the ceramic mug, and have the shortest payback period for all three impact categories. Both the bamboo straw and beeswax wrap were unable to breakeven in any scenario due to high use phase impacts from manual washing.
ConclusionsThe research found that reusable alternatives can payback the environmental impacts of GWP, water consumption, and energy use associated with their more resource intensive materials, but it is dependent on number of uses, consumer behavior, and for GWP, carbon intensity of the energy grid. A key takeaway is that consumer behavior and use patterns influence the ultimate environmental impact of reusable kitchenware products.
RecommendationsSome recommendations for consumers looking to reduce the overall impact of kitchenware products include the following:
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Not always assuming reusable is the best option.
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Extending product lifetime.
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Researching which reusable option has the lowest impact.
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Following best practice washing behaviors.
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Not washing products after every use.
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Advocating for integration of renewables into the local energy grid.
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Reducing consumption of these product types (reusable or single-use).
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From the moment when the developing seed has reached the maximal fresh weight to the moment of its complete ripening, the RNA content decreases from about 700 μg per seed to about 200 μg.
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During the same period the DNA level (about 13–15 μg per seed) remains nearly costant.
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Fractionation by sucrose density gradient of the phenol extracted RNA (H. L. Sanger and C. A. Knight, Biochem. Biophys. Reserch Commun., 13, 445, 1963) shows that during the ripening of the seed the high molecular weight RNA decreases much more than the low molecular weight RNA.
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Radioactive phosphate injected in the seeds is incorporated in the RNA at all the stages. Fractionation by sucrose density giadient shows that the phosphate is essentially incorporated in low molecular weight RNA and there is pratically no labelling of the heavier RNA after quite a long period (2 hr.).
- Highlights
Improved GABA, TPC and antioxidant contents were found using Lactobacillus casei TISTR 1500
Full factorial design applied to optimize fermented perilla seeds by lactic acid fermentation
The optimized conditions dramatically increased GABA and TPC contents
- •OVE26 mice, genetically overexpressing calmodulin in pancreatic beta cells, develop early onset type 1 diabetes.
- •OVE26 mice are a widely used and valuable rodent model which develop severe, progressive diabetic nephropathy, with features of established human diabetic nephropathy.
- •Does gender play a role in determining characteristics of renal lesions and severity of nephropathy?
- •Female OVE26 mice had more severe albuminuria, greater podocyte loss.
- •Female OVE26 mice had additional fibrosis and significantly more inflammatory cell infiltration.
- •Diabetes induced reductions in estradiol levels and renal estrogen receptors may be responsible for the female sensitization to DN in OVE26 mice.
- •Our findings provide the basis for researchers to better select the age and sex of OVE26 mice in future studies of type 1 DN.
- •A detailed investigation of the protein extraction step from FFPE tissue is shown.
- •Acidification during peptide wash increased peptide recovery of the SP3 method.
- •LCM of substantia nigra enriched neuron-specific proteins including TH.
- •>5,600 proteins were quantified using 3000 cells per sample from substantia nigra.
The European Commission is thinking about policy options for the European Environmental Footprint (EF) method and aims for a broad support. The SwitchMed initiative is a programme with the overall objective to facilitate the shift towards sustainable consumption and production in the Southern Mediterranean region. One of the objectives of this initiative, carried out in Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia, is to facilitate access of companies from this region to the outcomes of the EF Rules pilot phase.
MethodsThe project was composed of three consecutive phases: (I) awareness raising; (II) local pilots; and (III) dissemination events. The awareness raising and technical workshop activities were meant to expose national stakeholders to the potential impact of the EF system for the national economies. Next, nine environmental footprint studies for selected product categories (so-called PEF pilot studies) were performed to create local capacity and expertise. These were leather and intermediate paper product for Egypt; two studies on wine and one on intermediate paper product in Lebanon; olive oil for Morocco; and pasta, olive oil, and dairy for Tunisia. The learnings from the pilot studies were shared in national dissemination events and used to formulate recommendations for enabling EF-compliant studies in regions outside of Europe.
Results and discussionThere was high attendance to the awareness events in each country. The pilot studies showed many similarities with the European screening studies, but also important differences in the identification of most relevant impact categories, life cycle stages, and processes (‘hotspots analyses’), e.g. related to the local scarcity of water. Based on their pilot study, the local experts made concrete suggestions for shifting towards more sustainable consumption and production. One of the biggest successes of this project is that a couple of these recommendations have already been taken into account by the companies.
Conclusions and recommendationsIn Egypt, Lebanon, and Tunisia, a few local experts with a significant level of LCA expertise could be identified and through this project we managed to create local PEF capacity too. In Morocco, more assistance was needed to finish the pilot study. This project made clear that the current ‘PEF and OEF methods’ have serious drawbacks for regions other than Europe. The rules of the EF method need to be reconsidered in order to enable EF-compliant studies in regions outside of Europe. In short, we recommend:
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Developing databases with local inventory data for regions outside of Europe;
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Enlarging access to EF-compliant data by extension of the free access and by facilitation of the availability of conversion tools;
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Taking the local availability of data into account when setting data quality requirements;
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Adapting the rules for data collection and quality to allow for more precise adaptations;
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Including in the PEFCR development, supporting studies for products manufactured outside the EU and/or in a geography with unusual conditions; and
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6.
Updating existing rules specific for certain product categories regularly.
- HIGHLIGHTS
Water molecules through a composite graphene/Au nano-nozzle forming a nanojet is investigated.
High pressure and spatial confinement cause the nanojet from a small nozzle diameter (≤1.0?nm) to bend and twist.
High extrusion speed (≧55.824?m/s) produced recirculating flow downstream from the nanojet.
Figure abstract: Schematic of the H2O nano-jet through a nano-nozzle of graphene/Au
- •Flow cytometry analysis is used to isolate ASC speck(+) NPC cells.
- •Proteome analysis of ASC speck(+) NPC cells reveals enriched mitochondrial OxPhos proteins.
- •OxPhos proteins mediate NLRP3 inflammasome activation through mtROS.
- •OxPhos proteins, NDUFB8 and ATP5B are correlated with NPC local recurrence.
- Strigolactone perception by parasite seed is mediated by a clade of neofunctionalized KAI2d proteins that evolved from a receptor that mediates karrikin responses in other plants.
- KAI2d proteins use a similar mechanism to perceive SLs as D14, which mediates growth responses to SLs in nonparasites, but activate different signaling pathways.
- Crystal structure analyses and chemical probes reveal features of KAI2d ligand-binding pockets that contribute to their specificity.
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phase I (growth of pericarp, testa and nucellus) is clearly recognisable; it ends after the micropylar portion of the endosperm has become cellular and the embryo heart shaped;
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phase II is also present: during this phase most of the growth of endosperm and embryo takes place; while the seed has reached its definite size at the end of phase I, the pericarp undergoes a period of greatly reduced growth;
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two weeks after the beginning of phase II the pericarp seems to resume growth just for a very short period, judging at least by the weekly values of the ratio pericarp volume to seed volume (see Fig. 23); this seems to indicate the existence of a new phase, that is phase III, which in fleshy fruits of the genus Prunus corresponds to a much longer and important process of pericarp growth than in the almond;
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as in the peaches and cherries therefore a crisis in pericarp growth occurs during the period of maximum rate of growth of the cellular endosperm and embryo;
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the sequence: cellularisation of the endosperm, growth of endosperm and embryo, ceasing of seed growth, and reduction in pericarp growth is very clear, particularly if we take into account growth in length rather than in volume; both morphological and quantitative data would indicate the importance of the endosperm not only for the beginning of embryo development, but also for the control of pericarp growth.
- Clinical significance
Elevated sarcosine levels are associated with prostate and colorectal cancer, Alzheimer, dementia, stomach cancer and sarcosinemia.
Quantitative determination of sarcosine is of great importance in clinical chemistry as well as food and fermentation industries.
Attempts made in development of sarcosine biosensors have been reviewed with their advantages and disadvantages, so that scientist and clinicians can improvise the methods of developing more potent sarcosine biosensor applicable in multitudinous fields.
This is the first comprehensive review which compares the various immobilization methods, sensing principles, strategies used in biosensors and their analytical performance in detail.
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Determine concernsby using risk assessment techniques for various scenarios.
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Identify the consequences by systematically identifying hazards.
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Undertake calculations by using relevant models.
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Evaluate certainties, uncertainties, and probabilities involved in the calculations of the vulnerability and of the exposure.
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Compare with criteriato assess the need for further action.
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Determine and act on options to control, mitigate, and adapt to the risk.
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Communicatethe results to those who need to know.
- •Several proteins were found to be unique to each male type.
- •Expression levels of seven proteins trended downward in teratospermic males.
- •Several proteins were related to sperm motility and subsequent oocyte binding.