A notable REE mineralization in Europe is associated with the Ditrău Alkaline Massif (DAM) in the Eastern Carpathians (Romania). It is an expression of the latest hydrothermal phase in the DAM and is found in the form of mineralized carbonate veins cross-cutting the complex in the NW (Jolotca region) and the SE (Belcina region) parts of the DAM. In the Belcina veins monazite-(Ce), xenotime-(Y), apatite, together with Fe-Mg-rich carbonate, thorite, thorogummite, gedrite and plagioclase are rock-forming. Three different textural and chemical types of the monazite-(Ce) and the xenotime-(Y) document a three-stage evolution. The relative phosphate age succession (from older to younger) thereby is xnt1 > xnt2 (>)+ mnz1 + Fe2O3 + Fe-gedrite > mnz2 + Fe-dolomite (+ plagioclase) > mnz3 + xnt3 + apatite. Phosphate chemistry shows that these crystallized from hydrothermal fluids, whereby each phosphate type follows a separate evolutionary path recommending growth from (at least) 3 independent and successive hydrothermal fluids. Chemistry and pathways within the DAM suggest that these hydrothermal fluids could be derived from a subsurface carbonatitic intrusion. Mnz1,2 and xnt1,2 ages are tightly cluster at 215.8 ± 0.7 Ma (Norian, Upper Triassic). The third-generation phosphate ages are younger, but associated with large analytical uncertainties and did not deliver geologically useful ages. The mean age of ca. 216 Ma is interpreted as timing the Belcina REE mineralization, what together with the fluid chemistry, supports a model of the presence of a late-stage, independent carbonatitic intrusion about 10 Ma after the main igneous activity (ca. 235 - 225 Ma) forming the DAM, synchronous with extension-related magmatism in the region.

Background: Amyloid beta peptides (Aβ) have been identified as the main pathogenic agents in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Soluble Aβ oligomers, rather than monomer or insoluble amyloid fibrils, show membrane-binding capacity to red blood cells (RBCs) and trigger several morphological and functional alterations in RBCs that can result in impaired oxygen transport and delivery. Since bioactive lipids have been recently proposed as potent protective agents against Aβ toxicity, we investigated the role of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) in signaling pathways involved in the mechanism underlying ATP release in Aβ-treated RBCs. Methods: In RBCs following different treatments, ATP, 2,3 DPG, cAMP levels, and caspase 3 activity were determined by spectrophotometric and immunoassay. Results: S1P rescued the inhibition of ATP release from RBCs triggered by Aβ through a mechanism involving caspase-3 and restoring 2,3 DPG and cAMP levels within the cell. Conclusions: These findings reveal the molecular basis of S1P protection against Aβ in RBCs and suggest new therapeutic avenues in AD.

The collapsible loess will rapidly soften and lose its bearing capacity when soaked in water. Under a mild condition (20°C), the biomimetic inorganic agent, Diammonium phosphate (DAP), reacts with calcite in the collapsible loess, producing a stronger bonding material, hydroxyapatite (HAP), to modify and stabilize the soil. Uniaxial compression, permeability tests and morphological analysis using XRD and SEM/EDX microscopy were carried out to assess the effectiveness of DAP stabilization on the collapsible loess. The results indicated that HAP improved the inter-particle bonding within loess, filled the pores within particles, reduced the permeability, and consequently mitigated collapsibility of loess. The compressive strength of DAP-treated loess increased as DAP concentration increased. Following 28-days curing, the compressive strength of the loess treated with a 3.0 mol/L DAP solution was six times greater than that of the untreated group. DAP's reinforcement effect on loess was superior to that of cement. The compressive strength of DAP-treated loess was about double that of cement-treated loess and the permeability coefficient was reduced by more than 50% at equivalent solid content. Furthermore, DAP generated 68% fewer carbon emissions compared to Portland cement. Considering eco-friendly and sustainable development, DAP offers a more competitive alternative for modification and stabilization of loess.

A decanter centrifuge has been employed to successfully separated phosphoric acid and rare-earth-element (REE)-containing particles from phosphoric acid sludge with concentrations ranging from 1,000 to 2,200 ppm REEs. Operating efficiently with up to 35 wt.% solids, the centrifuge was demonstrated to achieve approximately 95% phosphoric acid recovery and 90% REEs recovery in a single pass, eliminating the need for additional processing steps. This breakthrough supports a proposed REEs oxide recovery process integrating phosphoric acid (PA), elemental phosphorus (P4), and REEs into two potential pathways: PA-REO and PA-P4-REO. These processes aim to reintroduce recovered phosphoric acid into the main product to significantly increase output and revenue. Post-separation, phosphorus-rich particles can be converted to P4, while REEs-containing solids undergo further treatment including acid leaching, extraction/stripping, precipitation, and calcination to produce a marketable rare-earth oxide (REO) material. Techno-economic analysis indicates promising profitability, with the PA-REO process showing a delta net present value (∆NPV) of $441.8 million and an expected return within a year of construction, while the PA-P4-REO process yields a ∆NPV of $178.7 million over a 12-year return period. Both pathways offer robust financial prospects and demonstrate the feasibility of commercial-scale REEs recovery from phosphoric acid sludge.

This study presents a novel Fe-CNs-P/S carbon composite material, synthesized by doping elements P and S into NH2-MIL-101 (Fe) using carbonization method. The material's application in sustainable water treatment was evaluated, focusing on its effectiveness in activating persulfate for pollutant degradation. The research thoroughly investigates the synthesis process, structural characteristics, and performance in degrading pollutants. Results indicate that Fe-CNs-P/S-5 with 50% P and S co-doping is higher than that of other samples, where the degradation rate of TC in 30min is as high as 98.11% under the optimum conditions, that is temperature at 25 ℃, 0.05 g/L of catalyst concentration, and 0.2 g/L of PMS concentration. The composite material demonstrates robust versatility and stability, maintaining high degradation efficiency across multiple organic pollutants, with no significant reduction in catalytic performance after four cycles. Furthermore, the free radical quenching experiments displays that the singlet oxygen 1O2 is the main active species. It is demonstrated that the doping of P and S play a role in the enhancement of PMS activation over the Fe-CNs-P/S catalyst. This material demonstrates remarkable efficacy in treating a range of organic contaminants and exhibits excellent reusability, presenting a promising approach for enhancing sustainability in water treatment applications.

The aim of the study was the comparison of conventional sintering versus additive manufacturing techniques for β-TCP bioceramics, focusing on mechanical properties and biocompatibility. A "critical" bone defect requires surgical intervention beyond simple stabilization. Autologous bone grafting is the gold standard treatment for such defects but it has its limitations. Alloplastic bone grafting using synthetic materials is becoming increasingly popular. The use of bone graft substitutes has increased significantly and current research was focused on optimizing these substitutes, whereas this study compares two existing manufacturing techniques and the thereby produced β-TCP implants. The 3D-printed β-TCP hybrid structure implant was fabricated using two components, a column structure and a freeze-foam, which were sintered together. The conventionally manufactured ceramics were made by pouring. Both scaffolds were characterized according to porosity, mechanical properties and biocompatibility. The hybrid structure had a total porosity of 74.4 ± 0.5%. Microporous β-TCP implants had a porosity of 43.5 ± 2.4%, while macroporous β-TCP implants had a porosity of 61.81%. Mechanical testing revealed that the hybrid structure had a compressive strength of 10.4 ± 6 MPa, significantly lower than the microporous β-TCP implant’s with 32.9 ± 8.7 MPa. Biocompatibility evaluations showed a steady increase in cell proliferation over time for all β-TCP implants, with minimal cytotoxicity. This study provides valuable insight into the potential of additive manufacturing for β-TCP bioceramics in the treatment of bone defects.

Phosphate (Pi) starvation is a critical factor limiting crop growth, development, and productivity. Rice (Oryza sativa) R2R3-MYB transcription factors function in the transcriptional regulation of plant responses to various abiotic stresses and micronutrient deprivation, but little is known about their roles in Pi starvation signaling and Pi homeostasis. Here we identified the R2R3-MYB transcription factor gene OsMYB58, which shares high sequence similarity with AtMYB58. OsMYB58 expression was induced more strongly by Pi starvation than by other micronutrient deficiencies. Overexpressing OsMYB58 in Arabidopsis thaliana and rice inhibited plant growth and development under Pi-deficiency conditions. In addition, overexpression of OsMYB58 in plants exposed to Pi deficiency strongly affected root development, including seminal root, lateral root, and root hair formation. Overexpressing OsMYB58 strongly decreased the expression of the rice microRNAs, OsmiR399a and OsmiR399j. By contrast, overexpressing OsMYB58 strongly increased the expression of rice PHOSPHATE 2 (OsPHO2), whose expression is repressed by miR399 during Pi starvation signaling. OsMYB58 functions as a transcriptional repressor of the expression of its target genes, as determined by a transcriptional activity assay. These results demonstrate that OsMYB58 negatively regulates OsmiR399-dependent Pi starvation signaling by enhancing OsmiR399s expression.

Enzymes reliant on pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP), the metabolically active form of vitamin B6, hold significant importance in both biology and medicine. They facilitate various biochemical reactions, particularly in amino acid and neurotransmitter metabolisms. Vitamin B6 is absorbed by organisms in its non-phosphorylated form and phosphorylated within cells by pyridoxal kinase (PLK) and pyridox-(am)-ine 5'-phosphate oxidase (PNPOx). The flavin mononucleotide dependent PNPOx enzyme converts pyridoxine 5'-phosphate and pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate into PLP. PNPOx is vital for both biosynthesis and salvage pathways in organisms producing B6 vitamers. However, for those depending on vitamin B6 as nutrient, PNPOx participates only in the salvage pathway. Transferring PLP produced by PNPOx to client apo-enzymes is indispensable for their catalytic function, proper folding and targeting to specific organelles. PNPOx activity deficiencies due to inborn errors lead to severe neurological pathologies, particularly neonatal epileptic encephalopathy. PNPOx enzymes from different organisms maintain PLP homeostasis through highly regulated mechanisms, including structural alterations throughout the catalytic cycle and allosteric PLP binding influencing substrate transformation at the active site. Despite shared features, species-specific regulations are evident among PNPOx enzymes.

Use of probiotic lactobacilli has been proposed as a strategy to mitigate damage associated to exposure to toxic metals. Their protective effect against cationic metal ions, such as those of mercury or lead, is believed to stem from their chelating and accumulating potential. However, their retention of anionic toxic metalloids, such as inorganic arsenic, is generally lower. Through the construction of mutants in phosphate transporter genes (pst) in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei strains, coupled with arsenate [As(V)] uptake and toxicity assays, we determined that the incorporation of As(V), which structurally resembles phosphate, is likely facilitated by phosphate transporters. Surprisingly, inactivation in Lc. paracasei of PhoP, the tran-scriptional regulator of the two-component system PhoPR, a signal transducer involved in phosphate sensing, led to an increased resistance to arsenite [As(III)]. In comparison to the wild type, the phoP strain exhibited no differences in the ability to retain As(III), and there were no observed changes in the oxidation of As(III) to the less toxic As(V). These results reinforce the idea that specific transport, and not unspecific cell retention plays a role in As(V) biosorption by lactobacilli, while they reveal an unexpected phenotype for the lack of the pleiotropic regulator PhoP.

Phosphorus (P) is the second-most important element after nitrogen that is required for plant growth. Although this element is abundant in most soils, it is rarely available in plant-accessible forms since most of it normally exists in soil in insoluble forms such as phosphates. In conventional agriculture, P is normally supplied as chemical fertilizer to satisfy plant P requirements. This, to a large extent, boosts plant production. However, chemical fertilizers are costly, have a huge carbon footprint, and are environmentally-unsustainable owing to the high energy requirements during their synthesis. Besides, P-containing agricultural run-offs contribute hugely to the eutrophication of water bodies and environmental degradation. Moreover, plants can consume only a small amount of chemically-supplied P since between 75 and 90% of this form of P normally get precipitated into complexes and rapidly become fixed in soil. These issues and concerns necessitate research into alternative and viable ways of supplying P to plants. Rhizobacteria have for decades been investigated in vivo and in planta as suitable tools in sustainable agriculture due to the plant-growth-promoting activities such as nutrients’ solubilization, nitrogen fixation, and production of phytohormones. Although a lot of research has been done on different nutrients-solubilizing rhizobacteria and their potential in sustainable agriculture, their mechanisms of action and prospects in sustainable agriculture remain to be fully understood. This review particularly focuses on the P solubilizing rhizobacteria and evaluates their diversity, mechanisms of action, and prospects in sustainable agriculture based on the present and future scenario of their application. Such information is useful in determining their potential and evaluating their prospects in promoting sustainable agricultural systems.

The Doig Phosphate Zone (DPZ) is a phosphate-bearing marine unit located at the base of the Doig Formation, in the Triassic section of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. The DPZ has a maximum thickness of 90 m and extends across northeastern British Columbia and western central Alberta. In this study we characterize the significance and interpret the origin of apatite in the DPZ, through mineralogical and geochemical analyses, thin section study and field emission-scanning electron microscopy. The occurrence of apatite in the DPZ is not evenly distributed, but restricted to discrete 10 to 20 cm thick beds, located near the base of the DPZ. Phosphorites are of two types: grainstones composed primarily of unconformity-bounded coated grains, and intraclastic phosphorites composed of detrital silt-sized grains and apatite coated grains in a cryptocrystalline phosphatic matrix. The phosphorite beds are records of stratigraphic condensation due to low detrital input during transgression. The erosionally-truncated phosphatic coated grains and intraclasts are interpreted to be a result of various phases of phosphatization, exhumation, erosion reworking, winnowing and redeposition in alternating quiescence and storms or bottom currents. The abundance of pyrite and chalcophile trace elements, as well as the low concentration of proxy elements for organic matter productivity and preservation, are further evidences of stratigraphic condensation, with sulfidic pore water development and extensive organic recycling promoted by biological activity during the long exposure times. The phosphorites were formed under oxygenated water conditions, as suggested by the depletion in Ce and presence of a diverse benthic fauna.

Management of calcium and phosphate in biofluids is key to maintaining physiological mineral homeostasis (i.e., appropriate mineralization of hard tissues and an absence of mineral deposition in soft tissues). This review describes and contrasts the ways vertebrates manage calcium phosphate in two biological fluids (breast milk and serum) and illustrates the benefits of mineral sequestration by proteins. In milk, phosphoprotein-sequestered calcium magnesium phosphates provide nutritional support, whereas in serum, protein-sequestered calcium phosphates control transport and delivery of calcium and phosphate to tissues for biological function or excretion. In addition, subsets of sequestered phosphates in serum have been identified as culprits underlying ectopic deposition of calcium phosphates and toxicity.

Phosphorus deficiency highly interferes with plant growth and development. Plants respond to the persistent P deficiency by coordinating the expression of genes involved in the alleviation of the stress. Promoters of phosphate transporter genes are of great choice for the development of genetically modified plants with enhanced phosphate uptake abilities, which improve crop yields in phosphate-deficient soils. In our previous study, the sugarcane phosphate transporter PHT1;2 gene, showed a significantly high expression under salinity stress. In this study, the Erianthus arundinaceus EaPHT1;2 gene was isolated and characterized using various in-silico tools. The deduced 542 amino acid residues have 10 transmembrane domains, with a molecular weight and isoelectric point of 58.9 kDa and 9.80, respectively. They displayed 71–96% similarity with Arabidopsis thaliana, Zea mays, and Saccharum hybrid. To elucidate the function of the 5’ regulatory region, the 1.1kb promoter was isolated and validated in tobacco transgenics under Pi stress. The EaPHT1;2 promoter activity was detected using the β-glucuronidase (GUS) assay. While the EaPHT1;2 promoter showed 3 to 4.2-fold higher expression than the most widely used CaMV35S promoter. The 5’ deletion analysis with and without 5’UTR regions, revealed that a small size 374 bp fragment with the highest promoter activity among 5′ truncated fragments, which was 2.7 and 4.2 times higher than the well-used CaMV35S promoter under normal and Pi-deprivation conditions, respectively. The strong and short promoter of EaPHT1;2 with 374 bp showed significant expression in low Pi-stress conditions and it could be a valuable source for the development of stress-tolerant transgenic crops

High dietary phosphate intake and poor adherence to phosphate-binding-therapy elevate the risk of hyperphosphatemia in maintenance hemodialysis (HD; MHD) patients. Therefore, chronic kidney disease-related mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) indicators increase; consequently, risks of CKD-MBDs and inflammation are elevated. This double-blind, randomized control trial intervention study was designed to investigate the possibility of reducing blood CKD-MBD indicators and modulating inflammatory indicators by consuming low-phosphate (LP) meals accompanied by a minimum dose of a calcium-based phosphate binder (CaCO3). MHD patients were recruited and randomly assigned to an LP meal group (LP group) or a control group. After initial data collection, blood collection, and dietary counseling, subjects were asked to consume a washout diet for 1 week. During the washout diet period, subjects consumed their usual diet but took 1 tablet of calcium carbonate (1CaCO3) as a phosphate binder with each meal. After the washout diet period, subjects in the LP group and control group respectively consumed LP meals and regular meals twice a day for 1 week. Meat in the LP meals was boiled before the regular cooking process, but meat in control meals was not. All meals were supplied by a central kitchen so that the contents of phosphate and other nutrients could be identified. In total, 40 MHD patients completed the study program. After 1 week of the dietary intervention, the blood Ca x P product and dietary phosphate had significantly decreased in the LP group compared to the control group (p<0.05). The LP group had significantly lower variations in dietary phosphate intake, blood calcium, Ca x P product, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α than the control group by comparing differences between after the dietary intervention and the baseline (△after intervention - baseline, p<0.05). The increase in dietary phosphate intake (△3rd - 2nd dietary phosphate intake) augmented the increase in the TNF-α level by 6.24-fold (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 6.24 [1.12~34.92], p<0.05). These results highlighted the conclusion that LP meals accompanied by a minimum dose of CaCO3 downregulated pro-inflammation by reducing CKD-MBD indicators which was triggered by decreasing dietary phosphate intake.

To maintain an optimal body content of phosphorus throughout postnatal life, variable phosphate absorption from food must be finely matched with urinary excretion. This amazing feat is accomplished through synchronised phosphate transport by myriads of ciliated cells lining the renal proximal tubules. These respond in real time to changes in the phosphate and composition of the renal filtrate, and to hormonal instructions. How they do this has stimulated decades of research. New analytical techniques, coupled with incredible advances in computer technology, have opened new avenues for investigation at a sub-cellular level. There has been a surge of research into different aspects of the process. These have verified long held beliefs and are also dramatically extending our vision of the intense, integrated, intracellular activity which mediates phosphate absorption. Already, some have indicated new approaches for pharmacological intervention to regulate phosphate in common conditions, including chronic renal failure and osteoporosis, as well as rare inherited biochemical disorders. It is a rapidly evolving field. The aim here is to provide an overview of our current knowledge, to show where it is leading, and where there are uncertainties. Hopefully this will raise questions and stimulate new ideas for further research.

The use of phosphate-solubilizing fungi in coffee cultivation is an alternative with which to reduce the use of fertilizers. The objective of this study was to analyze the mechanisms involved in the phosphorus solubilization of the fungal strains and to evaluate the effect of a phosphate-solubilizing strain on the coffee plants. For this, phosphorus-solubilizing fungal strains were selected for evaluation of their solubilization potential and phosphatase activity. Coffee plants were inoculated in the field with a phosphate solubilizing strain, and soil and foliar soluble phosphorus, as well as coffee bean yield, were quantified. Of the 151 strains analyzed, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium waksmanii, and Penicillium brevicompactum showed the highest solubilization. Aspergillus niger and P. waksmanii presented the highest soluble phosphorus values; however, P. brevicompactum showed the highest phosphatase activity. The P. brevicompactum strain inoculated on the coffee plants did not favor foliar phosphorus content but increased the soil soluble phosphorus content in two of the coffee plantations. The plants inoculated with the phosphate solubilizing strain showed an increase in coffee bean weight on all plantations, although this increase was only significant in two of the three selected coffee plantations.

Although most cases of COVID-19 are paucisymptomatic, severe disease is characterized by immune dysregulation, with a decreased type I interferon response, increased inflammatory indicators, surging IL-6, IL-10 and TNFα suggestive of cytokine storm, progressive lymphopenia, and abnormal blood clotting. Factors determining susceptibility to severe disease are poorly understood, although mortality correlates with increasing age and co-morbidities including diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) tends to be insufficient in populations particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, including the elderly, the institutionalized, and people with diabetes and CVD, and PLP becomes further depleted during infection and inflammation. In turn, low PLP results in immune imbalance, as PLP is an essential cofactor in pathways regulating cytokine production, in particular type I interferons and IL-6, and in lymphocyte trafficking and endothelial integrity. Furthermore, normalizing PLP levels attenuates abnormalities in platelet aggregation and clot formation. Finally, PLP insufficiency induces excess secretion of renin and angiotensin, and hypertension. In inflammatory disease, pharmacological doses of PLP decrease circulating TNFα, IL-6 and D-dimer, and animal studies demonstrate that supplemental PLP shortens the duration and severity of viral pneumonia. Severe COVID-19 manifests as an imbalance in the immune response and the clotting system. Pharmacological PLP supplementation may therefore mitigate COVID-19 symptoms by alleviating both the immune suppression underlying viral spread and the pathological hypersecretion of inflammatory cytokines, as well as directly bolstering endothelial integrity and preventing hypercoagulability.

Cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality are markedly increased in non-dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Thus, the precise management of CV risk factors involved in CKD is crucial to improving outcomes. Serum phosphate (Pi) and FGF-23 levels have been linked with a higher risk of CV events in CKD. However, the exact thresholds of Pi and FGF-23, at which the risk of adverse events increases, remain unknown. We evaluated the expression of intact FGF-23 (iFGF-23) and Pi in a non-dialysis CKD patient population (n=82; 42M:40F; median age 61 years) and investigated their association with CV and renal outcomes, in a 5-year follow-up period. At baseline, the median estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), iFGF-23, and Pi were 45 ml/min/1.73m² (IQ 26.6-73.1), 69.9 µg/ml (IQ 33-117) and 3.4 mg/dL (IQ 3.3-3.9), respectively. Univariate analysis showed a strong association of both iFGF-23 and Pi with age, Charlson Comorbidity Index, hypertension, and diabetes. In addition, iFGF-23 and Pi were both associated with the composite outcome (major CV and cerebrovascular events – MACCEs, hospitalizations, and all-cause mortality) during follow-up. Moreover, Pi was independently associated with all-cause mortality during follow-up. The segmentation of the population in terciles, according to Pi (<3mg/dL; 3-3.6 mg/dL; ≥3.7 mg/dL) within reference serum levels, showed a distribution of the fatality of 0%, 20% and 80% (p =0.034), respectively. Our results reinforce the association of both iFGF-23 and Pi with composite CV outcomes in non-dialysis CKD patients and further suggest that Pi, within current reference levels, may behave as an independent risk factor for mortality in this population. It is suggested that a reassessment of Pi reference levels for early therapeutic intervention in this population may be justified.

An interdigitated electrode sensor was designed and microfabricated for measuring the changes in the capacitance of three phosphate selective molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) formulations, in order to provide hydroponics users with a portable nutrient sensing tool. The MIPs investigated were synthesised using different combinations of the functional monomers methacrylic acid (MAA) and N-allylthiourea, against the template molecules diphenyl phosphate, triethyl phosphate and trimethyl phosphate. A cross-interference study between phosphate, nitrate and sulfate was carried out for the MIP materials using an inductance, capacitance and resistance (LCR) meter. Capacitance measurements were taken applying an alternating current (AC) with a potential difference of 1 V root mean square (RMS) at a frequency of 1 kHz. The cross-interference study demonstrated a strong binding preference to phosphate over the other nutrient salts tested for each formulation. The size of template molecule and length of the functional monomer side groups also determined that a combination of a short chain functional monomer in combination with a template containing large R-groups produced the optimal binding site conditions when synthesising a phosphate selective MIP.

The aim of the study was to determine the maximum safe concentration of calcium and phosphate in neonatal parenteral nutrition (PN) solutions when various combinations of inorganic and organic salts are applied. Twelve PN solutions for neonatal use were aseptically prepared. Increasing concentration of inorganic and organic calcium and phosphate were added to the standard formulas. Each admixture was separately tested according to following conditions; after mixing, 37°C for 24 h, and maximum safe combination of calcium and phosphate were stored at 4°C for 30 days and followed by 24 h at 37°C. Visual inspections against a black and white contrast background, microscopic observation of undiluted PN solutions as well as the membrane filter after filtration of the PN solution, pH evaluation, and spectrophotometry at 600 nm were examined in triplicate. Safe maximum concentration of organic and inorganic calcium and phosphate was proposed individually for each composition of parenteral nutrition solutions. Surprisingly organic calcium with organic phosphate showed precipitation but over the therapeutic range. The protective effect of amino acid was observed and higher concentrations of calcium and phosphate were free of precipitation.

Synthetic bone made of calcium phosphate is widely used for the clinical treatment of bone defects caused by trauma and bone tumors. Although synthetic bone is easy to use, its effects are only partial depending on the size and location of the bone defect, and there are many treatment options other than the use of synthetic bone. Various biodegradable polymers that are being considered for use as scaffolds for regenerative medicine are also being considered for use as synthetic bones; however, commercial synthetic bone products with performance comparable to that of calcium phosphate bioceramics have not yet been clinically applied. This review introduces the practice of bone regeneration therapy with synthetic bone and recent research on bone regeneration therapy with biodegradable polymers.

Herein, activated red mud particles are used as an adsorbent for adsorbing phosphorus. Different concentrations of HCl and deionized water are used for desorption tests, and the optimal desorption mechanism is investigated. The Langmuir isothermal model and pseudo-second-order kinetic linear model produce consistent results: the desorption is dominated by the surface desorption of the monomolecular layer, and chemical desorption limits the rate of surface desorption. The desorption thermodynamics indicates that the desorption of phosphorus by the desorbent is spontaneous and high temperature promotes desorption. The particle diffusion model demonstrates that the removal of phosphorus in the form of precipitation from the surface of an activated hematite particle adsorbent occurs primarily via a chemical reaction, and an analysis of the microscopic morphology indicates that the desorption process is primarily accompanied by the dissolution of the metal element Ca, followed by Al and Fe. The desorbent reacts with the active elements in red mud, and the vibration of the [SiO4]2− group calcite or aragonite group of calcium–iron garnet in the functional group disappears. The intensity of the wave peaks of the PO43− groups decreases considerably. Thus, desorption primarily involves the chemical desorption of the monomolecular layer.

This review article deals with the design of bioactive calcium phosphate coatings deposited on metallic substrates to produce bone implants. The bioceramic coating properties are used to create a strong bonding between the bone implants and the surrounding bone tissue. They provide a fast response after implantation and increase the lifespan of the implant in the body environment. The first part of the article describes the different compounds belonging to the calcium phosphate family and their main properties for applications in biomaterials science. The calcium to phosphorus atomic ratio (Ca/P)at. and the solubility (Ks) of these compounds define their behavior in a physiological environment. Hydroxyapatite is the gold standard among calcium phosphate materials, but other chemical compositions/stoichiometries have also been studied for their interesting properties. The second part reviews the most usual deposition processes to produce bioactive calcium phosphate coatings for bone implant applications. Plasma spraying is the main industrial process, but magnetron sputtering, pulsed laser deposition, electrospray deposition, electrophoretic deposition, and electrodeposition are also widely studied in academic and industrial research. The last part describes the main physicochemical properties of calcium phosphate coatings and their impact on the bioactivity of bone implants in a physiological environment.

The present study aims at deposition of zinc phosphate coatings with the incorporation of nano Titanium dioxide particles by chemical phosphating method. Zinc phosphate coatings were developed on low carbon steel by using nano TiO2 in the standard phosphating bath. The Coated low carbon steel samples were assessed for corrosion studies using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarisation techniques in 3.5% NaCl solution. Chemical composition of the coatings was analysed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Significant variations in the coating weight, porosity and corrosion resistance were observed with the addition of nano TiO2 in the phosphating bath. Corrosion rate of nano TiO2 incorporated chemical phosphate coated samples was found to be 3.5 mpy which was 4 times less than the bare uncoated low carbon steel (~14 mpy). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies revels in the reduction of porosity in nano TiO2 phosphate coated samples. It was found that nano TiO2 particles in the phosphating solution yielded phosphate coatings of higher coating weight, greater surface coverage and enhanced corrosion resistance than the normal zinc phosphate coatings (developed using normal phosphating bath).

The present study showcases a series of crystallization experiments using a specially designed double diffusion system to grow crystals belonging to the calcium carbonate-phosphate system. The experimental U-shaped device comprised two vertical solution containers, separated by a horizontal column of silica hydrogel. Each container was filled with 0.5 M CaCl2 and 0.5 M Na2CO3 solutions, which diffused through the gel column over time. Na3PO4 solutions, with 50 and 500 ppm concentrations, were incorporated into the gel in different experiments, resulting in a homogeneous distribution of phosphate concentrations within the diffusion column. After 15 and 30 days incubation period post-nucleation, the crystals formed in different sections of the gel were carefully extracted and studied with scanning electron microscopy and electron microprobe. Additionally, Raman spectra were collected from the samples using a confocal Raman microscope, providing further insights into their molecular composition and structural properties. The obtained results show that under the induced experimental conditions (i) phosphate incorporates into calcite´s structure, and (ii) the growth of calcium phosphates in the presence of carbonate ions involves the sequential, heterogeneous nucleation of CO3-bearing OCP/HAP-like phases with Raman spectral characteristics very similar to those of bioapatites.

The development of magnesium calcium phosphate bone cements (MCPCs) have garnered big attention. MCPCs are bioactive and biodegradable and have appropriate mechanical and antimicrobial properties for use in reconstructive surgery. In this study, the cement powders based on a (Ca + Mg)/P = 2 system doped with Zn2+ at 0.5 and 1.0 wt.% were obtained and investigated. After the mixing with a cement liquid, structural and phase composition, morphology, chemical structure, setting time, compressive strength, degradation behavior, solubility, antibacterial activities, and in vitro behaviour of the cement materials were examined. A high compressive strength of 48 ± 5 MPa (mean ± SD) was achieved for the cement made from Zn2+ 1.0-wt.%-substituted powders. The Zn2+ introduction led to antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli strains, with an inhibition zone diameter up to 8 mm. Biological assays confirmed that the developed cements are cytocompatible and promising as a potential bone substitute in reconstructive surgery.

To investigate the effect of acidic nanoparticles on proton conductivity, permeability and fuel cell performance, a commercial Nafion® 117 membrane was impregnated with zirconium phosphates (ZrP) and sulfated zirconium (S-ZrO2) nanoparticles. The tensile test, water uptake, methanol crossover, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to assess the ca-pacity of nanocomposite membrane to function in a fuel cell. The modified Nafion® membrane obtained the higher water uptake and a lower water content angle than the commercial Nafion® 117 membrane, indicating that it has a greater impact on conductivity. Under strain rates of 40, 30 and 20 mm/min, the nanocomposite membranes demonstrate more stable thermal deterioration and higher mechanical strength, which offers tremendous promise for fuel cell applications. When compared to 0.113 S/cm and 0.013 S/cm, respectively, of commercial Nafion® 117 and Nafion® ZrP membranes, the modified Nafion® membrane with ammonia sulphate acid had the highest proton conductivity of 7.891 S/cm. When tested using a direct single cell methanol fuel cell, it had the highest power density of 183 m. cm-2 which is better than commercial Nafion® 117 and Nafion® ZrP membranes.

Phosphate (Pi) deficiency reduces nodule formation and development in different legume species including common bean. Despite the significant progress in the understanding of the genetic responses underlying the adaptation of nodules to Pi deficiency, it is still unclear whether this nutritional deficiency interferes with the molecular dialog between legumes and rhizobia, if so, what part of the molecular dialog is impaired? In this study, we provide evidence demonstrating that Pi deficiency negatively affects critical early molecular and physiological responses required for a successful symbiosis between common bean and rhizobia. We demonstrated that the infection thread formation and the expression of PvNSP2, PvNIN, and PvFLOT2, genes controlling the nodulation process, were significantly reduced in Pi-deficient common bean seedlings. Further transcriptional analysis revealed that the expression of hormones-related genes is compromised in Pi-deficient seedlings inoculated with rhizobia. Additionally, we showed that regardless of the presence or absence of rhizobia, the expression of PvRIC1 and PvRIC2, two genes participating in the autoregulation of nodule number, was higher in Pi-deficient seedlings than in control seedlings. The data presented in this study shed light on the understanding of how Pi deficiency impacts the early steps of the symbiosis between common bean and rhizobia.

Cancer cells show an increased glutamine consumption. The glutaminase (GLS) enzyme controls a limiting step in the glutamine catabolism. Breast tumors, especially the triple negative subtype, have a high expression of GLS. Our recent study demonstrated that GLS activity and ammonia production are inhibited by Sirtuin 5 (SIRT5). We have developed MC3138, a selective SIRT5 activator. Treatment with MC3138 mimicked the deacetylation effect mediated by SIRT5 overexpression. Moreover, GLS activity is regulated by inorganic phosphate (Pi). Considering the interconnected role of GLS, SIRT5 and Pi for cancer growth, our hypothesis is that activation of SIRT5 and reduction of Pi could represent a valid anti-tumoral strategy. Treating cells with MC3138 and lanthanum acetate, a Pi chelator, decreased cell viability and clonogenicity. We also observed a modulation of LC3 and ULK1 with MC3138 and lanthanum acetate. Interestingly, inhibition of mitophagy marker BNIP3 was observed only in the presence of MC3138. Such autophagy and mitophagy modulation was accompanied by an increase of cytosolic and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). In conclusion, our results show how SIRT5 activation and/or Pi binding can represent a valid strategy to inhibit cell proliferation by reducing glutamine metabolism and mitophagy leading to a deleterious accumulation of ROS.

Numerous types of oligonucleotide modifications have been developed since automated synthesis of DNA/RNA became a common instrument in the creation of synthetic oligonucleotides. Despite the growing number of types of oligonucleotide modifications under development, only a few of them, and moreover, their combinations have been studied wide enough in terms of their in-fluence on the properties of corresponding NA constructions. In the present study, a number of oligonucleotides with combinations of 3′ end lipophilic (single cholesteryl or pair of dodecyl residues) and phosphate backbone modifications were synthesized. The influence of the combi-nation of used lipophilic groups with phosphate modifications of various nature and different position on the efficiency of cell penetration was evaluated. Obtained results indicate that even a couple of phosphate modifications are able to affect a set of oligonucleotide properties in a complex manner and can remarkably change cellular uptake. These data clearly show that the strategy of using different patterns of modification combinations has great potential for the ra-tional design of oligonucleotide structures with desired predefined properties.

The sepiolite/ZrO2 composites were prepared by sepiolite (Sep) modification with zirconium propoxide in toluene, at room temperature for 24 h (Sep –ZrI) or 95 °C for 4h (sample Sep –ZrII). The efficiency of the obtained adsorbents for the removal of phosphate from aqueous solutions at initial pH = 4 and pH = 8, was investigated. Characterization of the samples showed that higher temperature of synthesis for shorter time provided slightly higher content of amorphous Zr-phase, which was deposited on sepiolite fibers as a thin layer and agglomerated nanoparticles. Compared to Sep, the composites had lower point of zero charge and higher specific surface area and pore volume. The adsorption kinetics follows the pseudo second-order model. The adsorption capacities of the composites were approximately the same at both initial pH and higher at initial pH = 4 than at pH = 8. The XPS and ATR-FTIR of Sep-ZrI before and after adsorption identified the formation of inner-sphere complexes as the mechanism of phosphate adsorption. The slow release during desorption with NaOH solution confirmed strong bonds of phosphates with the surface of the composites.

The injectable hydrated calcium phosphate bone-like paste (hCPP) have been developed with suitable nanoscale characteristics and unindered injection through 23G standard needles. In vitro assays showed the cytocompatibility of hCPP with mesenchymal embryonic C3H10T1/2 cell cultures. The hCPPs were identified to be composed of aggregated nano-sized particles with sphere-like shapes with low crystallinity. The ability of serum proteins (FBS) to adsorb on hCPP particles was also studied. The hCPP demonstrated high protein adsorption capacity, thereby indicating its potential in various biomedical applications. The results of the in vivo assay upon subcutaneous injection in Wistar rats indicated the nontoxicity and biocompatibility of experimental hCPP, as well as the gradual resorption of hCPP, comparable to the period of bone regeneration. The data obtained are of great interest for the development of commercial highly effective osteoplastic materials for bone tissue regeneration and augmentation.

The problem of effective immobilization of liquid radioactive waste (LRW) is key to the successful development of nuclear energy. The possibility of using magnesium potassium phosphate (MKP) compound for LRW immobilization on the example of nitric acid solutions containing actinides and rare earth elements (REE), including high level waste (HLW) surrogate solution is considered in the research work. Under the study of phase composition and structure of the MKP compounds obtained by the XRD and SEM methods, it was established that the compounds are composed of crystalline phases - analogues of natural phosphate minerals (struvite, metaankoleite). The hydrolytic stability of the compounds was determined according to the semi-dynamic test GOST R 52126-2003. Low leaching rates of radionuclides from the compound are established, including a differential leaching rate of ²³⁹Pu and ²⁴¹Am - 3.5 × 10^-7 and 5.3 × 10^-7 g/(cm²∙day). As a result of the research work it was concluded that the MKP compound is promising for LRW immobilization and can become an alternative material combining the advantages of easy implementation of the technology like cementation and the high physical and chemical stability corresponding to a glass-like compound.

In the past decade, under the background of the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality era, the rapid development of new energy vehicles has put forward higher requirements for the performance of strike forces such as battery cycle life, energy density and cost. Lithium-ion batteries have gradually become the mainstream of electric vehicle power batteries due to their excellent energy density, rate performance and cycle life. At present, the most widely used cathode materials for power batteries are lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and ternary nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM). However, these materials exhibit the bottlenecks that limit the improvement and promotion of power battery performance. In this review, the performance characteristics, cycle life attenuation mechanism (including structural damage, gas generation and active lithium loss, etc.) and improvement methods (including surface coating and element-doping modification) of LFP and NCM batteries are reviewed. Finally, the development prospects of this field are proposed.

Inspired by the process of bone formation in living organisms, many studies have been conducted to develop organic-inorganic composite materials by generating calcium phosphate crystals within solutions or dispersions of polymers with appropriate functional groups. Bones are composite materials consisting of organic polymers (mainly Type I collagen), carbonated apatite, and water, with volume fractions 35-45%, 35-45%, 15-25%, respectively. Carbonated apatite in bone contributes to rigidity, while organic polymers and water contribute to toughness. The inorganic crystal, carbonated apatite, is a plate-shaped crystal with dimensions of 50 nm × 25 nm × 1-4 nm, generating a significant organic-inorganic interface due to its nanoscale size. This interface is believed to absorb externally applied forces to dissipate mechanical energy to thermal energy. Creating such nanometer-scale structures using top-down approaches is challenging, making bottom-up methods like co-precipitation of polymer and inorganic crystals more suitable. In this account, efforts to develop eco-friendly mechanical materials using biomass such as cellulose and starch based on the bottom-up approach to bone-like composites are described.

Strontium (Sr) is a trace element in human body that able to promote bone formation and inhibit bone absorption. The conversion coating of strontium phosphate (Sr-P) on the surface of titanium (Ti) can improve its biological properties, and has a wide application prospect in the fields of dentistry and orthopedics. In this present study, Sr-P coatings with SrHPO4 and Sr3(PO4)2 crystals on Ti are prepared by phosphate chemical conversion (PCC) treatment. And the effect of pH on the properties of Sr-P coatings is researched. The results prove that phase composition, morphology and corrosion resistance of coated Ti are different with the pH values in PCC solution. The morphologies of conversion deposition on Ti change from plat-like to cluster-like, and then homogeneous microcrystals, as pH value changed from 2.50 to 3.25. Only discrete SrHPO4 crystals are generating on substrate at lower pH value, while relative stable Sr3(PO4)2 and SrHPO4 crystals are growing and subsequently forming an integrated coating on Ti as pH is higher than 2.50. The corrosion resistance of coated Ti improves comparing with that of bare Ti because of forming Sr-P coatings with Sr3(PO4)2 phase. In addition, it is indicated that the Sr-P coatings can improve the adhesion and differentiation of BMSCs.

Phosphorus (P) is an essential plant macronutrient; however, its availability is often limited in soils. Plants have evolved complex mechanisms for efficient phosphate (Pi) absorption, which are responsive to changes in external and internal Pi concentration, and orchestrated through local and systemic responses. To explore these systemic Pi responses, here, we identified AtMYB44 as a phloem-mobile mRNA, an Arabidopsis homolog of Cucumis sativus MYB44, that is responsive to the Pi-starvation stress. qRT-PCR assays revealed that AtMYB44 was up-regulated and expressed in both shoot and root in response to Pi-starvation stress. The atmyb44 mutant displayed higher shoot and root biomass, compared to wild-type plants, under Pi-starvation conditions. Interestingly, the expression of PHOSPHATE TRANSPORTER1;2 (PHT1;2) and PHT1;4 was enhanced in atmyb44 in response to a Pi-starvation treatment. A split-root assay showed that AtMYB44 expression was systemically regulated, under Pi-starvation conditions and, in atmyb44, systemic controls on PHT1;2 and PHT1;4 expression were moderately disrupted. Heterografting assays confirmed graft transmission of AtMYB44 transcripts, and PHT1;2 and PHT1;4 expression was decreased in heterografted atmyb44 rootstocks. Taken together, our findings support the hypothesis that mobile AtMYB44 mRNA serves as a long-distance Pi response signal, which negatively regulates Pi transport and utilization in Arabidopsis.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative olfactory disorder affecting millions of people worldwide. Alterations in the hexosamine or glucose-related pathways have been described through AD progression. Specifically, an alteration in glucosamine 6 phosphate isomerase 2 (GNPDA2) protein levels has been observed in olfactory areas from AD subjects. However, the biological role of GNPDA2 in neurodegeneration remains unknown. Using mass-spectrometry, multiple GNPDA2 interactors were identified in human nasal epithelial cells (NECs) mainly involved in intraciliary transport. Moreover, GNPDA2 overexpression induced an increment in NEC proliferation rates, accompanied by transcriptomic alterations in Type II interferon signalling or cellular stress responses. In contrast, the presence of beta-amyloid or mutated Tau-P301L in GNPDA2-overexpressing NECs induced a slow-down in the proliferative capacity in parallel with a disruption in protein processing. The proteomic characterization of Tau-P301L transgenic zebrafish embryos demonstrated that GNPDA2 overexpression interfered with collagen biosynthesis and RNA/protein processing, without inducing additional changes in axonal outgrowth defects nor neuronal cell death. In humans, a significant increase in serum GNPDA2 levels was observed across multiple neurological proteinopathies (AD, Lewy body dementia, progressive supranuclear palsy, mixed-dementia, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) (n=187). These data shed new light on GNPDA2-dependent mechanisms associated to the neurodegenerative process beyond the hexosamine route.

A Staudinger reaction on solid phase between an electronodeficit organic azide such as sulfonyl azide, and the phosphite triester formed upon phosphoramidite coupling is a convenient method for chemical modification of oligonucleotides at the internucleotidic phosphate position. In this work, 4-carboxybenzenesulfonyl azide either with a free carboxy group or in the form of an activated ester such as pentafluorophenyl, 4-nitrophenyl, or pentafluorobenzyl ester were used to introduce a carboxylic acid function to the terminal or internal internucleotidic phosphate of an oligonucleotide via Staudinger reaction. A subsequent treatment with excess primary alkyl amine followed by usual work-up, after prior activation with a suitable peptide coupling agent such as HBTU/HOBt in the case of a free carboxyl, afforded amide-linked oligonucleotide conjugates in good yields including multiple conjugations of up to the exhaustive modification at each phosphate position for a weakly activated pentafluorobenzyl ester, whereas more strongly activated and, thus, more reactive aryl esters provided only single conjugations at the 5′-end. The conjugates synthesized include those with di- and polyamines that introduce a positively charged side-chain to potentially assist intracellular delivery of the oligonucleotide.

Conclusion: When applied to the air-abraded Filtek™ Bulk Fill Flowable Restorative composite surface, 10-MDP-containing adhesives perform better than 10-MDP-free adhesives. The binding strength was unaffected by the 10-MDP-containing adhesives' chemical makeup. The bond strength endurance of adhesives containing 10-MDP decreases with age. Keywords: keyword 1; keyword 2; keywords: low-viscosity bulk fill composite, universal adhesives, self-etch adhesive, 10-MDP, aging, bond strength.

The aim of this study was to synthesize and characterize a novel Methacrylate- functionalized Calcium Phosphate (MCP) used as a bioactive compound for innovative dental composites. The characterization was accomplished by Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction Analysis (XRDA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and EnergyDispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The incorporation of MCP as a bioactive filler in esthetic dental composite formulations and the ability of MCP containing dental composites to promote precipitation of hydroxyapatite (HAp) on the surfaces of those dental composites was explored. The translucency parameter, depth of cure, degree of conversion, ion release profile, and other physical properties of composites were studied with respect to the amount of MCP added to the composites. Composites containing 3 Wt.%, 6 Wt.%, and 20 Wt.% MCP were evaluated at 7, 14, and 21 days. The progress of surface precipitation of hydroxyapatite on MCP-containing dental composites was studied by systematically increasing the MCP content in the composite and the time of specimen storage in Dulbecco’s phosphate-buffered solution with calcium and magnesium. It was found that there was a direct correlation between the percentage of MCP in a composite formulation, the amount of time the specimen was stored in PBS, and the deposition of hydroxyapatite on the composite’s surface

Background: Initial phases of molecular and cellular maladaptive bone response at early CKD remain mostly unknown. Methods: We induced mild CKD in SHRs by either arterial hypertension lasting six months (sham-operated rats, SO6) or in its’ combination with 3/4 nephrectomy lasting two and six months (Nx2 and Nx6, correspondently). Sham operated SHRs (SO2) and Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY2) with two-month follow-up served as controls. Animals were fed standard chow containing 0.6% phosphate. We measured creatinine clearance, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio, renal interstitial fibrosis, inorganic phosphate (Pi) exchange, intact PTH and FGF23, Klotho, dickkopf-1, sclerostin. And assessed bone response by static histomorphometric indices and gene expression profiles. Results: Mild CKD groups had no increase in renal Pi excretion, FGF23 and PTH levels. Serum Pi, dickkopf-1, and sclerostin were higher in Nx6. Decrease in trabecular bone area and osteocyte number was obvious in SO6. Nx2 and Nx6 had additionally lower osteoblast number. The decline in eroded perimeter was only apparent in Nx6. Significant downregulation of genes related to Pi transport, MAPK, WNT, and BMP signaling accompanied histological alterations in Nx2 and Nx6. Conclusions: We found an association of mild CKD with histological and molecular features suggesting lower bone turnover, which occurred at normal levels of systemic Pi-regulating factors.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a signaling lipid molecule involved in various cellular processes. It is important to develop a quantitative method for S1P to determine endogenous levels and to investigate its functions. Especially since S1P is a tiny lipid component of most biological samples, highly sensitive analysis by LC-MS/MS is required. The main challenge in S1P analysis by chromatography is peak broadening due to the presence of a polar phosphate and zwitterion formation in S1P. In this study, we used hydrogen fluoride (HF) to efficiently remove a phosphate and then analyzed the surrogate, sphingosine, as a sharp peak by LC-ESI-MS/MS. We optimized the dephosphorylation reaction in terms of reaction time, temperature, and HF concentration. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) for dephosphorylated form of S1P and C17-S1P as internal standard at m/z transition 300.4&gt;282.4 (quantification ion), 300.4&gt;262.4 (qualification ion), 286.3&gt;268.2 (internal standard). This method was validated by essential parameters such as specificity, linearity, range, LOQ, LOD, accuracy, precision, and repeatability. To confirm this new method, we quantified S1P levels in various serum products (100.02 ~ 284.38 nM). To apply the method in vivo, we analyzed S1P in plasma and kidney tissues obtained from a chronic kidney disease (CKD) mouse model. S1P levels were increased only in CKD kidney tissue but not in plasma. In conclusion, by applying the dephosphorylation step with HF, we established a new sensitive LC-MS/MS quantitative method for S1P that can be applied to biological samples.

Abstract: Composite sintered bodies comprising silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles dispersed in β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) were prepared. The addition of nano-sized colloidal SiO2 to the β-TCP produced well-dispersed secondary phase nanoparticles that promoted densification by suppressing grain growth and increasing volume shrinkage of the sintered bodies. The SiO2 was found not to react with the β-TCP at 1120 °C and the substitution of silicon for phosphorous to produce a solid solution did not occur. This lack of a reaction is ascribed to the absence of avail-able calcium ions to compensate for the increase in charge associated with this substitution. The SiO2 nanoparticles were found to be present near the intersections of grain boundaries in the β-TCP. A β-TCP composite sintered body containing 4.0 wt% SiO2 exhibited a bending strength comparable to that of cortical bone and hence could potentially be used as a bone filling material.

The aim of this systematic review is to describe and to identify prospect of β-Tricalcium Phosphate (β-TCP) as Alveolar Bone Grafting (ABG) in Cleft Lip/Palate (CL/P) or alveolar bone cleft defect. A systematic review protocol based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses 2020 (PRISMA 2020) was drafted. The literature search was conducted with MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science/ ISI-Web of Knowledge, Scopus and Cochrane Library with English language and no publication year limits. The keywords yielded a total of 5824 publications. There are 3196 suitable articles to evaluate after removing duplicates and languages. Afterward, 1315 studies left after doing title and abstract reading. In addition, 85 full-articles were assessed for eligibility. The read the complete texts of those papers and eventually chose 20 that matched the inclusion requirements. Thirteen of the twenty studies included in this systematic review had a low risk of bias, one had a high risk of bias, and six had moderate bias which not report the randomization. β-TCP as ABG is biocompatible, visible and practical, offers a less invasive procedure, and does not interfere with orthodontic treatment. β-TCP as synthetic ABG can be the alternative to autologous bone grafts with several terms and conditions. Improvement of β-TCP efficacy for ABG in CL/P or alveolar bone cleft defects can be done by a tissue engineering approach combining β-TCP with growth factor, mesenchymal stem cells, or other graft materials and modification of β-TCP physical properties.

Despite significant research efforts, the question of whether rising atmospheric CO₂ concentrations (C_a) affect leaf respiration remains unanswered. Here, I reanalyse published hydrogen isotope abundances in starch glucose of sunflower leaves. I report that, as C_a increases from 450 to 1500 ppm, respiration by the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway in chloroplasts increases from 0 to ≈ 5% relative to net carbon assimilation. This is consistent with known regulatory properties of the pathway. Summarising recent reports of metabolic fluxes in plant leaves, a picture emerges in which mitochondrial processes are distinctly less important for overall respiration than the oxidative pentose phosphate pathways in chloroplasts and the cytosol. Regulatory properties of these pathways are consistent with observations of lower-than-expected stimulations of photosynthesis in response to increasing C_a. Reported advances in understanding leaf respiratory mechanisms may enable modelling and prediction of respiration effects (inter alia) on biosphere-atmosphere CO₂ exchange and plant performance under climate change.

Octacalcium phosphate (OCP) is a precursor of biological apatite crystals that has attracted attention as a possible bone substitute. On the other hand, few studies have examined this material at the experimental level due to the limitations of OCP mass production. Recently, mass production technology of OCP was developed, and the launch of OCP bone substitutes is occurring. In this study, the bone regeneration capacity of OCP products was compared with two of the most clinically used materials: heat-treated bovine bone (BHA) and sintered biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP). Twelve rabbits were used, and defects in each tibia were filled with OCP, BHA, BCP, and left unfilled as control (CON). The tibias were harvested at 4 and 12 weeks, and 15 μm slides were prepared using the diamond grinding method after being embedded in resin. Histological and histomorphometric analyses were performed to evaluate the bone regeneration ability and mechanism. The OCP showed significantly higher resorption and new bone formation in both periods analysed (p<0.05). Overall, OCP bone substitutes can enhance bone regeneration significantly by activating osteoblasts and a rapid phase transition of OCP crystals to biological apatite crystals (mineralisation), as well as providing additional space for new bone formation by rapid resorption.

Dentin bonding is a key in restorative dentistry. Herein, we developed self-etching two-bottle adhesive system containing 10-methacryloyloxidecyl dihydrogen phosphate monomer (MDP) and the physical, mechanical, and biocompatible properties were evaluated. The characteristics of MDP were analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The water sorption and solubility, the shear-bond strengths to dentin and enamel, and cytotoxicity tests were performed. The newly blended experimental group showed the lowest thickness and water sorption and solubility values. The shear bond strength to enamel and dentin were comparable to control groups (the three other products) all test groups showed 60% of cell viability. In this study, the properties of the newly synthesized adhesive are comparable with the others. The fundamental goal of this study is to get the MDP patent released, as it is intended for domestic production. For this purpose, this dentin adhesive was developed and compared with the commercial product.

The combination of calcium phosphates (CaP) with bioactive glasses (BG) has received an increased interest in the field of bone tissue engineering. In the present work, biphasic calcium phosphates (BCP) obtained by hydrothermal transformation (HT) of cuttlefish bone (CB) were coated with a Sr-, Mg- and Zn-doped sol-gel derived BG. The scaffolds were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The initial CB structure was maintained after HT and the scaffold functionalization did not jeopardize the internal structure. The results of in vitro bio-mineralization after immersing the BG coated scaffolds in simulated body fluid (SBF) showed extensive formation of bone-like apatite onto the surface of the scaffolds. Overall, the functionalized CB derived BCP scaffolds revealed promising properties for their use in bone tissue engineering field.

A new label-free molecular probe for luminescent nucleotide detection in neutral aqueous solution is presented. Phosphate-containing molecules such as nucleotides possess vital role in cell metabolism, energy economy, and signaling. Thus the monitoring of nucleotide concentration and nucleotide related enzymatic reactions is of high importance. Two component lanthanide complex formed from Tb(III) ion carrier and light harvesting antenna, readily distinguishes nucleotides containing different number of phosphates and enable direct detection of enzymatic reactions converting nucleotide triphosphate (NTP) to nucleotide di/monophosphate or the opposite. Developed sensor enables the detection of enzymatic activity with a low nanomolar sensitivity, as highlighted with K-Ras and apyrase enzymes in there hydrolysis assays performed in high throughput screening compatible 384-well plate format.

3D plotting is an additive manufacturing technology enabling biofabrication, thus the integration of cells or biologically sensitive proteins or growth factors into the manufacturing process. However, most (bio-)inks developed for 3D plotting were not shown to be processed into clinical relevant geometries comprising critical overhangs and cavities, which would collapse without a sufficient support material. Herein, we have developed a support hydrogel ink based on methylcellulose (mc), which is able to act as support as long as the co-plotted main structure is not stable. Therefore, 6 w/v %, 8 w/v % and 10 w/v % mc were allowed to swell in water, resulting in viscous inks, which were characterized for their rheological and extrusion properties. The successful usage of 10 w/v % mc as support ink was proven by multichannel plotting of the support together with a plottable calcium phosphate cement (CPC) acting as main structure. CPC scaffolds displaying critical overhangs or a large central cavity could be plotted accurately with the newly developed mc support ink. The dissolution properties of mc allowed complete removal of the gel without residuals, once CPC setting was finished. Finally, we fabricated a scaphoid bone model by computed tomography data acquisition and co-extrusion of CPC and the mc support hydrogel.

The pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is one of three major pathways involved in glucose metabolism, regulated by glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), controlling NADPH formation. NADPH, in turn, regulates the balance of oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. G6PD dysfunction, affecting PPP, is implicated in neurological disorders, including epilepsy. However, PPP's role in epileptogenesis and ROS production during epileptic activity remains unclear. To clarify these points, we conducted electrophysiological and imaging analyses on mouse hippocampal brain slices. Using the specific G6PD inhibitor G6PDi-1, we assessed its effects on mouse hippocampal slices, examining intracellular ROS, glucose/oxygen consumption, and ROS production during synaptic stimulation and in the 4AP epilepsy model. G6PDi-1 increased basal intracellular ROS levels and reduced synaptically induced glucose consumption but had no impact on ROS production from synaptic stimulation. In the 4AP model, G6PDi-1 didn't significantly alter spontaneous seizure frequency or H2O2 release amplitude but increased the frequency and peak amplitude of interictal events. These findings suggest that short-term PPP inhibition has a minimal impact on synaptic circuit activity.

Traditional metals such as stainless steel, titanium and cobalt chrome are used in biomedical applications (implants, scaffolds etc.) but suffer from issues such as osseointegration and compatibility with existing bone. One way to improve traditional biomaterials is to incorporate ceramics with these metals so that their mechanical properties can be similar to cortical bones. Tricalcium phosphate is such a ceramic with properties so that it can be used in human body. This research explores the use of binder jetting based additive manufacturing process to create a novel biocomposite made of cobalt chrome and tricalcium phosphate. Experiments were conducted and processing parameters were varied to study their effect on the printing of this biocomposite. Layer thickness, binder saturation and drying time affected the dimensional tolerance and the density of the green samples. This effect is important to understand so that the material can be optimized for use in specific applications.

Porous β-tricalcium phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2; β-TCP) was prepared by freeze-drying and the effects of this process on pore shapes and sizes were investigated. Various samples were prepared by freezing β-TCP slurries above a liquid nitrogen surface at −180 °C with subsequent immersion in liquid nitrogen at −196 °C. These materials were then dried under reduced pressure in a freeze-dryer after which they were sintered by heating. Compared with conventional heat-based drying, the resulting pores were more spherical, which increased both the mechanical strength and porosity of the β-TCP. These materials had a wide range of pore sizes from 50 to 200 µm, with the mean and median values both approximately 100 µm regardless of the freeze-drying conditions. Mercury porosimetry data showed that the samples contained small, interconnected pores with sizes of up to 1.24 µm and macroscopic, interconnected pores up to 25.8 µm in size. The effects of non-ionic surfactants having different hydrophilic/lipophilic balance (HLB) values on foaming and pore size were also investigated. Materials made with surfactants having lower HLB values exhibited smaller pores and lower porosity whereas higher HLB surfactants gave higher porosity and slightly larger macropores. Even so, the pore diameter could not be readily controlled solely by adjusting the HLB value. The findings of this work indicated that high porosity (75%) and good compressive strength (&gt;2 MPa) can both be obtained in the same porous material and that foaming agents with HLB values between 12.0 and 13.5 were optimal.

Microalgae are naturally adapted to fluctuating availability of phosphorus (P) being capable to opportunistically uptake large amounts of inorganic phosphate (Pi) and safely store it in the cell as polyphosphate. Hence, many microalgal species are remarkably resilient to high concentrations of external Pi. Here we report on an exception from this pattern comprised by a failure of the high Pi-resilience in a strain Micractinium simplicissimum IPPAS C-2056 normally coping with a very high Pi concentrations. This phenomenon occurred after abrupt re-supplementation of Pi to the M. simplicissimum culture pre-starved of P. This was the case even if Pi was re-supplemented in a concentration far below the level toxic to the P-sufficient culture. We hypothesize that this effect can be mediated by a rapid formation of the potentially toxic short-chain polyphosphate following the mass influx of Pi into the P-starved cell. A possible reason for this is that the preceding P starvation impairs the capacity of the cell of converting the newly absorbed Pi into a “safe” storage form of long-chain polyphosphate. We believe that findings of this study can help to avoid sudden culture crashes, they are also of potential significance for development of algae-based technologies for efficient bioremoval of P from P-rich waste streams.

This research was specifically aimed at assessing the influence of sulfur in triple-super phosphate (TSP) on wheat yield. From the results, wheat showed response to sulfur (S) from gypsum (in 67%); and nitrogen (N) from urea in about 100% (of 24 sites). Based on this N was found to be the most limiting element to wheat production followed by sulfur, and then by phosphorus. TSP is tested to contain agronomically up to 2-6% by weight of S. However, wheat didn’t show response to S impurity supplied in the form of TSP. Though, not statistically significant, it is observed that there have always been yield increments by certain percent due to S from TSP in 8 out of 10 target sites, which is depicted in the increasing trends of yield response curves. From this it is learnt that, the benefits of the accidental/incidental application of such high analysis fertilizers can be many-folds in the quality attributes of wheat, if the soils of such investigation at the same time would contain significant amount of organic matter (OM). Indeed, such analysis would be vital in varietal specific nutrient requirement studies in precision-farming and/or in categorizing soils into fertility gradients and fertilizer recommendation domains.

Aims: To study the effects of pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) on oxidative stress in isolated pancreatic acinar cells. We have previously shown that PLP has cytoprotective and insulinotropic effects on mice islet cells in vivo and in vitro studies. Main methods: Acinar cells were isolated from three months old WNIN male rats and were cultured in vitro for a period of 24 h in CO₂ incubator. Later the cells were divided into four groups as untreated (group 1), H₂O₂ treatment (group 2)_, PLP treatment (group 3) and PLP followed by H₂O₂ treatment (group 4). Cell viability was confirmed using MTT assays, oxidative stress levels were measured with ROS assay, change in different protein levels were recorded by flow cytometry. The acinar cells insulin secretion assay was performed with ELISA. The amylase protein expression was assessed using confocal microscopy. Key findings: The cell viability of acinar cell in group 1 was considered as 100%, while in group 2 it was reduced to 82% due to H₂O₂ effect, and in group 3 (99.8%) and group 4 (99.5%) were near to group 1 due to the cytoprotective effect of PLP. The ROS levels were increased by 1.47 folds in group 2, while PLP decreased to 1.02 fold in group 4, which was comparable with the changes in group 1. Beneficial effects of PLP were also observed from the increased expression levels of acinar cells are amylase -2.01, neurogenin-3-9.51, PDX-1- 23.6 and insulin-13.5 in group 3 compared to group 1. The specificity of PLP’s response was confirmed by amino oxy acetic acid (AOAA), a specific PLP inhibitor. The increased amylase protein localization with PLP was confirmed by confocal microscopy. Insulin secretion efficiency of acinar cells was observed to be 6.13 folds higher at basal and 24.63 fold higher at stimulated levels in group3 compared to group1. Significance: Our results advocate the antioxidant and cytoprotective effects of PLP on the pancreatic acinar cell along with increased pancreatic marker expressions of amylase,PDX-1, neurogenin-3 and insulin proteins.

Water is essential for all living things however its pain has become serious. Many industrial activities cause its pollution by the release of polluting byproduct. Waste water treatment is hence necessary. In this context, the waste water of the textile industry containing Red Acid 52 was treated by the solid waste of the washed natural phosphate byproduct. Natural phosphate was also studied. The solid materials were first characterized by chemical analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The phosphate materials were after that, tested in the adsorption of the Red Acid 52. The experimental data indicated that the phosphate waste rock allowed the removal of Red Acid 52. Its maximum retention capacity attained 18.4 mg.g-1. Calcinations of materials inhibits the removal capacity found reduced by 60 to 70%. The adsorption kinetics of the Red Acid 52 on the material is well described by the pseudo second order model while the adsorption isotherms are identified by the Langmuir model. Hereafter, the thermodynamic study revealed that the adsorption process is spontaneous and exothermic. Keywords: Waste water, Phosphate co-product, Adsorption, Red Acid 52.

In this research, we isolated and characterized Streptomyces strains, endemic from sugar beet fields of the Beni-Mellal region, able to use natural rock phosphate (RP) and tricalcium phosphate (TCP), as sole phosphate source. Ten Streptomyces isolates yielded a comparable biomass in the presence of these two insoluble phosphate sources, indicating that they were able to extract similar amount of phosphorus (P) from the latter for their own growth. Interestingly, five strains released soluble P in large excess from TCP in their culture broth whereas only two strains, BP, related to Streptomyces bellus and BYC, related to Streptomyces enissocaesilis, released a higher or similar amount of soluble P from RP than from TCP, respectively. This indicated that the rate of P released from these insoluble phosphate sources exceeded its consumption rate for bacterial growth and that most strains solubilized TCP more efficiently than RP. Preliminary results suggested that the solubilization process of BYC, the most efficient RP and TCP solubilizing strain, involves both acidification of the medium and excretion of siderophores. Actinomycete strains possessing such interesting RP solubilizing abilities may constitute a novel kind of intrans beneficial for plant nutrition and more environmentally friendly than chemical fertilizers in current use.

Objective: Regeneration of bone defects remains a challenge for maxillofacial and reparative surgeons. The purpose of this histological study was to assess the osteogenic potential of octacalcium phosphate (OCP) and bone matrix gelatin (BMG) alone and in combination in artificially created mandibular bone defects in rats. The quality of the newly formed bone was also evaluated. Methods: Thirty-six male Sprague Dawley rats (6-8 weeks old with 120-150 g weight) were randomly divided into four groups. Defects (3 mm in diameter and 2 mm in depth) were created in the mandible of rats and filled with 6 mg of OCP, BMG or a combination of both (1/4 ratio), respectively. Defects were left unfilled in the control group. To assess osteoinduction and bone regeneration and determine the quality of the newly formed bone, tissue specimens were harvested at seven, 14, and 21 days post-implantation. The specimens were processed, stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and histologically analyzed under light microscopy. Results: In the experimental groups, new bone formation was initiated at the margins of defects from seventh day after implantation. At the end of the study period, the amount of the newly formed bone increased and the bone was relatively mature. Osteoinduction and new bone formation were greater in OCP/BMG group. In the control group, slight amount of new bone had been formed at the defect margins (next to host bone) on day 21. Conclusion: Combination of OCP/BMG may serve as an optimal biomaterial for treatment of mandibular bone defects.

The creation of nano-zero-valent iron (nZVI) by implementing plant extracts is an environmentally friendly process. High antioxidant capacity and phenol content indicated the possibility of oak-nZVI synthesis using oak leaf extract as a stable material with minimal agglomeration. Simultaneously removal of Cd and phosphates and Ni and phosphates was optimized by a statistically designed experiment with a definitive screening design. In terms of significance, 4 input parameters on process productivity were monitored: initial metal concentration (1 - 9 mgL-1), initial ion concentration (1- 9 mgL-1), pH value (2 - 10) and oak-nZVI dosage (2 - 16 ml). Phosphate removal efficiency, in the presence of cadmium, was the most influenced by oak-nZVI dose and cadmium concentration, while pH gave three statistically significant interactions with oak-nZVI dosage, cadmium concentration, and phosphate concentration. Phosphate removal efficiency, in the presence of Ni, is the most influenced by nickel concentration, phosphate concentration, pH, two-factor interaction between nZVI dose and Ni concentration, and quadratic phosphate interaction. The process optimization yielded the highest simultaneous removal efficiency of 98.99% and 87.30% for cadmium and phosphate ions, respectively. Also, the highest simultaneous removal efficiency of nickel and phosphates ion was 93.44% for 96.75%, respectively. The optimization process fits into the confidence intervals, confirming the assumption that the adopted regression model describes the process well. This work demonstrated an enormous potential and prosperous application for the Cd(II), Ni(II), and phosphate removal from water matrices.

Recombinant human collagen peptide (RCP) is a recombinantly created xeno-free biomaterial enriched in RGD (arginine-glycine-aspartic acid) sequences, with good processability that is being investigated for regenerative medicine applications. Recently, the biocompatibility and osteogenic ability of β-TCP/RCP (RCP granules combined with β-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) submicron particles) were demonstrated. In the present study, β-TCP/RCP was implanted into experimental periodontal tissue defects (three-walled bone defect) created in beagle dogs to investigate tissue responses and subsequent regenerative effects. Micro computed tomography image analysis at 8 weeks postoperatively showed that the amount of new bone after β-TCP/RCP graft was significantly greater (2.2 fold, P&lt;0.05) than that of the control (no graft) group. Histological findings showed that the transplanted β-TCP/RCP induced active bone-like tissue formation including TRAP-positive and OCN-positive cells as well as bioabsorbability. Ankylosis did not occur, and periostin-positive periodontal ligament-like tissue formation was observed. Histological measurements revealed that β-TCP/RCP implantation formed 1.7-fold more bone-like tissue and 2.1-fold more periodontal ligament-like tissue than the control, and significantly suppressed gingival recession and epithelial downgrowth (P&lt;0.05). These results suggest that β-TCP/RCP is effective as a periodontal tissue regenerative material.

The changes in storage loss, water distribution status, gel characteristics, TBARS, total volatile basic nitrogen, and total plate count of cooked reduced-phosphate silver carp surimi batter during cold storage at 4 °C were investigated. The storage loss, content of free water, pH, hardness, TBARS, total volatile basic nitrogen value and total plate count of all cooked reduced-phosphate silver carp surimi batters significantly increased (P < 0.05) with increasing the cold storage time. Meanwhile, the content of immobilized water, whiteness, springiness, and cohesiveness decreased significantly (P < 0.05). At the same cold storage time, the sample of cooked reduced-phosphate silver carp surimi batter has lower water mobility, darker colour and better texture characteristics, but the values of TBARS, total volatile basic nitrogen and total plate count were not significantly different (P > 0.05). To sum up, the use of potassium bicarbonate instead of sodium tripolyphosphate could produce the cooked reduced-phosphate silver carp surimi batter with better water holding capacity and gel characteristics during cold storage.

Plants attained cellular homeostasis of phosphate (Pi) through an integrated response pathway regulated by different families of transcription factors including MYB, WRKY, bHLH and ZFP. The systemic response to Pi limitation showed the critical role played by inositol pyrophosphate (PP-InsPs) as signaling molecule and SPX (SYG1/PHO81/XPR1) domain proteins as sensor of cellular Pi status. Binding of SPX to PP-InsPs regulates the transcriptional activity of the MYB-CC proteins, phosphate starvation response factors (PHR/PHL) as the central regulator of Pi-deficiency response in plants. Vacuolar phosphate transporter, VPT may sense the cellular Pi status by its SPX domain, and vacuolar sequestration is activated under Pi replete condition and the stored Pi is an important resource to be mobilized under Pi deficiency. Proteomic approaches led to new discoveries of proteins associated with Pi-deficient response pathways and post-translational events that may influence plants in achieving Pi homeostasis. This review provides current understanding on the molecular mechanisms at the transcriptional and translational levels for achieving Pi homeostasis in plants highlighting the importance of DNA-protein and protein-protein interactions. The potential strategies for employing the CRISPR technology to modify the gene sequences of key regulatory and response proteins for attaining plant Pi homeostasis are discussed.

This study evaluated the efficacy of experimental TEGDMA-functionalized dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (T-DCPD) filler-based resin-based composites (RBC) in preventing caries lesions around the restoration margins (secondary caries”, SC). Standardized Class-II cavities were made in sound molars having the cervical margin in dentin. Cavities were filled with a commercial resin-modified glass-ionomer cement (RMGIC) or experimental RBCs containing a BisGMA-TEGDMA resin blend and one of the following inorganic fractions: 60 wt.% Ba glass (RBC-0); 40 wt.% Ba glass, 20 wt.% T-DCPD (RBC-20); 20 wt.% Ba glass, 40 wt.% T-DCPD (RBC-40). An open-system bioreactor produced S. mutans biofilm-driven SC. Specimens were scanned using micro-CT to evaluate demineralization depths. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy characterized the specimens’ surfaces, while antimicrobial activity, buffering effect, and ion uptake by the biofilms were also evaluated. ANOVA and Tukey’s test were applied at p<0.05. RBC-0 and RBC-20 showed SC development in dentin, while RBC-40 and RMGIC significantly reduced the lesion depth at the restoration margin (p<0.0001). Initial enamel demineralization could be observed only around RBC-0 and RBC-20 restorations. A direct antibiofilm activity could explain SC reduction by RMGIC, while a buffering effect on biofilm’s acidogenicity explained the behavior of RBC-40. Experimental RBC with CaP-releasing functionalized T-DCPD filler could prevent SC with the same efficacy as F-releasing materials.

Cattle slurry is an important nitrogen source for maize on dairy farms. Slurry injection is an effective measure to reduce ammonia emissions after field application, but with higher risk of nitrous oxide emission than surface application. This study compared soil mineral nitrogen dynamics and nitrous oxide emissions with two ways of application. First, traditional injection at 25 cm spacing between rows followed by ploughing (called “non-placed slurry”), and second, injection using a new so-called goosefoot slurry injector that placed the slurry in ploughed soil as a c. 30 cm broad band at 10 cm depth below maize crop rows with 75 cm spacing (named “placed slurry”). Furthermore, the effect of treating slurry with the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) in Vizura® was tested with both application methods. The field experiment was conducted on a sandy loam soil in a temperate climate. Both nitrous oxide emissions, and the dynamics of soil mineral nitrogen, were monitored for eight weeks after slurry application and seeding of maize using static chambers. The level of nitrous oxide emissions was higher with non-placed compared to placed slurry, mainly due to higher emissions during the first four weeks. That might be due to higher rates of nitrification rate and in turn stimulation of denitrification process. In both placed and non-placed slurry treatments, Vizura® caused higher soil ammonium concentrations and lower nitrate concentrations, particularly from 3 to 8 weeks after slurry application. The final level of soil nitrate was similar with and without the nitrification inhibitor, but higher with placed compared to non-placed slurry. Adding Vizura® to non-placed slurry reduced nitrous oxide emissions by 70 % when compared to placed slurry. Surprisingly, there was a non-significant trend towards higher cumulative emissions from placed slurry with the nitrification inhibitor compared to untreated slurry, which were due to higher emissions in the last part of the monitoring period (5-7 weeks after slurry application). Possibly degradation of the nitrification inhibitor, and nitrification activity inside the slurry band as the soil dried, promoted nitrous oxide emissions by this time. In summary, placement of untreated slurry in a broad band under maize seeds reduced nitrous oxide emissions compared to non-placed slurry with more soil contact. A comparable reduction was achieved by adding a nitrification inhibitor to non-placed slurry. The pattern of nitrous oxide emissions from placed slurry treated with the inhibitor was complex and requires more investigation.

The search for sustainable resources remains a subject of global interest and the conversion of the abundantly available bivalve shell wastes to advanced materials is an intriguing method. By grinding, each shell of bivalves (cockle, mussel, and oyster) was transformed to the same crystal type of calcite phase of CaCO3, revealed by FTIR and XRD results. Each individual shell powder was reacted with H3PO4 and H2O to prepare Ca(H2PO4)2•H2O giving an anorthic crystal structure. The mixture of each shell powder and its produced Ca(H2PO4)2•H2O was heated at 900 °C for 3 h, giving rhombohedral crystal -Ca3(PO4)2 powder. FTIR and XRD results of the CaCO3, Ca(H2PO4)2•H2O, and Ca3(PO4)2 prepared from each shell powder are quite similar showing no impurities. Thermal behaviors of CaCO3 and Ca(H2PO4)2•H2O produced from each shell are slightly different. Particle sizes and morphologies of all products are significantly different, affected by the kind of shells used. Overall, the bivalve shell wastes were successfully converted to CaCO3, Ca(H2PO4)2•H2O, and Ca3(PO4)2 by a simple, rapid, environmentally benign, and cost-effective approach, which can be a huge potential in many industries providing both economic and ecological benefits according to the Bio-Circular-Green Economy (BCG) model.

The anodic polarization response of magnesium alloy AZ31 was characterized during exposure to aerated 0.1M NaCl solutions with millimolar additions of NaVO₃, Na₃PO₄, Na₂HPO₄, NaF and various pairings to assess their ability to inhibit corrosion kinetics and retard localized corrosion. Each of the candidate inhibitors reduced the corrosion rate of the alloy to some degree. A Na₃PO₄ - NaVO₃ pair produced a powerful inhibiting response decreasing the corrosion rate to about 10^-7 A/cm², which was two orders of magnitude lower than the uninhibited control case. A Bliss Independence assessment indicated that this inhibitor pair acted synergistically. A Na₂HPO₄ - NaVO₃ pair reduced the corrosion rate to 10^-6 A/cm² but was not assessed to be acting synergistically. The NaVO₃ - NaF pair did not reduce the corrosion rate significantly compared to the control case and was an antagonistic pairing. SEM imaging showed film formation due to exposure, which appears to be the origins of the observed inhibition. The resistance to localized corrosion was assessed as the difference in the breakdown potential and the corrosion potential with larger values indicating a lower probability of localized corrosion during free corrosion exposures. Effects of the inhibitors on this characteristic were mixed, but each of the inhibitor pairs yielded potential differences in excess of 100mV. A conceptual conversion coating process based on a mixture of vanadate and phosphate compounds were demonstrated. A fluoride-bearing formulation produced coatings whose total impedance was increased by a factor or 2 compared to an uncoated control. A fluoride-free formulation produced coatings whose corrosion resistance was increased by more than a factor of 3.

In the paper, the effect of voltage increasing (from 500 VDC up to 650 VDC) on the structure and chemical composition of porous coating on titanium made by Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation, is presented. In the present paper, phosphates based coatings enriched with calcium, magnesium, zinc and copper in electrolyte based on 1 L of 85% concentrated H3PO4 with additions of Ca(NO3)2·4H2O, and Mg(NO3)2∙6H2O, and Zn(NO3)2∙6H2O, and Cu(NO3)2∙3H2O, are described. The morphology, chemical and phase composition, are evaluated using SEM, EDS, XRD, XPS, GDOES. Based on all the analyses, it was found out that the PEO coatings are porous and enriched with calcium, magnesium, zinc and copper. They consist mainly of the amorphous phase, which is more visible for higher voltages, and it is correlated with the increasing of the total PEO coating thickness (the higher the voltage, the thicker the PEO coating). However, for 650 VDC an amorphous phase and titanium substrate was also recorded with a signal from Ti2P2O7 crystalline, that was not observed for lower voltages. It was also found out that all the obtained coatings may be divided in three sub-layers, i.e. porous, semiporous, and transition one.

Nowadays, we can observe a worldwide trend towards the development of synthetic biomaterials. Numerous researches have been carried out in order to better understand the cellular behavior involved in the inflammation and bone healing processes related to living tissues. The aim of this study is to evaluate the tissue behavior of two different types of biomaterials: synthetic nano-hydroxyapatite / beta-tricalcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite in non-critical bone defects in rat calvaria. Twenty four rats underwent surgery in which two 3 mm defects in each cavity were performed. The rats were divided into 2 groups: Group 1, using xenogen hydroxyapatite (Bio oss ™); Group 2, using synthetic nano-hydroxyapatite / beta-tricalcium phosphate (Blue Bone ™). Sixty days after the surgery, the calvaria bone defect was filled with biomaterial, the animals were sacrificed and marked with Masson's trichrome and PAS staining, and immunohistochemistry (TNF-α, MMP-9) and electron microscopy analyzes were performed. Histomorphometric analysis indicates a greater presence in the protein matrix in Group 2, in addition to higher levels of TNF-α, MMP-9. The ultrastructural analysis shows an association of material with fibroblasts in the tissue regeneration stage. Paired statistical data indicates that Blue Bone ™ can improve bone formation / remodeling when compared to biomaterials of xenogenous origin.

Background: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a major health concern. There is a growing recognition of the causal interplay between arterial stiffness and HFpEF. We recently reported that phosphate retention is a trigger for arterial stiffness. This study focuses on whether arterial stiffness due to phosphate retention could be a predictor for HFpEF. Methods: The study subjects were 158 patients (68 males and 90 females, mean age 74.8±11.2). HFpEF was defined according to the guidelines of the ESC 2019. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and central systolic blood pressure (CSBP) were used as markers for arterial stiffness and afterload, respectively. We measured serum levels of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) as a marker of phosphate retention. Results: The serum levels of FGF23 had significant relationship with PWV. PWV had significant relationships with LV mass index, plasma BNP levels, and relative wall thickness, e’ and E/e’ (p<0.001, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that PWV higher values and hypertension were significant predictors for the dependent factor (HFpEF). Conclusions: Arterial stiffness amplified LV afterload, leading to LV concentric hypertrophy and LV diastolic dysfunction. This study presents that arterial stiffness due to phosphate retention, and hypertension are important predictors of HFpEF.

An off-grid solar energy storage system (ESS) in National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) was built and officially operated on Jun. 16th 2022. The system is installed in a 40' general container with PV panels of solar power 8250 W_p on top of the container. The ESS is made by repurposed lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries of 20 kWh capacity, where a battery management system (BMS) is adopted to ensured the safety of the battery system. An energy management system (EMS) is built to receive, process, analyse, store, and output the energy information. In this manuscript, a brief engineering report about the system is given.

Background: Oxygen exists in two gaseous (dioxygen and ozone) and six solid allotropic modifications. An additional allotropic modification of oxygen, the cyclooctaoxygen, was predicted to exist in 1990. The first synthesis and characterization of cyclooctaoxygen as its sodium crown complex, isolated in the form of three cytosine nucleoside hydrochloride complexes, was reported in 2016.Results: The sperminium hydrogen phosphate/cyclooctaoxygen sodium complex is calculated to cover the actively transcribed regions (2.6%) of bovine lymphocyte interphase genome. Cyclooctaoxygen seems to be naturally absent in hypoxia-induced highly condensed chromatin, taken as a model for eukaryotic metaphase/anaphase/early telophase mitotic chromatin. Hence, it is proposed that the cyclooctaoxygen sodium-bridged sperminium hydrogen phosphate and selenite coverage serves as an epigenetic shell of actively transcribed gene regions in eukaryotic ‘open’ euchromatin DNA. Cyclooctaoxygen sodium-bridged sperminium hydrogen selenite was calculated to serve as a marker shell component at ATG start codons in human euchromatin DNA mRNA genes, both at the translation initiation triplet and at 5'-untranslated region upstream ATGs. The total herbicide glyphosate (ROUNDUP®) and its metabolite (aminomethyl)phosphonic acid (AMPA) are proved to represent ‘epigenetic poisons’, since they both selectively destroy the cyclooctaoxygen sodium complex. This definition is of reason, since the destruction of cyclooctaoxygen is certainly sufficient to bring the protection shield of human euchromatin into collateral epigenetic collapse.Conclusions: The total herbicide glyphosate and its environmental metabolite (aminomethyl)phosphonic acid (AMPA) can be associated in vitro with catalytic detoriation of eukaryotic euchromatin genetic information.General Significance: The epigenetic shell of eukaryotic euchromatin is susceptible to decay induced by catalytic epigenetic poisons threatening eukaryotic genomic heritage.

Aim: To evaluate the clinical findings of glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase(G6PD) and pyruvate kinase(PK) deficiency in prolonged jaundice. To determine whether systemic-immune-inflammation index(SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) can be used in the diagnosis of neonatal prolonged jaundice. Methods: In full term neonates with hyperbilirubinemia who were admitted to Medicine Hospital between January 2019 and January 2024 with the complaint of jaundice, 167 infants with a serum bilirubin level above 10 mg/dL, whose jaundice persisted after the 10th day, were included in the study. Results: G6PD was negatively correlated with NLR, SII, age, and Hct. There was a negatively poor correlation between G6PD and NLR and a negatively moderate correlation between G6PD and SII when adjusted for age and Hct. PK showed no significant correlation with G6PD, NLR, PLR, SII, age, and Hct. A linear relationship was observed between G6PD and SII and NLR. Conclusions: NLR and SII can be easily calculated in the evaluation of prolonged jaundice in G6PD deficiency has a considerable advantage. NLR and SII levels may contribute by preventing further tests for prolonged jaundice and regulating its treatment. It may be useful to form an opinion in emergencies and in the early period.

With the rapid development of tumor immunotherapy, nanoparticle vaccines have attracted much attention as a potential therapeutic strategy. The potential role of the mannose-modified lipid calcium phosphate nanoparticle vaccine in enhancing the anti-tumor immune response was investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of mannose modification on the immune response of nanoparticles in regulating the tumor microenvironment through systematic review and analysis and to explore its potential clinical application in tumor therapy. Currently, despite the potential advantages of nanoparticle vaccines in immunotherapy, achieving an effective immune response in the tumor microenvironment remains a challenge. Tumor immune escape and overexpression of immunosuppressive factors limit its clinical application. Therefore, this study will explore how to intervene in the immunosuppressive mechanism in the tumor microenvironment through mannose-modified lipid calcium phosphate nanoparticle vaccines so as to improve the immunotherapy effect of tumor patients and provide new ideas and strategies for the field of tumor therapy.

Core chlorophytes possess glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenases (GPDs) with an unusual bidomain structure, consisting of a glycerol-3-phosphate phosphatase (GPP) domain fused to canonical GPD domains. These plastid-localized enzymes have been implicated in stress responses, being required for the synthesis of glycerol under high salinity and triacylglycerols under nutrient deprivation. However, their regulation under varying environmental conditions is poorly understood. C. reinhardtii transgenic strains expressing constitutively bidomain GPD2 did not accumulate glycerol or triacylglycerols in the absence of any environmental stress. Although, the glycerol contents of both wild type and transgenic strains increased significantly upon exposure to high salinity. Cycloheximide, an inhibitor of cytoplasmic protein synthesis, abolished this response in the wild type. In contrast, GPD2 transgenic strains were still capable of glycerol accumulation when cultured in medium containing cycloheximide and NaCl. Thus, pre-existing GPD2 protein appears to become activated for glycerol synthesis upon salt stress. Interestingly, staurosporine, a non-specific inhibitor of protein kinases, prevented this post-translational GPD2 protein activation. Structural modeling analyses suggested that substantial conformational rearrangements, possibly triggered by high salinity, may characterize an active GPD2 GPP domain. Understanding this mechanism(s) may provide insights into the rapid acclimation responses of microalgae to osmotic/salinity stress.

RCH is known rapidly enhance cold tolerance of insects. Trehalose has been demonstrated to be one of the cryoprotectant in L. oryzophilus, an important invasive pest of rice in China. Trehalose synthesis mainly occurs through the TPS/TPP pathway in insects. In this study, LoTPS gene was cloned and characterized for the first time. Its expression and trehalose content changes elicited by RCH were investigated. Our results revealed that RCH not only increased the survival rate of adults but also upregulated the gene expression level of LoTPS and increased trehalose content under low temperature. We hypothesized upregulated LoTPS promoted trehalose synthesis and accumulation to protect adults from low-temperature damage. To further verify the function of LoTPS gene, we employed RNAi technology. Our findings showed that RCH efficiency disappeared and failed to increase the survival rate when the adults were fed dsRNA of LoTPS. Additionally, inhibiting LoTPS gene expression resulted in no significant difference in trehalose content between RCH and non-RCH treatments. Furthermore, the expression patterns of TRET and TRE were also affected. Collectively, these results indicate the critical role of LoTPS in L. oryzophilus cold resistance after RCH induction. LoTPS can enhance the survival ability by regulating trehalose metabolism. These findings contribute to further understanding of the role of TPS in insect cold resistance and invasiveness of L. oryzophilus. Moreover, RNAi of the LoTPS opens up possibilities for novel control strategies against L. oryzophilus in the future.

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you for suggesting to submit the manuscript with the title “Insulin resistance develops due to an imbalance in the synthesis of cyclic AMP and the natural cyclic AMP antagonist prostaglandylinositol cyclic phosphate (cyclic PIP)” to the Editorial Board of the MDPI journal Stresses, and I ask for consideration to publish it in the journal Stresses. It was previously submitted to the MDPI journal Int. J. Mol. Sci. (IJMS-195 6513), but it was found that 1) it would not fit within the scope of this special edition and 2) it would primarily deal with cyclic PIP and would have not enough literature citation on the topic insulin resistance. The present version of the manuscript is improved, but the content is the same. The goal of this review is not to write again a summary on nearly all reports on insulin resistance as this was done by Dr. Petersen and Dr. Shulman, whose review has 961 literature citations. The present manuscript compiles what is known on cyclic PIP in relation to insulin resistance and the reason of writing this manuscript was that the discovered facts on cyclic PIP synthesis allow to suggest how insulin resistance most likely starts. Hitherto, reports on insulin resistance did not come close to this question. I am convinced that the manuscript makes an essential contribution to the question what causes the development of insulin resistance, and I have to say that stress overload is one of the reasons. Unfortunately, I have to mention a topic, about which I do not like to talk. Years ago, research groups postulated with rigor that the mediator of insulin action would be a peptide and then they suggested various, extracellularly synthesized glycans as mediators. They caused confusions and a high degree of disbelief in the matter of mediators of insulin action. In my review on cyclic PIP in IUBMB Life from 2020, I wrote in the introduction that cyclic PIP should not be confused with these mediators. But I cannot write this in the introduction of every report. I am keeping fingers crossed so that the editor in charge will find fair and openminded reviewers. Last not least I confirm that neither the manuscript nor any part of its content is currently under consideration or published in another journal. Kind regards, Henrich Wasner, PhD, BioReg Biopharm, TiLab; University of Illinois at Chicago; 2242 West Harrison St., Ste. 201, Chicago, Il 60612; USA

The flow behavior of the administrated fluid matrices demands careful assessments for stability as consumed by individuals with dysphagia. In the present study, we incorporate tapioca starch (TS), hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate (HDP), and xanthan gum (XG) as thickeners into different nectars (300±20 mPa.s) undergoing thermal processing and evaluated their stability. The thickened nectars presented better water holding and oil binding capacities at 25 ℃ than 4 ℃, and the nectars with TS provided the best results for both capacities as well as the highest solubility index and swelling power (p<0.05). All prepared nectars appeared to be shear-thinning fluids with yield stress closely fitting the power law and Casson models. XG-contained nectars presented a higher yield stress and consistency index. Matrices thickened by HDP exhibited a higher viscoelastic property compared to those thickened by TS during thermal processing. TS nectars presented viscous behavior, whereas HDP and XG nectars presented elastic behavior at 80 ℃ processing. The 3-min thermal processing HDP-nectars remained stable and met dysphagia-friendly requirements under 4 ℃ storage for 28 days regardless of the types of fluid bases (distilled water, sport drink, or orange juice). The employed thickeners present adequate physicochemical properties to be potentially utilized for producing dysphagia-friendly formulations.

Rasagiline (Azilect®) is a selective monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitor that provides symp-tomatic benefit in Parkinson’s disease (PD) treatment and found to exert preclinical neuroprotec-tive effects. Here, we investigated the neuroprotective signaling pathways of rasagiline in the PC12 neuronal cultures exposed to an ischemic-like insult. Exposure of neurons to oxy-gen-glucose deprivation for 4 h followed by 18 h of reoxygenation caused 40% aponecrotic cell death. Rasagiline induced dose-dependent neuroprotection by decreasing cell death and produc-tion of the neurotoxic reactive oxygen species, and reducing the nuclear translocation of glycer-aldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Rasagiline increased protein kinase B (Akt) phosphorylation and decreased protein expression of the ischemia-induced α-synuclein protein, in correlation to the neuroprotective effect. Treatment with rasagiline induced nuclear shuttling of transcription factor Nrf2 and increased the mRNA levels of the antioxidant enzymes heme oxy-genase-1, (NAD (P) H- quinone dehydrogenase, and catalase. These results indicate that rasagiline provides neuroprotection in the ischemic neuronal cultures with inhibition of α-synuclein and GAPDH-mediated aponecrotic cell death, and via mitochondrial protection, as by increasing mi-tochondria-specific antioxidant enzymes by a mechanism involving the Akt/Nrf2 redox-signaling pathway. These findings may be exploited for neuroprotective drug development in PD and stroke therapy.

The effect of dentin pretreatment with desensitizing paste containing 8% arginine and calcium carbonate on the retention of laser-sintered cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr)-based crowns was examined. Forty molars were prepared using a standardized protocol. The Co-Cr crowns were produced using selective laser melting. The teeth were either pretreated with the desensitizing paste or not pretreated. After one week, each group was cemented with glass ionomer cement (GIC) or zinc phosphate cement (ZPC). Surface areas of the teeth were measured before cementation. After aging, the cemented crown-tooth assemblies were tested for retentive strength using a universal testing machine. The debonded surfaces of the teeth and crowns were examined at 2.7× magnification. Pretreating the dentin surfaces with the desensitizing paste before cementation with GIC or ZPC did not affect the retention of the Co-Cr crowns. The retention of the GIC group (6.04±1.10 MPa) was significantly higher than that of the ZPC group (2.75±1.25 MPa). The predominant failure mode for the ZPC and for the nontreated group of the GIC was adhesive cement-dentin; for the GIC-treated group, it was adhesive cement-crown. The desensitizing paste can be safely used to reduce postcementation sensitivity without reducing the retentive strength of Co-Cr crowns cemented with GIC or ZPC.

This study examines the effect of a hyaluronic acid (HyAc) containing tricalcium phosphate putty scaffold material (TCP-P) and of a particulate tricalcium phosphate (TCP-G) graft on bone formation, volume stability and osteogenic marker expression in biopsies sampled 6 months after bilateral sinus floor augmentation (SFA) in 7 patients applying a split-mouth design. Biopsies were processed for immunohistochemical analysis of resin embedded sections. Sections were stained for collagen type I (Col I), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OC) and bone sialoprotein (BSP). Furthermore, the bone area and particle area fraction were determined histomorphometrically. Cone-beam CT data recorded after SFA and 6 month later were used for calculating the graft volume at these two time points. TCP-P displayed more advantageous surgical handling properties and a significantly greater bone area fraction and smaller particle area fraction. This was accompanied by significantly greater expression of Col I and BSP and in osteoblasts and osteoid and a less pronounced reduction in grafting volume with TCP-P. SFA using both types of materials resulted in formation of sufficient bone volume for facilitating stable dental implant placement with all dental implants having been in function without any complications for 6 years. Since TCP-P displayed superior surgical handling properties and greater bone formation than TCP-G, without the Hyac hydrogel matrix having any adverse effect on bone formation or graft volume stability, TCP-P can be regarded as excellent grafting material for SFA in a clinical setting.

Placental growth factor (PlGF or PGF) is a member of the VEGF family, which is known to play a critical role in pathological angiogenesis, inflammation, and endothelial cell barrier function. However, the molecular mechanisms by which PlGF mediates its effects in non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (DR) remain elusive. In this study, we performed transcriptome-wide profiling of differential gene expression for human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs) treated with PlGF antibody. The effect of antibody treatment on the samples was validated using trans-endothelial electric resistance (TEER), and western blot. A total of 3760 genes (1750 upregulated and 2010 downregulated) were found to be differentially expressed between the control and PlGF antibody treatment group. These differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were used for gene ontology and enrichment analysis to identify gene function, signal pathway, and interaction networks. The gene ontology results revealed that catalytic activity (GO:0003824) of molecular function, cell (GO:0005623) of the cellular component, and cellular process (GO:0009987) were among the most enriched biological processes. Pathways such as TGF-β, VEGF-VEGFR2, p53, apoptosis, pentose phosphate pathway, and ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, were among the most enriched, and TGF-β1 was identified as a primary upstream regulator. These data provide new insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms of PlGF in mediating biological functions, in relation to DR.

Background: Early diagnosis of postoperative complications is an urgent task, allowing timely prescribing of appropriate therapy and reducing the cost of patient treatment. Prognostic models based on various data could help in the early diagnosis of postoperative complications after cardiac surgery. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to determine whether an integrated approach based on clinical data along with metabolites and biomarkers had greater predictive value than the models built on less data. Methods: The study included patients (n=62) admitted for planned cardiac surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting with cardiopulmonary bypass), who were retrospectively divided into two groups depending on the presence (n=26) or absence (n=36) of postoperative complications of all types. Clinical and laboratory data on the first day after surgery were analyzed. Additionally, patients' blood samples were collected before and on the first day after surgery to determine biomarkers (interleukin-6, procalcitonin, NT-proBNP, high-sensitivity troponin T) and metabolites (8 aromatic and 2 dicarboxylic acids were detected using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). Results: Patients before surgery, compared with healthy donors, differed in the concentration of metabolites (p &lt; 0.05), and had concentrations of a number of biomarkers exceeding the corresponding reference values. Multivariate PLS-DA models, predicting the presence or absence of postoperative complications, were built using clinical data (ROC-AUC=0.71), concentrations of metabolites and biomarkers (ROC-AUC=0.60), and the entire data set (ROC-AUC=0.75). For comparison we built univariate models using the EuroScore2 (ROC-AUC=0.59) and SOFA (ROC-AUC=0.76) scales; concentrations of lactate (ROC-AUC=0.71), the dynamic changes of 4-hydroxyphenyllactic acid (ROC-AUC=0.69), and the sum of three sepsis-associated metabolites (ROC-AUC=0.70). The proposed complex model using entire data set was comparable to the SOFA scale, which confirms the expediency of searching for new predictive models based on a variety of factors.

Milk serves as a crucial source of natural bioactive compounds essential for human nutrition and health. The gastrointestinal digestion of milk proteins releases various biologically active peptides that positively impact human health and enhance physiological performance. With the growing production of cheese, Greek yogurt, and other dairy products, the volume of unutilized acid whey is significantly increasing. Acid whey, containing almost all whey proteins and approximately one-quarter of casein, presents a valuable raw material for generating peptides with potential health benefits. These peptides exhibit properties such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, antihypertensive, antithrombotic, opioid, mineral-binding, and growth-stimulating activities, contributing to improved human immunity and the treatment of chronic diseases. Enzymatic hydrolysis of milk proteins has been developed as a method to produce these peptides, facilitating their use in food fortification. To incorporate whey into functional beverages, it undergoes fermentation by lactic acid bacteria with proteolytic activity. To specifically enrich these beverages with peptides exhibiting targeted bioactivities, it is essential to select lactic acid bacteria strains possessing the requisite protease profiles. Additionally, the sensory properties of the final product can be enhanced using starter cultures with diverse metabolic capabilities, even in the absence of added flavoring agents. Given the imperative to develop waste-free technologies and enhance the profitability of the dairy industry, there is a growing need to efficiently utilize and transform acid whey into a broad spectrum of valuable products and food additives. This approach is justified not only by the nutritional benefits of the bioactive components in whey but also by the commercial potential of safe and health-enhancing products.

The paper focuses on the application of a multilevel, integrative and territorial approach to the protection of cultural heritage through planning instruments in Serbia. It points out the problems of the sectoral approach and discusses international recommendations that can be integrated into the planning methodology. The case study is the area of Djerdap National Park, which has an already established international and national importance. The research suggests that the cultural heritage in the area, with the exception of the Roman limes, is still recognized at the level of individual localities. The study emphasizes the importance of aligning all levels of governance to safeguard the whole spatial entity rather than focusing solely on its particular areas. The interna-tional and national importance of the planning area contributes to the strengthening of awareness of heritage and its institutional protection. However, the vitality of the area, which is key to its sustainable development, comes from the local level. Planning documents contribute to the inte-gration of local values and local communities into development programs and projects.

The impact of interaction SS with MJO on rainfall along Java Island to East Nusa Tenggara has been studied using daily rainfall observation data from 2140 weather observation stations, which are also equipped with GSMaP, OLR, and ERA5 data. There were 61 SS events found, 17 during active MJO and 44 in inactive MJO. Rainfall increases more in the western study area when the active MJO and more in the eastern study area when the inactive MJO is due to SS. SS reduces rainfall in the Jakarta region, regardless of the activity or inactivity of the MJO. SS causes extreme rainfall to only occur in a small part of certain areas, so it tends to significantly reduce the possibility of extreme rainfall. In the southern part of the IMC, SS predominates over MJO in supporting increased water vapor transport. Large-scale synoptic circulations like the monsoon, SS, and MJO can interact with local land-sea wind circulation to produce spatiotemporal variability in rainfall on Java Island. Rainfall mostly increases in the afternoon and decreases in the morning when SS occurs, whether there is MJO or not. Convective instability analysis indicates that SS increases precipitation, most likely by lowering CIN and raising VIMFC.

In order to shorten the detection time and improve the average precision on embedded devices, A lightweight and high accuracy model is proposed for passion fruit in complex environments (backlight, occlusion, overlap, sunny, cloudy, rainy). Firstly, replacing the backbone network of YOLOv5 with a lightweight GhostNet model reduces the number of parameters and computation while improving detection speed. Secondly, a new feature branch is added to the GhostNet network, and the feature fusion layer in the neck network is reconstructed to effectively combine the lower-level and higher-level features, which not only improves the accuracy of the model but also maintains its lightweight. Finally, the knowledge distillation methods are used to transfer the knowledge from the more capable teacher model to the less capable student model, which significantly improving the detection accuracy. The improved model is denoted as G-YOLO-NK. The average accuracy of the G-YOLO-NK network is 96.00%, which is 1.00% higher than the original YOLOv5s model. Furthermore, the improved model size is 7.14MB, reduced to half of the original model, and the real-time detection frame rate is 11.25 FPS on the Jetson Nano. Compared to the state-of-the-art model, the proposed model outperforms them in terms of average precision and detection performance. The present work provides an effective model for real-time detection of passion fruits in complex orchard scenes, which can provide valuable technical support for the development of orchard picking robots and greatly improve the intelligence level of orchards.

The Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM) scanner is an easy and portable Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data acquisition device. Its main output is a 3D point cloud covering the scanned scene. Regarding the importance of accuracy in the survey domain, this paper aims to assess the accuracy of two SLAM scanners: the NavVis VLX and the BLK2GO Scanner. This assessment is conducted for both outdoor and indoor environments. In this context, two types of reference data are used: the Total Station (TS) and the static scanner Z+F Imager 5016. To carry out the assessment, four comparisons are tested: cloud to cloud, cloud to mesh, mesh to mesh, and edge detection board assessment. However, the results of the assessments confirm that the accuracy of indoor SLAM scanner measurements (5 mm) is greater than that of outdoor ones (between 10 mm and 60 mm). Moreover, the comparison of cloud to cloud provides the best accuracy regarding direct accuracy measurement without manipulations. Finally, based on the high accuracy, scanning speed, flexibility, and the accuracy differences between tested cases, it is confirmed that SLAM scanners are effective tools for data acquisition.

In recent years, electroencephalogram (EEG) emotion recognition has emerged as a research hotspot in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Despite advancements in EEG-based emotion recognition, room for enhancing performance persists due to EEG signal redundancy and limitations in feature extraction, leading to inefficient models and emotional information loss. To fully utilize EEG's emotional information and improve recognition accuracy while reducing computational costs, this paper proposes a Convolutional-Recurrent Hybrid Network with a dual-stream adaptive approach and an attention mechanism (CSA-SA-CRTNN). Firstly, the model utilizes a CSAM module to assign corresponding weights to EEG channels. Then, an adaptive dual-stream convolutional-recurrent network (SA-CRNN and MHSA-CRNN) is applied to extract local spatial-temporal features. After that, the extracted local features are concatenated and fed into a temporal convolutional network with a multi-head self-attention mechanism (MHSA-TCN) to capture global information. Finally, the extracted EEG information is used for emotion classification. We conducted binary and ternary classification experiments on the DEAP dataset, achieving 99.26% and 99.15% accuracy for arousal and valence in binary classification, and 97.69% and 98.05% in ternary classification, surpassing relevant algorithms. Additionally, the model's efficiency is significantly higher than other models, achieving better accuracy with lower resource consumption.

Glycosidic linkage analysis was conducted on the unfractionated polysaccharides in the alcohol-insoluble residues (AIRs) prepared from six red seaweeds (Gracilariopsis sp., Prionitis sp., Mastocarpus papillatus, Callophyllis sp., Mazzaella splendens, and Palmaria palmata) using GC-MS/FID analysis of partially methylated alditol acetates (PMAAs). The cell walls of P. palmata primarily contained mixed-linkage xylans and small amounts of sulfated galactans and cellulose. In contrast, the unfractionated polysaccharides of the other five species were rich in galactans displaying diverse 3,6-anhydro-galactose and galactose linkages with varied sulfation patterns. Different levels of cellulose were also observed. This glycosidic linkage method offers advantages for cellulose analysis over traditional monosaccharide analysis that is known for underrepresenting glucose in crystalline cellulose. Relative linkage compositions calculated from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements showed that anhydro sugar linkages generated more response in the latter detection method. This improved linkage workflow presents a useful tool for studying polysaccharide structural variations across red seaweed species. Furthermore, for the first time, relative linkage compositions from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements, along with normalized FID and total ion current (TIC) chromatograms without peak assignments, were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) as a proof-of-concept demonstration of the technique's potential to differentiate various red seaweed species.

Background: Educating college students about the importance of good sleep habits could lead to the adoption of healthier sleep routines, including sufficient sleep duration and sleep quality. The current pre-post study examines the impact of completing a sleep education program called “Sleep 101” on (1) sleep hygiene practices, (2) sleep quality, and (3) weekday and weekend sleep behaviors among college students. “Sleep 101” is an interactive online course developed to educate college students about the importance of sleep by addressing basic sleep physiology, the impact of sleep on mood, academic and physical performance, the interactions between sleep and various substances, and common sleep disorders. Methods: 338 college students were recruited from a midsized public university in the US and invited to participate in “Sleep 101”, of which 25 participants completed the baseline and post-intervention questionnaire. The Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI) was utilized to evaluate sleep hygiene practices, while standard questions were employed to assess weekday and weekend sleep behaviors and overall sleep quality. Results: Those who completed the study demonstrated a significant increase in weekday sleep duration and were less likely to engage in negative prior bedtime activities. In addition, 40% of those who completed baseline and post-intervention assessments noticed improvements in their sleep quality. Conclusion: These findings suggest that a brief online program is beneficial in improving sleep behaviors among college and could be a scalable approach to addressing current sleep issues and preventing future sleep problems in college students.

The profile of secondary metabolites occurring in apple cuticular layer is not only characteristic for particular apple cultivar, but also dynamically reflects various external factors in growing environment. In this study, the possibility to authenticate apple samples based on analysis of their cuticular layer extracts was investigated. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS) was employed for obtaining metabolomic fingerprints. In total, 274 authentic apple samples, four cultivars harvested within the seasons 2020 to 2022 in the Czech Republic and Poland were analysed. The generated complex data processed by univariate and multivariate statistical methods enabled to build classification models for discrimination of apple cultivars as well as their geographical origin. The models showed very good performance in differentiation of Czech and Polish samples for three of four cultivars: ‘Gala’, ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Idared’, moreover, the validity of the models was verified over harvest seasons. The diagnostic markers, besides metabolites of triterpene biosynthetic pathway, mainly represented wax esters. ‘Jonagold’, which is known to be susceptible to mutations, was the only cultivar for which the unambiguous classification of geographical origin was not possible.

Superior fiber quality is one of the most important objectives in cotton breeding. To detect the genetic basis underlying fiber quality, an F2 population containing 413 plants was constructed by crossing Jifeng 914 and Jifeng 173, both of which have superior fiber quality, with Jifeng 173 being better. Five fiber quality traits were investigated in the F2, F2:3, F2:4, and F2:5 populations. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping was conducted based on a high-density genetic map containing 11,488 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and spanning 4,202.12 cM in length. Transgressive segregation patterns and complex correlations in the five tested traits were observed. A total of 108 QTLs were found, including 27 for fiber length (FL), 16 for fiber strength (FS), 24 for micronaire (MC), 17 for fiber uniformity (FU), and 24 for fiber elongation rate (FE). Chromosome A7 contained 12 QTL, ranking the first. No QTL was found on chromosome D1 and D11. Each QTL contributed 1.98%–21.45% to the phenotypic variation (PV), including 13 major effect QTLs that contributed more than 10% toward PV. Two QTLs could be repeatedly detected in three populations, including qFL-D3-2 in F2, F2:4, and F2:5 with 9.18%–21.45% of PV, qFS-A11-1 in F2:3, F2:4 and F2:5 with 6.05%–10.41% of PV. Another seven stable QTLs could be detected in two populations, including four major effect QTLs: qFL-A12-3, qFS-D10-2, qMC-D6-2, and qMC-D8-1. Fourteen QTL-overlapping regions were found, which might explain the complex correlations among the five phenotypic traits. Four regions on chromosome A11, D3, D6, and D10 covered by both stable and major effect QTLs are promising for further fine mapping. The genomic regions of the two QTLs detected in three populations and the four major effect QTLs contain 810 genes. Gene functional analysis revealed that the annotated genes are mainly involved in protein binding and metabolic pathways. Fifteen candidate genes in the qFL-D3-2 region are highly expressed in fiber or ovules during fiber initiation, elongation, secondary cell wall thickening, or maturation stages. qRT-PCR revealed that Ghir_D03G005440.1 and Ghir_D03G011310.1 may play a role in promoting fiber initiation, Ghir_D03G006470.1 may be beneficial for promoting fiber elongation. This study provides more information for revealing the molecular genetic basis underlying cotton fiber quality.

Currently there are fewer depth models applied to pepper picking detection, while the existing generalized neural networks have problems such as large model parameters, long training time, and low model accuracy.In order to solve the above problems, this paper proposes a Yolo-chili target detection algorithm for chili pepper detection. First, the classical target detection algorithm yolov5 is used as a benchmark model, and an adaptive spatial feature pyramid structure combining the attention mechanism and the idea of multi-scale prediction is introduced to improve the model's detection effect on occluded peppers and small target peppers. Secondly, a three-channel attention mechanism module is introduced to improve the algorithm's long-distance recognition ability and reduce the interference of redundant testers. Finally, the quantized pruning method is used to reduce the model parameters and realize the lightweight processing of the model. Applying the method to the homemade chili pepper dataset, the AP value of chili pepper reaches 93.11%; the accuracy rate is 93.51% and the recall rate is 92.55%.The experimental results show that yolo-chili is able to achieve accurate and real-time pepper detection under complex orchards.

The temporary immersion system bioreactor named GreenTray®[2], [3]presents advantages over the existing ones. Firstly, there is no need to use forceps to move the shoots or plantlets in or out of the recipient, neither the use of scalpel to divide them. Secondly, the basis of the shoot can remain in the GreenTray® and can sprout again in several cycles of growth. These two characteristics reduce the costs in the process of micropropagation. Besides, shoots or plantlets development is enhanced by the aeration of the recipient, thus enriching with CO2 the recipient atmosphere. The chapter describes and provides images and values of interest in (1) the micropropagation process of some commercial Prunus or Pyrus rootstocks; (2) the plantlet growth under autotrophic conditions; and (2) the inoculation of plants with pathogens that reproduce in vitro the symptoms observed in vivo, using the GreenTray® bioreactor.

The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the clinical outcomes of treating isolated surgical neck fractures of the humerus using either the intramedullary nail or the MIROS (Minimally Invasive Reduction and Osteosynthesis System®) system. The study included 42 patients who underwent surgical treatment at the Polyclinic from January 2014 to June 2020. The results indicated that both treatments were effective; however, the MIROS system exhibited a higher complication rate. Intramedullary nailing was more reliable, thus recommended as the primary treatment method. This study underscores the importance of selecting the appropriate fixation technique to minimize complications and enhance patient outcomes.

Aiming at the problems of inaccurate segmentation of long object and information loss of small object in real-time semantic segmentation algorithm, this paper proposes a lightweight multi-branch real-time semantic segmentation network based on BiseNetV2. The new auxiliary branch makes full use of spatial details and context information to cover the long object in the field of view. Meanwhile, in order to ensure the inference speed of the model, the asymmetric convolution is used in each stage of the auxiliary branch to design a structure with low computational complexity. In the multi-branch fusion stage, the alignment and fusion module is designed to provide guidance information for deep and shallow feature mapping, so as to make up for the problem of feature misalignment in the fusion of information at different scales, and thus reduce the loss of small target information. In order to further improve the model’s awareness of key information, a global context module is designed to capture the most important features in the input data. The proposed network uses NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU experiment, on the road street view data set Cityscapes and CamVid average occurring simultaneously ratio reached 77.1% and 78.4% respectively, with running speed of 127 frames/s respectively and 112 frames/s. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve real-time segmentation and improve the accuracy significantly, showing good semantic segmentation performance

Excess nitrogen in agricultural drainage poses a serious threat to the water quality safety of the Yellow River basin. Utilizing aquatic plants to modify the rhizosphere microbial community structure and facilitate nitrogen transformation is a crucial strategy for mitigating regional water eutrophication. Our results revealed that the denitrification rate (DR), dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium rate (DNRAR) and nitrogen fixation rate (NFR) of rhizosphere sediments exhibited a significant increase in artificially cultivated ditch. Compared with those in natural ditches, the richness of the bacterial community and the relative abundances of Bacteroidota, Verrucomicrobiota, Firmicutes, Anaeromyxobacter and Geobacter, which are involved mainly in the nitrogen cycle, in the rhizosphere sediments of artificially cultivated ditch were significantly greater due to improvements in environmental conditions. In artificially cultivated ditch, the dominant functional genes affecting DRNARs in the rhizosphere sediments of P. australis were nrfC and nrfA, while DRs were driven mainly by norB and napA, which were influenced by the nitrogen and carbon levels; and the dominant functional genes affecting NFRs in the rhizosphere sediments of T. orientalis were nifD, nifK and nifH. Our results provide a scientific basis for the use of aquatic plants for mitigating excess nitrogen levels in agricultural drainage.

Strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora is one of the main diseases of strawberry and significantly impacts the yield and quality of strawberry fruit. There are now no effective control techniques available except for fungicide sprays, which may directly impact consumers. Biological control is becoming an alternative method for the control of plant diseases to replace or decrease the application of traditional synthetic chemical fungicides. Trichoderma is widely used as a biological agent for controlling strawberry root rot. In order to provide resources for screening the highly effective biocontrol fungus for controlling strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora, the biocontrol mechanism,the control effects of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 against strawberry root rot and growth-promoting effects on strawberry seedlings were investigated by plate culture, microscopy observation and root drenching methods.The results showed that CMT10 had obvious competitive, antibiotic and hyperparasitism effects on Neopestalotiopsis clavispora CMGF3. The CMT10 could quickly occupy nutritional space, and the inhibition rates of CMT10 against CMGF3 in confrontation culture on 7 d was 65.49%. The inhibition rates of volatile metabolite and fermentation metabolite produced by CMT10 against CMGF3 were 79.67% and 69.84%, respectively. The mycelium of strain CMT10 can act as hyperparasites by making contacting, winding and penetrating hyphae of CMGF3. Pot experiment showed that the biocontrol efficacy of CMT10 on strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora was 63.00%. CMT10 had obvious promotion effect on strawberry growth, the plant height, root length, total fresh weight, root fresh weight, stem fresh weight and root dry weight, with the promotion rates were 20.09%, 22.39%, 87.11%, 101.58%, 79.82% and 72.33%, respectively. Overall, this study showed the ability of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 to control strawberry root rot and their potential to develop as novel biocontrol agents to replace chemical fungicides for eco-friendly, sustainable agriculture.