Search Results (6,761)

The rice brittle culm is a cell wall composition changed mutant suitable for studying mechanical strength in rice. However, a thorough investigation of brittle culm has been limited due to the lack of diverse brittle mutants on similar genetic backgrounds in cell walls. In this study, we obtained 45 various brittle mutant lines (BMLs) from the IR64 mutant pool induced by sodium azide mutagenesis using the finger-bending method and texture profile analysis. The first scoring method was established to differentiate the levels of brittleness in rice tissues. The variation of cell wall compositions of BMLs showed that the brittleness in rice primarily correlated with cellulose content supported by high correlation coefficients (R = −0.78) and principal component analysis (PCA = 81.7%). As demonstrated using PCA, lower correlation with brittleness, hemicellulose, lignin, and silica were identified as minor contributors to the overall balance of cell wall compositions and brittleness. The analysis of hydrolysis and feeding indexes highlighted the importance of diversities of brittleness and cell wall compositions of BMLs and their potential applications in ruminant animals and making bioenergy. These results contributed to the comprehension of brittleness and mechanical strength in rice and also extended the applications of rice straw. Full article

The purpose of this study was to develop a complex composition of a foliar liquid mineral fertilizer containing NPK macroelements and microelements including Fe, Mg, B, S, Zn, Cu, Mo, Ni, V, and Cr. This complex fertilizer aims to support the optimal development and maturation of maize crops, thereby enhancing both the quality and quantity of production. In our study, an original recipe was established for a complex composition of foliar liquid mineral fertilizer, and a technological process was developed in order to obtain the recipe at the laboratory level. The designed fertilizer was a complex mixture of fertilizers with herbicides with multiple purposes, which can be used in different pedo-climatic areas and which present, at the same time, low toxicity and minimal ecological impact. A wide-spectrum mixture DICOPUR TOP containing 2,4-D acid and Dicamba was chosen as a systemic herbicide which is absorbed by plants both in the root system and also on the leaves. For conditioning the complex mixture of fertilizers with herbicides, different types of polyvinyl alcohol with different degrees of hydrolysis were used. The liquid fertilizer mixture with DICOPUR TOP was applied over two years (2021 and 2022) to the Felix maize hybrid, demonstrating significant positive effects on grain yield while effectively controlling both dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous weeds. Full article

The growth of the global population, coupled with concomitant economic development, has resulted in the generation of a substantial quantity of waste. The transition of the European Union’s economy towards a closed-loop model is prompting a comprehensive search for waste management concepts across a range of industrial sectors. The objective of this study is to valorise deinking paper sludge, which has a high potential for soil formation due to its high organic matter content. To produce organic–mineral fertiliser, the deinking sludge was subjected to acid hydrolysis, then neutralised with KOH solution and enriched with poultry litter ash. The final products were characterised in terms of their nutrient and heavy metal content. The bioavailability of phosphorus, along with the forms in which it occurs in fertilisers, was determined through the implementation of a five-step fractionation procedure. Furthermore, an eight-week incubation period was conducted to assess the fertilisers’ performance in soil. Soil samples were tested on a weekly basis for pH, water-soluble and bioavailable phosphorus content using the spectroscopic method after previous extraction in water and Bray’s solution, and catalase activity using the titrimetric method. The resulting fertilisers were found to meet the requirements for organo-mineral fertilisers and were categorised as PK-type fertilisers with a total nutrient content of 24.6–39.3%. Fractionation studies demonstrated that the fertilisers contained 20–30% of the total potentially bioavailable phosphorus. Furthermore, the long-term release of phosphorus from the fertilisers was confirmed through incubation studies. Additionally, the fertilisers were observed to contribute to an increase in catalase activity in the soil. Full article

A two-step method for the synthesis of C/Ni/N nanocomposites based on hydrolysis lignin from wood chemical processing waste is proposed. These nanocomposites were found to have a well-developed porous structure with a wide pore size distribution. It was shown that doping hydrolysis lignin with urea-derived nitrogen leads to the appearance of ferromagnetic behavior in the carbon material. When nickel chloride was added during pyrolysis, the magnetic behavior of the C/Ni/N composite was provided by superparamagnetic Ni particles less than 30 nm in size and the magnetism of the carbon matrix. The addition of urea during the synthesis of the nanocomposite further promotes better integration of nickel into the carbon structure. According to the results of magnetic studies, the nickel content in the C/Ni/N nanocomposite was 19 wt.% compared to 15 wt.% in the C/Ni nanocomposite. The synthesized nanocomposite was demonstrated to have no residual magnetization, so its particles do not agglomerate after the external magnetic field is removed. Due to this property and the well-developed porous structure, C/Ni/N composites have the potential to be used as catalysts, active electrode materials for autonomous energy sources, and in environmental technologies as magnetically sensitive adsorbents. Full article

Background/Objectives: Doxorubicin (Dox) is an anticancer drug used in the treatment of a wide range of solid tumors; however, Dox causes systemic toxicity and irreversible cardiotoxicity. The design of a new nanosystem that allows for the control of Dox loading and delivery results is a powerful tool to control Dox release only in cancer cells. For this reason, supramolecular self-assembly was performed between a poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer decorated with four β-cyclodextrin (βCD) units (PAMAM-βCD) and an adamantane–hydrazone–doxorubicin (Ad-h-Dox) prodrug. Methods: The formation of inclusion complexes (ICs) between the prodrug and all the βCD cavities present on the surface of the PAMAM-βCD dendrimer was followed by ¹H-NMR titration and corroborated by 2D NOESY experiments. A full characterization of the supramolecular assembly was performed in the solid state by thermal analysis (DSC/TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and in solution by the DOSY NMR technique in D₂O. Furthermore, the Dox release profiles from the PAMAM-βCD/Ad-h-Dox assembly at different pH values was studied by comparing the efficiency against a native βCD/Ad-h-Dox IC. Additionally, in vitro cytotoxic activity assays were performed for the nanocarrier alone and the two supramolecular assemblies in different carcinogenic cell lines. Results: The PAMAM-βCD/Ad-h-Dox assembly was adequately characterized, and the cytotoxic activity results demonstrate that the nanocarrier alone and its hydrolysis product are innocuous compared to the PAMAM-βCD/Ad-h-Dox nanocarrier that showed cytotoxicity equivalent to free Dox in the tested cancer cell lines. The in vitro drug release assays for the PAMAM-βCD/Ad-h-Dox system showed an acidic pH-dependent behavior and a prolonged profile of up to more than 72 h. Conclusions: The design of PAMAM-βCD/Ad-h-Dox consists of a new controlled and prolonged Dox release system for potential use in cancer treatment. Full article

Background/Objectives: The increase in the older adult population worldwide and the need to switch to vegetal-origin protein consumption for environmental sustainability point to legumes and pseudocereals as alternative ingredients in new food formulations. This study aimed to assess the impact of food structure and fungal fermentation on the digestibility of new food prototypes made with quinoa and/or lentil flours addressed to older adults. Methods: Four gels and six breads were elaborated and subjected to mechanical analysis and simulated gastrointestinal in vitro digestion. Then, proteolysis, lipolysis, and amylolysis were analysed. Results: Gels made with fermented quinoa or lentil flours exhibited less hardness and required less force, suggesting better adequacy for mastication. In terms of digestibility, using fermented flours led to increased proteolysis and reduced starch hydrolysis. Conclusions: Our results support future studies in the field aimed at supplying older adults with adapted foods to satisfy their nutritional needs to prevent sarcopenia and other health issues. Full article

Enhanced expression of carboxylesterase (CarE) genes is an important mechanism of insecticide resistance in pests. However, their roles in multi-insecticide resistance have rarely been reported. Herein, two CarE genes (PxαE6 and PxαE9) were identified; their relative expression levels in three multi-insecticide-resistant populations of P. xylostella (HN, GD-2017 and GD-2019) were 2.69- to 15.32-fold higher than those in the sensitive population, and they were considerably overexpressed at the larval stage and in the midgut of the 4th instar. PxαE6 and PxαE9 knockdown increased the susceptibility of GD-2019 larvae to phoxim or/and beta-cypermethrin. The recombinant PxαE6 and PxαE9 expressed in Escherichia coli exhibited high hydrolysis activity towards α-NA. GC–MS and LC–MS/MS assays revealed that PxαE9 could metabolize beta-cypermethrin and phoxim with efficiency determinations of 51.6% and 21.1%, respectively, while PxαE6 could metabolize phoxim with an efficiency of 12.0%. Homology modelling, molecular docking and molecular-dynamics simulation analyses demonstrated that beta-cypermethrin or/and phoxim could fit well into the active pocket and stably bind to PxαE6 or PxαE9. These results show that PxαE6 and PxαE9 overexpression were involved in resistance to beta-cypermethrin or/and phoxim in multi-insecticide-resistant P. xylostella populations, a finding which sheds light on the molecular mechanisms of multi-insecticide resistance in insect pests. Full article

In order to investigate the coordination chemistry of O-alkyl N-aryl thiocarbamate ligands, HgI₂ was reacted with one equivalent of PrOC(=S)N(H)Ph L in toluene solution to afford the 1D polymeric title compound [{IHg(μ-I)}{κ¹-PrOC(=S)N(H)Ph}]_n CP1. The formation of this iodide-bridged coordination polymer was ascertained by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study performed at 100 K, as well as the formation of an adduct between anilinium chloride and L forming a supramolecular ribbon of composition [L(PhNH₃)(Cl)]. The occurrence of anilinium chloride is due to the partial hydrolysis of L in the presence of HCl. Full article

To reduce environmental pollution, a renewable source of energy that we may utilize is bioethanol obtained from wheat straw. Wheat straw was ground to 40–50 mm in size and heat-treated with high-pressure steam to release lignocelluloses, making them accessible to enzymes during saccharification. Through mechanical pretreatment, a substrate was obtained, which contains toxic components in concentrations that do not diminish the performance of the enzymes in the enzymatic hydrolysis phase. Through the thermal pretreatment of wheat straw, its acidity was improved, influencing the amounts of glucose, xylose, and other components emitted. Following enzymatic hydrolysis, very small concentrations of sugars were released. In order to increase the efficiency of the transformation of sugars into ethanol during the fermentation process, a strain of yeast, Trichoderma reesei multiplied in the laboratory, was added, under the conditions of temperature—28 degrees and stirring—800 rpm. Trichoderma reesei penetrated the wheat straw substrate, facilitating the subsequent hydrolysis process. The improved biodegradation of the pretreated straws was highlighted by the electron microscopy analysis. Full article

Female lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) are a primary target of commercial fishery for their roe, a substitute for caviar. The remaining carcasses are underutilized rest raw material. The pre-treatment and acid extraction conditions of collagen from lumpfish skins were optimized. Full factorial design was used to optimize the alkali pre-treatment conditions with NaOH. The optimal conditions were X₁ = 0.1 M (NaOH concentration), X₂ = 6 h (NaOH treatment time), X₃ = 4 °C (treatment temperature) and X₄ = 1:5 (w/v, solid to liquid ratio). Optimized conditions for collagen extraction with acetic acid were investigated using a Box–Behnken design. The result suggested a concentration of 0.9 M acetic acid, treatment temperature of 21 °C, a treatment time of 36 h in a total of 2 volumes of acid. Combined optimized effects resulted in a collagen yield of 45% (DW/DW) with high purity (>90%) and a high hydroxyproline content (7.9%). A scale-up experiment (starting with 45 kg) showed that the yield was somewhat lower (18–25%). Enzyme hydrolysis of skin after acetic acid extraction added another 23% (DW/DW) to the yield and enzyme hydrolysis of precleaned skins resulted in 60% (DW/DW). Full article

The level of the human body’s burden of benzophenone and camphor ultraviolet (UV) filters can be estimated from their urinary levels. The present study describes the implementations and validation of the sensitive analytical method for the analysis of seven benzophenone and two camphor UV filters in urine. Sample preparation includes overnight enzymatic hydrolysis and ethyl acetate extraction followed by purification by dispersive solid-phase extraction using a sorbent Z-Sep. For the analysis, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry was used. Validation was performed using a Standard Reference Material^® 3673 and an artificially contaminated urine sample. Target analyte recoveries ranged from 79–113% with repeatability expressed as a relative standard deviation of 2–15%. The limits of quantification were between 0.001 and 0.100 ng/mL in urine. This method was subsequently applied to examine the urine samples collected from Czech women. The analytes benzophenone-1 and 4-hydroxy-benzophenone were the most common analytes present in 100% of the samples, whereas benzophenone-3 was quantified in only 90% of the urine samples. The other four determined benzophenone derivatives were quantified in ≤33% of the samples. The derivatives of camphor were not detected in any samples. This method could be applied in biomonitoring studies. Full article

Tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP) is a neutral water-soluble galactoxyloglucan isolated from the seed kernel of Tamarindus indica with average molecular weight (Mw) 600–800 kDa. The high viscosity of TSP slows solubilisation, and the absence of charged substituent hinders the formation of electrostatic interactions with biomolecules. TSP was sulphated in a one-step process using dimethylformamide as a solvent, and sulphur trioxide-pyridine complex as a sulphating reagent. Studies of chemical structure, molecular weight distribution and viscosity were conducted to characterise the synthesised products. The sulphation degree was established by conductimetric titration; the sulphate group distribution was studied by NMR spectroscopy and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and sulphated TSP oligomers were obtained by enzymatic degradation with cellulase and/or xyloglucanase. Sulphated products showed higher solubility than TSP, Mws in the range of 700–1000 kDa, a sulphation degree of two to four per subunit and pseudoplastic behaviour. A preliminary study of mucoadhesion revealed the unexpected interaction of S-TSP with mucin, providing a route by which sulphated TSP interactions with biomolecules may be influenced. Full article

The requirement for the development of advanced technologies is the need to create new functional thermostable soluble polysilsesquioxanes. Combining the potential of organosilicon chemistry and the chemistry of heterocyclic compounds is a promising direction for the formation of novel organosilicon polymer systems with new properties and new possibilities for their practical application. Using the classical method of hydrolysis and polycondensation of previously unknown trifunctional (trimethoxysilylpropyl)glutarimide in the presence or absence of an acid or base catalyst, a universal approach to the formation of new thermostable soluble polysilsesquioxanes with glutarimide side-chain groups is proposed, which forms the basis for the synthesis of polysilsesquioxane polymers with different functionality. The weight average molecular weight of silsesquioxanes, determined by gel permeation chromatography, is practically independent of the reaction conditions and is 10–12 kDa; at the same time, the molecular weight distribution remains low and amounts to 1.38–1.47. According to thermogravimetric analysis, the resulting polysiloxanes have high thermal stability up to 335 °C. By the dynamic light scattering method, it was established that in an aqueous solution, silsesquioxane macromolecules are in an associated state, forming supramolecular structures due to the intermolecular interaction of individual macromolecules. The average hydrodynamic diameter of the particles was 46 nm. X-ray diffraction analysis showed the amorphous nature of the polymer. Polymer film coatings based on synthesized silsesquioxanes are characterized by 98% transmission in the visible spectrum and resistance to ultraviolet radiation, which is promising for the creation of functional transparent film coatings. Full article

This study investigated the fatty acid profile, permeability, and metabolic effects of a functional yogurt enriched with pomegranate oil, focusing on its impact on lipid metabolism and inflammatory responses. The yogurt’s fatty acid composition was primarily composed of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (54.37%), followed by saturated (29.34%) and monounsaturated fatty acids (16.36%). During in vitro digestion, a shift in fatty acid profile was observed, with a decrease in polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids and a slight increase in monounsaturated fatty acids due to hydrolysis. This study further analyzed fatty acid permeability across Caco-2/HT29-MTX monolayers and 3T3-L1 cell uptake, revealing higher permeability for saturated fatty acids than unsaturated ones. In 3T3-L1 cells, permeated fatty acids induced higher lipolysis and increased adiponectin secretion without affecting leptin levels. Cytokine analysis indicated a decrease in pro-inflammatory markers, such as MCP-1, and a significant increase in anti-inflammatory cytokines like IL-10, suggesting potential benefits in reducing obesity-related inflammation. These results underscore the role of functional yogurts enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids as promising agents for modulating lipid metabolism and inflammatory responses. Full article

Among cyanobacterium, Arthrospira platensis (A. platensis) is a rich source of diverse bioactive compounds due to its high protein, essential amino acid, vitamin, and mineral content. A. platensis is one of the most abundant sources of protein (50–70%). In the food industry, A. platensis is being used as an ingredient for the development of food flavor, taste, and nutritional composition. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have revealed the potential use of A. platensis in the prevention and treatment of various metabolic diseases. Recently, extensive research has focused on the production and bioactivity of the A. platensis-derived bioactive peptides. A series of steps were used for the production of bioactive peptides including hydrolysis, ultrafiltration, and chromatographic techniques, coupled with an advanced detector. A. platensis peptides showed health benefits such as anti-hypertension, anti-diabetes, anti-microbial, antioxidant, anti-obesity, and anti-cancer activities. This review aims to present the main nutritional composition of A. platensis, the processes of purification, and the identification of bioactive peptides, and the potential health benefits such as antihypertensive, antidiabetic, anti-cancer, anti-obesity, antioxidant, and anti-microbial activities associated with the consumption of A. platensis-derived peptides are discussed. The originality of this review over the old review is that our review comprehensively studies the macro- and micronutrient composition and listed bioactive peptides to date, which can play an important role in the treatment of various diseases. Moreover, this review provides information related the research gaps of the various technologies that should be used for the development of the peptide as a pharmaceutical and functional food. Full article