Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb)employs multiple mechanisms,such as phagocytosis and autophagy,to evade innate immune clearance and establish infection.In the present study,we identified the ESX-1 secretion-associated ...Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb)employs multiple mechanisms,such as phagocytosis and autophagy,to evade innate immune clearance and establish infection.In the present study,we identified the ESX-1 secretion-associated protein EspL,which promotes Mtb survival by inhibiting phagosome maturation and autophagy initiation.EspL knockout decreased Mtb intracellular survival,while EspL overexpression increased bacterial survival by interfering with phagocytosis and autophagy.EspL interacts with ULK1 and promotes its phosphorylation at Ser^(757),leading to the inhibition of autophagy initiation.Additionally,overexpression of EspL reduced antigen presentation and T-cell responses both in vitro and in vivo.Our findings revealed that EspL interferes with autophagy and antigen presenta-tion by suppressing ULK1 activation.These insights provide a novel understanding of Mtb pathogenicity.展开更多
Based on the Skyrme energy density functional and reaction Q-value,this study proposed an effective nucleus-nucleus poten-tial for describing the capture barrier in heavy-ion fusion processes.The 443 extracted barrier...Based on the Skyrme energy density functional and reaction Q-value,this study proposed an effective nucleus-nucleus poten-tial for describing the capture barrier in heavy-ion fusion processes.The 443 extracted barrier heights were well reproduced with a root-mean-square(RMS)error of 1.53 MeV,and the RMS deviations with respect to 144 time-dependent Hartree-Fock capture barrier heights were only 1.05 MeV.Coupled with the Siwek-Wilczyński formula,wherein three parameters were determined by the proposed effective potentials,the measured capture cross sections at energies around the barriers were reasonably well reproduced for several fusion reactions induced by nearly spherical nuclei as well as by nuclei with large deformations,such as^(154)Sm and^(238)U.The shallow capture pockets and small values of the average barrier radii resulted in the reduction of the capture cross sections for 52,54Cr-and 64 Ni-induced reactions,which were related to the synthesis of new super-heavy nuclei.展开更多
Background Diets with high inclusion of corn co-products such as corn fermented protein(CFP)may contain excess Leu,which has a negative impact on feed intake and growth performance of pigs due to increased catabolism ...Background Diets with high inclusion of corn co-products such as corn fermented protein(CFP)may contain excess Leu,which has a negative impact on feed intake and growth performance of pigs due to increased catabolism of Val and Ile and reduced availability of Trp in the brain for serotonin synthesis.However,we hypothesized that the negative effect of using CFP in diets for weanling pigs may be overcome if diets are fortified with crystalline sources of Val,Trp,and(or)Ile.Methods Three hundred and twenty weanling pigs were randomly allotted to one of 10 dietary treatments in a com-pletely randomized design,with 4 pigs per pen and 8 replicate pens per treatment.A corn-soybean meal diet and 2 basal diets based on corn and 10%CFP or corn and 20%CFP were formulated.Seven additional diets were formu-lated by fortifying the basal diet with 20%CFP with Ile,Trp,Val,Ile and Val,Ile and Trp,Trp and Val,or Ile,Trp and Val.A two-phase feeding program was used,with d 1 to 14 being phase 1 and d 15 to 28 being phase 2.Fecal scores were recorded every other day.Blood samples were collected on d 14 and 28 from one pig per pen.On d 14,fecal samples were collected from one pig per pen in 3 of the 10 treatments to determine volatile fatty acids,ammonium concen-tration,and microbial protein.These pigs were also euthanized and ileal tissue was collected.Results There were no effects of dietary treatments on any of the parameters evaluated in phase 1.Inclusion of 10%or 20%CFP in diets reduced(P<0.05)final body weight on d 28,and average daily gain(ADG)and average daily feed intake(ADFI)in phase 2 and for the entire experimental period.However,pigs fed the CFP diet supplemented with Val,Ile,and Trp had final body weight,ADFI,ADG and gain to feed ratio in phase 2 and for the entire experiment that was not different from pigs fed the control diet.Fecal scores in phase 2 were reduced(P<0.05)if CFP was used.Conclusions Corn fermented protein may be included by up to 20%in diets for weanling pigs without affecting growth performance,gut health,or hindgut fermentation,if diets are fortified with extra Val,Trp,and Ile.Inclusion of CFP also improved fecal consistency of pigs.展开更多
Background Feeding spray dried plasma(SDP)to weanling pigs improves growth,but there is a lack of research on how SDP impacts oxidative stress and inflammatory response in lactating sows,and performance of their pigle...Background Feeding spray dried plasma(SDP)to weanling pigs improves growth,but there is a lack of research on how SDP impacts oxidative stress and inflammatory response in lactating sows,and performance of their piglets after weaning.Therefore,an experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that sows fed a diet with SDP in late gestation and lactation have improved reproductive performance and reduced inflammation compared with sows fed no SDP.The second hypothesis was that pigs weaned from sows fed 0.5%SDP in lactation have reduced diarrhea incidence and improved growth performance during the initial 14 d of the nursery period regardless of dietary SDP.Results The percent of low vitality or starved pigs during lactation was less(P<0.05)from sows fed 0.5%dietary SDP compared with sows fed the diet without SDP.Dietary SDP did not influence oxidative stress markers in the plasma of sows,but serum cytokines increased(P<0.05)in sows fed the diet with 0.5%SDP compared with sows fed the diet without SDP.Pigs weaned from young sows fed no SDP or from mature sows fed 0 or 0.5%SDP had a greater gain to feed ratio when fed a phase 1 diet containing 6%SDP compared with pigs fed a diet without SDP,but the gain to feed ratio of pigs weaned from young sows fed 0.5%dietary SDP was not affected by dietary SDP in phase 1(interaction,P<0.05).Regardless of sow treatment,pigs fed a phase 1 diet with 6%SDP had greater(P<0.05)growth performance than pigs fed a phase 1 diet without SDP,and pigs fed the phase 1 diet with 6%SDP had reduced(P<0.05)diarrhea incidence in phase 1.Conclusions Feeding 0.5%dietary SDP to sows may reduce the number of mummified pigs and increase pig vitality during lactation,but adding 0.5%SDP to sow diets during lactation did not improve post-weaning performance of pigs fed a starter diet with 6%SDP.展开更多
Background Supplementation of choline chloride in culture medium programs the preimplantation bovine embryo to increase weaning weight of the resultant calf.Here,it was hypothesized that similar programming actions of...Background Supplementation of choline chloride in culture medium programs the preimplantation bovine embryo to increase weaning weight of the resultant calf.Here,it was hypothesized that similar programming actions of choline can be induced by feeding rumen-protected choline(RPC)to beef cows during the periconceptional period.Results A preliminary experiment was conducted to determine changes in circulating concentrations of choline and its metabolites after RPC supplementation.Suckled beef cows were individually fed 0,30,60,and 90 g of RPC(i.e.,0,8.6,17.3 and 25.9 g choline chloride)and blood samples were collected at random times after feeding.There were no differences in plasma concentrations of choline or its metabolites between groups.In the second experiment,effects of feeding 60 g/d RPC from d-1 to 7 relative to timed artificial insemination were examined for suckled beef cows.Feeding RPC did not affect pregnancy or calving rates,pregnancy losses,plasma concentrations of pregnancy-associated glycoproteins,gestation length or calf birth weight.Calves from RPC fed dams were lighter than control calves at~118 days of age(range 75–150;age included in the statistical model)and at weaning at~248 days of age.There was no effect of treatment on hip height at~118 days of age although there was a trend for RPC calves to be shorter at weaning.Weight/height ratio was lower for RPC than control at both 118 and 248 days of age.Treatment did not affect testis weight at~118 days of age.Conclusions Supplementation of RPC during the periconceptional period programmed development to alter calf phenotype in the postnatal period.The net result,reduced body weight,was the opposite of the phenotype caused by the addition of choline to embryo culture medium.展开更多
A super-radiant terahertz free-electron laser(THz-FEL)light source was developed for the first time in Thailand and Southeast Asia at the PBP-CMU Electron Linac Laboratory(PCELL)of Chiang Mai University.This radiation...A super-radiant terahertz free-electron laser(THz-FEL)light source was developed for the first time in Thailand and Southeast Asia at the PBP-CMU Electron Linac Laboratory(PCELL)of Chiang Mai University.This radiation source requires relatively ultrashort electron bunches to produce intense coherent THz pulses.Three electron bunch compression processes are utilized in the PCELL accelerator system comprising pre-bunch compression in an alpha magnet,velocity bunching in a radio-frequency(RF)linear accelerator(linac),and magnetic bunch compression in a 180°acromat system.Electron bunch compression in the magnetic compressor system poses considerable challenges,which are addressed through the use of three quadrupole doublets.The strengths of the quadrupole fields significantly influence the rotation of the beam line longitudinal phase space distribution along the bunch compressor.Start-to-end beam dynamics simulations using the ASTRA code were performed to optimize the electron beam properties for generating super-radiant THz-FEL radiation.The operational parameters considered in the simulations comprise the alpha magnet gradient,linac RF phase,and quadrupole field strengths.The optimization results show that 10-16MeV femtosecond electron bunches with a low energy spread(~0.2%),small normalized emittance(~15πmm·mrad),and high peak current(165-247A)can be produced by the PCELL accelerator system at the optimal parameters.A THz-FEL with sub-microjoule pulse energies can thus be obtained at the optimized electron beam parameters.The physical and conceptual design of the THz-FEL beamline were completed based on the beam dynamics simulation results.The construction and installation of this beamline are currently underway and expected to be completed by mid-2024.The commissioning of the beamline will then commence.展开更多
A 4 MeV RF linear accelerator for electron beam irradiation applications has been developed at the PBP-CMU Electron Linac Laboratory,Thailand.The system has been reengineered using a decommissioned medical linear acce...A 4 MeV RF linear accelerator for electron beam irradiation applications has been developed at the PBP-CMU Electron Linac Laboratory,Thailand.The system has been reengineered using a decommissioned medical linear accelerator.The main components include a thermionic DC electron gun,an RF linear accelerator,a beam diagnostic chamber,and a beam exit window for electron beam irradiation.Therefore,reengineering must be performed based on the characteristics of the electron beam and its dynamics throughout the system.In this study,the electron beam current density emitted from the cathode was calculated based on the thermionic emission theory,and the result was used to produce the electron beam distribution in the gun using CST Studio Suite^(■)software.The properties of the electron beam and its acceleration in the linear accelerator and downstream diagnostic section were studied using the ASTRA electron beam dynamics simulation code,with the aim of producing an electron beam with an average energy of 4 MeV at the linear accelerator exit.The transverse beam profile and electron deposition dose in the ambient environment were calculated using Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation software to estimate the beam performance for the irradiation experiments.The parameters studied can be used as guidelines for machine operation and future experimental plans.展开更多
Background Sperm cryopreservation is widely used in the cattle industry,as it allows for disassociating the localiza-tion of sires and the collection of semen from the timing of artificial insemination.While freeze-th...Background Sperm cryopreservation is widely used in the cattle industry,as it allows for disassociating the localiza-tion of sires and the collection of semen from the timing of artificial insemination.While freeze-thawing is known to impair sperm DNA integrity,whether the damage induced consists of single-(SSB)or double-strand breaks(DSB)has not been determined.In addition,no previous study has addressed if DNA breaks preferentially reside in specific genome regions such as those forming the toroid linker regions,or are rather spread throughout the regions linked to protamines.The main aim of the present work,therefore,was to elucidate the type and localization of the DNA damage generated by cryopreservation and to evaluate its impact on artificial insemination outcomes in cattle.Results The incidence of SSB and DSB was evaluated in 12 ejaculates before and after cryopreservation with the Comet assay,and the localization of the DNA breaks was assessed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis(PFGE).Before cryopreservation,the incidence of SSB was 10.99%±4.62%and involved 20.56%±3.04%of sperm cells,whereas these figures significantly(P<0.0001)increased up to 34.11%±3.48%and 53.36%±11.00%in frozen-thawed sperm.In contrast,no significant differences in the incidence of DSB were observed(P>0.990)before and after cryopreservation(before:incidence of 13.91%±1.75%of sperm DNA affecting 56.04%±12.49%of sperm cells;after:incidence of 13.55%±1.55%of sperm DNA involving 53.36%±11.00%of sperm cells).Moreover,PFGE revealed that the percentage of sperm DNA fragments whose length was shorter than a toroid(<31.5 kb)was greater(P<0.0001)after(27.00%±4.26%)than before freeze-thawing(15.57%±4.53%).These differences indicated that the DNA breaks induced by cryopreservation affect the regions condensed in protamines,which are structured in toroids.On the other hand,in vivo fertility rates were associated to the incidence of SSB and DSB in frozen-thawed sperm(P=0.032 and P=0.005),but not with the size of the DNA fragments resulting from these breaks(P>0.05).Conclusion Cryopreservation of bovine sperm generates single-strand DNA breaks,which are mainly located in protamine-condensed toroidal regions.The incidence of DNA breaks in cryopreserved sperm has an impact on cat-tle fertility,regardless of the size of generated fragments.展开更多
Background Subacute ruminal acidosis(SARA)is a common metabolic disorder of high yielding dairy cows,and it is associated with dysbiosis of the rumen and gut microbiome and host inflammation.This study evaluated the i...Background Subacute ruminal acidosis(SARA)is a common metabolic disorder of high yielding dairy cows,and it is associated with dysbiosis of the rumen and gut microbiome and host inflammation.This study evaluated the impact of two postbiotics from Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation products(SCFP)on rumen liquid associated microbiota of lactating dairy cows subjected to repeated grain-based SARA challenges.A total of 32 rumen cannulated cows were randomly assigned to 4 treatments from 4 weeks before until 12 weeks after parturition.Treatment groups included a Control diet or diets supplemented with postbiotics(SCFPa,14 g/d Original XPC;SCFPb-1X,19 g/d Nutri Tek;SCFPb-2X,38 g/d Nutri Tek,Diamond V,Cedar Rapids,IA,USA).Grain-based SARA challenges were conducted during week 5(SARA1)and week 8(SARA2)after parturition by replacing 20%DM of the base total mixed ration(TMR)with pellets containing 50%ground barley and 50%ground wheat.Total DNA from rumen liquid samples was subjected to V3–V416S r RNA gene amplicon sequencing.Characteristics of rumen microbiota were compared among treatments and SARA stages.Results Both SARA challenges reduced the diversity and richness of rumen liquid microbiota,altered the overall composition(β-diversity),and its predicted functionality including carbohydrates and amino acids metabolic pathways.The SARA challenges also reduced the number of significant associations among different taxa,number of hub taxa and their composition in the microbial co-occurrence networks.Supplementation with SCFP postbiotics,in particular SCFPb-2X,enhanced the robustness of the rumen microbiota.The SCFP supplemented cows had less fluctuation in relative abundances of community members when exposed to SARA challenges.The SCFP supplementation promoted the populations of lactate utilizing and fibrolytic bacteria,including members of Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae,and also increased the numbers of hub taxa during non-SARA and SARA stages.Supplementation with SCFPb-2X prevented the fluctuations in the abundances of hub taxa that were positively correlated with the acetate concentration,andα-andβ-diversity metrics in rumen liquid digesta.Conclusions Induction of SARA challenges reduced microbiota richness and diversity and caused fluctuations in major bacterial phyla in rumen liquid microbiota in lactating dairy cows.Supplementation of SCFP postbiotics could attenuate adverse effects of SARA on rumen liquid microbiota.展开更多
As a potent grain refiner for steel casting,TiN is now widely used to refineγ-austenite in steel additive manufacturing(AM).However,the refining mechanism of TiN during AM remains unclear despite intensive research i...As a potent grain refiner for steel casting,TiN is now widely used to refineγ-austenite in steel additive manufacturing(AM).However,the refining mechanism of TiN during AM remains unclear despite intensive research in recent years.This work aims to boost our understanding on the mechanism of TiN in refining theγ-austenite in AM-fabricated 316 stainless steel and its corresponding effect on the mechanical behaviour.Experimental results show that addition of 1 wt.%TiN nanoparticles led to complete columnarto-equiaxed transition and significant refinement of the austenite grains to∼2μm in the 316 steel.Thermodynamic and kinetic simulations confirmed that,despite the rapid AM solidification,δ-ferrite is the primary solid phase during AM of the 316 steel andγ-austenite forms through subsequent peritectic reaction or direct transformation from theδ-ferrite.This implies that the TiN nanoparticles actually refined theδ-ferrite through promoting its heterogenous nucleation,which in turn refined theγ-austenite.This assumption is verified by the high grain refining efficiency of TiN nanoparticles in an AM-fabricated Fe-4 wt.%Siδ-ferrite alloy,in whichδ-ferrite forms directly from the melt and is retained at room temperature.The grain refinement is attributed to the good atomic matching betweenδ-ferrite and TiN.Grain refinement in the 316 steel through 1 wt.%TiN inoculation not only eliminated the property anisotropy but also led to a high strain-hardening rate upon plastic deformation and thereby a superior strengthductility synergy with yield strength of 561 MPa,tensile strength of 860 MPa and elongation of 48%.展开更多
Current lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)rely on organic liquid electrolytes that pose significant risks due to their flammability and toxicity.The potential for environmental pollution and explosions resulting from battery...Current lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)rely on organic liquid electrolytes that pose significant risks due to their flammability and toxicity.The potential for environmental pollution and explosions resulting from battery damage or fracture is a critical concern.Water-based(aqueous)electrolytes have been receiving attention as an alternative to organic electrolytes.However,a narrow electrochemicalstability window,water decomposition,and the consequent low battery operating voltage and energy density hinder the practical use of aqueous electrolytes.Therefore,developing novel aqueous electrolytes for sustainable,safe,high-performance LIBs remains challenging.This Review first commences by summarizing the roles and requirements of electrolytes–separators and then delineates the progression of aqueous electrolytes for LIBs,encompassing aqueous liquid and gel electrolyte development trends along with detailed principles of the electrolytes.These aqueous electrolytes are progressed based on strategies using superconcentrated salts,concentrated diluents,polymer additives,polymer networks,and artificial passivation layers,which are used for suppressing water decomposition and widening the electrochemical stability window of water of the electrolytes.In addition,this Review discusses potential strategies for the implementation of aqueous Li-metal batteries with improved electrolyte–electrode interfaces.A comprehensive understanding of each strategy in the aqueous system will assist in the design of an aqueous electrolyte and the development of sustainable and safe high-performance batteries.展开更多
Background The study objective was to test the hypothesis that low crude protein(CP)diet with crystalline amino acids(CAA)supplementation improves Lys utilization efficiency for milk production and reduces protein tur...Background The study objective was to test the hypothesis that low crude protein(CP)diet with crystalline amino acids(CAA)supplementation improves Lys utilization efficiency for milk production and reduces protein turnover and muscle protein breakdown.Eighteen lactating multiparous Yorkshire sows were allotted to 1 of 2 isocaloric diets(10.80 MJ/kg net energy):control(CON;19.24%CP)and reduced CP with“optimal”AA profile(OPT;14.00%CP).Sow body weight and backfat were recorded on d 1 and 21 of lactation and piglets were weighed on d 1,14,18,and 21 of lactation.Between d 14 and 18,a subset of 9 sows(CON=4,OPT=5)was infused with a mixed solution of 3-[methyl-2H3]histidine(bolus injection)and[13C]bicarbonate(priming dose)first,then a constant 2-h[13C]bicarbonate infusion followed by a 6-h primed constant[1-13C]lysine infusion.Serial blood and milk sampling were performed to determine plasma and milk Lys enrichment,Lys oxidation rate,whole body protein turnover,and muscle protein breakdown.Results Over the 21-d lactation period,compared to CON,sows fed OPT had greater litter growth rate(P<0.05).Compared to CON,sows fed OPT had greater efficiency of Lys(P<0.05),Lys mammary flux(P<0.01)and whole-body protein turnover efficiency(P<0.05).Compared to CON,sows fed OPT tended to have lower whole body protein breakdown rate(P=0.069).Muscle protein breakdown rate did not differ between OPT and CON(P=0.197).Conclusion Feeding an improved AA balance diet increased efficiency of Lys and reduced whole-body protein turnover and protein breakdown.These results imply that the lower maternal N retention observed in lactating sows fed improved AA balance diets in previous studies may be a result of greater partitioning of AA towards milk rather than greater body protein breakdown.展开更多
Current therapeutic approaches for volumetric muscle loss(VML)face challenges due to limited graft availability and insufficient bioactivities.To overcome these limitations,tissue-engineered scaffolds have emerged as ...Current therapeutic approaches for volumetric muscle loss(VML)face challenges due to limited graft availability and insufficient bioactivities.To overcome these limitations,tissue-engineered scaffolds have emerged as a promising alternative.In this study,we developed aligned ternary nanofibrous matrices comprised of poly(lactide-co-ε-caprolactone)integrated with collagen and Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)MXene nanoparticles(NPs)(PCM matrices),and explored their myogenic potential for skeletal muscle tissue regeneration.The PCM matrices demonstrated favorable physicochemical properties,including structural uniformity,alignment,microporosity,and hydrophilicity.In vitro assays revealed that the PCM matrices promoted cellular behaviors and myogenic differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts.Moreover,in vivo experiments demonstrated enhanced muscle remodeling and recovery in mice treated with PCM matrices following VML injury.Mechanistic insights from next-generation sequencing revealed that MXene NPs facilitated protein and ion availability within PCM matrices,leading to elevated intracellular Ca^(2+)levels in myoblasts through the activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase(i NOS)and serum/glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1(SGK1),ultimately promoting myogenic differentiation via the m TOR-AKT pathway.Additionally,upregulated i NOS and increased NO–contributed to myoblast proliferation and fiber fusion,thereby facilitating overall myoblast maturation.These findings underscore the potential of MXene NPs loaded within highly aligned matrices as therapeutic agents to promote skeletal muscle tissue recovery.展开更多
Ischemic stroke is a devastating disease that affects millions of patients worldwide.Unfortunately,there are no effective medications for mitigating brain injury after ischemic stroke.TRP channels are evolutionally an...Ischemic stroke is a devastating disease that affects millions of patients worldwide.Unfortunately,there are no effective medications for mitigating brain injury after ischemic stroke.TRP channels are evolutionally ancient biosensors that detect external stimuli as well as tissue or cellular injury.To date,many members of the TRP superfamily have been reported to contribute to ischemic brain injury,including the TRPC subfamily(1,3,4,5,6,7),TRPV subfamily(1,2,3,4)and TRPM subfamily(2,4,7).These TRP channels share structural similarities but have distinct channel functions and properties.Their activation during ischemic stroke can be beneficial,detrimental,or even both.In this review,we focus on discussing the interesting features of stroke-related TRP channels and summarizing the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for their involvement in ischemic brain injury.展开更多
Noble metal-based-bimetallic catalysts have been highly investigated and applied in wide applications including biomass transformation via regioselective C−O hydrogenolysis while further modification especially with n...Noble metal-based-bimetallic catalysts have been highly investigated and applied in wide applications including biomass transformation via regioselective C−O hydrogenolysis while further modification especially with noble metal is highly promising yet still under investigation.Herein,Ru was found as an effective modifier among the screened noble metals(Ru,Pt,Rh,Pd,Au,and Ag)for Ir-Fe/BN(Ir=5 wt%,Fe/Ir=0.25)catalyst in terminal C−O hydrogenolysis of 1,2-butanediol(1,2-BuD)to 2-butanol(2-BuOH).Only trace amount of Ru(up to 0.5 wt%)was effective in terms of high 2-BuOH selectivity(>60%)and activity(about twice).Larger amount of Ru species(3 wt%)highly enhanced the activity but gave low selectivity to 2-BuOH with by-products of terminal C−C bond scission.Optimized catalyst(Ru(0.5)-Ir-Fe/BN)was reusable at least 4 times and gave moderate 2-BuOH yield(47%)in hydrogenolysis of 1,2-BuD.The promoting effect of Ru addition(0.5 wt%)to Ir-Fe/BN on hydrogenolysis of various alcohols was also confirmed.Combining catalytic tests with various characterizations,the promotion mechanism of Ru species in trimetallic catalysts was clarified.The Ru species in Ru(0.5)-Ir-Fe/BN form alloy with Ir and are enriched at the interface with BN surface,and direct interaction between Ru and Fe was not necessary in Ru-Ir-Fe alloy.The interface of Ir and Fe on the surface of Ir-Fe alloy may work as active sites for 1,2-diols to secondary alcohols via direct C−O hydrogenolysis,in which Ru-modified Ir activates H_(2) to form hydride-like species.The activity of Ru species in C−C bond cleavage was highly suppressed due to the direct interaction with Ir species and less exposed to substrate.Larger loading amount of Ru species(3 wt%)led to the formation Ru-rich trimetallic alloy,which further works as active sites for C−C bond scission.展开更多
Background As Holstein calves are susceptible to gastrointestinal disorders during the first week of life,understanding how intestinal immune function develops in neonatal calves is important to promote better intesti...Background As Holstein calves are susceptible to gastrointestinal disorders during the first week of life,understanding how intestinal immune function develops in neonatal calves is important to promote better intestinal health.Feeding probiotics in early life may contribute to host intestinal health by facilitating beneficial bacteria colonization and developing intestinal immune function.The objective of this study was to characterize the impact of early life yeast supplementation and growth on colon mucosa-attached bacteria and host immune function.Results Twenty Holstein bull calves received no supplementation(CON)or Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii(SCB)from birth to 5 d of life.Colon tissue biopsies were taken within 2 h of life(D0)before the first colostrum feeding and 3 h after the morning feeding at d 5 of age(D5)to analyze mucosa-attached bacteria and colon transcriptome.Metagenome sequencing showed that there was no difference inαandβdiversity of mucosa-attached bacteria between day and treatment,but bacteria related to diarrhea were more abundant in the colon mucosa on D0 compared to D5.In addition,q PCR indicated that the absolute abundance of Escherichia coli(E.coli)decreased in the colon mucosa on D5 compared to D0;however,that of Bifidobacterium,Lactobacillus,and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii,which could competitively exclude E.coli,increased in the colon mucosa on D5 compared to D0.RNA-sequencing showed that there were no differentially expressed genes between CON and SCB,but suggested that pathways related to viral infection such as“Interferon Signaling”were activated in the colon mucosa of D5 compared to D0.Conclusions Growth affected mucosa-attached bacteria and host immune function in the colon mucosa during the first 5 d of life in dairy calves independently of SCB supplementation.During early life,opportunistic pathogens may decrease due to intestinal environmental changes by beneficial bacteria and/or host immune function.Predicted activation of immune function-related pathways may be the result of host immune function development or suggest other antigens in the intestine during early life.Further studies focusing on the other antigens and host immune function in the colon mucosa are required to better understand intestinal immune function development.展开更多
POLAR-2 is a gamma-ray burst(GRB)polarimeter that is designed to study the polarization in GRB radiation emissions,aiming to improve our knowledge of related mechanisms.POLAR-2 is expected to utilize an on-board polar...POLAR-2 is a gamma-ray burst(GRB)polarimeter that is designed to study the polarization in GRB radiation emissions,aiming to improve our knowledge of related mechanisms.POLAR-2 is expected to utilize an on-board polarimeter that is sensitive to soft X-rays(2-10 keV),called low-energy polarization detector.We have developed a new soft X-ray polari-zation detector prototype based on gas microchannel plates(GMCPs)and pixel chips(Topmetal).The GMCPs have bulk resistance,which prevents charging-up effects and ensures gain stability during operation.The detector is composed of low outgassing materials and is gas-sealed using a laser welding technique,ensuring long-term stability.A modulation factor of 41.28%±0.64% is obtained for a 4.5 keV polarized X-ray beam.A residual modulation of 1.96%±0.58% at 5.9 keV is observed for the entire sensitive area.展开更多
Generally wastewater such agricultural runoff is considered a nuisance;however,it could be harnessed as a potential source of nutrients like nitrates and phosphates in integrated biorefinery context.In the current stu...Generally wastewater such agricultural runoff is considered a nuisance;however,it could be harnessed as a potential source of nutrients like nitrates and phosphates in integrated biorefinery context.In the current study,microalgae Chlorella sp.S5 was used for bioremediation of agricultural runoff and the leftover algal biomass was used as a potential source for production of biofuels in an integrated biorefinery context.The microalgae Chlorella sp.S5 was cultivated on Blue Green(BG 11)medium and a comprehensive optimization of different parameters including phosphates,nitrates,and pH was carried out to acquire maximum algal biomass enriched with high lipids content.Dry biomass was quantified using the solvent extraction technique,while the identification of nitrates and phosphates in agricultural runoff was carried out using commercial kits.The algal extracted lipids(oils)were employed in enzymatic trans-esterification for biodiesel production using whole-cell biomass of Bacillus subtilis Q4 MZ841642.The resultant fatty acid methyl esters(FAMEs)were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared(FTIR)spectroscopy and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry(GC-MS).Subsequently,both the intact algal biomass and its lipid-depleted algal biomass were used for biogas production within a batch anaerobic digestion setup.Interestingly,Chlorella sp.S5 demonstrated a substantial reduction of 95%in nitrate and 91%in phosphate from agricultural runoff.The biodiesel derived from algal biomass exhibited a noteworthy total FAME content of 98.2%,meeting the quality standards set by American Society for Testing and Materials(ASTM)and European union(EU)standards.Furthermore,the biomethane yields obtained from whole biomass and lipid-depleted biomass were 330.34 NmL/g VSadded and 364.34 NmL/g VSadded,respectively.In conclusion,the findings underscore the potent utility of Chlorella sp.S5 as a multi-faceted resource,proficiently employed in a sequential cascade for treating agricultural runoff,producing biodiesel,and generating biogas within the integrated biorefinery concept.展开更多
The evaluation of plant-based feedstocks is an important aspect of biorefining.Nicotiana glauca is a solanaceous,non-food crop that produces large amounts of biomass and is well adapted to grow in suboptimal condition...The evaluation of plant-based feedstocks is an important aspect of biorefining.Nicotiana glauca is a solanaceous,non-food crop that produces large amounts of biomass and is well adapted to grow in suboptimal conditions.In the present article,compatible sequential solvent extractions were applied to N.glauca leaves to enable the generation of enriched extracts containing higher metabolite content comparing to direct leaf extracts.Typically,between 60 to 100 metabolite components were identified within the fractions.The occurrence of plant fatty acids,fatty acid alcohols,alkanes,sterols and terpenoids was detected by gas liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)and metabolite identification was confirmed by comparison of physico-chemical properties displayed by available authentic standards.Collectively,co-products such waxes,oils,fermentable sugars,and terpenoids were all identified and quantified.The enriched fractions of N.glauca revealed a high level of readily extractable hydrocarbons,oils and high value co-products.In addition,the saccharification yield and cell wall composition analyses in the stems revealed the potential of the residue material as a promising lignocellulosic substrate for the production of fermentable sugars.In conclusion a multifractional cascade for valuable compounds/commodities has been development,that uses N.glauca biomass.These data have enabled the evaluation of N.glauca material as a potential feedstock for biorefining.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under grant number U21A20259the National Key Research and Development Program of China under grant number 2021YFD1800401.
文摘Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb)employs multiple mechanisms,such as phagocytosis and autophagy,to evade innate immune clearance and establish infection.In the present study,we identified the ESX-1 secretion-associated protein EspL,which promotes Mtb survival by inhibiting phagosome maturation and autophagy initiation.EspL knockout decreased Mtb intracellular survival,while EspL overexpression increased bacterial survival by interfering with phagocytosis and autophagy.EspL interacts with ULK1 and promotes its phosphorylation at Ser^(757),leading to the inhibition of autophagy initiation.Additionally,overexpression of EspL reduced antigen presentation and T-cell responses both in vitro and in vivo.Our findings revealed that EspL interferes with autophagy and antigen presenta-tion by suppressing ULK1 activation.These insights provide a novel understanding of Mtb pathogenicity.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.12265006,12375129,U1867212)the Innovation Project of Guangxi Graduate Education(No.YCSWYCSW2022176)the Guangxi Natural Science Foundation(2017GXNSFGA198001).
文摘Based on the Skyrme energy density functional and reaction Q-value,this study proposed an effective nucleus-nucleus poten-tial for describing the capture barrier in heavy-ion fusion processes.The 443 extracted barrier heights were well reproduced with a root-mean-square(RMS)error of 1.53 MeV,and the RMS deviations with respect to 144 time-dependent Hartree-Fock capture barrier heights were only 1.05 MeV.Coupled with the Siwek-Wilczyński formula,wherein three parameters were determined by the proposed effective potentials,the measured capture cross sections at energies around the barriers were reasonably well reproduced for several fusion reactions induced by nearly spherical nuclei as well as by nuclei with large deformations,such as^(154)Sm and^(238)U.The shallow capture pockets and small values of the average barrier radii resulted in the reduction of the capture cross sections for 52,54Cr-and 64 Ni-induced reactions,which were related to the synthesis of new super-heavy nuclei.
基金Financial support for this research from Minnesota Corn Growers Association(Burnsville,MN,USA)Green Plains Energy(Omaha,NE,USA)is greatly appreciated.
文摘Background Diets with high inclusion of corn co-products such as corn fermented protein(CFP)may contain excess Leu,which has a negative impact on feed intake and growth performance of pigs due to increased catabolism of Val and Ile and reduced availability of Trp in the brain for serotonin synthesis.However,we hypothesized that the negative effect of using CFP in diets for weanling pigs may be overcome if diets are fortified with crystalline sources of Val,Trp,and(or)Ile.Methods Three hundred and twenty weanling pigs were randomly allotted to one of 10 dietary treatments in a com-pletely randomized design,with 4 pigs per pen and 8 replicate pens per treatment.A corn-soybean meal diet and 2 basal diets based on corn and 10%CFP or corn and 20%CFP were formulated.Seven additional diets were formu-lated by fortifying the basal diet with 20%CFP with Ile,Trp,Val,Ile and Val,Ile and Trp,Trp and Val,or Ile,Trp and Val.A two-phase feeding program was used,with d 1 to 14 being phase 1 and d 15 to 28 being phase 2.Fecal scores were recorded every other day.Blood samples were collected on d 14 and 28 from one pig per pen.On d 14,fecal samples were collected from one pig per pen in 3 of the 10 treatments to determine volatile fatty acids,ammonium concen-tration,and microbial protein.These pigs were also euthanized and ileal tissue was collected.Results There were no effects of dietary treatments on any of the parameters evaluated in phase 1.Inclusion of 10%or 20%CFP in diets reduced(P<0.05)final body weight on d 28,and average daily gain(ADG)and average daily feed intake(ADFI)in phase 2 and for the entire experimental period.However,pigs fed the CFP diet supplemented with Val,Ile,and Trp had final body weight,ADFI,ADG and gain to feed ratio in phase 2 and for the entire experiment that was not different from pigs fed the control diet.Fecal scores in phase 2 were reduced(P<0.05)if CFP was used.Conclusions Corn fermented protein may be included by up to 20%in diets for weanling pigs without affecting growth performance,gut health,or hindgut fermentation,if diets are fortified with extra Val,Trp,and Ile.Inclusion of CFP also improved fecal consistency of pigs.
基金support from APC LLC,Ankeny,IA,USA,is greatly appreciated.
文摘Background Feeding spray dried plasma(SDP)to weanling pigs improves growth,but there is a lack of research on how SDP impacts oxidative stress and inflammatory response in lactating sows,and performance of their piglets after weaning.Therefore,an experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that sows fed a diet with SDP in late gestation and lactation have improved reproductive performance and reduced inflammation compared with sows fed no SDP.The second hypothesis was that pigs weaned from sows fed 0.5%SDP in lactation have reduced diarrhea incidence and improved growth performance during the initial 14 d of the nursery period regardless of dietary SDP.Results The percent of low vitality or starved pigs during lactation was less(P<0.05)from sows fed 0.5%dietary SDP compared with sows fed the diet without SDP.Dietary SDP did not influence oxidative stress markers in the plasma of sows,but serum cytokines increased(P<0.05)in sows fed the diet with 0.5%SDP compared with sows fed the diet without SDP.Pigs weaned from young sows fed no SDP or from mature sows fed 0 or 0.5%SDP had a greater gain to feed ratio when fed a phase 1 diet containing 6%SDP compared with pigs fed a diet without SDP,but the gain to feed ratio of pigs weaned from young sows fed 0.5%dietary SDP was not affected by dietary SDP in phase 1(interaction,P<0.05).Regardless of sow treatment,pigs fed a phase 1 diet with 6%SDP had greater(P<0.05)growth performance than pigs fed a phase 1 diet without SDP,and pigs fed the phase 1 diet with 6%SDP had reduced(P<0.05)diarrhea incidence in phase 1.Conclusions Feeding 0.5%dietary SDP to sows may reduce the number of mummified pigs and increase pig vitality during lactation,but adding 0.5%SDP to sow diets during lactation did not improve post-weaning performance of pigs fed a starter diet with 6%SDP.
基金supported by the L.E.“Red”Larson Endowment and grants number 2020-67015-30821 and 2023-67015-40730 from the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative of USDA-NIFAsupported by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan。
文摘Background Supplementation of choline chloride in culture medium programs the preimplantation bovine embryo to increase weaning weight of the resultant calf.Here,it was hypothesized that similar programming actions of choline can be induced by feeding rumen-protected choline(RPC)to beef cows during the periconceptional period.Results A preliminary experiment was conducted to determine changes in circulating concentrations of choline and its metabolites after RPC supplementation.Suckled beef cows were individually fed 0,30,60,and 90 g of RPC(i.e.,0,8.6,17.3 and 25.9 g choline chloride)and blood samples were collected at random times after feeding.There were no differences in plasma concentrations of choline or its metabolites between groups.In the second experiment,effects of feeding 60 g/d RPC from d-1 to 7 relative to timed artificial insemination were examined for suckled beef cows.Feeding RPC did not affect pregnancy or calving rates,pregnancy losses,plasma concentrations of pregnancy-associated glycoproteins,gestation length or calf birth weight.Calves from RPC fed dams were lighter than control calves at~118 days of age(range 75–150;age included in the statistical model)and at weaning at~248 days of age.There was no effect of treatment on hip height at~118 days of age although there was a trend for RPC calves to be shorter at weaning.Weight/height ratio was lower for RPC than control at both 118 and 248 days of age.Treatment did not affect testis weight at~118 days of age.Conclusions Supplementation of RPC during the periconceptional period programmed development to alter calf phenotype in the postnatal period.The net result,reduced body weight,was the opposite of the phenotype caused by the addition of choline to embryo culture medium.
基金support from the NSRF via the Program Management Unit for Human Resources&Institutional Development,Research,and Innovation(No.B05F650022),as well as from Chiang Mai University.
文摘A super-radiant terahertz free-electron laser(THz-FEL)light source was developed for the first time in Thailand and Southeast Asia at the PBP-CMU Electron Linac Laboratory(PCELL)of Chiang Mai University.This radiation source requires relatively ultrashort electron bunches to produce intense coherent THz pulses.Three electron bunch compression processes are utilized in the PCELL accelerator system comprising pre-bunch compression in an alpha magnet,velocity bunching in a radio-frequency(RF)linear accelerator(linac),and magnetic bunch compression in a 180°acromat system.Electron bunch compression in the magnetic compressor system poses considerable challenges,which are addressed through the use of three quadrupole doublets.The strengths of the quadrupole fields significantly influence the rotation of the beam line longitudinal phase space distribution along the bunch compressor.Start-to-end beam dynamics simulations using the ASTRA code were performed to optimize the electron beam properties for generating super-radiant THz-FEL radiation.The operational parameters considered in the simulations comprise the alpha magnet gradient,linac RF phase,and quadrupole field strengths.The optimization results show that 10-16MeV femtosecond electron bunches with a low energy spread(~0.2%),small normalized emittance(~15πmm·mrad),and high peak current(165-247A)can be produced by the PCELL accelerator system at the optimal parameters.A THz-FEL with sub-microjoule pulse energies can thus be obtained at the optimized electron beam parameters.The physical and conceptual design of the THz-FEL beamline were completed based on the beam dynamics simulation results.The construction and installation of this beamline are currently underway and expected to be completed by mid-2024.The commissioning of the beamline will then commence.
基金supported by Chiang Mai University for providing infrastructure and the NSRF via the Program Management Unit for Human Resources&Institutional Development,Research and Innovation[grant number B05F650022]for the software CST Studio Suite^(■)2023Financial support for the reengineering and commissioning of the accelerator system was provided by the Thailand Center of Excellence in Physics(ThEP Center),Science and Technology Park Chiang Mai University(CMU STeP)。
文摘A 4 MeV RF linear accelerator for electron beam irradiation applications has been developed at the PBP-CMU Electron Linac Laboratory,Thailand.The system has been reengineered using a decommissioned medical linear accelerator.The main components include a thermionic DC electron gun,an RF linear accelerator,a beam diagnostic chamber,and a beam exit window for electron beam irradiation.Therefore,reengineering must be performed based on the characteristics of the electron beam and its dynamics throughout the system.In this study,the electron beam current density emitted from the cathode was calculated based on the thermionic emission theory,and the result was used to produce the electron beam distribution in the gun using CST Studio Suite^(■)software.The properties of the electron beam and its acceleration in the linear accelerator and downstream diagnostic section were studied using the ASTRA electron beam dynamics simulation code,with the aim of producing an electron beam with an average energy of 4 MeV at the linear accelerator exit.The transverse beam profile and electron deposition dose in the ambient environment were calculated using Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation software to estimate the beam performance for the irradiation experiments.The parameters studied can be used as guidelines for machine operation and future experimental plans.
基金Ministry of Science,Innovation and Universities,Spain(NextGeneration EU fundsMaría Zambrano Program 124/MTAI/22+2 种基金and PID2020-113320RB-I00)Agency for Management of University and Research Grants,Regional Government of Catalonia,Spain(2021-SGR-00900)Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies(ICREA).
文摘Background Sperm cryopreservation is widely used in the cattle industry,as it allows for disassociating the localiza-tion of sires and the collection of semen from the timing of artificial insemination.While freeze-thawing is known to impair sperm DNA integrity,whether the damage induced consists of single-(SSB)or double-strand breaks(DSB)has not been determined.In addition,no previous study has addressed if DNA breaks preferentially reside in specific genome regions such as those forming the toroid linker regions,or are rather spread throughout the regions linked to protamines.The main aim of the present work,therefore,was to elucidate the type and localization of the DNA damage generated by cryopreservation and to evaluate its impact on artificial insemination outcomes in cattle.Results The incidence of SSB and DSB was evaluated in 12 ejaculates before and after cryopreservation with the Comet assay,and the localization of the DNA breaks was assessed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis(PFGE).Before cryopreservation,the incidence of SSB was 10.99%±4.62%and involved 20.56%±3.04%of sperm cells,whereas these figures significantly(P<0.0001)increased up to 34.11%±3.48%and 53.36%±11.00%in frozen-thawed sperm.In contrast,no significant differences in the incidence of DSB were observed(P>0.990)before and after cryopreservation(before:incidence of 13.91%±1.75%of sperm DNA affecting 56.04%±12.49%of sperm cells;after:incidence of 13.55%±1.55%of sperm DNA involving 53.36%±11.00%of sperm cells).Moreover,PFGE revealed that the percentage of sperm DNA fragments whose length was shorter than a toroid(<31.5 kb)was greater(P<0.0001)after(27.00%±4.26%)than before freeze-thawing(15.57%±4.53%).These differences indicated that the DNA breaks induced by cryopreservation affect the regions condensed in protamines,which are structured in toroids.On the other hand,in vivo fertility rates were associated to the incidence of SSB and DSB in frozen-thawed sperm(P=0.032 and P=0.005),but not with the size of the DNA fragments resulting from these breaks(P>0.05).Conclusion Cryopreservation of bovine sperm generates single-strand DNA breaks,which are mainly located in protamine-condensed toroidal regions.The incidence of DNA breaks in cryopreserved sperm has an impact on cat-tle fertility,regardless of the size of generated fragments.
基金supported by grants from Natural Science and Engineering Research Council(NSERC)of Canada Collaborative Research and Development(CRD)programNSERC Discovery program,Dairy Farmers of Manitoba,and Diamond V,USA,to EK and JCP。
文摘Background Subacute ruminal acidosis(SARA)is a common metabolic disorder of high yielding dairy cows,and it is associated with dysbiosis of the rumen and gut microbiome and host inflammation.This study evaluated the impact of two postbiotics from Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation products(SCFP)on rumen liquid associated microbiota of lactating dairy cows subjected to repeated grain-based SARA challenges.A total of 32 rumen cannulated cows were randomly assigned to 4 treatments from 4 weeks before until 12 weeks after parturition.Treatment groups included a Control diet or diets supplemented with postbiotics(SCFPa,14 g/d Original XPC;SCFPb-1X,19 g/d Nutri Tek;SCFPb-2X,38 g/d Nutri Tek,Diamond V,Cedar Rapids,IA,USA).Grain-based SARA challenges were conducted during week 5(SARA1)and week 8(SARA2)after parturition by replacing 20%DM of the base total mixed ration(TMR)with pellets containing 50%ground barley and 50%ground wheat.Total DNA from rumen liquid samples was subjected to V3–V416S r RNA gene amplicon sequencing.Characteristics of rumen microbiota were compared among treatments and SARA stages.Results Both SARA challenges reduced the diversity and richness of rumen liquid microbiota,altered the overall composition(β-diversity),and its predicted functionality including carbohydrates and amino acids metabolic pathways.The SARA challenges also reduced the number of significant associations among different taxa,number of hub taxa and their composition in the microbial co-occurrence networks.Supplementation with SCFP postbiotics,in particular SCFPb-2X,enhanced the robustness of the rumen microbiota.The SCFP supplemented cows had less fluctuation in relative abundances of community members when exposed to SARA challenges.The SCFP supplementation promoted the populations of lactate utilizing and fibrolytic bacteria,including members of Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae,and also increased the numbers of hub taxa during non-SARA and SARA stages.Supplementation with SCFPb-2X prevented the fluctuations in the abundances of hub taxa that were positively correlated with the acetate concentration,andα-andβ-diversity metrics in rumen liquid digesta.Conclusions Induction of SARA challenges reduced microbiota richness and diversity and caused fluctuations in major bacterial phyla in rumen liquid microbiota in lactating dairy cows.Supplementation of SCFP postbiotics could attenuate adverse effects of SARA on rumen liquid microbiota.
基金University of Queensland are very grateful to Australia Research Council(ARC)Discovery Project(DP210103162)program for funding support.Greta Lindwall acknowledges support from Vinnova,Formas and Energimyndigheten via LIGHTer Academy.
文摘As a potent grain refiner for steel casting,TiN is now widely used to refineγ-austenite in steel additive manufacturing(AM).However,the refining mechanism of TiN during AM remains unclear despite intensive research in recent years.This work aims to boost our understanding on the mechanism of TiN in refining theγ-austenite in AM-fabricated 316 stainless steel and its corresponding effect on the mechanical behaviour.Experimental results show that addition of 1 wt.%TiN nanoparticles led to complete columnarto-equiaxed transition and significant refinement of the austenite grains to∼2μm in the 316 steel.Thermodynamic and kinetic simulations confirmed that,despite the rapid AM solidification,δ-ferrite is the primary solid phase during AM of the 316 steel andγ-austenite forms through subsequent peritectic reaction or direct transformation from theδ-ferrite.This implies that the TiN nanoparticles actually refined theδ-ferrite through promoting its heterogenous nucleation,which in turn refined theγ-austenite.This assumption is verified by the high grain refining efficiency of TiN nanoparticles in an AM-fabricated Fe-4 wt.%Siδ-ferrite alloy,in whichδ-ferrite forms directly from the melt and is retained at room temperature.The grain refinement is attributed to the good atomic matching betweenδ-ferrite and TiN.Grain refinement in the 316 steel through 1 wt.%TiN inoculation not only eliminated the property anisotropy but also led to a high strain-hardening rate upon plastic deformation and thereby a superior strengthductility synergy with yield strength of 561 MPa,tensile strength of 860 MPa and elongation of 48%.
基金the National Research Foundation(NRF)of Korea(No.2022R1A2B5B02002097),funded by the Korea government(MSIT).
文摘Current lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)rely on organic liquid electrolytes that pose significant risks due to their flammability and toxicity.The potential for environmental pollution and explosions resulting from battery damage or fracture is a critical concern.Water-based(aqueous)electrolytes have been receiving attention as an alternative to organic electrolytes.However,a narrow electrochemicalstability window,water decomposition,and the consequent low battery operating voltage and energy density hinder the practical use of aqueous electrolytes.Therefore,developing novel aqueous electrolytes for sustainable,safe,high-performance LIBs remains challenging.This Review first commences by summarizing the roles and requirements of electrolytes–separators and then delineates the progression of aqueous electrolytes for LIBs,encompassing aqueous liquid and gel electrolyte development trends along with detailed principles of the electrolytes.These aqueous electrolytes are progressed based on strategies using superconcentrated salts,concentrated diluents,polymer additives,polymer networks,and artificial passivation layers,which are used for suppressing water decomposition and widening the electrochemical stability window of water of the electrolytes.In addition,this Review discusses potential strategies for the implementation of aqueous Li-metal batteries with improved electrolyte–electrode interfaces.A comprehensive understanding of each strategy in the aqueous system will assist in the design of an aqueous electrolyte and the development of sustainable and safe high-performance batteries.
基金financially supported by funds from the USDA-NIFA(award number 2014-67015-21832)。
文摘Background The study objective was to test the hypothesis that low crude protein(CP)diet with crystalline amino acids(CAA)supplementation improves Lys utilization efficiency for milk production and reduces protein turnover and muscle protein breakdown.Eighteen lactating multiparous Yorkshire sows were allotted to 1 of 2 isocaloric diets(10.80 MJ/kg net energy):control(CON;19.24%CP)and reduced CP with“optimal”AA profile(OPT;14.00%CP).Sow body weight and backfat were recorded on d 1 and 21 of lactation and piglets were weighed on d 1,14,18,and 21 of lactation.Between d 14 and 18,a subset of 9 sows(CON=4,OPT=5)was infused with a mixed solution of 3-[methyl-2H3]histidine(bolus injection)and[13C]bicarbonate(priming dose)first,then a constant 2-h[13C]bicarbonate infusion followed by a 6-h primed constant[1-13C]lysine infusion.Serial blood and milk sampling were performed to determine plasma and milk Lys enrichment,Lys oxidation rate,whole body protein turnover,and muscle protein breakdown.Results Over the 21-d lactation period,compared to CON,sows fed OPT had greater litter growth rate(P<0.05).Compared to CON,sows fed OPT had greater efficiency of Lys(P<0.05),Lys mammary flux(P<0.01)and whole-body protein turnover efficiency(P<0.05).Compared to CON,sows fed OPT tended to have lower whole body protein breakdown rate(P=0.069).Muscle protein breakdown rate did not differ between OPT and CON(P=0.197).Conclusion Feeding an improved AA balance diet increased efficiency of Lys and reduced whole-body protein turnover and protein breakdown.These results imply that the lower maternal N retention observed in lactating sows fed improved AA balance diets in previous studies may be a result of greater partitioning of AA towards milk rather than greater body protein breakdown.
基金supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF)grant funded by the Korean Government(the Ministry of Science and ICT(MSIT))(No.2021R1A2C2006013)the Bio&Medical Technology Development Program of the NRF funded by the Korean government(MSIT)(No.RS-2023-00223591)the Korea Medical Device Development Fund grant funded by the Korean government(the MSIT,the MOTIE,the Ministry of Health and Welfare,the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety)(NTIS Number:9991006781,KMDF_PR_(2)0200901_0108)。
文摘Current therapeutic approaches for volumetric muscle loss(VML)face challenges due to limited graft availability and insufficient bioactivities.To overcome these limitations,tissue-engineered scaffolds have emerged as a promising alternative.In this study,we developed aligned ternary nanofibrous matrices comprised of poly(lactide-co-ε-caprolactone)integrated with collagen and Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)MXene nanoparticles(NPs)(PCM matrices),and explored their myogenic potential for skeletal muscle tissue regeneration.The PCM matrices demonstrated favorable physicochemical properties,including structural uniformity,alignment,microporosity,and hydrophilicity.In vitro assays revealed that the PCM matrices promoted cellular behaviors and myogenic differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts.Moreover,in vivo experiments demonstrated enhanced muscle remodeling and recovery in mice treated with PCM matrices following VML injury.Mechanistic insights from next-generation sequencing revealed that MXene NPs facilitated protein and ion availability within PCM matrices,leading to elevated intracellular Ca^(2+)levels in myoblasts through the activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase(i NOS)and serum/glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1(SGK1),ultimately promoting myogenic differentiation via the m TOR-AKT pathway.Additionally,upregulated i NOS and increased NO–contributed to myoblast proliferation and fiber fusion,thereby facilitating overall myoblast maturation.These findings underscore the potential of MXene NPs loaded within highly aligned matrices as therapeutic agents to promote skeletal muscle tissue recovery.
基金partially supported by the National Institute of Health(R01-HL143750 and R01NS131661)American Heart Association(19TPA34890022)to LYthe Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Seed Grant(402194)to PZ.
文摘Ischemic stroke is a devastating disease that affects millions of patients worldwide.Unfortunately,there are no effective medications for mitigating brain injury after ischemic stroke.TRP channels are evolutionally ancient biosensors that detect external stimuli as well as tissue or cellular injury.To date,many members of the TRP superfamily have been reported to contribute to ischemic brain injury,including the TRPC subfamily(1,3,4,5,6,7),TRPV subfamily(1,2,3,4)and TRPM subfamily(2,4,7).These TRP channels share structural similarities but have distinct channel functions and properties.Their activation during ischemic stroke can be beneficial,detrimental,or even both.In this review,we focus on discussing the interesting features of stroke-related TRP channels and summarizing the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for their involvement in ischemic brain injury.
文摘Noble metal-based-bimetallic catalysts have been highly investigated and applied in wide applications including biomass transformation via regioselective C−O hydrogenolysis while further modification especially with noble metal is highly promising yet still under investigation.Herein,Ru was found as an effective modifier among the screened noble metals(Ru,Pt,Rh,Pd,Au,and Ag)for Ir-Fe/BN(Ir=5 wt%,Fe/Ir=0.25)catalyst in terminal C−O hydrogenolysis of 1,2-butanediol(1,2-BuD)to 2-butanol(2-BuOH).Only trace amount of Ru(up to 0.5 wt%)was effective in terms of high 2-BuOH selectivity(>60%)and activity(about twice).Larger amount of Ru species(3 wt%)highly enhanced the activity but gave low selectivity to 2-BuOH with by-products of terminal C−C bond scission.Optimized catalyst(Ru(0.5)-Ir-Fe/BN)was reusable at least 4 times and gave moderate 2-BuOH yield(47%)in hydrogenolysis of 1,2-BuD.The promoting effect of Ru addition(0.5 wt%)to Ir-Fe/BN on hydrogenolysis of various alcohols was also confirmed.Combining catalytic tests with various characterizations,the promotion mechanism of Ru species in trimetallic catalysts was clarified.The Ru species in Ru(0.5)-Ir-Fe/BN form alloy with Ir and are enriched at the interface with BN surface,and direct interaction between Ru and Fe was not necessary in Ru-Ir-Fe alloy.The interface of Ir and Fe on the surface of Ir-Fe alloy may work as active sites for 1,2-diols to secondary alcohols via direct C−O hydrogenolysis,in which Ru-modified Ir activates H_(2) to form hydride-like species.The activity of Ru species in C−C bond cleavage was highly suppressed due to the direct interaction with Ir species and less exposed to substrate.Larger loading amount of Ru species(3 wt%)led to the formation Ru-rich trimetallic alloy,which further works as active sites for C−C bond scission.
基金supported by funding from Lallemand Health Solution(Mirabel,QC)Alberta Milk(Edmonton,AB)+3 种基金the Saskatoon Colostrum Co.Ltd.(Saskatoon,SK)the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada(Ottawa,ON)supported by a Mitacs Accelerate Program from Mitacs Canada(Toronto,ON)Lallemand SAS(Blagnac,France)。
文摘Background As Holstein calves are susceptible to gastrointestinal disorders during the first week of life,understanding how intestinal immune function develops in neonatal calves is important to promote better intestinal health.Feeding probiotics in early life may contribute to host intestinal health by facilitating beneficial bacteria colonization and developing intestinal immune function.The objective of this study was to characterize the impact of early life yeast supplementation and growth on colon mucosa-attached bacteria and host immune function.Results Twenty Holstein bull calves received no supplementation(CON)or Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii(SCB)from birth to 5 d of life.Colon tissue biopsies were taken within 2 h of life(D0)before the first colostrum feeding and 3 h after the morning feeding at d 5 of age(D5)to analyze mucosa-attached bacteria and colon transcriptome.Metagenome sequencing showed that there was no difference inαandβdiversity of mucosa-attached bacteria between day and treatment,but bacteria related to diarrhea were more abundant in the colon mucosa on D0 compared to D5.In addition,q PCR indicated that the absolute abundance of Escherichia coli(E.coli)decreased in the colon mucosa on D5 compared to D0;however,that of Bifidobacterium,Lactobacillus,and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii,which could competitively exclude E.coli,increased in the colon mucosa on D5 compared to D0.RNA-sequencing showed that there were no differentially expressed genes between CON and SCB,but suggested that pathways related to viral infection such as“Interferon Signaling”were activated in the colon mucosa of D5 compared to D0.Conclusions Growth affected mucosa-attached bacteria and host immune function in the colon mucosa during the first 5 d of life in dairy calves independently of SCB supplementation.During early life,opportunistic pathogens may decrease due to intestinal environmental changes by beneficial bacteria and/or host immune function.Predicted activation of immune function-related pathways may be the result of host immune function development or suggest other antigens in the intestine during early life.Further studies focusing on the other antigens and host immune function in the colon mucosa are required to better understand intestinal immune function development.
基金supported by Department of Physics and GXUNAOC Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences,Guangxi UniversityThe National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.12027803,U1731239,12133003,12175241,U1938201,U1732266)the Guangxi Science Foundation(Nos.2018GXNSFGA281007,2018JJA110048).
文摘POLAR-2 is a gamma-ray burst(GRB)polarimeter that is designed to study the polarization in GRB radiation emissions,aiming to improve our knowledge of related mechanisms.POLAR-2 is expected to utilize an on-board polarimeter that is sensitive to soft X-rays(2-10 keV),called low-energy polarization detector.We have developed a new soft X-ray polari-zation detector prototype based on gas microchannel plates(GMCPs)and pixel chips(Topmetal).The GMCPs have bulk resistance,which prevents charging-up effects and ensures gain stability during operation.The detector is composed of low outgassing materials and is gas-sealed using a laser welding technique,ensuring long-term stability.A modulation factor of 41.28%±0.64% is obtained for a 4.5 keV polarized X-ray beam.A residual modulation of 1.96%±0.58% at 5.9 keV is observed for the entire sensitive area.
基金part of NRPU project(20-1482NRPU/R&D/HEC/2021)The financial support to accomplish this research was provided by Higher Education Commission of PakistanMoreover,this work is financially supported by the Researchers Supporting Project number(RSP2024R197),King Saud University,Riyadh,Saudi Arabia.
文摘Generally wastewater such agricultural runoff is considered a nuisance;however,it could be harnessed as a potential source of nutrients like nitrates and phosphates in integrated biorefinery context.In the current study,microalgae Chlorella sp.S5 was used for bioremediation of agricultural runoff and the leftover algal biomass was used as a potential source for production of biofuels in an integrated biorefinery context.The microalgae Chlorella sp.S5 was cultivated on Blue Green(BG 11)medium and a comprehensive optimization of different parameters including phosphates,nitrates,and pH was carried out to acquire maximum algal biomass enriched with high lipids content.Dry biomass was quantified using the solvent extraction technique,while the identification of nitrates and phosphates in agricultural runoff was carried out using commercial kits.The algal extracted lipids(oils)were employed in enzymatic trans-esterification for biodiesel production using whole-cell biomass of Bacillus subtilis Q4 MZ841642.The resultant fatty acid methyl esters(FAMEs)were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared(FTIR)spectroscopy and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry(GC-MS).Subsequently,both the intact algal biomass and its lipid-depleted algal biomass were used for biogas production within a batch anaerobic digestion setup.Interestingly,Chlorella sp.S5 demonstrated a substantial reduction of 95%in nitrate and 91%in phosphate from agricultural runoff.The biodiesel derived from algal biomass exhibited a noteworthy total FAME content of 98.2%,meeting the quality standards set by American Society for Testing and Materials(ASTM)and European union(EU)standards.Furthermore,the biomethane yields obtained from whole biomass and lipid-depleted biomass were 330.34 NmL/g VSadded and 364.34 NmL/g VSadded,respectively.In conclusion,the findings underscore the potent utility of Chlorella sp.S5 as a multi-faceted resource,proficiently employed in a sequential cascade for treating agricultural runoff,producing biodiesel,and generating biogas within the integrated biorefinery concept.
基金Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEALThe research from the MultiBioPro project leading to these results has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research,technological development and demonstration under grant agreement 311804Further funding from the BBSRC 21EBTA-Celfacto project is acknowledged by PDF.
文摘The evaluation of plant-based feedstocks is an important aspect of biorefining.Nicotiana glauca is a solanaceous,non-food crop that produces large amounts of biomass and is well adapted to grow in suboptimal conditions.In the present article,compatible sequential solvent extractions were applied to N.glauca leaves to enable the generation of enriched extracts containing higher metabolite content comparing to direct leaf extracts.Typically,between 60 to 100 metabolite components were identified within the fractions.The occurrence of plant fatty acids,fatty acid alcohols,alkanes,sterols and terpenoids was detected by gas liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)and metabolite identification was confirmed by comparison of physico-chemical properties displayed by available authentic standards.Collectively,co-products such waxes,oils,fermentable sugars,and terpenoids were all identified and quantified.The enriched fractions of N.glauca revealed a high level of readily extractable hydrocarbons,oils and high value co-products.In addition,the saccharification yield and cell wall composition analyses in the stems revealed the potential of the residue material as a promising lignocellulosic substrate for the production of fermentable sugars.In conclusion a multifractional cascade for valuable compounds/commodities has been development,that uses N.glauca biomass.These data have enabled the evaluation of N.glauca material as a potential feedstock for biorefining.
