Search Results (1,193)

The mechanisms underlying the symbiotic efficiency of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are actively debated, but comparative metabolomic studies with fungi of contrasting efficiency are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of effective (Rhizophagus irregularis RCAM00320) and ineffective (Glomus sp. 129.1Te) AM fungal strains on the root metabolome of the responsive Medicago lupulina line MlS-1 at two vegetative and two reproductive stages. Using GC-MS, over 150 metabolites (amino acids, carboxylic and fatty acids, sugars, etc.) were annotated. Effective AM symbiosis was associated with increased levels of phosphoric acid, trehalose, and free fatty acids 16:1, as well as a decreased pool of tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates (citrate, malate, succinate) and a reduction in γ-aminobutyric acid from the branching stage to fruiting. The comparison revealed that the branching initiation stage, characterized by low arbuscule abundance in ineffective treatment, is likely a main critical metabolic transition determining symbiosis efficiency. Novel metabolic markers of effective AM were identified. Network analysis revealed a divergence of amino acid and fatty acid clusters under effective mycorrhization, whereas under ineffective mycorrhization these clusters were less separated and closely linked in the control. Thus, inoculation with strains of contrasting efficiency generates distinct phenotypes, with effective AM inducing the most pronounced metabolome rearrangements in development. Full article

Bumetanide is an efficient diuretic drug with poor water solubility and dissolution rate. In this study, bumetanide/synthetic saponite systems with enhanced solubility and dissolution rate are developed. Different synthetic strategies (hydrothermal and sol–gel) and aluminum contents are explored to prepare saponites with adjustable stacking. Bumetanide loading is achieved by a solution method. The synthetic route is feasible and scalable. Crystalline and non-crystalline bumetanide co-exist in the hybrids, and the non-crystalline fraction prevails in stacked saponite-based composites. Electrostatic interaction occurs between the negatively charged smectite layers and the protonated anilinic group, and the molecules accommodate within the interlayer spacing of stacked saponites. Compared with bumetanide, all the composites improve water solubility, wettability, and dissolution rate in simulated gastric conditions (pH 1.2 and 4.5) and deionized water. The samples with drug intercalation and a reduced fraction of crystalline bumetanide are the best-performing. The drug release is favoured at pH ≥ 4.5, as electrostatic repulsion occurs between the saponite layers and the carboxylate group of bumetanide. The complete release of the bumetanide dose, not achieved in sufficiently short times for all the fluids considered, is reached in the formulation with appropriate excipients. Bumetanide/saponite composites revealed performant and tuneable systems for bumetanide solubility and dissolution rate enhancement. Full article

In urban green spaces, stand density and pruning jointly modulate canopy structure, plant resource allocation, and leaf physiological traits. However, their interactive effects on the spatial heterogeneity of canopy photosynthetic characteristics remain poorly understood, which hinders the development of low-carbon, high-efficiency management strategies for urban forests. In this study, 50-year-old camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Presl) plantations with three density gradients were investigated to disentangle the interactive effects between stand density and pruning. The results showed that stand density dominated the resource competition regime within the canopy. In low-density stands, mean canopy leaf carbon (C), nitrogen (N), chlorophyll concentration (Chl), maximum net photosynthetic rate (A_max), stomatal conductance (g_sw), mesophyll conductance (g_m), actual photochemical efficiency of PSII (Φ_PSII), maximum Rubisco carboxylation rate (V_cmax), and maximum electron transport rate for RuBP regeneration (J_max), were significantly higher than those in medium- and high-density stands. Most photosynthetic traits increased logarithmically with increasing light intensity in low-density stand, whereas they followed parabolic trends in medium- and high-density stands with depressed values observed in upper sunlit leaves. Pruning triggered a physiological compensatory response in remaining leaves, significantly enhancing canopy C, N, Chl, and photosynthetic parameters such as A_max, g_sw, g_m, and Φ_PSII. Notably, the increments in canopy-averaged N, Chl, Φ_PSII and V_cmax/J_max following pruning were substantially greater in low-density stand than in medium- and high-density stands. Pruning predominantly regulated the spatial distribution of canopy photosynthesis. As stand density increased, pruning compensated for the insufficient photosynthetic capacity in the lower canopy, and decreased photosynthetic heterogeneity across canopy positions, but it failed to achieve targeted enhancements of whole-canopy photosynthetic potential. Concurrently, increasing stand density gradually shifted photosynthetic limitation from mesophyll to stomatal, and pruning further exacerbated stomatal limitation in the upper sunlit leaves of high-density stand. Consequently, high stand density weakened the responsiveness of photosynthetic traits to N. In addition, pruning significantly reduced nitrogen use efficiencies for A_max, g_sw, g_m, and J_max, due to N redundancy in the low-density stand. This study advances the mechanistic understanding of how urban forest management optimizes within-canopy photosynthetic resource allocation, and provides scientific support for enhancing the carbon sink function of urban green spaces. Full article

(1) Background: Natural pigments and bioactive compounds have attracted increasing interest as sustainable alternatives to synthetic colorants in food and industrial applications. This study evaluated the effects of foliar-applied thiamin (vitamin B1) on the physiological, growth, and biochemical responses of Celosia argentea L. var. cristata. (2) Methods: Plants are exposed to different concentrations of thiamin (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mg L⁻¹) and cultivated under protected conditions, in a semi-hydroponic system. (3) Results: Increases of 17.53% in CO₂ assimilation rate, 34.0% in carboxylation efficiency, 15.06% in flower fresh weight, and 14.63% in flower dry weight were observed under lower concentrations (50–100 mg L⁻¹). In contrast, higher concentrations (150–200 mg L⁻¹) stimulated the accumulation of flavonoid content, increased by 9.93%. At 200 mg L⁻¹, betacyanin, betaxanthin, and total betalain contents increased by 22.04%, 25.97%, and 23.55%, respectively. (4) Conclusions: Thiamin application induces concentration-dependent responses in Celosia argentea L. Concentrations up to 100 mg L⁻¹ enhance flower production and biomass accumulation, while higher doses stimulate the accumulation of bioactive compounds, antioxidant metabolites, and betalains in flowers. These effects highlight thiamin’s potential to improve ornamental quality and support natural colorant production for food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and textile applications. Full article

In this work, a formaldehyde-free bio-based wood adhesive was successfully fabricated using epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) cross-linked with maleic anhydride (MA) and carboxylated lignin sulfonate (CLS). The effect of CLS substitution dosage on the bonding performance was systematically investigated. The results indicated that the dry shear strength and wet shear strength of the adhesive exhibited a typical non-monotonic variation with increasing CLS content, reaching the maximum values of 1.79 MPa and 1.38 MPa, respectively, at a CLS substitution ratio of 40 mol% relative to MA. These mechanical properties fully meet and exceed the requirements of the Chinese national standard for wood adhesives. Orthogonal experiments were further conducted to optimize the hot-pressing process parameters and the optimal conditions were determined as follows: hot-pressing temperature of 130 °C, pressing time of 10 min, glue spread of 280 g/m², and pre-mixing time of 70 min. FTIR, DSC, and TGA characterizations confirmed the complete curing reaction of the adhesive system. The introduced CLS served as both a reactive curing agent and an efficient catalytic component, which effectively reduced the curing temperature, while the incorporation of MA significantly improved the thermal stability of the cured adhesive. This study provides a feasible strategy for the preparation of high-performance, low-cost, and environmentally friendly bio-based wood adhesives. Full article

Although climate warming affects photosynthetic carbon sequestration in coastal wetland plants, the seasonality of this effect has not been assessed. We investigated the growth traits and photosynthetic properties of Phragmites australis by using open-top chambers (OTCs) to conduct a warming experiment in the coastal wetlands of the Yellow River Delta during a single growing season. The OTCs significantly elevated temperatures by ~1 °C across the growing season, and the effects of warming on stem diameter, net photosynthetic rate (P_n), and water use efficiency (WUE) were characterized by a significant month × warming interaction. Early-season carboxylation efficiency (φ) increased by 71%, but a significant late-season decline of P_n by 49% accompanied by a rise of intercellular CO₂ concentrations (C_i) and decline of stomatal limitation (L_s) led to a seasonal shift from stomatal to non-stomatal (biochemical) limitation of growth. A consistent increase in plant height and C_i across all months and concomitant decrease in L_s indicated that the additive effects of warming were independent of phenological stage. The results revealed that the phenological mediation of warming responses is trait specific. Carbon cycle models should therefore adopt trait-specific parameterizations to accurately project the impact of the wetland carbon sink under future warming. Full article

This study compared net photosynthesis (A), water-use efficiency (WUE), intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE), and A–${\mathrm{C}}_i$ curve-derived photosynthetic parameters (maximum carboxylation rate, $V_{\mathrm{cmax}}$; maximum electron transport rate, $J_{\max }$) across nine mangrove and semi-mangrove species at a tropical coastal site in Bali, Indonesia. Gas exchange measurements were conducted using portable photosynthesis systems (LI-6400 and LI-6800), and A–${\mathrm{C}}_i$ curves were fitted to the Farquhar–von Caemmerer–Berry (FvCB) model. Sonneratia alba Sm. exhibited the highest A (15.29 ± $2.39$ μmol ${\mathrm{m}}^{-2}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$), suggesting comparatively high photosynthetic performance, while Hibiscus tiliaceus L. and Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre showed the highest iWUE values (88–$97$ μmol ${\mathrm{mol}}^{-1}$), indicating relatively efficient carbon gain per unit stomatal conductance. Significant overall interspecific variation was detected in $V_{\mathrm{cmax}}$ and $J_{\max }$ ($p=0.003$ and $p=0.016$, respectively). The observed interspecific variation in A, iWUE, $V_{\mathrm{cmax}}$, and $J_{\max }$ suggests differences in photosynthetic characteristics and leaf-level water-use efficiency among species. These ecophysiological baseline data may contribute to species selection for mangrove restoration and to understanding physiological responses to environmental change in tropical coastal forests. Full article

Photorespiration and drought-induced stomatal closure are two important physiological constraints that reduce carbon assimilation and productivity in C₃ forest trees under Mediterranean climatic conditions. Türkiye’s two dominant commercial pine species, Pinus brutia Ten. (Calabrian pine) and Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold subsp. pallasiana (Anatolian black pine), together cover approximately 8.15 million hectares. This study integrated published gas-exchange measurements, radiation-use efficiency estimates from MODIS, official forest inventory data, and dendrochronological growth records into a counterfactual accounting framework and propagated parameter uncertainty by Monte Carlo simulation (N = 40,000 draws). The two constraints jointly reduced weighted-mean net primary productivity (NPP) from a radiation-limited potential of 5.61 to an actual 3.46 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, a reduction of 37.9% (95% CI 32.2–43.4%). Decomposition shows that 47.7% of this loss is the obligate metabolic cost of C₃ carboxylation, which no silvicultural intervention can address, while 52.3%—20.1 of the 37.9 percentage points—is drought-attributable. Nationally, the deficit corresponds to 64.3 Mt CO₂ yr⁻¹ of forgone sequestration (47.8–81.2) and 34.4 Mm³ yr⁻¹ of forgone stemwood-volume equivalent (24.9–44.5), of which approximately 20.6 Mm³ would be merchantable, giving an annual economic deficit of USD 3.37 billion (2.40–6.48). Filtering the drought-attributable component for eligible area, recovery efficiency, additionality, leakage, and permanence yields approximately 1.0 Mt CO₂ yr⁻¹ of potentially issuable credits, fewer than two per cent of the headline figure. Eco-physiological suppression of this magnitude is currently invisible in national forest carbon accounting, and its recognition bears directly on dynamic baseline design and on the credibility of offsets generated from Mediterranean conifer forests. Full article

Soil salinity is an increasing constraint to crop production, yet little is known about the responses of culantro (Eryngium foetidum), a medicinal and culinary species of high economic value, to saline conditions. This study evaluated the effects of NaCl-induced salinity (0, 40, and 80 mM) on the growth, photosynthetic performance, pigment content, and vascular anatomy of E. foetidum cultivated in vitro. After 45 days, salinity significantly reduced shoot and root length, leaf number, chlorophyll fluorescence, net CO₂ assimilation, stomatal conductance, transpiration, carboxylation efficiency, and the contents of chlorophylls a and b, and carotenoids, with the strongest effects observed at 80 mM NaCl. In contrast, leaf area, biomass accumulation, specific leaf area, and intrinsic water-use efficiency were not significantly affected. Qualitative anatomical observations indicated apparent modifications in vascular organization under saline conditions, including narrower xylem vessels and phloem disorganization. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that salinity primarily impairs photosynthetic performance and vegetative growth while inducing morphological, physiological, and apparent anatomical responses in E. foetidum cultivated in vitro. This study provides the first integrated characterization of the responses of E. foetidum to in vitro salt stress, establishing a foundation for future investigations into the physiological mechanisms underlying salinity responses in this species. Full article

In this study, we developed two complementary synthetic routes to novel piperidine- and azetidine-containing 2,3-disubstituted propanoic acid derivatives as heterocyclic amino acid building blocks. The strategy employs ketone- and carboxylic acid-derived Meldrum’s acid intermediates, which are converted into common α,β-unsaturated methyl esters through methanolysis; they are subsequently diversified via DBU-promoted aza-Michael addition with saturated cyclic amines and aromatic NH-heterocycles. The ketone-derived approach provided piperidine-containing derivatives in 35–89% yield and the corresponding azetidine analogues in 61–92% yield, whereas the complementary acid-derived route afforded regioisomeric products in 59–85% and 61–89% yield, respectively. Both synthetic sequences tolerated a broad range of nitrogen nucleophiles, and no alternative regioisomeric aza-Michael products were detected for heterocycles containing multiple nitrogen atoms. The structures of the synthesized compounds were established via ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁵N, and ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy together with HRMS, including detailed multidimensional NMR analysis of representative products. The developed methodology provides efficient access to structurally diverse heterocyclic propanoic acid derivatives and expands the repertoire of amino acid building blocks available for peptide chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and DNA-encoded library synthesis. Full article

Many genotoxic impurities (GTIs) remain “invisible” to conventional LC-MS due to poor ionization or chemical instability under electrospray ionization, yet their sub-ppm acceptable intake limits under ICH M7(R2) demand exceptional analytical sensitivity. Derivatization—the chemical introduction of ionizable moieties, stable tags, or MS/MS information carriers—offers a powerful strategy to overcome this limitation. This review provides a critical systematic overview of derivatization techniques for LC-MS analysis of GTIs over the past decade (2015–2025, based on a literature search across PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus). We construct a functional-group-based strategic framework covering alkyl halides, nitroaromatics, sulfonyl chlorides, hydroxylamine, alcohols, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, and amines, while placing specific emphasis on typical impurities within these classes such as methyl iodide, methyl chloride, nitrobenzene, and benzenesulfonyl chloride, and discuss the evolution of reagents from simple “reaction tags” to “MS/MS information carriers” that provide characteristic neutral losses or product ions for enhanced selectivity. Quantitative analysis reveals that derivatization typically enhances ESI response by 2–3 orders of magnitude, consistently achieving LODs below 1 ppm—the ICH M7(R2) threshold. Key analytical trade-offs are critically evaluated, including the balance between derivatization efficiency and reaction time, by-product management, and the fundamental kinetic and chromatographic constraints that render post-column derivatization impractical for most GTIs. We conclude with perspectives on high-throughput automation, smart multifunctional reagents, online integration, and green chemistry, aiming to provide a practical roadmap for developing robust, sensitive, and regulatory-compliant LC-MS methods for GTI control. Full article

Agricultural intensification with synthetic fertilisers has systematically disrupted soil organic carbon (SOC), influenced rhizosphere networks, and affected human health via the soil–human microbial continuum. Plant Growth-Promoting Microorganisms (PGPMs) can restore biogeochemical cycles; however, field performance varies due to spatial stoichiometric variation. In order to visualise the problem and provide a potential solution, we use global soil carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio stratification over three depth profiles (0–5, 5–15, and 15–30 cm) to create a potential spatially explicit framework for site-specific PGPM application. In comparison to contemporary models that attribute stable soil organic matter creation mostly to microbial necromass buildup as mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) via the microbial carbon pump, we assess diazotrophic nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilisation, and glomalin-mediated aggregation. According to stoichiometric analysis, low C/N ratios (<10:1) increase organic matter mineralisation via priming effects, resulting in clay compaction and sandy soil desiccation, while wide ratios (>30:1) cause microbial nitrogen immobilisation (“nitrogen depression”). To mitigate these limitations, we proposed depth-stratified inoculation, applying chemotactic taxa (Variovorax paradoxus) at 15–30 cm in carbon-depleted subsoils; co-inoculating diazotrophs and arbuscular mycorrhizae (Rhizophagus irregularis) at 5–15 cm for stoichiometric balance and phosphorus acquisition and deploying exopolysaccharide-producing and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase-active taxa (Pseudomonas putida, Funneliformis mosseae) at 0–5 cm for erosion. In conclusion, in order to maximise fertiliser use efficiency, improve structural stability, and protect metabolic health within the interdisciplinary One Health framework, we assess the shift toward trait-based, multi-kingdom Synthetic Microbial Communities (SynComs), assembled via genomic metabolic reconstructions and machine learning. We explicitly acknowledge methodological limits in existing field applications, such as substantial spatial variability, equipment constraints, and biotic competition, putting scientific validity ahead of generalised efficacy. Full article

Heavy metal pollution in water bodies is a serious environmental and public health concern, as these contaminants are toxic, persistent and bioaccumulative in ecosystems and human tissues. Conventional remediation technologies are expensive, require constant monitoring and do not fully remove them. Recent studies have shown the potential, sustainability and cost-effectiveness of biosorption using algal biomass. This review gives a detailed assessment of the potential of algae and cyanobacteria as cheap biosorbents for the removal of heavy metals from wastewater. The sorption efficiency of algae and cyanobacteria is critically evaluated in terms of important operating parameters such as pH, temperature, initial metal concentrations, biomass loading and contact time. The diversity of metal-binding functional groups such as carboxylate, amine, imidazole, phosphate, sulfhydryl, sulfate and hydroxyl groups present on the surface of algal cells is discussed in detail, highlighting the complex algal biochemistry. Recent developments in functionalized algal materials are also discussed, with emphasis on their potential to improve adsorption capacity, selectivity, regeneration, and practical applicability. However, this review also identifies some limitations such as energy requirements for the drying of biomass, limitations of batch systems for microalgae applications, and challenges for large-scale implementation. Future research directions are suggested to highlight the urgent need for functionalized algal materials, optimization of large-scale applications, and integration of biosorption with other treatment technologies in the framework of a circular economy. Full article

The design of biomass-derived polymer electrolytes with integrated multifunctionality represents a key strategy for sustainable energy storage devices. Here, we report a fully biomass-derived dual-network hydrogel electrolyte fabricated by combining Pectin (PC) and Chitosan (CTS), two naturally abundant polysaccharides. The Pectin/Chitosan dual-network hydrogel electrolyte (PC/CTS) forms a robust physically crosslinked network through electrostatic interactions between the carboxyl groups of PC and the amino groups of CTS, reinforced by dense hydrogen bonding and amide crosslinks, yielding a tensile strength of 77.76 MPa. The abundant polar functional groups of the dual polymer network serve a synergistic dual function: the amino groups of CTS preferentially adsorb onto the zinc anode surface (adsorption energy: −1.24 eV), forming a dynamic protective interphase, while the carboxyl groups of PC coordinate with Zn²⁺ (binding energy: −0.86 eV), reconstituting the solvation sheath and guiding uniform ion flux. This anchorage-capture mechanism, enabled by the molecular design of the polymer network, effectively suppresses dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution, and parasitic side reactions. Consequently, the PC/CTS electrolyte enables stable Zn//Zn cycling for 3350 h, 99.5% average Coulombic efficiency (CE) over 780 Zn//Cu cycles (at 5 mA cm⁻² and 1 mAh cm⁻²), and 63.8% capacity retention after 500 cycles in Zn//MnO₂ full cells. This work demonstrates that rational engineering of natural polymer networks can simultaneously address electrode stability challenges in aqueous batteries, offering a sustainable materials platform for next-generation energy storage devices. Full article

Understanding singlet oxygen (¹O₂) generation in plasmon-coupled photosensitiser systems is important for the design of photodynamic nanomaterials. In this study, silica nanoparticles decorated with satellite silver nanoparticle–photosensitiser conjugates (SiO₂–Ag–dye) were prepared using three representative photosensitisers: Rose Bengal (RB), protoporphyrin IX (PpIX), and coumarin-3-carboxylic acid (C3CA). ¹O₂ generation measurements showed lower singlet oxygen quantum yields (Φ_Δ) for all nanoparticle-bound dyes than for the corresponding free dyes. Among the investigated systems, SiO₂–Ag–PpIX retained approximately 80% of the ¹O₂ generation activity observed for the corresponding free dye (Φ_Δ = 0.45 ± 0.04), whereas SiO₂–Ag–RB (Φ_Δ = 0.31 ± 0.15) and SiO₂–Ag–C3CA (Φ_Δ = 0.12 ± 0.02) retained only approximately 40% of the corresponding free-dye activity. These results suggest that the photophysical behaviour and ¹O₂ generation efficiency of Ag-based dye–nanoparticle systems depend strongly on the immobilised photosensitiser. The findings provide insight into the interactions between plasmonic nanostructures and photosensitisers and may assist the future design of photodynamic nanomaterials. The present study should be regarded as a proof-of-concept demonstration of dye-dependent plasmonic modulation of ¹O₂ generation. Evaluation of practical photodynamic performance, photostability, and reusability will be the subject of future studies. Full article