Search Results (157)

Arabinoxylan is a polysaccharide with film-forming properties, present in corn fiber, and a low-value by-product. The extract has a deep brown color, producing films of the same shade, which may not be appealing. This study addresses, for the first time, the adsorption of colored compounds present in an arabinoxylan extract using resin MN102. The resin successfully adsorbed the colored compounds from the arabinoxylan extract. After four consecutive adsorption/desorption cycles, the efficiency of the resin was similar, only decreasing from 63.3% to 52.9%. Langmuir and Freundlich models were fitted to the results of adsorption isotherm experiments, with the Freundlich model demonstrating the best fit to the experimental results. A fixed-bed column loaded with the resin was used for the removal of the colored compounds from the arabinoxylan extract, and the effect of the volumetric flow rate was investigated. The Yan and log-Gompertz models showed the best fit to the experimental breakthrough curves. This study systematically evaluated the adsorption conditions, providing a comprehensive analysis of the performance of the resin in the removal of the colored compounds. Additionally, the ability of the extract to maintain its film-forming properties after decolorization was evaluated, and some of the film’s key characteristics were evaluated, namely its color, solubility in water and mechanical properties. Full article

Combining potassium-containing rocks with conventional KCl may improve the agronomic use of K rock and reduce leaching from high-soluble sources. The aim of this study was to evaluate K rocks (phonolite and alkaline) and the mixture with KCl at different K rates on the biomass production of maize and rice (residual effect), K uptake, and K leaching. The experiment was conducted in greenhouse columns with sandy soil. The experimental design included four K sources: PR (phonolite rock), PR + KCl in an 86:14 mass ratio, AR (alkaline rock), and KCl; three K rates (100, 200, and 400 mg kg⁻¹); and a control (no K), with five replicates. PR + KCl resulted in similar maize biomass (120 g column⁻¹) and K uptake (18 mg g⁻¹) compared to KCl, and it was higher than the PR, the AR, and the control, which produced 86, 48, and 32 g column⁻¹, respectively. The residual effect of PR, PR + KCl, and KCl generated similar rice biomass. K leaching reached 15% of K applied with KCl and was reduced by 50% with K rocks. Thus, the mixture of PR + KCl can improve K fertilization compared to KCl, enhancing maize and rice biomass while reducing K leaching. Full article

Structural characterization of natural products in complex herbal extracts remains a major challenge in phytochemical analysis. In this study, we present a novel post-acquisition data-processing strategy—key ion diagnostics–neutral loss filtering (KID-NLF)—combined with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS) for systematic profiling of the medicinal plant Terminalia chebula. The strategy consists of four main steps. First, untargeted data are acquired in negative electrospray ionization (ESI⁻) mode. Second, a genus-specific diagnostic ion database is constructed by leveraging characteristic fragment ions (e.g., gallic acid, chebuloyl, and HHDP groups) and conserved substructures. Third, MS/MS data are high-resolution filtered using key ion diagnostics and neutral loss patterns (302 Da for HHDP; 320 Da for chebuloyl). Finally, structures are elucidated via detailed spectral analysis. The methanol extract of T. chebula was separated on a C18 column using a gradient of acetonitrile and 0.1% aqueous formic acid within 33 min. This separation enabled detection of 164 compounds, of which 47 were reported for the first time. Based on fragmentation pathways and diagnostic ions (e.g., m/z 169 for gallic acid, m/z 301 for ellagic acid, and neutral losses of 152, 302, and 320 Da), the compounds were classified into three major groups: gallic acid derivatives, ellagitannins (containing HHDP, chebuloyl, or neochebuloyl moieties), and triterpenoid glycosides. KID-NLF overcomes key limitations of conventional workflows—namely, isomer discrimination and detection of low-abundance compounds—by exploiting genus-specific structural signatures. This strategy demonstrates high efficiency in resolving complex polyphenolic and triterpenoid profiles and enables rapid annotation of both known and novel metabolites. This study highlights KID-NLF as a robust framework for phytochemical analysis in species with high chemical complexity. It also paves the way for applications in quality control, drug discovery, and mechanistic studies of medicinal plants. Full article

Background/Objectives: Camellia nitidissima Chi (C. nitidissima), a traditional Chinese “food and medicine homology” plant, has demonstrated potential anti-tumor properties. However, its mechanisms of anti-lung cancer activity via ferroptosis remain unclear. This study aimed to construct an integrated research system of “natural product extraction-purification, bioactivity evaluation, and computational drug screening” to explore the bioactive compounds in C. nitidissima leaves targeting HMOX-1-mediated ferroptosis and their anti-lung cancer mechanisms. Methods: Active fractions were prepared using ethanol extraction combined with polyamide column chromatography. The anti-lung cancer activity was evaluated using the NCI-H1975 cell model. Ferroptosis was verified via transmission electron microscopy (TEM), biochemical indicators, a PCR Array, and immunofluorescence. The bioactive compounds were identified using UPLC-Q Exactive MS, and their binding affinity to HMOX-1 was evaluated via molecular docking and dynamics simulations, followed by cellular validation. Results: The 95% F1 fraction from the extracts of C. nitidissima leaves exhibited the strongest anti-lung cancer activity, which could be significantly reversed by Ferrostatin-1. Furthermore, it induced typical ferroptosis-related structural damage in mitochondria, including shrinkage and a reduction in size, increased membrane density, and a reduction or even the disappearance of cristae structures. At the molecular level, this fraction significantly increased the levels of oxidative stress markers (ROS↑, MDA↑, Fe²⁺↑, and GSH↓) and upregulated the expression of key ferroptosis-related genes, including HMOX-1, CHAC1, and NOX1. Using UPLC-Q Exactive MS combined with computational simulation methods, four bioactive compounds with high affinity for HMOX1 were successfully identified, including isochlorogenic acid A (−8.4 kcal/mol), isochlorogenic acid C (−8.4 kcal/mol), apigenin (−7.8 kcal/mol), and chrysin (−7.3 kcal/mol). Cellular experiments validated that these compounds exhibited dose-dependent anti-proliferative effects. Conclusions: The leaves of C. nitidissima induce anti-lung cancer effects via HMOX-1-mediated ferroptosis. Isochlorogenic acid A/C, apigenin, and chrysin were identified as key bioactive components. These findings lay the foundation for the development of natural ferroptosis-targeted drugs. Full article

No-tillage (NT) is a key practice in conservation agriculture that minimizes soil disturbance, thereby enhancing soil structure, porosity, and overall quality. However, its long-term effects on soil pore networks and hydro-physical functions remain underexplored. This study evaluated the impacts of NT and conventional tillage (CT) on soil hydro-physical properties using undisturbed soil columns, X-ray computed tomography, and standard physical measurements. A field experiment was conducted under an eight-year continuous cropping system, with a four-year rotation [winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)—maize (Zea mays L.)—sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)—peas (Pisum sativum L.)], comparing NT and CT treatments with three replications. Soil parameters including bulk density (BD), moisture content, total porosity (SP), water-stable aggregates (WSA), and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) were measured. Results showed that NT increased BD (1.45 g/cm³) compared to CT (1.19 g/cm³), likely due to reduced soil disturbance. Moisture content under NT was up to 78% higher than CT. Saturated hydraulic conductivity was also higher in NT, with 17% and 43% increases observed at harvest in 2022 and 2023, respectively, except in the 0–30 cm layer immediately after sowing. Micro-CT analysis revealed a 34–115% increase in macropores (>1025 μm) under NT at 10–40 cm depth. These findings demonstrate that long-term NT improves key soil hydro-physical properties, supporting its integration into sustainable farming systems to balance productivity and environmental stewardship. Full article

To reduce the cast in place work of concrete and realize the industrial production of a bamboo–concrete composite (BCC), innovative connection systems composed of an assembled bamboo–lightweight concrete composite (ABLCC) structure featuring perforated steel plate connectors are presented for use in engineering structures. This study examined the shear performance of connection systems composed of an assembled BCC structure featuring perforated steel plate connectors based on the design and fabrication of three groups of shear connectors with nine different parameters using bamboo scrimber, lightweight concrete, perforated steel plates, and grout. Push-out tests were conducted on these shear connectors. A linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) and digital image correlation (DIC) were utilized for measurements. The test parameters comprised fabrication techniques (assembled and cast-in-place/CIP) and connector size (steel plate thickness). This study investigated mechanical performance indicators, including the failure mode, load–slip relationship, shear stiffness, and shear capacity of the shear connectors. The experimental results showed that the shear connector failure modes involved concrete spalling near the connectors and deformation of the perforated steel plates. The load–slip curves generally included three stages: high slope linear increase, low slope nonlinear increase, and rapid decrease. The shear capacity and stiffness of the assembled shear connectors were 0.84 times and 2.46 times those of the CIP connectors, respectively. The stiffness of the 4 mm steel plate connectors increased by 42% compared to the 2 mm steel plate connectors. Analysis showed that the shear capacity of the BBC primarily consisted of four aspects: the end bearing force of the steel plate, contact friction, and forces due to the influence of tenon columns and the reinforcing impact of through-rebars. This study proposes a simple and suitable formula for obtaining the shear capacity of perforated steel plate connectors in the BCC structure, with the analytical values being in good agreement with the test results. Full article

This study addresses the procurement problem in mechanical manufacturing enterprises, considering both supply chain disruption risks and carbon emissions. Based on a multi-product, multi-supplier procurement planning optimization problem, a high-dimensional multi-objective optimization model is developed with procurement cost, total loss, number of quality defects, and carbon emissions as objectives. The model is solved using an improved integer-coded NSGA-III algorithm, which includes four mechanisms: heuristic population initialization, infeasible solution optimization and repair, a weight-matrix-based crossover operator, a multi-column exchange mutation operator, and Pareto simulated annealing. Through numerical experiments, the performance of this algorithm is compared with NSGA-III and NSGA-II, demonstrating its superior ability to handle multi-objective, multi-constraint optimization problems. Ablation experiments further validate the effectiveness of the four improved mechanisms. Case study results show that the optimized procurement plan balances economic and environmental benefits while considering supply chain risks. Full article

The polished rod dynamometer operates under alternating loads and large temperature differences for a long time, inevitably leading to zero drift and temperature drift issues. At the same time, conventional inversion of polished rod dynamometer cards fails to consider the impact of friction loads, resulting in inaccurate production and liquid level calculations from pump dynamometer cards. Based on the oil-filled environment in the sucker rod and tubing during the upstroke of the pumping unit, this paper proposes a rapid identification method for the four characteristic points of the polished rod dynamometer card to obtain a calculation method for friction loads at the velocity reversal points A and C. The gravity of the polished rod string in the liquid column serves as the benchmark for calibrating the polished rod dynamometer card. Combined with basic well data, a one-dimensional wave equation difference calculation method is used to solve for the pump dynamometer card. An approximation algorithm is employed to achieve rapid calibration of the polished rod dynamometer card and inversion of the pump dynamometer card. Calculation and engineering application results indicate that the accuracy of production and liquid level calculations obtained from the pump dynamometer card through online correction of the polished rod dynamometer card exceeds 90%, achieving the goal of engineering digitization applications. Full article

The consumption of canned fish as an affordable and shelf-stable food product having high nutritional value is steadily growing in many parts of the world. An important and often overlooked factor that influences the quality of canned fish is the freshness of raw materials used in the production process. It has been shown previously that the freshness status of fish can be assessed using fast proteins and metabolite liquid chromatography (FPMLC) detecting the relative content of post-mortem adenosine triphosphate (ATP) metabolites. The aim of this study is to evaluate the applicability of FPMLC to evaluate the quality of canned fish. Eighteen samples of various canned fish from different manufacturers were acquired from local supermarkets. FPMLC chromatograms of the samples were processed with the compact optoelectronic chromatographic sensor using PD-10 gel columns as a separation medium. The sensor has a photometric detector based on a deep UV LED emitting at 255–265 nm. All chromatograms showed two combined peaks: the first one was related to proteins and the second one was formed by adenosine ATP metabolites. The delay time between the peaks (the Time index) varied in a range from 138 s to 193 s. It was suggested that the higher the Time index, the fewer fresh raw fish materials were used for production. For additional verification of the FPMLC technique, four samples chosen as the most representative were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The Time index was in good correlation with the well-established nucleotide-based K and K_I indices (quality factors) estimated from the HPLC chromatograms and NMR spectra, which confirms the fact that FPMLC can be used to assess the freshness of raw materials in thermally processed fish products. The correct interpretation of the Time index and other nucleotide-based indicators applied to canned food requires taking into account the effects of nutritional nucleotide thermal degradation that occur during high-temperature sterilization. Full article

Plastics play a key role in every sector of the economy, being used in the manufacturing of products in the fields of health, food packaging, and agriculture. Their mismanagement poses a serious threat to ecosystems and, in general, to human life. For this reason, particular attention has been paid in the last decade to the use of biodegradable polymers (BPs) as an alternative to classic plastics. In this study, we aimed to identify bacterial strains able to colonize the surface of five BPs: poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate) (PBSA), poly(ε-caprolactone), (PCL), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), and poly(lactic acid) (PLA). For this experiment, mesocosms were designed ad hoc to mimic the conditions in which the polymers can be found in marine environments: i. suspended in the water column; ii. laying over gravel; and iii. under gravel. Four bacterial samples were taken (3, 4, 10, and 12 months from the start of the experiment) from five BPs incubated in the above-mentioned three conditions. Our results demonstrated that bacteria belonging to the Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacillota, Bacteroidota, and Cyanobacteria phyla were the most frequent colonizers of the surfaces of the five polymers under analysis, and could be responsible for their degradation, resulting in the evolution of strategies to degrade plastics through the secretion of specific enzymes. Full article

A study was conducted to search for the best separation of eighteen cannabinoids, the maximum number of cannabinoids that have been quantified so far, for potency testing of hemp-based products using liquid chromatography diode array detector (LC-DAD). The investigation utilized four column types, all sharing the same dimension (150 mm × 2.1 mm) and core–shell particle size (2.7 µm), but different stationary phases: dimethyl-octadecyl (Poroshell 120 EC-C18), diisobutyl-octadecyl (Raptor ARC-18), reverse phase (RP)-carbamate (Cortecs Shield RP-18), and RP-amide (Ascentis Express RP-Amide). The resolution of adjacent cannabinoids was kept close to 1.5 or higher, while the separation time was kept as short as possible. The fastest separation was achieved within 15.0 min using two sequential Raptor ARC-18 columns, with a mobile phase consisting of 75.0% acetonitrile and 25.0% aqueous solution of 0.03% formic acid and 0.5 mM ammonium formate at pH 2.97, at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. A slightly improved resolution of the eighteen cannabinoids was obtained within 18.5 min using two sequential Poroshell 120 EC-C18 columns under similar conditions, except for a mobile phase containing 77.5% acetonitrile and a reduced flow rate of 0.45 mL/min due to backpressure higher than 600 bars. Furthermore, a rapid 7.0 min separation was achieved for potency testing of hemp-based products by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/MS/MS) using a Cortecs Shield RP-18 column, with a mobile phase consisting of 70.0% acetonitrile and 30.0% aqueous solution of 0.01% formic acid and 1 mM ammonium formate at pH 3.38 at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. Full article

The present study examined the influence of controlled heat injection on the sedimentation of fine particles in a trapezoidal container, aiming to explore the combined effects of the Boycott effect and convection induced by heating. The experimental design incorporates varying initial particle concentrations (1500 ppm and 3000 ppm) and heat injection levels (0 W, 4.5 W, and 9 W imposed power) to analyze sedimentation dynamics, focusing on concentration distribution patterns and clear water production. The findings reveal complex interactions between heat injection and particle concentration. At 1500 ppm, heat injection shows minimal impact on sedimentation due to particle resuspension. However, at 3000 ppm, particularly with a 9 W heat injection, the sedimentation performance improves significantly during the early stages of the process, achieving an average sedimentation rate approximately 40 % higher than without heat injection and an average clear water generation rate nearly four times greater. These clear water generation rates were determined considering water with particle concentrations below 20 % of the initial concentration (300 ppm for 1500 ppm and 600 ppm for 3000 ppm). A further analysis of the column and row data reveals stratification patterns influenced by heat injection, characterized by distinct horizontal and vertical layers. Additionally, the results suggest that wall temperature distributions are largely unaffected by the initial particle concentration, while clear water production and sedimentation efficiency are highly dependent on heat levels and initial particle density. These results highlight the potential of heat-enhanced sedimentation to improve separation processes in industrial systems. Specifically, they provide valuable insights for optimizing the design and efficiency of lamella settlers, commonly used in water treatment and other particulate separation applications. Future studies will explore the combined use of coagulants and flocculants and the application of these findings to real mixtures, such as mine water or wastewater, to further validate and expand their industrial applicability. Full article

Atmospheric water vapor, a significant constituent of the atmosphere, affects the energy balance between Earth’s atmosphere and space, and its changes play a crucial role in the greenhouse effect. Layer precipitable water (LPW), which represents the column-integral water vapor within a vertical range, is increasingly recognized as a key indicator of atmospheric water vapor distributions and variations. Due to its capability for layer-wise monitoring, LPW products have the potential to offer valuable insights into the characteristics and evolution of climatic regions through refined atmospheric spatiotemporal information. However, the observational quality and spatiotemporal variations of LPW products across different climate zones, e.g., the diverse climatic regions in China, have not been systematically assessed. In this paper, we aim to evaluate and analyze the climatic and seasonal variations of FY-4A LPW products across five climatic regions in China, contributing to a deeper understanding of water vapor variability and providing valuable data for climate change research. A surface pressure calibration algorithm for ERA5 data is developed to calculate accurate ERA5 LPW products. The results show that all four FY-4A LPWs are consistent with ERA5 LPWs, with an overall root mean square error (RMSE) of 2.58, 0.90, 1.30, and 1.01 mm, respectively. Furthermore, FY-4A LPWs are underestimated in the temperate monsoon area and overestimated in the subtropical and tropical monsoon regions, while FY-4A observations agree well with ERA5 reanalysis in temperate continental and plateau mountain zones. These analyses highlight the remarkable climate dependency of FY-4A LPWs and their potential for climate-related studies. Full article

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions are a significant global environmental concern, widely notable as a major cause of climate change. Meanwhile, transportation is the main sector contributing to CO₂ emissions, which are escalating at a faster rate than Gross Domestic Product Growth. This study attempted to evaluate the spatial–temporal pattern of CO₂ emissions from vehicles using the Sentinel 5P satellite image. The Sentinel 5P image was acquired from the European Space Agency from 2019 until 2022. Utilizing ArcGIS 10.5, these data were analyzed to extract the CO₂ values, which were then displayed as the total column amount. Thereafter, the extraction by point method was conducted on road features based on the Mukim Kajang basemap to obtain the value of CO₂ emissions from transportation. Spatial–temporal mapping was then accomplished through kernel density analysis, enabling the identification of CO₂ emission hotspot areas. The findings show that the spatial–temporal pattern of CO₂ emissions was higher in September 2019 (0.06964 mol/m²), March 2020 (0.03596 mol/m²), December 2021 (0.0437 mol/m²), and January (0.03384 mol/m²), respectively. Based on eight cities in Mukim Kajang, Bandar Kajang has been a hotspot area for carbon dioxide emissions from motor vehicles for four consecutive years, starting in 2019 until 2022. In summary, the results of this study could provide guidelines to researchers and policymakers to develop effective strategies to reduce the level of CO₂ emissions from transportation in urban areas. Full article

The huge amount of citrus peel produced worldwide represents an economic burden for society. However, this agricultural by-product is a rich source of natural molecules, potentially endowed with interesting pharmacological activities. In this regard, we decided to investigate if the polymethoxyflavones contained in citrus peel waste could be exploited as novel vasorelaxant agents. A hydroalcoholic blond orange (Citrus sinensis) peel extract, obtained by ultrasonication, was partitioned in dichloromethane. Column chromatography allowed for the isolation of four polymethoxyflavones, namely, scutellarein tetramethyl ether, nobiletin, tangeretin, and sinensetin, identified by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and UPLC-HRMS/MS and confirmed by multivariate curve resolution of NMR fractional spectra. The four molecules showed interesting in vitro vasorelaxant activity, at least, in part, due to the blockade of smooth muscle Ca_V1.2 channels. Molecular modeling and docking analysis elucidated the binding mode of the polymethoxyflavones at the homology model of the rat Ca_V1.2c subunit and provided the structural basis to rationalise the highest activity of scutellarein tetramethyl ether in the set and the dramatic effect of the additional methoxy group occurring in nobiletin and sinensetin. In conclusion, citrus peel can be considered a freely available, valuable source of vasoactive compounds worthy of pharmaceutical and/or nutraceutical exploitation. Full article