Search Results (225)

Concern over the presence of pharmaceutical waste in the environment has prompted research into the management of emerging organic micropollutants (EOMs). In response, sustainable technologies have been applied as alternatives to reduce the effects of these contaminants. This study investigated the capacity of filamentous fungi isolated from iron mine soil in the Amazon region to biodegrade the drug chloroquine diphosphate. An initial screening assessed the growth of four fungal strains on solid media containing chloroquine diphosphate: Trichoderma pseudoasperelloides CBMAI 2752, Penicillium rolfsii CBMAI 2753, Talaromyces verruculosus CBMAI 2754, and Penicillium sp. cf. guaibinense CBMAI 2758. Among them, Penicillium sp. cf. guaibinense CBMAI 2758 was selected for further testing in liquid media. A Box–Behnken factorial design was applied with three variables, pH (5, 7, and 9), incubation time (5, 10, and 15 days), and chloroquine diphosphate concentration (50, 75, and 100 mg·L⁻¹), totaling 15 experiments. The samples were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The most effective conditions for chloroquine biodegradation were pH 7, 100 mg·L⁻¹ concentration, and 10 days of incubation. Four metabolites were identified: one resulting from N-deethylation M1 (N4-(7-chloroquinolin-4-yl)-N1-ethylpentane-1,4-diamine), two from carbon–carbon bond cleavage M2 (7-chloro-N-ethylquinolin-4-amine) and M3 (N1,N1-diethylpentane-1,4-diamine), and one from aromatic deamination M4 (N1-ethylbutane-1,4-diamine) by enzymatic reactions. The toxicity analysis showed that the products obtained from the biodegradation of chloroquine were less toxic than the commercial formulation of this compound. These findings highlight the biotechnological potential of Amazonian fungi for drug biodegradation and decontamination. Full article

Oxidative stress (OS) is a major concern in young poultry and livestock, prompting extensive research on OS models. This study aimed to systematically investigate the dynamic effects and temporal trends of OS induced with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) over time. Twenty-eight piglets were randomly divided into four groups and equally intraperitoneally injected with LPS at doses of 0 μg/kg (control), 50 μg/kg (L-LPS), 100 μg/kg (M-LPS) and 150 μg/kg (H-LPS) body weight, respectively. The results showed that total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), and catalase (CAT) were decreased, while malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), diamine oxidase (DAO) and D-lactic acid (D-LA) were increased in the M-LPS and H-LPS group on day 1 in comparison with the control group, but no differences were found among treatments on day 7. However, LPS treatments gave rise to varying degrees of pathological injury in the intestines, livers and spleens on day 7. Metabolomics analysis indicated that compared with the control group, glycyl-valine, histamine and lepidine F were decreased in the M-LPS group. Most differentially expressed metabolites were enriched in amino acid-related metabolism pathways on both day 1 and day 7. Microbiome analysis identified that Oscillibacter_sp._CAG:241 was decreased in the M-LPS group compared with the control group on day 1, while Bacteroides_thetaiotaomicron and Lactobacillus_amylovorus were reduced in the M-LPS group on day 7. Collectively, an LPS dose of 100 μg/kg body weight is optimal for inducing acute inflammation in Wuzhishan miniature pigs. These findings highlight the importance of considering both the duration of OS induction and the specific research objectives when establishing OS models. Full article

This study focuses first on the synthesis through an aza-Michael addition reaction of original linear diamine prepolymers and original amine/acrylate thermoset adhesives, and second on their thermal, mechanical and adhesion characterization. The major advantage of the aza-Michael addition reaction is that it takes place at room temperature, without a solvent and without a catalyst. Using the aza-Michael addition reaction, linear secondary diamine prepolymers were first synthesized with a control of the molecular weight, ranging from 867 to 1882 g mol⁻¹. Then, aza-Michael reactions of diamine prepolymers with three different acrylates allowed the synthesis of new amine/acrylate thermoset adhesives. All the thermoset adhesives were characterized by rheology and thermal analysis, leading, once the crosslinking aza-Michael reaction had occurred, to soft thermoset networks with glass transition temperatures ranging from −23 to −8 °C, gel point times ranging from 40 min to 4 h, and a polar component of the surface energy ranging from 3 to 17 mJ m⁻². Functionality of the acrylates directly influences the crosslinking rate, and a decreasing master curve is obtained when reporting crosslinking rate versus gel point time. Crosslinking density is controlled by the diamine prepolymer chain length. In a second step, thermoset adhesives were applied as thin films between two galvanized steel plates, and adhesion properties were evaluated through a lap-shear test. Results showed that the adhesive strength increases as the dynamic viscosity and molecular weight of the diamines prepolymer increases. Increasing the diamines prepolymer chain length results in an increase in strain at break, a decrease in the shear modulus, and a decrease in the maximum lap-shear strength. It is also observed that the adhesive strength decreases when the adhesive film thickness increases. Moreover, thermoset adhesives with high polarity and a surface energy similar to the surface energy of the substrate will favor high adhesion and a better adhesive strength of the assembly. Lastly, the nature of the acrylates and diamines prepolymer chain length allow tuning a wide range of adhesive strength and toughness of these original soft thermoset adhesives. Full article

Polyimide-based dielectric materials, as excellent high-temperature-resistant polymers, play a crucial role in advanced electronic devices and power systems. However, given the limitations of composite PI materials, it is a significant challenge to simultaneously improve the dielectric constant and breakdown strength of intrinsic polyimide dielectric materials to achieve high energy density. In this study, an indiscriminate copolymerization method was proposed, which utilizes two different diamine monomers with bulky side groups (-CF3) and high polarity (C-O-C), respectively, to copolymerize with the same dianhydride monomer and prepare a series of intrinsic PI films. Remarkably, PI films with a highly dipolar rigid backbone maintain excellent thermal and mechanical properties while enhancing dipole polarization. Meanwhile, a high breakdown strength of PI is shown, because the bulky side groups act as deep traps to capture and disperse charges during the charge transfer process. Under the optimal copolymer ratio, the dielectric constant and dielectric loss are 4.2 and 0.008, respectively. At room temperature, the highest breakdown strength reaches 493MV/m, and the energy storage density and charge–discharge efficiency are 5.07 J/cm³ and 82%, respectively. Finally, based on density functional theory calculations, the copolymerization tendencies of the three monomers are verified, and it is speculated that the copolymerization ratio of PI-60% is the most stable and exhibits the best overall performance, which perfectly aligns with the experimental results. These experimental results demonstrate the exciting potential of intrinsic polyimide in thin film capacitors. Full article

This study investigated the protective effects and mechanisms of cow placenta peptides (CPP) on intestinal barrier damage in aging model mice. Forty-eight male ICR mice were assigned to four groups: a control group (N), an aging model group (M), a CPP treatment group (T), and a vitamin C treatment group (P). Groups T and P received oral administration of CPP (2000 mg/kg/day) and vitamin C (100 mg/kg/day), respectively, while groups M, T, and P were subjected to intraperitoneal injections of D-galactose (D-gal) (300 mg/kg/day). Group N received an equivalent volume of normal saline via intraperitoneal injection. Treatments were administered once daily for 8 weeks. The results demonstrated that CPP significantly alleviated D-galactose-induced intestinal structural damage, increasing the villus height-to-crypt depth ratio and reducing serum diamine oxidase (DAO) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels. CPP notably alleviated intestinal oxidative stress and inflammation, restored tight junction expression, and enhanced intestinal barrier integrity. Transcriptome sequencing identified 1396 DEGs associated with CPP’s effects, highlighting TLR4, IL-1β, and Mmp9 as core regulatory genes through protein–protein interaction network analysis. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Gene Ontology enrichment analyses implicated the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, which was further validated. Western blotting confirmed that CPP significantly down-regulated TLR4, IKKβ, and p-NF-κB p65 protein expression in the intestines of aging mice. In conclusion, CPP effectively alleviates D-gal-induced intestinal barrier damage in aging mice by enhancing antioxidant defense and inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby diminishing inflammation and protecting intestinal barrier integrity. Full article

Intestinal inflammation significantly compromises broiler health and adversely affects growth performance. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) was found to maintain the gut health of animals. However, the role and mechanism of EGCG in preventing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intestinal inflammation in chicks have not yet been fully elucidated. In the 35-day study, 140 one-day-old Wenchang chickens were randomly assigned to four treatments: CON (basal diet), LPS (basal diet + 1 mg/kg body weight (BW) LPS), L-EGCG (basal diet + 40 mg/kg BW EGCG + 1 mg/kg BW LPS), and H-EGCG (basal diet + 60 mg/kg BW EGCG + 1 mg/kg BW LPS). On days 31, 33, and 35 of age, broilers in the LPS, L-EGCG, and H-EGCG treatments received intraperitoneal injections of LPS. The LPS reduced jejunal villus height, villus height/crypt depth ratio, Claudin1 mRNA, catalase (CAT) activity, and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels compared to CON while elevating diamine oxidase (DAO), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). EGCG improved growth performance in LPS-challenged broilers, elevating jejunal villus height and Claudin1/ZO-1 mRNA with reduced serum DAO. It enhanced antioxidant capacity via increased serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), CAT, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities, and a decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration. Concurrently, EGCG lowered IL-1β/TNF-α and raised IL-10 in serum/jejunum. Crucially, EGCG suppressed jejunal TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB mRNA and protein expression under LPS. These findings demonstrate EGCG’s protective role against LPS-induced intestinal inflammation in Wenchang chickens through TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway inhibition. Full article

In recent years, polyurea (PUA) systems have drawn considerable attention in the coatings industry for their superior performance. Among these systems, polyaspartate ester-based polyurea (PAE-PUA) stands out for its excellent comprehensive properties, and the structure of the diamines used in polyaspartate ester (PAE) significantly influences key performance attributes, such as gel time, mechanical properties, and thermal stability. To investigate the influence of diamine structures on PAE-PUA properties, this study synthesized PAEs through ester exchange reactions involving diamines and monohydric alcohols with varied chain lengths and structural types (linear or cyclic). The effects of four diamines (D230, DMH, IPDA, PACM) and four monohydric alcohols (CA, DDA, OD, CHOL) on polyurea coating properties were systematically examined. The results demonstrated that adjusting the structural regularity of PAEs via ester exchange reactions effectively regulated their viscosity, maintaining it below 1500 mPa·s. These reactions also enabled simultaneous regulation of surface-drying time, mechanical properties, and thermal performance. Notably, introducing 1-octadecanol (OD) significantly improved surface-drying time and thermal stability, whereas cyclic structures in diamines or alcohols resulted in higher glass transition temperatures (T_g). Additionally, the mechanical properties and reaction rates of modified PAEs can be tailored to meet specific application requirements, offering an effective strategy for developing polyurea materials optimized for the coatings industry. Full article

The rigid V-shaped Tröger’s base (TB) unit has been proven efficacious in creating microporosity, making TB-based polyimides (PIs) exhibiting significant advantages in simultaneously increasing gas permeability and selectivity for the separation industry. However, TB-based PIs commonly display undesired mechanical performance due to the low molecular weight resulting from the evident steric hindrance and low reactivity of TB-containing diamines. Herein, a novel diamine-containing bisimide linkage (BIDA) has been synthesized and then polymerized with paraformaldehyde via a moderate “TB polymerization” strategy to furnish polymers simultaneously, including imide linkages and TB units in the polymer main chains, namely, TB-PIs. This TB polymerization strategy avoids the direct polymerization of dianhydride with low-reactivity TB diamine. After incorporating a meta-methyl substituent into BIDA diamine, the m-MBIDA diamine-derived m-MTBPI ultimately exhibits a high molecular weight, good tensile strength (90.4 MPa) and an outstanding fracture toughness (45.1 MJ/m³). And more importantly, the m-MTBPI membrane displays an evidently enhanced gas separation ability in comparison with BIDA-derived TBPI, with overall separation properties much closer to the 1991 Robeson upper bound. Moreover, no sign of plasticization appears for the m-MTBPI membrane when separating a high-pressure CO₂/CH₄ mixture (v/v = 1/1) up to 20 bar, with the CO₂/CH₄ mixed-gas separation performance approaching the 2018 upper bound. Full article

Accurate characterization of tree stems is critical for assessing commercial forest health, estimating merchantable timber volume, and informing sustainable value management strategies. Conventional ground-based manual measurements, although precise, are labor-intensive and impractical at large scales, while remote sensing approaches using satellite or UAV imagery often lack the spatial resolution needed to capture individual tree attributes in complex forest environments. To address these challenges, this study provides a significant contribution by introducing a large-scale dataset encompassing 40 plots in Western Australia (WA) with varying tree densities, derived from Hovermap LiDAR acquisitions and destructive sampling. The dataset includes parameters such as plot and tree identifiers, DBH, tree height, stem length, section lengths, and detailed diameter measurements (e.g., DiaMin, DiaMax, DiaMean) across various heights, enabling precise ground-truth calibration and validation. Based on this dataset, we present the Forest Stem Extraction and Modeling (FoSEM) framework, a LiDAR-driven methodology that efficiently and reliably models individual tree stems from dense 3D point clouds. FoSEM integrates ground segmentation, height normalization, and K-means clustering at a predefined elevation to isolate stem cores. It then applies circle fitting to capture cross-sectional geometry and employs MLESAC-based cylinder fitting for robust stem delineation. Experimental evaluations conducted across various radiata pine plots of varying complexity demonstrate that FoSEM consistently achieves high accuracy, with a DBH RMSE of 1.19 cm (rRMSE = 4.67%) and a height RMSE of 1.00 m (rRMSE = 4.24%). These results surpass those of existing methods and highlight FoSEM’s adaptability to heterogeneous stand conditions. By providing both a robust method and an extensive dataset, this work advances the state of the art in LiDAR-based forest inventory, enabling more efficient and accurate tree-level assessments in support of sustainable forest management. Full article

2,5-furandicarboxaldehyde (DFF) is one of the most promising biomass-based building blocks for the synthesis of biobased polymers. DFF can be obtained from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a fructose derivate, and it is a key molecule in the sequence of reactions of furan chemistry to develop biobased plastics. In this frame, four manganese(III)–Schiff base complexes 1–4 have been obtained. The general formula for the complexes, MnLⁿ(OCN)(H₂O/CH₃OH)_m (Lⁿ being the Schiff base ligands L¹–L⁴, formed as the result of the condensation of different substituted hydroxybenzaldehydes with diverse diamines, and m = 1–3), has been confirmed by characterization through different analytical and spectroscopic techniques. X-ray crystallographic studies for 1 and 2 showed tetragonally distorted octahedral structures, where the Schiff base was placed in the equatorial coordination positions of the Mn(III) ion. Complexes 1 and 2 behaved as efficient catalysts in the oxidation of HMF to DFF in an electrolytic reaction at pH 8.5, with phosphate buffer at room temperature, with conversion rates of 70–80%. On the other hand, complexes 3 and 4, where the axial position was sterically less accessible, yielded only an 11% conversion of HMF to DFF. The results indicate that a correct selection of metal complexes allows the development of a new efficient way to obtain DFF. Full article

The detection of highly toxic chemicals such as phosgene is crucial for addressing the severe threats to human health and public safety posed by terrorist attacks and industrial mishaps. However, timely and precise monitoring of phosgene at a low cost remains a significant challenge. This work is the first to report a novel fluorescent system based on the Intramolecular Charge Transfer (ICT) effect, which can rapidly detect phosgene in both solution and gas phases with high sensitivity by integrating a benzo[1,2-b:6,5-b’]dithiophene-4,5-diamine (BDTA) probe. Among existing detecting methods, this fluorescent system stands out as it can respond to phosgene within a mere 30 s and has a detection limit as low as 0.16 μM in solution. Furthermore, the sensing mechanism was rigorously validated through high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. As a result, this fluorescent probing system for phosgene can be effectively adapted for real-time, high-sensitivity sensing and used as a test strip for visual monitoring without the need for specific equipment, which will also provide a new strategy for the fluorescent detection of other toxic materials. Full article

Background: In vitro findings on the biological functions of Lycium barbarum flavonoids (LBFs) as feed additives are limited. This study aimed to explore the effects of different concentrations of LBFs on the growth performance, immune function, intestinal barrier, and antioxidant capacity of meat ducks. A total of 240 one-day-old male meat ducks were randomly allocated to four groups, each receiving a basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 250, 500, or 1000 mg/kg of LBFs for 42 d. Results: The results showed that dietary supplementation with 500 mg/kg of LBFs resulted in a significant increase in average daily feed intake, body weight, average daily gain, and feed conversion ratio. Dietary supplementation with 500 or 1000 mg/kg of LBFs resulted in significant decreases in serum levels of D-lactic acid and lipopolysaccharide. Dietary supplementation with 500 mg/kg LBFs significantly decreased diamine oxidase activity and enhanced the activities of catalase, total antioxidant capacity, and glutathione peroxidase in the jejunal mucosa, as well as the activity of total superoxide dismutase and the content of glutathione in the ileal mucosa, while significantly lowering the content of malondialdehyde in the ileal mucosa. Dietary supplementation with 500 mg/kg LBFs significantly up-regulated the mRNA expression of genes associated with intestinal barrier function and antioxidant capacity in the jejunal and ileal mucosa, as well as the protein expression of these antioxidant genes, and led to a significant reduction in the mRNA expression of pro-apoptotic and inflammatory-related genes. Conclusions: The addition of LBFs to the diet improved the growth performance, intestinal barrier function, immune response, and antioxidant capacity of the ducks, which may be closely associated with the activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway and the inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway. The optimal dietary inclusion level of LBFs in ducks was 500 mg/kg. Full article

The overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in certain types of prostate cancers and glioblastoma makes it a promising target for targeted radioligand therapy. In this context, pairing an EGFR-targeting peptide with the emerging theranostic pair comprising the Auger electron emitter cobalt-58m (^58mCo) and the Positron Emission Tomography-isotope cobalt-55 (⁵⁵Co) would be of great interest for creating novel radiopharmaceuticals for prostate cancer and glioblastoma theranostics. In this study, GE11 (YHWYGYTPQNVI) was investigated for its EGFR-targeting potential when conjugated using click chemistry to N1-((triazol-4-yl)methyl)-N1,N2,N2-tris(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine (TZTPEN). This chelator is suitable for binding Co²⁺ and Co³⁺. With cobalt-57 (⁵⁷Co) serving as a surrogate radionuclide for ^55/58mCo, the novel GE11-TZTPEN construct was successfully radiolabeled with a high radiochemical yield (99%) and purity (>99%). [⁵⁷Co]Co-TZTPEN-GE11 showed high stability in PBS (pH 5) and specific uptake in EGFR-positive cell lines. Disappointingly, no tumor uptake was observed in EGFR-positive tumor-bearing mice, with most activity being accumulated predominantly in the liver, gall bladder, kidneys, and spleen. Some bone uptake was also observed, suggesting in vivo dissociation of ⁵⁷Co from the complex. In conclusion, [⁵⁷Co]Co-TZTPEN-GE11 shows poor pharmacokinetics in a mouse model and is, therefore, not deemed suitable as a targeting radiopharmaceutical for EGFR. Full article

Biogenic amines (BAs), produced in fish and seafood due to microbial contamination, pose significant health risks. This study introduces a novel ratiometric fluorescent probe, synthesized by integrating rhodamine 6G(R6G) and gold nanoparticles (AuNCs), for the sensitive and specific detection of BAs. The probe operates on the principle of BAs hydrolysis, catalyzed by diamine oxidase, to produce hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), which selectively quenches the fluorescence of AuNCs at 620 nm, while the fluorescence of R6Gat 533 nm remains unaffected. The ratio of I₆₂₀/I₅₅₃ demonstrated excellent linearity with a wide dynamic range (1–1000 μM) and a low detection limit of 0.1 μM. Validation using grass carp samples showed high recovery rates (97.57% to 104.29%), confirming the probe’s efficacy and potential for practical application in food safety monitoring. Full article

In an effort to expand the spectrum of the antibacterial activity of pleuromutilin, a series of amine- and polyamine-linked analogues were prepared and evaluated for activities against a panel of microorganisms. Simple C-22-substituted amino esters or diamines 16, 17, 18, and 22, as well as two unusual amine-linked bis-pleuromutilin examples 20 and 23, displayed variable levels of activity towards Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and methicillin-resistant S. aureus, but with no detectable activities towards Gram-negative bacteria. Fortunately, the incorporation of a longer-chain triamine or polyamine (spermine) at C-22 did afford analogues (30, 31) that exhibited activity towards both S. aureus ATCC 25923 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 with MIC 6.1–13.4 µM. Spermine–pleuromutilin analogue 31 was also able to enhance the action of doxycycline towards Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 by eight-fold, highlighting it as a useful scaffold for the development of new antibacterial pleuromutilin analogues that exhibit a broader spectrum of activity. Full article