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Frontiers in Physiology 2024Efficient distribution of oxygen (O) to the tissues in mammals depends on the evolved ability of red blood cell (RBC) hemoglobin (Hb) to sense not only O levels, but... (Review)
Review
Efficient distribution of oxygen (O) to the tissues in mammals depends on the evolved ability of red blood cell (RBC) hemoglobin (Hb) to sense not only O levels, but metabolic cues such as pH, PCO, and organic phosphates, and then dispense or take up oxygen accordingly. O delivery is the product of not only oxygen release from RBCs, but also blood flow, which itself is also governed by vasoactive molecular mediators exported by RBCs. These vascular signals, including ATP and S-nitrosothiols (SNOs) are produced and exported as a function of the oxygen and metabolic milieu, and then fine-tune peripheral metabolism through context-sensitive vasoregulation. Emerging and repurposed RBC-oriented therapeutics can modulate either or both of these allosteric and vasoregulatory activities, with a single molecule or other intervention influencing both arms of O transport in some cases. For example, organic phosphate repletion of stored RBCs boosts the negative allosteric effector 2,3 biphosphoglycerate (BPG) as well as the anti-adhesive molecule ATP. In sickle cell disease, aromatic aldehydes such as voxelotor can disfavor sickling by increasing O affinity, and in newer generations, these molecules have been coupled to vasoactive nitric oxide (NO)-releasing adducts. Activation of RBC pyruvate kinase also promotes a left shift in oxygen binding by consuming and lowering BPG, while increasing the ATP available for cell health and export on demand. Further translational and clinical investigation of these novel allosteric and/or vasoregulatory approaches to modulating O transport are expected to yield new insights and improve the ability to correct or compensate for anemia and other O delivery deficits.
PubMed: 38915775
DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1394650 -
RSC Advances Jun 2024This research investigates the efficacy of zinc oxide (ZnO) tubes in decontaminating polluted water using a substrate-free hydrothermal synthesis process for ZnO tubes....
This research investigates the efficacy of zinc oxide (ZnO) tubes in decontaminating polluted water using a substrate-free hydrothermal synthesis process for ZnO tubes. The synthesized tubes are impregnated into calcium alginate microfibres, strategically chosen for their high surface area to enhance photocatalytic degradation performance and for practical handling during decontamination and subsequent collection, thereby preventing secondary contamination. Structural and morphological analyses, conducted using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD), thoroughly characterize the properties of the ZnO tubes and the composite material. The efficacy of this composite is demonstrated through the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB), as a representative organic pollutant, resulting in an 88% degradation of MB after 5 hours of irradiation by a sun simulator. Cyclic tests exhibit consistent degradation levels in the first four cycles (81-89%), followed by a subsequent decrease to 72% in the fifth cycle, coinciding with the breakdown of the microfibres into shorter fragments. Innovatively, this study introduces an approach to reporting photocatalytic degradation results, utilizing normalized pollutant concentration plotted against irradiated energy instead of time, as energy encompasses irradiated power, time, and surface area. This reveals that the 88% degradation of MB is achieved by irradiating the sample with an approximately 18 kJ. Additionally, a new metric, Specific Energy Efficiency (SEE), is introduced. It expresses the ratio of degraded pollutant mass to the mass of photocatalytic active material per unit of irradiated energy, with the maximum and cumulative SEE in this study being 1.044 μg g J and 326 ng g J, respectively. This research not only contributes to the understanding of ZnO tubes' efficiency in polluted water decontamination but also introduces valuable insights for standardized reporting in photocatalytic degradation studies.
PubMed: 38915328
DOI: 10.1039/d4ra01229a -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Ethylene oxide (EO) is an organic compound known for its high reactivity and negative impact on human health, but its adverse effects on depression remain poorly...
Ethylene oxide (EO) is an organic compound known for its high reactivity and negative impact on human health, but its adverse effects on depression remain poorly understood. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 2884 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2013 and 2016. Participants were classified into four groups according to quartiles of log10-transformed hemoglobin adducts of EO (HbEO) levels. A logistic regression model was used to estimate the association between EO exposure and the risk of depression. Finally, we evaluated whether the association was mediated by inflammatory factors. Individuals with depression exhibited higher levels of hemoglobin adducts of ethylene oxide (HbEO) compared to those without depression. After adjusting for all covariates, patients in the highest quartile of HbEO (Q4 group) had a higher risk of depression, using the lowest quartile (Q1 group) as the reference group [odds ratio (OR) = 2.21, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): (1.47, 3.40)]. Additionally, the relationship between EO levels and the prevalence of depression followed a non-linear U-shaped pattern. Furthermore, inflammatory cells showed a positive correlation with EO levels. Moreover, white blood cells and neutrophils significantly mediated the relationship between HbEO and the risk of depression with mediated proportions of 14.70 and 12.55%, respectively. Exposure to ethylene oxide increases the risk of depression. Inflammatory factors partially mediated the observed association between EO exposure and depression.
Topics: Humans; Ethylene Oxide; Male; Depression; Female; Adult; Middle Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; United States; Nutrition Surveys; Environmental Exposure; Hemoglobins; Aged
PubMed: 38914612
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64908-6 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Jul 2024Climate influences near-surface biogeochemical processes and thereby determines the partitioning of carbon dioxide (CO) in shale, and yet the controls on carbon (C)...
Climate influences near-surface biogeochemical processes and thereby determines the partitioning of carbon dioxide (CO) in shale, and yet the controls on carbon (C) weathering fluxes remain poorly constrained. Using a dataset that characterizes biogeochemical responses to climate forcing in shale regolith, we implement a numerical model that describes the effects of water infiltration events, gas exchange, and temperature fluctuations on soil respiration and mineral weathering at a seasonal timescale. Our modeling approach allows us to quantitatively disentangle the controls of transient climate forcing and biogeochemical mechanisms on C partitioning. We find that ~3% of soil CO (1.02 mol C/m/y) is exported to the subsurface during large infiltration events. Here, net atmospheric CO drawdown primarily occurs during spring snowmelt, governs the aqueous C exports (61%), and exceeds the CO flux generated by pyrite and petrogenic organic matter oxidation (~0.2 mol C/m/y). We show that shale CO consumption results from the temporal coupling between soil microbial respiration and carbonate weathering. This coupling is driven by the impacts of hydrologic fluctuations on fresh organic matter availability and CO transport to the weathering front. Diffusion-limited transport of gases under transient hydrological conditions exerts an important control on CO egress patterns and thus must be considered when inferring soil CO drawdown from the gas phase composition. Our findings emphasize the importance of seasonal climate forcing in shaping the net contribution of shale weathering to terrestrial C fluxes and suggest that warmer conditions could reduce the potential for shale weathering to act as a CO sink.
PubMed: 38913902
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2400230121 -
The ISME Journal Jun 2024Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas of primarily microbial origin. Oxic and anoxic emissions are commonly ascribed to autotrophic nitrification and...
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas of primarily microbial origin. Oxic and anoxic emissions are commonly ascribed to autotrophic nitrification and heterotrophic denitrification, respectively. Beyond this established dichotomy, we quantitatively show that heterotrophic denitrification can significantly contribute to aerobic nitrogen turnover and N2O emissions in complex microbiomes exposed to frequent oxic/anoxic transitions. Two planktonic, nitrification-inhibited enrichment cultures were established under continuous organic carbon and nitrate feeding, and cyclic oxygen availability. Over a third of the influent organic substrate was respired with nitrate as electron acceptor at high oxygen concentrations (> 6.5 mg/L). N2O accounted for up to one quarter of the nitrate reduced under oxic conditions. The enriched microorganisms maintained a constitutive abundance of denitrifying enzymes due to the oxic/anoxic frequencies exceeding their protein turnover - a common scenario in natural and engineered ecosystems. The aerobic denitrification rates are ascribed primarily to the residual activity of anaerobically synthesized enzymes. From an ecological perspective, the selection of organisms capable of sustaining significant denitrifying activity during aeration shows their competitive advantage over other heterotrophs under varying oxygen availabilities. Ultimately, we propose that the contribution of heterotrophic denitrification to aerobic nitrogen turnover and N2O emissions is currently underestimated in dynamic environments.
PubMed: 38913498
DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae116 -
ACS Measurement Science Au Jun 2024Electrochemical advanced oxidation (EAO) systems are of significant interest due to their ability to treat a wide range of organic contaminants in water. Boron doped...
Electrochemical advanced oxidation (EAO) systems are of significant interest due to their ability to treat a wide range of organic contaminants in water. Boron doped diamond (BDD) electrodes have found considerable use in EAO. Despite their popularity, no laboratory scale method exists to quantify anodic corrosion of BDD electrodes under EAO conditions; all are qualitative using techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, electrochemistry, and spectroscopy. In this work, we present a new method which can be used to quantify average corrosion rates as a function of solution composition, current density, and BDD material properties over relatively short time periods. The method uses white light interferometry (WLI), in conjunction with BDD electrodes integrated into a 3D-printed flow cell, to measure three-dimensional changes in the surface structure due to corrosion over a 72 h period. It is equally applicable to both thin film and thicker, freestanding BDD. A further advantage of WLI is that it lends itself to large area measurements; data are collected herein for 1 cm diameter disk electrodes. Using WLI, corrosion rates as low as 1 nm h can be measured. This enables unequivocal demonstration that organics in the EAO solution are not a prerequisite for BDD anodic corrosion. However, they do increase the corrosion rates. In particular, we quantify that addition of 1 M acetic acid to 0.5 M potassium sulfate results in the average corrosion rate increasing ∼60 times. In the same solution, microcrystalline thin film BDD is also found to corrode ∼twice as fast compared to freestanding polished BDD, attributed to the presence of increased sp carbon content. This methodology also represents an important step forward in the prediction of BDD electrode lifetimes for a wide range of EAO applications.
PubMed: 38910859
DOI: 10.1021/acsmeasuresciau.3c00069 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024The study presents a series of examples of magnetic nanoparticle systems designed for the diagnosis of viral diseases. In this interdisciplinary work, we describe one of...
The study presents a series of examples of magnetic nanoparticle systems designed for the diagnosis of viral diseases. In this interdisciplinary work, we describe one of the most comprehensive synthetic approaches for the preparation and functionalization of smart nanoparticle systems for rapid and effective RT-PCR diagnostics and isolation of viral RNA. Twelve different organic ligands and inorganic porous silica were used for surface functionalization of the FeO magnetic core to increase the number of active centres for efficient RNA binding from human swab samples. Different nanoparticle systems with common beads were characterized by HRTEM, SEM, FT-IR, XRD, XPS and magnetic measurements. We demonstrate the application of the fundamental models modified to fit the experimental zero-field cooling magnetization data. We discuss the influence of the nanoparticle shell parameters (morphology, thickness, ligands) on the overall magnetic performance of the systems. The prepared nanoparticles were tested for the isolation of viral RNA from tissue samples infected with hepatitis E virus-HEV and from biofluid samples of SARS-CoV-2 positive patients. The efficiency of RNA isolation was quantified by RT-qPCR method.
Topics: Silicon Dioxide; Humans; Magnetite Nanoparticles; RNA, Viral; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; Surface Properties; Pathology, Molecular; Virus Diseases
PubMed: 38910140
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64839-2 -
The Science of the Total Environment Jun 2024Coastal areas are an important source of methane (CH). However, the exact origins of CH in the surface waters of coastal regions, which in turn drive sea-air emissions,...
Coastal areas are an important source of methane (CH). However, the exact origins of CH in the surface waters of coastal regions, which in turn drive sea-air emissions, remain uncertain. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the current and future climate change feedbacks, it is crucial to identify these CH sources and processes that regulate its formation and oxidation. This study investigated coastal CH dynamics by comparing water column data from six stations located in the brackish Tvärminne Archipelago, Baltic Sea. The sediment biogeochemistry and microbiology were further investigated at two stations (i.e., nearshore and offshore). These stations differed in terms of stratification, bottom water redox conditions, and organic matter loading. At the nearshore station, CH diffusion from the sediment into the water column was negligible, because nearly all CH was oxidized within the upper sediment column before reaching the sediment surface. On the other hand, at the offshore station, there was significant benthic diffusion of CH, albeit the majority underwent oxidation before reaching the sediment-water interface, due to shoaling of the sulfate methane transition zone (SMTZ). The potential contribution of CH production in the water column was evaluated and was found to be negligible. After examining the isotopic signatures of δC-CH across the sediment and water column, it became apparent that the surface water δC-CH values observed in areas with thermal stratification could not be explained by diffusion, advective fluxes, nor production in the water column. In fact, these values bore a remarkable resemblance to those detected below the SMTZ. This supports the hypothesis that the source of CH in surface waters is more likely to originate from ebullition than diffusion in stratified brackish coastal systems.
PubMed: 38909808
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174183 -
Nature Communications Jun 2024The importance of molecular docking in drug discovery lies in the precise recognition between potential drug compounds and their target receptors, which is generally...
The importance of molecular docking in drug discovery lies in the precise recognition between potential drug compounds and their target receptors, which is generally based on the computational method. However, it will become quite interesting if the rigid cavity structure of supramolecular macrocycles can precisely recognize a series of guests with specific fragments by mimicking molecular docking through co-crystallization experiments. Herein, we report a phenylphosphine oxide-bridged aromatic supramolecular macrocycle, F[3]A1-[P(O)Ph], which precisely recognizes benzonitrile derivatives through non-covalent interactions to form key-lock complexes by co-crystallization method. A total of 15 various benzonitrile derivatives as guest molecules are specifically bound by F[3]A1-[P(O)Ph] in co-crystal structures, respectively. Notably, among them, crisaborole (anti-dermatitis) and alectinib (anti-cancer) with the benzonitrile fragment, which are two commercial drug molecules approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), could also form a key-lock complex with F[3]A1-[P(O)Ph] in the crystal state, respectively.
PubMed: 38909020
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49540-2 -
Journal of Dairy Science Jun 2024Infant formulas (IFs), the sole adequate substitute to human milk, undergo several thermal treatments during production that can damage milk proteins and promote the...
Infant formulas (IFs), the sole adequate substitute to human milk, undergo several thermal treatments during production that can damage milk proteins and promote the formation of Maillard reaction products, modifying nutritional and sensory properties. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of a minimally processing route based on membrane filtration associated with different levels of heat treatment, on the odor, taste, texture and color attributes of IFs, then to compare with those of commercial milks. Three experimental IFs (produced with membrane filtration associated with low - T, medium - T, or high thermal treatments - T) were evaluated. Triangular tests conducted with a panel of 50 adults highlighted clear disparities between all the IFs. The same panel applied the Check-All-That-Apply method to evaluate the IFs: the range of variability between T and T was similar to that between the 2 commercial IFs, and the sensory characteristics of the experimental IFs were not far from the commercial brands for flavor and texture attributes. Analysis performed on the citation frequencies for each descriptor differentiated T/T from T, but all the experimental IFs were described with positive sensory characteristics, unlike one commercial IF. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) content of IFs with low and high thermal treatments were analyzed. Forty VOCs were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. T contained a higher quantity of VOCs than T, except for benzaldehyde (Maillard reaction product), and aldehydes (oxidation-related products) were the most represented compounds. In conclusion, the processing was associated with sensory differences among IFs, but no marked difference in flavors was found according to CATA and physicochemical analysis. Additionally, no unpleasant sensory descriptors were noted. This shows that the minimally processed route leads to IFs that could fit well within the market from a sensory point of view.
PubMed: 38908693
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2024-24937