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Plant Biology (Stuttgart, Germany) Aug 2022Growth and functioning of Sphagnum mosses are closely linked to water level and chemistry. Sphagnum mosses occur in wet, generally acidic conditions, and when buffered,...
Growth and functioning of Sphagnum mosses are closely linked to water level and chemistry. Sphagnum mosses occur in wet, generally acidic conditions, and when buffered, alkaline water is known to negatively impact Sphagnum. The effects of time, dose and species-specific responses of buffered, alkaline water on Sphagnum are largely unknown. We investigated the effects of bicarbonate and calcium on the survival, growth and physiological functioning of seven Sphagnum species occurring in contrasting environments, from raised bogs to (rich) fens. Mosses were submerged in different concentrations of bicarbonate and calcium solutions for 10 weeks under climate-controlled circumstances. After 2 weeks, all species exposed to the high bicarbonate treatment (2.0 mM) showed severe potassium leakage and swift discoloration. In contrast, species showed differential responses to the intermediate bicarbonate treatment (0.8 mM), some with a later onset of potassium leakage. S. squarrosum, S. teres & S. contortum generally persisted the longest, with all species dying after 6 to 10 weeks. Calcium alone, in contrast, negatively affected S. squarrosum, S. teres & S. contortum, causing discoloration and potassium leakage. Our study shows enrichment with bicarbonate, but not calcium, is detrimental for most Sphagnum species tested. A mechanistic model was developed that is consistent with dose and duration dependence and the species specificity. Future conservation and restoration measures for Sphagnum-dominated habitats and Sphagnum farming (cultivation, production and harvest of Sphagnum moss biomass) should limit flooding with bicarbonate-rich waters while investigating new management options, like acidifying surface waters to lower bicarbonate levels.
Topics: Bicarbonates; Ecosystem; Potassium; Sphagnopsida; Water
PubMed: 35340103
DOI: 10.1111/plb.13423 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2020The synthesis, isolation and full characterization of ion pairs between alkaline metal ions (Li, Na, K) and mono-anions and dianions obtained from...
Synthesis and Characterization of Ion Pairs between Alkaline Metal Ions and Anionic Anti-Aromatic and Aromatic Hydrocarbons with π-Conjugated Central Seven- and Eight-Membered Rings.
The synthesis, isolation and full characterization of ion pairs between alkaline metal ions (Li, Na, K) and mono-anions and dianions obtained from -dibenzo[,]cycloheptenyl (CH = trop) is reported. According to Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray analysis and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations, the trop and trop anions show anti-aromatic properties which are dependent on the counter cation M and solvent molecules serving as co-ligands. For comparison, the disodium and dipotassium salt of the dianion of dibenzo[]cyclooctatetraene (CH = dbcot) were prepared, which show classical aromatic character. A d-Rh(I) complex of trop was prepared and the structure shows a distortion of the CH ligand into a conjugated 10π -benzo pentadienide unit-to which the Rh(I) center is coordinated-and an aromatic 6π electron benzo group which is non-coordinated. Electron transfer reactions between neutral and anionic trop and dbcot species show that the anti-aromatic compounds obtained from trop are significantly stronger reductants.
Topics: Alkalies; Anions; Crystallography, X-Ray; Electrons; Heterocyclic Compounds; Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; Ions; Ligands; Metals; Molecular Structure
PubMed: 33076581
DOI: 10.3390/molecules25204742 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2020Alkali-activated materials (AAMs) are widely recognized as potential alternatives to ordinary Portland cement (OPC) due to their lower carbon footprint. However, like... (Review)
Review
Alkali-activated materials (AAMs) are widely recognized as potential alternatives to ordinary Portland cement (OPC) due to their lower carbon footprint. However, like OPC, AAMs can also generate some durable problems when exposed to aggressive environments and the mechanisms and possible improvements are still not fully clear in existing investigations. Furthermore, the corrosion mechanisms of AAMs are different from OPC due to the discrepant reaction products and pore structures. Thus, this study's aim is to review the chemical reaction mechanisms, factors, and mitigation methods when AAMs are attacked by carbonation and chloride ions, along with a summative discussion regarding instructive insights to durable problems of AAMs.
Topics: Alkalies; Carbonates; Chlorides; Construction Materials; Corrosion
PubMed: 33139641
DOI: 10.3390/molecules25215074 -
Sheng Wu Gong Cheng Xue Bao = Chinese... Jul 2020Salinity is the most important factor for the growth of crops. It is an effective method to alleviate the toxic effect caused by salt stress using saline-alkali-tolerant...
Salinity is the most important factor for the growth of crops. It is an effective method to alleviate the toxic effect caused by salt stress using saline-alkali-tolerant and growth-promoting bacteria in agriculture. Seven salt-tolerant bacteria were screened from saline-alkali soil, and the abilities of EPS production, alkalinity reduction and IAA production of the selected strains were investigated. A dominant strain DB01 was evaluated. The abilities of EPS production, alkalinity reduction and IAA production of strain DB01 were 0.21 g/g, 8.7% and 8.97 mg/L, respectively. The isolate was identified as Halomonas aquamarina by partial sequencing analysis of its 16S rRNA genes, and had the ability to inhibit the growth of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp., Alternaria solani, Phytophthora sojae and Rhizoctonia cerealis. It also could promote root length and germination rate of wheat seedlings under salt stress. Halomonas aquamarina can provide theoretical basis for the development of soil microbial resources and the application in saline-alkali soil improvement.
Topics: Alkalies; Bacteria; Halomonas; Plant Roots; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Salt Tolerance; Seedlings; Soil; Soil Microbiology; Triticum
PubMed: 32748593
DOI: 10.13345/j.cjb.190519 -
Stem Cell Research & Therapy Feb 2024Corneal alkali burns can lead to ulceration, perforation, and even corneal blindness due to epithelial defects and extensive cell necrosis, resulting in poor healing...
BACKGROUND
Corneal alkali burns can lead to ulceration, perforation, and even corneal blindness due to epithelial defects and extensive cell necrosis, resulting in poor healing outcomes. Previous studies have found that chitosan-based in situ hydrogel loaded with limbal epithelium stem cells (LESCs) has a certain reparative effect on corneal alkali burns. However, the inconsistent pore sizes of the carriers and low cell loading rates have resulted in suboptimal repair outcomes. In this study, 4D bioprinting technology was used to prepare a chitosan-based thermosensitive gel carrier (4D-CTH) with uniform pore size and adjustable shape to improve the transfer capacity of LESCs.
METHODS
Prepare solutions of chitosan acetate, carboxymethyl chitosan, and β-glycerophosphate sodium at specific concentrations, and mix them in certain proportions to create a pore-size uniform scaffold using 4D bioprinting technology. Extract and culture rat LESCs (rLESCs) in vitro, perform immunofluorescence experiments to observe the positivity rate of deltaNp63 cells for cell identification. Conduct a series of experiments to validate the cell compatibility of 4D-CTH, including CCK-8 assay to assess cell toxicity, scratch assay to evaluate the effect of 4D-CTH on rLESCs migration, and Calcein-AM/PI cell staining experiment to examine the impact of 4D-CTH on rLESCs proliferation and morphology. Establish a severe alkali burn model in rat corneas, transplant rLESCs onto the injured cornea using 4D-CTH, periodically observe corneal opacity and neovascularization using a slit lamp, and evaluate epithelial healing by fluorescein sodium staining. Assess the therapeutic effect 4D-CTH-loaded rLESCs on corneal alkali burn through histological evaluation of corneal tissue paraffin sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin, as well as immunofluorescence staining of frozen sections.
RESULTS
Using the 4D-CTH, rLESCs were transferred to the alkali burn wounds of rats. Compared with the traditional treatment group (chitosan in situ hydrogel encapsulating rLESCs), the 4D-CTH-rLESC group had significantly higher repair efficiency of corneal injury, such as lower corneal opacity score (1.2 ± 0.4472 vs 0.4 ± 0.5477, p < 0.05) and neovascularization score (5.5 ± 1.118 vs 2.6 ± 0.9618, p < 0.01), and significantly higher corneal epithelial wound healing rate (72.09 ± 3.568% vs 86.60 ± 5.004%, p < 0.01).
CONCLUSION
In summary, the corneas of the 4D-CTH-rLESC treatment group were similar to the normal corneas and had a complete corneal structure. These findings suggested that LESCs encapsulated by 4D-CTH significantly accelerated corneal wound healing after alkali burn and can be considered as a rapid and effective method for treating epithelial defects.
Topics: Rats; Animals; Burns, Chemical; Chitosan; Alkalies; Wound Healing; Cornea; Corneal Injuries; Corneal Opacity; Stem Cells; Hydrogels
PubMed: 38355568
DOI: 10.1186/s13287-024-03653-z -
ACS Macro Letters Jan 2023Poly(xanthene)s (PXs) carrying trimethylammonium, methylpiperidinium, and quinuclidinium cations were synthesized and studied as a new class of anion exchange membranes...
Poly(xanthene)s (PXs) carrying trimethylammonium, methylpiperidinium, and quinuclidinium cations were synthesized and studied as a new class of anion exchange membranes (AEMs). The polymers were prepared in a superacid-mediated polyhydroxyalkylation involving 4,4'-biphenol and 1-bromo-3-(trifluoroacetylphenyl)-propane, followed by quaternization reactions with the corresponding amines. The architecture with a rigid PX backbone decorated with cations via flexible alkyl spacer chains resulted in AEMs with high ionic conductivity, thermal stability and alkali-resistance. For example, hydroxide conductivities up to 129 mS cm were reached at 80 °C, and all the AEMs showed excellent alkaline stability with less than 4% ionic loss after treatment in 2 M aq. NaOH at 90 °C during 720 h. Critically, the diaryl ether links of the PX backbone remained intact after the harsh alkaline treatment, as evidenced by both H NMR spectroscopy and thermogravimetry. Our combined findings suggest that PX AEMs are viable materials for application in alkaline fuel cells and electrolyzers.
Topics: Alkalies; Xanthenes; Membranes, Artificial; Cations
PubMed: 36538018
DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00672 -
Frontiers in Plant Science 2022Oilseed rape not only has the function of improve saline and alkaline soils, but also alleviate the local feed shortage. However, medium- and high-degree soil...
Oilseed rape not only has the function of improve saline and alkaline soils, but also alleviate the local feed shortage. However, medium- and high-degree soil salinization and alkalinization always inhibit the growth of oilseed rape. Studies have shown that compound material can improve the tolerance to saline and alkaline stress of crops, but the difference in the regulation mechanism of compound material on oilseed rape in saline and alkaline soils is not clear. This study explored the difference through determining the leaf ion contents, physiological indexes, transcriptomics, and metabolomics of oilseed rape in salinized soil (NaCl 8 g kg) and alkalinized soil (NaCO 8 g kg) at full flowering stage, respectively after the application of compound material. The results showed that in salinized and alkalinized soil, the compound material upregulated the genes related to the regulation of potassium ion transport, and changed the amino acid metabolic pathway, which reduced the contents of Na, malondialdehyde (MDA), and relative conductivity (REC) in leaves, and increased the contents of K and Mg and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT). However, there were differences in the regulation mechanism of compound material in salinized and alkalinized soil. In salinized soil, the compound material improved the tolerance of oilseed rape to saline stress by upregulating transcription factors mannose-1-phosphate guanylyltransferase () and Glutamine--fructose-6-phosphate transaminase () and downregulating phosphomannomutase () to change nucleotide metabolism pathway and lipid metabolism pathway. In alkalized soil, the compound material improved the tolerance of oilseed rape to alkaline stress by upregulating transcription factors Phenylalanine ammonia lyase () to change the biosynthesis pathway of other secondary metabolites. Therefore, the compound material can improve the tolerance of oilseed rape to saline and alkaline stress by regulating the genetic adaptability and apparent plasticity, but the mechanisms were different. This study provides a practical method for the ecological environment restoration and the development of animal husbandry.
PubMed: 35283897
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.820540 -
American Journal of Physiology. Renal... Dec 2020Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO) has been recognized as a possible therapy to target chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. Several small clinical trials have demonstrated... (Review)
Review
Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO) has been recognized as a possible therapy to target chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. Several small clinical trials have demonstrated that supplementation with NaHCO or other alkalizing agents slows renal functional decline in patients with CKD. While the benefits of NaHCO treatment have been thought to result from restoring pH homeostasis, a number of studies have now indicated that NaHCO or other alkalis may provide benefit regardless of the presence of metabolic acidosis. These data have raised questions as to how NaHCO protects the kidneys. To date, the physiological mechanism(s) that mediates the reported protective effect of NaHCO in CKD remain unclear. In this review, we first examine the evidence from clinical trials in support of a beneficial effect of NaHCO and other alkali in slowing kidney disease progression and their relationship to acid-base status. Then, we discuss the physiological pathways that have been proposed to underlie these renoprotective effects and highlight strengths and weaknesses in the data supporting each pathway. Finally, we discuss how answering key questions regarding the physiological mechanism(s) mediating the beneficial actions of NaHCO therapy in CKD is likely to be important in the design of future clinical trials. We conclude that basic research in animal models is likely to be critical in identifying the physiological mechanisms underlying the benefits of NaHCO treatment in CKD. Gaining an understanding of these pathways may lead to the improved implementation of NaHCO as a therapy in CKD and perhaps other disease states.
Topics: Acid-Base Equilibrium; Acidosis; Alkalies; Glomerular Filtration Rate; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Kidney; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic; Sodium Bicarbonate; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 33166183
DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00343.2020 -
Microbiology Spectrum Jun 2022Populus euphratica Oliv. has a high tolerance for drought, salinity, and alkalinity. The main purpose of this study is to explore the effects of environments of...
Populus euphratica Oliv. has a high tolerance for drought, salinity, and alkalinity. The main purpose of this study is to explore the effects of environments of different salinity intensities on endophytic community structure and the possible roles of endophytes in the tolerance of host plants. The characterization of endogenous bacteria in diversity has been investigated by using the Illumina high-throughput sequencing technique. The research showed that endophytic bacteria of . in an extremely saline environment had low species diversity, especially in sap tissue. The dominant phyla in all groups were , , and . Notably, (relative abundance >5%) was a different dominant phylum in the samples from the high-saline environment compared with the relatively low-saline-environment group. The linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis found that there were significant differences in different saline environments of (family), (family), and (order). These results indicated that the composition of the endogenous bacterial community was related to the growth environment of host plants. The predictive analysis of KEGG pathways and enzymes showed that the abundance of some enzymes and metabolic pathways of endophytes of increased with the increase of soil salinity, and most of the enzymes were related to energy metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism. These findings suggested that the endogenous bacteria of the host plant had different expression mechanisms under different degrees of stress, and this mechanism was very obvious in the distribution of endophytes, while the function of the endogenous bacteria needs to be further explored. Euphrates poplar (Populus euphratica Oliv.), as the only tree species that grows in the desert, has tenacious vitality with the characteristics of cold tolerance, drought tolerance, salt-alkali tolerance, and wind-sand resistance. has a long growth cycle and a high growth rate, which can break wind, fix sand, green the environment, and protect farmland, making it an important afforestation tree species in arid and semiarid areas. The area of in Xinjiang accounts for 91.1% of its area in China. Studying the endophytic bacteria of can give people a systematic understanding of it and the adaptability of the endogenous flora to the host and special environments. In this study, by analyzing the endophytic bacteria of in different saline-alkali regions of Xinjiang, it was found that the bacteria in different tissues of changed with the change of soil salinity. Especially in the sap tissue of under extremely high salinity, the diversity of endogenous bacteria was significantly lower than that in other tissues. These differential bacteria under different salinities were mostly related to the stress resistance of themselves and the host. Not only that, we also selected a strain of with high stress resistance from the tissues of , which can survive under the extreme conditions of 10% NaCl and pH 11. We obtained a genome completion map of this strain, named it Bacillus haynesii P19 (GenBank accession no. PRJNA648288), and tried to use it for fermentation but in a different work, so as to develop it into a promising industrial fermentation chassis bacterium. Therefore, this study was of great significance for the understanding of endophytic bacteria in and the acquisition of extremophilic microbial resources.
Topics: Alkalies; Bacteria; Endophytes; Humans; Populus; Salinity; Sand; Soil
PubMed: 35587636
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00500-22 -
Polish Journal of Microbiology Sep 2020Ligninolytic bacteria degrading lignin were isolates and identified, and their biodegradation mechanism of alkaline-lignin was investigated. Four strains with lignin...
Ligninolytic bacteria degrading lignin were isolates and identified, and their biodegradation mechanism of alkaline-lignin was investigated. Four strains with lignin degradation capability were screened and identified from the soil, straw, and silage based on their decolorizing capacity of aniline blue and colony size on alkaline-lignin medium. The degradation ratio of BY5, LN2, LN4, and CL32 have been assayed using alkaline-lignin as the unique carbon source. Further, the Lip (lignin peroxidase) and Mnp (manganese peroxidase) activities of strains were investigated. Lip activity of LN4 was highest after 72 h of incubation and reached 7151.7 U · l. Mnp activity of CL32 was highest after 48 h and reached 12533 U · l. The analysis of alkaline-lignin degradation products by GC-MS revealed that the strains screened could utilize aromatic esters compounds such as dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and decomposite monocyclic aromatic compounds through the DBP aerobic metabolic pathway. The results indicate that BY5, LN2, LN4, and CL32 have high potential to degrade alkaline-lignin, and might utilize aromatic compounds by DBP aerobic metabolic pathway in the process of lignin degradation.
Topics: Alkalies; Bacteria; Bacterial Proteins; Biodegradation, Environmental; Lignin; Metabolic Networks and Pathways; Peroxidases; Phylogeny; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
PubMed: 33574863
DOI: 10.33073/pjm-2020-037