Intercropping heavy metal hyperaccumulators and low-accumulating cultivars is a promising strategy for remediating contaminated soils without impeding agricultural production. A field plot experiment ...was conducted to explore the effects of intercropping maize with Brassica juncea L. on the rhizosphere microecological properties, plant growth and cadmium (Cd) accumulation. The results showed that the Cd bioaccumulation amount per unit area (BCAarea) of the intercropping system was 12.9% lower than that of the Brassica juncea L. monoculture but 87.5% higher than that of the maize monoculture. The grain yield of maize was increased by 10.5% through intercropping, and the land equivalent ratio (LER) was greater than 1. Soil available Cd in intercropped maize was 13.4% lower than that in monoculture maize but was 12.7% higher in intercropped Brassica juncea L. than in monoculture Brassica juncea L. Intercropping significantly increased the contents of malic acid and citric acid in the rhizospheres of maize and Brassica juncea L. The dominant microorganisms were similar in all studied soils but were different in relative abundance between the intercropping and monoculture treatments. These findings suggest that intercropping maize with Brassica juncea L. could be a promising approach for phytoremediation without reducing crop yield in Cd-contaminated soil.
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•Intercropping with Brassica juncea L. reduced grain Cd and increased yield of maize•Cd accumulation of Brassica juncea L. in intercropping was higher than monoculture•Low soil pH increased available Cd in intercropping Brassica juncea L. rhizosphere•Competitive absorption decreased available Cd in the intercropped maize rhizosphere•Root exudates was the main factor influencing soil bacteria in intercropping system
Abstract
Basal stem rot disease (BSR) caused by
G. boninense
affects most oil palm plants in Southeast Asia. This disease can be fatal to palm oil production. BSR shows no signs on the tree in the ...early stages of infection. Therefore, it is essential to find an approach that can detect BSR disease in oil palm, especially at any level of disease severity in the field. This study aims to identify biomarkers of BSR disease in oil palm stem tissue based on various disease severity indices in the field using
1
H NMR-based metabolomics analysis. The crude extract of oil palm stem tissue with four disease severity indices was analyzed by
1
H NMR metabolomics. Approximately 90 metabolites from oil palm stem tissue were identified.Twenty of these were identified as metabolites that significantly differentiated the four disease severity indices. These metabolites include the organic acid group, the carbohydrate group, the organoheterocyclic compound group, and the benzoid group. In addition, different tentative biomarkers for different disease severity indices were also identified. These tentative biomarkers consist of groups of organic acids, carbohydrates, organoheterocyclic compounds, nitrogenous organic compounds, and benzene. There are five pathways in oil palm that are potentially affected by BSR disease.
Summary
Purple corn anthocyanins have rich nutritional value, but anthocyanins have low stability. The main objective of this study was to screen compounds from the common co‐pigments ...(polysaccharides, organic acids and colloids) that could improve the stability of anthocyanins and to investigate the effect of different co‐pigments on the stability of anthocyanins in purple corn during heat treatment. There were significant differences in copigmentation effects among different types of co‐pigments. The total anthocyanin retention rate of purple corn without co‐pigments was 15.02%. After copigmentation treatment with different compounds, among the polysaccharides, the total anthocyanin retention rates of 15% fructose and 15% glucose were 37.29% and 52.18% respectively. The copigmentation effects of monosaccharides were better than those of disaccharides, sugar alcohols and cyclodextrins. Among the organic acids, the six co‐pigments were all organic acids containing phenolic rings. The retention rates of anthocyanins were 71.47% and 68.21% for 0.06% tannic acid and 0.1% tartaric acid, respectively, indicating high copigmentation effects. The a* value of purple corn was significantly increased after these treatments, indicating that organic acids had stronger copigmentation effects than polysaccharides. In the colloids, the total anthocyanin retention rate of 2.0% pectin was 43.72%, while 0.5% guar gum had a retention rate of 9.82%. However, low concentrations of guar gum promoted the degradation of anthocyanins, indicating weak copigmentation effects for colloids.
A novel pincer ligand, i PrPNPhP PhN- (CH2CH2PiPr2)2, which is an analogue of the versatile MACHO ligand, iPrPNHP HN(CH2CH2PiPr2)2, was synthesized and characterized. The ligand was coordinated to ...ruthenium, and a series of hydride-containing complexes were isolated and characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopies, as well as X-ray diffraction. Comparisons to previously published analogues ligated by iPrPNHP and iPrPNMeP CH3N(CH2CH2PiPr2)2 illustrate that there are large changes in the coordination chemistry that occur when the nitrogen substituent of the pincer ligand is altered. For example, ruthenium hydrides supported by the iPrPNPhP ligand always form the syn isomer (where syn/anti refer to the relative orientation of the group on nitrogen and the hydride ligand on ruthenium), whereas complexes supported by iPrPNHP form the anti isomer and complexes supported by iPrPNMeP form a mixture of syn and anti isomers. We evaluated the impact of the nitrogen substituent of the pincer ligand in catalysis by comparing a series of iPrPNRP (R = H, Me, Ph)-ligated ruthenium hydride complexes as catalysts for formic acid dehydrogenation and carbon dioxide (CO2) hydrogenation to formate. The iPrPNPhP-ligated species is the most active for formic acid dehydrogenation, and mechanistic studies suggest that this is likely because there are kinetic advantages for catalysts that operate via the syn isomer. In CO2 hydrogenation, the iPrPNPhP-ligated species is again the most active under our optimal conditions, and we report some of the highest turnover frequencies for homogeneous catalysts. Experimental and theoretical insights into the turnover-limiting step of catalysis provide a basis for the observed trends in catalytic activity. Additionally, the stability of our complexes enabled us to detect a previously unobserved autocatalytic effect involving the base that is added to drive the reaction. Overall, by modifying the nitrogen substituent on the MACHO ligand, we have developed highly active catalysts for formic acid dehydrogenation and CO2 hydrogenation and also provided a framework for future catalyst development.
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•pH influence on transport behaviour of organic acids mixture was investigated.•Organic acid transport was correlated through I–V and chronopotentiometry measurements.•Anionic ...availability and their equivalent charge influence shape of I–V and chronopotentiometric curves.•Two LCDs at high pH can be related to dissociation equilibrium and ion behaviour in membrane phase.
The effect of the composition and pH of solutions on the transport of organic acids species in the anion exchange membrane (AEM) and adjacent diffusion layers has been investigated using voltamperomertry and chronopotentiometry. Carboxylic acids of varying number of carboxylic groups (acetic, malic and citric acid) were selected and their individual concentration in the mixture was varied to understand the influence of one molecule on the transport of other molecule in their mixture. Shape of the I–V and chronopotentiometric curves was influenced by pH and concentration. Detection of two limiting current densities (LCD) in I–V curves and inflection points in chronopotentiometric curves are due to change in species that are being transported in boundary layers and membrane. Results showed that LCD, resistance to ionic transport and concentration polarization were related to molar concentration and anionic equivalent charge calculated from Hydra-Medusa. Smaller size, higher mobility and charge density delayed the formation of concentration polarization. Electrolytes having ionic species with more anionic equivalent charge and larger Stokes radii were responsible for an early activation of overlimiting mechanisms and shorter plateau in I–V curve.
The activation of the cGAS-STING pathway has tremendous potential to improve anti-tumor immunity by generating type I interferons. In recent decades, we have witnessed that producing dsDNA upon ...various stimuli is an initiative factor, triggering the cGAS-SING pathway for a defensive host. The understanding of both intracellular cascade reaction and the changes of molecular components gains insight into type I IFNs and adaptive immunity. Based on the immunological study, the STING-cGAS pathway is coupled to cancer biotherapy. The most challenging problem is the limited therapeutic effect. Therefore, people view 5, 6-dimethylxanthenone-4-acetic acid, cyclic dinucleotides and various derivative as cGAS-STING pathway agonists. Even so, these agonists have flaws in decreasing biotherapeutic efficacy. Subsequently, we exploited agonist delivery systems (nanocarriers, microparticles and hydrogels). The article will discuss the activation of the cGAS-STING pathway and underlying mechanisms, with an introduction of cGAS-STING agonists, related clinical trials and agonist delivery systems.
One of the current challenges facing researchers is the search for alternative biological material, as opposed to routinely and invasively collected (such as blood), as the analysis of the former ...would provide information about the state of human health, allowing for the diagnosis of diseases in their early stages. With the search for disease biomarkers in alternative materials, the development of newer analytical solutions has been observed. This study aims to develop a reliable analytical method using the capillary isotachophoresis technique for the determination of organic acids in children's saliva, the presence/elevation of which can be used in the future for diagnostic purposes. Organic acids such as formic, lactic, acetic, propionic, and butyric acid, were determined in the saliva of healthy children without carious lesions. The limit of quantification determined in the validation process was found to vary from 0.05 to 1.56 mg/L, the recoveries at the two levels were determined to vary between 90% and 110% for level I, while for level II the corresponding values of 75% and 106% were found; the presentation, expressed as relative standard deviation values (RSD), did not exceed 5%. The parameters determined while validating the results method indicated that the obtained are reliable. The Red-Green-Blue (RGB) additive color model was used for the evaluation of the method. This comparative analysis allowed us to define the color of the method, which expresses whether it meets the given assumptions and requirements. According to the RGB model, the isotachophoresis method developed requires less reagent input, shorter sample preparation times, and results with lower energy consumption. Thus, the subject procedure may provide an alternative, routine tool for determining organic acids in human saliva, to be applied in the diagnosing of diseases of various etiological origins.
•Five adducts have been prepared and structurally characterized.•H-bonds have been ascertained.•The classical H-bonds are the key forces.•Secondary interactions also play important role.
...Cocrystallization of the widely used model pharmaceutical compound (caffeine), with an array of organic acids gave five anhydrous and hydrous multicomponent adducts (1,3,7-trimethyl-3,7-dihydro-purine-2,6‑dione): (4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid) (L) · (Hcpa), Hcpa = 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (1), (1,3,7-trimethyl-3,7-dihydro-purine-2,6‑dione)2: ((2,4-dichlorphenoxy)acetic acid) (L)2 · (Hdcpa), Hdcpa = (2,4-dichlorphenoxy)acetic acid (2), (1,3,7-trimethyl-3,7-dihydro-purine-2,6‑dione)3: (2‑hydroxy-5-(phenyldiazenyl)benzoic acid)2 (L)3 · (Hpba)2, Hpba = 2‑hydroxy-5-(phenyldiazenyl)benzoic acid (3), (1,3,7-trimethyl-3,7-dihydro-purine-2,6‑dione)2: naphthalene-1,5-disulfonic acid: 2H2O (HL)22+· (nds2−) · 2H2O, nds2- = naphthalene-1,5-disulfonate (4) and (1,3,7-trimethyl-3,7-dihydro-purine-2,6‑dione): 3-nitrophthalic acid (HL)+· (Hntpa−), Hntpa−= hydrogen 3-nitrophthalate (5), which have been featured by XRD technique, IR and elemental analysis, the melting points were also reported. Their structural and supramolecular aspects are deeply analyzed.
The result unveils that among the investigated crystalline solids 4–5 the imidazole Ns in purine cores are protonated and each HL+ makes use of imidazole N to form the ionic N+-H⋯O − H-bond with the deprotonated acids. 1–3 are cocrystal sustained by the neutral OH⋯N H-bonds. Apart from the NH⋯O/OH⋯N H-bonds, the OH···O H-bonds were present at 3–5. 4 had the additional OH···S H-bonds. Further view of the crystal packing told that all adducts had both the additional CHO and CH3O contacts. The 2-C = O of the caffeine at 1–3 accepted the CHO contacts. By combination of the various weak nonbonding associations these structures took on homo/hetero supramolecular synthons or both, and the common R21(7)/R22(8) graph sets have been the top synthons in all adducts due to the interplay of H-bonds and non-covalent contacts. For the synergism of these weak bonds, 1–5 display 3D structures.
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Solid acid catalysts are largely used in several industrial processes, and the development of materials with high activity, selectivity and reusability is a subject of study of research groups around ...the world. The improvement of oxide acidity could be performed by phosphation with phosphoric acid but the investigation of phosphated niobia is still incipient. In this work, niobia was treated with phosphoric acid solutions to generate catalysts with higher esterification activity at mild condition. The phosphated catalysts were obtained and characterized by XRD, N.sub.2 adsorption, NH.sub.3 and pyridine chemisorption and FTIR, and were tested in the esterification of acetic acid with ethanol at 60 °C and RT. DFPT calculations indicated that H.sub.2PO.sub.4 group was the predominant phosphate species on the hydroxylated surface. Theoretical results also show that ethanol adsorbs preferentially at H.sub.2PO.sub.4 acidic sites on the phosphated catalyst as compared to acetic acid. Graphic
Blood oranges (
L. Osbeck cv. Sanguinello) fruit were treated with 24-epibrassinolide (Br) at 1, 5, and 10 μM previous to storage at 5°C during 42 days. The samples were analyzed after 14, 28, and 42 ...days plus 2 days at 20°C. Chilling injury was reduced in Br-treated fruit based on the lower percentage of electrolyte leakage and visual symptoms of peel dehydration and browning. Treated fruit showed lower acidity losses, due to retention of the main organic acids' concentration (citric and malic acids), as well as was higher content of sugars (sucrose, fructose, and glucose), especially in those fruit treated with the highest concentration (10 μM). Total phenolics and hydrophilic total antioxidant activity (H-TAA) decreased in control fruit over storage, while Br-treated fruit showed significantly higher concentration. In addition, total anthocyanins were enhanced in Br-treated oranges, which were correlated with color Hue angle. Overall, the application of Br at 10 μM provides results increasing the storability of blood oranges and their content on bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity.
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