Search

A multidisciplinary approach was applied to explore deeper knowledge about the reproductive biology and ecology of the green mussel (Perna viridis) by interlinking among ecological factors, ingested gut plankton, gonad fatty acid profile, and reproductive traits. Mussels were collected throughout the year from the coastal region of the Bay of Bengal of Bangladesh, and the histological analysis of 242 mussels revealed five stages of gametogenesis with an annual spawning season from January to April. The gonadosomatic index showed a strong correlation with the water quality parameters, ingested gut plankton groups, and gonadal fatty acids, and also displayed prominent effects of seasonality. In all datasets, we performed principal component analysis in which the first two principal components showed that seasonality explained >65% of the variability, and the multivariate spaces of seasonality corresponded to the gonad development. High salinity, nutrients, chlorophyll a, and plankton abundance in the water column were positively correlated with gonad development and the spawning of mussels. During the development stage, mussel ingested more plankton, particularly Bacillariophyceae and Pyrrophyceae, which were an important source of increased n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids content in gonads. Furthermore, gonads accumulated more lipids and saturated fatty acids during the mature and spawning stages, which were probably utilized during embryogenesis and early larval development as energy sources and constituents of the cell membrane. This research provides a model toward a better understanding of reproductive biological traits and how these traits are interrelated with the surrounding environmental variables of the green mussel, which would be helpful in marine aquaculture and the sustainable exploitation of the fishery resources.

We report measurements of the Meissner screening profile in a Nb (300 nm)/ Al 2 O 3 thin film using 8 Li β -detected nuclear magnetic resonance (β -NMR). The NMR probe 8 Li was ion-implanted into the Nb film at energies ≤ 20 keV, corresponding to mean stopping depths comparable to Nb 's magnetic penetration depth λ. 8 Li 's strong dipole–dipole coupling with the host 93 Nb nuclei provided a "cross-relaxation" channel that dominated in low magnetic fields, which conferred indirect sensitivity to the local magnetic field via the spin-lattice relaxation (SLR) rate 1 / T 1. From a fit of the 1 / T 1 data to a model accounting for its dependence on temperature, magnetic field, and 8 Li + implantation energy, we obtained a magnetic penetration depth λ 0 = 51.5(22) nm, consistent with a relatively short carrier mean-free-path ℓ = 18.7(29) nm typical of similarly prepared Nb films. The results presented here constitute an important step toward using 8 Li β -NMR to characterize bulk Nb samples with engineered surfaces, which are often used in the fabrication of particle accelerators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recycled hydroponics, successive crop cultivation by maintaining electrical conductivity (EC) suffers lower growth performance due to accumulating autotoxic root exudates. In this study, the efficiency of alternate current electro degradation (AC-ED) was evaluated for degrading allelochemicals and recovering retarded lettuce yield cultivated in EC-adjusted repeatedly used nutrient solutions. From benzoic acid (BA)-added nutrient solution, BA was completely degraded after 24 h by applying AC-ED at 551 and 940 Hz frequency with 50 and 80% electrical duty. In lettuce bioassay, fresh mass was negatively affected without the AC-ED-treated solution. Finally, lettuce seedlings were hydroponically grown in a plant factory using a half-strength Enshi nutrient solution. Culture solutions were unchanged in non-renewed solutions. Nutrient elements were supplied based on the EC (1.42 dS m−1) of culture solutions. The fresh weight of lettuce was gradually decreased in subsequent cultures. Nutrient absorption rate was reduced in non-renewed solutions though enough of all nutrient elements were available in the solution. In the final culture, the highest shoot fresh weight (SFW) was recorded in the renewed (83.0 g plant−1) solution which was similar to the AC-ED-treated solution (81.0 g plant−1) and the lowest (58.0 g plant−1) was in the non-renewed solution. By applying AC-ED, 40% lettuce yield was recovered in the EC-adjusted solution without renewing. Therefore, it is recommended that the continuous application of AC-ED with the capacity of 551 Hz and 50% duty would be applied for recovering the retarded lettuce yield cultivated with repeatedly used culture solutions in recycled hydroponics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although metal‐organic framework (MOF)‐derived nanoporous C (NPC) materials offer several advantages for electrochemical sensor applications, surface functionalization and porosity tuning can affect sensor performance. This study presents the development of a skin patch for perspiration and electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring, leveraging the unique properties of MOF‐on‐MOF‐derived surface‐functionalized hybrid nanoporous C (f‐HNPC) incorporated into laser‐scribed graphene (LSG). Hydroxyl (OH) group‐functionalized NPC, achieved through KOH activation, facilitates electron transport at the electrode–electrolyte interface. This enhances the electrochemical activity, thereby improving sensor sensitivity and expanding the detection range. The integration of f‐HNPC provides enhanced surface area and electrochemical properties, enabling sensitive and selective detection of sweat biomarkers, including glucose (103 µA mM−1 cm−2) and uric acid (184 µA mM−1 cm−2) along with an ultra‐wide glucose detection range (up to 41.5 mM). Moreover, the incorporation of LSG ensures excellent mechanical flexibility, facilitating conformal contact with the skin for reliable signal acquisition. The proposed skin patch demonstrates promising performance in real‐time perspiration analysis and ECG monitoring with a signal‐to‐noise ratio of 23.63 dB, along with high stability and long‐term durability. The synergistic combination of f‐HNPC and LSG shows great potential for developing advanced wearable biosensing platforms for personalized healthcare applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Among various carbapenemases, New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamases (NDMs) are recognized as the most powerful type capable of hydrolyzing all beta-lactam antibiotics, often conferring multi-drug resistance to the microorganism. The objective of this review is to synthesize current scientific data on NDM inhibitors to facilitate the development of future therapeutics for challenging-to-treat pathogens. Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Extension for Scoping Reviews, we conducted a MEDLINE search for articles with relevant keywords from the beginning of 2009 to December 2022. We employed various generic terms to encompass all the literature ever published on potential NDM inhibitors. Results: Out of the 1760 articles identified through the database search, 91 met the eligibility criteria and were included in our analysis. The fractional inhibitory concentration index was assessed using the checkerboard assay for 47 compounds in 37 articles, which included 8 compounds already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States. Time-killing curve assays (14 studies, 25%), kinetic assays (15 studies, 40.5%), molecular investigations (25 studies, 67.6%), in vivo studies (14 studies, 37.8%), and toxicity assays (13 studies, 35.1%) were also conducted to strengthen the laboratory-level evidence of the potential inhibitors. None of them appeared to have been applied to human infections. Conclusions: Ongoing research efforts have identified several potential NDM inhibitors; however, there are currently no clinically applicable drugs. To address this, we must foster interdisciplinary and multifaceted collaborations by broadening our own horizons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]