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This study aimed to examine the physicochemical properties of 30% calcium (Ca)-reduced micellar casein 80% protein powders (RC-MCC) and the functional properties of the resultant dispersions. The calcium reduction in the micellar casein (MCC) powder was achieved by subjecting the liquid micellular casein obtained from the microfiltration of pasteurized skim milk to carbon dioxide (CO2) treatment before and during ultrafiltration. The CO2 injection was controlled to obtain a 0 and 30% reduction in calcium in the C-MCC (control) and RC-MCC powders, respectively. The MCC powders were tested for physicochemical properties such as chemical composition, particle size distribution, and bulk density. The MCC powders were reconstituted in deionized water to test the functional properties of the dispersions, i.e., solubility, viscosity, heat stability, emulsifying capacity, emulsion stability, foam capacity, and foam stability. The CO2 injection did not result in any significant differences in the composition except mineral contents, particularly calcium. The particle size and bulk density of RC-MCC powders were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than control powders. The RC-MCC powder dispersions showed increased heat stability compared to control, whereas no significant changes in viscosity and emulsification capacity were observed between the two dispersions. However, the emulsion stability and foam stability of RC-MCC dispersions were significantly lower than C-MCC dispersions. This study showed that by utilizing a novel microfiltration–CO2 injection–ultrafiltration process, 30% calcium-reduced MCC powder was commercially feasible. This research also provides a detailed understanding of the effect of calcium reduction on the functional properties of resultant MCC dispersions. It showed that calcium reduction could improve the solubility of the powders and heat stability and foam capacity of the dispersions.

We report a facile, one-pot, three-component methodology for the synthesis of 8 H-quinazolino[4,3-b]quinazolin-8-ones from commercially available 2-aminobenzonitriles, triethyl orthoformate, and anthranilic acids/esters/amides in good yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HF channel and the mechanisms for data communication are dealt in brief initially. Watterson channel model is also studied before implementation of channel simulator. This is followed by an overview of standards and documents which address various aspects of simulator implementations utilized for HF data modem testing. Variation of modem performance measurement is evaluated for different fading process characteristics, which meet some of the current specifications. It is shown that these current specifications do not enforce a tight enough constraint on implementations with a resulting variation in measured performance. This paper provides sufficient detailed specifications to reduce modem measurement variability between different HF channel simulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic selection of different transmembrane pressures (TMP) and levels of diafiltration (DF) was studied to optimize these critical process parameters during the manufacturing of micellar casein concentrate (MCC) using spiral-wound polymeric membrane filtration. Three TMPs (34.5, 62.1, and 103.4 kPa) and four DF levels (0, 70, 100, and 150%) were applied in the study. The effect of the TMP and DF level on flux rates, serum protein (SP) removal, the casein-to-total-protein ratio, the casein-to-true-protein ratio, and the rejection of casein and SP were evaluated. At all transmembrane pressures, the overall flux increased with increases in the DF level. The impact of DF on the overall flux was more pronounced at lower pressures than at higher pressures. With controlled DF, the instantaneous flux was maintained within 80% of the initial flux for the entire process run. The combination of 34.5 kPa and a DF level of 150% resulted in 81.45% SP removal, and a casein-to-true-protein ratio of 0.96. SP removal data from the lab-scale experiments were fitted into a mathematical model using DF levels and the square of TMPs as factors. The model developed in this study could predict SP removal within 90–95% of actual SP removal achieved from the pilot plant experiments.

Besides assimilation, plant water relations are important aspects of physiological basis of productivity of crops in water limited environment. The relationships of photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, leaf water potential and stomatal conductance with photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and vapour pressure deficit (VPD) during pre-flowering (panicle initiation to ear emergence) and grain filling (from anthesis to maturity) stages of a sorghum hybrid (cv. CSH-6) grown under rainfed conditions were studied. Photosynthesis rate declined when PAR was above 1300 µmol m-2s-1 during both the growth stages. Higher transpiration rate during grain filling stage at higher PAR caused the transpiration efficiency to be lower than during pre-flowering stage** when PAR was above 1200 µmol m-2s-1. Leaf water potential and stomatal conductance decreased with increase in PAR. Leaf water potential was higher during pre-flowering than during grain filling stage but maximum photosynthesis rate was similar during both the growth stages. Changes in VPD did not qualitatively alter the relationships of the physiological variables with PAR. Decreasing photosynthesis rate and LWP at high PAR suggest that photosynthesis rate was limited by low leaf water potential when PAR was optimal, and by low PAR even when leaf water potential was high in rainfed sorghum during rainy season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been emerging trends and gaining popularity of researching, exploring and applying the physical and chemical effects of ultrasonication and cavitation in dairy industry. An overview of ultrasonication and other cavitation techniques is provided here. Effect of hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) and high energy low-frequency ultrasonication on milk components such as fat, protein, and other milk constituents have been highlighted here. Detailed summary of various research studies and applications of the HC and ultrasonication in dairy processing area such as homogenization, viscosity reduction, cheese, cream and yogurt making, food safety, microbial inactivation, waste management, and cleaning are provided here. Furthermore, various research and application of low-intensity high-frequency ultrasound for dairy products analysis have been outlined here. While some applications of ultrasound and cavitation are well established in other industry, the ultrasonic and HC processing of dairy ingredients and products are gaining much attention recently and it has a great potential to become a mainstream process in dairy industry in the near future.

Although the anti-cancer effects of curcumin has been shown in various cancer cell types, in vitro, pre-clinical and clinical studies showed only a limited efficacy, even at high doses. This is presumably due to low bioavailability in both plasma and tissues, particularly due to poor intracellular accumulation. A variety of methods have been developed to achieve the selective targeting of drugs to cells and mitochondrion. We used a novel approach by conjugation of curcumin to lipophilic triphenylphosphonium (TPP) cation to facilitate delivery of curcumin to mitochondria. TPP is selectively taken up by mitochondria driven by the membrane potential by several hundred folds. In this study, three mitocurcuminoids (mitocurcuminoids-1, 2, and 3) were successfully synthesized by tagging TPP to curcumin at different positions. ESI-MS analysis showed significantly higher uptake of the mitocurcuminoids in mitochondria as compared to curcumin in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. All three mitocurcuminoids exhibited significant cytotoxicity to MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, SKNSH, DU-145, and HeLa cancer cells with minimal effect on normal mammary epithelial cells (MCF-10A). The IC50 was much lower for mitocurcuminoids when compared to curcumin. The mitocurcuminoids induced significant ROS generation, a drop in ΔØm, cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. They inhibited Akt and STAT3 phosphorylation and increased ERK phosphorylation. Mitocurcuminoids also showed upregulation of pro-apoptotic BNIP3 expression. In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that mitocurcuminoids show substantial promise for further development as a potential agent for the treatment of various cancers.

Piperazine-2,5-dione (glycine anhydride, GA) has recently emerged as a valuable precursor for high-performance π-conjugated polymer semiconductors in organic electronics. We utilized GA to design a novel bisindolin-dihydropiperazine (IDHP)-based conjugated polymer, PIDHPTT, for aqueous chemical sensing. In the isatin-flanked monomer, GA exists as a non-conjugated lactam (DHP-NH) but converts to a conjugated lactim (DHP-OH) form within the polymer. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that this conversion is driven by energy minimization via extended π-conjugation. Neighboring DHP units in the lactim form facilitate this process through π-bridges, demonstrating a vinylogous effect, which has previously only been observed in small molecules. This is the first study to report such a long-range vinylogous effect in a polymer due to the collective synergy of numerous functional groups. The OH groups in the lactim DHP interact more strongly with fluoride ions than other halides. PIDHPTT exhibits significant changes in optical absorption, electrochemical impedance, and charge transport in response to fluoride ions, which differ from responses to other halides. A water-gated organic field-effect transistor based on PIDHPTT shows excellent sensitivity and selectivity for fluoride ions, demonstrating the potential of this polymer design for chemical sensing applications., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Green fuel from water splitting is hardcore for future generations, and the limited source of fresh water (<1%) is a bottleneck. Seawater cannot be used directly as a feedstock in current electrolyzer techniques. Until now single atom catalysts were reported by many synthetic strategies using notorious chemicals and harsh conditions. A cobalt single-atom (CoSA) intruding cobalt oxide ultrasmall nanoparticle (Co 3 O 4 USNP)-intercalated porous carbon (PC) (CoSA-Co 3 O 4 @PC) electrocatalyst was synthesized from the waste orange peel as a single feedstock (solvent/template). The extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) and theoretical fitting reveal a clear picture of the coordination environment of the CoSA sites (CoSA-Co 3 O 4 and CoSA-N 4 in PC). To impede the direct seawater corrosion and chlorine evolution the seawater has been desalinated (Dseawater) with minimal cost and the obtained PC is used as an adsorbent in this process. CoSA-Co 3 O 4 @PC shows high oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity in transitional metal impurity-free (TMIF) 1 M KOH and alkaline Dseawater. CoSA-Co 3 O 4 @PC exhibits mass activity that is 15 times higher than the commercial RuO 2 . Theoretical interpretations suggest that the optimized CoSA sites in Co 3 O 4 USNPs reduce the energy barrier for alkaline water dissociation and simultaneously trigger an excellent OER followed by an adsorbate evolution mechanism (AEM)., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

In the field of nanotechnology, nanoadsorbents have emerged as a powerful tool for the purification of contaminated aqueous environments. Among the variety of nanoadsorbents developed so far, magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles have drawn particular interest because of their quick separation, low cost, flexibility, reproducibility, and environmentally benign nature. Herein, we describe a new strategy for the synthesis of Fe 3 O 4 nanoclusters, which is based on the use of naturally available edible mushrooms (Pleurotus eryngii) and environmentally benign propylene glycol as a solvent medium. By tuning the temperature, we successfully convert Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles into Fe 3 O 4 nanoclusters via hydrothermal treatment, as evidenced by transmission electron microscopy. The Fe 3 O 4 nanoclusters are functionalized with an organic molecule linker (dihydrolipoic acid, DHLA) to remove hazardous Hg(II) ions selectively. Batch adsorption experiments demonstrate that Hg(II) ions are strongly adsorbed on the material surface, and X-ray photoelectron and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy techniques reveal the Hg(II) removal mechanism. The DHLA@Fe 3 O 4 nanoclusters show a high removal efficiency of 99.2 % with a maximum Hg(II) removal capacity of 140.84 mg g -1 . A kinetic study shows that the adsorption equilibrium is rapidly reached within 60 min and follows a pseudo second-order kinetic model. The adsorption and separation system can be readily recycled using an external magnet when the separation occurs within 10 s. We have studied the effect of various factors on the adsorption process, including pH, concentration, dosage, and temperature. The newly synthesized superparamagnetic DHLA@Fe 3 O 4 nanoclusters open a new path for further development of the medical, catalysis, and environmental fields., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Several concerns exist on the performance and health attributes of sheep fed on complete replacements of the traditional feed ingredients with dried distillers' grain solubles (DDGS). The study intended to know the effect of DDGS on replacing the peanut cake (PNC) at 0%, 50%, 75%, and 100% in sheep fed Jowar stover-based diet. Replacing PNC with DDGS increased (P < 0.05) the final body weight and concentrate intake. The weight gain and average daily gain tended to increase (P = 0.086), whereas the feed conversion ratio tended to decrease (P = 0.092) with increased DDGS inclusion levels. The CP intake increased linearly (P < 0.01) with an increase in DDGS levels. However, the intakes of DM, OM, NDF, and ADF increased quadratically (P < 0.01) and showed a quadratic maximum at 75% replacements group. The in vitro dry matter digestibility and 24 h-gas (ml) production linearly increased (P < 0.05) with increased DDGS inclusion levels, while the CH 4 (% total gas) and CH 4 (ml) showed a quadratic increase (P < 0.05). The metabolisable energy, ammonia nitrogen, and volatile fatty acid concentrations were higher for DDGS diets. Further, the Gompertz curve fitting of the gas production data revealed higher asymptotic volume with lower constant of integration (b) and rate of production (k) of the DDGS incubations. No significant differences were observed for any of the carcass characteristics, except for leg weight, which showed a linear increase (P < 0.05). Increased tendency was observed for EBW, loin eye area at 12th rib, and edible portion of the sheep fed DDGS groups. Further, the visceral organs and carcass composition did not show any significant differences, except for kidney weight (linear, P < 0.05). The income over feed cost (IOFC) was higher for 100% DDGS group with lower feed cost and higher income per Kg mutton. Replacing the traditional peanut cake with DDGS in the crop residue-based diets of growing lambs contributes to higher yields for producers.

Two polycyclic heteroarene derivatives, namely, V-1 and V-2 , with a diphenanthro[9,10- b :9',10'-d]thiophene (DPT) core tethered with two diphenylaminophenyl or diphenylamino groups were first synthesized and used as hole-transporting materials (HTMs) in perovskite solar cell (PSC) fabrication. The novel HTMs exhibit appropriate energy-level alignment with the perovskite so as to ensure efficient hole transfer from the perovskite to HTMs. V-2 with the diphenylamino substituent on DPT exhibited impressive photovoltaic performance with a power conversion efficiency of 19.32%, which was higher than that of V-1 (18.60%) and the benchmark 2,2',7,7'-tetrakis-( N , N -di- p -methoxyphenyl-amine)-9,9'-spirobifluorene (spiro-OMeTAD) (17.99%), presumably because of a better hole extraction, higher hole mobility, and excellent film-forming ability, which were supported by steady-state photoluminescence (PL), time-resolved PL, the hole mobility experiment, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy measurements. Meanwhile, V-2 -based PSCs exhibited better long-term durability than that with V-1 and the state-of-the-art spiro-OMeTAD, which is ascribable to the excellent surface morphology and hydrophobicity of the film. This systematic study suggests that DPT-based molecules are good potential candidates as HTMs for achieving high-performance PSCs.

The physical properties, packing, morphology, and semiconducting performance of a planar π-conjugated system can be effectively modified by introducing side chains and substituent groups, both of which can be complementary to the π framework in changing the intermolecular association, frontier molecular orbital energy, optical band gap, and others. We herein show that installation of end-capped electron-withdrawing groups (EWGs), such as dicyanovinyl (-DCV), 3-ethylrhodanine (-RD), and 2-(3-oxo-indan-1-ylidene)-malononitrile (-INCN), together with siloxane side chains to the backbones of dithienyldiketopyrrolopyrrole (DPPT), such as DPPT-Si-DCV , DPPT-Si-RD , and DPPT-Si-INCN , can greatly improve its solubility, air stability, and film morphology to serve as an n-channel in thin-film transistor fabrication. The EWGs attached to the DPPT core narrowed the optical band gap ( E g opt ) and changed the highest occupied molecular orbital and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energies ( E HOMO and E LUMO ), making them suitable for n-channel field-effect transistor (FET) applications. The benefits of introducing siloxane side chains to the DPPT core include enhanced solubility, low crystallization barrier, enantiotropic phase behavior, and much improved FET performance. The DPPT-Si-INCN film displayed low-lying HOMO (-5.82 eV) and LUMO (-4.60 eV) energy levels and an optical band gap as low as 1.22 eV, all of which suggest that this derivative can be quite resistant toward aerial oxidation. Thin films of these derivatives were prepared by the solution-shear method. A comparison of the solution-sheared films indicated that the molecular packing motif of DPPT-Si-INCN film was somehow different from that of DPPT-Si-DCV and DPPT-Si-RD , in which the π-π stacking tended to align orthogonally to the shearing direction. This specific π-π stacking alignment could have an impact on the electron mobility (μ e ) values in transistors based on the solution-sheared films.