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The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of nucleating agent to improve the overall performance of polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) composites. Specifically, sodium linoleate (Na-LL) is used as a chemical nucleating agent to improve the crystallization behavior of the material during melting extrusion processing. Mechanical, thermal, and morphological characteristics of PBAT and its composites were investigated. And a preliminary exploration was conducted on the mechanism of Na-LL improving the performance of PBAT. In this work, a formula has been obtained that dramatically saves production costs while improving product performance. After adding Na-LL to the composites, the thermal properties of the material were significantly improved, with a maximum crystallization temperature increase of 27.79 °C. In addition, composites offer superior mechanical properties compared to pure PBAT. When 0.2 parts by mass(pbw) Na-LL was added, the flexural modulus of the composites increased from 80.0 to 145.3 MPa, increased by 81.25%. The tensile performance can still be maintained at 11.0 Mpa, with elongation at break and impact strength reduced to 347.3% and 172.1 J/m, respectively. Under these conditions, it has excellent comprehensive mechanical properties. The results in this study suggest that Na-LL is a promising nucleating agent for enhancing the performance of composites and provides potential development of advanced materials for a wide range of applications in plastic packaging and plastic bags. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose that during the evaporation of sessile droplets, the evaporative flux profile is primarily influenced by droplet geometry and composition under diffusion-limited conditions. Most studies have focused solely on the evaporation feature from the liquid to the gas phase, neglecting the extent to which the evaporated vapors affect the evaporation process. We hypothesize that if the molecular weight of the evaporated vapors is significantly high or low compared to the ambient gas, it could alter the evaporative flux. We employed a direct optical measurement technique, specifically Mach-Zehnder interferometry. This demonstrated that the distribution of evaporated vapor molecules can substantially modify the evaporative flux profile. Our study discovered that substantial density gradients between vapor and air could either suppress or enhance the evaporative flux, depending on the droplet's orientation. This research offers fresh insights into evaporative fluxes by taking into account the relative vapor concentration and gravitational effects. • Laser interferometry was employed to accurately gauge the evaporative flux of a sessile droplet both on and underneath a plate. • Accuracy of the interferometric results was validated by comparison with side-view shadowgraphy results. • Both the molecular weight of evaporated vapor and the droplet orientation significantly impact the vapor distribution. • Vapor distribution surrounding droplets can significantly influence the evaporative flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emulsifying capacity of bovine bone protein extracted using high-pressure hot water (HBBP) has been determined to be good. Nevertheless, given that HBBP is a blend of peptides with a broad range of molecular weights, the distinction in emulsifying capacity between polypeptide components with high and low molecular weights is unclear. Therefore, in this study, HBBP was separated into three molecular weight components of 10–30 kDa (HBBP 1), 5–10 kDa (HBBP 2), and <5 kDa (HBBP 3) via ultrafiltration, and the differences in their structures and emulsifying properties were investigated. The polypeptide with the highest molecular weight displayed the lowest endogenous fluorescence intensity, the least solubility in an aqueous solution, and the highest surface hydrophobicity index. Analysis using laser confocal Raman spectroscopy showed that with an increase in polypeptide molecular weight, the α-helix and β-sheet contents in the secondary structure of the polypeptide molecule increased significantly. Particle size, rheological characteristics, and laser confocal microscopy were used to characterize the emulsion made from peptides of various molecular weights. High-molecular-weight peptides were able to provide a more robust spatial repulsion and thicker interfacial coating in the emulsion, which would make the emulsion more stable. The above results showed that the high-molecular-weight polypeptide in HBBP effectively improved the emulsion stability when forming an emulsion. This study increased the rate at which bovine bone was utilized and provided a theoretical foundation for the use of bovine bone protein as an emulsifier in the food sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food & Fermentation Industries is the property of Food & Fermentation Industries and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Polydiacetylenes, as a class of conjugated polymers with alternating conjugated C═C and C≡C bonds, have emerged as a promising probe material for biomedical Raman imaging, given their ultrastrong Raman scattering intensity. However, the relationship between the structure, especially the molecular length of polydiacetylenes, and their Raman scattering intensity remains unclear. In this work, a series of water‐soluble polydiacetylenes, namely poly(deca‐4,6‐diynedioic acid) (PDDA) with different molecular weights (MWs), is prepared through controlled polymerization and degradation. The ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectroscopic and Raman spectroscopic studies on these polymers reveal that the Raman scattering intensity of PDDA increases nonlinearly with the MW. The MW‐Raman scattering intensity relationship in the polymerization process is completely different from that in the degradation process. In contrast, the Raman scattering intensity increases more linearly with the maximal absorbance of the polymer, and the relationship between the Raman scattering intensity and the maximal absorbance of PDDA in the polymerization process is consistent with that in the degradation process. The Raman scattering intensity of PDDA hence exhibits a better dependence on the effective conjugation length of the polymer, which should guide the future design of conjugated polymers for Raman imaging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) have been the subject of intensive research. This study aimed to determine how different drug characteristics such as molecular weights, drug solubility in the processing medium, and drug ionization/charge state affected chitosan NPs particularly their percentage entrapment efficiency (% EE) and mean hydrodynamic diameters (MHDs). Drugs with varying molecular weights but of similar aqueous solubilities were chosen and were dissolved in a 2% chitosan-acetic acid solution. Chitosan NPs were formed using by ionic gelation technique using sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) at specific concentration and volume ratios of chitosan to TPP. NPs containing Enalapril and Paracetamol displayed better short-term stability in terms of MHDs. A direct relationship between MHDs of NPs and chitosan concentrations was found. In comparison, at both low and high admixed drug concentrations and at high chitosan concentration, larger NPs sizes were associated with the lower molecular weight drug (Paracetamol). However, the study did not demonstrate a direct relationship between NPs characteristics such as MHDs and drugs molecular weights. The ZP of Paracetamol-loaded NPs was lowest at high drug concentrations at all chitosan concentrations compared to other drugs-loaded NPs. When compared to drugs with high and low molecular weights, medium molecular weight Atenolol showed the highest % EE. This clearly indicated that there was no direct correlation between drug molecular weight and % EE, but rather other factors influenced on % EE. Nevertheless, an inverse linear relationship with high correlation coefficients was only found when % EE was plotted against each drug molecular weight divided by the ratio of drugs solubilities in acetic acid to their employed concentrations, however the correlation was inconsistent between drugs of varying molecular weights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we have synthesized and characterized a series of Donor−Acceptor (D–A) conjugated polymers (PffBT4T-2DT) with different molecular weights, introduced a microwave method into the synthesis process, shortened the experimental cycle time by over 5 days and increased the molecular weight of the polymers. The conditions affecting the molecular weight of the polymers were investigated. It is shown that the prepared conjugated polymers have excellent thermal stability and solubility, higher molecular weight polymers have broader absorption spectra and stronger inter-chain aggregation, and the strong aggregation ability of polymer chains is dependent on molecular weight and solution temperature, with lower polymer molecular weight and higher solution temperature both causing weaker polymer chain aggregation. The polymer films of the three molecular weights have a uniform surface with a roughness of about 0.83 and good crystallinity. Transistor test results show that the higher molecular weight polymers perform better when applied to field effect transistors, with mobilities as high as 0.124 cm2 V−1 s−1 and threshold voltages as low as 2 V. A series of donor-acceptor conjugated polymers (PffBT4T-2DT) with different molecular weights were synthesized by introducing the microwave method. The thermodynamic, optical, electrochemical and photovoltaic properties of the polymers were characterized, and the effect of molecular weight on the performance of organic field effect transistors (OFETs) was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Rice (Oryza sativa L.) feeds more than half of the world's population. Rice is considered a model plant in biological and agriculture field research due to its small genome compared with other plants. Storage proteins in the aleurone layer of rice seeds include albumin and globulin, as well as the endosperm, prolamin, and glutelin proteins. To determine the number of proteins and identify the protein spots between the tissues of two embryo samples and rice endosperm, the protein spots were matched according to their expression level in the images obtained from two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Materials and methods: The profile of proteins in the endosperm and embryo of rice seeds was determined using isoelectric focusing (IEF) and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE) methods. The Image Master software was utilized to analyze the two-dimensional gels. Considering the importance of local rice consumption in Iran and the significant production of this economically important crop in the country, this study aimed to determine the diversity and differences in the expression of protein spots within the linear pH range of 4 to 7. The two-dimensional electrophoresis method was employed on the Hasan-Sarai variety of rice indigenous to the region of Guilan. For this research, the cultivar being examined was procured from the Guilan Rice Research Center. Subsequent stages of the experiment, including sample separation and total protein extraction, were conducted at the Payame Noor University laboratory in Asadabad. Ultimately, the protein samples obtained were sent to the Health Research Institute at the Faculty of Pharmacy, where two-dimensional electrophoresis was carried out using an isoelectric focusing device. Finally, the extracted protein samples were transferred to the Health Research Institute of the Faculty of Pharmacy to perform two-dimensional electrophoresis using an isoelectric focusing device. Results: Based on the results of the two-dimensional gel analysis, a large part of the protein spots are present in the pH range of 4 to 7. The analysis of protein profile based on standard proteins with specific molecular weight and isoelectric point indicates that embryo tissue and endosperm based on isoelectric point and molecular weight showed that 284 protein spots in the embryo and 123 protein spots in endosperm have been identified. Among the identified spots, 57 common protein spots showed increased and decreased expression between the two samples. The presence of remaining protein spots in the two samples showed a significant difference between protein content in the embryo and endosperm. Conclusion: Image master software was used to determine the isoelectric point and molecular weight of protein spots and expression changes between common spots. Analysis was done in protein databases and possible proteins were identified in embryo tissue and endosperm. The proteins identified in rice endosperm and embryo tissue in two-dimensional electrophoresis included grain storage proteins, glutelin precursors, acidic and alkaline glutelins, globulins, prolamins, HSPs, and hypothetical proteins. Therefore, in this way, it is possible to identify the level of expression of proteins and also their biosynthetic pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the characteristics of compounds with strong or weak nitrification inhibition in sewage, 64 organic compounds including compounds registered in Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) were evaluated in terms of their chemical structures and molecular weights. Nineteen compounds showed strong nitrification inhibition by testing with Nitrosomonas europaea. Compounds with thioamide structures had the lowest median value of EC50 (0.017 mg/L), followed by those with alkyne structures (0.121 mg/L), chlorophenol structures (0.300 mg/L), and then azole structures (0.365 mg/L). In contrast, 33 of the 64 compounds showed weak nitrification inhibition at a concentration of 10 mg/L, 27 of which were categorized into three main groups: long-chain alcohol structures, alkyne structures with a phenyl group, and aromatic structures. Most compounds with strong nitrification inhibition had a low molecular weight (MW) from 50 to 200. Meanwhile, the proportion of compounds with weak nitrification inhibition tended to be greater with increasing MW and such compounds were predominant at higher molecular weights above 300. The correlations of results derived from tests of nitrification inhibition based on ISO 9509 and N. europaea showed that 24 out of 30 compounds provided results that were highly correlated between these tests (R = 0.85), while 4 compounds with chlorophenol structures and 2 compounds with alkyne structures showed weaker inhibition rates in the ISO 9509 test than in the N. europaea test. Our results indicate that the magnitude of nitrification inhibition depends on MW in addition to the chemical structure, which is helpful in the search for the cause of nitrification inhibition in wastewater treatment plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food Research & Development is the property of Food Research & Development Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) in polymer flooding leads to stable oil-in-water emulsions, making the oil removal from polymer-flooding produced water (PFPW) more difficult. To elucidate HPAM’s effects on the oil separation performance of conventional physical separation process for PFPW, the stability, and diameter of oil droplets of simulated PFPW were accurately determined using the Turbiscan LAB expert. The results demonstrated that an increase in HPAM’s molecular weight and concentration led to a significant decrease in the diameter of oil droplets in simulated PFPW. When the molecular weight of HPAM increased from 6 to 18 MDa, there was a decrease in the Turbidity Scanning Index (TSI) values from 22.5 to 8.7, along with a significant decline in the diameter of oil droplets from 72.7 to 32.6 µm after a settling period of 40 min. Furthermore, a rise in HPAM concentration inhibited the enlargement of oil droplets. As HPAM concentration increased from 0 to 500 mg/L, the diameter of the oil droplets reduced by 42.1 µm after a 40 min settling period. HPAM's effect on restricting the growth of oil droplets remained relatively constant across oil concentrations ranging from 500 to 2500 mg/L. Moreover, increasing the molecular weight of HPAM from 6 to 18 MDa led to a 41.6% increase in PFPW's viscosity and a 38.9% decrease in oil-water interfacial tension, thereby inhibiting oil droplet coalescence. Our findings provide valuable fundamental guidance for the design of innovative separation methods for PFPW treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review, we summarize and discuss our experimental data published in a number of papers on the transfer reactions of polymer chains in the polymerization of ethylene, propylene, and hexene-1, and the copolymerization of ethylene with α-olefins over multisite supported titanium–magnesium catalysts (TMC). Three groups of transfer reactions are discussed in the review: (1) transfer reactions with AlEt3 cocatalyst, (2) transfer reactions with hydrogen, and (3) transfer reactions with participation of α-olefins in the case of ethylene copolymerization with α-olefins. We have found polymerization conditions where it is possible to observe heterogeneity of active sites of TMC for all three groups of the indicated reactions. It is shown that (1) the transfer reaction with AlEt3 proceeds with higher reactivity on the active sites that produce polymers with low molecular weight; (2) the transfer reaction with hydrogen, in the case of α-olefin polymerization and copolymerization of ethylene with α-olefins, proceeds with higher reactivity on the active sites which produce polymers with high molecular weight; (3) the transfer reaction with α-olefins proceed with higher reactivity on the active sites that produce high molecular weight polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Ovalbumin (OVA), accounting for 50% of proteins in egg white, is a kind of high‐quality protein with excellent nutritional and processing functions. Acid heat treatment will induce the deformation and filtration of OVA, endowing it with improved functionality. However, the molecular kinetic process during the fibrillation of OVA and the application of the fabricated OVA fibrils (OVAFs) have not been thoroughly studied and revealed. RESULTS: In this study, the fabrication mechanism and the application OVAFs as an interfacial stabilizer and polyphenol protector were investigated. Acidic (pH 3.0) heat treatment was used to induce the fibrillation of OVA, and thioflavin T fluorescence intensity, molecular weight distribution, and the tertiary and secondary structures of OVAF samples were recorded to determine the fibrillation efficiency and the molecular mechanism. The results showed that, in the initial stage of fibrillation, OVA first hydrolyzed to oligopeptides, accompanied by the exposure of hydrophobic domains. Then, oligopeptides were connected by disulfide bonds to form primary fibril monomers. Hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bonding may participate in the further polymerization of the fibrils. The fabricated OVAFs were characterized by a β‐sheet‐rich structure and possessed improved emulsifying, foaming, and polyphenol protection ability. CONCLUSION: The research work was meaningful for exploring the application of globular water‐soluble OVA in an emerging nutritious food with novel texture and sensory properties. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colloidal particles, heterogeneous mixture with various organic components and continuous molecular weight (MW) distribution, is omnipresent in lake sediments and substantially influence the retention, transportation, and fate of contaminants in lake ecosystem. We sampled and extracted sedimentary colloids from different ecology regions in Taihu Lake, Jiangsu, East China, in June 2020, and they were further separated into four different particle size ranges by tangent ultrafiltration, and the properties of colloids were studied in various methods, including zeta potential analysis, transmission electron micrograph images (TEM), Fourier transformation infrared (FTIR), and 3D fluorescence. Results show that the surface of the colloids is covered with organic macromolecular substances, such as humus-like substances and protein-like substances. There were significant differences in molecular weight and fraction content of colloids in the sediments from macrophyte-dominant (MD) area and algae-dominant (AD) area in the lake. Colloids from MD area are mainly composed of humic acid, protein, and fulvic acid; the content of fulvic acid is lower than that of humic acid and protein. The humic acid exists mainly in small molecular weight (10–100 kDa), protein exists in mainly large molecular weight colloids (0.45–1 µm). Colloids from AD area are mainly composed of humic acid, and mainly distributed in the molecular weight (10 kDa–0.45 µm). The presence of humic acid inhibits effectively the agglomeration of the colloids. Especially, the stability of colloids is closely related to the molecular weight, with low molecular weight from MD area show higher stability. The existence of humic acid in colloids increases the electrostatic repulsion between colloidal particles, which can effectively inhibit the agglomeration of colloids, thus enhancing the stability of colloids. Furthermore, both monovalent and divalent electrolytes enhance colloidal aggregation, and the low-molecular-weight (LMW) colloid fraction exhibits higher stability efficiency than the high-molecular-weight (HMW) colloidal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing interest in plant-based proteins is driven by sustainability concerns and potential adverse reactions to animal protein consumption. Plant proteins, while promising, are known for their inferior digestibility compared to animal counterparts. Solid-state fermentation (SSF) offers an ancient, cost-effective approach to address this limitation. SSF enhances plant-based foods by augmenting protein content through microbial hydrolysis, thereby improving overall nutritional quality. This method not only boosts protein digestibility but also reduces larger polypeptides, generates bioactive peptides, refines amino acid profiles, and eliminates anti-nutritional factors such as trypsin inhibitors and tannins. Further investigation is essential to optimize the purification of protein isolates and examine their behaviour during digestion and absorption using in vitro, cellular, and in vivo models. In conclusion, SSF represents a promising, cost-effective, and high-yield processing method to produce nutritionally enhanced plant proteins, aligning with the demands of both the industry and consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carboxymethyl pachymaran (CMP) was treated via high-temperature and cellulase hydrolysis to obtain HTCMP, HTEC-24, and HTEC-48. The chemical structure and in vivo antitumor activities of the four types of CMPs were investigated. Compared with CMP (787.9 kDa), the molecular weights of HTCMP, HTEC-24, and HTEC-48 were decreased to 429.8, 129.9, and 68.6 kDa, respectively. The viscosities and particle sizes of the CMPs could also decrease with the decline in the molecular weights. All the CMPs showed antitumor abilities, but HTEC-24 exhibited the best activity. In the animal study, when curing the spleen and thymus, CMPs displayed immunomodulatory effects by increasing the secretion of IFN-γ and IL2 in mice. The CMPs also exerted an antitumor ability by regulating the gut microbiota in tumor-bearing mice. Our results established a foundation to develop an antitumor drug with CMP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Storage & Process is the property of Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Eucommia ulmoides (E. ulmoides) leaves are identified as a new resource of medicine and food homology. In this study, the structural characterization, physicochemical properties, and antioxidant activity of E. ulmoides polysaccharides (EUP) were studied. Results: Three components with different molecular weights of 1.51 × 105 Da (EUP1), 3.05 × 104 Da (EUP2) and 1.17 × 105 Da (EUP3) were purified from E. ulmoides leaves. They were composed of l-rhamnose (Rha), d-arabinose (Ara), d-mannose (Man), d-glucose (Glu) and d-galactose (Gal), while EUP2 also contained small amounts of d-xylose (Xyl). Three components all had typical polysaccharides absorption peaks, which may be polysaccharides with β configuration of pyranose structure, and amorphous structure of acid polysaccharides with good thermal stability below 270 ℃. However, the molecular weight, monosaccharide composition and apparent morphology of the three components were different, resulting in a stronger scavenging ability of EUP2 and EUP3 against DPPH and OH free radicals. Conclusion: The results will provide a theoretical reference for developing EUP-related foods and drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various advanced treatment processes including ultrafiltration (UF), ozonation, enhanced coagulation, and biological aerated filter (BAF) have been applied to reduce dissolved organic matter (DOM) from the secondary effluent of municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWTPs). In this study, DOM were characterized and the relationship between DOM characteristics and disinfection by-products (DBPs) generation was investigated systematically. Results showed that BAF and ozonation processes could significantly affect DOM characteristics in the treated effluents and the following DBP generation. UF and enhanced coagulation reduced the production of DBPs by removing large molecular hydrophobic organics. The removal of low molecule DOM by BAF resulted in a 67.6% reduction in trihalomethanes (THMs) production. Ozonation could oxidize large hydrophobic DOM into small hydrophilic molecules containing aldehyde and ketone groups, leading to 54% increase of halogenated aldehydes (HALs) and halogenated ketones (HKs). Humic acid (HA) was the main organic type in DOM and important precursor for THMs and dichloroacetonitrile (DCAN) formation. The generation of trichloromethane (TCM) showed a significant positive correlation (R2 = 0.987) with the specific ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm (SUVA). Large molecule hydrophobic DOM devoted the most to the formation of carbonaceous disinfection by-products and NH 4 + –N content was an important factor affecting the generation of nitrogenous disinfection by-products. These results are important for the optimization of advanced treatment process in MWTPs, and controlling DBPs should consider the removal of low MW hydrophobic DOM and the reduction of SUVA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two types of alginates, AlgLF and AlgP, were used in this study to produce alginate beads by electro-vibratory extrusion. AlgLF and AlgP exhibited different Mannuronate/Guluronate (M/G) ratios and molecular weights as measured by NMR and SEC-MALS. The calcium chloride concentration was found to have the greatest effect on bead size. Higher concentrations resulted in smaller beads. AlgLF with a higher molecular weight and a lower proportion of G blocks showed smaller beads. For both alginates, the bead size was also influenced by the flow rate and vibration frequency. Alginate solution aging showed a minimal effect. Alginate reticulation was modeled using a mathematical equation. The study provides insights for the optimization of alginate-based materials in different applications by shedding light on the main factors influencing bead size. The importance of the molecular weight, M/G ratio and calcium ion concentration in the gelling process is highlighted, providing opportunities for the tailoring of alginate materials through a phenomenological model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focused on the evaluation of the influence of inhibitory compounds such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and methanol (CH3OH) on the catalytic productivity and properties of the polymers in the polymerization process with the Ziegler–Natta catalyst. The investigation involved experimental measurements, computational calculations using DFT, and analysis of various parameters, such as molecular weight, melt flow index, xylene solubility, and reactivity descriptors. The results revealed a clear correlation between the concentration of H2S and methanol and the parameters evaluated. Increasing the H2S concentrations, on average by 0.5 and 1.0 ppm, resulted in a drastic decrease in the polymer's molecular weight. A directly proportional relationship was observed between the flow rate and the H2S concentration. In the case of methanol, the change occurred from 60 ppm, causing a sharp decrease in the molecular weight of the polymer, which translates into an increase in the fluidity index and a decrease in solubility in xylene. The presence of these inhibitors also affected the catalytic activity, causing a reduction in the productivity of the Ziegler–Natta catalyst. Computational calculations provided a deeper understanding of the molecular behavior and reactivity of the studied compounds. The computational calculations yielded significantly lower results compared to other studies, with values of −69.0 and −43.9 kcal/mol for the Ti-CH3OH and H2S interactions, respectively. These results indicate remarkable stability in the studied interactions and suggest that both adsorptions are highly favorable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the interaction of hydrolysed polyacrylamide (HPAM) of two molecular weights (F3330, 11–13 MDa; F3530, 15–17 MDa) with calcium carbonate (CaCO3) was studied via atomic force microscopy (AFM). In the absence of polymers at 1.7 mM and 1 M NaCl, good agreement with DLVO theory was observed. At 1.7 mM NaCl, repulsive interaction during approach at approximately 20 nm and attractive adhesion of approximately 400 pN during retraction was measured, whilst, at 1 M NaCl, no repulsion during approach was found. Still, a significantly larger adhesion of approximately 1400 pN during retraction was observed. In the presence of polymers, results indicated that F3330 displayed higher average adhesion (450–625 pN) and interaction energy (43–145 aJ) with CaCO3 than F3530's average adhesion (85–88 pN) and interaction energy (8.4–11 aJ). On the other hand, F3530 exerted a longer steric repulsion distance (70–100 nm) than F3330 (30–70 nm). This was likely due to the lower molecular weight. F3330 adopted a flatter configuration on the calcite surface, creating more anchor points with the surface in the form of train segments. The adhesion and interaction energy of both HPAM with CaCO3 can be decreased by increasing the salt concentration. At 3% NaCl, the average adhesion and interaction energy of F3330 was 72–120 pN and 5.6–17 aJ, respectively, while the average adhesion and interaction energy of F3530 was 11.4–48 pN and 0.3–2.98 aJ, respectively. The reduction of adhesion and interaction energy was likely due to the screening of the COO− charged group of HPAM by salt cations, leading to a reduction of electrostatic attraction between the negatively charged HPAM and the positively charged CaCO3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brewer's spent grain (BSG) is the most abundant residual in the brewing process. Non-starch polysaccharides such as 1,3-1,4-β-D-glucan (β-glucan) and arabinoxylan (AX) with proven beneficial effects on human health remain in this by-product in high amounts. Incorporating the valuable dietary fiber into the food industry could contribute to a healthy diet. However, a major challenge is extracting these dietary fibers (i.e., β-glucan and AX) from the solid residue. In this study, hydrothermal treatment (HT) was applied to dissolve the remaining water-insoluble carbohydrates from BSG with the aim to extract high amounts of β-glucan and AX. Particular focus was placed on the molecular weight (MW) range above 50 kDa and 20 kDa, respectively, as these are considered to have health-promoting effects. Different treatment temperatures, reaction times, and internal reactor pressures were tested to determine the best process settings to achieve high yields of β-glucan and AX and to examine the influence on their molecular weight distribution (MWD). Overall, 85.1% β-glucan and 77.3% AX were extracted corresponding to 6.3 g per kg BSG at 160 °C and 178.3 g kg−1 at 170 °C, respectively. However, less than 20% of both fiber substances were in the desirable MW range above 50 kDa and 20 kDa, respectively. When lower temperatures of 140 and 150 °C were applied, yields of only 3.0 g kg−1 β-glucan and 128.8 g kg−1 AX were obtained, whereby the proportion of desirable fiber fractions increased up to 45%. Further investigations focused on the heat-induced degradation of monosaccharides and the formation of undesirable by-products (i.e., HMF and furfural) that might pose a health risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A group of 2D nitrogen-rich nanopolymers has been synthesized by the cross-linking reaction of triaminoguanidine nitrate (TAGN) with glyoxal at various designated experimental conditions. These nanopolymers could be used as ligands of insensitive energetic complexes as well as the desensitizing agents of nitramines. It is quite important to investigate the structural dependence of this material on its thermal reactivity. The results showed that the obtained polymer so-called TAGP has a nanolayered 2D network-type structure with a diameter of roughly 10 nm scale defects. In particular, the TAGP samples with a higher molecular weight could be obtained by increasing the reaction temperature and the TAGN concentration. It is worth noting that the nitramine crystals constrained with TAGP layers with higher molecular weight have a higher energy density. Significantly, the control of activation energy (Ea) and kinetic models for TAGP samples can be achieved by adjusting the reaction conditions. The Ea of the resulting TAGP samples decreases with the increase in their cross-linking concentration. Specifically, the TAGP obtained from the TAGN/DMSO solution with the lowest concentration exhibits the highest Ea value of 134.1 kJ·mol–1, which corresponds to the F1 decomposition model. Conversely, the TAGP obtained from the highest concentration has a significantly lower Ea value of only 81.0 kJ·mol–1, following an A2 model. The TAGP samples with intermediate concentrations conform to the random chain scission (L2) model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: It has been a mystery that the detected fluorescence intensity of single MEH‐PPV molecules is much lower than expected based on their chain length. In this review, after re‐evaluating of the literature data in the light of new specially designed experiments, we present a comprehensive explanation of this issue: The actual size of MEH‐PPV molecules at single molecule level is much smaller than expected due to de‐aggregation and chain scission, while static quenching ("dark matter") also exists for large molecules, further reducing their brightness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fucoidans are a heterogenous class of sulfated, fucose-rich, and high molecular weight polysaccharides derived mainly from brown seaweeds. They have attracted particular interest in different scientific and industrial fields. Nevertheless, their applications are affected by various chemical properties, including molecular weight, sulfation pattern, and degree of sulphation. For instance, most of the reported bioactivities (e.g., immunomodulatory and cytotoxic activities) have been enhanced with more sulfated and low molecular weight fractions, in contrast to the anticoagulant effect. Additionally, high molecular weight fucoidans are unsuitable for nanomedicine formulation, oral absorption, and distribution to various body organs. Hence, different strategies have been developed as a subsequent stage of processing to modify the native fucoidans in order to produce more bioactive and efficiently formulated products. The current article highlights the various enzymatic (e.g., fucoidanase and fucoidan sulfatase), chemical, and other strategies used for structural modifications of native fucoidans accompanied by varied bioactivities. Interestingly, the enzymatic method has proved to be more specific and selective retaining the native sulfated chemical backbone efficiently. Hence, this review may help in tayloring new fucoidan derivatives for targeted homogenous production and maximized applications of fucoidans in the medical and pharmaceutical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microorganisms of the genus Bacillus were shown to have different effects on the degradation of polylactide packaging material. The degradation experiment was carried out on an agar medium at a temperature of 55°C and pH 5.9 for 14 days. This is the first report on the abiotic hydrolysis significantly slowing down during incubation with B. licheniformis S8 and occurring in parallel with the main process, enzymatic hydrolysis. The latter involved sequential cleavage of monomer units from the end of the macromolecule and the formation of low molecular weight products used by microorganisms as a substrate; it contributed to a decrease in the mass of polylactide by 5.1%, while maintaining its molecular weight and decreasing the molecular-weight dispersity. In the presence of bacteria B. amyloliquefaciens, B. subtilis subsp. spizizenii, and B. subtilis subsp. inaquosorum, the mass of polymer sample did not decrease, but the molecular weight decreased significantly, similar to abiotic hydrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a known receptor–ligand pair for mediating cell–cell or cell–extracellular matrix adhesions, cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44)‐hyaluronan (HA) interactions are not only determined by molecular weight (MW) diversity of HA, but also are regulated by external physical or mechanical factors. However, the coupling effects of HA MW and shear flow are still unclear. Here, we compared the differences between high molecular weight HA (HHA) and low molecular weight HA (LHA) binding to CD44 under varied shear stresses. The results demonstrated that HHA dominated the binding phase but LHA was in favour of the shear resistance phase, respectively, under shear stress range ≤ 1.0 dyne·cm−2. This difference was attributed to the high binding strength of the CD44–HHA interaction, as well as the optimal distribution matching between both CD44 and HA sides. Activation of the intracellular signal pathway was sensitive to both HA MW and shear flow. Our findings also indicate that only CD44–HHA interaction under shear stress of 0.2 dyne·cm−2 could significantly enhance the clustering of CD44, as well as induce the increase in both CD44 and CD18 expression. The present study offers the basis for further quantification of the features of CD44–HA interactions and their biological functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrospun nanofiber mats have a high specific surface area and very small pores which can be tailored by the spinning process. They are thus highly suitable as filters for small particles and molecules, such as organic dyes. On the other hand, they are usually very thin and thus have low mechanical properties. As a potential reinforcement, mycelium of Pleurotus ostreatus was grown on poly(acrylonitrile) nanofiber mats and thermally solidified after fully covering the nanofiber mats. This study investigates whether the filtration efficiency of the nanofiber mats is altered by the mycelium growing through it and whether the mechanical properties of the nanofibrous filters can be improved in this way. The study shows fast and reliable growth of the mycelium on the nanofiber mats and high filtration efficiency for astra blue and chlorophyll, while indigo carmine showed only very low filtration efficiency of up to 20%. For chlorophyll and safranin, membranes with mycelium showed higher filtration than pure nanofiber mats. In diffusion cell tests, especially astra blue was strongly adsorbed on the membranes with mycelium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: While HA is present naturally in periodontal tissues, its molecular weight can vary widely in vivo. The objective of this study was to directly compare the biological reactions of periodontal ligament cells to four distinct molecular weights of hyaluronic acid (HA). Materials and methods: Immortalized human periodontal ligament cells (PDL-hTERT) were cultured for 21 days in culture medium alone (control) or enriched with osteogenic supplements (OS group). Other 4 experimental groups were cultured in OS medium with the addition of HA with different molecular weights (HMW, MMW, LMW, and ULMW). The cell morphology was examined daily. WST1 assays were performed to evaluate metabolic activity. Von Kossa staining and calcium deposition assay were used to analyze osteogenic differentiation and mineralization. Results: Cell morphology remained unaltered in all groups. Cells stimulated with OS alone or with the addition of hyaluronan showed all the typical microscopic appearance of osteogenic differentiation. Metabolic activity increased in all groups over time. Hyaluronan stimulated greater metabolic activity than the control group, with LMW HA and MMW HA showing the most significant increase. All groups showed mineral deposits and calcium deposition after 21 days of stimulation. Conclusion: Our results suggest that hyaluronan can promote metabolic activity and mineralization of PDL-hTERT cells, with LMW HA being the most effective. Clinical relevance: These results shed light on how the various molecular weight fractions of HA promote tissue regeneration and repair, as well as help to identify an optimal molecular weight range for this application in periodontal tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peptides are short linear molecules consisting of amino acids that play an essential role in most biological processes. They can treat diseases by working as a vaccine or antimicrobial agent and serves as a cancer molecule to deliver the drug to the target site for the treatment of cancer. They have the potential to solve the drawbacks of current medications and can be industrially produced in large quantities at low cost. However, poor chemical and physical stability, short circulating plasma half-life, and solubility are some issues that need solutions before they can be used as therapeutics. PepAnalyzer tool is a user-friendly tool that predicts 15 different properties such as binding potential, half-life, transmembrane patterns, test tube stability, charge, isoelectric point, molecular weights, and molar extinction coefficients only using the sequence. The tool is designed using BioPython utility and has even results with standard tools, such as Expasy, EBI, Genecorner, and Geneinfinity. The tool assists students, researchers, and the pharmaceutical sector. The PepAnalyzer tool's online platform is accessible at the link: http://www.iksmbrlabdu.in/peptool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the influence of iron concentration on the thermodynamic properties of syndiotactic polypropylene (sPP)/iron composites in the melt phase in a series of samples with varying iron content, ranging from 0 to 10% with a step of 2%. The HYSYS software was used to estimate molecular weight, critical temperature (Tc), critical volume (Vc), and eccentricity (Ec). The results showed that all these properties changed as the iron content varied. The findings of this study confirmed that iron concentration has an impact on the mechanical and chain dynamic (microscopic) properties of polymer composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Comprehensive Summary: It has been a mystery that the detected fluorescence intensity of single MEH‐PPV molecules is much lower than expected based on their chain length. In this review, after re‐evaluating of the literature data in the light of new specially designed experiments, we present a comprehensive explanation of this issue: The actual size of MEH‐PPV molecules at single molecule level is much smaller than expected due to de‐aggregation and chain scission, while static quenching ("dark matter") also exists for large molecules, further reducing their brightness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were dispersed and distributed via a co‐rotating twin‐screw extruder (TSE) in high (h)‐ and low (l)‐molecular‐weight amorphous and semicrystalline polylactides (PLAs) (aPLA and scPLA, respectively). Effects of PLA molecular weight and D‐lactic acid equivalents content (D‐content), as well as processing parameters, were examined on the MWCNT dispersion quality in PLA. The effectiveness of the MWCNT dispersion in various PLA matrices was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and small‐amplitude oscillatory and transient shear flow rheometry in the molten state. The results showed a better dispersion of MWCNTs in the low‐molecular‐weight PLA grades (aPLAl and scPLAl). In addition, better MWCNT dispersion was observed in aPLA grades when processed at a higher temperature of 190°C than at 150°C. At 150°C, while MWCNT bundles in aPLAl could be broken down, a good dispersion could not be achieved in aPLAh due to the lower molecular mobility at such a temperature. The electrical conductivity of the samples was also shown to increase as the MWCNT dispersion was improved. The existence of crystallites in scPLA‐based nanocomposites, however, disrupted the connectivity of the MWCNTs and decreased the final electrical conductivity. The lower molecular weight aPLAl prepared at 190°C showed the highest electrical conductivity (~10−5 S/m) at a low loading of 0.5 wt.% MWCNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Countries face exasperating and inclement climate worldwide. Food and feed security could be their paramount life objective. The study aimed to investigate the impact of selenium on the protein content and distribution in different parts of rice. For this purpose, advanced selenium biofortified breeding material developed after generations of breeding efforts was investigated at the field area, rice research institute, Chengdu, China during cropping season 2021–22. The accumulation and distribution of selenium and protein contents were observed in various fractions of selenium-enriched rice (Z3057B) and positive control (727). The correlation studies for selenium and protein quantification leads to the optimization of the breeding material and relevance in virtue. The rice fractions indicated rice embryo retains highest selenium contents, which gradually decreases in succession (other rice parts). The difference in protein content between the embryo and endosperm of Se-enriched rice is significant, while that between embryo and aleurone layer is not obvious. The selenium protein was found with molecular weight of 13.6–122.6 kDa. The protein of each molecular weight is found to bind with selenium, but the binding strength of selenium is negatively correlated with the molecular weight of protein. The 67.5% of the total selenium sticks with protein having molecular weight less than 38.8 kDa. In summary, protein with low molecular weight (13.4 kDa) binds maximum selenium and accounts for highest total protein content (40.76%).

Myeloid cells play key roles in cancer immune suppression and tumor progression. In response to tumor derived factors, circulating monocytes and granulocytes extravasate into the tumor parenchyma where they stimulate angiogenesis, immune suppression and tumor progression. Chemokines, cytokines and interleukins stimulate PI3Kγ-mediated Rap1 activation, leading to conformational changes in integrin α4β1 that promote myeloid cell extravasation and tumor inflammation Here we show that PI3Kγ activates a high molecular weight form of myosin light chain kinase, MLCK210, that promotes myosin-dependent Rap1 GTP loading, leading to integrin α4β1 activation. Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of MLCK210 suppresses integrin α4β1 activation, as well as tumor inflammation and progression. These results demonstrate a critical role for myeloid cell MLCK210 in tumor inflammation and serve as basis for the development of alternative approaches to develop immune oncology therapeutics.

BackgroundPhthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) are endocrine disrupting chemicals used in consumer products, building materials, and food processing and packaging materials. They are associated with adverse health outcomes, especially when exposure occurs during heightened windows of susceptibility.ObjectiveWe evaluated the relationship between housing and dietary characteristics and the concentration of several high-molecular-weight (HMW) phthalate metabolites and BPA in a cohort of Latina adolescents.MethodsWe collected information on recent food consumption and housing characteristics and quantified the concentration of HMW phthalate and BPA metabolites in urine collected at two different time points. We used generalized estimating equations (GEE) to assess predictors of each metabolite.ResultsNo significant associations were observed between housing and dietary characteristics and metabolites of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) or BPA. In contrast, higher urinary monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP) concentration was associated with living in a home with vinyl or linoleum flooring (66.7% change, p-value

As modern technology evolves, researchers are attempting to discover novel strategies for controlling deadly lung cancer. The use of secondary metabolites from plants as a precursor in the green synthesis of metallic nanoparticles has several advantages over the more common physiochemical synthesis as it includes, low cost, energy efficiency, biocompatibility, and therapeutic value. This review aims to investigate the effects of employing materials made from plant-based synthesis that contain metallic nanoparticles (Ag, Au, CuO, Se, ZnO, Pt, and SnO2) highlighting the advantages of their widespread application in lung cancer treatment of the next-generation. Despite a persisting prejudice about the application of nanotechnological products and medicine. The phytochemicals found in plants that are responsible for nanoparticle bio-reduction include flavones, terpenoids, sugars, ketones, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, and amides. These molecules range in size from small molecules to low molecular weight (MW > 5 000) compounds. Additionally, these plant extract biomolecules serve as a reducing and stabilizing agent, resulting in nanoparticles that are stable and have a regulated form. The focus of this review is on the biomolecule green nanoparticles used in the treatment of lung cancer found in the plant extract, which is thought to be the next generation of futuristic materials.

As one of the major fractions of petroleum and/or source rock extracts, asphaltene is commonly characte-rized by complicate molecular structures as well as relatively higher molecular weight (MW). The asphaltene occluded biomarkers have been well introduced to be valuable for geochemical research whilst the actual molecular weight and molecular structures of asphaltene macromolecules studies show value in petroleum exploration and production, laboratory treatments as well as petroleum chemical storage and transportation etc. The structure, molecular weight and related experimental measurement methods of asphaltenes reported in this paper are reviewed, in an attempt to provide a more comprehensive understanding on the molecular structure, molecular weight and physicochemical properties of asphaltenes, so as to provide basic data for applying asphaltene geochemical research in the exploration and development study of conventional and unconventional reservoirs. In view of the different views on the structure and molecular weight of asphaltene molecules, the results are reviewed, the main reasons for the controversy are discussed based on the current status of experimental measurement technology, and the future development trend of related researches is pointed out. The current understanding of the structure of asphaltene macromolecules is mainly based on two completely different models, i.e., the island model and archipelago model. The former suggests that asphaltenes have a single aromatic nucleus and the molecular weight characterized is relatively lower. The latter believes that asphaltenes have multiple aromatic nuclei and the molecular weight characterized is relatively higher. The above two models of asphaltene molecular structure are supported by their own experimental measurement results, among which the evidences of the "island" model mainly come from fluorescence spectroscopy, laser vaporization/laser ionization mass spectrometry (L2MS) analysis and stem from various ionization high-resolution (Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, FT-ICR-MS) analysis technologies. The evidences for the archipelago model mainly come from gas phase permeation measurement, size exclusion chromatography and chemical degradation.

Food antimicrobial peptides are increasingly relevant in the treatment of bacterial infections and have a number of advantages in comparison with drugs: slower emergence of resistance in bacterial strains, high activity against antibiotic films and immunomodulatory properties. The physico-chemical properties causing antimicrobial properties include: cationic charge, hydrophobicity, molecular weight and amino acid sequence. Promising sources of antimicrobial peptides are milk proteins, in particular, cow colostrum proteins. The aim of the work is to extract a peptide from the pepsin hydrolysate of cow colostrum, predict its antimicrobial activity using a bioinformatic approach and confirm its effectiveness in vitro. The molecular mass distribution of the peptide was evaluated by mass spectrometric method. The analysis of mass spectra was carried out using the Mascot program, the Peptide Fingerprint option – using the Protein NCBI database. Microsequencing was performed using a MiSeq sequencer. Modeling of the spatial structure of the isolated peptide was carried out using the Schrodinger Maestro molecular modeling program. The antimicrobial activity of the peptide was studied by the disco-diffusion method on gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The peptide has been isolated from the pepsin hydrolysate of cow colostrum, which is absent in the known proteomic bases Protein NCBI and AVPdb and, accordingly, its biological activity and functions have not been studied. The resulting peptide belongs to linear alpha-helical peptides consists of 11 amino acid sequences ANRKLRANKSR with a molecular weight of 8.2 kDa, an isoelectric point at 12.79, a charge of +5 (cationic), hydrophilicity (hydrophobicity) +20.84 Kcal*mol-1. As a result of in vitro studies, it was found that the isolated peptide has antimicrobial activity against E. coli ATCC 25922 and B. subtilis and antimicrobial action against C. albicans.

Dynamic mechanical properties of polymers for biomedical applications are crucial parameters for development and engineering of new medical devices. Here, the time-dependent material behavior is a key factor for durability. Varying the strain rate is a convenient implementation of time-dependency for uniaxial testing. This study investigates time-dependence of Poly(L-Lactide) (PLLA) through uniaxial testing with different strain rates and PLLA with different molecular weight. The results show strain dependence for elongation at break and yield stress, Young’s modulus however is not rate dependent. An increase in elongation at break is also seen with increasing molecular weight of PLLA. Plastic strain increases significantly only for PLLA with an intermediate inherent viscosity. Results show distinct time dependencies regarding strain rate for PLLA with slightly different inherent viscosities. For stent-related mechanical material characteristics, higher molecular weight PLLA seems to be advantageous. This study only considers base materials, although appropriate thermal, mechanical as well as chemical post processing approaches for further adjustment of different properties have already been shown. A combination of the best possible base material and a suitable post-processing should be targeted.

Removal of proteins is essential for the purification of Cyclocarya paliurus polysaccharides (CPP), which have strong hypoglycemic and antioxidant activities. In order to explore the most suitable way of removing protein from the polysaccharides, three methods (HCl, TCA and NaCl) were used to treat the crude polysaccharides, and the structure and composition of the polysaccharides obtained by the three deproteinization methods were analyzed by high performance liquid gel chromatography, ion chromatography and Fourier infrared spectroscopy, and their antioxidant activity was determined by measuring the scavenging rate of DPPH radicals, ABTS+ radicals and hydroxyl radicals. The results showed that the protein removal rate of the HCl method was 73.48% and the polysaccharide residue rate was 74.86% at pH2. The protein removal rate of the TCA method was 79.88% and the polysaccharide residue rate was 81.78% at a TCA volume fraction of 2%. The protein removal rate of the NaCl method was 47.90% and the polysaccharide residue rate was 82.51% at a NaCl volume fraction of 7%. The molecular weight distribution of the polysaccharides treated by the three methods could be roughly divided into three parts, 500~750 kDa, 100~130 kDa and 30~40 kDa, but their proportions were different. The polysaccharides treated by the TCA method accounted for the largest percentage of 100~130 kDa compared with the three, and the polysaccharides treated by the NaCl method accounted for the largest percentage of 30~40 kDa. All three polysaccharides consisted of eight monosaccharides, but their molar ratios were different. Of the three deproteinization method, the HCl-treated polysaccharide had the highest content of arabinose, galactose and glucose, the TCA-treated polysaccharide had a higher content of glyoxylate, and the NaCl-treated polysaccharide had the highest content of rhamnose, xylose and mannose. The scavenging ability of the three polysaccharides against free radicals at the same concentration was compared, and the antioxidant ability of the polysaccharides treated with TCA method was the strongest, followed by HCl method and the weakest was polysaccharides treated by NaCl method. As shown by the results, different methods of protein removal have different effects on the structure and activity of CPP, among which TCA method is a better way to remove protein from CPP.

Objectives The objective of this study is to investigate characteristics about removal of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and its fraction for improving operation efficiency in an advanced water treatment plant. Methods The monitoring of water quality was conducted at five processes such as raw water, pre-oxidation, after sedimentation, post-ozonation, after biological activated carbon (BAC) from July 2020 to August 2021 in advanced water treatment process (AWTP) supplying 180,000m3/day. The concentration of DOC (dissolved organic carbon) and number of algae were monitored and LC-OCD was used to fractionate DOC to four species, biopolymer (BP), humic substance (HS), building blocks (BB), and low molecular weights (LMWs). Results and Discussion The characteristics of raw water showed that the concentration of DOC and the number of algae increased with an increase in water temperature. The portion of BP and HS significantly increased at low and high water temperature, respectively, while BB and LMWs maintained the similar portion. The removal efficiency of DOC in the AWTP was achieved at 59% with each species of BP, HS, BB, and LMWs obtaining removal efficiency of 87%, 65%, 26%, and 52%, respectively. Coagulation/sedimentation/filtration showed removal efficiency of 84%, 56%, 20%, and 18% for BP, HS, BB, and LMWs, respectively, corresponding to their molecular weight. The effect of post-ozonation would be negligible except for BP. In BAC, removal efficiency of 49% and 12% were obtained for LMWs and BB (low molecular weight, respectively. As a result, the BP portion significantly decreased due to high removal efficiency, while BB portion was increased in the final treated water compared to raw water. Conclusion Most of DOM was removed in coagulation/sedimentation/filtration and BAC, whereas oxidation process such as pre-chlorination, pre-ozonation and post-oxidation did not have an effect on DOM removal. In coagulation/sedimentation/filtration, 84% and 54% of the BP and HS were removed, while BAC removed 49% and 12% of LMWs and BB, respectively. It has been recommended to improve the removal efficiency of BB, which obtained the lowest removal efficiency in AWTP, and to enhance the removal efficiency of LMWs in BAC to inhibit microbial regrowth in the distribution system.

Central to the diversity of wheat products was the origin of hexaploid bread wheat, which added the D-genome of Aegilops tauschii to tetraploid wheat giving rise to superior dough properties in leavened breads. The polyploidization, however, imposed a genetic bottleneck, with only limited diversity introduced in the wheat D-subgenome. To understand genetic variants for quality, we sequenced 273 accessions spanning the known diversity of Ae. tauschii. We discovered 45 haplotypes in Glu-D1, a major determinant of quality, relative to the two predominant haplotypes in wheat. The wheat allele 2 + 12 was found in Ae. tauschii Lineage 2, the donor of the wheat D-subgenome. Conversely, the superior quality wheat allele 5 + 10 allele originated in Lineage 3, a recently characterized lineage of Ae. tauschii, showing a unique origin of this important allele. These two wheat alleles were also quite similar relative to the total observed molecular diversity in Ae. tauschii at Glu-D1. Ae. tauschii is thus a reservoir for unique Glu-D1 alleles and provides the genomic resource to begin utilizing new alleles for end-use quality improvement in wheat breeding programs.