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[Display omitted] • A novel DES based on phenylphosphinic acid was used to leach NCM cathode materials. • Leaching efficiencies for Li, Ni, Co, and Mn were>93%. • The coordination configurations of metals in the leaching solution were revealed. • Compared to the other DESs, the leaching conditions were milder and safer. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) play an important role in efficient recovery of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this study, we proposed an efficient and safe method by using a choline chloride-phenylphosphinic acid DES as a lixiviant for the leaching of LiNi x Co y Mn z O 2 (NCM) cathode active materials of spent LIBs. The leaching conditions were optimized based on the leaching time, liquid–solid ratio, and leaching temperature. Under optimal experimental conditions, the leaching efficiencies of Li, Co, Ni, and Mn reached 97.7 %, 97.0 %, 96.4 %, and 93.0 %, respectively. The kinetics of the leaching process were well-fitted using the logarithmic law equation. The apparent activation energies for Li, Co, Ni, and Mn have been reported to be 60.3 kJ/mol, 78.9 kJ/mol, 99.3 kJ/mol, and 82.1 kJ/mol, respectively. UV–visible spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared analysis revealed that the coordination configurations of Ni and Co in the leaching solution were octahedral and tetrahedral, respectively. In addition, the P O bond in phenylphosphinic acid was involved in coordination during leaching. This finding may provide an effective and safe approach for leaching valuable metals from spent LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N,N′-dioctyl-N,N′-di-dodecyl-3-oxapentane-1,5-diamide ((DdO)2DGA) is a novel unsymmetrical diglycolamide. Herein, we analyzed the third phase formation and extraction behavior of trivalent actinides and lanthanides with (DdO)2DGA in kerosene. Moreover, FT-IR and UV/Vis spectra of the extracted phase of Nd(III) with (DdO)2DGA were analyzed. The third phase is not formed by the extraction of Nd(III) with 0.10 mol/L (DdO)2DGA at 298 K. The metal ion distribution ratios increase with increased acidity and extractant concentration. Moreover, thermodynamic analysis demonstrates that the extraction is an exothermic reaction with ΔH = − 64.94 kJ/mol and ΔS = − 144.42 J/(mol·K). Both slope and spectroscopic analysis suggest that the extracted species is Nd(NO3)3·3(DdO)2DGA and the change in the acidity or extractant concentration will not change the extracted species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to estimate the antibacterial properties of aqueous suspensions of dialdehyde microcrystalline cellulose (DAMC), and a model of the observed antibacterial kinetics was proposed and validated. The DAMC was prepared from microcrystalline cellulose by periodate oxidation. The bacterial inactivation kinetics of aqueous suspensions of DAMC was investigated by measuring the bactericidal effect after different contact times. The results indicated that with a DAMC aldehyde content of 6.34 mmol/g, the MICs for S . aureus , E . coli , B . subtilis and S . typhimurium were 15, 15, 15 and 30 mg/mL, respectively. This research thus establishes an antibacterial kinetics model of DAMC with 6.34 mmol/g of aldehyde content. At 37 °C and atmospheric pressure, the bacterial inactivation kinetic conformed to the equation: Log reduction of bacteria = − k [DAMC] t. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ficellomycin is an aziridine antibiotic produced by Streptomyces ficellus, which displays high in vitro activity against Gram-positive bacteria including multidrug resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Compared to currently available antibiotics, ficellomycin exhibits a unique mechanism of action—it impairs the semiconservative DNA replication by inducing the formation of deficient 34S DNA fragments, which lack the ability to integrate into larger DNA pieces and eventually the complete bacterial chromosome. Until recently, some important progress has been made in research on ficellomycin synthesis and biosynthesis, opening the perspective to develop a new generation of antibiotics with better clinical performance than the currently used ones. In this review, we will cover the discovery and biological activity of ficellomycin, its biosynthesis, mode of action, and related synthetic analogs. The role of ficellomycin and its analogs as an important source of drug prototypes will be discussed together with future research prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natamycin, an important 26-member tetraene macrolide antifungal antibiotic, is widely used as antifungal agent in the food industry and medical fields. However, low yields of the currently used production strains limit its wider applications. To improve the productivity of natamycin-producing strains, we co-expressed the Vitreoscilla hemoglobin gene vgb in Streptomyces gilvosporeus with two genes that constitute part of the natamycin biosynthesis gene cluster: pimE (encoding a signalling protein) and pimM (encoding a positive regulator). Both genes were cloned and ligated into the shuttle vector pIMEP under the control of the strong, constitutive Perm promoter, and integrated into the chromosome of S. gilvosporeus via conjugation. Natamycin production was increased 40.3% upon overexpression of pimE and pimM. Furthermore, in order to alleviate oxygen limitation, we additionally expressed vgb in the pimE and pimM over-expressing strain, yielding S. gilvosporeus/pIMEP::pimE::pimM::vgb, which showed a further 55.7% improvement for natamycin production compared to that of the recipient strain. In conclusion, co-expression of pimE and pimM with vgb led to markedly increased natamycin production, thus pointing out a potential strategy for enhancing the microbial production of other antibiotics as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leaching of spent lithium-ion battery (LIBs) cathode materials with non-aqueous systems has received widespread attention. In this paper, a binary non-aqueous system of glycerin(Gly)-formic acid(FA)and a ternary non-aqueous system of Gly-FA-choline chloride (ChCl) were used for the leaching of LiCoO2 cathode materials. The effects of leaching time, leaching temperature and liquid-to-solid ratio conditions on leaching rates were investigated. The results indicated that the addition of ChCl was able to significantly improve the leaching rates of the metals. Under the optimal conditions of time 210 min, temperature 120 °C and liquid-solid ratio 100 mL/g, the ternary non-aqueous system achieved leaching efficiencies of 99.77% and 89.09% for Li and Co respectively, higher than the 67.94% and 67.11% for the binary non-aqueous system. The leachate was analyzed by UV-Vis and FT-IR spectroscopy to reveal the leaching mechanism. The results showed that FA was able to reduce Co3+ to Co2+ in LiCoO2. However, Co2+ was present in different forms in the two non-aqueous systems, where the binary system was present as a hexa-coordination and the ternary system as a tetra-coordination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conjugated linoleic acid ( CLA), a family of geometric and positional isomers of linoleic acid, has many health-promoting properties. Different isomers of CLA may have very different physiological effects. In the current work, we explore the possibility to produce single isomer of CLA by using biocatalysis based on displayed biocatalysts on the yeast cell surfaces. A reporter system used to assess gene expression and protein distribution was established by combining the egfp gene to the N-terminus of Propionibacterium acnes pai gene encoding the linoleic isomerase onto vector p YD1. After induction of the yeast strains containing p YD1:: egfp:: pai with galactose, strong green fluorescence was observed on the surface of cells, demonstrating that the fusion protein was successfully displayed. Using the engineered strains as whole-cell biocatalyst, trans-10, cis-12 CLA was detected in the reaction mixture. To improve the biocatalytic potential of this system, the first 20 amino codons of pai were modified, and the catalytic reaction conditions were optimized. Optimization of the codon usage resulted in 35% increase of CLA production, and the maximum yield of CLA was observed within 20 H in the optimal conditions: pH 7.0, 4 mg/mL linoleic acid, 37 °C. The system established in the present work can guide the development of biocatalytic strategies to produce trans-10, cis-12 CLA single isomer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetyl-CoA, an important molecule in cellular metabolism, is generated in multiple subcellular compartments and mainly used for energy production, biosynthesis of a diverse set of molecules, and protein acetylation. In eukaryotes, cytosolic acetyl-CoA is derived mainly from the conversion of citrate and CoA by ATP-citrate lyase. Here, we describe the targeted deletions of acl1 and acl2, two tandem divergently transcribed genes encoding subunits of ATP-citrate lyase in Aspergillus niger. We show that loss of acl1 or/and acl2 results in a significant decrease of acetyl-CoA and citric acid levels in these mutants, concomitant with diminished vegetative growth, decreased pigmentation, reduced asexual conidiogenesis, and delayed conidial germination. Exogenous addition of acetate repaired the defects of acl-deficient strains in growth and conidial germination but not pigmentation and conidiogenesis. We demonstrate that both Acl1 and Acl2 subunits are required to form a functional ATP-citrate lyase in A. niger. First, deletion of acl1 or/and acl2 resulted in similar defects in growth and development. Second, enzyme activity assays revealed that loss of either acl1 or acl2 gene resulted in loss of ATP-citrate lyase activity. Third, in vitro enzyme assays using bacterially expressed 6His-tagged Acl protein revealed that only the complex of Acl1 and Acl2 showed ATP-citrate lyase activity, no enzyme activities were detected with the individual protein. Fourth, EGFP-Acl1 and mCherry-Acl2 proteins were co-localized in the cytosol. Thus, acl1 and acl2 coordinately modulate the cytoplasmic acetyl-CoA levels to regulate growth, development, and citric acid synthesis in A. niger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objectives Methods Results Conclusions Hair loss is a widespread health problem that affects numerous individuals and is associated with age, lack of sleep, stress, endocrine problems, and other problems. Caffeine exerts various pharmacological effects, particularly after ingestion. The caffeine‐induced inhibition of phosphodiesterases can increase intracellular cAMP concentrations, ultimately resulting in stimulatory effects on cell metabolism and proliferation. Hence, caffeine has been confirmed to inhibit hair loss caused by premature termination of the hair growth phase. Adenosine also improves hair loss by stimulating hair growth and thickening hair shafts. However, further empirical evidence is required to comprehensively assess the efficacy of hair loss treatment and prevention using a formulation of caffeine and adenosine in specific proportions in shampoos.This study aimed to evaluate a shampoo with caffeine and adenosine as a daily scalp care product for hair loss in 77 subjects aged 18–60 years.The overall and local hair densities were assessed using professional cameras and dermoscopes at different magnifications and distances. Five hairs that came off the participant's head were randomly selected to measure hair diameter. The self‐assessment questionnaires were filled on third month of product use.The combination of caffeine and adenosine in the shampoo significantly enhanced hair density compared to that of the baseline. The results revealed a significant reduction in hair loss. The hair diameters of the subjects did not change significantly. Most of the participants (71.05%) were satisfied with their hair after using the product.Shampoos containing caffeine and adenosine have been demonstrated to exert therapeutic benefits for reducing hair loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The human skin microbiome and lipidome are essential for skin homeostasis and barrier function, and have become a focus in both dermatological and cosmetic fields. However, the influence of surfactants commonly used in cosmetic products on the skin resident microbiome and lipidome remains poorly characterized. Methods: We conducted self‐control experiments to systematically study the effects of surfactant (sodium lauroyl sarcosinate [SLS]) on facial skin. Wrinkles, pores, porphyrins, and superficial lipids were examined to evaluate the biophysical state of skin. Quantitative real‐time PCR was used to detect the numbers of bacteria and fungi. The diversity and structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbiomes were assessed using 16S rDNA and ITS amplicon sequencing, respectively. Moreover, 22 lipids were identified to evaluate lipidome variations. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis. Results: SLS in facial cleanser did not extensively influence skin biophysical parameters, but caused a decrease in porphyrin. After using the SLS‐added facial cleanser for 3 weeks, the alpha diversity of the prokaryotic microbial community decreased significantly, while the eukaryotic microbial community showed a continuous downward trend but no statistically significant. A shift in the structure of prokaryotic microbiome was observed as a result of SLS exposure, mainly reflected by the increase in Acinetobacter, Escherichia‐Shigella, Streptococcus, and Ralstonia, while the SLS had little effect on the structure of the eukaryotic microbiome. Furthermore, SLS exposure had a great impact on skin lipidome, mainly manifested by the increase of phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and phosphatidylcholine (PC), and the decrease of ceramides. Spearman's correlations analysis showed that Escherichia‐Shigella, Pseudomonas, and Acinetobacter are positively correlated with PG and PC; however, the correlation is not statistically significant. Conclusion: In this study, we found the SLS in facial cleanser primarily affected lipidome and the prokaryotic microbiome of facial skin. These findings are useful for reminding us to be vigilant about the ingredients in personal care products, even the common ingredients, and designing effective formulations for repairing ecological balance of skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Skin aging is a complex multifactorial progressive process. With age, intrinsic and extrinsic factors cause the loss of skin elasticity, with the formation of wrinkles, resulting in skin sagging through various pathways. A combination of multiple bioactive peptides could be used as a treatment for skin wrinkles and sagging. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the cosmetic efficacy of a multi‐peptide eye serum as a daily skin‐care product for improving the periocular skin of women within the ages of 20–45 years. Methods: The stratum corneum skin hydration and skin elasticity were assessed using a Corneometer CM825 and Skin Elastometer MPA580, respectively. The PRIMOS CR technique based on digital strip projection technology was used for skin image and wrinkle analysis around the "crow's feet" area. Self‐assessment questionnaires were filled on Day 14 and 28 of product use. Results: This study included 32 subjects with an average age of 28.5 years. On Day 28, there was a significant decrease in the number, depth, and volume of wrinkles. Skin hydration, elasticity, and firmness increased continuously during the study period, consistent with typical anti‐aging claims. A majority of the participants (75.00%) expressed overall satisfaction with their skin appearance after using the product. Most participants noted a visible skin improvement, with an increase in skin elasticity and smoothness, and confirmed the extensibility, applicability, and temperance of the product. No adverse reactions related to product use were observed. Conclusions: The multi‐peptide eye serum uses a multi‐targeted mechanism against skin aging to improve the skin appearance, making it an ideal choice for daily skincare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrophilic 2,6-bis[1-(propan-1-ol)-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)] pyridine (PyTri-Diol) was synthesized and tested for selective complexation of Am(III) into nitric acid solution from acidic bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric (HDEHP) acid extractant. As the result of stripping experiments showed, PyTri-Diol dramatically promote Am(III) stripping in nitric acid up to 0.5 mol/L while the majority of Eu(III) was hold in the HDEHP phase. Separation factors in the range of 900 are achieved and PyTri-Diol remains active in nitric acid up to 0.5 mol/L without buffered solution or salting-out agent. The above properties of PyTri-Diol demonstrate the great potential for separating the minor actinides from the lanthanides in the TALSPEAK process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Antimony in minerals mainly exists in the form of antimony sulfide, valentinite, stibiconite/antimonite, and the stibiconite is relatively insoluble in alkaline solution. • The antimony extraction rate response values against individual factors can be presented as second order regression equation 1through response surface model. Y 1 = 93.33 + 1.52 A + 0.42 B + 0.48 C + 0.43 A B - 0.37 A C - 0.03 B C - 1.33 A 2 - 0.56 B 2 + 0.46 C 2 • The addition of NaOH and inhibitors can restrain the oxidation of S2- converting into S n 2- and S 2 O 3 2- ions in leaching solution, accordingly inhibit the associated leaching of gold. • The relevance degree between extraction rate of antimony and process parameters can be deduced as: Na 2 S concentration > temperature > NaOH concentration. And the extraction rates of antimony and gold are 94.15% and 3.37%, respectively, under the optimal conditions. To eliminate the adverse effect of antimony on extracting of gold in matte smelting process from Sb-bearing refractory gold ores, the sodium sulfide leaching method was proposed to selectively remove antimony in advance. On the basis of the analysis and characterization of raw materials (XRD, SEM-EDS, mineralogical phase analysis, etc.), it can be detected that the antimony in refractory gold ores is mainly in form of stibnite with small quantities of oxides, and the gold is mainly wrapped up in sulfides and silicates. The effects of sodium sulfide and sodium hydroxide concentration, temperature, leaching time and liquid–solid ratio on the extraction rate of antimony and gold were discussed. Furthermore, the response surface method was applied to distinguish the interaction influence of process parameters on the antimony and gold extraction rate. It is detected that the polysulfides and thiosulfates are the main cause of associated leaching of gold. Furthermore, the regression equation model is established adopting the antimony extraction rate as response value, and it can be deduced that the relevance degree is Na 2 S concentration > temperature > NaOH concentration. Accordingly, the optimized process results are determined as follows: the extraction rates of antimony and gold reach 94.15% and 3.37%, respectively, under Na 2 S concentration of 85.66 g/L, NaOH concentration of 45.5 g/L, liquid–solid ratio of 1.5, leaching at 90 °C for 5 min, which are very consistent with the predicted values of the regression equation, proving the feasibility of the proposed optimization model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competitive complexation of solid lanthanide nitrates with tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) in n-hexane was studied by spectroscopic methods. For light lanthanides binary system (Nd-Pr), they complexed with TBP equally, leading to a low separation factor. However, distinct different behavior was observed for light-heavy lanthanides binary system (Nd-Ho). Heavy lanthanide Ho(NO)·6HO complexed preferentially with TBP, resulting in a much higher separation factor. The separation factor was low during HO stripping of lanthanides from their complexes in n-hexane, even thought, the tendency of stripping more light lanthanide was also observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SnS-SnS 2 @CNTs composite materials were prepared by a simple one-step solvothermal method. • The SnS-SnS 2 heterostructures have a special internal electric field that promotes charge transfer. • The embedding of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) improves the anode conductivity and alleviates large volume expansion. • SnS-SnS 2 @CNTs exhibits a discharge capacity of 413 mAh·g−1 after 50 cycles. Tin sulfide based materials are attracting attention because of excellent performance as SIBs anode. However, SnS and SnS 2 suffer from severe capacity degradation during the charge/discharge process, as well as high volume expansion, which prevents superior cycling stability of SIBs. In this work, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) modified SnS-SnS 2 materials were prepared by a facile one-step solvothermal approach. The constructed SnS-SnS 2 heterostructures have a special internal electric field that promotes charge transfer. The combination of CNTs also prevents agglomeration of active particles and improves the capacity and cycling durability of SIBs (413 mAh·g−1 after 50 cycles). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is highly important to develop low-cost hydrogen evolution cathode materials. In this paper, Ni(OH) 2 /NF electrode was prepared by a hydrothermal method using nickel foam (NF) as a substrate, and NiTe-Ni(OH) 2 /NF cathode with high efficiency and low cost was prepared by secondary hydrothermal method. The material was characterized by physical characterization and electrochemical performance tests. Ni(OH) 2 /NF electrode materials prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method had a three-dimensional petal-like pore space structure. This special structure provided abundant active points for the two-step hydrothermal preparation of NiTe-Ni(OH) 2 /NF, which helps to improve the efficiency of HER. Compared with NF and Ni(OH) 2 /NF, NiTe-Ni(OH) 2 /NF cathode exhibited better HER catalytic performance. The results shown that NiTe-Ni(OH) 2 /NF is possesed excellent hydrogen evolution performance, and density functional theory can confirm this. At a current density of 10 mV∙cm−2, the NiTe-Ni(OH) 2 /NF electrode has an overpotential of only 129 mV, long-term stability, and an electrochemically active specific surface area (ECSA) of 91.75 cm−2. The Tafel slope was 31.5 mV∙dec−1, and the charge transfer resistance obtained by electrochemical impedance analysis was 9.81 Ω. This article provided valuable insights into the rational regulation of crystal phases on nickel telluride to improve HER properties. • The synergistic effect of porous petal-like Ni(OH) 2 /NF and uniform nanorod-like NiTe effectively maintained the stable structure of NiTe-Ni(OH) 2 /NF. • NiTe-Ni(OH) 2 /NF nanobars could provide excellent conductive networks and abundant H+ transfer active sites. • The NiTe-Ni(OH) 2 /NF composite had a low overpotential, abundant electrocatalytically active sites, and ultralong stability. • Density functional theory confirmed that NiTe-Ni(OH) 2 /NF had a low hydrogen adsorption energy and excellent kinetic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• N -doped graphene is prepared from mechanical exfoliation process and nitrogen plasma irradiation. • MnO 2 nanoflakes are successfully electrodeposited on hydrothermal prepared NiCo 2 O 4 nanowires. • Asymmetric supercapacitor based on NiCo 2 O 4 @MnO 2 nanowires and N -doped graphene exhibits competitive performance. The design and fabrication of scalable energy storage systems are crucial for portable applications, demanding advanced materials through large-scale and facile processing. In this report, an asymmetric solid-state pseudocapacitor (ASPC) is assembled using a core–shell NiCo 2 O 4 @MnO 2 composite and solution-processed nitrogen-doped graphene (N -GP) as the positive and negative electrodes, respectively. With interconnected porous structures, the electrodes based on N -GP and NiCo 2 O 4 @MnO 2 offer high specific capacitance and rate capability, broad operation voltage, and a binder-free design with no added conductive agent. With these benefits, the ASPC with a PVA-KOH electrolyte exhibits a specific capacitance of 103.3F g−1 at 1 A/g and exceptional energy density of 36.73 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 792 W kg−1. In addition, the specific capacitance retention reaches 90.9 % after 5000 cycles, indicating excellent cycling stability. In the broader context of solid-state supercapacitors based on solution-processed graphene, this ASPC exhibits highly competitive performance, establishing it as a promising candidate for advanced energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a trioctylmethylammonium chloride (N263)- tributyl phosphate (TBP)- n -octanol-sulfonated kerosene (N263-T) synergistic extraction system and an N263- n -octanol-sulfonated kerosene (N263–O) system were used to treat cyanide (CN)-bearing wastewater. The extraction saturation capacity of the two systems was measured. The influences of the initial pH and phase ratio (O/A) of the two systems on extraction were compared and analyzed. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, and slope methods were used to analyze the characteristic functional groups in the loaded organic phase, the compositions of the extracted compounds in the extraction reactions and the reaction mechanism. The results indicated that the saturated extraction capacity of the N263-T system, which was much larger than that of the N263–O system, for metal CN complex ions was 4354.31 mg/L. In addition, the N263-T system operated over a wider pH range. The extraction rates of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and iron (Fe) ions at pH 14 were 97.4%, 99.1%, and 87.2%, respectively. There was a strong compatibilization effect of TBP on the extraction system. The extraction efficiency of the N263-T system for metal CN complex ions was higher than that of the N263–O system when O/A = 0.4. The saturated loaded N263-T and N263–O systems were stripped by 1 mol/L NaOH +2 mol/L NaSCN solution at O/A = 3. The metal ion concentration in the stripping solution could be enriched to 11996.6 and 8913.3 mg/L for the N263-T and N263–O systems, respectively. During the extraction process, the binding ratios of N263 cations to Cu(CN) 3 2−, Zn(CN) 4 2−, and Fe(CN) 6 3− were 2:1, 2:1, and 3:1, respectively. The binding ratios of TBP to Cu(CN) 3 2−, Zn(CN) 4 2−, and Fe(CN) 6 3− in wastewater were 3:1, 4:1, and 6:1, respectively. The P O group in TBP was linked to the C N group of the metal CN complex ion by hydrogen bonds using the water molecule as a bridge to form a supramolecular anion group, which entered into the organic phase and combined with the N263 cation under the action of ion association. [Display omitted] • An approach for valuable metals recovery from cyanide wastewater is developed. • The N263-T was more effective at O/A of 0.4, N263 and TBP concentration of 10 vol%. • TBP is attached to the C N group of the metal complex ion by hydrogen bonding. • The binding ratios of TBP to Cu, Zn and Fe are 3:1, 3:1 and 6:1. • N263 binds to anionic groups in ratios of 2:1(Cu), 2:1(Zn), 3:1(Fe). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim was to investigate the preparation of self-assembled garlic essential oil-amylose inclusion complexes (SGAs) using garlic essential oil (GEO) and corn starch (CS), and evaluated their release properties. SGAs were fabricated by pre-gelatinization coupling with high-speed shear at different GEO-CS mass ratios. When the mass ratio of GEO to pre-gelatinized corn starch was set at 15 % (SGA-15 %), with a fixed shear rate of 9000 rpm and a shear time of 30 min, the allicin content was 0.573 ± 0.023 mg/g. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results revealed a starch V-type crystalline structure in SGAs with peaks at 13.0°, 18.0°, and 20.0° (2θ). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra of SGAs displayed a shift in the characteristic peak of diallyl trisulfide from 987.51 cm−1 to 991.45 cm−1. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images revealed that SGAs exhibited lamellar structures covered with small granules. SGAs exhibited higher residual mass (approximately 12 %) than other samples. The resistant starch content of SGAs increased from 10.1 % to 18.4 % as GEO contents varied from 5 % to 15 %. In vitro digestion tests showed that about 53.21 % of allicin remained in SGA-15 % after 8 h. Therefore, this dual treatment can be a new method for fabricating controlled-release inclusion complexes of guest molecules. • This inclusion complex (SGA) was fabricated via dual treatment. • The SGA exhibited a V-type crystalline structure. • The resistance of SGA to digestion is positively linked to the content of GEO. • SGA is expected to be a carrier to control the release of GEO in the digestive tract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SiO@C composite materials are constructed with phenolic resin pyrolysis method. • SiO@C has an outer rigid carbon coating that effectively alleviates large volume changes. • High durability of the core–shell structure improves the cycling stability of anode. • SiO@C-20 exhibits a discharge capacity of 603 mAh·g−1 after 100 cycles. Silicon monoxide (SiO) is suggested as anode for LIBs with excellent theoretical capacity. Unfortunately, the low electrical conductivity and volume expansion limit its practical application. The preparation of SiO@C composites can effectively solve these problems. SiO@C composite materials are constructed with phenolic resin pyrolysis method. Experimental data indicate that SiO@C-20 with carbon content of 20 wt% possesses a high discharge capacity and superior initial coulombic efficiency (74.81 %) compared to others. The superior performance can be attributed mainly to carbon ratio with adjusting phenolic resin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PPMs for iodine capture with phosphine oxide/chalcogenide were exploited firstly. • They presented high affinity to iodine, at elevated temperature and low pressure. • The elevated temperature can reduce the adverse effect of water vapor adsorption. • Insights were provided for the charge-transfer interaction between P = X and iodine. Porous polymeric materials (PPMs) with phosphine oxide/chalcogenide (P = X) ligands were exploited, for the first time, for efficient capture of iodine from the vapor phase. Using triphenylphosphine oxide/sulfide/selenide (TPPO/S/Se), P = X ligands were introduced onto polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) skeleton via a facile Friedel-Crafts reaction. They show iodine loading capacities, 1.22 g/g to 1.37 g/g at 90 °C, and 0.76 g/g to 0.85 g/g at 160 °C. Once heated at 160 °C under vacuum, they can still keep a considerable iodine loading capacity, 0.41 g/g and 0.51 g/g for POSS-TPPS and POSS-TPPSe, respectively. After soaking in ethanol, the POSS-TPPS/Se retained iodine more than 50%, the highest ratio reported so far for iodine release from PPMs. Besides, the dynamic column experiments were carried out to test their competitive adsorption performance of iodine from a mixed stream with water vapor (40% Relative humidity), and the results suggest that the elevated temperature (160 °C) can reduce the adverse effect of water adsorption remarkably. Moreover, the spectral evidence and DFT calculations reveal that a strong charge transfer through P = X to iodine originates from the three aromatic rings and the chalcogens. The adsorption energy for POSS-TPPSe complexing iodine can reach up to 66 kJ/mol I 2 , higher than other PPMs. As the first study of adsorbents with P = X ligands for iodine capture, this work opens a new avenue for the adsorptive capture of radioiodine in vapor at elevated temperatures and provides new insights for the interaction mechanism between P = X ligands and iodine molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Native potato starch (NPS) with tea polyphenols (TPs) was treated in a planetary ball mill, and the effects of co-grinding on properties and digestibility of starch were studied. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that the crystal structure of starch granules was destroyed after 7 h of ball grinding, and their crystallinity degree reduced from 38.1% to 8.3%. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses indicated that the damaged starch granules and TPs displayed agglomerates after 7 h of milling. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results demonstrated the existence of an interaction between starch chains and TPs, which improved the thermal stability and gelatinization temperatures of starch. The ball-milled starches with different amount of TPs showed significant variability to in vitro digestion (the contents of slowly digestible starch and resistant starch). Therefore, the produced ball-milled mixtures may be a desired dietary product for postprandial glycemic control. Highlights • Potato starch (PS) with tea polyphenols (TPs) was ball milled. • Morphology of PS granules was seriously affected due to the TPs. • An interaction between PS and TPs was formed. • The content of TPs could influence the digestion of starch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dialdehyde cellulose (DAC) was produced by the selective oxidation of pulp fibers, and was used to bind bovine serum albumin (BSA) by forming Schiff bases. The best binding conditions were as follows: a content of DAC aldehyde groups of 5.15 ± 0.13 mmol/g, a reaction time of 4 h, a reaction temperature of 40 °C, an initial medium pH of 8.0, and a DAC/BSA ratio of 1:50 (g/mL). After the binding of BSA, the FT-IR intensity of the characteristic absorption band (C O) of DAC was weakened, which indicated the formation of imine linkages. The Schiff bases formed between DAC and BSA gave the resulting material a higher thermal stability than that of DAC, and the slender fibers were twisted out of shape. Based on this Schiff base reaction, three different crude polysaccharide solutions (CPSs) were treated with DAC to deproteinize them under best bonding conditions. The results revealed that the DAC method had a higher deproteinization efficiency and polysaccharide recovery than the classical Sevag method. Therefore, the DAC treatment may be an ideal technique for the removal of proteins from CPSs for large-scale purification of polysaccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ficellomycin is a peptide-like antibiotic which exhibits potent in vitro activity against Penicillium oxalicum and Staphylococcus aureus, even against strains resistant to most clinically used antibiotics. The gene cluster responsible for ficellomycin biosynthesis was cloned from Streptomyces ficellus and sequenced. It was found to contain 26 ORFs and is located within 30 kb of contiguous DNA. Targeted disruption of the encoding genes revealed that most were involved in the functional section of ficellomycin biosynthesis, such as peptide assembly, regulation, resistance, and biosynthesis of the precursor of ficellomycin 2-[4-guanidyl-1-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-2-yl] glycine (2-GAHG). Within the 2-GAHG synthesis pathway, a sulfate adenylyltransferase appears to be involved in the synthesis of the pharmaceutically important 1-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane ring moiety, which has been reported to cause DNA cross-linking or impairment of semiconservative DNA replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptococcus zooepidemicus is a bacterial pathogen used for production of hyaluronan in industry. Intensive research has significantly contributed to our understanding of S. zooepidemicus biology and pathogenesis. However, the lack of an effective targeted gene inactivation system in S. zooepidemicus has notably prevented the functional genomics analysis of this gram-positive bacterium. Here, we report the development of a markerless gene deletion system in S. zooepidemicus. We constructed a sacB expression cassette on the thermosensitive suicide vector pSET4s and demonstrated its use as a counterselection marker in S. zooepidemicus. We validated the efficiency of this system by deletion of hasA, which synthesizes the important virulence factor hyaluronic acid (HA) capsule. The genotype of the resultant hasA mutant was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing. Deletion of hasA resulted in non-mucoid morphology, loss of HA capsule formation, and HA production. These defects can be rescued by introduction of a plasmid containing wild-type hasA expression cassette. Moreover, compared with wild type, hasA mutant showed no significant difference in expressions of other members of the hasABCDE operon, further suggesting that the loss of hasA contributed to the defects observed with Δ hasA mutant. Our results describe the first establishment of a sacB-based counterselection system in S. zooepidemicus, along with the first demonstration of hasA that is the only gene encoding a functional hyaluronan synthase in this bacterium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel Schiff base was derived from dialdehyde cellulose (DAC) and l -lysine (Lys). • The formation of Schiff base between DAC and Lys was confirmed. • The DAC-Lys Schiff base exhibited higher antibacterial activity than DAC. • The DAC-Lys Schiff base may be a promising antibacterial agents. A cellulose-based Schiff base was synthetized via condensation reactions of dialdehyde cellulose (DAC) with l -lysine (Lys) and its antimicrobial activity was evaluated. The results of amino acid analysis, viscosity measurement, FTIR spectra, X-ray diffraction patterns, and solid-state cross-polarization (CP)/magic angle spinning (MAS) 13C-NMR indicated that the cellulose-based Schiff base (DAC-Lys) between DAC and Lys were formed. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results showed that as compared with DAC, the DAC-Lys had diminished thermostability. When l -lysine content in DAC-Lys was 9.93 ± 0.35 g/100 g sample, the DAC-Lys exhibited high antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus , Bacillus subtilis , Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium , and their MIC values were 7.5, 3.75, 7.5 and 3.75 mg/mL, respectively. The cellulose-based Schiff base, with good antibacterial activity, non-toxicity, and permissible biocompatibility, might be potential additives in papermaking for the introduction of antibacterial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]