The Sarcomeric Z-Disc and Z-Discopathies

The sarcomeric Z-disc defines the lateral borders of the sarcomere and has primarily been seen as a structure important for mechanical stability. This view has changed dramatically within the last one or two decades. A multitude of novel Z-disc proteins and their interacting partners have been identified, which has led to the identification of additional functions and which have now been assigned to this structure. This includes its importance for intracellular signalling, for mechanosensation and mechanotransduction in particular, an emerging importance for protein turnover and autophagy, as well as its molecular links to the t-tubular system and the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Moreover, the discovery of mutations in a wide variety of Z-disc proteins, which lead to perturbations of several of the above-mentioned systems, gives rise to a diverse group of diseases which can be termed Z-discopathies. This paper provides a brief overview of these novel aspects as well as points to future research directions

The general characteristics and organic matters of therapeutic mud from Lake Noot (Mongolia)

In this investigation, we examined the chemical composition, physicochemical properties, and organic matter of therapeutic mud from Lake Noot in the Arkhangai province of Mongolia. The therapeutic mud from “Lake Noot” is used in the pelotherapy of local health care services for some time but without deep characterization. Due to this, a study of therapeutic mud samples was required. Our research concentrated on identifying general characteristics, organic matter, mineralogical, and chemical composition of therapeutic mud at two different Lake Noot sites. Results showed that the therapeutic mud belongs to the continental hydrogen sulfide sticky mud type. The total organic matter in the therapeutic mud of Lake Noot was 14.44%. Total organic matter contains a humic substance of 42.17%, lipid 16.62%, and carbohydrate 7.13%. A total of 172 compounds were identified in the dissoluble organic matter of therapeutic mud, mainly of natural origin, using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method. The dominant compounds were saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons with 13–44 carbon atoms and carboxylic acids and their ethers. Some of the identified organic compounds have been reported antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal properties

Particulate matter concentrations during winter seasons of 2016-2020 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

In this study, we have focused on the outdoor concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) during the coldest months (November-February) of 2016-2019 and January-February of 2020 and illustrated the daily, monthly and quarterly averages according to the single-point measurement data collected by the PM2.5 sensor at an air quality monitoring station located in a central area of Ulaanbaatar. The study also analyzes monthly high, low, average and median points of PM2.5 concentrations in the area that was selected. The PM2.5 sensor collects its data at an interval of every ten seconds, registers 8500 data in one day and presents the concentration of fine particulate matter in micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3). On the basis of data collection and analysis, from November through February of 2019-2020, average PM2.5 concentration dropped noticeably by 44 per cent compared to the previous years. The Government of Mongolia took immediate action to combat air pollution of Ulaanbaatar city in May 2019 by banning the burning of raw coal in the ger districts, which account for 70 per cent of the city’s emissions, and introduced coal briquette as the only type of fuel that was allowed to be burned in metal stoves as a primary source of heating and cooking. Our study reveals that the latest government regulation had a considerable impact on air quality during winter 2019-2020 and helped in the sudden decline of the most dangerous pollutant PM2.5 concentration very close to national standards (50 µg/m3 24-hour mean) within 6 months since the enforcement of the new regulation

Effect of nickel precursor and catalyst activation temperature on methanation performance

This work studied an effect of anionic precursor on the preparation of active and fine nickel metal catalysts for syngas methanation. Nickel catalysts were pr¬epared by impregnation-co-precipitation method. Nickel hydrate salts of Ni(NO3)2·6H2O, NiSO4·6H2O and NiCl2·6H2O were used as a metal catalyst precursor, and the obtained catalysts were named as Ni/Al (N), Ni/Al (S) and Ni/Al (Cl), respectively. Methanation synthesis of carbon monoxide was carried out in a fixed bed stainless reactor. Prior to experiment, the catalyst powder was pressed into tablets, then crushed and sieved to use 0.5-0.9 mm particles. Reactions were performed at the temperature of 350 °C in the pressure of 3 atm of H2:CO syngas (the molar ratio of 3:1) with the GHSV of 3000 h-1. In the present methanation conditions, the Ni/Al (N), Ni/Al (S) and Ni/Al (Cl) catalysts gave the CH4 selectivity of 93%, 18% and 91% (vol.), respectively. The XRD and ICP-OES analysis clarified that although the Ni/Al (S) catalyst contained a similar nickel amount of 17.4 wt % to other two catalysts, its metal distribution was poor. Also the low activity of the Ni/Al (S) catalyst was caused by the contamination of remained sulfur from sulfate precursor. This work also examined an influence of catalyst activation temperature pre-synthesis. The Ni/Al (N) catalyst was reduced by pure hydrogen gas at different temperatures of 350 ºС, 400 ºС or 450 ºС. The catalyst activated at 400 ºС produced the highest CH4 amount of 0.087 mmol·g-1cat for the duration of 1h methanation. An initial temperature of methane formation was the lowest for the Ni/Al (N) catalyst which was activated at 400 ºС among three catalysts