Potential uses of natural zeolites for the development of new nanomaterials

Zeolites stand apart among the many families of porous materials. Due to their structure, they have a number of important practical properties such as a high adsorption capacity and the ability to cation exchange. However, the main feature distinguishing them from other porous bodies and inherent only for zeolites is the ordering of the pores in their size, orientation, and mutual locations. Pore diameters for the crystalline structures of various zeolites may vary from 0.25 to about 1.5 nanometers. The crystalline arrangement of these pores in space converts zeolites in the naturally existing nanostructured materials

Properties of iron-modified-by-silver supported on mordenite as catalysts for nox reduction

A series of mono and bimetallic catalysts based on a Fe-Ag mixture deposited on mordenite was prepared by ion-exchange and evaluated in the catalytic activity test of the de-NOx reaction in the presence of CO/C3H6. The activity results showed that the most active samples were the Fe-containing ones, and at high temperatures, a co-promoter effect of Ag on the activity of Fe catalysts was also observed. The influence of the order of cation deposition on catalysts formation and their physicochemical properties was studied by FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) of adsorbed NO, XANES (X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure), and EXAFS (Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure) and discussed in terms of the state of iron. Results of Fe K-edge XANES oscillations showed that, in FeMOR catalysts, iron was present in a disordered state as Fe3+ and Fe2+. In FeAgMOR, the prevailing species was Fe3+, while in the AgFeMOR catalyst, the state of iron was intermediate or mixed between FeMOR and FeAgMOR. The Fe K-edge EXAFS results were characteristic of a disordered phase, the first coordination sphere being asymmetric with two different Fe-O distances. In FeAgMOR and AgFeMOR, coordination of Fe-O was similar to Fe2O3 with a few amount of Fe2+ species. We may conclude that, in the bimetallic FeAgMOR and AgFeMOR samples, a certain amount of tetrahedral Al3+ ions in the mordenite framework is replaced by Fe3+ ions, confirming the previous reports that these species are active sites for the de-NOx reaction. Based on the thermodynamic analysis and experimental data, also, it was confirmed that the order of deposition of the components influenced the mechanism of active sites’ formation during the two steps ion-exchange synthesis

Ageing, adipose tissue, fatty acids and inflammation

A common feature of ageing is the alteration in tissue distribution and composition, with a shift in fat away from lower body and subcutaneous depots to visceral and ectopic sites. Redistribution of adipose tissue towards an ectopic site can have dramatic effects on metabolic function. In skeletal muscle, increased ectopic adiposity is linked to insulin resistance through lipid mediators such as ceramide or DAG, inhibiting the insulin receptor signalling pathway. Additionally, the risk of developing cardiovascular disease is increased with elevated visceral adipose distribution. In ageing, adipose tissue becomes dysfunctional, with the pathway of differentiation of preadipocytes to mature adipocytes becoming impaired; this results in dysfunctional adipocytes less able to store fat and subsequent fat redistribution to ectopic sites. Low grade systemic inflammation is commonly observed in ageing, and may drive the adipose tissue dysfunction, as proinflammatory cytokines are capable of inhibiting adipocyte differentiation. Beyond increased ectopic adiposity, the effect of impaired adipose tissue function is an elevation in systemic free fatty acids (FFA), a common feature of many metabolic disorders. Saturated fatty acids can be regarded as the most detrimental of FFA, being capable of inducing insulin resistance and inflammation through lipid mediators such as ceramide, which can increase risk of developing atherosclerosis. Elevated FFA, in particular saturated fatty acids, maybe a driving factor for both the increased insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease risk and inflammation in older adults

Genome Sequence of the Pea Aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum

Aphids are important agricultural pests and also biological models for studies of insect-plant interactions, symbiosis, virus vectoring, and the developmental causes of extreme phenotypic plasticity. Here we present the 464 Mb draft genome assembly of the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum. This first published whole genome sequence of a basal hemimetabolous insect provides an outgroup to the multiple published genomes of holometabolous insects. Pea aphids are host-plant specialists, they can reproduce both sexually and asexually, and they have coevolved with an obligate bacterial symbiont. Here we highlight findings from whole genome analysis that may be related to these unusual biological features. These findings include discovery of extensive gene duplication in more than 2000 gene families as well as loss of evolutionarily conserved genes. Gene family expansions relative to other published genomes include genes involved in chromatin modification, miRNA synthesis, and sugar transport. Gene losses include genes central to the IMD immune pathway, selenoprotein utilization, purine salvage, and the entire urea cycle. The pea aphid genome reveals that only a limited number of genes have been acquired from bacteria; thus the reduced gene count of Buchnera does not reflect gene transfer to the host genome. The inventory of metabolic genes in the pea aphid genome suggests that there is extensive metabolite exchange between the aphid and Buchnera, including sharing of amino acid biosynthesis between the aphid and Buchnera. The pea aphid genome provides a foundation for post-genomic studies of fundamental biological questions and applied agricultural problems

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

A global research priority agenda to advance public health responses to fatty liver disease

Background & aims An estimated 38% of adults worldwide have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). From individual impacts to widespread public health and economic consequences, the implications of this disease are profound. This study aimed to develop an aligned, prioritised fatty liver disease research agenda for the global health community. Methods Nine co-chairs drafted initial research priorities, subsequently reviewed by 40 core authors and debated during a three-day in-person meeting. Following a Delphi methodology, over two rounds, a large panel (R1 n = 344, R2 n = 288) reviewed the priorities, via Qualtrics XM, indicating agreement using a four-point Likert-scale and providing written feedback. The core group revised the draft priorities between rounds. In R2, panellists also ranked the priorities within six domains: epidemiology, models of care, treatment and care, education and awareness, patient and community perspectives, and leadership and public health policy. Results The consensus-built fatty liver disease research agenda encompasses 28 priorities. The mean percentage of ‘agree’ responses increased from 78.3 in R1 to 81.1 in R2. Five priorities received unanimous combined agreement (‘agree’ + ‘somewhat agree’); the remaining 23 priorities had >90% combined agreement. While all but one of the priorities exhibited at least a super-majority of agreement (>66.7% ‘agree’), 13 priorities had 90% combined agreement. Conclusions Adopting this multidisciplinary consensus-built research priorities agenda can deliver a step-change in addressing fatty liver disease, mitigating against its individual and societal harms and proactively altering its natural history through prevention, identification, treatment, and care. This agenda should catalyse the global health community’s efforts to advance and accelerate responses to this widespread and fast-growing public health threat. Impact and implications An estimated 38% of adults and 13% of children and adolescents worldwide have fatty liver disease, making it the most prevalent liver disease in history. Despite substantial scientific progress in the past three decades, the burden continues to grow, with an urgent need to advance understanding of how to prevent, manage, and treat the disease. Through a global consensus process, a multidisciplinary group agreed on 28 research priorities covering a broad range of themes, from disease burden, treatment, and health system responses to awareness and policy. The findings have relevance for clinical and non-clinical researchers as well as funders working on fatty liver disease and non-communicable diseases more broadly, setting out a prioritised, ranked research agenda for turning the tide on this fast-growing public health threat

MÖSSBAUER STUDY OF NATURAL GLASSES : LIPARI AND TEOTIHUACAN OBSIDIANS

No abstract availabl

Solid state multinuclear NMR study of iron species in natural and modified clinoptilolite from Tasajera deposit (Cuba)

International audienceThe present study has been conducted to elucidate the Fe-sites in natural clinoptilolite, and the possibility to produce a reversible replacement of these atoms in the zeolite framework. In order to achieve these results we have tried to introduce iron in clinoptilolite structure after the almost total extraction of the natural iron species. A sample of the purified natural clinoptilolite from Tasajeras deposit, Central region of Cuba, was modified by a hydrothermal treatment with orthophosphoric acid. Iron exchange forms of the orthophosphoric zeolite were obtained using FeSO4 and Fe2(SO4)3 solutions. The modified zeolites were studied by multinuclear magnetic resonance (27Al, 29Si, 31P MAS NMR and 129Xe NMR). Other analytical techniques as Electron Paramagnetic Resonance, X-ray diffraction, Mo¨ssbauer and Infrared spectrometry, volumetric measurements and chemical analysis by Induced Plasma Coupled spectroscopy were used to support the results of NMR studies. The presence of iron species with tetrahedral and octahedral coordination in the structure of a natural clinoptilolite has been confirmed. The influence of iron in tetrahedral coordination in the thermal stability of the clinoptilolite structure was also confirmed