A Sturm-Liouville equation on the crossroads of continuous and discrete hypercomplex analysis

The paper studies discrete structural properties of polynomials that play an important role in the theory of spherical harmonics in any dimensions. These polynomials have their origin in the research on problems of harmonic analysis by means of generalized holomorphic (monogenic) functions of hypercomplex analysis. The Sturm-Liouville equation that occurs in this context supplements the knowledge about generalized Vietoris number sequences Vn, first encountered as a special sequence (corresponding to n=2) by Vietoris in connection with positivity of trigonometric sums. Using methods of the calculus of holonomic differential equations, we obtain a general recurrence relation for Vn, and we derive an exponential generating function of Vn expressed by Kummer's confluent hypergeometric function.This work was supported by Portuguese funds through the CMAT—Research Centre of Mathematics of University of Minho—and through the CIDMA-Center of Research and Development in Mathematics and Applications (University of Aveiro) and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (“FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia”), within projects UIDB/00013/2020, UIDP/00013/2020, UIDB/04106/2020 , and UIDP/04106/2020

Glucose isomerisation into fructose over magnesium-impregnated NaY zeolite catalysts

The performance of magnesium-impregnated NaY zeolite catalysts for the glucose isomerisation into fructose at 100 °C has been evaluated. Although crystallinity and textural properties of the zeolites are reduced through Mg addition, glucose conversion improves (6–49%) by increasing magnesium content (0–15 wt.%) due to an increase of the number of basic sites. Conversely, selectivity to fructose drops (96–66%). Nevertheless, good fructose yields were still reached with 10 and 15 wt.% of magnesium (about 32%), being similar or even higher than those found for a commercial hydrotalcite and a pure magnesium oxide. Catalysts lose performance through carbon retention and cations leaching. Deactivation of magnesium-based zeolites was further investigated by consecutive reaction runs. If no regeneration of the catalyst is performed, the activity of the zeolites decreases mainly as a result of cations leaching, the effect reducing with the number of runs. Regeneration allows the catalyst to recover almost totally its initial activity. Interestingly, used samples show higher fructose selectivity due to the additional pore opening resulting from cations leaching and/or carbon removal. Cations leaching results in a homogeneous catalytic reaction which is most significant for the highest magnesium content. Magnesium-based NaY zeolites are revealed as potential catalysts for glucose isomerisation into fructose with high fructose productivities and good performance in consecutive reactions combined with intermediate regeneration

Formation and fate of carboxylic acids in the lignin-first biorefining of lignocellulose via H-transfer catalyzed by Raney Ni

Lignin-first biorefining constitutes a new research field in which the overarching objective is the prevention of lignin recalcitrance while providing high-quality pulps. For this purpose, the solvent extraction of lignin is performed in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst, employing H2 pressure or an H-donor solvent (e.g., 2-propanol), and thus leading to passivation of reactive lignin fragments via reductive processes. As a result, lignin-first biorefining methods generate high-quality pulps in addition to low-molecular-weight lignin streams with high molecular uniformity. Nonetheless, upon cooking lignocellulose in solvent mixtures containing water, other processes on the lignocellulosic matrix take place, releasing soluble intermediates. In fact, hemicellulose undergoes deacetylation, to a variable extent, releasing acetic acid into the liquor. Moreover, formic acid can also be formed as a degradation product of hemicellulose C6-sugars also released into the liquor. However, despite this general notion, the formation and fate of these carboxylic acids during the cooking of lignocellulosic substrates, and the effects these acids may have on hydrogenation catalyst performance remain poorly understood. In this report, we examine both the formation and subsequent fate of formic acid and acetic acid during lignocellulose deconstruction for both a lignin-first biorefining method (via H-transfer reactions in the presence of Raney Ni catalyst) and its equivalent Organosolv process with no added acid or hydrogenation catalyst. A mechanism for the mitigation of formic acid formation in the presence of Raney Ni catalyst is outlined via the hydrogenation of sugars to sugar alcohols. Furthermore, the effects of the carboxylic acids on Raney Ni performance are assessed, using the transfer-hydrogenation of phenol to cyclohexanol/cyclohexanone as a model reaction, elucidating inhibition rates of the acids. Finally, we conclude with the implications of these results for the design of lignin-first biorefining processes. In a broader context, understanding of the formation and fate of carboxylic acids during CUB is crucial to producing high-quality pulps with high degrees of polymerization and high xylan contents

Untargeted metabolomic analysis investigating links between unprocessed red meat intake and markers of inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Whether red meat consumption is associated with higher inflammation or confounded by increased adiposity remains unclear. Plasma metabolites capture the effects of diet after food is processed, digested, and absorbed, and correlate with markers of inflammation, so they can help clarify diet-health relationships. OBJECTIVE: To identify whether any metabolites associated with red meat intake are also associated with inflammation. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of observational data from older adults (52.84% women, mean age 63 ± 0.3 y) participating in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Dietary intake was assessed by food-frequency questionnaire, alongside C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-2, interleukin-6, fibrinogen, homocysteine, and tumor necrosis factor alpha, and untargeted proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) metabolomic features. Associations between these variables were examined using linear regression models, adjusted for demographic factors, lifestyle behaviors, and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: In analyses that adjust for BMI, neither processed nor unprocessed forms of red meat were associated with any markers of inflammation (all P > 0.01). However, when adjusting for BMI, unprocessed red meat was inversely associated with spectral features representing the metabolite glutamine (sentinel hit: β = -0.09 ± 0.02, P = 2.0 × 10-5), an amino acid which was also inversely associated with CRP level (β = -0.11 ± 0.01, P = 3.3 × 10-10). CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses were unable to support a relationship between either processed or unprocessed red meat and inflammation, over and above any confounding by BMI. Glutamine, a plasma correlate of lower unprocessed red meat intake, was associated with lower CRP levels. The differences in diet-inflammation associations, compared with diet metabolite-inflammation associations, warrant further investigation to understand the extent that these arise from the following: 1) a reduction in measurement error with metabolite measures; 2) the extent that which factors other than unprocessed red meat intake contribute to glutamine levels; and 3) the ability of plasma metabolites to capture individual differences in how food intake is metabolized

Industry/University collaboration in product focussed œnological research in Portugal - the SOGRAPE / UCP ESB partnership 1995 - 1998

A innovative model of collaboration between a wine company and a university research group is presented. A protocol was established as a response to the perceived need to, on the part of the university, (i) focus research on specific scientific bottlenecks which would have a real impact in the producing industry and, on the part of the company, (ii) to have access to the scientific capacity to conduct in-depth studies to approach specific technical challenges. A closely managed programme was jointly established and the major characteristics are presented here together with the main results obtained during the first 2 and a half years of operation

Polycystic ovary syndrome and the internet of things: a scoping review

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine disorder impacting women’s health and quality of life. This scoping review explores the use of the Internet of Things (IoT) in PCOS management. Results were grouped into six domains of the IoT: mobile apps, social media, wearables, machine learning, websites, and phone-based. A further domain was created to capture participants’ perspectives on using the IoT in PCOS management. Mobile apps appear to be useful for menstrual cycle tracking, symptom recording, and education. Despite concerns regarding the quality and reliability of social media content, these platforms may play an important role in disseminating PCOS-related information. Wearables facilitate detailed symptom monitoring and improve communication with healthcare providers. Machine learning algorithms show promising results in PCOS diagnosis accuracy, risk prediction, and app development. Although abundant, PCOS-related content on websites may lack quality and cultural considerations. While patients express concerns about online misinformation, they consider online forums valuable for peer connection. Using text messages and phone calls to provide feedback and support to PCOS patients may help them improve lifestyle behaviors and self-management skills. Advancing evidence-based, culturally sensitive, and accessible IoT solutions can enhance their potential to transform PCOS care, address misinformation, and empower women to better manage their symptoms