From a Lose–Lose to a Win–Win Situation: User-Friendly Biomass Models for Acacia longifolia to Aid Research, Management and Valorisation

Woody invasive species pose a big threat to ecosystems worldwide. Among them, Acacia longifolia is especially aggressive, fundamentally changing ecosystem structure through massive biomass input. This biomass is rarely harvested for usage; thus, these plants constitute a nuisance for stakeholders who invest time and money for control without monetary return. Simultaneously, there is an increased effort to valorise its biomass, e.g., for compost, growth substrate or as biofuel. However, to incentivise A. longifolia harvest and usage, stakeholders need to be able to estimate what can be obtained from management actions. Thus, the total biomass and its quality (C/N ratio) need to be predicted to perform cost–benefit analyses for usage and determine the level of invasion that has already occurred. Here, we report allometric biomass models for major biomass pools, as well as give an overview of biomass quality. Subsequently, we derive a simplified volume-based model (BM ~ 6.297 + 0.982 × Vol; BM = total dry biomass and Vol = plant volume), which can be applied to remote sensing data or with in situ manual measurements. This toolkit will help local stakeholders, forest managers or municipalities to predict the impact and valorisation potential of this invasive species and could ultimately encourage its management.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Phyllosilicates as earth-abundant layered materials for electronics and optoelectronics: Prospects and challenges in their ultrathin limit

Phyllosilicate minerals are an emerging class of naturally occurring layered insulators with large bandgap energy that have gained attention from the scientific community. This class of lamellar materials has been recently explored at the ultrathin two-dimensional level due to their specific mechanical, electrical, magnetic, and optoelectronic properties, which are crucial for engineering novel devices (including heterostructures). Due to these properties, phyllosilicates minerals can be considered promising low-cost nanomaterials for future applications. In this Perspective article, we will present relevant features of these materials for their use in potential 2D-based electronic and optoelectronic applications, also discussing some of the major challenges in working with them.Comment: 29 pages, 4 figure

Cholinergic Signaling Exerts Protective Effects in Models of Sympathetic Hyperactivity-Induced Cardiac Dysfunction

Cholinergic control of the heart is exerted by two distinct branches; the autonomic component represented by the parasympathetic nervous system, and the recently described non-neuronal cardiomyocyte cholinergic machinery. Previous evidence has shown that reduced cholinergic function leads to deleterious effects on the myocardium. Yet, whether conditions of increased cholinergic signaling can offset the pathological remodeling induced by sympathetic hyperactivity, and its consequences for these two cholinergic axes are unknown. Here, we investigated two models of sympathetic hyperactivity: i) the chronic beta-adrenergic receptor stimulation evoked by isoproterenol (ISO), and ii) the alpha(2A)/alpha(2C)-drenergic receptor knockout (KO) mice that lack pre-synaptic adrenergic receptors. In both models, cholinergic signaling was increased by administration of the cholinesterase inhibitor, pyridostigmine. First, we observed that isoproterenol produces an autonomic imbalance characterized by increased sympathetic and reduced parasympathetic tone. Under this condition transcripts for cholinergic proteins were upregulated in ventricular myocytes, indicating that non-neuronal cholinergic machinery is activated during adrenergic overdrive. Pyridostigmine treatment prevented the effects of ISO on autonomic function and on the ventricular cholinergic machinery, and inhibited cardiac remodeling. alpha(2A)/alpha(2C)-KO mice presented reduced ventricular contraction when compared to wild-type mice, and this dysfunction was also reversed by cholinesterase inhibition. Thus, the cardiac parasympathetic system and non-neuronal cardiomyocyte cholinergic machinery are modulated in opposite directions under conditions of increased sympathetic drive or ACh availability. Moreover, our data support the idea that pyridostigmine by restoring ACh availability is beneficial in heart disease

Uncovering the potentialities of protic ionic liquids based on alkanolammonium and carboxylate ions and their aqueous solutions as non-derivatizing solvents of Kraft lignin

The present study scrutinized in depth the ability of alkanolammonium-based Protic Ionic Liquids (PILs) with carboxylate anions to dissolve Kraft lignin at 323.15 K. A focus was put on understanding the role of both PIL ions and water on the dissolution process. The results demonstrated that the anion plays a more important role in lignin dissolution than the cation. Furthermore, lignin dissolution was favored by increasing the alkyl chain of the carboxylate anion, while a smaller cation with lower number of hydroxyalkyl groups performed better. Among the studied solvents, the 2-hydroxyethylammonium hexanoate (HEAH) displayed the highest lignin solubility (37 wt%). In general, the addition of water had a negative influence on lignin solubility with the tested PILs. A sharp decrease in lignin solubility curves of 2-hydroxyethylammonium formate (HEAF) and acetate (HEAA) was observed, while a more softly effect was observed for 2-hydroxyethylammonium propionate (HEAP) and HEAH with the addition of water. However, a distinct behavior was observed for 2-hydroxyethylammonium octanoate (HEAO) that acted as hydrotrope enhancing lignin solubility in aqueous solutions to a maximum value at 40 wt% water content. Furthermore, by increasing the temperature, the lignin solubility was favored due to endothermic behavior of lignin dissolution process. The dissolution of Kraft lignin was also performed at 393.15 K to unravel any lignin modification unleashed by PILs. GPC, FTIR-ATR and 2D NMR were employed for lignin characterization and the changes observed between native lignin and recovered lignin samples were negligible demonstrating the non-derivatizing char- acter of the PILs. Moreover, the recycle of 2-hydroxyethylammonium propionate (HEAP) was successfully de- monstrated for at least 3 cycles. In this way, PILs are herein revealed as promising solvents to apply in lignin valorization towards more efficient and eco-friendly processes.Suzano Papel & Celulosepublishe

High throughput simultaneous assay of atenolol and chlortalidone in combined dose tablets by liquid chromatography and capillary zone electrophoresis

New fast liquid chromatographic and capillary zone electrophoresis methods were developed and validated for simultaneous determination of atenolol and chlortalidone in combined dose tablets. The reversed phase HPLC method was carried out on a CN LiChrosorb® (125 x 4 mm, 5 μm) column. The CZE method was carried out on an uncoated fused-silica capillary of 30 cm x 75 μm i.d. with 25 mmol L-1 sodium tetraborate, pH 9.4. The total analysis time was <6 and <2.5 min for HPLC and CZE methods, respectively. Both methods can be used for stability studies as well.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Do sexist mothers change more diapers? Ambivalent sexism, maternal gatekeeping and the division of childcare

This study examined the role of ambivalent sexist ideologies in the division of childcare responsibilities. It proposed maternal gatekeeping as a mediator through which hostile sexist attitudes toward men and women facilitate gendered division of childcare. A sample of 207 mothers with at least one child aged 6 years or younger completed extensive questionnaires. As hypothesized, the mother’s hostile sexist attitudes toward men and women were positively related to maternal gatekeeping tendencies. Gatekeeping, in turn, was related to the mother’s greater time investment in childcare and greater share of childcare tasks relative to the father. Finally, hostile sexist attitudes toward men and women had an indirect effect on the mother’s hours of care and relative share of childcare tasks, mediated though maternal gatekeeping. The findings underscore the importance of investigating the mechanisms through which sexist ideologies are translated into daily behaviors that help maintain a gendered social structure. They may be utilized to inform parenting interventions aimed at increasing collaborative family work and fathers’ participation

Generation of transgenic rodent malaria parasites by transfection of cell culture-derived merozoites

Malaria research is greatly dependent on and has drastically advanced with the possibility of genetically modifying Plasmodium parasites. The commonly used transfection protocol by Janse and colleagues utilizes blood stage-derived Plasmodium berghei schizonts that have been purified from a blood culture by density gradient centrifugation. Naturally, this transfection protocol depends on the availability of suitably infected mice, constituting a time-based variable. In this study, the potential of transfecting liver stage-derived merozoites was explored. In cell culture, upon merozoite development, infected cells detach from the neighbouring cells and can be easily harvested from the cell culture supernatant. This protocol offers robust experimental timing and temporal flexibility. HeLa cells are infected with P. berghei sporozoites to obtain liver stage-derived merozoites, which are harvested from the cell culture supernatant and are transfected using the Amaxa Nucleofector(®) electroporation technology. Using this protocol, wild type P. berghei ANKA strain and marker-free PbmCherryHsp70-expressing P. berghei parasites were successfully transfected with DNA constructs designed for integration via single- or double-crossover homologous recombination. An alternative protocol for Plasmodium transfection is hereby provided, which uses liver stage-derived P. berghei merozoites for transfection. This protocol has the potential to substantially reduce the number of mice used per transfection, as well as to increase the temporal flexibility and robustness of performing transfections, if mosquitoes are routinely present in the laboratory. Transfection of liver stage-derived P. berghei parasites should enable generation of transgenic parasites within 8-18 days