Corrosion derived lubricant infused surfaces on X65 carbon steel for improved inorganic scaling performance

Slippery Liquid Infused Porous Surfaces (SLIPS) are a relatively new and promising development in the surface engineering world. Bio-inspired with superior omniphobicity and robustness, SLIPS have enjoyed success in several scientific applications, spanning multiple industries from the marine environment to the medical field. Inorganic fouling is one such challenge SLIPS have managed to overcome by disrupting both the deposition and adhesion mechanics of scale. To date, the primary focus has been on adapting stainless steels while more prevalent pipeline materials, such as carbon steel, have been overlooked. Here a unique and simple SLIPS system has been fabricated from X65 carbon steel, with the potential for creation of a SLIPS system in situ. Utilizing the topographical features of an FeCO3 layer derived from CO2 corrosion, two SLIPS, one with perfluorinated Krytox oil and another with 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide have been tested. The SLIPS have been validated with prevailing models in SLIPS design literature and shed further insight into how this is determined experimentally. This SLIPS combination spares the use of a functionalization layer between the substrate/lubricant interface and displays enhanced anti-fouling capabilities in a calcium carbonate (CaCO3) scaling brine

Loss-of-function mutations in MRAP2 are pathogenic in hyperphagic obesity with hyperglycemia and hypertension

International audienceThe G-protein-coupled receptor accessory protein MRAP2 is implicated in energy control in rodents, notably via the melanocortin-4 receptor1. Although some MRAP2 mutations have been described in people with obesity1-3, their functional consequences on adiposity remain elusive. Using large-scale sequencing of MRAP2 in 9,418 people, we identified 23 rare heterozygous variants associated with increased obesity risk in both adults and children. Functional assessment of each variant shows that loss-of-function MRAP2 variants are pathogenic for monogenic hyperphagic obesity, hyperglycemia and hypertension. This contrasts with other monogenic forms of obesity characterized by excessive hunger, including melanocortin-4 receptor deficiency, that present with low blood pressure and normal glucose tolerance4. The pleiotropic metabolic effect of loss-of-function mutations in MRAP2 might be due to the failure of different MRAP2-regulated G-protein-coupled receptors in various tissues including pancreatic islets