Hybrid magnetic graphitic nanocomposites for catalytic wet peroxide oxidation applications

Fe3O4, with a lattice parameter a = 8.357 A and average particle size of 12.5 +/- 3.6 nm, was successfully encapsulated within a graphitic structure by a hierarchical co-assembly approach, followed by thermal annealing. The resulting material was denoted as MGNC-magnetic graphitic nanocomposite. MGNC possesses average core size of 109 +/- 35 nm (mainly composed by agglomerates of magnetic nanoparticles), stability up to 400 degrees C under oxidizing atmosphere, a micro-mesoporous structure with a fairly developed specific surface area (S-BET = 330 m(2) g(-1)) and neutral character (pH(PZC) = 7.1). Catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) experiments performed with a 4-nitrophenol (4-NP)/Fe3O4 mass ratio fixed at 36.6, allowed to achieve high efficiency of catalyst usage throughout the wide range of 4-NP concentration considered (200 mg L-1-5 g L-1). The inclusion of Fe3O4 nanoparticles in a graphitic structure during the synthesis of MGNC was found to (i) enhance the catalytic activity in CWPO when compared to Fe3O4, due to increased adsorptive interactions between the surface of the catalyst and the pollutant molecules, while (ii) strongly limiting the leaching of Fe species from Fe3O4 to the treated water, due to the confinement effect caused by the carbon shell. As a result of these effects, unprecedented pollutant mass removals were obtained ranging from 5000 mg(-1) h(-1), when the CWPO process is performed with [4-NP](o) = 200 mg L-1 at pH = 3, to 1250 mgg(-1) h(-1), when [4-NP](o) = 5 g L-1. High efficiency of H2O2 consumption is obtained when MGNC is applied in the CWPO of 4 -NP solutions at pH = 3, with TOC removals per unit of H2O2 decomposed (n(H2O2)) in the range 64-100%. In addition, the MGNC catalyst is also active at pH = 6; in this case a pollutant mass removal of 2090 mg g(-1) h(-1) was obtained. Although MGNC partially deactivates through successive reusability cycles, the pollutant mass removal obtained at the end of the fourth cycle is still very high when 200 mg L-1 4-NP solutions are considered (4808 mg g(-1) h(-1), representing only a ca. 4% decrease when compared to the first cycle). A higher deactivation of the MGNC catalyst is observed when 5 gL(-1) 4-NP solutions are employed. Nevertheless, the pollutant mass removal obtained at the end of the third cycle is still high (551 mgg(-1) h(-1))

The sulfur pathway and diagnosis of sulfate depletion in grapevine

Sulfur is an essential nutrient to all plant species. Plants assimilate sulfur in a well-described pathway, which has been taken up by roots. Regulatory mech- anism has been the subject of many research papers. However, recent studies highlighted differences between crop plants and the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Our work focuses on the identification of genes involved in the sulfur metabolism in the Vitis vinifera genome, and their response to sulfur deficiency and other abiotic stress endured by grapevine in the field, namely water stress. Here, we describe the identification and brief characterization of the first assimilation enzymes involved in the sulfur pathway, the enzyme responsible for sulfur activa- tion, ATP sulfurylase (ATPS), and the two enzymes that reduce sulfate to sulfide, Adenosine 50-phosphosulate reductase (APR) and Sulfite reductase (SiR). A reduc- tion was observed in the number of ATPS and APR isoforms identified in V. vinifera genome when compared to A. thaliana or Glycine max genomes. Two ATPS isoforms were present in the Vitis genome, of which only ATPS1 transcript was detected in the tested tissues, and one APR isoform, suggesting an absence of redundancy in the role of both enzymes. ATPS1, APR and SiR transcript level was up-regulated in response to 2 days exposure to sulfur deficiency in V. vinifera cell cultures, which was completely reversed by the addition of GSH to the culture medium. Apparently, oxidative stress triggered GSH has a pivotal role in the regulation of ATPS1, APR and SiR transcription level, since their up-regulation was observed in mRNA from field grapevine berries under water stress, which is known to induce oxidative stress.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Short-term versus long-term changes in the benthic communities of a small coastal lagoon: implications for ecological status assessment

The characteristic high variability and low predictability of coastal lagoons, due to strong changes in marine and freshwater inputs, make these ecosystems an interesting casestudy. The small Melides landlocked coastal lagoon in SW Portugal is a paradigmatic example, with a biological community highly stressed by these phenomena. Benthic macroinvertebrate samples were collected in 1998/99 and 2009 and each year, in different seasons and addressing different environmental conditions influenced by the connection to the sea and rainfall regime. Major spatial and temporal patterns in benthic communities were investigated using some invertebrate attributes (e.g. community composition, density, species richness and diversity). A very low taxonomic species richness and diversity was found in the Melides lagoon and only a much reduced number of species occurred along all sampling periods and in both sampling campaigns. Although the colonization events play a crucial role, the persistence of the observed species was mainly associated to abiotic factors, such as salinity, temperature and dissolved oxygen. Despite the potential reduction in anthropogenic pressure, by the construction of a sewage treatment plant and a reduction of urban occupation, the ecological status did not improve and the high level of natural environmental variably in the lagoon seems to be the dominant stressor influencing benthic invertebrate communitie

Chiral U(1) flavor models and flavored Higgs doublets: the top FB asymmetry and the Wjj

We present U(1) flavor models for leptophobic Z' with flavor dependent couplings to the right-handed up-type quarks in the Standard Model, which can accommodate the recent data on the top forward-backward (FB) asymmetry and the dijet resonance associated with a W boson reported by CDF Collaboration. Such flavor-dependent leptophobic charge assignments generally require extra chiral fermions for anomaly cancellation. Also the chiral nature of U(1)' flavor symmetry calls for new U(1)'-charged Higgs doublets in order for the SM fermions to have realistic renormalizable Yukawa couplings. The stringent constraints from the top FB asymmetry at the Tevatron and the same sign top pair production at the LHC can be evaded due to contributions of the extra Higgs doublets. We also show that the extension could realize cold dark matter candidates.Comment: 40 pages, 10 figures, added 1 figure and extended discussion, accepted for publication in JHE

Cow's Milk Fat Obesity pRevention Trial (CoMFORT): a primary care embedded randomised controlled trial protocol to determine the effect of cow's milk fat on child adiposity.

INTRODUCTION: Cow's milk is a dietary staple for children in North America. Though clinical guidelines suggest children transition from whole (3.25% fat) milk to reduced (1% or 2%) fat milk at age 2 years, recent epidemiological evidence supports a link between whole milk consumption and lower adiposity in children. The purpose of this trial is to determine which milk fat recommendation minimises excess adiposity and optimises child nutrition and growth. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Cow's Milk Fat Obesity pRevention Trial will be a pragmatic, superiority, parallel group randomised controlled trial involving children receiving routine healthcare aged 2 to 4-5 years who are participating in the TARGet Kids! practice-based research network in Toronto, Canada. Children (n=534) will be randomised to receive one of two interventions: (1) a recommendation to consume whole milk or (2) a recommendation to consume reduced (1%) fat milk. The primary outcome is adiposity measured by body mass index z-score and waist circumference z-score; secondary outcomes will be cognitive development (using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire), vitamin D stores, cardiometabolic health (glucose, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, non-high density lipoprotein (non-HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), triglyceride, HDL and total cholesterol, insulin and diastolic and systolic blood pressure), sugary beverage and total energy intake (measured by 24 hours dietary recall) and cost effectiveness. Outcomes will be measured 24 months postrandomisation and compared using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), adjusting for baseline measures. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval has been obtained from Unity Health Toronto and The Hospital for Sick Children. Results will be presented locally, nationally and internationally and published in a peer-reviewed journal. The findings may be helpful to nutrition guidelines for children in effort to reduce childhood obesity using a simple, inexpensive and scalable cow's milk fat intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03914807; pre-results