From the Laboratory to The Vineyard—Evolution of The Measurement of Grape Composition using NIR Spectroscopy towards High-Throughput Analysis

Compared to traditional laboratory methods, spectroscopic techniques (e.g., near infrared, hyperspectralimaging)provideanalystswithaninnovativeandimprovedunderstandingofcomplex issuesbydeterminingseveralchemicalcompoundsandmetabolitesatonce,allowingforthecollection of the sample “fingerprint”. These techniques have the potential to deliver high-throughput options for the analysis of the chemical composition of grapes in the laboratory, the vineyard and before or during harvest, to provide better insights of the chemistry, nutrition and physiology of grapes. Faster computers, the development of software and portable easy to use spectrophotometers and data analytical methods allow for the development of innovative applications of these techniques for the analyses of grape composition

From the Laboratory to The Vineyard—Evolution of The Measurement of Grape Composition using NIR Spectroscopy towards High-Throughput Analysis

Compared to traditional laboratory methods, spectroscopic techniques (e.g., near infrared, hyperspectralimaging)provideanalystswithaninnovativeandimprovedunderstandingofcomplex issuesbydeterminingseveralchemicalcompoundsandmetabolitesatonce,allowingforthecollection of the sample “fingerprint”. These techniques have the potential to deliver high-throughput options for the analysis of the chemical composition of grapes in the laboratory, the vineyard and before or during harvest, to provide better insights of the chemistry, nutrition and physiology of grapes. Faster computers, the development of software and portable easy to use spectrophotometers and data analytical methods allow for the development of innovative applications of these techniques for the analyses of grape composition

Applications of Synchrotron-Source IR Spectroscopy for the Investigation of Insect Wings

Synchrotron-source infrared (IR) spectroscopy offers an effective method to characterise the chemical composition across surfaces. The intense light source allows the detection of trace quantities of different chemical components with a superior signal-to-noise ratio, while the highly collimated light enables high-resolution spatial mapping of the chemical distribution. In this chapter, we introduce synchrotron-source IR spectroscopy, using the infrared microspectroscopy (IRM) beamline at the Australian Synchrotron as an example. We then discuss the use of synchrotron-source IR spectroscopy to analyse insect wings in terms of experimental setup and a summary of the results in two different modes of operation, transmission and attenuated total reflection (ATR). Insect wings possess unique anti-wetting, self-cleaning, anti-biofouling and bactericidal properties and provide inspiration for biomimetic surfaces on synthetic materials which possess similar properties, useful in a range of industries

Fabrication of Ti14Nb4Sn Alloys for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications

In this paper, porous Ti14Nb4Sn alloys were fabricated using a space holder sintering method, resulting in a porosity of ~70%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses revealed a combination of both macropore and micropore structures. The fabricated titanium alloy scaffolds exhibited a similar structure to that of natural bone, which is expected to improve bone implant longevity. Bacterial cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 were employed for the in vitro test

Fabrication of Ti14Nb4Sn alloys for bone tissue engineering applications

In this paper, porous Ti14Nb4Sn alloys were fabricated using a space holder sintering method, resulting in a porosity of ~70%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses revealed a combination of both macropore and micropore structures. The fabricated titanium alloy scaffolds exhibited a similar structure to that of natural bone, which is expected to improve bone implant longevity. Bacterial cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 were employed for the in vitro test

Molecular and structural basis for Lewis glycan recognition by a cancer-targeting antibody

Immunotherapy has been successful in treating many tumour types. The development of additional tumour-antigen binding monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) will help expand the range of immunotherapeutic targets. Lewis histo-blood group and related glycans are overexpressed on many carcinomas, including those of the colon, lung, breast, prostate and ovary, and can therefore be selectively targeted by mAbs. Here we examine the molecular and structural basis for recognition of extended Lea and Lex containing glycans by a chimeric mAb. Both the murine (FG88.2) IgG3 and a chimeric (ch88.2) IgG1 mAb variants showed reactivity to colorectal cancer cells leading to significantly reduced cell viability. We determined the X-ray structure of the unliganded ch88.2 fragment antigen-binding (Fab) containing two Fabs in the unit cell. A combination of molecular docking, glycan grafting and molecular dynamics simulations predicts two distinct subsites for recognition of Lea and Lex trisaccharides. While light chain residues were exclusively used for Lea binding, recognition of Lex involved both light and heavy chain residues. An extended groove is predicted to accommodate the Lea–Lex hexasaccharide with adjoining subsites for each trisaccharide. The molecular and structural details of the ch88.2 mAb presented here provide insight into its cross-reactivity for various Lea and Lex containing glycans. Furthermore, the predicted interactions with extended epitopes likely explains the selectivity of this antibody for targeting Lewis-positive tumours

The distribution, fate, and environmental impacts of food additive nanomaterials in soil and aquatic ecosystems.

Nanomaterials in the food industry are used as food additives, and the main function of these food additives is to improve food qualities including texture, flavor, color, consistency, preservation, and nutrient bioavailability. This review aims to provide an overview of the distribution, fate, and environmental and health impacts of food additive nanomaterials in soil and aquatic ecosystems. Some of the major nanomaterials in food additives include titanium dioxide, silver, gold, silicon dioxide, iron oxide, and zinc oxide. Ingestion of food products containing food additive nanomaterials via dietary intake is considered to be one of the major pathways of human exposure to nanomaterials. Food additive nanomaterials reach the terrestrial and aquatic environments directly through the disposal of food wastes in landfills and the application of food waste-derived soil amendments. A significant amount of ingested food additive nanomaterials (> 90 %) is excreted, and these nanomaterials are not efficiently removed in the wastewater system, thereby reaching the environment indirectly through the disposal of recycled water and sewage sludge in agricultural land. Food additive nanomaterials undergo various transformation and reaction processes, such as adsorption, aggregation-sedimentation, desorption, degradation, dissolution, and bio-mediated reactions in the environment. These processes significantly impact the transport and bioavailability of nanomaterials as well as their behaviour and fate in the environment. These nanomaterials are toxic to soil and aquatic organisms, and reach the food chain through plant uptake and animal transfer. The environmental and health risks of food additive nanomaterials can be overcome by eliminating their emission through recycled water and sewage sludge. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antibacterial Activity of Nanoparticles

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is predicted to soon become one of the most serious threats to human and animal health [...

Investigation of bacterial attachment patterns on micro-and nano-restricted surface topographies

The use of nanotechnology in the design and fabrication of nanomaterials is rapidly increasing, particularly in commercial applications that span electronics, renewable energy, cosmetics, automotive and medical products. The use of metallic implants is increasing and diversifying; as is research into the use of titanium that has undergone bioactive surface modification to increase biocompatibility and eliminate bacterial biofilm formation. Biofilm formation by human pathogenic bacteria on medical implants can be problematic, most often leading to failure of the device and requiring its surgical removal from the patient. Biofilms can be associated with systemic infection, loss of limb or organ function, amputation or death. Therefore it is critical to identify ways by which implant surfaces can be improved so that they can modulate the degree of bacterial attachment that takes place on their surfaces. In this study, the modification of titanium surfaces was achieved using two different approaches, namely the alteration of the surface architecture of the bulk titanium, and by coating substrate surfaces with thin films of titanium. For bulk titanium materials, equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) and femtosecond laser ablation were employed to alter the surface micro-and nanoscopically topographic parameters. A magnetron physical vapour deposition system was employed to fabricate titanium thin films containing particular sub-nanometric surface features. Radio-frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (RF PECVD) was also investigated as a method by which titanium surfaces could be improved by coating the titanium surface with thin films of terpinen-4-ol, a constituent of tea-tree oil that has been shown to be anti-microbial. An optimised experimental procedure allowed the application of RF PECVD of terpinen-4-ol such that the resulting film retained the chemical integrity and functional properties of the original terpinen-4-ol. The physical and chemical properties of all types of fabricated or/and modified titanium surfaces were thoroughly characterised using contact angle goniometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), optical interferometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier-transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy. Two medically important bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 and Staphylococcus aureus CIP 65.8T, were used to study their attachment and biofilm formation on the fabricated and/or modified surfaces. The results obtained in this study suggest that micro-to sub-nanoscale surface topography plays an important role in modulating the degree of bacterial attachment. On superhydrophobic titanium surfaces fabricated using femtosecond laser ablation, the spherical S. aureus appeared to be able to successfully colonise the surface, whilst the rod-shaped P. aeruginosa cells were not able to do so. It was found that whilst the total surface area of the surface increased as a result of the laser processing, it appeared that not all of this increased area was available for bacterial attachment; in fact it is likely that the increased resistance to bacterial colonisation by P. aeruginosa cells arose from a greatly diminished surface area that was available for cell attachment. The spherical bacteria, on the other hand, appeared to require a much lower degree of surface contact to allow successful attachment. It is proposed that in order to sustain their attachment on nano-structured titanium surfaces, bacteria employ a few different attachment mechanisms which are dependent on the nanoscale of the surface topography. Cell membrane deformability, as a result of the Helfrich’s repulsive force of different cell morphologies, may play a major role during the process of bacterial attachment onto a molecularly smooth surface, where previously proposed mechanisms of attachment, such as through interactions with the flagella and fimbriae, or by the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) appeared not to promote bacterial adhesion