Proteome changes in lamb semimembranosus muscles associated with the inclusion of sunflower cake in their diet

A diet based on sunflower cake for lambs was assayed in order to reuse biodiesel industrial by-products with the aim of reducing livestock costs and evaluating their influence on meat quality. To achieve these goals, sixteen male lambs were fed diets containing different levels of sunflower cake (control, 5%, 10% and 15%). Afterwards, their semimembranosus muscles were analysed by two-dimensional electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry and their functional protein association was examined using STRING. Structural and metabolic proteins in the lambs’ proteomes changed significantly according to their diet. Fifteen proteins showed significant changes caused by the inclusion of sunflower cake, and the most differentially abundant structural proteins were detected in 2-DE gels from the lambs. Differentially abundant metabolic proteins such as ENO3 (enolase 3), MDH1 (malate dehydrogenase) and ALDH1A1 (retinal dehydrogenase) have been proposed as biomarkers of quality parameters in other species.     

The ECHORD project proposals analysis – Research profiles,collaboration patterns and research topic trends

This paper investigates the research profiles, collaboration patterns and research topic trends which can be identified in the proposals submitted to the ECHORD (European Clearing House for Open Robotics Development) FP7 project. On a country level, clusters were identified and characterized by patterns of proposal production per inhabitant, score and international cooperation. Belgium and Sweden constitute a cluster characterized by high proposal production, with very high scores and extensive international collaboration. Belgium also excels from another cluster analysis, being as the only country where 100% of proposals involve industry–academia cooperation and obtain scores above 10. Other findings show that single partner proposals have significantly lower quality than multi-partner proposals but, on the other hand, the number of countries involved shows no influence on the quality of the proposals. Despite the high number of industrial participants present on the proposals, it is observed that they play secondary roles in the proposals, with a very low number projects leaded by companies. Also, it is observed that partnerships between research institutions (non-universities) are the most successful. Concerning topics of the proposals, the technology human–robot interface and the product vision robot for small-scale manufacturing are the most significant. Finally, the paper shows clusters of institutions extracted from the giant network of relations obtained from the ECHORD set of proposals.     

铌和钛微合金化超级马氏体不锈钢在海水中点蚀机制的研究(英文)

超级马氏体不锈钢(SMSS)在较高温度下具有良好的力学性能,并具有高的应力腐蚀断裂抗力和良好的可焊性,因此其在苛刻环境下的应用正日趋广泛。用于石油勘探的材料要求其具有优良的综合性能,双相不锈钢和超级双相不锈钢尽管价格昂贵,但仍在该领域得到了广泛应用,而具有技术和经济优势的SMSS能取代上述两种钢在石油勘探领域获得应用。通常,SMSS在许多加工行业也有望得到应用。本文研究了添加与未添加Nb或Ti的SMSS的点蚀机制和形貌。添加Nb和Ti是为了使敏化的影响减至最小,促进晶粒细化,并研究其对钢在海水中点蚀的影响,重点在于点蚀的形貌和腐蚀电位。添加与未添加Nb和Ti的钢具有相近的显微硬度和类似的回火马氏体组织。阳极极化曲线表明,用Nb微合金化的钢的腐蚀电位高于其他钢。对不同电位下点蚀的形成和扩展进行了重复试验,并采用光学显微镜进行观察。在工业用钢中,添加Ti的钢显示出了最佳的耐蚀性能——具有最高的腐蚀电位和较低的点蚀电位。添加Nb的钢尽管腐蚀电位较高,但其点蚀电位比未添加Nb的钢低。     

Utilization of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for monitoring bornite (Cu5FeS4) oxidation by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

In this work, the monitoring of the bacterial and chemical dissolution of bornite was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS); the mineral surface was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The analysis of CV results allowed attributing the different peaks observed in both direct and reverse potential scanning to the oxidation of bornite to a secondary covellite and its reduction via different non stoichiometric copper sulphides intermediaries. EIS data for bornite were obtained in control medium up to 78 h of immersion, when a cellular suspension of A. ferrooxidans was added and the experiments continued up to a 192 h of test. The EIS response was different when bacteria were added in the beginning of the test or after some hours of immersion in acid solution. The experiments were performed in different cell configurations and a model of the electrode/electrolyte interface. The correspondent equivalent electrical circuit was used to fit impedance spectra for all studied conditions. A common equivalent circuit used for corrosion processes where anodic (degradation of the mineral) and cathodic (oxygen reduction) reactions occur in parallel, together film and biofilm formation was proposed.     

Electrocatalytic oxidation of ethanol on Pt–Mo bimetallic electrodes in acid medium

Pt–Mo alloy electrocatalysts were prepared by an arc-melting furnace process to investigate the origin of their enhanced activity toward ethanol oxidation. Two Mo contents were chosen in zones of the binary phase diagram where they are supposed to form either a pure alloy mixture or a solid solution. Pt–Mo alloy catalysts were more active than Pt-alone. Gradual Mo dissolution at the electrode surface was observed after voltammetric and chronoamperometric measurements. The dissolved Mo contributed to the catalytic effect of the electrode as underpotentially deposited (upd) adatoms. This dissolution probably also leads to an increase in the electrode surface roughness. Low molybdenum content in the electrode material enhances the activity toward ethanol oxidation when compared to Pt-alone. Ethanol oxidation was also investigated by in situ infrared reflectance spectroscopy in order to determine the presence of adsorbed intermediates like CO species. Acetaldehyde, acetic acid and CO₂ were also found by spectroscopic experiments.