Observations on the changes in nitrate concentrations along streams in seven upland moorland catchments in Northeast Scotland

River water has been sampled under baseflow conditions in both summer and winter at c. 250-m intervals along the length of each of seven rivers in northeast Scotland, and the nitrate contents have been determined. The resultant data have been examined in the context of the nitrogen saturation hypothesis. Capacity of the catchment soils to retain nitrate was generally minimal in winter. Although biological uptake of nitrate was evident in summer, in the upper part of each catchment substantial nitrate leaching still occurred. The phenomenon was most marked in water draining from hill peats, except where these were conspicuously waterlogged. The results are discussed in the context of possible nitrogen saturation effects on upper catchment slopes.     

Boosting the electrochemical performance of Li-garnet based all-solid-state batteries with Li<Subscript>4</Subscript>Ti<Subscript>5</Subscript>O<Subscript>12</Subscript> electrode: Routes to cheap and large scale ceramic processing

All-solid-state batteries based on fast Li⁺ conducting solid electrolytes such as Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ (LLZO) give perspective on safe, non-inflammable, and temperature tolerant energy storage. Despite the promise, ceramic processing of whole battery assemblies reaching close to theoretical capacities and finding optimal strategies to process large-scale and low cost battery cells remains a challenge. Here, we tackle these issues and report on a solid-state battery cell composed of Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ / c-Li_6.25Al_0.25La₃Zr₂O₁₂ / metallic Li delivering capacities around 70–75 Ah/kg with reversible cycling at a rate of 8 A/kg (for 2.5–1.0 V, 95 °C). A key aspect towards the increase in capacity and Li⁺ transfer at the solid electrolyte-electrode interface is found to be the intimate embedding of grains and their connectivity, which can be implemented by the isostatic pressing of cells during their preparation. We suggest that simple adaption of ceramic processing, such as the applied pressure during processing, strongly alters the electrochemical performance by assuring good grain contacts at the electrolyte-electrode interface. Among the garnet-type all-solid-state ceramic battery assemblies in the field, considerably improved capacities and cycling properties are demonstrated for Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ / c-Li_6.25Al_0.25La₃Zr₂O₁₂ / metallic Li pressed cells, giving new perspectives on cheap ceramic processing and up-scalable garnet-based all-solid-state batteries.     

An Insight into Microbial Inoculants for Bioconversion of Waste Biomass into Sustainable “Bio-Organic” Fertilizers: A Bibliometric Analysis and Systematic Literature Review

The plant-microbe holobiont has garnered considerable attention in recent years, highlighting its importance as an ecological unit. Similarly, manipulation of the microbial entities involved in the rhizospheric microbiome for sustainable agriculture has also been in the limelight, generating several commercial bioformulations to enhance crop yield and pest resistance. These bioformulations were termed biofertilizers, with the consistent existence and evolution of different types. However, an emerging area of interest has recently focused on the application of these microorganisms for waste valorization and the production of “bio-organic” fertilizers as a result. In this study, we performed a bibliometric analysis and systematic review of the literature retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science to determine the type of microbial inoculants used for the bioconversion of waste into “bio-organic” fertilizers. The Bacillus, Acidothiobacillus species, cyanobacterial biomass species, Aspergillus sp. and Trichoderma sp. were identified to be consistently used for the recovery of nutrients and bioconversion of wastes used for the promotion of plant growth. Cyanobacterial strains were used predominantly for wastewater treatment, while Bacillus, Acidothiobacillus, and Aspergillus were used on a wide variety of wastes such as sawdust, agricultural waste, poultry bone meal, crustacean shell waste, food waste, and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) sewage sludge ash. Several bioconversion strategies were observed such as submerged fermentation, solid-state fermentation, aerobic composting, granulation with microbiological activation, and biodegradation. Diverse groups of microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) with different enzymatic functionalities such as chitinolysis, lignocellulolytic, and proteolysis, in addition to their plant growth promoting properties being explored as a consortium for application as an inoculum waste bioconversion to fertilizers. Combining the efficiency of such functional and compatible microbial species for efficient bioconversion as well as higher plant growth and crop yield is an enticing opportunity for “bio-organic” fertilizer research.     

Pharmaceutical Development of Nanostructured Vesicular Hydrogel Formulations of Rifampicin for Wound Healing

Chronic wounds exhibit elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines, resulting in the release of proteolytic enzymes which delay wound-healing processes. In recent years, rifampicin has gained significant attention in the treatment of chronic wounds due to an interesting combination of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Unfortunately, rifampicin is sensitive to hydrolysis and oxidation. As a result, no topical drug product for wound-healing applications has been approved. To address this medical need two nanostructured hydrogel formulations of rifampicin were developed. The liposomal vesicles were embedded into hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) gel or a combination of hyaluronic acid and marine collagen. To protect rifampicin from degradation in aqueous environments, a freeze-drying method was developed. Before freeze-drying, two well-defined hydrogel preparations were obtained. After freeze-drying, the visual appearance, chemical stability, residual moisture content, and redispersion time of both preparations were within acceptable limits. However, the morphological characterization revealed an increase in the vesicle size for collagen–hyaluronic acid hydrogel. This was confirmed by subsequent release studies. Interactions of marine collagen with phosphatidylcholine were held responsible for this effect. The HPMC hydrogel formulation remained stable over 6 months of storage. Moving forward, this product fulfills all criteria to be evaluated in preclinical and clinical studies.     

LAIR1, an ITIM-Containing Receptor Involved in Immune Disorders and in Hematological Neoplasms

Leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin (Ig)-like receptor 1 (LAIR1, CD305) belongs to the family of immune-inhibitory receptors and is widely expressed on hematopoietic mature cells, particularly on immune cells. Four different types of ligands of LAIR1 have been described, including collagens, suggesting a potential immune-regulatory function on the extracellular matrix. By modulating cytokine secretion and cellular functions, LAIR1 displays distinct patterns of expression among NK cell and T/B lymphocyte subsets during their differentiation and cellular activation and plays a major negative immunoregulatory role. Beyond its implications in physiology, the activity of LAIR1 can be inappropriately involved in various autoimmune or inflammatory disorders and has been implicated in cancer physiopathology, including hematological neoplasms. Its action as an inhibitory receptor can result in the dysregulation of immune cellular responses and in immune escape within the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, when expressed by tumor cells, LAIR1 can modulate their proliferation or invasion properties, with contradictory pro- or anti-tumoral effects depending on tumor type. In this review, we will focus on its role in normal physiological conditions, as well as during pathological situations, including hematological malignancies. We will also discuss potential therapeutic strategies targeting LAIR1 for the treatment of various autoimmune diseases and cancer settings.     

APOB CRISPR-Cas9 Engineering in Hypobetalipoproteinemia: A Promising Tool for Functional Studies of Novel Variants

Hypobetalipoproteinemia is characterized by LDL-cholesterol and apolipoprotein B (apoB) plasma levels below the fifth percentile for age and sex. Familial hypobetalipoproteinemia (FHBL) is mostly caused by premature termination codons in the APOB gene, a condition associated with fatty liver and steatohepatitis. Nevertheless, many families with a FHBL phenotype carry APOB missense variants of uncertain significance (VUS). We here aimed to develop a proof-of-principle experiment to assess the pathogenicity of VUS using the genome editing of human liver cells. We identified a novel heterozygous APOB-VUS (p.Leu351Arg), in a FHBL family. We generated APOB knock-out (KO) and APOB-p.Leu351Arg knock-in Huh7 cells using CRISPR-Cas9 technology and studied the APOB expression, synthesis and secretion by digital droplet PCR and ELISA quantification. The APOB expression was decreased by 70% in the heterozygous APOB-KO cells and almost abolished in the homozygous-KO cells, with a consistent decrease in apoB production and secretion. The APOB-p.Leu351Arg homozygous cells presented with a 40% decreased APOB expression and undetectable apoB levels in cellular extracts and supernatant. Thus, the p.Leu351Arg affected the apoB secretion, which led us to classify this new variant as likely pathogenic and to set up a hepatic follow-up in this family. Therefore, the functional assessment of APOB-missense variants, using gene-editing technologies, will lead to improvements in the molecular diagnosis of FHBL and the personalized follow-up of these patients.     

Lean NOx Trap Chemistry Under Lean-Gasoline Exhaust Conditions: Impact of High NOx Concentrations and High Temperature

The primary technical barrier to deployment of fuel saving lean gasoline engines is NOx emissions control. We conducted automated flow reactor experiments on a commercial LNT catalyst to identify opportunities and challenges associated with the higher temperatures and higher NOx concentrations expected in lean gasoline applications. Overall NOx conversion was quite high at low to moderate temperatures, but dropped off at high temperatures. The decrease in NOx conversion with temperature was worse for higher inlet NOx concentrations. As expected from equilibrium considerations, the catalyst stored more NOx under higher gas phase NOx concentrations, but that NOx was rapidly released during the rich phase and slipped out of the catalyst before it could be converted to N₂ by incoming reductant. This rich phase NOx release was the primary factor limiting performance of the catalyst at high temperatures, and resulted in significant spikes of NOx that would likely exceed any not-to-exceed regulated emissions levels. N₂O production was also significant, and increased with NOx concentration. The catalyst made very little NH₃ at high temperatures. NH₃ yield was significant at the lowest operating temperature studied, but it decreased with increasing NOx concentration.     

Semivolatile organic compounds in window films from lower Manhattan after the September 11th World Trade Center attacks

The September 11th World Trade Center (WTC) terrorist attacks resulted in the large-scale release of contaminants that were deposited on the environment of New York City (NYC). Six weeks after the attacks, samples of an organic film on window surfaces were collected and analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCN), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). Concentrations dropped by an order of magnitude within 1 km of the WTC and reached background concentrations by 3.5 km. Concentrations within 1 km of the WTC averaged 3280 ng/m2 for sigmaPBDE, 900 ng/m2 for sigmaPCB, 33 ng/m2 for sigmaPCN, and 77100 ng/m2 for sigmaPAH. Congener profiles of the sites nearest the WTC suggested a combination of combustion and evaporative sources of all compounds, whereas the background sites exhibited profiles consistent with evaporative sources. PBDE profiles showed enrichment in lower molecular weight congeners near the WTC, suggesting that these congeners were formed as a result of the combustion conditions. Homologue fractions of PCN combustion markers were approximately 2-9 times greater at near WTC sites compared to background NYC. Gas-phase air concentrations were back-calculated from measured film concentrations using the film-air partition coefficient (KFA), and calculated air concentrations followed spatial trends observed in films.     

ARMAX modelling of international tourism demand

Box–Jenkins (1970) models are often used to capture the autoregressive moving average of past observations of tourist arrivals from Japan to Taiwan and New Zealand. However, other explanatory variables, such as real income in the origin country, have also affected the demand for international travel. The purpose of this paper is to use the ARMAX model to investigate the dynamic relationship between tourism demand and real income of Japan, and to compare the findings with the single-equation model. Unit root tests and diagnostics are performed before estimating the income elasticity of travel demand by Japan for New Zealand and Taiwan based on seasonally unadjusted quarterly data for 1980(1) to 2004(2). The empirical results of the ARMAX model support the economic theory that the demand for international travel is positively related to income of the origin country.