Isolating Linum usitatissimum L. Nuclear DNA Enabled Assembling High-Quality Genome

High-quality genome sequences help to elucidate the genetic basis of numerous biological processes and track species evolution. For flax (Linum usitatissimum L.)—a multifunctional crop, high-quality assemblies from Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) data were unavailable, largely due to the difficulty of isolating pure high-molecular-weight DNA. This article proposes a scheme for gaining a contiguous L. usitatissimum assembly using Nanopore data. We developed a protocol for flax nuclei isolation with subsequent DNA extraction, which allows obtaining about 5 μg of pure high-molecular-weight DNA from 0.5 g of leaves. Such an amount of material can be collected even from a single plant and yields more than 30 Gb of ONT data in two MinION runs. We performed a comparative analysis of different genome assemblers and polishers on the gained data and obtained the final 447.1-Mb assembly of L. usitatissimum line 3896 genome using the Canu—Racon (two iterations)—Medaka combination. The genome comprised 1695 contigs and had an N50 of 6.2 Mb and a completeness of 93.8% of BUSCOs from eudicots_odb10. Our study highlights the impact of the chosen genome construction strategy on the resulting assembly parameters and its eligibility for future genomic studies.     

Quantitative Metabolomic Analysis of Changes in the Rat Blood Serum during Autophagy Modulation: A Focus on Accelerated Senescence

Autophagy is involved in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and the removal of damaged proteins and organelles and is necessary to maintain cell metabolism in conditions of energy and nutrient deficiency. A decrease in autophagic activity plays an important role in age-related diseases. However, the metabolic response to autophagy modulation remains poorly understood. Here, we for the first time explored the effects of (1) autophagy activation by 48 h fasting, (2) inhibition by chloroquine (CQ) treatment, and (3) combined effects of fasting and CQ on the quantitative composition of metabolites in the blood serum of senescent-accelerated OXYS and control Wistar rats at the age of 4 months. By means of high-resolution ¹H NMR spectroscopy, we identified the quantitative content of 55 serum metabolites, including amino acids, organic acids, antioxidants, osmolytes, glycosides, purine, and pyrimidine derivatives. Groups of 48 h fasting (induction of autophagy), CQ treatment (inhibition of autophagy), and combined effects (CQ + fasting) are clearly separated from control groups by principal component analysis. Fasting for 48 h led to significant changes in the serum metabolomic profile, primarily affecting metabolic pathways related to fatty acid metabolism, and led to metabolism of several amino acids. Under CQ treatment, the most affected metabolites were citrate, betaine, cytidine, proline, tryptophan, glutamate, and mannose. As shown by two-way ANOVA, for many metabolites the effects of autophagy modulation depend on the animal genotype, indicating a dysregulation of metabolome reactivity in OXYS rats. Thus, the metabolic responses to modulation of autophagy in OXYS rats and Wistar rats are different. Altered metabolites in OXYS rats may serve as potential biomarkers of the manifestation of the signs of accelerated aging. Metabolic signatures characteristic to fasting and CQ treatment revealed in this work might provide a better understanding of the connections between metabolism and autophagy.     

MXene-containing composite electrodes for hydrogen evolution: Material design aspects and approaches for electrode fabrication

This work explores the possibilities for the processing of Ni- and Ti₃C₂T_x (T = OH, O) MXene-containing composite electrodes, by co-pressing and plastic deformation or by etching of the electrodes prepared directly by self-propagation high-temperature synthesis (SHS). Various material design approaches were also explored. In order to tune the Ti₃C₂ interlayer distance in Ti₃C₂Al MAX phase, an introduction of additional Al to form Ti₃C₂Al_z materials with z > 1 was attempted. Self-propagation high-temperature synthesis of powder mixtures with extra Ni and Al content (e.g. Ni:Ti:Al:C = 1:2:3:1) resulted in SHS products containing Ti₃C₂Al_z z > 1 material and Ni–Al alloys. Further etching of these products in 10M NaOH allowed the direct formation of electrodes with active surface containing Ti₃C₂T_x (T = OH, O) MXene- and Raney nickel-containing composites. The electrochemical studies were focused on hydrogen evolution and showed the potential for boosting the electrochemical reaction in Ni and MXene-containing composite electrodes, especially at high current densities. The guidelines for the processing of such electrodes under fluorine-free conditions are proposed and discussed.     

Computer Modeling System of the Industrial Diesel Fuel Catalytic Dewaxing Process

An unsteady mathematical model and a computer modeling system of the diesel fuel catalytic dewaxing process (mild hydrocracking) were developed. The modeling system allows for calculating the optimal technological mode to produce low‐freezing diesel fuel with the required cold filter plugging point taking into account the feedstock composition and catalyst activity. The modeling system consists of the main blocks: database, knowledge base, unsteady mathematical model of the diesel fuel catalytic dewaxing process, and application program package. Using the developed computer modeling system, the influence of the feedstock composition and flow rate as well as of the catalyst activity on the cold filter plugging point and the yield of diesel fuel is demonstrated.     

Self-sealing, autogenous healing and continued hydration: What is the difference?

It is well known that as concrete hydrates its permeability decreases. Continued hydration, however, is not the only mechanism which causes such reduction. Self-sealing, which is largely attributed to the dissolution and redeposition of hydrates, and autogenous healing of cracks, can also significantly reduce the flow. This paper reviews the relative effects of self-sealing, autogenous healing and hydration.     

Development of a Sensitive Microarray Platform for the Ranking of Galectin Inhibitors: Identification of a Selective Galectin‐3 Inhibitor

Glycan microarrays are useful tools for lectin glycan profiling. The use of a glycan microarray based on evanescent‐field fluorescence detection was herein further extended to the screening of lectin inhibitors in competitive experiments. The efficacy of this approach was tested with 2/3′‐mono‐ and 2,3′‐diaromatic type II lactosamine derivatives and galectins as targets and was validated by comparison with fluorescence anisotropy proposed as an orthogonal protein interaction measurement technique. We showed that subtle differences in the architecture of the inhibitor could be sensed that pointed out the preference of galectin‐3 for 2′‐arylamido derivatives over ureas, thioureas, and amines and that of galectin‐7 for derivatives bearing an α substituent at the anomeric position of glucosamine. We eventually identified a diaromatic oxazoline as a highly specific inhibitor of galectin‐3 versus galectin‐1 and galectin‐7.     

Interphase layer formation in isotactic polypropylene/ethylene–propylene rubber blends

The influence of the interphase layer, formed by the introduction of an oil in ethylene–propylene rubber (EPR), on the structure and properties of isotactic polypropylene (iPP)/EPR blends was studied. The dispersity of the rubber phase in the iPP matrix did not depend on presence of oil. The melting temperature of iPP decreased with increasing content of oil‐extended EPR, and it did not change if the oil was absent. The compatibility parameter was determined from the dependency of the iPP melting point on the rubber content with the Nishi–Wang equation. A negative value of the parameter indicated a limited compatibility of iPP with oil‐extended EPR. The latter also reduced the temperature and heat of crystallization of iPP. The mechanical properties of iPP/EPR blends were investigated as functions of temperature and elongation rate. It appeared that elastic modulus and yield stress of the blends linearly depended on the logarithm of the elongation rate. Activation volumes, calculated with the Eyring equation, increased with increasing content of elastomer; moreover, this increase was more pronounced for the oil‐extended elastomer. It is suggested that the oil influenced the structure of the interphase layer and, accordingly, the characteristics of the iPP/EPR blends. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 249–257, 2003     

Preparation of magnetic poly(glycidyl methacrylate) microspheres by emulsion polymerization in the presence of sterically stabilized iron oxide nanoparticles

With the aim to synthesize water‐dispersible superparamagnetic nanoparticles, iron oxide was precipitated in aqueous solution of dextran, (carboxymethyl) dextran (CM‐dextran), (DEAE‐dextran), or D ‐mannose. Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was emulsion‐polymerized in the presence of the nanoparticles and the effect of iron oxide modification on the product properties was investigated. The main factors affecting the morphology, size, and size distribution of the latex particles are the type and concentration of emulsifier (Disponil AES 60, Tween 20, Triton X‐100) and initiator [ammonium persulfate (APS) and 4,4′‐azobis(4‐cyanovaleric acid) (ACVA)]. Disponil AES 60 and ACVA are the preferred emulsifier and initiator, respectively, because oxirane groups hydrolyzed during the APS‐initiated polymerization. Up to some 5 wt % of iron was found in poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) microspheres obtained by emulsion polymerization in the presence of dextran‐coated iron oxide and emulsified with Disponil AES 60. The size of magnetic PGMA microspheres could be controlled in the range ? 70–400 nm. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 4348–4357, 2006     

Antioxidant activity of phytogenous industrial waste and derived extracts for the production of feed and food additives

Organic wastes as well as their ethanolic, water and heptane extracts and fermented products derived from herbs, fruit and vegetables obtained worldwide from food and pharmaceutical industries were investigated regarding their antioxidant activities using different methods [1.1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl, Fe^III‐reduction method and photochemiluminescence (PCL)]. The highest antioxidative activities were exhibited by different products of grape seed wastes (350–830 mg rosmarinic acid equivalent g^?1 dried material = rae g^?1 dm) followed by ethanolic extracts of blueberry (475 mg rae g^?1 dm), larch (219 mg rae g^?1 dm), willow (193 mg rae g^?1 dm) and sunflower presscake (154 mg rae g^?1 dm). Ethanolic extracts of the residues showed comparatively higher activity than water extracts. The least antioxidative capacities were found in heptane extracts of serenoa products (0.4; 0.6 mg rae g^?1 dm) and fermented waste of carrots (1.6 mg rae g^?1 dm). Correlating different assay methods, the strongest correlation was found between Fe^III‐reduction and DPPH‐method (correlation coefficient r² = 0.99**) and the weakest between Fe^III‐reduction and PCL method (r² = 0.57**) for raw materials.