This study investigates the fabrication and optimization of Co-Fe-P catalysts on Cu foam using electroless deposition, focusing on their hydrogen generation efficiency. Deposition times were varied from 1 to 10 minutes, resulting in spherical Co-Fe-P particles growing from sub-micron to several microns in size. The optimal hydrogen generation rate of 27.66 ml/min was achieved with a 5-minute deposition. Extending the deposition to 10 minutes led to particle aggregation, reducing the efficiency per unit weight. The impact of bath temperatures from 30°C to 60°C was also assessed, with temperatures of 50°C and above promoting the development of larger 3D structures and increasing Fe and P contents (~9.3 wt.% and 10 wt.%). This enhanced hydrogen generation, peaking again at 27.66 ml/min. NaOH concentrations were varied from 0.5 M to 0.9 M, showing that concentrations over 0.8 M improved catalyst morphology and performance, increasing hydrogen generation to 10.03 ml/min. Among substrates tested, Co-Fe-P on Cu foam demonstrated the highest hydrogen generation rate due to better catalyst distribution and surface area. The study underscores the importance of deposition conditions and substrate choice in optimizing Co-Fe-P catalysts for hydrogen generation.

Streptococcus suis is a zoonotic pathogen causing serious infections in both swine and humans. Although metals are essential for life, excess amounts of metals they are toxic to bacteria. when accumulated in excess amounts. Except for zinc, Transcriptome-level data of the mechanisms for resistance to metal-induced toxicity in S. suis are available for no metals other than zinc. have not been investigated from the transcriptome level in S. suis. Herein, we explored the transcriptome-level changes of in S. suis in response to ferrous iron and cobalt toxicity by RNA sequencing. Many A lot of genes were differentially expressed in the presence of excess ferrous iron and cobalt. Most of the genes in response to cobalt toxicity showed the same expression trends as those were expressed in the same trend in response to ferrous iron toxicity. qRT-PCR analysis of the selected genes confirmed the accuracy of RNA sequencing results. Bioinformatics analysis of the differentially expressed genes indicated that ferrous iron and cobalt have similar impacts effects on the cellular processes of S. suis. Treatment with ferrous Ferrous iron treatment resulted in down-regulation of several oxidative stress tolerance-related genes involved in oxidative stress tolerance and up-regulation of the genes in an amino acid ABC transporter operon. Expression of the several genes in the arginine deiminase system was down-regulated in the presence of after ferrous iron and cobalt treatment. Collectively, our results suggested that S. suis alters the expression of a lot of multiple genes to respond to ferrous iron and cobalt toxicity.

This study presents a tri-layer broadband metamaterial absorber which operates in the GHz range. The absorber was composed of a polyhedral iron-cobalt alloy/graphite nanosheet material arranged in a flat sheet with two punched-in rings for the top layer, a continuous FR-4 layer at the middle, and a continuous copper layer at the bottom. For the normal incidence of electromagnetic wave, the proposed absorber demonstrated an exceptional broadband absorption in a frequency range of 7.9-14.6 GHz, revealing an absorption exceeding 90%. The absorption magnitude remains to be above 90% in a frequency range of 8-11.1 GHz for transverse-electric-polarized waves at incident angles up to 55°. For both transverse-magnetic- and electric-polarized waves, the absorption exceeds 90% in a frequency range of 9.5-14.6 GHz. The physical mechanism behind the absorption properties is analyzed thoroughly through the electric- and magnetic-field distributions. The obtained results could contribute potentially to the development of microwave applications based on metamaterial absorbers, such as radar-stealth technology, electromagnetic shielding for health safety and reduced electromagnetic interferences for high-performance communications and electronic devices.

The development and improvement of methods for the synthesis of environmentally friendly catalysts based on base metals is currently an urgent and promising task of modern catalysis. Catalysts based on nanoscale magnetite and maghemite have fast adsorption-desorption kinetics and high chemical activity. The purpose of this work was to obtain magnetic composites, determine their physicochemical characteristics and verify their activity in the process of liquid-phase oxidation of phenol with oxygen. Magnetic nanocomposites were obtained by chemical co-deposition of salts of ferrous and trivalent iron. The synthesized magnetic composites were studied by X-ray diffractometry, energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence and Mössbauer spectroscopy, IR-Fourier spectroscopy, elemental analysis. To increase the catalytic activity in oxidative processes, the magnetite surfaces were modified using cobalt nitrate salt. Further, CoFe2O4 was stabilized by adding polyethylenimine (PEI) as a surfactant. Preliminary studies of the oxidation of phenol with oxygen, as the most typical environmental pollutant were carried out on the obtained Fe3O4, CuFe2O4, CoFe2O4/PEI catalysts. The spectrum of the reaction product shows the presence of CH in the aromatic ring and double C=C bonds, stretching vibrations of the C=O groups of carbonyl compounds; the band at 3059 cm–1 corresponds to the presence of double C=C bonds, the band at 3424 cm–1 hydroquinone compounds. The band at 1678 cm–1 and the intense band at 1646 cm–1 refer to vibrations of the С=О bonds of the carbonyl group of benzoquinone. Peaks at 1366 cm–1 and 1310 cm–1 can be related to the vibrations of C–H and C–C bonds of the quinone ring. Thus it was demonstrated that produced magnetic composites based on iron oxide are quite effective in the oxidation of phenol with oxygen.

The use of cobalt-iron (VaCoFe) core is investigated as an alternative to silicon-iron (FeSi) on the design of interior permanent magnet synchronous motors (IPMSM). A spoke-type IPMSM geometry is optimized considering FeSi and VaCoFe cores for a torque range up to 40 N.m, providing a general comparative analysis between materials, considering the application of a 4-motor competition vehicle’s powertrain. A genetic optimization algorithm is applied over a hybrid analytical/finite-element model of the motor to provide sufficiently accurate electromagnetic and thermal results within a feasible time. VaCoFe can result in an estimated increase of up to 5 % in efficiency for the same torque, or up to 64 % torque increase for the same efficiency level. After optimization, and using a detailed time-dependent model, a potential 3.2 % increase in efficiency, a core weight reduction of 4.1 %, and a decrease of 9.6 % in the motor’s core volume was found for the VaCoFe at 20 Nm. In addition, for the same motor volume, the VaCoFe allows an increase of 51.9 % of torque with an increase of 1.1 % of efficiency, when compared with FeSi.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) constitute the first cause of death among the population of developing and developed countries. Atherosclerosis, which is a disorder with multifactorial etiopathogenesis, underlies most CVDs. The available literature includes ample research studies on the influence of classic cardiovascular (CV) risk factors. However, environmental exposure to heavy metals, among other substances, is still an unappreciated risk factor of CVDs. This study aimed to assess the concentration of some heavy metals (copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), and iron (Fe)) in the blood serum of postmyocardial infarction (post-MI) patients and patients free from myocardial infarction (MI) as well as estimate the relationship between the occurrence of MI and increased concentration of heavy metals. The concentration of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Mn, Co, and Fe) was assessed using the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry technique in a group of 146 respondents divided into two groups: post-MI group (study group (SG), n = 74) and group without cardiovascular event (CVE) having a low CV risk (control group (CG), n = 72). The concentration of the analyzed heavy metals was higher in SG. All the heavy metals showed a significant diagnostic value (p < 0.001). The highest value of area under the curve (AUC) was observed for manganese (Mn) (0.955; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.922–0.988), while the lowest value was found for zinc (Zn) (0.691; 95% CI = 0.599–0.782). In one-dimensional models, high concentrations of each of the analyzed heavy metals significantly increased the chances of having MI from 7-fold (Cu) to 128-fold (Mn). All the models containing a particular metal showed a significant and high discrimination value for MI occurrence (AUC 0.72–0.92). Higher concentrations of Cu, Zn, Mn, Co, and Fe were found to considerably increase the chances of having MI. Considering the increasingly higher environmental exposure to heavy metals in recent times, their concentrations can be distinguished as a potential risk factor of CVDs.

This study concerns calculation and comparison of Fe, Co, Ni and Cu deposition rates in tungsten codeposition process based on electrodeposition of numerous tungsten alloys. 8 different tungsten alloys containing from 2 to 5 metals were electrodeposited in constant conditions in order to compare exact reduction rates. Calculated rates enabled control of the alloy composition precise enough to obtain a high-entropy WFeCoNiCu alloy with well-balanced composition. Introduction of copper to form the quinternary alloy was found to catalyze the whole process, increasing deposition rates of all components of the high-entropy alloy.

Iron-containing nickel sulfides, selenides, and sulfoselenides were synthesized via a simple two-step hydrothermal reaction (temperature 160 °C) for their application as electrocatalysts in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in an alkaline solution (1 mol L–1 KOH). The study demonstrated that iron-containing nickel cobalt sulfides and selenides exhibit superior OER performance with lower overpotentials compared to iron-free nickel cobalt sulfide and selenide, which highlights the significant role of iron in enhancing OER nickel cobalt electrocatalysts: Fe0.1Ni1.4Co2.9(S0.87O0.13)4, η50 = 318 mV; Fe0.2Ni1.5Co2.8(S0.9O0.1)4, η50 = 310 mV; Fe0.3Ni1.2Co2.5(S0.9O0.1)4, η50 = 294 mV; Fe0.6Ni1.2Co2.5(S0.83O0.17)4, η50 = 294 mV, Fe0.4Ni0.7Co1.6(Se0.81O0.19)4, η50 = 306 mV compared to Ni1.0Co2.1(S0.9O0.1)4, η50 = 346 mV and Ni0.7Co1.4(Se0.85O0.15)4, η50 = 355 mV (all values at current densities η50 of 50 mA cm–2). Furthermore, the iron-containing nickel cobalt sulfoselenide Fe0.5Ni1.0Co2.0(S0.57Se0.25O0.18)4 displayed exceptional OER performance with η50 = 277 mV, surpassing the benchmark RuO2 electrode with η50 = 299 mV. The superior performance of the sulfoselenide was attributed to its low charge transfer resistance (Rct) of 0.8 Ω at 1.5 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). Moreover, the sulfoselenide demonstrated remarkable stability, with only a minimal increase in overpotential (η50) from 277 mV to 279 mV after a 20 h chronopotentiometry test. These findings suggest that trimetallic iron, nickel and cobalt sulfide, selenide and especially sulfoselenide materials hold promise as high-performance, cost-effective, and durable electrocatalysts for sustainable OER reactions. This study provides a valuable approach for the development of efficient electrocatalytic materials, contributing to the advancement of renewable energy technologies.

In the past decade, under the background of the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality era, the rapid development of new energy vehicles has put forward higher requirements for the performance of strike forces such as battery cycle life, energy density and cost. Lithium-ion batteries have gradually become the mainstream of electric vehicle power batteries due to their excellent energy density, rate performance and cycle life. At present, the most widely used cathode materials for power batteries are lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and ternary nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM). However, these materials exhibit the bottlenecks that limit the improvement and promotion of power battery performance. In this review, the performance characteristics, cycle life attenuation mechanism (including structural damage, gas generation and active lithium loss, etc.) and improvement methods (including surface coating and element-doping modification) of LFP and NCM batteries are reviewed. Finally, the development prospects of this field are proposed.

River sediment from two inflow watersheds (Hongze and Tiaoxi) to Hongze and Taihu Lake in Eastern China was analyzed by the sequential extraction procedure. This study aimed to explore a spatial distribution of phosphorus fractions in river sediments and analysed the relationship between different phosphorus fractions and their environmental influence on the sediments within different watersheds in Eastern China. Five fractions of sedimentary phosphorus, including freely sorbed phosphorus, were all analyzed (NH₄Cl-P), redox-sensitive phosphorus (BD-P), bound phosphorus metal oxide (NaOH-P), bound phosphorus calcium (HCl-P) and residual phosphorus (Res-P). The order of rank of the P fractions for the river Anhe was HCl-P>NaOH-P>BD-P>NH₄Cl-P; whereas that of the Suihe river was HCl-P>BD-P>NaOH-P>NH₄Cl-P. For the rank order of the Hongze watershed, HCl-P was higher while the NH₄Cl-P contents were significantly lower. The rank order for the Dongtiaoxi river was NaOH-P > HCl-P> BD-P> NH₄Cl-P and that of Xitiaoxi river was NaOH-P> BD-P> HCl-P> NH₄Cl-P. Compared with phosphorus forms of Tiaoxi watershed, NaOH-P contents were significantly higher in the converse of HCl-P contents were significantly higher in Hongze watershed while both in NH₄Cl-P contents were significantly lower. Variations may be attributed to differential discharge of P watershed form due to land-use changes and urban river ambient conditions.

The selective extraction of metals from aqueous solutions is very important stage in hydrometallurgical processing of metallic waste. Leach solutions are usually a multi-component mixture. The main impurity of aqueous solutions obtained after leaching using inorganic acids is iron. In this work, the membrane separation of iron(III) from nickel(II), cobalt(II) and lithium(II) was studied. The facilitated transport of metal ion using the polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) with tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) as an ion carrier under various conditions was analyzed in detail. The several factors such as the ion carrier concentration in the membrane as well as the effect of the inorganic acids concentration in the source/receiving phases on the kinetic parameters were investigated. The results show that ionic liquid TBAB is a very selective ion carrier of Fe(III) towards Ni(II), Co(II) and Li(I) .

Cobalt, like other critical elements, is gaining in importance today. The great technological advances and the deep knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of this element have allowed to enhance its applications in various fields, such as: catalysts, paints, alloys for the mechanical and aerospace industries, as well as the medical sector and in recent times, its use within the rechargeable battery industry. The main exploitable deposits are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which have economic potential due to a strong influence on their mineralization processes. However, the growing demand for cobalt and the search for less dependence on African deposits leads to targeting other regions, so it is necessary to carry out exhaustive exploration to find out the potential of its reserves for a subsequent benefit of the mineral. Generally, cobalt comes as a by-product of the extraction of other metallic minerals, mainly from Cu-Co, Ni-Co, Ni-Cu-Co deposits. From the above, a first review is carried out on the differences that exist in the geochemical, mineralogical and forecast properties that exist within the different deposits that harbor cobalt. As a second review topic, it delves into efficient processing for cobalt recovery, which is generally carried out by flotation, acid leaching, in addition to its recovery from secondary sources, such as batteries and metallurgical waste. However, generally speaking there is still a vast lack of fundamental knowledge about the processability of cobalt. Said processing has been affected from the point of view of mineralogy, that is, understanding and knowing the cobalt-bearing minerals, as well as gangue mineralogy, these aspects exercise significant control during their processing and selection of the most appropriate route. suitable for cobalt extraction (leaching and/or flotation). In this context, the document concludes with a vision of the challenges that the mining industry must implement to enter circular economy models, mainly in the creation of sustainable processes from secondary sources.

Two billion people worldwide suffer from anemia with reproductive-age women being disproportionately affected. Iron plays a crucial role in cellular function and impacts cognition, physical function, and quality of life. Iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are associated with adverse effects on pregnancy and fetal development. Oral iron supplementation has been the standard treatment for IDA for decades often producing sub-optimal outcomes. Many babies are still being born with ID and suffer adverse sequelae due to inadequate iron levels in the mothers. Is it time to consider broad scale-up of parenteral iron as a new standard of care?

Phosphorus (P) concentration in rivers and lakes receives greater attention due to its significance in contributing to eutrophication. This study aimed at profiling phosphorus species in Vembanad lake (Ramsar site) and its adjoining rivers. Four phosphorus fractions (total reactive phosphorus (TRP), total acid hydrolysable phosphorus (TAHP), total organic phosphorus (TOP) and total phosphorus (TP)) were monitored according to premonsoon and postmonsoon seasons. Meenachil river mouth is a hotspot for eutrophication with high values of most of the phosphorus fractions. Among the four fractions TRP, TOP and TP were recorded maximum concentration during the premonsoon and postmonsoon seasons. Each fraction of TRP, TAHP, TOP, and TP had an average concentration of more than 300 µgL-1 P throughout two seasons, which is highly eutrophic. The result reveals that the surface water of Vembanad lake is highly polluted with phosphorus input and it may trigger algal growth and consequent destruction of the biodiversity rich wetland system.

Iron deficiency (ID) is by far the most common nutritional disorder in developing and developed countries. When left untreated, ID leads to anemia. Although the usual recommended treatment for iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is oral iron therapy with countless products, such therapy necessitates administration for &gt;3-6 months with questionable patient compliance since most oral iron products have an unpleasant metallic aftertaste and cause intestinal side effects. In addition, in certain gastrointestinal conditions, such as inflammatory bowel diseases or untreated gluten-sensitive enteropathy, oral iron therapy is contraindicated or unsuccessful. Intravenous iron is considered safe in adults, where adverse events are mild and easily managed. The experience with parenteral iron in children is much more limited and many pediatricians appear reluctant to use it because of uncorroborated fears of serious anaphylactic reactions. In the current article, we thoroughly review the available pediatric literature on the use of all commercially available parenteral iron products except ferumoxytol, which was recently removed from the market. We conclude that parenteral iron appears to be safe in children, it works faster than oral iron and the newer third-generation products allow replacement of the total iron deficit at a single setting.

Abstract The processing of anatase ores by sulfuric acid digestion is well known for its low titanium dissolution yields, which makes the process economically and technically unfeasible. Generally, to enhance the dissolution of titanium from anatase, thermal processes along with acid and/or alkaline leaching are necessary. Few existing works report yields of direct digestion of anatase with sulfuric acid <48%. This study investigated the sulfuric digestion of anatase and yields around 80% were obtained at relatively mild conditions such as temperature at 220°C, sulfuric acid/concentrate ratio of 1:2 and 3 hours of reaction. A comprehensive characterization of anatase ore was also presented.

Crop production in Afghanistan suffers from limited phosphorus (P) availability, which severely hinders national agriculture sustainability. This present study hypothesized that deep fertilizer placement could significantly enhance uptake of immobile P and thus tissue P accumulation and crop yield. A two-year pot experiment growing two maize (Zea mays) hybrid cultivars (Xida-789 and Xida-211) was therefore conducted to test these hypotheses under three contrasting fertilizer placement methods (broadcast, side band, and deep band). In doing so, P concentrations in both maize tissues and soils were compared at 45, 60, and 115 days after sowing (DAS) under nine combinations of nitrogen (N) and P fertilizer rates (kg ha-1: N112P45, N112P60, N112P75, N150P45, N150P60, N150P75, N187P45, N187P60, N187P75). Results have shown that deep band placement significantly increased P uptake efficiency, leading to greater P concentration and accumulation in maize tissues compared to other two fertilization methods. This improved P uptake was attributed to several factors associated with deep placement, including reduced P fixation, enhanced root access to P, and moisture availability for P uptake. Additionally, deep band placement combined with higher N application rates (N187 and N150) further enhanced plant P uptake by promoting P availability and utilization mechanisms. Deep band placement also resulted in significantly higher total soil P, Olsen-P, and P use efficiency than broadcast and side band methods, indicating a more efficient P fertilization strategy for maize that can improve growth and yield. This present study also found positive correlations between P concentration in plant organs and soil Olsen-P, highlighting the importance of adequate soil P levels for optimal plant growth. Overall, our results have showed that deep band fertilizer placement emerged as a superior strategy for enhancing P uptake efficiency, utilization, and maize productivity compared to broadcast and side band placement. This approach can potentially optimize P fertilizer utilization, improve maize growth and yield, while minimizing environmental P losses associated with broadcast applications.

Phosphorus (P) is the second-most important element after nitrogen that is required for plant growth. Although this element is abundant in most soils, it is rarely available in plant-accessible forms since most of it normally exists in soil in insoluble forms such as phosphates. In conventional agriculture, P is normally supplied as chemical fertilizer to satisfy plant P requirements. This, to a large extent, boosts plant production. However, chemical fertilizers are costly, have a huge carbon footprint, and are environmentally-unsustainable owing to the high energy requirements during their synthesis. Besides, P-containing agricultural run-offs contribute hugely to the eutrophication of water bodies and environmental degradation. Moreover, plants can consume only a small amount of chemically-supplied P since between 75 and 90% of this form of P normally get precipitated into complexes and rapidly become fixed in soil. These issues and concerns necessitate research into alternative and viable ways of supplying P to plants. Rhizobacteria have for decades been investigated in vivo and in planta as suitable tools in sustainable agriculture due to the plant-growth-promoting activities such as nutrients’ solubilization, nitrogen fixation, and production of phytohormones. Although a lot of research has been done on different nutrients-solubilizing rhizobacteria and their potential in sustainable agriculture, their mechanisms of action and prospects in sustainable agriculture remain to be fully understood. This review particularly focuses on the P solubilizing rhizobacteria and evaluates their diversity, mechanisms of action, and prospects in sustainable agriculture based on the present and future scenario of their application. Such information is useful in determining their potential and evaluating their prospects in promoting sustainable agricultural systems.

This paper presents a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of producing alternative phosphorus (P) fertilizers from recycled water treatment residuals (Fe-WTR) and cowshed effluents, under the umbrella of circular economy approach. Fe-WTR is compared to a synthetic adsorbent, layered double hydroxide (LDH). Dairy wastewater is used as a P source for both adsorbents. The cost of 1 ton P-Fe-WTR sums up to 329 Euro. In contrast, the use of synthetic adsorbents (P-LDH) incurs significantly higher costs, amounting to 3329 Euros per ton, underscoring the economic advantage of utilizing waste-derived materials. Adopting Fe-WTR fertilizer not only offers substantial cost savings by avoiding landfill fees (40-150 Euros per ton) and wastewater discharge fines (500 Euros per ton) but also reduces environmental impacts. This sustainable method mitigates eutrophication and pollution, presenting a dual benefit of cost-effectiveness and environmental protection. Although our results are based on a specific case study, they reflect the potential value of extending the circular economic approach to P production worldwide: Recycling P from waste streams can be economically viable and environmentally preferable at large, aligning with global sustainability goals and demonstrating the practicality of circular economy principles in environmental management.

Co/TiO2 catalysts with different cobalt loadings (3.8, 7.5 and 15 wt%) were prepared by impreg-nation method of Co(NO3)2 .6H2O over titania. Samples containing Co(NO3)2 .6H2O and TiO2 in stoichiometric proportions in order to obtain CoTiO3 and Co2 TiO4 phases were also synthesized. The effect of the calcination treatment at two different temperatures, 550 and 1150 °C was investigated. Characterizations by several techniques, such as XRD UV-vis-NIR, DRS, Raman and XPS were carried out. XRD showed the coexistence of three phases: CoTiO3; Co2TiO4 and Co3O4 after calci-nation at 550°C, while the calcination at high temperature (1150°C) leads to single-phase systems (CoTiO3 or Co2TiO4). Diffuse reflection and XPS spectroscopy showed that divalent cobalt occupies octahedral sites in the ilmenite phase and both tetrahedral and octahedral sites in the spinel phase. The catalytic performances of the prepared catalysts, calcined at the two different temperatures, were evaluated in the oxidative dehydrogenation reaction (ODH) of ethane to ethylene. The con-version values were almost comparable for all the samples, calcined at 550 °C, and comparable the ethylene selectivity were recorded, slightly higher only in the case of CoTiO3. The calcination at 1150°C did not modify the overall activity (ethane conversion values around 20%), however, the production of COx becomes more significant. The study examined the influence of the reaction mixture composition, specifically the presence of water, and reveals a slight increase in the yield of ethylene accompanied by a decrease in the overall catalyst activity. This behavior is likely attributed to an increase in the surface concentration of hydroxyl species (OH), resulting in heightened surface acidity.

This work focuses on the support effect on the performances of Co-based catalysts for the acetic acid steam reforming. SBA-15, a well ordered hexagonal mesoporous silica structure, and CeO2 have been selected as the supports, with the impact of chromium addition also being investigated. Better acetic acid steam reforming performances have been recorded for CeO2 compared to SBA-15 supported catalysts and, in particular, the 7Co/CeO2 catalyst showed the highest values of acetic acid conversions with enhanced H2 yields below 480°C, in comparison to the other investigated catalytic formulations. In addition, more pronounced coke depositions and acetone concentrations have been obtained with CeO2 supported catalysts, due to the tendency of ceria to catalyse the ketonization reaction. Chromium addition to Co/SBA-15 catalysts led to an enhancement in the activity towards acetic acid steam reforming, while on CeO2 supported catalysts no improvement in the catalysts activity was observed; however, on both SBA-15 and CeO2 supported catalysts, Cr addition reduced the amount of coke deposited on the catalysts surface.

In this work, cobalt doped ZnO nanorod arrays with anticorrosion function were successfully prepared on FTO substrate by a simple aqueous solution method. XRD and EDS results indicate the doped Co2+ has successfully incorporated into the ZnO crystal lattice. Photocurrent density and open circuit potential (OCP) results indicate the photocathodic protection performance for 316 stainless steel (316 SS) and Q235 carbon steel in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution under 300 W Xe lamp enhanced with the increase of cobalt concentration, and the photoanode with 15% Co/Zn ratio has the optimal photocathodic protection effect. The mechanism of enhancement may be result from the narrowed band gap, the lower recombination rate of photogenerated electron-holes, the intermediate impurity level and the split of the hypo-outer shell of cobalt ions.

In this paper, a new anode environmentally friendly for hydrogen production was developed based on 430 stainless steel with an electrodeposited cobalt layer. The novelty of this work is the cobalt source once the electrodeposition bath was obtained from recycling of spent Li-ion batteries cathode with composition LiCoO₂. The electrodeposited cobalt behaves as supercapacitor in KOH 1M. In the linear voltammetry in KOH 1M, when the overpotential reaches 370 mV, the anodic density current for 430 SS/Co is 19 mA cm⁻². Thus, the anode developed in this paper achieves the double of density current with half of production cost if compared with 316SS. Moreover the anode construction described in this paper is an excellent option for Li- ion battery recycling.

Crystalline β-cobalt hydroxide (β-Co(OH)₂) of different morphologies have been successfully synthesized with the addition of sodium hydroxide to cobalt nitrate solution and aging in the mother liquor. The rate of NaOH addition, ranging from 0.1 mL/min to 10 mL/min, influences the surface morphology with the obtained storage capability of the respective electrode. Characterization of the β-Co(OH)₂ was fully developed, including X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and BET analyses. At a lower rate of NaOH addition, particles are like platelets, while for a higher rate (≥2 mL/min) grains are fused together forming a larger crystallite size. This result is supported by the X-ray diffraction structural analysis, where the phase evolution of (002) plane becomes distinct for the higher rate of NaOH addition. Lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO₂) was synthesized through oxidation from the as-prepared β-Co(OH)₂ and LiOH. The electrochemical performance of as obtained LiCoO₂ is investigated using charge-discharge and cyclic voltammetric studies. The precursor β-Co(OH)₂ prepared at a lower rate of 0.1 mL/min in LiCoO₂ demonstrated the best electrochemical performance of 155 mAh/g. After 50 cycles, the capacity retention rate was 67% compared with the first cycle. Finally, we have attempted to correlate the amount of the available OH^- ions with the formation of platelets and the discharge capacity. This work has developed a methodology for the synthesis of LiCoO₂ using β-Co(OH)₂ in a facile chemical solution process.

The aim of this paper was to determine the soil phosphorus release risk from drained and re-wetted peatlands under different landcovers. The study was carried out at 10 soil profiles (organic soils, frequently with mursh in the topsoil, developed from low peat with various degrees of decomposition, on mineral subsoil or gyttja) located south-west of Lake Kośno nature reserve in northern-central Europe (north-eastern Poland). The soil samples were collected from the depths of 0-30 cm, 50-80 cm and 100-130 cm during spring, summer and autumn (in April, July, and October). In the laboratory, the following soil properties were determined: ash content, soil reaction, content of total organic carbon, total nitrogen, total and plant-available phosphorus. Gyttja formations and hemic peats had the highest total P content (6.77 g∙kg-1 and 2.29 g∙kg-1, respectively). Murshes contained twice less P (1.18 g∙kg-1). In spring, more plant-available phosphorus (AP sp) was released in murshes (0.29 g∙kg-1) than in peats (0.07-0.14 g∙kg-1). In the summer, higher amounts of plant-available P were stated in fiber peats (0.37 g∙kg-1) than in murshes (0.26 g∙kg-1), whereas in autumn, the amounts of P in murshes (0.22 g∙kg-1) and peats (0.21-0.23 g∙kg-1) did not vary. Generally, average contents of AP were the highest in murshes (0.26 g∙kg-1) and fiber peats (0.25 g∙kg-1), and the lowest in sapric peats (0.15 g∙kg-1). The release of phosphorus from organic compounds or binding of P by organic matter (immobilization) depends on the C:P ratio in plant residues and soil. If it is wide (&gt;300), P is bound, if it is narrower (150–200), P is released. In the tested soil formations, the C:P ratio was frequently above 300. Only in some murshes and gyttjas the C:P ratio was below 150, which may indicate a risk of phosphorus release to groundwaters.

The present contribution provides the first agro-economic and ecological account of the in-furrow application of a mineral and an organomineral microgranular fertilizer in comparison to a wide spread mineral band fertilizer in temperate climate regions. The reduction of phosphorus inputs while maintaining the yield of maize plants (Zea mays) is the focus of the study. In a three-year field trial, the dry matter yields gained with the two phosphorus-reduced microgranular fertilizers and standard diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilization were examined. The application of the organomineral microgranular fertilizer resulted in dry matter yields that were 15% higher (2.8 tons per hectare) than the DAP variant, while higher yields using the mineral microgranular fertilizer occurred only in a single year. The higher yield of the organomineral microgranular fertilizer and the lower phosphorus amounts applied with that product resulted in a moderate phosphorus excess of 2.7 kg P ha-1, while DAP fertilization resulted in a surplus of 25.5 kg per hectare. A similar pattern of phosphorus balance was observed on the plots fertilized with the mineral microgranular fertilizer. We conclude that both tested microgranular fertilizers provide an adequate alternative to the wide-spread DAP fertilization in maize cultivation on fertile soils.

Floodplains are critically important ecosystems that provide a whole suite of ecosystem services including nutrient and carbon sequestration, flood mitigation, water storage, and critical wildlife habitat to name a few. However, human modification of rivers and floodplains through channelization, artificial levee construction, reduction in active floodplain area, and water management can significantly reduce the ecosystem function of river-floodplain systems. In this study, we evaluated the changes in nutrient loading of the Kissimmee River floodplain during the restoration of the river-floodplain system. In addition to time-series loading analysis, we also evaluated soil nutrient concentrations across the lower portion of the Kissimmee River floodplain. During the 44-year nutrient loading time-series, the floodplain remained a nutrient exporter with changes in nutrient loading generally corresponding to both water quality (i.e. point source reductions) and hydrologic restoration activities in the watershed and Kissimmee River floodplain. During the study period, inputs of total phosphorus and total nitrogen loads from upstream either significantly increased or remained the same. In addition to external sources of nutrients, internal sources of nutrients from floodplain soils can also contribute to the total nutrient export from the system. These internal sources could be organic via the decomposition of organic matter or geologic from the original excavation of the canal and/or restoration backfilling. Soil nutrient concentrations vary between vegetative communities and landscape position and could be a significant source of phosphorus to the downstream system which is plagued by eutrophic conditions. Therefore, as floodplain function in the Kissimmee River continues to be restored and managed, additional effort may be needed to address nutrient inputs and internal legacy nutrients.

Iron (Fe) is co-factor for enzymes of the developing brain necessitating sufficient supply. We investigated the effects of administering ferric derisomaltose/Fe isomaltoside (FDI) subcutaneously to Fe deficient (ID) pregnant rats on cerebral and hepatic concentrations of essential metals and gene expression of ferroportin and hepcidin. Pregnant rats subjected to ID were injected with FDI on the day of mating (E0), 14 days into pregnancy (E14), or the day of birth (Postnatal (P0)). The efficacy was evaluated by determination of cerebral and hepatic Fe in pups on P0 and as adults on P70, and the concentration of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn). Females fed an ID diet (5.2 mg/kg Fe) had offspring with significantly lower cerebral and hepatic Fe compared to female controls fed a standard diet (158 mg/kg Fe). Cerebral Cu increased irrespective of supplying a standard diet or administering FDI combined with the standard diet. Hepatic hepcidin was significantly lower following ID, whereas cerebral hepcidin was virtually undetectable in all experimental groups. In conclusion, administering FDI subcutaneously to ID pregnant rats on EO normalizes cerebral Fe in the fetus, but when applied at later gestational ages, additional Fe to the offspring is needed to normalize cerebral and hepatic Fe.

Iron supplementation is associated with side effects and thus reduces the intake compliance. Because it has fewer side effects, a recent trial recommended low-iron micronutrient powder (MNP) for the prevention of anemia in Bangladeshi children exposed to a high concentration of iron from drinking groundwater. In the present study, we hypothesize that the low-iron MNP is a potential intervention to prevent childhood anemia in the low groundwater-iron settings in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Bangladesh with children aged 2-5 years who drank groundwater containing a low level of iron (0-&lt;2 mg/L).The combined intake of iron was calculated from the key sources--diet, groundwater and MNPs. The intakes of iron were compared against the standard reference intake. The children’s hemoglobin was measured using a photometer. Combined intake of iron from dietary, groundwater and low-iron MNP in children was 5.8±2.0 and 6.9±2.5 mg/day comprising 193% and 169% of the Estimated Average Requirement in the 2-3 year-old and 4-5 year-old subgroups, respectively. Combined intake of bioavailable iron from dietary and groundwater sources was 0.42±0.023 and 0.22±0.019 mg/day in children exposed to groundwater concentration 0.8-&lt;2.0 mg/L and 0.0-&lt;0.8 mg/L respectively (p&lt;0.001). The mean concentration of hemoglobin in the respective groups was 12.17±0.94 mg/dl and 11.91±0.91 mg/dl (p=0.30). The combined intake of iron from dietary and groundwater sources was associated with maintenance of hemoglobin concentration at the non-anemic level in most of the children. The finding highlights the potential of low-iron MNP in controlling childhood anemia in this setting.

Iron is an essential nutrient for humans and microbes, such as bacteria. Iron deficiency occurs commonly in critically ill patients, but iron replacement therapy is not considered during the acute phase of critical illness, since it increases iron availability for invading microbes and oxidative stress. However, persistent iron deficiency in the recovery phase is harmful with potential adverse outcomes such as cognitive dysfunction, fatigue and cardiopulmonary dysfunction. Therefore, it is important to treat iron deficiency timely and efficiently. This article reviews current knowledge about iron-related biomarkers in critically ill patients and provides possible criteria to guide decision-making for iron supplementation in the recovery phase of critical illness.

Introduction: In the recent years alternate day dosing has been recommended in iron deficieny treatment. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and side effects of oral iron treatments given daily 1x1, alternate day 1x1 and 2x1 alternate day dosing in iron deficieny anemia patients. Methods: A total of 52 patients with a diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia with serum ferritin level of 25 µg/L or less were included in this retrospective study. Statistical analyzes were done with SPSS V.25. Results: The patients included in our study were between the ages of 18-51. All of the patients included in the study were female. A statistically significant increase was found between 0-14 days(p<0.001), 14-28 days(p<0.001) and 0-28 days(p<0.001) hemoglobin values in all patients. There was no statistically significant difference between 0-14 days (p=0.397) and 0-28 days(p=0.310) ferritin values in all patients. A statistically significant difference was found between 14-28 days(p<0.001) ferritin values. When the rate of change of hemoglobin and ferritin values between the groups was compared and no statistically significant difference was observed between the groups. The rate of change of ferritin values for 14-28 days was significant (p=0.012). There was no significant difference in the frequency of symptoms in the 14th day and 28th day controls for each group (p>0.05). The incidence of metallic taste and bloating symptoms was found to be statistically significant in the third control in the group with 2x1 drug use alternate day (p=0.094). Discussion: The only difference in efficacy was observed in ferritin values between 14th and 28th days. The increase in ferritin values was higher in the group that used 1x1 oral iron every day. However, since no difference was observed between the groups in terms of ferritin and hemoglobin values on days 0 and 28, all three groups were considered equally efficient. Side effects were mainly gastrointestinal side effects. Since the group that received 2x1 oral treatment alternate day had a statistically significantly higher rate of side effects, the patients’ treatment tolerance will be lower compared to the other groups. In conlusion, there is no difference in efficacy and side effects between the patient groups receiving 1x1 daily and 1x1 alternate day oral iron therapy, so 1x1 use alternate day is the most appropriate treatment method for oral iron therapy in terms of patient tolerance, adherence to treatment and pharmacoeconomics.

This study investigates the magnetization of Cobalt (Co) nanoparticles with two different crystal structures: a centered cubic (fcc) and an hexagonal close packed (hcp), under the magnetic field of the Earth. For that reason, the hysteresis loops of the two material samples are exported and compared with the corresponding value by experimental procedure in the laboratory under the Earth’s magnetization. For both samples, the nanoparticle number variation and the nearest neighbor distance effect, in the Co hysteresis loop are investigated, structural information that is useful for the sample preparation. For the simulations the Finite Element Method (FEM) was used, while experiments are conducted using a measurement set-up based on fluxgate magnetometers. From the simulation, it is proven that, for both samples, the nanoparticle number effect does not change the hysteresis loop. In contrast, when the distance between the nanoparticles increases, the magnetization obtains smaller value. This study aims to build a novel, simple and economical measurement arrangement enabling in situ magnetic measurements for ferromagnetic nano-material characterization. As the need for continuous knowledge of the condition and the phase of ferromagnetic nanoparticles that is crucial in many applications, like catalytic processes, this work aims to introduce an alternative approach that will add another dimension to conventional chemical reaction engineering this of the magnetic state of the material resolved in time and space and to contribute in the field of the monitoring and the early fault diagnosis of nanoparticle materials.

Urea, a prevalent component found in wastewater, shows great promise as an alternative substrate to water for energy-efficient hydrogen production by electrolysis. However, the sluggish kinetics of the anodic urea oxidation reaction (UOR) significantly hampers the overall reaction rate. To address this challenge, this article presents a comprehensive study focusing on the controlled fabrication of hierarchically structured nanomaterials as potential catalysts for UOR. The prepared MnO2@NiCo-LDH hybrid catalyst demonstrates remarkable improvements in reaction kinetics, benefiting from synergistic enhancements in charge transfer and efficient mass transport facilitated by its unique three-dimensional architecture. Notably, the catalyst exhibits an exceptionally low onset potential of 1.228 V and requires only 1.326 V to achieve an impressive current density of 100 mA cm-2, representing a state-of-the-art performance in UOR. These findings highlight the tremendous potential of this innovative material-designing strategy to drive advancements in electrocatalytic processes.

The reaction of [Co2(CO)8] with an equimolar amount of P(OPh)3] in toluene solution yields in situ generated [Co2(CO)7{P(OPh)3}] 1. Subsequent heating of 1 provides in a condensation reaction an alternative synthetic access to the tetranuclear cluster [{Co4(μ2-CO)3(CO)8{P(OPh)3}] 2. Compound 2 has been characterized by IR and 31P NMR spectroscopy, the tetranuclear cluster framework has be ascertained by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study performed at 100 K.

The effect of dentin pretreatment with desensitizing paste containing 8% arginine and calcium carbonate on the retention of laser-sintered cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr)-based crowns was examined. Forty molars were prepared using a standardized protocol. The Co-Cr crowns were produced using selective laser melting. The teeth were either pretreated with the desensitizing paste or not pretreated. After one week, each group was cemented with glass ionomer cement (GIC) or zinc phosphate cement (ZPC). Surface areas of the teeth were measured before cementation. After aging, the cemented crown-tooth assemblies were tested for retentive strength using a universal testing machine. The debonded surfaces of the teeth and crowns were examined at 2.7× magnification. Pretreating the dentin surfaces with the desensitizing paste before cementation with GIC or ZPC did not affect the retention of the Co-Cr crowns. The retention of the GIC group (6.04±1.10 MPa) was significantly higher than that of the ZPC group (2.75±1.25 MPa). The predominant failure mode for the ZPC and for the nontreated group of the GIC was adhesive cement-dentin; for the GIC-treated group, it was adhesive cement-crown. The desensitizing paste can be safely used to reduce postcementation sensitivity without reducing the retentive strength of Co-Cr crowns cemented with GIC or ZPC.

Legislation and interest to protect and restore freshwater and marine ecosystems from aquaculture's environmental impact is global. However, aquaculture induced eutrophication continues to be a major environmental issue. Open freshwater fish farms in particular, providing fish with phosphorus-rich feeds pollute aquatic ecosystems since water soluble phosphorus, uneaten feed, feces, and metabolic waste from farmed fish increase phosphorus concentration in the adjacent waters. Several intestinal enzymes, transporters, and regulating factors are implicated in dietary phosphorus retention of farmed fish. For example, alkaline phosphatase and other transporters help the anterior intestine absorb phosphorus, while pH, calcium, and vitamin D affect these enzymes and transporters. Intestinal morphology and gut microbiome may also affect this process. Reducing phosphorus pollution from open-flow fish farms requires a thorough understanding of processes that affect nutrient retention and absorption as well as of the impact of dietary factors, anti-nutritional substances, and intestinal morphology. Optimizing feed composition, adding functional feed ingredients, and managing gut health can reduce phosphorus release and improve aquaculture sustainability. Processing and functional feed additives can mitigate anti-nutritional factors and, addressing these issues will reduce aquaculture's environmental impact, ensuring aquatic ecosystem health and global food security

Microalgae are naturally adapted to fluctuating availability of phosphorus (P) being capable to opportunistically uptake large amounts of inorganic phosphate (Pi) and safely store it in the cell as polyphosphate. Hence, many microalgal species are remarkably resilient to high concentrations of external Pi. Here we report on an exception from this pattern comprised by a failure of the high Pi-resilience in a strain Micractinium simplicissimum IPPAS C-2056 normally coping with a very high Pi concentrations. This phenomenon occurred after abrupt re-supplementation of Pi to the M. simplicissimum culture pre-starved of P. This was the case even if Pi was re-supplemented in a concentration far below the level toxic to the P-sufficient culture. We hypothesize that this effect can be mediated by a rapid formation of the potentially toxic short-chain polyphosphate following the mass influx of Pi into the P-starved cell. A possible reason for this is that the preceding P starvation impairs the capacity of the cell of converting the newly absorbed Pi into a “safe” storage form of long-chain polyphosphate. We believe that findings of this study can help to avoid sudden culture crashes, they are also of potential significance for development of algae-based technologies for efficient bioremoval of P from P-rich waste streams.

5-Methyl-3,8-di-(2-amino-4-bromophenyl)-4,9-dioxa-1,2,6,7-tetraaza-5λ5-phosphaspiro[4.4]nona-2,7-diene was obtained in a condensation reaction of 2-amino-5-bromobenzohydrazide and methylphosphonyl dichloride in the presence of triethylamine. An initial biological screening was performed for the obtained product. The synthesized compound possesses two aromatic primary amine groups and two bromine atoms within the structure, which are suitable for further structural modifications.

β-thalassemia, a congenital genetic hematological disorder characterized by decreased or absence of β-globin chains, leads to decrease in levels of Hemoglobin A. The affected individuals can be categorized into two cohorts based on transfusion dependency: transfusion dependent thalassemia (TDT) and non-transfusion dependent thalassemia (NTDT). Remarkably, despite the primary pathology lying in β-globin chain depletion, β-thalassemia exhibits an intriguing association with iron overload. Iron metabolism, a tightly regulated physiological process, reveals a complex interplay in these patients. Over time, both cohorts of β-thalassemic individuals develop iron overload, albeit through distinct mechanisms. Addressing the diverse complications arising due to iron overload in β-thalassemic patients, the utilization of iron chelators has gained a lot of significance. With varying efficacies, routes of administration, and modes of action, different iron chelators offer unique benefits to patients. In the Indian context, three commercialized iron chelators have emerged, showcasing a high adherence rate to the iron chelator-based treatment regimens among β-thalassemic individuals. In this review, we explore the intriguing connection between β-thalassemia and iron overload, shedding light on the intricate mechanisms at play. We delve into the intricacies of iron metabolism, unveiling the distinct pathways leading to iron accumulation in these patients. Additionally, we critically evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of different iron chelators, emphasizing their respective advantages in managing iron overload complications. Through this comprehensive analysis, we aim to deepen our understanding of β-thalassemia and iron overload, paving the way for optimized treatment strategies. Ultimately, our findings provide valuable insights into improving the care and outcomes of individuals affected by β-thalassemia.

In the field of metallurgy, there are many factors that influence the final quality of cast iron. These are mainly charge materials, chemical composition, metallurgical preparation up to the final casting process. Even small deviations from metallurgical processing lead to fluctuations in melt quality and the occurrence of casting defects. Charge materials has a significant impact on the quality of cast iron, especially steel scrap, which is increasingly used from an economic and ecological point of view, especially when melting cast iron in electric furnaces. Cast iron produced from a higher proportion of steel scrap in the charge has higher hardness and tensile strength. On the other side, these cast irons has a higher tendency to chillout, brittleness, shrinkage, pearlitic microstructure, stresses and higher purity due to the difference in hardness at different wall thicknesses of the castings. It is the high hardness that is the problem in the final machining of castings. These negative properties are recorded mainly in heavy thick-walled castings with higher tensile strength and hardness. This negative effect is mainly due to the nitrogen content in the steel scrap. Based on these knowledges, operating melts were realized in the foundry's operating conditions. The influence of steel scrap in the charge and the possibility of eliminating its negative effects on the properties of cast iron were investigated.

Iron metabolism plays a crucial role in the management of hemoglobinopathies, particularly in conditions such as β-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia (SCA). This paper describes the mechanisms of iron overload in patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT), non-transfusion-dependent thalassemia (NTDT), and SCA, highlighting the distinct paths leading to iron accumulation in each condition. The primary focus of this review article is on the role of genetic modifiers influencing iron metabolism and the variability in iron overload presentation among patients. Genetic mutations in genes such as HFE, HAMP, TFR2, SLC40A1, and others significantly impact iron regulation. These modifiers can exacerbate or ameliorate iron overload, and understanding these genetic factors is important for explaining the diverse disease severity and differences in the mechanism and clinical presentation of iron overload in these patients. The ongoing INHERENT study aims to further elucidate the influence of these genetic modifiers through a comprehensive genome-wide association study, potentially leading to novel therapeutic interventions for managing iron homeostasis in hemoglobinopathy patients.

Antarctic krill protein-iron complex and peptide-iron complex were obtained to investigate their iron bioavailability, expression of iron-regulated genes, and in vivo antioxidant capacity. Results indicated that Antarctic krill peptide-iron complex increased significantly the hemoglobin (Hb), serum iron (SI) and iron content in the liver and spleen in iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) mice (P < 0.05) compared with those of Antarctic krill protein-iron complex. Despite the gene expressions of divalent metal transporter 1(DMT1), transferrin (Tf) and transferrin receptor (TfR) could be better regulated by both Antarctic krill peptide-iron complex and protein-iron complex, the relative iron bioavailability of the Antarctic krill peptide-iron complex group (152.53±21.05%) was significantly higher than that of the protein-iron complex group (112.75±9.60%) (P<0.05). Moreover, Antarctic krill peptide-iron complex could enhance the antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxidase dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), reduce the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in IDA mice compared with the protein-iron complex, reducing the cell damage caused by IDA. Therefore, these results demonstrated that Antarctic krill peptide-iron complex could be used as a highly efficient and multifunctional iron supplement.

Mechanically homogenized composite of expanded graphite and cobalt(II) rhenate(VII) has been described. Cobalt(II) rhenate(VII) was obtained in a reaction of perrhenic acid with cobalt(II) nitrate. A simple mortar homogenization method was used to enhance intercalation of cobalt species within carbon matrix. The specific capacity of composite was enhanced by 50% in comparison to bare expanded graphite. The electrochemical characteristic was significantly improved including better cyclability, lower resistance of electrode material, lower iR drop, with respect to expanded graphite without cobalt(II) rhenate(VII) active species. Expanded graphite with its unique specific surface area and pore size diameter was proved as potential and cheap carbon support.

In order to establish the formation patterns of the Co–Mg oxide system, samples with different Co:Mg ratios and heat treatment temperatures were synthesized and studied. Study of the sam-ples confirmed the phase transition of MgxCo2–xO4 spinels into corresponding solid solutions at 800–900 °C. The similarity of formation patterns for different compositions is shown. The rock-salt oxide in low-temperature samples is an anion-modified paracrystalline phase that forms a “true” solid solution only upon spinel decomposition. TPR profiles of decomposed Co3O4 spinel show surface Co3O4 peaks and a wide peak corresponding to well-crystallized CoO, while par-tial Co3O4 TPR up to 380 °C results in dispersed and amorphous CoO. High-temperature non-stoichiometric samples are poorly reduced, indicating their low oxygen reactivity. Spinel reoxidation after heat treatment to 1100 °C by calcination at 750 °C showed complete regenera-tion for MgCo2O4–Co3O4 samples and its absence in case of an excess of MgO relative to stoi-chiometry. Based on the data obtained, it can be concluded that the processes governing the formation of Co–Mg oxide systems are determined by both Co:Mg ratio and the heat treatment conditions, potentially providing the possibility of fine tuning for specific catalytic processes.

Two interesting compounds such as quaternary ammonium lignin(QAL) and 2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (P507) were synthesized as ionic liquids(QP-ILs) for the extraction of metal ions. The extraction behavior of Co(II) and Ni(II) from chloride solution was compared between QP-ILs and P507. The results showed that the extraction rates of Co(II) and Ni(II) in the two solutions varied with the extraction conditions, but QP-ILs has stronger extractability for cobalt than P507, while Ni is on the contrary. Under the same conditions, the Co/Ni separation performance(βCo/Ni) in QP-ILs is superior to that in p507. At pH4.0, 55℃, concentration of 20%, extraction time of 10 minutes, the βCo/Ni of QP-ILs reached to 2703, while that of P507 was only 164. In conclusion, QP-ILs was more efficient than P507 for separating Co from mixed solutions.

The usage of biotechnological molecules and processes is an indispensable part of the resource technology research. The development of novel biomolecules therefore needs to be adapted to the existing applicational conditions and biological processes are to be examined. Novel biosorbents may not only contribute to future applications but can be of further used, e.g. to better understand the interaction of known metal- and metalloid-interacting biological molecules and materials. This review highlights biotechnological approaches published so far for bioremediation as well as metal recovery with a special spotlight on cobalt, nickel and arsenic.

The exploitation of the metallacarboranes’ potential in various fields of research and practical ap-plications requires the availability of convenient and versatile methods for their functionalization with various functional moieties and/or linkers of different types and lengths. Herein we report a study on cobalt bis(1,2-dicarbollide) functionalization at 8,8’-boron atoms with different het-ero-bifunctional moieties containing protected hydroxyl function allowing further modification after deprotection. Moreover, an approach to the synthesis of three and four functionalized metallacarboranes, at boron and carbon atoms simultaneously, via additional functionalization at carbon to obtain derivatives carrying three or four rationally oriented and distinct reactive surfaces, is described

A comprehensive kinetic model of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) is developed in a fixed bed reactor under operating conditions (temperature, 230–235°C, pressure, 20–25 bar, gas hourly space velocity, 4000–5000 cm³(STP)/h/g_catalyst ,H₂/CO feed molar ratio, 2.1) over a Co based catalyst. Reaction rate equations based on Eley-Rideal (ER) type model for initiation step and Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson (LHHW) type model for propagation and termination steps of the FTS reactions have been considered and the readsorption of olefins were taken into account. The model that was reported in the literature was modified in order to explain many significant deviations from the ASF distribution. Optimum parameters have been obtained by Genetic Algorithms (GA). The calculated activation energies to produce n-paraffins and 1-olefins were in the range of 82.24 to 90.68 kJ/mol and 100.66 to 105.24 kJ/mol, respectively. The hydrocarbon distribution in FTS reactions was satisfactorily predicted particularly for paraffins.

Background: Iron chelation medications (desferoxamine, desferasirox, desferiprone) are used to manage iron overload. These medications are partially excreted via the kidneys, desferoxamine and desferiprone excretes primarily in the urine, and desferasirox had about 8% excreted in the urine. Their use in severe kidney disease and dialysis patients is caution as “avoided” concerning adverse effects; however, there are reports safe use. This manuscript reviews the literature in this population. Data Sources: Pubmed: desferasirox, deferiprone, deferoxamine, kidney disease, ESKD, Dialysis. Case reports and case series that described experiences with using iron chelation medications in ESKD patients are included. Data also gathered from reading-related sources. Results: This is a review of desferoxamine, desferasirox, and deferiprone use in kidney disease from 1976 to the present time. Table 1 provides a summary of findings. These are mostly reports and brief descriptions of the experiences used in severe kidney disease and dialysis, but lack of randomized control trials and small number of participants. Conclusions: Iron chelation medications are important for treating iron overload but concerns with adverse effects. Due to limited medications available to treat iron overload in patients with severe kidney disease, their safe use has been reporting in the literature. This is an area that warrants further research.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate plant growth and development and their responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Although extensive studies show that miR159 family members regulate leaf and flower development in Arabidopsis thaliana, the roles of miRNAs in soybean (Glycine max) are poorly understood. Here, we identified six MIR159 genes in soybean, MIR159aMIR159f, and investigate their expression patterns in plants under low-phosphorus (low-P), NaCl, or abscisic acid (ABA) treatments. In soybean leaves, MIR159e and MIR159f expression was induced by low-P treatment, while in roots, MIR159b, MIR159c, MIR159e, and MIR159f expression was upregulated. In flowers, low-P led to upregulation of MIR159a, MIR159b, MIR159c, and MIR159f, but downregulation of MIR159d and MIR159e. In soybean nodules, MIR159b was upregulated but MIR159a, MIR159c, and MIR159d was downregulated under P deficiency. NaCl treatment induced MIR159a, MIR159b, MIR159c, and MIR159e expression in leaves, and MIR159aMIR159f expression in roots. ABA treatment upregulated MIR159a, MIR159b, and MIR159c but downregulated MIR159d, MIR159e, and MIR159f in leaves. These results suggest that miR159 family members function in plant abiotic stress responses. Moreover, total P content in leaves was significantly lower in plants overexpressing MIR159e than in the wild type, suggesting that miR159e may regulate P absorption and transport in soybean.

Alum sludge, an inevitable by-product from the water purification process, which had been applied as substrates in some constructed wetlands with good performance, especially for phosphorus (P) adsorption. The raw alum sludge is like clay lump with irregular shape and has a leaching concern used in the water. For a better reuse, herein, sludge was fired to produce alum sludge ceramsite (ASC) with a uniform spherical shape via four-step process of kneading sludge ball, air drying, preheating at 400°C for 10 min and firing at 600℃ for 5 min. Thereafter the physicochemical properties and P adsorption ability of ceramsite were investigated. Through XRD and FT-IR tests, there was no obvious difference between ASC and air-dried alum sludge ball (adASB) on the phase structure, but a certain amount of Al-OH group loss on the surface of ASC. The structure of ASC was still amorphous as same as adASB, while ASC possessed more micropore structure and bigger specific surface area than those of adASB. Adsorption experiments showed the P adsorption behaviors of ASC and adASB were much similar, and their adsorption kinetics all accorded with the two-step adsorption kinetics rate equation and pseudo-second-order kinetics equation. The maximum adsorption capacities of ASC and adASB fitted by Langmuir model were 1.66 mg/g and 1.89 mg/g respectively. It should be pointed that, compared with other adsorbents, ASC produced in this study still had a higher ability to adsorb P. Therefore, ASC should have a great application potential for P removal in the wastewater treatment in China.

Environmental legislation on waste management coupled with the potential for nutrients recovery are key factors encouraging the use of advanced treatment technologies to manage biosolids waste. In this context, phosphorus recovery from a sewage sludge treated by a wet oxidation process was carried out. High organic matter (up to 85% in COD) and Total Solids content (up to 75%) removal values were achieved at elevated temperature (up to 300 ºC) and pressure (up to 200 bar) conditions. The liquid and solid fractions found in oxidation process effluent contain amounts of phosphorus that can be recovered. This research aims to maximize its valorization in both liquid and solid fractions. In the liquid effluent, phosphorus was recovered (up to 90 mg P L-1) by chemical precipitation as struvite (MgNH4PO4∙6 H2O), a slow-release fertilizer. In this case, P recoveries greater than 95% were achieved. Also, the solid fraction, analyzed after filtration and drying (68 mg P gsolid-1), was treated by acid leaching, to achieve up to 60% phosphorus recovery. All phosphorus extracted was in orthophosphate form.

The introduction of organic and inorganic substances to the environment is a result of human activities such as agriculture, domestic and industrial wastewater which leads to pollution. Treatment processes of these wastewaters are being conducted globally to eliminate easily settled materials and recover nutrients in an attempt to release clear and apparently clean effluent into natural waters. Lack of removing inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients is the greatest cause of eutrophication in water bodies which inhibits the life of other organisms as well as pose a threat to human life and loss of the economy. Different technologies have been applied and are being developed to recover nutrients as well as heavy metals from wastewater to meet the permissible limits before discharging effluents. Wastewater treatment using microalgae offers an opportunity to provide tertiary bio-treatment and production of valuable biomass. Microalgae use the available inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus for their growth which are then harvested for various uses. Additionally, they have the ability to remove heavy metals and some toxic compounds. The main specific microalgae species in this study is the Chlorella sorokiniana with the Aequorea victoria jellyfish This paper reviews some of the wastewater treatment processes and focus on the use of microalgae and some of the shortcomings of the technologies and how they can be improved to achieve maximum nutrient recovery economically with low energy demand.

Many theoretical models of iron-based superconductors have been proposed but Tc calculations based on the models are usually missing. We have chosen two models of iron-based superconductors in the literature and then compute the Tc values accordingly: Recently two models have been announced which suggest that superconducting electron concentration involved in the pairing mechanism of iron-based superconductors may have been underestimated, and that the antiferromagnetism and the induced xy potential may even have a dramatic amplification effect on electron-phonon coupling. We use bulk FeSe, LiFeAs and NaFeAs data to calculate the Tc based on these models and test if the combined model can predict the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) of the nanostructured FeSe monolayer well. To substantiate the recently announced xy potential in the literature, we create a two-channel model to separately superimpose the dynamics of the electron in the upper and lower tetrahedral plane. The results of our two-channel model support the literature data. While scientists are still searching for a universal DFT functional that can describe the pairing mechanism of all iron-based superconductors, we base on the ARPES data to propose an empirical combination of DFT functional for revising the electron-phonon scattering matrix in the superconducting state, which ensures that all electrons involved in iron-based superconductivity are included in the computation. Our computational model takes into account this amplifying effect of antiferromagnetism and the correction of the electron-phonon scattering matrix together with the abnormal soft out-of-plane lattice vibration of the layered structure, which allows us to calculate theoretical Tc values of LiFeAs, NaFeAs and FeSe as a function of pressure that correspond reasonably well to the experimental values. More importantly, by taking into account the interfacial effect between an FeSe monolayer and its SrTiO3 substrate as an additional gain factor, our calculated Tc value is up to 91 K high, and provides evidence that the strong Tc enhancement recently observed in such monolayers with Tc reaching 100 K may be contributed from the electrons within the ARPES range.

(1) Background: Ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) is an intravenous (IV) high-dose iron that is effective in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia. This study was to determine if preoperative IV FCM administration could improve recovery from postoperative anemia in patients undergoing revision total joint arthroplasty. (2) Methods: This prospective randomized controlled study analyzed 82 patients undergoing revision total joint arthroplasty during a single hospitalization. Patients in the iron group (n = 41) were administered 1000 mg of IV FCM two weeks preoperatively, while those in the control group (n = 41) were not. Moreover, patients with anemia defined as a preoperative suboptimal Hb concentration &lt;13.0 g/dl were compared according to IV FCM administration. The absolute Hb levels and changes in Hb levels, iron profiles, transfusion rate, and EuroQOL 5-dimension (EQ-5D) scores were compared. (3) Results: There were no significant differences in recovery of Hb levels at each timepoint between the two groups; however, the changes in Hb levels from baseline to four weeks postoperatively showed marginally significant differences favoring the iron group (p = 0.052). However, for preoperatively anemic patients, the change in hemoglobin (Hb) levels between baseline and four weeks postoperatively was significantly better in the iron group than in the control group (iron group [n = 26], −0.3 ± 0.7 g/dL vs. control group [n = 27], −0.9 ± 0.8 g/dL; p = 0.040), although the absolute Hb levels, transfusion rates, and patient quality of life were comparable (all p &gt; 0.05). The iron group showed improved iron metabolite levels including serum ferritin and transferrin saturation four weeks postoperatively, and no adverse events associated with IV FCM administration occurred in either group. (4) Conclusions: Preoperative IV FCM in anemic individuals undergoing revision joint arthroplasty was effective in accelerating recovery from surgery-related anemia by improving Hb levels without any adverse events, despite similar actual Hb levels between the groups. Our findings are clinically relevant and can facilitate determination of the suitability of IV FCM as a safe and reliable protocol for iron supplementation for anemia correction.

In pigs, iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the most prevalent deficiency disorder during the early postnatal period frequently developing into a critical illness. Meanwhile, in humans, only low-birth-weight infants, including premature infants are especially susceptible to developing IDA. In both human and pig neonates, the initial cause of IDA is low birth iron stores. In piglets this shortage of stored iron results mainly from genetic selection over the past few decades for large litter size and high birth weight. In consequence, pregnant sows cannot provide sufficient amount of iron to the increasing number of developing fetuses. Supplementation with iron is a common practice for the treatment of IDA in piglets. For decades, the preferred procedure for delivering iron supplements during early life stages has been through the intramuscular injection of large amount of iron dextran. However, this relatively simple therapy, which in general, efficiently corrects IDA, may generate toxic effects, and by inducing hepcidin expression, may decrease bioavailability of supplemental iron. New iron supplements are considered now with the aim to combine improvement of hematological status, blunting hepcidin expression, and minimizing toxicity of the administered iron. We propose that iron-deficient piglets constitute a convenient animal model for performing pre-clinical studies with iron supplements.

Cobalt (Co) is a transition metal and is classified as a beneficial metal for plants, but its benefits for plants remain obscure. Cobalt has been reported to negatively affect plant physiochemical processes both at higher (toxic) and lower (deficient) applied levels. High concentrations of cobalt in plant organs cause irreversible changes to the plant cells, mainly via enhanced production of reactive radicals. Moreover, Co and its compound play an essential role in humans as they are the central atoms of cobalamin, a co-enzyme precursor whose absence causes anemia. Hence, the optimum Co supply to plants is critical for customary plant metabolic workings. Henceforth, monitoring Co behavior in the soil-plant-human system is highly imperative. This review highlighted the latest literature on (i) Co in soil and plants; (ii) its mobility and phyto-availability in soil; (iii) phytouptake and translocation towards shoot tissues; (iv) toxic and deficient effects of Co on plants; (v) plant detoxification mechanisms under increased Co levels inside plants; and (v) its role in the human body. For this purpose, 1026 plant observations from literature data were analyzed related to Co biogeochemical behavior in the soil-plant system. The data analysis revealed an overall increase in 567 observations and a decrease in 381 observations. However, these general trends in plant responses vary significantly for different types of plant species and physiological attributes. Overall, the current review delineates an updated and critical representation of the biogeochemical behavior of Co in the soil-plant-human system, supported by up-to-date 9 main tables, 14 supporting tables, and 3 figures. The authors believe that the literature presented here can be of great interest to scientists, researchers, policymakers, and graduate-level students.

The very slow anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) greatly limits the development of large-scale hydrogen production via water electrolysis. By replacing OER with easier urea oxidation reaction (UOR), developing a HER/UOR coupling electrolysis system for hydrogen production can significantly save energy and costs. Al doped cobalt ferrocyanide (Al-Co2Fe(CN)6) nanocube array was in-situ grown on nickel foam (Al-Co2Fe(CN)6/NF). Due to the unique nanocube array structure and regulated electronic structure of Al-Co2Fe(CN)6, the as-prepared Al-Co2Fe(CN)6/NF electrode exhibited outstanding catalytic activities and long-term stability to both UOR and HER. The Al-Co2Fe(CN)6/NF electrode needed potentials of 0.169 V and 1.118 V (vs. reversible hydrogen electrode) to drive 10 mA cm−2 for HER and UOR, respectively, in alkaline condition. Applying the Al-Co2Fe(CN)6/NF to a whole urea electrolysis system, 10 mA cm−2 was achieved at a cell voltage of 1.357 V, which saved 60% electricity energy comparing to that of tranditional water splitting. Density functional theory calculations demonstrated that the boosted UOR activity comes from Co sites with Al doped electronic environments. This promoted and balanced the adsorption/desorption of main intermediates in UOR process. This work indicates that Co based materials as efficient catalysts have great prospects for application in urea electrolysis systems, and are expected to achieve low-cost and energy-saving H2 production.

CoCr2O4 and doped lithium Co1-xLixCr2O4 chromate powder and nanoparticles were prepared by modified by sol-gel method. The morphological and structural properties of nano chromates were investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy and Photoluminescence (PL). Nanoparticles of doped lithium were synthesized by adding appropriate amount of cobalt nitrate, chromium nitrate, lithium nitrate and 1,2 Ethanediol as a complexing agent. The sample were heated at 105 ˚C for ten hours in oven to obtain dry gel. Calcination temperature for these samples was 700˚C for 3 hours in a furnace. The particle size of parent compound ranges from 4.4 nm to 11 nm, determined by SEM. The tendency of particles to form the aggregates with the increased annealing temperature was observed. The SEM and optical characterization of this compound has shown the sol gel derived material may be successfully used as an effective doped lithium cobalt ceramic pigment with controlled variation in structural and optical properties. SEM images showed that spherical like doped particle have diameter 33nm. From PL spectra Nano structure shows band gap 2.5ev and when we doped Lithium in it band gap decreases and become 1.19ev, which is associated to band gap transition.

Polymer-based piezoelectric biomaterials have already proven their relevance for tissue engineering applications. Further, the morphology of the scaffolds plays also an important role in cell proliferation and differentiation. The present work reports on poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), a biocompatible, biodegradable and piezoelectric biopolymer that has been processed in different morphologies, including films, fibres, microspheres and 3D scaffolds. Further, the corresponding magnetically active PHBV-based composites were also produced. The effect of the morphology on physico-chemical, thermal, magnetic and mechanical properties of pristine and composites samples was evaluated, as well as their cytotoxicity. It was observed that the morphology does not strongly affect the properties of the pristine samples but the introduction of cobalt ferrites induces changes in the degree of crystallinity that could affect the applicability of prepared biomaterials. Young modulus is dependent of the morphology and also increases with the addition of cobalt ferrites. Both, pristine and PHBV/cobalt ferrite composite samples are no cytotoxic, indicating their suitability for tissue engineering applications.

This study examines the potential of UiO-66 and g-C3N4-based composite catalysts for environmental purification and pesticide degradation. By integrating zirconium-based metal-organic framework UiO-66 with graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), a composite with a Z-type heterojunction structure is created, enhancing photocatalytic pesticide degradation and phosphorus recovery. The optimal composite, UiO-66/g-C3N4(UG6:4), shows high efficiency in degrading organophosphorus pesticides like DDVP under visible light. This catalyst's high surface area and porous nature efficiently adsorb and break down persistent soil pollutants, including DDT and DDVP. Featuring robust stability and effective photocatalytic activity, the UiO-66/g-C3N4 composite holds promise for soil remediation and dealing with organic pollutants. Future research will aim to further refine this material’s structure and properties, ensuring its practical application in environmental cleanup.

Phosphorus (P) is an important and irreplaceable macronutrient. It is central to energy and information storage and exchange in living cell. P is an element with “broken geochemical cycle” since it lacks abundant volatile compounds capable of closing the P cycle. P fertilizers are critical for global food security, but the reserves of minable P are scarce and non-evenly distributed between countries of the world. Accordingly, the risks of global crisis due to limited access to P reserves is expected to be graver than those entailed by competition for fossil hydrocarbons. Paradoxically, despite the scarcity and value of P reserves, its usage is extremely inefficient: current waste rate reaches 80% giving rise to a plethora of unwanted consequences such as eutrophication leading to harmful algal blooms. Microalgal biotechnology comprise a promising solution to tackle this challenge. The proposed review briefly presents the relevant aspects of microalgal P metabolism such as cell P reserve composition and turnover, and the regulation of P uptake kinetics for maximization of P uptake efficiency with the focus on novel knowledge. Multifaceted role of polyPhosphates, the largest cell depot for P, is discussed with emphasis on the P toxicity mediated by short-chain polyPhosphates. Opportunities and hurdles of P bioremoval via P uptake from waste streams with microalgal cultures, either suspended or immobilized, is discussed along with the role of bacterial components of microalgal-bacterial consortia in these processes. Possible avenues of P-rich microalgal biomass such as biofertilizer production or extraction of valuable polyPhosphates and other bioproducts are considered. The review concludes with a comprehensive assessment of the current potential of microalgal biotechnology for ensuring the sustainable usage of phosphorus.

Soil enzyme activity can be affected by both production and degradation, as enzymes can be degraded by proteases. However, the impact of nutrient addition on enzyme activity is often solely attributed to changes in enzyme production without fully considering degradation. Here, we demonstrated that the activities of β-1,4-glucosidase (BG), β-D-cellobiohydrolase (CBH), β-1,4-Xylosidase (BX), and β-1,4-N-acetyl-glucosaminnidase (NAG) were comparable in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilized soils and the unfertilized control under field conditions, but the reduction in activity was substantially greater in the fertilized soils during short-term laboratory incubation. The results show that the interruption of the natural, continuous supply of organic matter or non-soil microbial-derived enzymes, which typically occurs under field conditions, leads to a more significant reduction in apparent enzyme activities in fertilized soils compared to unfertilized control. This may be attributed to the higher abundance of protease in fertilized soils, resulting in faster enzyme degradation. Interestingly, P fertilization alone did not have a similar effect, indicating that N fertilization is likely the main cause of the larger decreases in enzyme activity during incubation in fertilized soils compared to unfertilized control soils, despite our study site being poor in P and rich in N. These findings highlight the importance of considering enzyme degradation when investigating material dynamics in forest ecosystems, including the impact of nutrient addition on enzyme activity, as enzyme production alone may not fully explain changes in apparent enzyme activity.

Control of nutrients, mainly nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), plays a significant role in preventing cyanobacterial blooms (harmful algal blooms (HABs)). This study aimed at evaluating changes in the risk of the occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms and advancing the understanding of how N and P affect the growth of cyanobacteria in a eutrophic lake, Lake Vombsjön, in southern Sweden. Statistical analysis was used to demonstrate the pattern of cyanobacterial blooms, that the highest content present in September and the later that algal blooms occur, the more likely it is a cyanobacterial bloom as cyanobacteria became dominating in October and November (90%). Two hypothesises tested in Lake Vombsjön confirmed namely that a high total phosphorus (TP) level correlates with an abundance of cyanobacteria and that low N:P ratio (total nitrogen/total phosphorus < 20) favours the growth of cyanobacteria. To control the growth of cyanobacteria in Lake Vombsjön, the TP level should be kept below 20 µg/L and the N:P ratio be maintained at a level of over 20. The two species Planktothrix agardhii, and Pseudanabaena spp. should be carefully monitored especially in late autumn. Future work should consider any high degree of leakage from the sediment of the dissolved phosphorus available there.

Abstract. Results of research into four-membered phosphorus(V)-heterocycles, 2-halogen-1,2λ⁵-oxaphosphetanes are presented. The preparation of 2-halo-1,2λ⁵-oxaphosphetanes by reaction of P-haloylides with carbonyl compounds is described. The mechanism of asynchronous [2+2]-сycloaddition of ylides to aldehydes was proposed on the base of low-temperature NMR investigations. 2-Halogen-1,2λ⁵-oxaphosphetanes were isolated as individual compounds and their structures were confirmed by ¹Н, ¹³C, ¹⁹F and ³¹Р NMR spectra. These compounds are convenient reagents for preparing of various organic and organophosphorus compounds hardly available by other methods. Chemical and physical properties of the 2-halo-1,2λ⁵-oxaphosphetanes are reviewed. The 2-chloro-1,2λ⁵-oxaphosphetanes depending on substituents at the α-carbon atom rearrange with formation of 2-chloroalkylphosphonates or convert into trans-phosphorylated alkenes. Prospective synthetic applications of 2-halo-1,2λ⁵-oxaphosphetanes are analyzed. The 2-halo-1,2λ⁵-oxaphosphetanes may be easily converted to various alkenylphosphonates: allyl- or vinylphosphonates, phosphorus ketenes, thioketenes, ketenimines.

Iron is an essential nutrient and necessary for biological functions from DNA replication and repair to transcriptional regulation, mitochondrial respiration, electron transfer, oxygen transport, photosynthesis, enzymatic catalysis, and nitrogen fixation. However, due to iron’s propensity to generate toxic radicals which can cause damage to DNA, proteins, and lipids, multiple processes regulate uptake and distribution of iron in living systems. Understanding how intracellular iron metabolism is optimized and how iron is utilized to regulate other intracellular processes is important to our overall understanding of a multitude of biological processes. One of the tools that the cell utilizes to regulate a multitude of functions is ligation of the iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster cofactor. Fe-S clusters comprised of iron and inorganic sulfur are ancient components of living matter on earth that are integral for physiological function in all domains of life. Here we will explore the ways in which the cell utilizes Fe-S clusters to sense the intracellular environment and respond to maintain equilibrium.

Oral ferric citrate hydrate (FCH) is effective for iron deficiency in hemodialysis patients.; however, it remains unclear how iron balance in the body affects iron absorption from the intestinal tract. This prospective, observational study (Riona-Oral Iron Absorption Trial, R-OIAT, UMIN 000031406), conducted at 42 hemodialysis centers in Japan, wherein 268 hemodialysis patients without inflammation were enrolled and treated with a fixed amount of FCH for 6 months. We assessed the predictive value of hepcidin-25 for iron absorption and iron shift between ferritin (FTN) and red blood cells (RBCs) following FCH therapy. Serum iron changes at 2 h (ΔFe2h) after FCH ingestion were evaluated as iron absorption. The primary outcome was the quantitative delineation of iron variables on ΔFe2h and the secondary outcome was the description of the predictors of body iron balance. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to identify the determinants of iron absorption during each phase of FCH treatment. ΔFe2h increased when hepcidin-25 and MCH decreased (-0.155, -0.242 to -0.068, p = 0.001; -2.574, -4.421 to -0.726, p = 0.006, respectively) in GEE. Hepcidin-25 increased when erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) decreased (-0.002, -0.002 to -0.001, p=0.000). FTN increased when RBC and ESA decreased (-0.466, -0.605 to -0.327, p=0.000; -0.002, -0.004 to -0.000, p=0.05, respectively. Limiting erythropoiesis to maintain hemoglobin levels induces RBC reduction in hemodialysis patients, resulting in increased hepcidin-25 and FTN levels. Hepcidin-25 production may prompt an iron shift from RBC-iron to FTN-iron, inhibiting iron absorption even with continued FCH intake.

Inflammation is an underlying problem for many disease states and has been implicated in iron deficiency (ID). This study aimed to determine whether iron status is improved by epigallocate-chin-3-gallate (EGCG) through reducing inflammation. Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 8 each): positive controls, negative controls, lipo-polysaccharide (LPS, 0.5 mg/kg body weight), and LPS + EGCG (LPS plus 600 mg EGCG/kg diet). Iron status, hepcidin, C - reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured. There were no differences in treatment groups compared with control in CRP, hepcidin, and liver iron concentrations. Serum iron concentrations were significantly lower in the LPS (p=0.02) and the LPS+EGCG (p=0.01) than in the positive control group. Compared to the positive control group, spleen iron concentrations were significantly lower in the negative con-trol (p<0.001) but not with both LPS groups. SAA concentrations were significantly lower in LPS + EGCG group compared to LPS alone group. IL-6 concentrations were significantly higher in LPS+EGCG (p= 0.004) than in any of the three groups. EGCG reduced SAA concentrations but did not affect hepcidin or improve serum iron concentration or other iron markers.

Additive Manufacturing and nanotechnology have been used as basic tools for the manufacture of nanostructured parts with magnetic properties to expand the variety of applications in additive processes by tank photopolymerization. Magnetic cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) and barium ferrite (BaFe12O19) nanoparticles with the size distribution of average value DTEM of 12 ± 2.95 nm and 37 ± 12.78 nm, respectively were generat-ed by hydroxide precipitation method. The dispersion of the nanoparticles on commercial resins (Anycubic Green and IRIX White resin) was obtained by mechanochemical reactions carried out in an agate mortar for 20 minutes, at room temperature and with limited exposure to light. The product of each reaction was placed in amber vials, also being kept in a box, to avoid contact with light. The photopolymerization process was carried out only at low concentrations (w/w % nanoparticles/resin) since, at high concentrations, there is no for-mation of pieces due to the high refractive index of ferrites. Raman shift spectroscopy of the final pieces showed that they contain the magnetic nanoparticles, with no apparent chemical changes. The EPR results of the pieces maintain the magnetic properties and apparently, they are not modified during the photopolymer-ization. Although significant differences were found in the dispersion process of the nanoparticles in each piece, we determined that the photopolymerization did not influence the structure and superparamagnetic behavior of ferrite nanoparticles during processing, and the magnetic properties were successfully transferred to the final 3D-printed magnetic obtained piece.

The integration of metal nanoparticles and solid carriers can achieve ideal stability, high load and good conductivity. In this work, copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) were sequentially deposited on a cobalt metal-organic framework (Co-MOF) by bonding with exposed imino groups, followed by a reduction reaction to prepare a new Cu@Co-MOF composite. Cu@Co-MOF acts as a non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor to detect glucose (Glu) in an alkaline medium. The composite working electrode of Cu@Co-MOF/GCE (GCE = glassy carbon electrode) improves the electrocatalytic activity for Glu oxidation. Cu@Co-MOF/GCE shows excellent electrocatalytic performances in Glu concentration ranging 0.005~1.8 mmol∙L⁻¹ (mM): the sensitivities are 282.89 μA∙mM⁻¹∙cm⁻² in 0.005-0.4 mM Glu and 113.15 μA∙mM⁻¹∙cm⁻² in 0.4-1.8 mM Glu respectively with low detection limit of 1.6 μM (S/N = 3) and high selectivity and stability.

The development of gamma rays mutant rice lines would be a solution for introducing variability in already farmer using varieties. In vitro gamma (60Co) mutagenesis reduces chimeras and allows a faster selection of desired traits but requires laboratory process optimization. The objective of the present work was the in vitro establishment of a recalcitrant rice embryogenic calli, the determination of its sensitivity to gamma radiation (Co-60), sequencing MATK and Rubisco for identification purposes, as well as generation optimization. The radiosensitivity of embryogenic calli resulted in an LD50 of 110Gy, while the 20% lethal dose was 64Gy. All sequenced genes matched perfectly with already reported MATK and Rubisco O. sativa genes with a clear SNP that identifies the local variety related to the southeast Asia Region. Callus induction improves with an MS with 2mg/L 2,4D, and the regeneration was achieved with an MS medium with 3mg/L BAP and 0,5mg/L NAA. The optimized radiation condition was 60Gy with an 83% regeneration in a semisolid medium, allowing a balance between mutation and regeneration. When increased to 80Gy, the regeneration rate falls to 29%. An immersion system (RITA®) of either 60 or 120 seconds every 8hours allowed a systematic and homogeneous total regeneration of the recalcitrant line, in contrast with the semisolid medium that resulted in positive but irregular regeneration. Other well-known recalcitrant cultivars, CR1821, CR1113 also had an improving regeneration in the immersion system, demonstrating its potential use for recalcitrant materials. To our knowledge, this is the first report on using an immersion system to allow regeneration of gamma-ray mutants from recalcitrant rice materials.

This paper seeks to examine how the Mn-Co spinel interconnect coating microstructure can in-fluence the Cr contamination in an oxygen electrode of intermediate temperature Solid Oxide Cells at the operating temperature of 750 °C. A Mn-Co spinel coating is processed on Crofer 22 APU substrates by electrophoretic deposition and subsequently sintered following both the one-step and two-step sintering, in order to obtain significantly different densification levels. The electrochemical characterization is performed on anode supported cells with a LSCF cathode. The cells were aged prior to the electrochemical characterization in contact with the spinel coated Crofer 22 APU at 750 °C for 250 hours. Current-voltage and impedance spectra of the cells were measured after the exposure with the interconnect. Post-mortem analysis of the interconnect and the cell was carried out in order to assess the Cr retention capability of coatings with different microstructures.

Cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (NPs) doped with rare earth (RE) metals with general formula CoFe_2-xRE_xO₄ (RE=Yb, Dy, Gd; x = 0.0 - 0.3) were synthesized by the co-precipitation method followed by post thermal treatment. The influence of RE doping on structural, magnetic and thermal properties and potential biomedical applications like magnetic hyperthermia has been investigated. In the as-prepared samples RE cations enter the spinel lattice as detected by X-ray diffraction. Thermal treatment leads to thermodynamically stable and relaxed single-phase spinel structures only for lower RE content, x = 0.01-0.05. However, annealed samples present higher mass magnetization values (M_S), up to 83 Am²/kg. RE content also affects M_S, especially in the case of annealed samples where it decreases linearly with x from about 80 Am²/kg (x = 0.01) to about 60 Am²/kg (x = 0.30). Thermal treatment induces a reduction in coercivity from 60-100 mT for as-prepared samples to 18-33 mT for annealed samples, in a nonlinear manner with respect to RE content. Heating efficiency, i.e., Specific Loss Power (SLP), of all samples has been studied using both magnetometric and calorimetric method to deeper examine the energy loss mechanisms involved.

Dietary iron assimilation is critical for health and essential to prevent iron deficient states and related comorbidities, such as anemia. The bioavailability of iron is limited, while its absorption and metabolism are tightly controlled to keep body iron stores within a relatively narrow range. Genetic inactivation of the iron hormone hepcidin causes hereditary hemochromatosis, an endocrine disorder of iron overload characterized by chronic hyperabsorption of dietary iron, with deleterious clinical complications if untreated. The impact of high dietary iron intake and elevated body iron stores in the general population is not well understood. Herein, we summarize epidemiological data suggesting that high intake of heme iron, which is abundant in meat products, poses a risk factor for metabolic syndrome pathologies, cardiovascular diseases, and some cancers. We discuss clinical relevance and potential limitations of data from cohort studies, as well as the need to establish causality and elucidate molecular mechanisms.

To achieve n-type doping in diamond, extensive investigations employing first principles have been conducted on various models of phosphorus doping and boron-phosphorus co-doping. The primary focus of this study is to comprehensively analyze the formation energy, band structure, density of states, and ionization energy of these structures. It is observed that within a diamond structure solely composed of phosphorus atoms, the formation energy of an individual carbon atom is excessively high. However, the substitution of two carbon atoms leads to the conversion of diamond into a p-type semiconductor. Upon examining the P-B co-doping structure, it is revealed that the doped impurities exhibit a tendency to form more stable cluster configurations. As the separation between the freely doped atoms and the cluster impurity structure increases, the overall stability of the structure diminishes, consequently resulting in an elevation of the ionization energy. Analysis of the electronic density of states demonstrates that the electron orbit of the B atom makes negligible contributions to the impurity levels during P-B doping.

A substantial amount of phosphorus (P) in soil is not readily available for plant uptake. Certain species may enhance P availability from poorly soluble P forms. This research aimed to compare the P solubilization capacity of the soil of two Lupine species, L. albus, and L. angustifolius, with a control crop of oats (Avena strigosa L.). Plants were planted in pots in four soils with varying texture, organic matter content, acidity, and P availability. Phosphorus solubilization capacity was assessed on variations of P availability (PBray1) at four points in time, comparing soils with lupine to oat-containing soils and their baseline values. At harvest, measurements of plant shoot biomass included their shoot dry weight and some nutrient concentrations such as P, nitrogen (N), manganese (Mn), and lupine nitrogen fixation. Compared to soils containing oats, lupine soils significantly increased PBray1 concentrations; increments ranged from 0.9 to 5.4 mg kg-1, depending on species, sampling time, and soil type. Lupine-induced soil acidification did not fully explain this P increase., As a proxy measurement of organic acid exudation, Manganese concentration was high in both lupine species' shoot biomass; however, these legumes had divergent Mn accumulation responses to soil acidity and P availability. Nitrogen fixed quantity varied with Lupine species (105-240 mg pot-1) and soil type (60-240 mg pot-1). Lupinus albus had a higher ability to mobilize non-labile P and provide N through biological N fixation (BNF), positioning it as a suitable crop for diversifying Uruguay's agricultural crop rotation systems.

'Huangguan' pear has significant social and economic value, and phosphorus, as one of the three main mineral elements of plants, has an irreplaceable effect on the normal growth of 'Huangguan' pear trees. The objective of this study was to predict the content of phosphorus in the pulp and peel of ‘Huangguan’ pears nondestructively and conveniently by using near-infrared spectroscopy (900–1700 nm) technology. First, twelve algorithms are used to preprocess the original spectral data, and the partial least squares regression algorithm and the gradient boosting regression tree algorithm are used to build a full-band prediction model based on the original spectral data and the processed spectral data. The characteristic wavelengths were extracted using genetic algorithms, followed by establishing a characteristic wavelength prediction model. The prediction accuracy of the models was evaluated according to the coefficient of determination R² and the relative analysis error RPD. The study found that the best prediction model for predicting phosphorus content in the pulp of 'Huangguan' pear was MSC-GA-PLSR, which had R²=0.843 and RPD=1.857 in the modelling set and R²=0.989 and RPD=7.041 in the prediction set. The best prediction model for predicting phosphorus content in the peel of ‘Huangguan’ pear was SG+SNV+FD-GA-PLSR, which had R²=0.991 and RPD=7.470 in the modelling set and R²=0.974 and RPD=4.414 in the prediction set, and the effect was good and met expectations. The results demonstrated that near-infrared spectroscopy could successfully achieve nondestructive detection of phosphorus content in the pulp and peel of 'Huangguan' pears.

To evaluate the nutrient load due to the grazing of laying hens in outdoor runs, soil characteristics were monitored in three Italian organic farms. For each farm, soil samples were taken from three increasing distances from the hen house and two depths and different chemical parameters were evaluated. The comparison among the results from the different distances shows that N-NO3 and Olsen P are the most affected parameters by hen faeces: both present high values with a statistically significant difference in the area close to the poultry house and for the most superficial layer. Even TKN and TOC show significant differences between the concentrations of the first layer (more concentrated) and those of the second layer (less concentrated). In general, the surface soil layer closest to the chicken house is the portion of the outdoor run most affected by chicken droppings and represents the most critical point in terms of potential environmental impact. Therefore, it is necessary to intensify the management of the outdoor run with tools that can facilitate the grazing of animals and with vegetation that can absorb nutrients by limiting leaching and run-off.

The Mediterranean region offers good weather conditions for outdoor pig production (OPP), which is considered more environmentally friendly than intensive indoor production. However, the continuous input of food and pigs' excreta increases the soil organic matter (SOM) and phosphorus (P), increasing the risk of waterbodies eutrophication. This work aimed at evaluating in OPP areas soil P dynamics and the role of SOM on P sorption and P release. The experiment was done for two years, at an area of 2.8 ha with an animal charge of 9 adults ha-1. Georeferenced soil samples were taken at 0.20 m depth, and a soil P sorption experiment was carried out. At the end of the experiment, for the background value, the levels of SOM increased between 85–376%, and Olsen P values ranged between -82–884%. SOM levels above 2% caused a decrease in the binding energy of P sorption according to the linear model b=-15.541SOM+115.20 (p <0.01) as well as a decrease of the soil P sorption capacity Qmax=-41.272SOM+298.37 (p <0.01). To avoid the accumulation of SOM and P preventing hotspots for waterbodies eutrophication, an adequate animal charge together with soil cultivation for pig grazing can be a cost-effective practice.

Tropical rainforests have the highest rates of net primary productivity (NPP) of the world. Hypotheses about the effect of edaphic nutrient contents, especially the availability of P, propose that they limit NPP of tropical forests or promote the redistribution of its above and belowground components. However, these hypotheses have not been tested experimentally in highly rainy tropical forests. To test such hypotheses, the effects of soil fertilization on the above and belowground NPP were evaluated in forests of two localities of Chocó (Colombia), one of the rainiest regions of the world. Five fertilization treatments (N, P, K, NPK and Control) were applied, and the above and belowground NPP were determined in permanent plots. There were no significant effects of treatments on total NPP; only the application of N significantly increased litter NPP. Additionally, a redistribution of the above and belowground NPP was found with the application of P, which increased the proportion of fine roots and litter, and decreased the woody components of forest NPP. This change of carbon allocation is interpreted as an ecophysiological mechanism to capture additional nutrients in soils with very low content of available P.

Myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloproliferative neoplasms both represent hematologic diseases associated with bone marrow failure often resulting in anemia. For those patients, transfusion of red blood cell (RBC) units is essential, but results in iron overload (IOL) that may affect various organ functions. Therefore, iron chelation therapy plays a major role in anemic patients, not only because it reduces IOL, but also because it may improve hematopoietic function by increasing hemoglobin or diminishing requirement of RBC transfusions. To assess the utility, efficacy and safety of the different iron chelation medication approved in Germany as well as to examine the effect of chelation on hematopoietic insufficiency, a prospective, multicenter, non-interventional study named EXCALIBUR was designed. In total, 502 patients from 106 German hospitals and medical practices were enrolled. A large proportion of patients switched from deferasirox dispersible tablet to deferasirox film-coated tablet, mainly due to more convenient application which was reflected in the treatment satisfaction questionnaire for medication scores. Iron chelation was effective in lowering serum ferritin levels, with the observed adverse drug reactions being in line with the known safety profile. Hematologic response occurred in a few patients, comparable to other studies that examined hematologic improvement in patients with MDS.

The removal of sulfur from fossil fuels is one of the most important processes in modern refineries. It is accomplished via hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of the sulfur organic compounds in presence of heterogeneous catalysts. In the current work, heterogeneous catalysts containing cobalt and mo-lybdenum supported on mesoporous materials type SBA-15 and AlSBA-15 were synthesized for application in the HDS reactions of thiophene in n-heptane stream. The mesoporous materials were synthesized by hydrothermal method starting from TEOS, pseudobohemite, hydrochloric ac-id and water. Pluronic P123 was used as template. The best calcination conditions for removal of the organic template were optimized by thermogravimetry analysis (TG/DTG). The calcined SBA-15 and AlSBA-15 supports were submitted to co-impregnation with solutions of cobalt nitrate and ammonium heptamolybdate, aiming the production of 15% in mass of metal loading with atomic ratio of [Co/(Co+Mo)]=0.45. The obtained materials were dried and calcined for obtaining the mesoporous catalysts in the form of CoMo/SBA-15 and CoMo/AlSBA-15. The catalysts were char-acterized by XRD, TG/DTG, SEM and nitrogen adsorption. From XRD analysis, it was verified that after decomposition of the cobalt and molybdenun salts, were formed MoO3, Co3O4 and Co-MoO4 oxides on the supports, being attributed to these chemical species the activity for the HDS reactions. The activity of the obtained catalysts was evaluated in a continuously flowing tubular fixed-bed microreactor coupled on-line to a gas chromatograph, using n-heptane stream contain-ing 12070 ppm of thiophene (ca. 5100 ppm of sulfur) as a model compound. From the catalytic tests it was verified that the synthesized catalysts presented good activity for the reaction, and the main obtained products were cis- and trans-2-butene, 1-butene, n-butane and low amounts of iso-butane. The presence of 1,3-butadiene and tetrahydrothiophene (THT) were not detected. A mechanism of the primary and secondary reactions and subsequent formation of the olefins and paraffins, in the CoMo/SBA-15 and CoMo/AlSBA-15 mesoporous catalysts were proposed, con-sidering steps of desulfurization, hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, THT decyclization and isomerization.

Cobalt-doped alumina catalysts were prepared by different methods, applying either the conventional wet impregnation (WI) and/or the advanced spray impregnation (SI), and evaluated as novel oxidation catalysts for CO and MeOH oxidation. The spray impregnation technique aims towards the synthesis of core-shell catalytic nanostructures to secure chemical/thermal stability of the active sites on the catalyst carrier. The catalysts were further promoted with low Pd content (0.5 wt.%) applying either incipient wetness impregnation (DI) or spray impregnation. The results revealed the superior performance of spray impregnated catalysts (Co/γ-Al2O3-SI) for both reactions. The deposition of Co oxide on the outer surface of the alumina particle (SEM images) and the availability of the active Co phase, resulted in the enhancement of Co/γ-Al2O3 catalysts oxidation activity. Pd incorporation increased catalysts reducibility (TPR-H2) and improved the catalysts performance for both reactions. However, Pd incorporation method affected the catalytic performance; as with the SI method the active phase of Co3O4 was probably covered from PdO and was not available for the oxidation reactions. On the contrary, the incorporation of Pd with the DI method resulted in better dispersion of PdO all over the Co/Al catalyst surface, maintaining available Co active sites and better Pd-Co interaction. MeOH desorption studies revealed the methanol oxidation mechanism; Co/Al catalysts promote partial oxidation of MeOH to formaldehyde (HCHO) and dehydration to dimethyl ether (DME), while Pd-based Co/Al catalysts enhance the complete oxidation of methanol to CO2 and H2O.

At present, the drilling rig for deep seabed shallow strata is widely used in the exploration of ocean cobalt-rich crust resources and other fields, which not only can obtain solid core samples at a specific station, but the operation process is relatively safe. This paper mainly presents the structure and mechanism of mobile drilling rig in acquiring the seafloor cores (up to 1.5 m long). Based on the function of the AMESim software, the hydraulic propulsion system model of mobile drilling rig is established, which is the basis and core part of the mobile drilling rig. Moreover, the control methods of closed-loop and PID are respectively used to control the hydraulic propulsion system for simulation analysis. Through the comparison of simulation results, it is found that the PID control method is more convincing in verifying the design rationality of hydraulic propulsion system. In the simulation of the PID-controlled hydraulic propulsion system, the co-simulation technology of AMESim and Matlab/Simulink not only establishes the hydraulic model and control model, but also determines the relevant simulation parameters, which is helpful to improve the system simulation efficiency. In its verification deployment in the South China Sea, the mobile drilling rig has been operated for many times at different depths, and some cores have been successfully obtained. Furthermore, the mobile drilling rig has been used during the 55th Voyage of China Oceanic Scientific Expedition supported by China Ocean Mineral Resources R&D Association. Several sites were explored and a large number of cobalt-rich crust cores were obtained. The powerful theory and sea trails are provided to support for the further research on survey of the abyssal resource.

The study, conducted at the Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College and associated Lok Nayak Hospital, aimed to investigate the prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia among anaemic overweight and obese individuals. Fifty participants were included after screening and consent, undergoing socio-demographic assessment, clinical evaluation, and laboratory investigations. Middle to old-aged individuals predominated (Mean ± SD: 54.54 ± 11.32 years), with females comprising 62%. All subjects were obese (mean BMI: 37.27 ± 5.71 kg/m²), with common comorbidities including hypertension (68%), diabetes (36%), and obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (32%). Nutritional deficiencies, particularly iron deficiency, were prevalent, affecting 62% of subjects, with 48% having iron deficiency alone. Anemia of chronic illness was observed in 38%. Laboratory parameters showed low hemoglobin (8.53 ± 1.23 g/dL), MCV (78.75 ± 10.13 fL), and elevated ESR (20.56 ± 21.47 mm/hour) and CRP levels (4.71 ± 3.32 mg/dL), indicating inflammation. Correlation analyses revealed negative associations between BMI and serum iron/ferritin and positive associations with serum hepcidin. The study underscores the significance of addressing nutritional deficiencies and monitoring iron status in obese populations, suggesting potential associations between obesity and iron metabolism. Further research is needed to explore these relationships for clinical management implications.

Oligodendroglioma (OG) is a brain tumor that contributes to < 1% of brain tumor diagnoses in the pediatric population. Unfortunately, pediatric OG remains without definitive molecular characteristics to aid in diagnosis, and little is known about the tumor microenvironment. Tumor cells' metabolism and proliferation rate are generally higher than healthy cells, so their iron demand is also significantly increased. This consideration underlines the great importance of iron for tumor development and progression. In this context, this study aims to evaluate the effect of iron in a cellular in vitro model of human oligodendroglioma brain tumor. Cell morphology, the effect of siderotic medium on cell growth, iron uptake, and the expression of iron metabolism-related genes were evaluated by optic microscopy, ICP-MS, confocal microscopy, and RealTime PCR, respectively. This study underlines the great importance of iron for tumor development and progression, but also the possibility of reducing the available iron concentration to determine an antiproliferative effect on OGs. Therefore, every attempt can be promising to defeat the OGs for which there are currently no long-term curative therapies.

Baía de Todos os Santos is the second largest bay in Brazil and is home to important ecosystems, including estuarine systems and mangroves. However, studies on the seasonal variability of its soil properties and composition are still scarce. For this study, soil and leaf samples were seasonally collected from mangrove forests at four sites (Cacha Prego, Ponta Grossa, Ilha de Maré, and Pitinga), which are representative of different environmental conditions within the BTS. Soil physicochemical properties, soil composition and partition of Fe forms were determined, and analysis of minerals by Scanning Electron Microscope, was performed on soil samples. Isotopic ratios (δ13C, δ15N) were also determined on soil and leaf samples. Soils showed significant spatial and temporal changes affecting both their properties (pH, Eh) and their composition (TOC, pyrite and Fe oxyhydroxide contents). Clear spatial changes were observed in redox potential, significantly affecting the concentrations of the different geochemical forms of Fe, particularly the concentrations of crystalline oxyhydroxydes and pyrite in one of the studied sites. In three of the study sites, pyrite crystals showed clear evidence of degradation associated with sandy soils. Finally, δ13C and N/C ratios in soils seem to suggest a mixed origin of organic matter.

Beta-thalassemia major (β-TM) is a severe form of thalassemia caused by mutations in the β-globin gene, resulting in partial or complete deficiency of β-globin chains. This deficiency results in oxidative stress, dyserythropoiesis, and chronic anemia. Cytokine dependent hematopoietic cell linker (CLNK) belongs to the adaptor protein family and has the capacity to interact with multiple signaling proteins thereby modulating signal transduction. The aim of the present study was to examine CLNK in sera of β-TM patients and examine its association with iron overload biomarkers. Sixty β-TM patients, aged 3–12 years old and undergoing blood transfusions, and 30 healthy control children were recruited and CLNK, ferritin and iron status parameters were measured. The results showed a significant increase (p < 0.001) in serum CLNK levels in β-TM patients as compared with normal controls. The increased levels of CLNK were significantly associated with increased ferritin levels. Increased CLNK levels in β-TM may be explained by reciprocal effects between immune signaling and immature erythrocytes, which, release soluble receptors and signaling molecules, including CLNK, in the blood.

Ghrelin and obestatin, two antagonist peptide hormones, are purportedly involved in stimulating appetite and controlling energy balance in humans. Serum ghrelin level is also associated with iron deficiency anemia (IDA), but no study has yet been made of the obestatin level in patients with IDA, even though both hormones are a single gene product. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation is to see whether there is a link between IDA and these two hormones among other hematological parameters in patients with IDA. To measure ghrelin and obestatin, human saliva and serum were collected from 30 women with IDA, aged 31.7 ± 10.7 years, and 30 control women, aged 30.2 ± 8.0 years, with repeated collection of samples over a period of 1 week and 1 month. Saliva and serum ghrelin levels were measured by ELISA. Serum hemoglobin, ferritin, hematocrit and total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) values were determined with an Olympus AU2700. Saliva and serum ghrelin and obestatin levels were significantly lower in the IDA group compared with controls; these levels increased slightly above baseline with iron treatment, but remained below the control values. Furthermore, and as expected, serum hemoglobin, ferritin, and hematocrit levels were significantly increased with iron treatment, while total iron-binding capacity decreased compared to baseline concentrations. The findings suggest that IDA might be linked to imbalance of circulating (serum) and non-circulating (saliva) ghrelin and obestatin levels. Decreased ghrelin and obestatin might destroy iron homeostasis through its effect on intestinal absorption. Measuring these hormone levels might be useful for monitoring the response to iron treatment. Also, serum and saliva levels for both hormones were well correlated. Thus, using saliva in place of serum for monitoring the two hormones should minimize inconvenience and patient discomfort.

The inclusion of exogenous phytase in broiler P and Ca deficient diets in response to heightened concerns over excessive P excretion into the environment over the years has remarkably been documented. However, responses among these studies have been inconsistent because of the several factors affecting P utilization. For this reason, a systematic review with meta-analysis of results from forty-one studies published from 2000 to February 2024 was evaluated to: 1) quantitatively summarize the size of phytase effect on growth performance, bone strength, and mineralization in broilers fed P and Ca deficient basal diets and 2) estimate and explore the heterogeneity of the effect sizes of outcomes using sub-group and meta-regression analyses. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s SYRCLE Risk of Bias checklists for animal studies. Additionally, applying the random-effects models, Hedges’ g effect size of supplementation with phytase was calculated using the R software to determine the standardized mean difference (SMD) at a 95% confidence interval. Sub-group analysis and meta-regression further explored heterogeneity (P_SMD ≤ 0.05, I² > 50%, n ≥ 10). The meta-analysis showed that supplemental phytase increases ADFI and BWG and reduces FCR at each time point of growth (< 0.0001). Additionally, phytase supplementation consistently increased tibia ash, P and Ca, and bone strength (< 0.0001) of broilers fed P and Ca deficient diets. Results of the subgroup and meta-regression analyses showed that age and strain of broiler, dietary P source, and duration of phytase exposure significantly influence the effect size of phytase on growth and bone parameters. In conclusion, phytase can attenuate the effect of reducing dietary available phosphorus and calcium and improve ADFI, BWG, and reduced FCR, especially when added to starter diets. It further enhances bone ash, bone mineralization, and bone-breaking strength of broilers, even though the effects of bone ash and strength can be maximized in the starter phase of growth. However, the effect sizes of phytase were related to the age and strain of the broiler, dietary P source, and duration of phytase exposure rather than the dosage.

Abstract: Marine eutrophication is a pervasive and growing threat to global sustainability. Thereby nutrient discharges to the marine environment should be reduced to a minimum. When fertilizers are loaded to vessels in ports, a significant amount of nutrients are released into the sea, but so far these actions have received little attention. Here, we employed the Boosted Regression Trees modeling (BRT) to define relationships between fertilizer loading, loading area, rain intensity and nutrient discharge to the marine environment and then used the established relationships to predict daily nutrient discharge due to fertilizer loading. The studied subject was a port in the Gulf of Finland, where significant amount of both nitrogen and phosphorus are loaded to vessels. BRT models accounted for a significant proportion of the variability of nutrient discharge. As expected, the nutrient discharge increased with the amounts of fertilizers loaded and the intensity of rain. On the other hand, with increasing loading area the amounts of total nitrogen discharge increased, but phosphorus discharge decreased. The latter result may be due to different char-acteristics of the loading areas of different terminals. The model predicted that at the studied port the total nitrogen and phosphorus discharge into the marine environment due to fertilizer loading was 272,906 and 196 kg per year, respectively. Im-portantly, the developed model can be used to predict nutrient loads for different future scenarios to propose the best mitigation methods for nutrient discharges to the sea.

Phosphorus (P) deficiency is a major constraint limiting sustainable rice cultivation in sub-Saharan Africa—partly due to the deeply weathered soils that have low pH and contain high P-fixing Fe and Al oxides. Soil texture also affects P availability and use efficiency. In this study, we evaluated the combined effect of soil texture (sand, clay loam, and clay) and P treatments (P-dipping and two other P fertilizer levels) on growth of NERICA 4 rice in the initial growth stages. In a factorial experiment, we measured the interaction effects of soil texture and P treatments on shoot parameters and root morphology. Both treatments had significant interaction effects on all measured parameters, except shoot biomass, and affected the photosynthetic rate, with the highest mean values obtained under clay loam soil texture and P-dipping treatment, respectively. The treatments also affected rice root morphology. In a striking contrast, whereas mean root length under clay was significantly higher than that under clay loam texture, mean shoot P uptake under clay loam soil was significantly higher than that under clay soil texture. The interactive effect of soil texture and P-dipping influenced NERICA 4 shoot and root physiological and morphological characteristics under clay loam soil texture.

The influence of long-term chemical fertilization in paddy soils is based on the interaction between labile carbon and phosphorus fractions and how this influences soil organic carbon (SOC). Four soil depths (0–30 cm) were analyzed in this study. Easily oxidized organic carbon components, such as permanganate oxidized carbon (POXC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and other physicochemical soil factors were evaluated. The correlation and principal component analyses were used to examine the relationship between soil depth and the parameter dataset. The results showed that Fe-P concentrations were greater in the 0–5 cm soil layer. DOC, inorganic phosphate fraction, and other soil physiochemical characteristics interacted more strongly with SOC in the 0–5 cm soil layer, compared to that in the 10–15 cm layer, influencing soil acidity. An increase in DOC in the 0–5 cm soil layer had a considerable effect on lowering SOC, consistent with P positively correlated with POXC, but negatively with SOC and water-soluble carbon (WSC). The changes in SOC could be attributed to the relationship between DOC and inorganic phosphate fractions (as Fe-P) under a specific soil pH condition. An increase in soil DOC could be caused by changes in the P fraction and pH. The DOC:Avai. P ratio could serve as a compromise for the C and P dynamic indicators. The soil depth interval is a critical element that influences these interactions. Agricultural policy and decision-making may be influenced by the P from chemical fertilization practices, considering the yields and environmental effects.

A field experiment was conducted on the farm of Abi Jarash in Agricultural Collage, different rates of olive solid waste and cow manure were used, as follows: (control, fresh olive solid waste 100%, fresh olive solid waste 75%+ cow manure 25%, fresh olive solid waste 50%+ cow manure 50%, fresh olive solid waste 25+ cow manure 75%, Fermented Olive Solid Waste 100%, Fermented olive solid waste 75%+ cow manure 25%, Fermented olive solid waste 50%+ cow manure 50%, Fermented olive solid waste 25+ cow manure 75%), wheat was seeded. The impact of fresh and fermented olive solid waste and cow manure on some chemical and fertility soil properties was studied. the olive solid waste treatment 100% which added had more effect on the organic matter, exchange capacity, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in soil, plant and productivity, after that the fermented olive solid waste 75% + cow manure, fresh olive solid waste 100% comparing with the control, the values of organic matter were (25% 2.73, 2.39) and the cation exchange capacity (21.76, 20.44, 19.38) and for phosphorus (303.3, 277.8, 171.8) mg / kg, while the values of potassium ​​were (303.3, 277.8, 171.8) mg / kg. In terms of plant content, the plant content of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were the same as for grains (2.784, 2.606, 2.126), (0.4535, 0.4226, 0.2753), (1.876, 1.762, 1.234) respectively, (0.2875, 0.2016) respectively for the same previous treatments and elements. olive solid waste 100% was the highest productivity comparing with the other treatments, where the productivity of wheat was (9.513) ton. ha-1.

The impact of riparian wetlands on the cycling, retention and export of nutrients from land to water varies according to local environmental conditions and is poorly resolved in catchment management approaches. To determine the role a specific wetland might play in a catchment mitigation strategy, an alternative approach is needed to the high frequency and spatially detailed monitoring programme that would otherwise be needed. Here, we present a new approach using a combination of novel and well-established geochemical, geophysical and isotope ratio approaches. This was developed and tested against a 2-year high-resolution sampling programme in a lowland permeable wetland in the Lambourn catchment, UK. The monitoring programme identified multiple pathways and water sources feeding into the wetland, generating large spatial and temporal variations in nutrient cycling, retention and export behaviours within the wetland. This complexity of contributing source areas and biogeochemical functions within the wetland were effectively identified using the new toolkit approach. We propose that this technique could be used to determine the likely net source/sink function of riparian wetlands prior to their incorporation into any catchment management plan, with relatively low resource implications when compared to a full high frequency nutrient speciation and isotope geochemistry-based monitoring approach.

Despite increased awareness of and attention to the need for sustainable agriculture, fertilizers and compost application in excess of crop requirements remain common agricultural practices in South Korea, causing eutrophication of freshwater and coastal ecosystems. In this study, a phosphorus (P) budget was developed to quantify P inputs, outputs, and retention in a forested- agricultural watershed. The P budget showed that chemical fertilizers and organic compost were the largest source of P (97.6% of the total) followed by atmospheric deposition (2.1% of the total P), whereas forest export (0.2% of the total) and sewage treatment plants (STPs) (0.1% of the total) were negligible. The dominant P outputs were crop harvesting and hydrologic export to surface water. The P balance showed a significant accumulation of P in the watershed; approximately 87% of the total P input was retained in the soils within the watershed. However, P concentrations in drainage water were still high enough to cause eutrophication of downstream reservoirs. The results provide useful information on the proportion of P export and retention in soils and will help support efforts to improve water quality and design better management of agricultural non-point source pollution.

Incidental P losses from non-point sources may contribute to eutrophication and to decreased soil fertility. These incidents have been related to heavy rainfall on freshly fertilized agricultural soils and little is known about such incidents on more natural soils or in forests. The aim of this work is to determine if incidents of high P leaching also occur in spruce forests, and if such incidents are of significance in P cycling. We found a peak in the mineral soil solution showing that single events of high P leaching occur. The orthophosphate concentration in the Bf-horizon of the 80-year old spruce forest peaked in the autumn of the second year of a continuous monitoring. The concentration increased by more than 85 times compared to the highest concentration obtained earlier during the sampling. The amount leached during this 6 months peak is 10 times higher than the average annual leaching. This P leaching might be due to a combination of high P deposition/through-fall and a high anion exchange with dissolved-organic-carbon and Cl-. We suggest that single events of high sub-surface P leaching may contribute to the overall P leaching, and might increase with the global warming as more DOC is expected to be released to the soil solution.

Phosphate (Pi) deficiency reduces nodule formation and development in different legume species including common bean. Despite the significant progress in the understanding of the genetic responses underlying the adaptation of nodules to Pi deficiency, it is still unclear whether this nutritional deficiency interferes with the molecular dialog between legumes and rhizobia, if so, what part of the molecular dialog is impaired? In this study, we provide evidence demonstrating that Pi deficiency negatively affects critical early molecular and physiological responses required for a successful symbiosis between common bean and rhizobia. We demonstrated that the infection thread formation and the expression of PvNSP2, PvNIN, and PvFLOT2, genes controlling the nodulation process, were significantly reduced in Pi-deficient common bean seedlings. Further transcriptional analysis revealed that the expression of hormones-related genes is compromised in Pi-deficient seedlings inoculated with rhizobia. Additionally, we showed that regardless of the presence or absence of rhizobia, the expression of PvRIC1 and PvRIC2, two genes participating in the autoregulation of nodule number, was higher in Pi-deficient seedlings than in control seedlings. The data presented in this study shed light on the understanding of how Pi deficiency impacts the early steps of the symbiosis between common bean and rhizobia.

Reducing emissions from the iron and steel industry is essential to achieve the Paris climate goals. A new system to reduce the carbon footprint of steel production is proposed in this article by coupling hydrogen direct reduction of iron ore (H-DRI) and natural gas pyrolysis on liquid metal surface inside a bubble column reactor. If grid electricity from EU is used, the emissions would be 435 kg CO₂/tls without considering methane leakage from the extraction, storage and transport of natural gas. Solid carbon, produced as a by-product of natural gas decomposition, finds applications in many industrial sectors, including as a replacement for coal in coke ovens. Specific energy consumption (SEC) of the proposed system is approximately 6.3 MWh per ton of liquid steel(tls). It is higher than other competing technologies, 3.48 MWh/tls for water electrolysis based DRI, and, 4.3-4.5 MWh/tls for natural gas based DRI and blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) respectively. Utilization of large quantities of natural gas, where the carbon remains unused, is the major reason for high SEC. Preliminary analysis of the system revealed that it has the potential to compete with existing technologies to produce CO₂ free steel, if renewable electricity is used. Further studies on the kinetics of the bubble column reactor, H-DRI shaft furnace, design and sizing of components, along with building of industrial prototypes are required to improve the understanding of the system performance.

The magnetic properties of RCo3B2 compounds, with heavy rare earths, are investigated by using magnetic measurements and electronic structure calculations. The cobalt sublattice magnetizations are very small and antiparallel oriented to rare earths moments. Contributions of cobalt moments to the Curie constants were also shown. The cobalt magnetic behavior has been analyzed in spin fluctuations model. The presence of short-range order above the Curie temperatures in RCo3B2 compounds with R=Tb, Dy, and Ho has been attributed to reminiscent R5d-Co3d interactions.