Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yujun Zhang, Jeng Yi Chong, Rong Xu, Rong Wang
Summary: Solvent resistant membrane distillation (SR-MD) is a novel technology that effectively separates water from waste streams containing solvents with high boiling points. This study proposes a new hydrophobic modification method using fatty acid chloride (FAC) as a greener and cheaper alternative to silanes. The modified ceramic membranes exhibited high hydrophobicity and showed promising performance in SR-MD for the treatment of challenging wastewater containing organic solvents.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Olga Babich, Vyacheslav Dolganyuk, Anna Andreeva, Dmitriy Katserov, Liudmila Matskova, Elena Ulrikh, Svetlana Ivanova, Philippe Michaud, Stanislav Sukhikh
Summary: Methods for purifying and characterizing components from microalgae were developed, and the effects of carbohydrates on lipid accumulation were studied. Valuable components were found in microalgae, making this research important in various scientific fields and feed additive production.
Review
Plant Sciences
Lakhvir Kaur Dhaliwal, Rosalyn B. Angeles-Shim
Summary: Breeding for cold stress tolerance during germination is complex due to the integrated responses of cellular, biochemical, hormonal, and molecular processes. Cold stress primarily affects the structure and composition of cell membranes, leading to disturbances in cellular homeostasis. Maintenance of membrane integrity through altering lipid composition is crucial for plants to cope with cold stress.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Deborah M. Boes, Albert Godoy-Hernandez, Duncan G. G. McMillan
Summary: Membrane proteins can be classified into two categories, integral and peripheral membrane proteins, based on their interaction with the membrane. Peripheral membrane proteins interact with the membrane through various interactions, influencing their cellular location and function, and their role in human diseases.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nur Farah Anis Abd Halim, Mohd Shukuri Mohamad Ali, Adam Thean Chor Leow, Raja Noor Zaliha Raja Abd Rahman
Summary: This study delves into the various membrane-bound desaturases found in Brassica napus, particularly focusing on the Delta 12 fatty acid desaturase (FAD12). The research highlights the catalytic mechanism and characterization of FAD12, revealing its optimal conditions and secondary structures through GC-MS and CD analysis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Hongming Fu, Kaili Xue, Jihao Yang, Zhaohao Li, Heng Zhang, Dan Gao, Haiping Chen
Summary: In this study, Al2O3 ceramic membrane was modified to be hydrophobic by grafting 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-per-fluorodecyltriethoxysilane, and its properties were characterized in detail. The CO2 capture performance of the modified ceramic membrane was investigated through experiments. Results showed that the wetting resistance of the modified membrane was significantly improved, and the contact angle increased from 49.8 to 130.9 degrees. With the use of ethanolamine (MEA) as an absorbent, the CO2 mass transfer rate and capture efficiency using the modified hydrophobic ceramic membrane were greatly increased compared to the original membrane. After 72 hours of immersion in MEA solution, the quality and pore size of the ceramic membrane did not show significant changes. This study provides valuable insights for the industrial application of gas-liquid membrane contactors with ceramic membranes for CO2 capture.
JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN CERAMIC SOCIETY
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Nur Farah Anis Abd Halim, Mohd Shukuri Mohamad Ali, Adam Thean Chor Leow, Raja Noor Zaliha Raja Abd Rahman
Summary: Fatty acid desaturase plays a crucial role in the synthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids, with limited research on membrane fatty acid desaturases due to challenges in recombinant production. However, technological advancements have shown progress in elucidating the crystal structures of membrane fatty acid desaturases.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Udeep Chawla, Suchithranga M. D. C. Perera, Steven D. E. Fried, Anna R. Eitel, Blake Mertz, Nipuna Weerasinghe, Michael C. Pitman, Andrey V. Struts, Michael F. Brown
Summary: Visual rhodopsin absorbs light and takes in approximately 80 water molecules to form a solvent-swollen active state, which is essential for activating the photoreceptor and is supported by molecular dynamics simulations. Force-based measurements show that the expansion of rhodopsin occurs through changes in cavity volumes and increased hydration in the active Meta II state. Furthermore, the binding and release of the C-terminal helix of transducin is coupled to hydration changes, potentially influencing visual signal amplification through a dynamic allosteric mechanism involving lipid and water interactions in the catalytic G-protein cycle.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Melanie Galano, Shereen Ezzat, Vassilios Papadopoulos
Summary: This study reports the first patient with a heterozygous SCP2 mutation leading to SCPx deficiency. The patient exhibited clinical symptoms including progressive brainstem neurodegeneration, cardiac dysrhythmia, muscle wasting, and azoospermia. Analysis of fatty acids, protein expression, and metabolic pathways suggested the association of SCPx deficiency with various metabolic processes. Treatment interventions increasing SCPx levels may have therapeutic potential for reversing the effects of SCPx deficiency.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yujun Zhang, Jeng Yi Chong, Yali Zhao, Rong Xu, Akihiko Asakawa, Rong Wang
Summary: This study developed a method to fabricate hydrophobic membranes for membrane distillation. The hydrophilic membranes were transformed into hydrophobic through the coating of a polymer called LUMIFLONTM LF-200. The coated membranes showed better performance than commercial membranes.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Binhan Yu, Channing C. Pletka, Junji Iwahara
Summary: This study used NMR spectroscopy to investigate the interaction between charged proteins and anions, revealing that the number of weakly interacting anions with proteins is notably smaller than the overall charge valences. Moreover, it was observed that anions are released from the protein surface upon protein-DNA association.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Felise G. Adams, Claudia Trappetti, Jack K. Waters, Maoge Zang, Erin B. Brazel, James C. Paton, Marten F. Snel, Bart A. Eijkelkamp
Summary: The study found that Acinetobacter baumannii may rely on different sources of fatty acids during infection and synthesize fatty acids in different environments. Additionally, it is the first to reveal the importance of balancing de novo synthesis and acquisition of fatty acids in a Gram-negative bacterium during infection.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Rahul Sahu, Divya Nayar
Summary: This study investigates the effects of chemical nature and soft attractive energy of crowders on water-mediated hydrophobic interactions between non-polar solutes using molecular dynamics simulations. The results show that different types of crowders have varying effects on hydrophobic interactions, with small-sized crowders primarily driving the interaction through an entropic depletion effect, and bulky crowders strengthening it through preferential interactions with the solute. The findings suggest that both entropic and energetic effects play crucial roles in determining hydrophobic associations.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Matias Cabruja, Josefina Priotti, Pablo Domizi, Katharina Papsdorf, Deanna L. Kroetz, Anne Brunet, Kevin Contrepois, Michael P. Snyder
Summary: TriP-MS3 is a mass spectrometry-based method that allows for comprehensive qualitative and semiquantitative profiling of over 6,700 TAG species. This method demonstrated excellent reproducibility and linearity, detecting 285 individual TAG species in human plasma. The accuracy of the method was validated by comparison with a state-of-the-art reverse phase liquid chromatography (RPLC)-MS.
ANALYTICA CHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Minyuan Han, Yuting Wang, Jingmei Yao, Caihong Liu, Jia Wei Chew, Yi Wang, Yingchao Dong, Le Han
Summary: This study focused on enhancing oil-membrane electrostatic repulsion in electricity-assisted membrane distillation using electrically conductive hydrophobic membrane. By coating carbon nanotubes on commercial membranes to fabricate membrane cathodes, the modified membrane showed significantly less flux decline in dealing with high-concentration oil emulsions. The anti-oil fouling robustness was confirmed through continuous operation cycles, and the study highlighted the role of electrically conductive membrane cathodes in modulating foulant-membrane interactions at the triple-phase interface to mitigate fouling/wetting issues.
Letter
Engineering, Environmental
Xia Lu, Yurong Liu, Alexander Johs, Linduo Zhao, Tieshan Wang, Ziming Yang, Hui Lin, Dwayne A. Elias, Eric M. Pierce, Liyuan Liang, Tamar Barkay, Baohua Gu
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2016)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xia Lu, Yurong Liu, Alexander Johs, Linduo Zhao, Tieshan Wang, Ziming Yang, Hui Lin, Dwayne A. Elias, Eric M. Pierce, Liyuan Liang, Tamar Barkay, Baohua Gu
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2016)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Chen Qian, Hongmei Chen, Alexander Johs, Xia Lu, Jing An, Eric M. Pierce, Jerry M. Parks, Dwayne A. Elias, Robert L. Hettich, Baohua Gu
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xia Lu, Alexander Johs, Linduo Zhao, Lihong Wang, Eric M. Pierce, Baohua Gu
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
(2018)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yu-Rong Liu, Alexander Johs, Li Bi, Xia Lu, Hang-Wei Hu, Dan Sun, Ji-Zheng He, Baohua Gu
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Swapneeta S. Date, Jerry M. Parks, Katherine W. Rush, Judy D. Wall, Stephen W. Ragsdale, Alexander Johs
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hanyu Wang, Alexander Johs, James F. Browning, David Alan Tennant, Liyuan Liang
BIOELECTROCHEMISTRY
(2019)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jing An, Lijie Zhang, Xia Lu, Dale A. Pelletier, Eric M. Pierce, Alexander Johs, Jerry M. Parks, Baohua Gu
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexander Johs, Virginia A. Eller, Tonia L. Mehlhorn, Scott C. Brooks, David P. Harper, Melanie A. Mayes, Eric M. Pierce, Mark J. Peterson
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2019)
Article
Biology
Connor J. Cooper, Kaiyuan Zheng, Katherine W. Rush, Alexander Johs, Brian C. Sanders, Georgios A. Pavlopoulos, Nikos C. Kyrpides, Mircea Podar, Sergey Ovchinnikov, Stephen W. Ragsdale, Jerry M. Parks
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yazeed Abdelmageed, Carrie Miller, Carrie Sanders, Timothy Egbo, Alexander Johs, Boakai Robertson
Summary: The study revealed the important role of microbial communities in Hg methylation in contaminated bank soils from East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) in Tennessee, USA. By comparing contaminated and uncontaminated soil samples, differences in microbial community composition in different seasons and information about microbial families associated with Hg methylation were identified. These findings provide insights into the biogeochemical drivers of MeHg production and are crucial for future remediation efforts.
WATER AIR AND SOIL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lijie Zhang, Michael Philben, Neslihan Tas, Alexander Johs, Ziming Yang, Stan D. Wullschleger, David E. Graham, Eric M. Pierce, Baohua Gu
Summary: The research investigates the main microbial methylators responsible for MeHg production in tundra soils, finding that sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and methanogens play key roles in Hg(II) methylation, depending on the availability of sulfate and potential syntrophic metabolisms between them. The study highlights the importance of understanding biogeochemical drivers of MeHg production in Arctic tundra soils to address potential threats to the ecosystem.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xujun Liang, Nali Zhu, Alexander Johs, Hongmei Chen, Dale A. Pelletier, Lijie Zhang, Xixiang Yin, Yuxi Gao, Jiating Zhao, Baohua Gu
Summary: This study demonstrates that solar irradiation can enhance the reduction of mercuric Hg(II) to elemental Hg(0) by algal cells and their organic matter. Algal organic matter (AOM) was found to be more effective in reducing Hg(II) than algal cells themselves due to cell surface adsorption and uptake of Hg(II) inside the cells under solar irradiation. Additionally, sunlight facilitated the transformation of Hg to less bioavailable species compared to species formed in algal cells in the dark. These findings highlight the important functional roles and potential mechanisms of algae in Hg reduction and immobilization under varying lighting conditions.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Faye Koenigsmark, Michelle Chiu, Nelson Rivera, Alexander Johs, Jeremy Eskelsen, Donovan Leonard, Boakai K. Robertson, Anna Szynkiewicz, Christopher Derolph, Linduo Zhao, Baohua Gu, Heileen Hsu-Kim, Eric M. Pierce
Summary: At mercury (Hg)-contaminated sites, streambank erosion plays a crucial role in mobilizing Hg into nearby waterbodies. Understanding the solid-phase distribution of Hg in streambanks is important for Hg transport and bioavailability.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-PROCESSES & IMPACTS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Max J. H. Worthington, Renata L. Kucera, Ines S. Albuquerque, Christopher T. Gibson, Alexander Sibley, Ashley D. Slattery, Jonathan A. Campbell, Salah F. K. Alboaiji, Katherine A. Muller, Jason Young, Nick Adamson, Jason R. Gascooke, Deshetti Jampaiah, Ylias M. Sabri, Suresh K. Bhargava, Samuel J. Ippolito, David A. Lewis, Jamie S. Quinton, Amanda V. Ellis, Alexander Johs, Goncalo J. L. Bernardes, Justin M. Chalker
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
(2017)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Raja Narayanasamy, Dandamudi Usharani, Ram Rajasekharan
Summary: This study investigated the role of ABHD16B in lipid metabolism. The overexpression of ABHD16B was found to decrease cellular triacylglycerol levels and increase phospholipid synthesis in yeast cells. Additionally, ABHD16B overexpression led to a reduction in lipid droplets and significant modifications in fatty acid composition. These findings highlight the importance of ABHD16B in lipid homeostasis and provide insights into its regulatory function in cellular lipid metabolism.
CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS OF LIPIDS
(2024)