Article
Ecology
Joachim Audet, Arnaud Jeglot, Lars Elsgaard, Astrid Ledet Maagaard, Sebastian Reinhold Sorensen, Dominik Zak, Carl Christian Hoffmann
Summary: Woodchip bioreactors are effective tools for mitigating nitrogen pollution in agricultural drainage water by utilizing denitrification to remove nitrate nitrogen. However, variations in nitrogen removal efficiency and nitrous oxide emissions are influenced by hydraulic residence time. Overall, the study showed that all bioreactors effectively removed nitrogen and had low nitrous oxide emissions, especially with hydraulic residence times exceeding 60 hours.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Jing Li, Yetong Xie, Huimin Liu, Xuecai Zhang, Chuanhua Li, Lisong Zhang
Summary: This research analyzed the real-time evolution of shale permeability using a combination of micro and macro experiments. The study examined the influence of osmotic pressure, pore pressure, and confining pressure on permeability evolution and studied the mechanism of the slippage effect on permeability using microscopic observations. The results showed that permeability decreased with an increase in osmotic pressure, increased with an increase in pore pressure, and decreased with an increase in confining pressure. The study also established a regression function to quantitatively describe the permeability evolution under the combined effect of confining pressure and pore pressure.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Brienne Nelson, Richard G. Zytner, Yohan Dulac, Alexandre R. Cabral
Summary: The study aimed to design, construct, and monitor a fully instrumented pilot-scale PMOB to reduce fugitive methane emissions from a closed landfill in Kitchener, Ontario, now a public park. Factors considered in the design include type of PMOB media, methane loading rates, hydraulic behavior, and ambient temperature. Methane oxidation efficiencies between 73% and 100% were achieved during the monitoring period. Successful mitigation will provide a low-maintenance, high-impact technology that could be adopted by the municipality for abatement of methane emissions at other landfills under its management.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yeongil Bae, Se Jin Song, Chae Woo Lim, Chul Min Kim, Sung Chul Lee
Summary: This study investigates the role of pseudo-response regulator (PRRs) genes in response to high salinity and dehydration stress in tomato plants. The researchers identified two PRR2-like genes, SlSRP1 and SlSRP1H, and found that the expression of SISRP1 was induced significantly in response to dehydration and high-salt stresses. Silencing SISRP1 enhanced tolerance to high salinity and dehydration in tomato plants, suggesting that SlSRP1 negatively regulates the osmotic stress response.
PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM
(2023)
Review
Horticulture
Shanhu Hao, Yiran Wang, Yunxiu Yan, Yuhang Liu, Jingyao Wang, Su Chen
Summary: The article reviews the damage of salt stress to plants, the physiological mechanisms of salt tolerance, and stress-related signaling pathways, while also enumerating some salt stress-responsive genes. It concludes by outlining the present approaches and techniques to improve salt tolerance of plants.
Article
Plant Sciences
Anhui Guo, Jianfeng Hao, Ying Su, Bin Li, Nan Zhao, Meng Zhu, Yi Huang, Baoming Tian, Gongyao Shi, Jinping Hua
Summary: Our study elucidates the positive regulatory roles of two GhAQPs (GhPIP2;7 and GhTIP2;1) in salt and osmotic stress responses, respectively, and provides a new gene resource for future research.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Xiaoyan Quan, Xiaoli Liang, Hongmei Li, Chunjuan Xie, Wenxing He, Yuxiang Qin
Summary: Salinity is a major constraint to wheat production globally. Research using a diverse range of wheat genotypes identified 12 salt-tolerant genotypes, which showed increased accumulation of osmotic substances, efficient use of soluble sugars, lower Na+/K+ ratio, and a more efficient antioxidative system under salt stress. These genotypes were able to maintain stable osmotic potential, ion balance, and provide more resources for root growth, suggesting potential for developing new salt-tolerant wheat cultivars and understanding genetic mechanisms of salt tolerance in wheat.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Haiqi Fu, Yongqing Yang
Summary: Soil salinization inhibits plant growth and seriously restricts food security and agricultural development. Excessive salt can cause ionic stress, osmotic stress, and ultimately oxidative stress in plants. Plants exclude excess salt from their cells to help maintain ionic homeostasis and stimulate phytohormone signaling pathways, thereby balancing growth and stress tolerance to enhance their survival. Continuous innovations in scientific research techniques have allowed great strides in understanding how plants actively resist salt stress. Here, we briefly summarize recent achievements in elucidating ionic homeostasis, osmotic stress regulation, oxidative stress regulation, and plant hormonal responses under salt stress. Such achievements lay the foundation for a comprehensive understanding of plant salt-tolerance mechanisms.
CURRENT ISSUES IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Marwa Sulaiman Al Hinai, Aman Ullah, Al-Khaleel M. Al-Toubi, Ibtisam Rashid Al Harrasi, Ahlam Ali Alamri, Muhammad Farooq
Summary: This study evaluated the potential of co-application of biochar and seed priming with nano-sized chitosan-proline to improve salt tolerance in bread wheat. The results showed that seed priming with nano-proline and biochar application significantly improved plant growth and carbon assimilation. The combined use of biochar and nano-priming was more effective in improving salt tolerance in tested wheat genotypes than the sole application. The mechanisms involved in improving salt tolerance included ionic homeostasis, activation of the antioxidant defense system, and osmotic adjustment.
JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Shangjie Yu, Zhanxin He, Kaixiang Gao, Jianchan Zhou, Xin Lan, Chunmei Zhong, Jun Xie
Summary: In this study, we isolated a classical WRKY transcription factor, DcWRKY12, from Dioscorea composita, and investigated its function in salt tolerance. DcWRKY12 was found to be mainly expressed in roots and significantly induced by NaCl, PEG-6000, and ABA. Overexpression of DcWRKY12 enhanced salt and osmotic stress tolerance by increasing antioxidant enzyme activity, osmoregulatory substance content, maintaining relative water content and ion homeostasis, and decreasing reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde content. DcWRKY12 also modulated the expression of salt stress-responsive and ion transport-related genes.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Lifei Chen, Yuan Meng, Dawei Jiang, Fengrui Yang, Yunwei Zhou
Summary: This study evaluated the salt tolerance of three Aquilegia species and found that A. oxysepala exhibited the highest salt tolerance, making it suitable for planting in urban areas where deicing salt is applied.
Article
Plant Sciences
Kesong Lu, Lei Yan, Muhammad Riaz, Saba Babar, Jiayu Hou, Yali Zhang, Cuncang Jiang
Summary: Salt stress is a major abiotic stress that reduces agricultural production, while boron has been found to alleviate salt stress. However, the regulatory mechanism of how boron improves salt resistance via cell wall modification is still unknown. This study investigated the mechanisms of boron-mediated alleviation of salt stress, focusing on osmotic substances, cell wall structure and components, and ion homeostasis. The results showed that boron effectively counteracted the adverse effects of salt stress by promoting the accumulation of beneficial substances and modifying root cell wall components. These findings provide valuable insights into the role of boron in mitigating the effects of salt stress on plants, which could have implications for sustainable agriculture.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Joao Carreiras, Isabel Cacador, Bernardo Duarte
Summary: Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can enhance plant growth, salt tolerance, and physiological performance. This study found that PGPR inoculation improved the energy use efficiency, ion profile balance, and photoprotection ability of Halimione portulacoides plants under salt stress. These findings highlight the importance of bioaugmentation in promoting plant fitness and improving salt tolerance, with great potential in biosaline agriculture and salinized soil restoration.
Article
Plant Sciences
Tanveer Ahmad Khan, Mohd Saleem, Qazi Fariduddin
Summary: Salinity stress severely affects plant growth and yield, but the application of Melatonin (Mel) has shown promising results in improving salt tolerance in crops. This review systematically discusses how Mel mediates plant responses to salt stress by fine-tuning signaling pathways, interacting with nitric oxide, and acting as a multifaceted antioxidant molecule, thereby enhancing plant tolerance to salt stress.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shuangshuang Zhao, Qikun Zhang, Mingyue Liu, Huapeng Zhou, Changle Ma, Pingping Wang
Summary: Plants adapt to high-salt environments by regulating ion balance, activating osmotic stress pathways, mediating plant hormone signaling, and adjusting cytoskeleton dynamics and cell wall composition in response to salt stress signals. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for improving agricultural crop yields.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Cindy Ka Y. Law, Eduardo Bolea-Fernandez, Tong Liu, Luiza Bonin, Elien Wallaert, Kim Verbeken, Bart De Gusseme, Frank Vanhaecke, Nico Boon
Summary: This study investigates the formation process of biogenic palladium nanoparticles using various techniques. The distribution of palladium over cells is strongly dependent on Pd2+ concentration, biomass, and partial H-2 pressure. Additionally, cell density and H-2 partial pressure significantly affect the size of the nanoparticles.
MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kristel Mijnendonckx, Tom Rogiers, Francisco J. Gimenez del Rey, Mohamed L. Merroun, Adam Williamson, Md Muntasir Ali, Daniel Charlier, Natalie Leys, Nico Boon, Rob Van Houdt
Summary: Uranium contamination is a widespread issue caused by natural and human activities. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying uranium resistance in bacteria are still not well understood. This study investigated the resistance mechanisms of Cupriavidus metallidurans NA4 to toxic uranium concentrations. Through the increased expression of a specific small periplasmic protein, PrsQ2, the bacteria were able to form periplasmic uranium-phosphate precipitates, thus improving their resistance to uranium.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Xuejiao Zhu, Myrsini Sakarika, Ramon Ganigue, Kim Van Tittelboom, Yusuf Cagatay Ersan, Nico Boon, Nele De Belie
Summary: A sequential batch reactor (SBR) was used to produce a self-protected CaCO3-precipitating biomass powder (CPB) that can hydrolyze urea and reduce nitrate. The addition of CPB to mortar showed higher crack healing ratio compared to Bacillus sphaericus spores. CPB also revealed a corrosion inhibition effect equivalent to nitrite, making it a suitable bio-additive for crack closure and corrosion inhibition in cementitious composites.
CEMENT & CONCRETE COMPOSITES
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Puput Risdanareni, Jianyun Wang, Nico Boon, Nele De Belie
Summary: A bacteria-based self-healing concrete was proposed for autonomous repair of micro-cracks, using vegetative cells of Bacillus sphaericus encapsulated in alkali activated lightweight aggregate (LWA) made from fly ash and Sidoarjo volcanic Mud (Lusi). The study showed that the healing performance of the bacteria decreased significantly when cracks were fabricated at a later age. Additionally, the fly ash-based LWA carrier exhibited excellent autogenous healing in young mortar.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
N. Zayed, J. Ghesquiere, N. H. N. Kamarudin, K. Bernaerts, N. Boon, A. Braem, W. Van Holm, W. Teughels
Summary: Oral cryotherapy is a safe, simple, and low-cost treatment used in dentistry for oral lesions. However, its effect on oral biofilms was unknown. This study found that cryotherapy significantly reduced the biofilm load and had the potential to control the deterioration of oral biofilms by modifying their structure and composition.
JOURNAL OF DENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Paula Alejandra Lamprea Pineda, Kristof Demeestere, Manuel Toledo, Nico Boon, Herman Van Langenhove, Christophe Walgraeve
Summary: In this study, the removal of N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF) was evaluated using a lab-scale biofilter for 472 days under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. The biofilter achieved an average removal efficiency of 99.7% at ambient temperature with an inlet load of 297g DMF/m3 h and an EBRT of 10.7 s. However, a decrease in EBRT and an increase in temperature led to a decrease in removal efficiency. Microbial analysis revealed that the dominant bacteria were Rhizobiaceae and Alcaligenaceae, but their abundance decreased with increasing temperature. Overall, biofiltration showed promise for removing DMF from waste gas streams.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kankana Kundu, Josefien Van Landuyt, Valerie Mattelin, Bram Martin, Marijke Neyts, Koen Parmentier, Nico Boon
Summary: This study found that the microbiome in sediment near a World War I munition dumpsite in the Belgian part of the North Sea can degrade 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). The degradation of TNT was enhanced by adding methanol and several enriched genera, such as Colwellia, Thalossospira, and Methylophaga, were identified as TNT-utilizing bacteria.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Valerie Mattelin, Lennert Verfaille, Kankana Kundu, Stefaan De Wildeman, Nico Boon
Summary: With the accumulation of plastic waste in both controlled waste management settings and natural settings, there is a need for solutions in the field of biodegradation. However, determining the biodegradability of plastics in natural environments remains challenging due to low biodegradation rates. This study validates a colorimetric test using carbon nanodots to screen the biodegradation of plastics in natural environments. The results indicate that this method is a good alternative, but a combination of different methods provides the most information.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Chupao Lin, David Schaubroeck, Roel Baets, Nico Boon, Nicolas Le Thomas
Summary: We propose a photonic integrated circuit design that adds practicality and new functionalities to optical applications like optical microscopy. This design enables the generation of a far-field structured UV illumination pattern with a fringe period of 370 nm, a fringe visibility of 0.83, and a radiant intensity of 0.49 mW. By using single mode waveguides with low propagation losses, diffraction gratings, a beam splitter, a phase shifter, fluorescent gratings, and a collecting lens, the current PICs experimentally demonstrate the Moiré pattern at the heart of optical resolution enhancement and achieve a doubling of optical resolution in the direction of illumination.
IEEE JOURNAL OF SELECTED TOPICS IN QUANTUM ELECTRONICS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kevin Sabbe, Liese D'Haen, Nico Boon, Ramon Ganigu
Summary: As part of the circular bio-economy paradigm shift, waste management has shifted focus towards producing added-value compounds. The use of mixed culture bioprocesses for converting waste to platform chemicals has gained interest, but these processes often lack microbiological diversity and are prone to disturbances. To address this, flow cytometry was used to monitor a lactic acid chain elongation process for caproic acid production, allowing for qualitative and quantitative assessment. Specific community types were identified and correlated to functionality and genotypic diversity, and machine-learning algorithms showed high accuracy in predicting production rates.
Review
Microbiology
Fabian Mermans, Valerie Mattelin, Ruben van den Eeckhoudt, Cristina Garcia-Timermans, Josefien Van Landuyt, Yuting Guo, Irene Taurino, Filip Tavernier, Michael Kraft, Hira Khan, Nico Boon
Summary: New techniques in single-cell research have revolutionized our ability to study microbes at unprecedented scales and depths. This review focuses on the state-of-the-art technologies in single-cell analysis in microbial ecology applications, particularly highlighting optical tools like flow cytometry and Raman spectroscopy, as well as emerging electrical techniques. The objectives of this review include showcasing the diversity of single-cell optical approaches, discussing successful applications, exploring emerging techniques, and promoting the integration of established and novel approaches in research.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Wannes Van Holm, Katalina Lauwens, Pieter De Wever, Art Schuermans, Naiera Zayed, Ferda Pamuk, Mehraveh Saghi, Pedro Fardim, Kristel Bernaerts, Nico Boon, Wim Teughels
Summary: Probiotics may have oral health benefits, but their current use is restricted due to issues with product preparation, viability, and colonization capacity. Many commercial products lack the claimed amounts of viable cells and have inadequately characterized strains without clinical evidence. Lyophilized probiotics also demonstrate lower adhesive capacity compared to fresh or reactivated ones, raising questions about their usage.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Thomas Pluym, Cristina Garcia-Timermans, Sander Vervloet, Riet Cornelissen, Nico Boon, Bart De Gusseme
Summary: The use of advanced membrane processes, such as reverse osmosis (RO), is crucial for producing process water and drinking water that meet microbiological standards. However, bacterial breakthrough and the passage of ultra-small species of bacteria can occur in reverse osmosis systems. Currently, microbiological and breakthrough monitoring is done through plating methods and conductivity monitoring, but this case study demonstrates the added value of using on-line flow cytometry for monitoring membrane integrity and microbial quality.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-WATER RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Paula Alejandra Lamprea Pineda, Kristof Demeestere, Jose Joaquin Gonzalez-Cortes, Allan A. Alvarado-Alvarado, Nico Boon, Frank Devlieghere, Herman Van Langenhove, Christophe Walgraeve
Summary: This study investigated the removal of difficult-to-degrade VOC mixtures using biofiltration and the impact of operational conditions. The results showed that the type of inoculum and packing material influenced the removal efficiency, and different microbial populations dominated in the biofilters.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Ruben Van den Eeckhoudt, An-Sofie Christiaens, Frederik Ceyssens, Vasileios Vangalis, Kevin J. Verstrepen, Nico Boon, Filip Tavernier, Michael Kraft, Irene Taurino
Summary: This paper introduces a microfluidic device for full-electric cell capturing, analyzing, and selectively releasing single cells. The device was experimentally demonstrated on Saccharomyces cerevisiae, showing potential for small-scale, high-throughput single-cell analysis and sorting.