Effects of fermented sweet potato residue on nutrient digestibility, meat quality, and intestinal microbes in broilers.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different proportions of dietary fermented sweet potato residue (FSPR) supplementation as a substitute for corn on the nutrient digestibility, meat quality, and intestinal microbes of yellow-feathered broilers. Experiment 1 (force-feeding) evaluated the nutrient composition and digestibility of mixtures with different proportions of sweet potato residue (70%, 80%, 90%, and 100%) before and after fermentation. In Experiment 2 (metabolic growth), a total of 420 one-day-old yellow-feathered broilers were randomly allocated to 4 groups and fed corn-soybean meal-based diets with 0, 5%, 8%, and 10% FSPR as a substitute for corn. The force-feeding and metabolic growth experiments were performed for 9 and 70 d, respectively. The treatment of 70% sweet potato residue (after fermentation) had the highest levels of crude protein, ether extract, and crude fiber and improved the digestibility of crude protein and amino acids (P < 0.05). Although dietary FSPR supplementation at different levels had no significant effect on growth performance and intestinal morphology, it improved slaughter rate, half-chamber rate, full clearance rate, and meat color, as well as reduced cooking loss in the breast and thigh muscles (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with 8% and 10% FSPR increased the serum immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G levels in broilers (P < 0.05). Furthermore, 10% FSPR increased the Shannon index and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-010 and Romboutsia abundances and decreased Sutterella and Megamonas abundances (P < 0.05). Spearman's correlation analysis showed that meat color was positively correlated with Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014 (P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with Megamonas (P < 0.05). Collectively, 70% sweet potato residue (after fermentation) had the best nutritional value and nutrient digestibility. Dietary supplementation with 8% to 10% FSPR as a substitute for corn can improve the slaughter performance, meat quality, and intestinal microbe profiles of broilers. Our findings suggest that FSPR has the potential to be used as a substitute for corn-soybean meals to improve the meat quality and intestinal health of broilers.

Secofumitremorgins C and D, a pair of atropisomers from saltern-derived fungus Aspergillus fumigatus GXIMD00544.

A pair of atropisomers secofumitremorgins C (1a) and D (1b), together with fifteen known alkaloids (2-16), were isolated from a saltern-derived fungus Aspergillus fumigatus GXIMD00544. The structures of atropisomers 1a and 1b were elucidated by the detailed spectroscopic data, chemical reaction and quantum chemical calculations. Compounds 1 and 8 displayed antifungal spore germination effects against plant pathogenic fungus associated with sugarcane Fusarium sp. with inhibitory rates of 53% and 77% at the concentration of 100 µM, repectively. Atropisomers 1 also exhibited antifouling potential against Balanus amphitrite larval settlement with an inhibitory rate of 96% at the concentration of 100 µM.

Carneusones A-F, Benzophenone Derivatives from Sponge-Derived Fungus Aspergillus carneus GXIMD00543.

Six benzophenone derivatives, carneusones A-F (1-6), along with seven known compounds (7-13) were isolated from a strain of sponge-derived marine fungus Aspergillus carneus GXIMD00543. Their chemical structures were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic data and quantum chemical calculations. Compounds 5, 6, and 8 exhibited moderate anti-inflammatory activity on NO secretion using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells with EC50 values of 34.6 ± 0.9, 20.2 ± 1.8, and 26.8 ± 1.7 µM, while 11 showed potent effect with an EC50 value of 2.9 ± 0.1 µM.

Primulinajiulianshanensis, a new species of Gesneriaceae from Jiangxi Province, China.

Primulinajiulianshanensis F.Wen & G.L.Xu, a new species of Gesneriaceae from Jiulianshan National Nature Reserve of Jiangxi Province, China, is described and illustrated here. Molecular evidence showed it was sister to P.wenii Jian Li & L.J.Yan, while the morphological observation found clear differences between them, petiole, both sides of leaf blades, adaxial surface of the calyx lobes, corolla inside toward the bottom, bract margins covered glandular-pubescent hairs in P.jiulianshanensis (vs. no glandular-pubescent hairs in P.wenii); lateral bracts 4-9 × ca. 2 mm, the central one 2-5 × 1-1.5 mm, adaxially glabrous but sparsely pubescent at apex (vs. lateral bracts 14-16 × 2.5-3.0 mm, the central one 10-12 × 1.3-1.6 mm, all adaxially pubescent); calyx lobes 8-11 × ca. 2 mm, each side with several brown serrate teeth at apex (vs. 14-15 × ca. 2.5 mm, margin entire); filaments and staminodes sparsely yellow glandular-puberulent (vs. white, glabrous).

Fabrication of PbO2/PVDF/CC Composite and Employment for the Removal of Methyl Orange.

The in situ electrochemical oxidation process has received considerable attention for the removal of dye molecules and ammonium from textile dyeing and finishing wastewater. Nevertheless, the cost and durability of the catalytic anode have seriously limited industrial applications of this technique. In this work, the lab-based waste polyvinylidene fluoride membrane was employed to fabricate a novel lead dioxide/polyvinylidene fluoride/carbon cloth composite (PbO2/PVDF/CC) via integrated surface coating and electrodeposition processes. The influences of operating parameters (pH, Cl- concentration, current density, and initial concentration of pollutant) on the oxidation efficiency of PbO2/PVDF/CC were evaluated. Under optimal conditions, this composite achieves a 100% decolorization of methyl orange (MO), 99.48% removal of ammonium, and 94.46% conversion for ammonium-based nitrogen to N2, as well as an 82.55% removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD). At the coexistent condition of ammonium and MO, MO decolorization, ammonium, and COD removals still remain around 100%, 99.43%, and 77.33%, respectively. It can be assigned to the synergistic oxidation effect of hydroxyl radical and chloride species for MO and the chlorine oxidation action for ammonium. Based on the determination of various intermediates, MO is finally mineralized to CO2 and H2O, and ammonium is mainly converted to N2. The PbO2/PVDF/CC composite exhibits excellent stability and safety.

Molecular Dynamics Calculation on the Adhesive Interaction Between the Polytetrafluoroethylene Transfer Film and Iron Surface.

During the friction process, the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) adhered on the counterpart surface was known as the PTFE transfer film, which was fundamental to the lubricating performance of the PTFE. However, the adhesive interaction between the iron surface and the adhered PTFE transfer film is still unclear. In present study, molecular dynamics simulations were used to reveal the adhesive interaction between the iron surface and PTFE transfer film. Based on the atomic trajectories obtained through the molecular dynamics, the interaction energy, concentration profile, radial distribution function, and mean square displacement were calculated to analyze the structure of the interface. The negative values of the interaction energy demonstrated the adhesive interaction between the PTFE transfer film and Fe surfaces, resulting in the accumulation of the PTFE transfer film on the Fe surface. Among the (100) (110), and (111) surfaces of α-Fe (110) surface owns the strongest adhesive interaction with the PTFE transfer film. Compared with the original PTFE molecule, the chain broken PTFE, hydroxyl substituted PTFE, and carbonyl substituted PTFE exhibited stronger adhesive interaction with Fe surface. The adhesive interaction between the PTFE transfer film and Fe surfaces was mainly originated from the Fe atoms and the F atoms of the adsorbate PTFE transfer film, which was governed by the van der Waals force. The bonding distance between the Fe atom and the F atom of the adsorbate PTFE transfer film is around 2.8 Å. Moreover, the chain broken of PTFE molecule and the rise of temperature can remarkably increase the mobility of polymer chains in the interface system.

Experimental and theoretical aspects of biochar-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron activating H2O2 for ciprofloxacin removal from aqueous solution.

Ciprofloxacin has been frequently detected in water environment, and its removal has become a significant public concern. Biochar-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron (BC/nZVI) to activate hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has many advantages on promoting the removal of organic contaminants. In this paper, the BC/nZVI activating H2O2 degradation of ciprofloxacin was systematically investigated by experimental and theoretical approaches. The morphologies and property analysis showed that nZVI particles distributed uniformly on the biochar surface, which mainly include -OH, >CO and COC and CO groups. Different reaction conditions were compared to define the optimal conditions for ciprofloxacin removal in BC/nZVI/H2O2 system. More than 70% of ciprofloxacin was removed in the optimal conditions: acidic condition (pH 3∼4), low doses of H2O2 (20 mM), and temperature of 298 K. The hydroxyl radical (•OH) oxidation was the primary pathway in BC/nZVI/H2O2 degradation of ciprofloxacin process. The theoretical calculation indicated that hydrogen atom abstraction (HAA) pathways were the dominant oxidation pathways contributing 92.3% in overall second‒order rate constants (k) of •OH and ciprofloxacin. The current results are valuable to evaluate the application of BC/nZVI activating H2O2 degradation of ciprofloxacin and other fluoroquinolone antibiotics in water treatment plants.

Combination of bioleaching by gross bacterial biosurfactants and flocculation: A potential remediation for the heavy metal contaminated soils.

Combining bioleaching by the gross biosurfactants of Burkholderia sp. Z-90 and flocculation by poly aluminium chloride (PAC) was proposed to develop a potential environment-friendly and cost-effective technique to remediate the severely contaminated soils by heavy metals. The factors affecting soil bioleaching by the gross biosurfactants of Burkholderia sp. Z-90 were optimized. The results showed the optimal removing efficiencies of Zn, Pb, Mn, Cd, Cu, and As by the Burkholderia sp. Z-90 leachate were 44.0, 32.5, 52.2, 37.7, 24.1 and 31.6%, respectively at soil liquid ratio of 1:20 (w/v) for 5 d, which were more efficient than that by 0.1% of rhamnolipid. The amounts of the bioleached heavy metals by the Burkholderia sp. Z-90 leachate were higher than that by other biosurfactants in the previous studies, although the removal efficiencies of the metals by the leachate were relatively lower. It was suggested that more heavy metals caused more competitive to chelate with function groups of the gross biosurfactants and the metal removal efficiencies by biosurfactants in natural soils were lower than in the artificially contaminated soils. Moreover, the Burkholderia sp. Z-90 leachate facilitated the metals to be transformed to the easily migrating speciation fractions. Additional, the results showed that PAC was efficient in the following flocculation to remove heavy metals in the waste bio-leachates. Our study will provide support for developing a bioleaching technique model to remediate the soils extremely contaminated by heavy metals.

Simultaneous immobilization of cadmium and lead in contaminated soils by hybrid bio-nanocomposites of fungal hyphae and nano-hydroxyapatites.

Self-aggregation of bulk nano-hydroxyapatites (n-HAPs) undermines their immobilization efficiencies of heavy metals in the contaminated soils. Here, the low-cost, easily obtained, and environment-friendly filamentous fungi have been introduced for the bio-matrices of the hybrid bio-nanocomposites to potentially solve such problem of n-HAPs. According to SEM, TEM, XRD, and FT-IR analyses, n-HAPs were successfully coated onto the fungal hyphae and their self-aggregation was improved. The immobilization efficiencies of diethylene-triamine-pentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable Cd and Pb in the contaminated soils by the bio-nanocomposites were individually one to four times of that by n-HAPs or the fungal hyphae. Moreover, the Aspergillus niger-based bio-nanocomposite (ANHP) was superior to the Penicillium Chrysogenum F1-based bio-nanocomposite (PCHP) in immobilization of Cd and Pb in the contaminated soils. In addition, the results of XRD showed that one of the potential mechanisms of metal immobilization by the hybrid bio-nanocomposites was dissolution of n-HAPs followed by precipitation of new metal phosphate minerals. Our results suggest that the hybrid bio-nanocomposite (ANHP) can be recognized as a promising soil amendment candidate for effective remediation on the soils simultaneously contaminated by Cd and Pb.