On the two-phase sample transport of carbon in LA-ICP-MS and its practical implications for trace metal analysis in polymer matrices: classification and sensitivity.

Background: Analyzing the (trace) metal content of synthetic polymers is of interest both for manufacturing and recycling industries where inorganic additives and contaminations must be monitored. Additionally, the metal content of microplastics has recently gained more and more attention as a means to assess their environmental impact. LA-ICP-MS is commonly used for this task as it provides superior sensitivity and allows direct analysis of non-conductive samples.

Cell membrane cholesterol affects serotonin transporter efflux due to altered transporter oligomerization.

The human monoamine transporters (MATs) for serotonin (SERT), dopamine (DAT), and norepinephrine (NET) play a key role in neurotransmission by transporting neurotransmitters from the synaptic cleft back into the neuron. MATs are embedded in the cell membrane's lipid bilayer, encompassing cholesterol, phospholipids, and sphingolipids as main components. Membrane cholesterol association has been shown for all MATs impacting transporter conformation, substrate affinity, transport velocity, and turnover rates.

Reducibility, adsorption energies, surface acidity - fundamental material properties for fast oxygen exchange.

Oxygen exchange on mixed conducting oxide surfaces and how to modulate its kinetics has been in the focus of research for decades. Recent studies have shown that surface modifications can be used to tune the high temperature oxygen exchange kinetics of a single material systematically over several orders of magnitude, shifting the focus of research from bulk descriptors to a material's outermost surface. Herein, we aim to unify bulk and surface perspectives and derive general design principles for fast oxygen exchange based on three fundamental material properties: oxide reducibility, adsorption energetics, and surface acidity.

Heart saver: Comprehensive investigation of (redox-) proteomic and thiol metabolite changes induced by Cana-, Dapa-, Empagliflozin treatment in 2D and 3D heart cell models reveals increased mitochondrial activity and glutathione redox defense and involvement of redox signaling.

Aims: Antidiabetic drugs, sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i), have demonstrated heart-saving properties independently of the diabetes status of a patient. We aimed to discover SGLT-2i-specific cardiac targets.

Materials And Methods: Two cardiac cell lines (AC16 and HCM) were treated with low-end therapeutic and 100- or 1000-fold dose of cana-, dapa and empagliflozin to investigate their influence on the (redox) proteome and thiol metabolome.

Method for Mid-IR Spectroscopy of Extracellular Vesicles at the Subvesicle Level.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanosized particles that are associated with various physiological and pathological functions. They play a key role in intercell communication and are used as transport vehicles for various cell components. In human milk, EVs are believed to be important for the development of acquired immunity.

Determination of Phenylurea Herbicides in Water Samples by Magnet-Integrated Fabric Phase Sorptive Extraction Combined with High Performance Liquid Chromatography.

In this study, a magnet-integrated fabric phase sorptive extraction (MI-FPSE) protocol was developed in combination with high pressure liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) for the simultaneous determination of five phenylurea pesticides (i.e., chlorbromuron, diuron, linuron, metoxuron, monuron) in environmental water samples.

UHV-based analytics with electrochemical oxygen activity control.

The (electro)chemical properties of electrode materials in solid oxide cells or oxide-based redox catalysts are determined by the surface chemistry of these materials under operation conditions. Surface point defect concentrations strongly depend on the oxygen stoichiometry in the bulk and the gas phase's chemical composition (, oxygen activity). However, many chemically sensitive surface analysis techniques rely on UHV conditions, leading to a two-fold deviation from surfaces under operational conditions.

Utilizing native nanodiscs to isolate active TRPC3 channels and expand structural analysis capabilities.

Recent advances in structural biology have provided insights into TRPC3, a TRP family member involved in various (patho)physiological processes. However, the lack of structural information on the channel's open pore hampers understanding of its function and therapeutic potential. Cryogenic electron microscopy holds promise for elucidating TRPC3's open-pore conformation, but challenges remain in isolating it without compromising function.

Laser-based mid-IR photothermal spectroscopy of liquids: a new avenue for in-line sensing in process analytical technology.

Access to real-time chemical and physical information is of fundamental importance in modern producing industries, as it is needed for process monitoring and process control. It also enables process optimization, meeting regulatory requirements. This need motivates new developments in process analytical technologies.

Membrane Processes for Remediating Water from Sugar Production By-Product Stream.

Sugar production generates wastewater rich in dissolved solids and organic matter, and improper disposal poses severe environmental risks, exacerbates water scarcity, and creates regulatory challenges. Conventional treatment methods, such as evaporation and chemical precipitation, are energy-intensive and often ineffective at removing fine particulates and dissolved impurities. This study evaluates membrane-based separation as a sustainable alternative for water reclamation and sugar recovery from sugar industry effluents, focusing on replacing evaporation with membrane processes, ensuring high permeate quality, and mitigating membrane fouling.

Solar wind erosion of lunar regolith is suppressed by surface morphology and regolith properties.

Important aspects concerning the origin and formation of the Moon's exosphere, its tenuous gas envelope, remain puzzling with uncertainties regarding the importance of different effects. Two competing processes - micrometeoroid impact vaporization and solar wind ion sputtering - are considered key contributors to the ejection of particles into the exosphere. Here we present direct, high-precision yield measurements of solar wind ion sputtering using real lunar samples (Apollo 16 sample 68501), combined with advanced 3D simulations of regolith erosion.

Process intensification of the chemical recovery in the pulp and paper industry using Raman spectroscopy.

The pulp and paper industry is an active player in the European bio-economy producing wood-based, biodegradable material. The recovery of chemicals spent in the cooking step separating cellulose from the lignocellulosic biomass is a key step towards circular processing. However, seasonally varying input streams, complex chemical composition, and intricate interaction between gas and liquid phase result in precipitation of insoluble salts.

Understanding and designing photothermal responses in complex layered systems.

Understanding heat transport and thermoelastic behavior in layered nanostructures is critical for designing advanced materials and devices. Here, we present a photothermal mirror-infrared (PTM-IR) spectroscopy approach that enables depth-sensitive, non-contact characterization of thermal dynamics in multilayer thin films. Using a trilayer polymer system composed of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and SU-8 on a [Formula: see text] substrate, we extract layer-specific optical absorption coefficients and probe the time-resolved temperature and surface displacement evolution.

Investigating the sensitivity difference of gaseous and particulate carbon in two-phase sample transport in LA-ICP-MS.

LA-ICP-MS is a widely used analytical technique for elemental analysis of different solid samples, including carbon-based samples. To compensate for matrix-effects and instrumental drifts during analysis, application of an internal standard is recommended. For carbon-based samples, the application of carbon as an internal standard seems reasonable but is typically not recommended due to the so-called two-phase sample transport where ablated carbon is transported both as particulate and gaseous species.

Single-Pulse Response LA-ICP-MS Imaging with Quadrupole Instrumentation: Theoretical Considerations and Practical Assessment.

Recent instrumental developments in LA-ICP-MS, such as rapid response cells that significantly reduce the washout and the introduction of high-repetition rate lasers, have greatly impacted the field. To fully take advantage of these developments, improvements on the ICP-MS side were necessary. This was achieved by establishing ICP-TOF-MS instruments enabling simultaneous multielement detection suitable for recording the short transient signals generated by modern rapid response cells.

Synthesis, Characterization and Catalytic Activity of Iron, Cobalt and Nickel Complexes Bearing an N‑Heterocyclic Carbene-Based PCP Pincer Ligand.

Reactions of the bis-((Rphosphanyl)-methyl)-1-benzo-[]-imidazole-3-ium hexafluorophosphate precursors [(PCP-R)-H]-PF (R = Pr, Ph) with zerovalent precursors [Fe(CO)], [Co(CO)], [Ni-(COD)] and [Ni-(PPh)], respectively, gave rise to the cationic iron, cobalt and nickel complexes [Fe-(PCP-Pr)-(CO)H]-PF (), [Co-(PCP-Pr)-(CO)]-PF (), [Co-(PCP-Ph)-(CO)]-PF (), [Ni-(PCP-Pr)-(cyclooct-4-en-1-yl)]-PF () and [Ni-(PCP-Pr)-H]-PF (), by oxidative addition of the benzimidazolium CH bond in [(PCP-R)-H]-PF. The complexes bearing the bidentate ligand 3-((diisopropylphosphanyl)-methyl)-1-methyl-1H-benzo-[]-imidazolidene PC-Pr [Fe-(PC-Pr)-(CO)] () and [Fe-(PC-Pr)-(CO)H]-BF () were also synthesized. All complexes were characterized by NMR and FTIR spectroscopies, high resolution mass spectrometry and selected cases by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

Freeze-cast SiOC ceramics supporting the growth of industrially relevant microorganisms.

Investigating the compatibility of ceramic support materials with industrially relevant microorganisms is a key starting point towards utilizing innovative ceramic frameworks for microbial culture support. This study demonstrates the biocompatibility of macroporous, freeze-cast SiOC monoliths with yeast Komagataella phaffii and bacteria Escherichia coli. In a first step, cultivations were carried out in the presence of non-macroporous SiOC materials pyrolyzed at 700 °C or 900 °C, which were further compared to Al2O3 and SiO2 as conventional ceramic and glass reference materials.

The Oxygen Partial Pressure Dependence of Space Charges at SrTiO|Mixed Ionic Electronic Conducting Oxide Heterojunctions.

The electrical and electrochemical properties of mixed conducting oxides often depend on the oxygen partial pressure p(O) and numerous studies have dealt with the p(O) dependencies found in bulk materials. However, measurements regarding the properties of interfaces between two different mixed conducting oxides are much less common. This work investigates the interfacial space charge region in SrTiO (STO) caused by the contact with another mixed ionic and electronic conductor (MIEC), specifically LaSrFeO (LSF), LaSrMnO (LSM) and LaSrCrO (LSCr).

Increased antioxidative defense and reduced advanced glycation end-product formation by metabolic adaptation in non-small-cell-lung-cancer patients.

Reactive oxygen species can oxidatively modify enzymes to reroute metabolism according to tumor needs, rendering identification of oxidized proteins important for understanding neoplastic survival mechanisms. Thiol groups are most susceptible to oxidative modifications but challenging to analyze in clinical settings. We here describe the protein and small-molecular thiol oxidation landscape of 70 human lung tumors (and their paired healthy counter parts) and demonstrate that cancer adapts metabolism to increase glutathione synthesis to counteract oxidative stress.

Enhancing Gas Fermentation Efficiency via Bioaugmentation with and .

Gas fermentation aims to fix CO into higher-value compounds, such as short or medium-chain fatty acids or alcohols. In this context, the use of mixed microbial consortia presents numerous advantages, including increased resilience and adaptability. The current study aimed to improve the performance of an enriched mixed microbial population via bioaugmentation with and to improve the metabolite spectrum.

Investigating the influence of process parameters on the properties and refolding yield of single-chain variable fragment inclusion bodies.

Ever since the potential of inclusion bodies (IBs) has been recognized, substantial advances have been made towards understanding IB processes and enabling efficient and controlled development strategies. Still, the influence of the chosen upstream processing (USP) strategy on the properties of inclusion bodies (IBs) and their refolding performance remains poorly understood. This work aims to target this challenge by investigating the influence of two chosen USP parameters, namely the specific substrate uptake rate and the temperature during induction, on IB titer, IB properties, namely IB purity, size and secondary protein structure of the IBs, as well as refolding yield of single-chain variable fragment M (scFvM) IBs.

In-Situ Formation of High-Performance β-NiOOH OER Electrocatalysts Using Boron and Phosphorus-Enriched Ni Core-Shell Nanoparticles.

Electrocatalytic water splitting is key to achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 7, clean energy. However, electrocatalysts with increased activity and reasonable costs are needed. Ni-B, Ni-P, and Ni-B-P-based systems have recently been proposed as particularly promising candidates, but lacked either an active surface or sufficiently high B and P concentrations, which hindered their catalytic performance.

Investigating aquatic biodegradation and changes in the properties of pristine and UV-irradiated microplastics from conventional and biodegradable agricultural plastics.

There is an increasing tendency to replace conventional agricultural plastic mulching films with biodegradable alternatives. However, while the latter biodegrade well under controlled conditions (e.g.