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The proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), with a high energy conversion efficiency, has become an important means of hydrogen energy utilization. However, water condensation is unavoidable in the PEMFC because of low operating temperatures. The impact of liquid water on PEMFC performance and stability is significant. The gas diffusion layer (GDL) provides a critical transport path for liquid water in the PEMFC. Liquid water saturation and distribution in the GDL determine water flooding and mass transfer efficiency in the PEMFC. In this study, focusing on the effects of the water introduction method, osmotic pressure, and contact angle, the liquid water transport in the GDL was numerically investigated based on a pore-scale model using the volume of fluid (VOF) method. The results showed that compared with the conventional water introduction method without cracks, the saturation and spatial distribution of water inside the GDL obtained in the simulation were more consistent with the experimental results when the water was introduced through the microporous layer (MPL) crack. It was found that increasing the osmotic pressure resulted in a faster rate of water penetration, faster approaching the steady-state performance, and higher saturation. The ultra-high osmotic pressure contributed to the secondary breakthrough with a significant increase in saturation. Increasing the contact angle caused higher capillary resistance, especially in the region with small pore sizes. At a constant osmotic pressure, as the contact angle increased, the liquid water gradually failed to penetrate into the small pores around the transport path, causing saturation reduction and an ultimate failure to break through the GDL. Increasing the contact angle contributed to a higher breakthrough pressure and secondary breakthrough pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature utilizes bottom‐up approaches to fabricate defined structures with highly complex, anisotropic and functional features. One prominent example is cacti spines, which exhibit a hierarchically structured conical morphology with a longitudinal microstructured surface. Here, a bottom‐up approach to fabricate supramolecular microstructured spines is presented by applying a self‐assembly protocol. Taking advantage of the capillary forces of vertically aligned polyamide microfibers acts as the structure‐directing substrate for site‐specific self‐assembly of a specific 1,3,5‐benzenetricarboxamides from the solution. The morphology of the supramolecular spines covers several hierarchical levels, ultimately resulting in a conical shape with longitudinal self‐assembled microgrooves and a superhydrophilic surface. It is demonstrated that these hierarchical conical microstructures are able to transport water droplets unidirectionally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern molecular microbiology elucidates the organizational principles of bacterial biofilms via detailed examination of the interplay between signaling and gene regulation. A complementary biophysical approach studies the mesoscopic dependencies at the cellular and multicellular levels with a distinct focus on intercellular forces and mechanical properties of whole biofilms. Here, motivated by recent advances in biofilm research and in other, seemingly unrelated fields of biology and physics, we propose a perspective that links the biofilm, a dynamic multicellular organism, with the physical processes occurring in the extracellular milieu. Using Bacillus subtilis as an illustrative model organism, we specifically demonstrate how such a rationale explains biofilm architecture, differentiation, communication, and stress responses such as desiccation tolerance, metabolism, and physiology across multiple scales--from matrix proteins and polysaccharides to macroscopic wrinkles and water-filled channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water processes secure plant survival and maintain their ecosystem function. Salinity affectswater processes, but themechanisms remain unclear andmay depend on the degree of salinity stress. To improve the understanding of the cooperation of plant organs involved in water processes under salinity stress, we determined hydraulic, gas exchange, and physiological and biochemical parameters in Populus euphratica Oliv. under different salinity stresses. The results suggested that P. euphratica enhanced water transport efficiency in a salinity-stress environment, and the strengthening effect of roots in the water transfer process was greater than that of the aboveground parts. P. euphratica also increased water use efficiency and water transport efficiency inmild andmoderate salinity stress (less than 200mmol/L NaCl) but was adversely affected by heavy salinity stress (more than 300 mmol/L NaCl). Furthermore, P. euphratica increased its water storage by regulating antioxidant enzyme scavenging capacity and osmoregulation, which resulted in coordinated greater water utilization and enhanced water transport among plant organs and indicated that the adverse effects on water processes triggered by salinity stress depended on the extent of salt stress. P. euphratica lessened stress-induced damage and maintained plant productivity by coordination and cooperation of water processes under certain levels of salinity. Research on the coordination and cooperation involving water processes in riparian forests in saline areas provides the scientific basis for riparian plant protection and restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retinoids are known to improve the condition of the skin. Transepithelial transport of sodium and chloride ions is important for proper skin function. So far, the effect of applying vitamin A preparations to the skin on ion transport has not been evaluated. In the study, electrophysiological parameters, including transepithelial electric potential (PD) and transepithelial resistance (R), of rabbit skin specimens after 24 h exposure to retinol ointment (800 mass units/g) were measured in a modified Ussing chamber. The R of the fragments incubated with retinol was significantly different than that of the control skin samples incubated in iso-osmotic Ringer solution. For the controls, the PD values were negative, whereas the retinol-treated specimens revealed positive PD values. Mechanical–chemical stimulation with the use of inhibitors of the transport of sodium (amiloride) or chloride (bumetanide) ions revealed specific changes in the maximal and minimal PD values measured for the retinol-treated samples. Retinol was shown to slightly modify the transport pathways of sodium and chloride ions. In particular, an intensification of the chloride ion secretion from keratinocytes was observed. The proposed action may contribute to deep hydration and increase skin tightness, limiting the action of other substances on its surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the comprehensive analysis of AQP genes in Eucalyptus grandis, providing insights into their genomic abundance, diversification, expression patterns across tissues, and responses to drought stress. We identified 48 AQP genes in the Eucalyptus grandis genome, categorized into four subfamilies: AQP-NIP, AQP-SIP, AQP-PIP, and AQP-TIP. This abundance of AQP genes is a reflection of gene duplications, both tandem and whole-genome, which have shaped their expansion. The chromosomal distribution of these genes reveals their widespread presence across the genome, with some subfamilies exhibiting more tandem duplications, suggesting distinct roles and evolutionary pressures. Sequence analysis uncovered characteristic motifs specific to different AQP subfamilies, demonstrating the diversification of protein and targeting. The expression profiles of AQP genes in various tissues in both Arabidopsis thaliana and Eucalyptus grandis showcased variations, with root tissues showing higher expression levels. Notably, AQP-PIP genes consistently exhibited robust expression across tissues, highlighting their importance in maintaining water regulation within plants. Furthermore, the study investigated the response of AQP genes to drought stress and rehydration, revealing differential expression patterns. EgAQP-NIP and EgAQP-TIP genes were up-regulated during drought stress, emphasizing their role in osmotic equilibrium and water transport. Conversely, EgAQP-PIP genes showed down-regulation during drought stress but were up-regulated upon rehydration, indicating their involvement in water movement across cell membranes. Overall, this research contributes to our understanding of AQP genes in Eucalyptus grandis, shedding light on their genomic evolution, expression patterns, and responses to environmental challenges, particularly drought stress. This information can be valuable for future studies aimed at enhancing the drought resilience of woody perennial plants like Eucalyptus grandis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen sulfide regulates essential plant processes, including adaptation responses to stress situations, and the best characterized mechanism of action of sulfide consists of the post-translational modification of persulfidation. In this study, we reveal the first persulfidation proteome described in rice including 3443 different persulfidated proteins that participate in a broad range of biological processes and metabolic pathways. In addition, comparative proteomics revealed specific proteins involved in sulfide signaling during drought responses. Several proteins are involved in the maintenance of cellular redox homeostasis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle and energy-related pathways, and ion transmembrane transport and cellular water homeostasis, with the aquaporin family showing the highest differential levels of persulfidation. We revealed that water transport activity is regulated by sulfide which correlates with an increasing level of persulfidation of aquaporins. Our findings emphasize the impact of persulfidation on total ATP levels, fatty acid composition, levels of reactive oxygen species, antioxidant enzymatic activities, and relative water content. Interestingly, the role of persulfidation in aquaporin transport activity as an adaptation response in rice differs from current knowledge of Arabidopsis, which highlights the distinct role of sulfide in improving rice tolerance to drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising temperature is a major threat to the normal growth and development of maize, resulting in low yield production and quality. The mechanism of maize in response to heat stress remains uncertain. In this study, a maize mutant Zmhsl-1 (heat sensitive leaves) with wilting and curling leaves under high temperatures was identified from maize Zheng 58 (Z58) mutant lines generated by ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenesis. The Zmhsl-1 plants were more sensitive to increased temperature than Z58 in the field during growth season. The Zmhsl-1 plants had lower plant height, lower yield, and lower content of photosynthetic pigments. A bulked segregant analysis coupled with whole-genome sequencing (BSA-seq) enabled the identification of the corresponding gene, named ZmHSL, which encodes an endo-β-1,4-xylanase from the GH10 family. The loss-of-function of ZmHSL resulted in reduced lignin content in Zmhsl-1 plants, leading to defects in water transport and more severe leaf wilting with the increase in temperature. RNA-seq analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes identified between Z58 and Zmhsl-1 plants are mainly related to heat stress-responsive genes and unfolded protein response genes. All these data indicated that ZmHSL plays a key role in lignin synthesis, and its defective mutation causes changes in the cell wall structure and gene expression patterns, which impedes water transport and confers higher sensitivity to high-temperature stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membrane intrinsic proteins (MIPs), including aquaporins (AQPs) and aquaglyceroporins (GLPs), form an ancient family of transporters for water and small solutes across biological membranes. The evolutionary history and functions of MIPs have been extensively studied in vertebrates and land plants, but their widespread presence across the eukaryotic tree of life suggests both a more complex evolutionary history and a broader set of functions than previously thought. That said, the early evolution of MIPs remains obscure. The presence of one GLP and four AQP clades across both bacteria and archaea suggests that the first eukaryotes could have possessed up to five MIPs. Here, we report on a previously unknown richness in MIP diversity across all major eukaryotic lineages, including unicellular eukaryotes, which make up the bulk of eukaryotic diversity. Three MIP clades have likely deep evolutionary origins, dating back to the last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA), and support the presence of a complex MIP repertoire in early eukaryotes. Overall, our findings highlight the growing complexity of the reconstructed LECA genome: the dynamic evolutionary history of MIPs was set in motion when eukaryotes were in their infancy followed by radiative bursts across all main eukaryotic lineages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Guihaia is the property of Guihaia Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Research on the assessment of water resources in agricultural regions is a prominent area of study. These resources are vital for many arid and agricultural areas, including those in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). This paper provides a comprehensive review of research trends, analysing scientific production and published articles on water resources in CIS countries from 2000 to 2023. We collected, reviewed, and analysed 163 publications from the Scopus database meeting our selection criteria. The bibliometric analysis revealed publications in English (149) and Russian (15), annual publication counts, document types, top papers, journals, funding sponsors, subject categories, and affiliations by country and institution. We also examined co-authors and keyword cooccurrence to identify knowledge clusters in the literature. The analysis highlighted the need for international research to enhance scientific exchange on this topic. Long-term, continuous research and sustainable development of water resource concepts are essential for future agricultural, water management integration supplemented with parts of water transport. This study may inspire new trends in agricultural development, focusing on irrigation efficiency, water distribution, and climate change within a sustainable circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ballast water represents a significant vector for the transfer of aquatic organisms and chemical pollutants. Although various groups of transported microorganisms can have a negative impact on native species of aquatic fauna, the available literature usually focuses on larger organisms. This is important because microorganisms cause changes in the balanced aquatic environment, including a stable trophic pyramid. The objectives of this study were twofold: (i) to determine the seasonal changes in the microbiota of the ballast water of long- and short-range ships entering the southern Baltic port, with a focus on fish pathogenic microorganisms and (ii) to potentially assess the threat to the ichthyofauna caused by the introduction of these microorganisms into the aquatic environment. The analytical results demonstrated notable variability in microbial density across the samples, contingent on the distance traversed by the ships. The samples of ballast water collected in autumn exhibited the highest microbial density compared to those collected in spring and summer. The samples contained yeast (1.00–2.98 log cfu/mL), mold (1.30–3.26 log cfu/mL), and bacteria (2.18–4.61 log cfu/mL), including amylolytic bacteria (0.95–3.53 log cfu/mL), lipolytic bacteria (0.70–2.93 log cfu/mL), and proteolytic bacteria (0.70–2.39 log cfu/mL). The most prevalent were the Pseudomonas bacteria (0.48–4.40 log cfu/mL), including Pseudomonas fluorescens (0.20–2.60 log cfu/mL. The port waters in spring and summer were primarily characterized by the presence of bacteria belonging to the genus Bacillus. Additionally, the samples exhibited the presence of Intestinimonas, Oceanobacillus, and Virgibacillus bacteria. The short-range vessel samples were populated primarily by bacteria belonging to the genus Bordetella, accompanied by Oligella, Brackiella, and Basilea oraz Derxia, while the ballast water of long-range ships contained mainly Acholeplasma and Clostridium, accompanied by Bacillus, Peptosteptococcus, Intestinibacter, Terrisporobacter, Anaerobacillis, Anaerofustis, Oxobacter, and Listeria. A phylogenetic analysis of the bacteria recorded in the ballast water revealed the presence of species, including Bordetella and Acholeplasma, which can facilitate the colonization of aquatic organisms by pathogenic entities. The results of this study showed that despite the use of water treatment systems on ships, ballast waters carry microorganisms that can negatively impact new environments, including local fish populations (e.g., P. fluorescens). These observations point to the need for further research on the effectiveness of ballast water management systems used to date to minimize the environmental impact of organisms carried in ships' ballast water to preserve natural resources and environmental sustainability in port waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood is the water conducting tissue of tree stems. Like most angiosperm trees, poplar wood contains water-conducting vessel elements whose functional properties affect water transport and growth rates, as well as susceptibility to embolism and hydraulic failure during water stress and drought. Here we used a unique hybrid poplar pedigree carrying genomically characterized chromosomal insertions and deletions to undertake a systems genomics analysis of vessel traits. We assayed gene expression in wood forming tissues from clonal replicates of genotypes covering dosage quantitative trait loci with insertions and deletions, genotypes with extreme vessel trait phenotypes, and control genotypes. A gene co-expression analysis was used to assign genes to modules, which were then used in integrative analyses to identify modules associated with traits, to identify putative molecular and cellular processes associatedwith eachmodule, and finally to identify candidate genes using multiple criteria including dosage responsiveness. These analyses identified known processes associated with vessel traits including stress response, abscisic acid and cell wall biosynthesis, and in addition identified previously unexplored processes including cell cycle and protein ubiquitination. We discuss our findings relative to component processes contributing to vessel trait variation including signaling, cell cycle, cell expansion, and cell differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf movement is a manifestation of plant response to the changing internal and external environment, aiming to optimize plant growth and development. Leaf movement is usually driven by a specialized motor organ, the pulvinus, and this movement is associated with different changes in volume and expansion on the two sides of the pulvinus. Blue light, auxin, GA, H+-ATPase, K+, Cl−, Ca2+, actin, and aquaporin collectively influence the changes in water flux in the tissue of the extensor and flexor of the pulvinus to establish a turgor pressure difference, thereby controlling leaf movement. However, how these factors regulate the multicellular motility of the pulvinus tissues in a species remains obscure. In addition, model plants such as Medicago truncatula, Mimosa pudica, and Samanea saman have been used to study pulvinus-driven leaf movement, showing a similarity in their pulvinus movement mechanisms. In this review, we summarize past research findings from the three model plants, and using Medicago truncatula as an example, suggest that genes regulating pulvinus movement are also involved in regulating plant growth and development. We also propose a model in which the variation of ion flux and water flux are critical steps to pulvinus movement and highlight questions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering is the property of Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Metal–organic framework (MOF) membranes with rich functionality and a tunable pore system are promising for molecular separation. However, an inadequate pore microenvironment and low water stability may hamper the extension of their use in gas separation to liquid separation (e.g., organic solvent dehydration). In this study, we report a high‐valence Zr‐MOF membrane with high stability and tunable pore microenvironment, prepared using a mixed‐ligand strategy based on fumarate (fum) and 2‐methylfumarate (mes) ligands for the pervaporation dehydration of alcohols. The introduction of a methyl group in the ligand side chain narrowed the aperture size while balancing the hydrophilicity, thus facilitating the fast and selective permeation of water over alcohol molecules. The resulting mes/fum‐Zr‐MOF membrane with a mes content of 30% displayed excellent butanol/water separation performance with total flux of 5226 g−1·m−2·h−1, separation factor of 1281, and water content of 99.3% in the permeate, transcending the upper‐bound of state‐of‐the‐art MOF and polymer membranes, thereby exhibiting immense potential for alcohols dehydration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present studies shed light on the continuum breakdown of water confined in nanotubes of different materials and diameters. The structure and hydrodynamics of water confined in nanotubes of carbon (CNT), boron nitride (BNNT), silicon carbide (SiC), and silicon nitride (SiNT) of different chirality indices were analyzed to examine the potential nanomembrane material for water purification. According to our findings of the contact angle with water, BNNTs are more hydrophobic than CNTs, and silica nanotubes are hydrophilic. The higher permeability of water was observed through CNTs and BNNTs in comparison to silica nanotubes. Nearly flat velocity profiles indicated continuum breakdown at the nanoscale. Also, the trend for viscosity and diffusion coefficient did not follow the Stokes–Einstein relation, indicating continuum breakdown. The results demonstrated the connectivity of microscopic diffusion with the macroscopic permeation flux, which might be important information for the theoretical investigation of the suitable operational regime in reverse osmosis. Essentially, the continuum breakdown due to freezing of water was seen to be diminished with an increase in temperature. The results showed characteristic changes in the density profile, diffusion coefficient, velocity autocorrelation functions, density of state functions, and thermodynamic entropic components (evaluated using the two-phase thermodynamic method) of permeating water molecules. Importantly, our results reflect that the continuum breakdown observed for water confined in smaller nanotubes is true only at temperatures below 400 K due to the ice-like dense structure of water molecules. Once the entering water molecules can gain energy to compensate for the loss of H bonds, the conventional fluid dynamics relations can be well applied to estimate the hydrodynamics of confined water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trait-based approaches are increasingly used to understand crop yield improvement, although they have not been widely applied to anatomical traits. Little is known about the relationships between root and leaf anatomy and yield in wheat. We selected 20 genotypes that have been widely planted in Luoyang, in the major wheat-producing area of China, to explore these relationships. A field study was performed to measure the yields and yield components of the genotypes. Root and leaf samples were collected at anthesis to measure the anatomical traits relevant to carbon allocation and water transport. Yield was negatively correlated with cross-sectional root cortex area, indicating that reduced root cortical tissue and therefore reduced carbon investment have contributed to yield improvement in this region. Yield was positively correlated with root xylem area, suggesting that a higher water transport capacity has also contributed to increased yields in this study. The area of the leaf veins did not significantly correlate with yield, showing that the high-yield genotypes did not have larger veins, but they may have had a conservative water use strategy, with tight regulation of water loss from the leaves. This study demonstrates that breeding for higher yields in this region has changed wheat's anatomical traits, reducing the roots' cortical tissue and increasing the roots' xylem investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grape berries often crack near the proximal end, which may be related to water absorption and their cellular anatomical structure. To study the relationship between water absorption, cell anatomical structures, and berry cracking near the proximal end, 49 varieties were selected. Eighteen were prone to cracking near the proximal end, while 31 were resistant. An in vitro soaking experiment on ripe berries measured the difference in berry-cracking degrees among different varieties. In vitro staining was used to trace water absorption and paraffin sections were prepared to observe and analyze the structural parameters of different tissues. Results showed that the cracking rate and water uptake of the crack-prone berries were significantly higher than those of the crack-resistant berries. Fruit prone to cracking was characterized by a thinner cuticle, epidermis, and sub-epidermis. After staining, it was found that dye absorption was limited to the berry near the proximal end. Other cell size parameters may also lead to cracking near the proximal end. By tracing water transport and analyzing differences in cell structure characteristics among varieties, we speculated that the vascular bundle xylem water transport repression and differences in cell anatomical structures may have led to berry cracking near the proximal end. The reasons for berry cracking near the proximal end were preliminarily explained, providing theoretical support for further screening of crack-resistant varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although cemented soil as a subgrade fill material can meet certain performance requirements, it is susceptible to capillary erosion caused by groundwater. In order to eliminate the hazards caused by capillary water rise and to summarize the relevant laws of water transport properties, graphene oxide (GO) was used to improve cemented soil. This paper conducted capillary water absorption tests, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests, softening coefficient tests, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) tests on cemented soil using various contents of GO. The results showed that the capillary water absorption capacity and capillary water absorption rate exhibited a decreasing and then increasing trend with increasing GO content, while the UCS demonstrated an increasing and then decreasing trend. The improvement effect is most obvious when the content is 0.09%. At this content, the capillary absorption and capillary water absorption rate were reduced by 25.8% and 33.9%, respectively, and the UCS at 7d, 14d, and 28d was increased by 70.32%, 57.94%, and 61.97%, respectively. SEM testing results demonstrated that GO reduces the apparent void ratio of cemented soil by stimulating cement hydration and promoting ion exchange, thereby optimizing the microstructure and improving water resistance and mechanical properties. This research serves as a foundation for further investigating water migration and the appropriate treatment of GO-modified cemented soil subgrade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt precipitation on the surface of porous media significantly affects water transport processes. Most studies on salt precipitation mainly focused on single salts, but in nature, salt precipitation usually occurs as mixtures. Consequently, information on the crystallization of salt mixtures and its effect on water transport remains scarce. This study investigated the precipitation of mixtures (the mass ratios of NaCl:Na2SO4 were 3:7, 5:5, and 7:3, respectively) of NaCl (typical efflorescence) and Na2SO4 (typical subflorescence) in the initially saturated sandy soil columns and its effect on evaporation and compared it with the cases of the two salts individually. The results showed that salt mixtures exhibited a mixed pattern of crystals including both efflorescence and subflorescence, and the efflorescence showed granular aggregation, unlike the mono‐salts. The crystallization coverage of the salt mixtures was smaller than that of NaCl mono‐salt; high (7:3) and low (5:5 and 3:7) proportions of NaCl led to larger and smaller crystallization coverage than that of Na2SO4 mono‐salt, respectively. While the salt mixtures had less crystallization coverage than the mono‐salts, they showed lower evaporation because the salt mixtures formed a denser crystallization structure of efflorescence‐subflorescence‐soil layer, this crystallization structure exhibited greater inhibition of water vapour diffusion, thus reducing evaporation. In addition, the crystallization of the salt mixtures with higher NaCl proportion afforded greater resistance of evaporation. The mixed crystallization pattern formed by the salt mixtures significantly enhances the crystallization resistance to evaporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is an editorial published in the journal Frontiers in Plant Science. It discusses the role of electrical signals in leaves and their connection to the health and physiological activities of plants. The editorial highlights the importance of understanding the molecular mechanisms of plant electrical activity, the effects of electrical signals on specific physiological processes, and the development of methods for analyzing electrical records. Several studies are mentioned that explore different aspects of electrical signaling in plants, including the participation of ion channels, the effects of stress signals, and the influence of electrical signals on photosynthesis and growth. The editorial emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of this research and its potential to deepen our understanding of plant physiology. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Science Technology & Engineering is the property of Chinese Society of Technology Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Hydromorph Biocomposites (HBCs) are self‐shaping materials whose motions are actuated by moisture‐induced swelling of natural fibers and designed through a multilayered bioinspired material architecture. Their reactivity, i.e., kinetic of actuation, is relatively slow and is currently limited by the moisture transport. Porosities are commonly assumed to be a defect in composite materials that results in reduced mechanical performance. However, in biological structures porosities within the tissue architecture provide essential functions (lightness, moisture transport, and actuation). Inspired by biological mesostructures, a 3D‐printing process is applied to precisely define the architecture of an HBC that incorporates functional porosities, i.e., channels. The purpose is to improve the moisture‐induced actuation reactivity without compromising any other functional performance. First, 3D‐printed wood fiber‐reinforced biocomposites are designed with various channel content (from 0% to 10%), size (from 0.5 to 3.0 mm), and distribution patterns across the samples. Immersed in water, these novel HBCs with tailored channel structures fasten the water transport by triggering capillary transport. The presented results demonstrate that implementing functional channels in the mesostructure of 4D‐printed HBC bilayers makes it possible to achieve an eight‐fold improvement in the speed of shape‐change transformation while enabling new capabilities to functionally tune the morphing performance of HBCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation on dunes regulates the water supply from the dunes to the inter-dune lowland, which is a crucial factor affecting lake water dynamics in the inter-dune lowland. Previous researchers have paid insufficient attention to the water regulation function of dunes on a landscape- and regional scale. To fill this gap, both remote sensing technology and field observations were used to analyze the variations in the lake area and their influence factors, such as vegetation coverage and precipitation in the lake watershed, on a multi-year scale (2000–2020) and one-year scale (2021), respectively. The results showed that precipitation is the main factor influencing the changes in lake water, and artificial sand vegetation can regulate the changes in lake water. On the multi-year scale, with the coverage of artificial sand-fixing vegetation increasing on sand dunes in the lake watershed, the areas of the lakes were gradually decreasing. On the one-year scale, with dune vegetation coverage increased, the water supply from dunes to lakes showed a decreasing trend. This model can provide a possibility for estimating and predicting the influence of water supply from dunes to lakes that is affected by sand-fixing vegetation. The findings have significant theoretical and practical utility for the rational utilization of water resources in sandy land, as well as for assisting in the selection of an optimized construction mode for desert control projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study reviews the theoretical models, numerical implementation and practical applications of chloride reactive transport in concrete. Thermodynamic modeling is capable of accurately predicting chloride binding behaviors across the entire concentration range. It also considers the impact of the pH variation in the pore solution. Thus, the reactive transport model, integrating thermodynamic calculations into transport equations, can provide a more comprehensive representation of chloride ingress in concrete. Furthermore, we discuss the effects of water transport and external stresses on chloride reactive transport. In addition to the well-known advection phenomenon, water transport has the ability to alter the effective transport pathway and influence chloride binding reactions. These three influences exhibit typical temporal and spatial characteristics. Capturing the temporal and spatial characteristics in chloride reactive transport model can be achieved by continuously updating the saturation degree and chloride diffusion coefficient at each finite element mesh node. The effect of stress on chloride reactive transport can be categorized into two scenarios based on the response of transport pathway to external loads: (1) high stress levels, which result in the formation of cracks in concrete, and (2) low stress levels, where concrete remains crack-free. Quantitating the influence of stress levels on the transport pathway is crucial for simulating chloride reactive transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Soil water uptake by roots is a key component of plant water homeostasis contributing to plant growth and survival under ever‐changing environmental conditions. The water transport capacity of roots (root hydraulic conductivity; Lpr) is mostly contributed by finely regulated Plasma membrane Intrinsic Protein (PIP) aquaporins. In this study, we used natural variation of Arabidopsis for the identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) contributing to Lpr. Using recombinant lines from a biparental cross (Cvi‐0 x Col‐0), we show that the gene encoding class 2 Sucrose‐Non‐Fermenting Protein kinase 2.4 (SnRK2.4) in Col‐0 contributes to >30% of Lpr by enhancing aquaporin‐dependent water transport. At variance with the inactive and possibly unstable Cvi‐0 SnRK2.4 form, the Col‐0 form interacts with and phosphorylates the prototypal PIP2;1 aquaporin at Ser121 and stimulates its water transport activity upon coexpression in Xenopus oocytes and yeast cells. Activation of PIP2;1 by Col‐0 SnRK2.4 in yeast also requires its protein kinase activity and can be counteracted by clade A Protein Phosphatases 2C. SnRK2.4 shows all hallmarks to be part of core abscisic acid (ABA) signaling modules. Yet, long‐term (>3 h) inhibition of Lpr by ABA possibly involves a SnRK2.4‐independent inhibition of PIP2;1. SnRK2.4 also promotes stomatal aperture and ABA‐induced inhibition of primary root growth. The study identifies a key component of Lpr and sheds new light on the functional overlap and specificity of SnRK2.4 with respect to other ABA‐dependent or independent SnRK2s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rain‐harvesting behaviour represents an adaptation for water collection that has evolved in some species of iguanian reptiles inhabiting arid environments. To date, such behaviour has been observed only in members of the families Agamidae and Phrynosomatidae. A common set of integumentary features characterizes these rain‐harvesting species, including scale surface microstructures (SSMs), capillary channels and hinge joints. The influence of variations in these features on rain‐harvesting has been a subject of discussion for many decades. Nevertheless, a comprehensive comparative study of similarities and differences between harvesting and non‐harvesting species on a broader scale remains lacking. In this study, we classify scale surface microstructures into three categories: large hexagons (SSM1), smaller nested hexagons (SSM2) and hinge pits (SSM2H). As the first two SSM types are widespread, they do not appear to be directly linked to the adaptation for rain‐harvesting. Conversely, the presence or absence of hinge pits distinguishes harvesters from non‐harvesters. Additionally, channel hierarchy, width and structure determine the effectiveness of the rain‐harvesting architecture. Only Moloch horridus exhibits distinct integumentary features in comparison to other agamids and rain‐harvesting species. Ancestral character state reconstruction suggests that rain‐harvesting behaviour was likely absent in the ancestor of Iguanians, even though overlapping scales and SSM1 were present. Our findings illustrate that rain‐harvesting species have independently converged upon similar structural solutions to address their water acquisition challenges, building upon shared pre‐existing features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water transport through water channels, aquaporins (AQPs), is vital for many physiological processes including epithelial fluid secretion, cell migration and adipocyte metabolism. Water flux through AQPs is driven by the osmotic gradient that results from concentration differences of solutes including ions. Here, we developed a novel optogenetic toolkit that combines the light-gated anion channel GtACR1 either with the light-gated K+ channel HcKCR1 or the new Na+ channelrhodopsin HcNCR1 with high Na+ permeability, to manipulate water transport in Xenopus oocytes non-invasively. Water efflux through AQP was achieved by light-activating K+ and Cl- efflux through HcKCR1 and GtACR1. Contrarily, when GtACR1 was co-expressed with HcNCR1, inward movement of Na+ and Cl- was light-triggered, and the resulting osmotic gradient led to water influx through AQP1. In sum, we demonstrate a novel optogenetic strategy to manipulate water movement into or out of Xenopus oocytes non-invasively. This approach provides a new avenue to interfere with water homeostasis as a means to study related biological phenomena across cell types and organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Carbon Intensity Index (CII) exerts a substantial impact on the operations and valuation of international shipping vessels. Accurately predicting the CII of ships could help ship operators dynamically evaluate the possible CII grate of a ship at the end of the year and choose appropriate methods to improve its CII grade to meet the IMO requirement with minimum cost. This study developed and compared five CII predicting models with multiple data sources. It integrates diverse data sources, including Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, sensor data, meteorological data, and sea state data from 2022, and extracts 21 relevant features for the vessel CII prediction. Five machine learning methods, including Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Support Vector Regression (SVR), Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Random Forest (RF), are employed to construct the CII prediction model, which is then applied to a 2400 TEU container ship. Features such as the mean period of total swell, mean period of wind waves, and seawater temperature were considered for inclusion as inputs in the model. The results reveal significant correlations between cumulative carbon emissions intensity and features like cumulative distance, seawater temperature, wave period, and swell period. Among these, the strongest correlations are observed with cumulative distance and seawater temperature, having correlation coefficients of 0.45 and 0.34, respectively. Notably, the ANN model demonstrates the highest accuracy in CII prediction, with an average absolute error of 0.0336, whereas the LASSO model exhibits the highest error of 0.2817. Similarly, the ANN model provides more accurate annual CII ratings for the vessel. Consequently, the ANN model proves to be the most suitable choice for cumulative CII prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Intervessel pits are considered to function as valves that avoid embolism spreading and optimize efficient transport of xylem sap across neighbouring vessels. Hydraulic transport between vessels would therefore follow a safety‐efficiency trade‐off, which is directly related to the total intervessel pit area (Ap), inversely related to the pit membrane thickness (TPM) and driven by a pressure difference.To test this hypothesis, we modelled the relative transport rate of gas (ka) and water (Q) at the intervessel pit level for 23 angiosperm species and correlated these parameters with the water potential at which 50% of embolism occurs (Ψ50). We also measured ka for 10 species using pneumatic measurements.The pressure difference across adjacent vessels and estimated values of ka and Q were related to Ψ50, following a convex safety‐efficiency trade‐off based on modelled and experimental data. Minor changes in TPM and Ap exponentially affected the pressure difference and flow, respectively.Our results provide clear evidence that a xylem safety‐efficiency trade‐off is not linear, but convex due to flow across intervessel pit membranes, which represent mesoporous media within microporous conduits. Moreover, the convex nature of long‐distance xylem transport may contribute to an adjustable fluid balance of plants, depending on environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Blood nerve barrier (BNB) participates in the development of neuropathic pain. AQP1 is involved in peripheral pain perception and is negatively correlated with HIF-1α phenotype, which regulates endothelial permeability. However, the role of HIF-1α-AQP1-mediated BNB dysfunction in Chronic Postsurgical Pain (CPSP) has not been reported. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into 5 groups: (i) Naive group; (ii) Sham group; (iii) SMIR group: skin/muscle incision and retraction for one hour. Behavioral tests were performed for the three groups, BNB vascular permeability and western blotting were conducted to determine HIF-1α and AQP1 protein expression. (iv) The SMIR + HIF-1α inhibitor group; (v) SMIR + DMSO group. Rats in the two groups were administered with HIF-1α inhibitor (2ME2) or DMSO intraperitoneally on the third day post-SMIR surgery followed by performance of behavioral tests, BNB permeability assessment, and determination of HIF-1α, AQP1 and NF200 protein levels. Results: The permeability of BNB was significantly increased and the expression of AQP1 was downregulated on the 3rd and 7th days post-operation. AQP1 is mainly located in neurons and NF200, CGRP-positive nerve fibers. HIF-1α was highly expressed on the third day post-operation. HIF-1α inhibitor reversed the decrease in AQP1 expression and increase in NF200 expression, barrier permeability and hyperalgesia induced by SMIR on the 3rd day post-surgery. Conclusions: Early dysfunction of BNB mediated by HIF-1α/AQP1 activated by SMIR may be an important mechanism to promote acute postoperative painful transformation of CPSP. Preadaptive protection of endothelial cells around nerve substructures may be an important countermeasure to inhibit CPSP transformation. Early impairment of BNB function mediated by HIF-1α/AQP1 activated by SMIR may be an important mechanism for promoting acute postoperative pain transformation of CPSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estuarine projects can quickly change the estuarine topography and influence the hydrodynamics and saltwater intrusion. The Changjiang Estuary is a multiple-bifurcation megaestuary, and the outstanding feature of the saltwater intrusion is the saltwater spillover from the North Branch (NB) into the South Branch (SB). In this study, the improved ECOM-si model was adopted to numerically experiment with the impact of the sluices that are planned for construction in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the NB on the saltwater intrusion and freshwater resources. The simulation results show that, on the one hand, sluice construction can eliminate the saltwater spillover from the NB into the SB; on the other hand, sluice construction makes water enter the NB from the SB, and the runoff discharging into the sea in the SB decreases. The water intake time of the Qingcaosha Reservoir (QCSR) increases by 3.2 days for sluice construction in the upper reaches of the NB and decreases by 0.97 and 0.94 days for sluice construction in the middle and lower reaches of the NB, respectively. Considering the impact of sluice construction in the NB on the saltwater intrusion and freshwater resources, the construction of sluices in the upper reaches of the NB is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the reasons for the high efficiency and selectivity of biological catalysts arise from their ability to control the pathways of substrates and products using protein channels, and by modulating the transport in the channels using the interaction with the protein residues and the water/hydrogen-bonding network. This process is clearly demonstrated in Photosystem II (PS II), where its light-driven water oxidation reaction catalyzed by the Mn4CaO5 cluster occurs deep inside the protein complex and thus requires the transport of two water molecules to and four protons from the metal center to the bulk water. Based on the recent advances in structural studies of PS II from X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy, in this review we compare the channels that have been proposed to facilitate this mass transport in cyanobacteria, red and green algae, diatoms, and higher plants. The three major channels (O1, O4, and Cl1 channels) are present in all species investigated; however, some differences exist in the reported structures that arise from the different composition and arrangement of membrane extrinsic subunits between the species. Among the three channels, the Cl1 channel, including the proton gate, is the most conserved among all photosynthetic species. We also found at least one branch for the O1 channel in all organisms, extending all the way from Ca/O1 via the 'water wheel' to the lumen. However, the extending path after the water wheel varies between most species. The O4 channel is, like the Cl1 channel, highly conserved among all species while having different orientations at the end of the path near the bulk. The comparison suggests that the previously proposed functionality of the channels in T. vestitus (Ibrahim et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 117:12624–12635, 2020; Hussein et al., Nat Commun 12:6531, 2021) is conserved through the species, i.e. the O1-like channel is used for substrate water intake, and the tighter Cl1 and O4 channels for proton release. The comparison does not eliminate the potential role of O4 channel as a water intake channel. However, the highly ordered hydrogen-bonded water wire connected to the Mn4CaO5 cluster via the O4 may strongly suggest that it functions in proton release, especially during the S0 → S1 transition (Saito et al., Nat Commun 6:8488, 2015; Kern et al., Nature 563:421–425, 2018; Ibrahim et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 117:12624–12635, 2020; Sakashita et al., Phys Chem Chem Phys 22:15831–15841, 2020; Hussein et al., Nat Commun 12:6531, 2021). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) bipolar plate serpentine flow channel U-shaped region is prone to the accumulation effect, which poses serious difficulties for fuel cell water management. As a result, a deep understanding of water transport in the U-shaped region is essential to improve the fuel cell performance. Under this direction, in this work, the impact of the different microstructure parameters and initial conditions on water transport in the U-shaped region was compared with and without microstructure using the volume of the fluid method. On top of that, the velocity field distribution in the X -direction and the pressure drop distribution in the flow channel were also analyzed. From the acquired results, it was demonstrated that due to the secondary flow caused by the bending property of the microstructure, the droplet movement time in the U-shaped region was significantly shortened after the microstructure was added in the U-shaped region. The initial conditions strongly affected the droplet motion, and a larger contact angle enhanced the wall hydrophobicity to facilitate the droplet discharge. An increase in the droplet diameter led also to a rise in the windward area and shear force, which shortened droplet discharge time. Interestingly, if the waveform microstructure has too-large crests, gullies will be created that will impede the droplet motion and increase the amplitude of the droplet oscillation, resulting in excessive pressure drop in the flow channel. A too-large period led to increased droplet momentum loss, whereas a short period reduced the wall contact angle, which is not conducive to drainage. The microstructure spacing significantly affected the droplet motion, and the reduced spacing increased the airflow diffusion effect to accelerate the flow rate. The main focus of this work was led on the application of the microstructure in a U-shaped region of the serpentine flow channel, which is of great specific significance for droplet removal inside the flow channel. Proton-exchange membrane fuel cells have the advantages of high energy efficiency and low emissions. They can directly convert chemical energy into electrical energy and have broad application prospects in many fields. There is a key component in a fuel cell called a bipolar plate. On top of them, different flow channels are formed through processing, and droplet accumulation is prone to occur at the corners of these flow channels. Therefore, solving the accumulation phenomenon is an effective way to improve the performance of fuel cells. By adding a microstructure design on the wall of the flow channel to change the internal droplet transport, the function of the microstructure is to accelerate the droplet discharge from the flow channel and improve the performance of the fuel cell. Therefore, this study will introduce how the internal water transport in fuel cell flow channels is influenced by the wall microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 90% of oceanic heat enters the Arctic Ocean with the Norwegian Current. In this paper we examine the mechanisms of the variability of the oceanic heat flux in the Norwegian Current (across the Svinoy section in the southern Norwegian Sea) in 1993–2019. GLORYS oceanic reanalysis with a spatial resolution of 1/12° is used. It is found that the variability of oceanic heat flux is associated with that of the water transport, which, in turn, is governed by the variability of the sea level gradient across the Norwegian Current. It is shown that an increase in water transport of the Norwegian Current is a result of a decrease of the atmospheric pressure over the central part of the Norwegian Sea. The latter intensifies the southwesterly winds along the Scandinavian Peninsula. The sea level gradients across the Norwegian Current, formed by the winds, are primarily associated with the Ekman pumping towards the coast, as well as with the wind stress curl. Both have a significant impact on the variability of water transport across the section. Another factor is the variability of the steric sea level gradient, which significantly affects the water transport during the period of a rapid temperature rise of in the Norwegian Current (1995–2005). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water and other small molecules frequently coordinate within metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs). These coordinated molecules may actively engage in mass transfer, moving together with the transport molecules, but this phenomenon has yet to be examined. In this study, we explore a unique water transfer mechanism in UTSA‐280, where an incoming water molecule can displace a coordinated molecule for mass transfer. We refer to this process as the "knock‐off" mechanism. Despite UTSA‐280 possessing one‐dimensional channels, the knock‐off transport enables water movement along the other two axes, effectively simulating a pseudo‐three‐dimensional mass transfer. Even with a relatively narrow pore width, the knock‐off mechanism enables a high water flux in the UTSA‐280 membrane. The knock‐off mechanism also renders UTSA‐280 superior water/ethanol diffusion selectivity for pervaporation. To validate this unique mechanism, we conducted 1H and 2H solid‐state NMR on UTSA‐280 after the adsorption of deuterated water. We also derived potential energy diagrams from the density functional theory to gain atomic‐level insight into the knock‐off and the direct‐hopping mechanisms. The simulation findings reveal that the energy barrier of the knock‐off mechanism is marginally lower than the direct‐hopping pathway, implying its potential role in enhancing water diffusion in UTSA‐280. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water and other small molecules frequently coordinate within metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs). These coordinated molecules may actively engage in mass transfer, moving together with the transport molecules, but this phenomenon has yet to be examined. In this study, we explore a unique water transfer mechanism in UTSA‐280, where an incoming water molecule can displace a coordinated molecule for mass transfer. We refer to this process as the "knock‐off" mechanism. Despite UTSA‐280 possessing one‐dimensional channels, the knock‐off transport enables water movement along the other two axes, effectively simulating a pseudo‐three‐dimensional mass transfer. Even with a relatively narrow pore width, the knock‐off mechanism enables a high water flux in the UTSA‐280 membrane. The knock‐off mechanism also renders UTSA‐280 superior water/ethanol diffusion selectivity for pervaporation. To validate this unique mechanism, we conducted 1H and 2H solid‐state NMR on UTSA‐280 after the adsorption of deuterated water. We also derived potential energy diagrams from the density functional theory to gain atomic‐level insight into the knock‐off and the direct‐hopping mechanisms. The simulation findings reveal that the energy barrier of the knock‐off mechanism is marginally lower than the direct‐hopping pathway, implying its potential role in enhancing water diffusion in UTSA‐280. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Future exploration efforts of the Moon, Mars, and other bodies are poised to focus heavily on persistent and sustainable survey and research efforts, especially given the recent interest in a long‐term sustainable human presence at the Moon. Key to these efforts understands a number of important processes on the lunar surface for both scientific and operational purposes. We discuss the potential value of in situ artificial substrate witness plates, powerful tools that can supplement familiar remote sensing and sample acquisition techniques and provide a sustainable way of monitoring processes in key locations on planetary surfaces while maintaining a low environmental footprint. These tools, which we call Biscuits, can use customized materials as wide ranging as zircon‐based spray coatings to metals potentially useable for surface structures, to target specific processes/questions as part of a small, passive witness plate that can be flexibly placed with respect to location and total time duration. We examine and discuss unique case studies to show how processes such as water presence/transport, presence and contamination of biologically relevant molecules, solar activity related effects, and other processes can be measured using Biscuits. Biscuits can yield key location sensitive, time integrated measurements on these processes to inform scientific understanding of the Moon and enable operational goals in lunar exploration. While we specifically demonstrate this on a simulated traverse and for selected examples, we stress all groups interested in planetary surfaces should consider these adaptable, low footprint, and highly informative tools for future exploration. Plain Language Summary: In situ optimized substrate witness plates, we call "Biscuits" can be a key tool for exploring planetary surfaces. These Biscuits can be flexibly targeted to different processes and can be powerful ways to explore sensitive areas while maintaining a low environmental footprint. We examine three planetary surface processes in greater detail using Biscuits: contamination, water transport, and material testing/energetic particle dynamics. We show that targeted Biscuits can capture measurable and plausible levels of contaminants released during an airlock venting for an extravehicular activity on the Moon. We also show that other types of Biscuits can capture water transport and its variation as a function of location on the surface of the Moon. Finally, we show that Biscuits using potential building/operational material can be used to assess both the potential utility of the material and the energetic particle environment on a planetary surface. These flexible and powerful tools can be a key means of exploring planetary surfaces that can be used by a variety of different groups. Key Points: In situ artificial substrate witness plates we call "Biscuits" can monitor processes on surfaces with a low environmental footprintWe show Biscuits can capture information related to planetary contamination, water transport, and material testing/energetic particle fluxThe tools are highly versatile and can be a means of assessing key processes by a wide range of groups [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corrosive destruction and hydroabrasive wear is a serious problem in the operation of machine parts and water transport mechanisms. It is promising to develop new composite materials with improved properties to increase the reliability of transport vehicles. In this regard, the use of new polymer-based materials, which are characterized by improved anticorrosion properties and wear resistance, is promising. In this work, therefore, for the formation of multifunctional protective coatings, epoxy dian oligomer brand ED-20, polyethylene polyamine (PEPA) hardener, a mixture of nanodispersed compounds with a dispersion of 30–90 nm, fillers Agocel S-2000 and Waltrop with a dispersion of 8–12 μm, and particles of iron slag with a dispersion of 60–63 μm are used for the formation of multifunctional protective coatings. Using the method of mathematically planning the experiment, the content of additives of different physico-chemical natures in the epoxy binder is optimized to obtain fireproof coatings with improved operational characteristics. A mathematical model is developed for optimizing the content of components in the formation of protective anticorrosion and wear-resistant coatings for means of transport as a result of the complex effect of a mixture of nanodispersed compounds, iron scale, and Waltrop. Based on the mathematical planning of the experiment, new regularities of increasing the corrosion resistance and resources of the means of transport are established through the formation of four different protective coatings, which are tested for resistance to aggressive environments (technical water—CAS No. 7732-18-5, gasoline—CAS No. 64742-82-1, acetone—CAS No. 67-64-1, I-20A lubricant—CAS No. 64742-62-7, sodium solutions—CAS No. 1310-73-2, and sulfuric acid—CAS No. 7664-93-9) and hydroabrasive wear resistances. A study of the change in the permeability index in aggressive environments is additionally carried out, taking into account the rational ratio of dispersive fillers in the epoxy binder, which made it possible to create an effective barrier to the penetration of aggressive water molecules into the base. A decrease in the permeability of protective coatings by 2.0–3.3 times relative to the epoxy matrix is achieved. In addition, the wear resistance of the developed materials under the action of hydroabrasion is investigated. The relative resistance of the CM to the action of hydroabrasion was found by the method of materials and coatings testing on the gas-abrasive wear with a centrifugal accelerator. This method enables one to model the real process of the wear of mechanism parts under the hydroabrasive action. It is shown that the coefficient of the wear resistance of the developed materials is 1.3 times higher than that of the polymer matrix, which indicates the resistance of the composites to the influence of hydroabrasive environment. As a result, modified epoxy composite protective coatings with improved anticorrosion properties and wear resistance under hydroabrasive conditions are developed. It is established that the protective coating filled with particles of a mixture of nanodispersed compounds (30–90 nm), iron scale (60–63 μm), and Waltrop (8–12 μm) has the lowest permeability indicators. The permeability in natural conditions of such a coating during the time t = 300 days of the study is χ = 0.5%, which is 3.6 times less than the similar indicators of the epoxy matrix. It is substantiated that the protective coating filled with particles of a mixture of nanodispersed compounds (30–90 nm), iron scale (60–63 μm), and Agocel S-2000 (8–12 μm) is characterized by the highest indicators of wear resistance. The coefficient of wear resistance under the action of hydroabrasion of such a coating is K = 1.75, which is 1.3 times higher than the similar indicators of the original epoxy matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular systems must deal with mechanical forces to satisfy their physiological functions. In this context, proteins with mechanosensitive properties play a crucial role in sensing and responding to environmental changes. The discovery of aquaporins (AQPs) marked a significant breakthrough in the study of water transport. Their transport capacity and regulation features make them key players in cellular processes. To date, few AQPs have been reported to be mechanosensitive. Like mechanosensitive ion channels, AQPs respond to tension changes in the same range. However, unlike ion channels, the aquaporin's transport rate decreases as tension increases, and the molecular features of the mechanism are unknown. Nevertheless, some clues from mechanosensitive ion channels shed light on the AQP-membrane interaction. The GxxxG motif may play a critical role in the water permeation process associated with structural features in AQPs. Consequently, a possible gating mechanism triggered by membrane tension changes would involve a conformational change in the cytoplasmic extreme of the single file region of the water pathway, where glycine and histidine residues from loop B play a key role. In view of their transport capacity and their involvement in relevant processes related to mechanical forces, mechanosensitive AQPs are a fundamental piece of the puzzle for understanding cellular responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dye injection method has been applied to many species to analyze the xylem water transport pathway in trees. However, traditional dye injection methods introduced dye tracers from the surface of cut stems, including several annual rings. Furthermore, the traditional dye injection method did not evaluate radial water movement from the outermost annual rings to the inner annual rings. In this study, we assessed the difference in radial water movement visualized by an injected dye, between stem base cut and current-year root cut samples of Salix gracilistyla Miq. , with current-year roots grown hydroponically. The results showed that the number of stained annual rings in the root cut samples was smaller than that in the stem cut samples, and the percentage of stained vessels in the root cut samples was significantly smaller than that in the stem base cut samples in the second and third annual rings. In the current-year root cut samples, water transport mainly occurred in the outermost rings from the current-year roots to leaves. In addition, the theoretical hydraulic conductivity of stained vessels in the stem cut samples was higher in the current-year root cut samples in the second and third annual rings. These findings indicate that the previously reported dye injection method using stem cut samples overestimated the water transport pathway in the inner part of the stems. Moreover, previous hydraulic conductivity measurement methods might not have considered the effects of radial resistance through the annual ring boundary, and they might have overestimated the hydraulic conductivity in the inner annual rings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Hydrogeology & Engineering Geology / Shuiwendizhi Gongchengdizhi is the property of Hydrogeology & Engineering Geology Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Russkaa Starina is the property of Cherkas Global University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, managing the water content is crucial in determining the fuel cell's performance stability. The micro-porous layer is located at the interface between catalyst layer and gas diffusion layer of PEMFC. Water transport in fuel cell is improved on using micro-porous layer. This paper outlines a two-phase model for proton exchange membrane fuel cells with micro-porous layer. The model is one-dimensional, steady-state and non-isothermal. Membrane water transport is given significant attention in the modeling process. The suggested one-dimensional model predicts the influence of current density and water transport in PEMFC realistically well. Modeling is done using MATLAB/SIMULINK and the predictions are compared to the experimental performance characteristics of fuel cell. We have devised an easy to implement model which forecasts the most appropriate parameter operating ranges. The potential and flux profiles, water content inside the fuel cell are also plotted and analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Propaganda in the World & Local Conflicts is the property of Cherkas Global University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Forest decline is a significant issue affecting critical ecosystem processes worldwide. Here, we describe mortality in Pinus sylvestris L. monitored trees caused by the inhabitation of pine bark beetles (Tomicus minor Hart.) in symbiosis with ophiostomatoid fungi (Ophiostoma piceae (Munch) H. et P. Sydow) infection in the forest-steppe of central Siberia. Stem sap flow (Q) and stem diameter fluctuations (dRc) were monitored in eight pine trees during seven consecutive growing seasons (2015–2021). In addition, microcore sampling every ten days allowed the determination of stem wood formation in monitored trees in the 2021 growing season. During 2020 and 2021, two cases of Q termination were recorded among the monitored trees, with microcores revealing no cambium formation. Thus, the seasonal Q onset matches the beginning of the beetle dispersal period when they attack and inhabit tree stems. The decline of circumferential stem size began 10–12 days after Q onset, during the massive inhabitation of beetles into the stems. The disturbance of Q in trees occurred in 21–23 days, and total cessation of Q was observed 23–26 days after the Q onset at the beetle's egg development phase. The timing of dRc disturbance and Q cessation observed directly coincides with the beetle life cycle. Thus, the phenology of pine trees and T. minor beetles is driven by seasonal weather conditions, particularly the cumulative air temperature (>0 °C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]