High-moisture extrusion is widely used to create anisotropic, meat-like protein structures, yet replicating the organized protein–lipid architectures characteristic of intramuscular adipose tissue (marbling) remains a major technical barrier. Conventional barrel injection of lipids leads to intense mixing and dispersed emulsified droplets, preventing the formation of distinct lipid domains. Here, we developed an in-line coextrusion module designed to introduce lipids immediately before the cooling die, enabling coaxial flow of protein and lipid phases under high-moisture extrusion conditions. Using a low-temperature zein-based model system, together with a conventional high-temperature soy-based formulation as reference, and three lipid states (oil, emulsion, solid fat), we demonstrated that the coextrusion module produces clear intra-protein lipid structures that visually and microscopically resemble the marbling-like patterns found in animal tissue. Coextrusion largely preserved cohesiveness, springiness, and mechanical anisotropy of the extrudates, which was maintained or even enhanced across treatments. Significant reduction in hardness was only caused by solid fat addition, while perpendicular cutting force was reduced by oil and solid fat but increased by emulsified oil via the coextrusion module, and macroscopic fibrous structuring was retained across lipid types and injection locations. Confocal laser scanning microscopy further indicated lipid-rich channels between protein strands generated through coextrusion, resulting in a heterogeneous, marbled phase arrangement, in contrast to homogeneously dispersed droplets yielded through barrel injection. Overall, this work establishes an in-line coextrusion technology as a structural proof-of-concept for creating marbling-like patterns through protein-lipid composites via high-moisture extrusion, providing a foundation for next-generation whole-cut plant-based meat analogues.
This chapter examines Russian-language documentary poetry from 2008 to 2024, before and after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine—an event that transformed innovative Russophone literature through emigration and intensified censorship. Pre-2022, three trends emerged: poetry using court documents to expose how courts address domestic violence and police brutality; medical narratives from healthcare professionals and patients; and works dealing with historical trauma through family archives and intergenerational dialogues. Post-2022, documentary poetry underwent intense transformation, emphasizing the historical significance of individual experience. The invasion has fundamentally altered the landscape of Russian literary production. Contemporary documentary poetry now serves as a crucial medium for preserving personal testimonies and challenging official narratives.
Polyelectrolyte complexation is an entropically driven, associative phase separation that has been leveraged to produce aqueously processed plastics known as polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs). Previously, we showed that their affinity to water and their chain mobility are important aspects to consider when designing PEC materials. To establish a more complete picture of influencing parameters, we examined the effect of polymer chemistry, specifically chain length and the side chain and backbone chemistry, on both the phase behavior and mechanical properties of homopolymer PECs. We combined compositional studies of PEC phase behavior with analyses of PEC dynamics and mechanics to understand how these aspects of polymer chemistry affect material performance. We observed that the identity of the ionizable groups heavily affected ion solvation, where PECs with lower water affinities had higher glass transition humidities and were generally more brittle, compared to PECs with higher water affinities. In contrast, backbone chemistry affected chain mobility, allowing acryloyl chemistries to have lower glass transition humidities compared to methacryloyl. Finally, chain length effects depended on the degree of match/mismatch of the polymer's lengths, with matched PEC systems having higher glass transition humidities than mismatched. Comparisons of the phase behavior and glass transitions revealed that side chain and backbone chemistry effects are universal across different mediums, while length effects are medium specific. These results establish fundamental structure-property relationships for the rational design of functional PEC materials.
Characterizing the genetic structure and connectivity between populations of endangered species can be used to inform management actions. In vagile species with high gene flow or recently established populations, such characterizations can be difficult to undertake using traditional genetic markers, and genetic stock identification (GSI) may be confounded by allele-sharing between populations. Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the southeastern United States comprise seven management units (MUs) based on female philopatry inferred via mitochondrial DNA sequences, yet nuclear microsatellite data do not reflect divergence. Further, loci for accurate GSI are not currently known. To address this, we generated genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from 146 females nesting at individual sites representative of each southeastern United States MU. We found weak (FST=0.001–0.003) but significant divergence among all MUs, with more notable divergence between the Gulf Coast and Atlantic Ocean MUs, and amongst the Atlantic Ocean MUs. We then used an iterative leave-one-out approach to identify candidate loci for GSI. This approach identified loci that could assign individuals to natal ocean basins (i.e., to the Gulf Coast or to the Atlantic Ocean), and to individual MUs within the Atlantic Ocean, with high (≥90
The contributions of winter rye (WR; Secale Cereale L.) roots and stubble to soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling have often been overlooked. A key novelty of the current study is quantifying root and stubble-derived C and N, along with nutrients allocation among plant parts across WR developmental stages. Treatments consisted of WR growth stage and plant parts. Post-termination decomposition dynamics were evaluated for plant parts, with aerial residues either retained on the soil surface (no-till) or incorporated into the soil (conventional tillage) systems. Although spring N application did not significantly affect biomass, total WR biomass increased from 2684 kg ha-1 at the vegetative stage to 5738 kg ha-1 at boot and 7964 kg ha-1 at heading, with progressive shift toward aerial tissues while stubble remained relatively stable. Carbon accumulation was part-specific: root C increased 5.4% from stem elongation to boot but declined to 4.5% at heading, whereas shoot C rose 3.9% initially and accelerated to 7.4% by heading; stubble C fluctuated minimally. Nitrogen partitioning exhibited pronounced shifts, with shoots storing similar to 50 kg N ha-1 compared to similar to 10 and similar to 5 kg N ha-1 in stubble and roots, respectively. These shifts in C and N resulted in progressively higher C:N reaching similar to 50 at heading, indicating a potential for N immobilization in subsequent crops. Under identical residue placement, incorporated shoot residues decomposed most rapidly (64%), followed by stubble (40%) and roots (30%). Overall, these findings underscore the importance of residue quality in regulating decomposition rates, nutrient cycling, and long-term soil C sequestration.
