Structural Elucidation and Absolute Stereochemistry for Pharma Compounds Using MicroED.

Microcrystal electron diffraction (microED) is an emerging technique for rapid crystallographic analysis of small molecule micro- and nanocrystals. In this report, we evaluate the applicability of microED to pharmaceutical compounds through the analysis of 30 samples obtained from the process and medicinal chemistry groups at Amgen Inc. Using only 40 h of microscope time, 15 of 30 crystal structures were elucidated. From these crystal structures, all chiral compounds had the correct absolute stereochemistry assigned by dynamical refinement of continuous rotation electron diffraction data, confirming dynamical refinement as a promising tool for the absolute stereochemistry determination of pharmaceutically relevant compounds.

Discovery of Potent Degraders of the Dengue Virus Envelope Protein.

Targeted protein degradation has been widely adopted as a new approach to eliminate both established and previously recalcitrant therapeutic targets. Here, it is reported that the development of small molecule degraders of the envelope (E) protein of dengue virus. Two classes of bivalent E-degraders are developed by linking two previously reported E-binding small molecules, GNF-2, and CVM-2-12-2, to a glutarimide-based recruiter of the CRL4CRBN ligase to effect proteosome-mediated degradation of the E protein. ZXH-2-107 (based on GNF-2) is an E-degrader with ABL inhibitory activity while ZXH-8-004 (based on CVM-2-12-2) is a selective and potent E-degrader. These two compounds provide proof of concept that difficult-to-drug targets such as a viral envelope protein can be effectively eliminated using a bivalent degrader and provide starting points for the future development of a new class of direct-acting antiviral drugs.

Atypical Haemorrhagic Presentation of Neuro-Retinitis and Serous Retinal Detachment Secondary to Cat-Scratch Disease.

Cat-scratch disease (CSD) is a self-limited disease caused by Bartonella henselae, a fastidious gram-negative intracellular bacillus bacterium. Neuroretinitis, a form of optic neuropathy characterised clinically by optic disc swelling and a macular star, is an uncommon manifestation of CSD occurring in approximately 1-2% of cases. We report a case of a 14-year-old female who presented to the emergency department with a chief complaint of acute painless vision loss described as a large black spot in the centre of her right eye vision 2 weeks after being scratched by cats. Fundus examination revealed Frisen grade 5 disc oedema with an atypically diffuse disc and peripapillary haemorrhages with associated subretinal fluid and a macular star in the right eye. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the macula and retinal nerve fibre layer showed subretinal fluid involving the fovea, a serous retinal detachment of the nasal macula, and significant optic disc oedema in the right eye. The patient was admitted and treated with doxycycline, rifampin, and prednisone taper. After completing the treatment course, the patient's vision improved, fundus examination showed significantly improved disc oedema and haemorrhages, and OCT demonstrated resolution of the subretinal fluid in the right eye.

Incidence of arthroscopic and open pediatric shoulder stabilization procedures across the United States: a Pediatric Health Information System database study.

Background: Shoulder instability in pediatric and adolescent patients can be treated operatively via arthroscopic or open procedures, but there a paucity of evidence to support the incidence of these treatment modalities over time. It is hypothesized that the overall rate of arthroscopic shoulder stabilization procedures will increase over time. Given advances in open stabilization techniques, we also hypothesized that the rate of open procedures may be increasing. Methods: The Pediatric Health Information System database was queried for patients 19 years or younger who underwent arthroscopic or open surgery for shoulder instability and pediatric orthopedic surgeries between 2009 and 2019. Data from 37 of the 52 pediatric hospitals with Pediatric Health Information System data was included in the analysis. Annual and overall incidence rates were estimated for arthroscopic and open procedures, along with 95% confidence intervals. The yearly incidence for secondary (homolateral revisions) or primary contralateral arthroscopic and open procedures was also examined. Results: 4747 patients underwent primary arthroscopic procedures and 384 patients had primary open procedures. There were 8.2 primary open shoulder stabilization procedures per 10,000 orthopedic surgical patients in 2009, which decreased by 19% to 6.7 per 10,000 orthopedic surgical patients in 2019. There was an increase seen in both arthroscopic and open secondary stabilization procedures. In 2009, there were 0.97 secondary arthroscopic procedures per 10,000 orthopedic surgical patients. This increased by 672% to 7.5 per 10,000 orthopedic surgical patients in 2019. No secondary open procedures were recorded in 2009; however, an increase to 2.6 secondary open procedures per 10,000 orthopedic surgical patients was seen by 2019. Conclusion: This study shows a rise in primary arthroscopic pediatric shoulder stabilization surgeries across the U.S. over the last decade. There was a slight decrease in the rate of primary open shoulder stabilization surgeries and an increase in both arthroscopic and open secondary (homolateral revisions or primary contralateral) shoulder stabilization surgeries, implying an increasing revision burden in this population.

Comparing balance using the BESTest in Alzheimer, Huntington and Parkinson disease.

Aim: Individuals with Alzheimer disease (AD), Huntington disease (HD) and Parkinson disease (PD) have impaired balance, and comparing these deficits could improve management of neurological diseases.Methods: Scores on the Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest) were compared across three groups, consisting of individuals with AD, HD and PD in early stages of their respective disease.Results: Individuals with PD had significantly higher scores on the BESTest than individuals with AD (95% CI [4.30, 21.37], p < 0.01) or HD (95% CI [6.53, 24.18], p < 0.001). Individuals with AD and HD were not significantly different on the overall BESTest or any of its subsections.Conclusion: AD and HD may have overlapping pathologies resulting in early and similar balance impairments in these groups.

Balance impairment differs among individuals with Alzheimer disease, Huntington disease and Parkinson disease, with individuals with Parkinson disease demonstrating significantly better balance when compared in early stages of each disease.

CD81 fusion alters SARS-CoV-2 Spike trafficking.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic caused the biggest public health crises in recent history. Many expect future coronavirus introductions into the human population. Hence, it is essential to understand the basic biology of these viruses. In natural infection, the SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) glycoprotein is co-expressed with all other viral proteins, which modify cellular compartments to maximize virion assembly. By comparison, most of S is degraded when the protein is expressed in isolation, as in current molecular vaccines. To probe the maturation pathway of S, we redirected its maturation by fusing S to the tetraspanin protein CD81. CD81 is a defining constituent of extracellular vesicles (EVs) or exosomes. EVs are generated in large numbers by all cells, extruded into blood and lymph, and transfer cargo between cells and systemically (estimated 1012 EVs per mL plasma). EVs, like platelets, can be transfused between unrelated donors. When fusing the proline-stabilized form of strain Delta S into the flexible, large extracellular loop of CD81 rather than being degraded in the lysosome, S was extruded into EVs. CD81-S fusion containing EVs were produced in large numbers and could be isolated to high purity. Purified CD81::S EVs bound ACE2, and S displayed on individual EV was observed by cryogenic electron microscopy (EM). The CD81::S-fusion EVs were non-toxic and elicited an anti-S trimer and anti-RBD antibody response in mice. This report shows a design path to maximize viral glycoprotein assembly and release without relying on the co-expression of potentially pathogenic nonstructural viral proteins. IMPORTANCE: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic caused the biggest public health crises in recent history. To understand the maturation pathway of S, we fused S to the tetraspanin protein CD81. The resulting molecule is secreted in extracellular vesicles and induces antibodies in mice. This may be a general design path for viral glycoprotein vaccines.

Surgical Debulking Modifies Notch Signaling and May Improve Vismodegib Effectiveness for Locally Advanced Basal Cell Carcinoma.

Smoothened inhibitors, such as vismodegib, exhibit remarkable success in treating patients with locally advanced basal cell carcinoma (LaBCC). Yet, vismodegib efficacy is hindered by notable side effects, which often lead to treatment discontinuation and subsequent relapse in patients with LaBCC. Prolonged remission was previously reported in patients with LaBCCs who underwent surgical debulking before starting vismodegib. In this study, we enrolled 4 patients with LaBCC who underwent debulking followed by vismodegib therapy to assess their clinical outcomes and analyze the cutaneous molecular changes occurring as a result of surgical intervention. After LaBCC debulking, patients underwent a punch biopsy of residual basal cell carcinoma tissue 1 week later. RT-qPCR analysis of 24 Notch and Wnt signaling-associated genes revealed elevated PTCH1, HEY2, LGR6, FZD2, LEF1, ALCAM, and RUNX1 expressions in follow-up biopsies compared with those in patient-matched debulked tissue. Immunoblot and immunostaining further confirmed elevated Notch signaling in follow-up biopsy tissue compared with that in patient-matched debulked tumor tissue. Patients 1, 3, and 4 displayed a clinical response to debulking followed by vismodegib, whereas patient 2 was lost to follow-up after debulking. These findings suggest that surgical manipulation of LaBCCs is correlated with molecular alterations in signaling pathways associated with cellular reprogramming.

Association of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances with the antioxidant bilirubin across pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: In mechanistic and preliminary human studies, prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is associated with oxidative stress, a potential contributor to maternal liver disease. Bilirubin is an endogenous antioxidant abundant in the liver that may serve as a physiological modulator of oxidative stress in pregnant people. Hence, our objective was to estimate the association between repeated measures of PFAS and bilirubin during pregnancy. METHODS: The study population included 332 participants in the Atlanta African American Maternal-Child Cohort between 2014 and 2020. Serum samples were collected up to two times (early pregnancy: 6-18 gestational weeks; late pregnancy: 21-36 gestational weeks) for the measurement of perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and total bilirubin. We analyzed single PFAS with linear mixed effect regression and a mixture of the four PFAS with quantile g-computation. Models were repeated with a multiplicative interaction term to explore effect modification by study visit. RESULTS: Overall, PFHxS was positively associated with bilirubin (ß = 0.08, 95 % CI = 0.01, 0.15). We also found during late pregnancy, there was a positive association of PFHxS and the PFAS mixture with bilirubin (ß = 0.12, 95 % CI = 0.02, 0.22; ψ = 0.19, 95 % CI = 0.03, 0.34, respectively). Finally, study visit modified the PFOA-bilirubin association (interaction p-value = 0.09), which was greater during early pregnancy (ß = 0.08, 95 % CI = 0.01, 0.15). CONCLUSION: In a prospective cohort of pregnant African Americans, an increase in PFOA, PFHxS, and the PFAS mixture was associated with an increase in bilirubin. Our results suggest that, depending on pregnancy stage, prenatal PFAS exposure disrupts the maternal liver antioxidant capacity.

Aligned Bioelectronic Polypyrrole/Collagen Constructs for Peripheral Nerve Interfacing.

Electrical stimulation has shown promise in clinical studies to treat nerve injuries. This work is aimed to create an aligned bioelectronic construct that can be used to bridge a nerve gap, directly interfacing with the damaged nerve tissue to provide growth support. The conductive three-dimensional bioelectronic scaffolds described herein are composite materials, comprised of conductive polypyrrole (PPy) nanoparticles embedded in an aligned collagen hydrogel. The bioelectronic constructs are seeded with dorsal root ganglion derived primary rat neurons and electrically stimulated in vitro. The PPy loaded constructs support a 1.7-fold increase in neurite length in comparison to control collagen constructs. Furthermore, upon electrical stimulation of the PPy-collagen construct, a 1.8-fold increase in neurite length is shown. This work illustrates the potential of bioelectronic constructs in neural tissue engineering and lays the groundwork for the development of novel bioelectronic materials for neural interfacing applications.

Mind the GAHP: A novel protocol for improved vascular access in the hypotensive patient.

Background: Obtaining intravenous access in hypotensive patients is challenging and may critically delay resuscitation. The Graduated Vascular Access for Hypotensive Patient (GAHP) protocol leverages intraosseous fluid boluses to specifically dilate proximal veins. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of GAHP in maximizing venous targets through early distal intraosseous access and a small fluid bolus. Methods: This was a prospective randomized cadaveric pilot study to evaluate extremity venous engorgement during intraosseous infusion. Cadavers (n = 23) had an intraosseous needle inserted into four sites: distal radius, proximal humerus, distal femur, and distal tibia. Intraosseous saline was rapidly infused, venous optimization was measured using real-time ultrasound. Primary outcome was maximum vessel circumference increase with intraosseous infusion. Secondary outcomes were: time to maximum circumference, and infusion volume required. Statistical analyses included Levene's test for equality of variances, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and generalized estimating equation. Results: There was a significant mean increase of 1.03 cm (95% CI 0.86, 1.20), representing a difference of 102%. We found no significant difference in time to optimize vessel circumference across sites, but volume required significantly differed. Conclusion: GAHP quickly and effectively increased the circumference of anatomically adjacent veins. Anatomical sites did not differ on time to reach maximum enlargement of vessels following intraosseous infusion but did differ in terms of volume required to maximize vessel circumference. Further research is needed using live, hypotensive patients.

A Scaled Proteomic Discovery Study for Prostate Cancer Diagnostic Markers Using ProteographTM and Trapped Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry.

There is a significant unmet need for clinical reflex tests that increase the specificity of prostate-specific antigen blood testing, the longstanding but imperfect tool for prostate cancer diagnosis. Towards this endpoint, we present the results from a discovery study that identifies new prostate-specific antigen reflex markers in a large-scale patient serum cohort using differentiating technologies for deep proteomic interrogation. We detect known prostate cancer blood markers as well as novel candidates. Through bioinformatic pathway enrichment and network analysis, we reveal associations of differentially abundant proteins with cytoskeletal, metabolic, and ribosomal activities, all of which have been previously associated with prostate cancer progression. Additionally, optimized machine learning classifier analysis reveals proteomic signatures capable of detecting the disease prior to biopsy, performing on par with an accepted clinical risk calculator benchmark.

Perspectives of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth on Anti-Vaping Messages in Social Media.

INTRODUCTION: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth have higher rates of nicotine vaping than other youth in the United States. While social media can be effective in reaching youth and discouraging vaping, informed cultural tailoring is necessary to ensure effective messaging to SGM youth. This study aimed to understand SGM youth perspectives on anti-vaping social media messages and tailoring approaches. METHODS: In-depth, qualitative videoconference interviews were conducted from February to July 2022 with 34 SGM youth recruited in the United States via social media ads. The interview guide addressed participants' beliefs about vaping, the context of vaping, perspectives on tailoring messages, and responses to examples of social media anti-vaping messages. Coding and thematic analysis followed a team-based approach. RESULTS: SGM youth perspectives fell into four categories - representation and diversity, facts and evidence, empowering messages, and source credibility. Participants stressed the importance of accurate, genuine representation of SGM youth in messages, but also noted that more overt representation may be seen as tokenizing. Participants recommended partnering with known LGBTQ+ influencers who can promote or share anti-vaping messages on social media platforms. They also recommended using culturally tailored language, including statistics specific to SGM youth, and invoking themes of empowerment to improve the relevance, reach, and effectiveness of anti-vaping campaigns. CONCLUSIONS: Findings can inform future efforts to develop anti-vaping messages for SGM youth with effective reach through social media. Nuanced perspectives on SGM representation in messages suggest a careful approach to tailoring. Concerns around inauthenticity may be minimized by ensuring SGM youth are included in message development and dissemination. IMPLICATIONS: This study describes the importance of being attentive to the tailoring preferences among the current generation of sexual and gender minority youth. Findings will inform social media-based messaging strategies that discourage nicotine vaping tailored for SGM youth in health campaign material design and evaluation, ensuring that tailored messages are designed in ways that avoid unintended consequences. The study also describes methods for effectively engaging SGM youth in research to improve the relevance of health education materials for this population and increase reach, which in turn can lead to reduction in vaping practices among SGM youth.

Scoping review for the SAGES EAES joint collaborative on sustainability in surgical practice.

BACKGROUND: Surgical care in the operating room (OR) contributes one-third of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in healthcare. The European Association of Endoscopic Surgery (EAES) and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) initiated a joint Task Force to promote sustainability within minimally invasive gastrointestinal surgery. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted by searching MEDLINE via Ovid, Embase via Elsevier, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Scopus on August 25th, 2023 to identify articles reporting on the impact of gastrointestinal surgical care on the environment. The objectives were to establish the terminology, outcome measures, and scope associated with sustainable surgical practice. Quantitative data were summarized using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: We screened 22,439 articles to identify 85 articles relevant to anesthesia, general surgical practice, and gastrointestinal surgery. There were 58/85 (68.2%) cohort studies and 12/85 (14.1%) Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies. The most commonly measured outcomes were kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents (kg CO2eq), cost of resource consumption in US dollars or euros, surgical waste in kg, water consumption in liters, and energy consumption in kilowatt-hours. Surgical waste production and the use of anesthetic gases were among the largest contributors to the climate impact of surgical practice. Educational initiatives to educate surgical staff on the climate impact of surgery, recycling programs, and strategies to restrict the use of noxious anesthetic gases had the highest impact in reducing the carbon footprint of surgical care. Establishing green teams with multidisciplinary champions is an effective strategy to initiate a sustainability program in gastrointestinal surgery. CONCLUSION: This review establishes standard terminology and outcome measures used to define the environmental footprint of surgical practices. Impactful initiatives to achieve sustainability in surgical practice will require education and multidisciplinary collaborations among key stakeholders including surgeons, researchers, operating room staff, hospital managers, industry partners, and policymakers.

Behavioral and Health Outcome Differences by Heroin or Methamphetamine Preference Among People in Rural US Communities Who Use Both Substances.

Background: The United States' (US) opioid overdose epidemic has evolved into a combined stimulant/opioid epidemic, a pattern driven in part by mitigating opioid overdose risk, variable substance availability, and personal preferences. This study aimed to investigate the association between self-reported substance preference (heroin or methamphetamine) and behavioral/health outcomes among individuals who used both heroin and methamphetamine in the rural US. Methods: The Rural Opioid Initiative is a consortium of 8 research cohorts from 10 states and 65 rural counties that recruited individuals reporting past 30-day injection of any substance or opioid substance use by any route from 1/2018 to 3/2020. Analyses were restricted to participants ⩾18 years, who self-reported either heroin or methamphetamine as their preferred substance and past 30-day use of both heroin and methamphetamine. We examined cross-sectional associations between preferred substance (heroin versus methamphetamine) and behavioral and health outcomes using random effects meta-analysis with adjusted regression models. Results: Among 1239 participants, 61% (n = 752) reported heroin as their preferred substance. Adjusting for age, sex, and race/ethnicity, methamphetamine preference was associated with lower prevalence ratios for current naloxone possession (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 0.68; 95% Confidence Interval [95% CI] = 0.59-0.78; P-value ⩽ .001), of ever being told they had the hepatitis C virus (HCV; aPR = 0.72; 95% CI: 0.61-0.85; P-value ⩽ .001) and a personal history of overdose (aPR = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.73-0.90; P-value ⩽ .001). Conclusion: In our study analyzing associations between preferred substance and various behavioral and health outcomes amongst people who use both heroin and methamphetamine, a majority of participants preferred heroin. Methamphetamine preference was associated with lower prevalence of naloxone possession, ever being told they had HCV, and prior history of an overdose. This study underscores the need for targeted harm reduction services for people who prefer methamphetamine in rural areas.

Carjacking and homicide in Minneapolis after the police killing of George Floyd: Evidence from an interrupted time series analysis.

There is abundant research showing the disproportionate impacts of violence on health in disadvantaged neighborhoods, making an understanding of recent violent crime trends essential for promoting health equity. Carjackings have been of particular interest in the media, although little research has been undertaken on this violent crime. We use interrupted time series models to examine the impact of the police killing of George Floyd on the spatiotemporal patterns of carjacking in Minneapolis in relation to neighborhood disadvantage. To provide grounding, we compare our results to the well-studied patterns of homicides. Results indicate that carjackings both increased and dispersed spatially after the murder of George Floyd and subsequent social unrest, more so than homicides. Socially disadvantaged neighborhoods experienced the greatest absolute increase while more advantaged neighborhoods saw a greater relative increase. The challenge ahead is to identify policy responses that will effectively curb such violence without resorting to harsh and inequitable policing and sentencing practices.

Immunomodulators in patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for COVID-19: a propensity-score adjusted analysis of the ELSO registry.

BACKGROUND: Mortality for patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for COVID-19 increased over the course of the pandemic. We investigated the association between immunomodulators and mortality for patients receiving ECMO for COVID-19. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed the Extracorporeal Life Support Organisation registry from 1 January, 2020, through 31 December, 2021, to compare the outcomes of patients who received no immunomodulators, only corticosteroids, only other immunomodulators (selective interleukin blockers, janus-kinase inhibitors, convalescent plasma, and intravenous immunoglobulin), and a combination of corticosteroids and other immunomodulators administered either before or during ECMO. We used Cox regression models to estimate survival time until 90 days. We estimated the propensity score of receiving different immunomodulators using multinomial regression, and incorporated these scores into the regression models. RESULTS: We included 7181 patients in the final analysis; 6169 patients received immunomodulators either before or during ECMO. The 90-day survival was 58.1% (95%-CI 55.1-61.2%) for patients receiving no immunomodulators, 50.7% (95%-CI 49.0-52.5%) for those receiving only corticosteroids, 62.2% (95%-CI 57.4-67.0%) for those receiving other immunomodulators, and 48.5% (95%-CI 46.7-50.4%) for those receiving corticosteroids and other immunomodulators. Compared to patients without immunomodulators, patients receiving either corticosteroids alone (HR: 1.13, 95%-CI 1.01-1.28) or with other immunomodulators (HR: 1.21, 95%-CI: 1.07-1.54) had significantly shorter survival time, while patients receiving only other immunomodulators had significantly longer survival time (HR: 0.79, 95%-CI: 0.66-0.96). The receipt of immunomodulators (across all three groups) was associated with an increase in secondary infections. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort study, we found that immunomodulators, in particular corticosteroids, were associated with significantly higher mortality amongst patients receiving ECMO for COVID-19, after adjusting for potential confounding variables and propensity score. In addition, patients receiving corticosteroids with or without other immunomodulators had longer ECMO runs, which has potential implications for resource allocation. While residual confounding likely remains, further studies are required to evaluate the timing of immunomodulators and better understand the possible mechanisms behind this association, including secondary infections.

The safety of recombinant human hyaluronidase PH20 in nonclinical models: An overview of toxicology, pharmacology, and impact of anti-PH20 antibodies.

Hyaluronan (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan that forms a gel-like barrier in the subcutaneous (SC) space, limiting bulk fluid flow and the dispersion of SC-administered therapeutics. Recombinant human hyaluronidase PH20 (rHuPH20) facilitates the rapid delivery of co-administered therapeutics by depolymerizing HA in the SC space. Administration of rHuPH20 can induce the formation of anti-rHuPH20 antibodies, or anti-drug antibodies (ADAs), with the potential to bind endogenous PH20 hyaluronidase in the adult testes and epididymis. Using a variety of relevant animal models and multiple dose regimens of rHuPH20 across the full spectrum of animal development, we demonstrated that rHuPH20 administration resulted in the formation of ADAs. Although these ADAs can bind both the recombinant rHuPH20 enzyme and recombinant versions of animal model-specific hyaluronidases, they had no impact on fertility parameters (as measured by sperm concentration and motility, litter size, and litter viability) or fetal development. We present the result of our nonclinical studies in order of the developmental lifecycle, beginning with adults. Toxicology studies that extend beyond the standard package are also presented. These studies demonstrate the favorable safety profile of rHuPH20 and ADAs in nonclinical models. Additionally, we identified substantial safety margins for clinically relevant doses of rHuPH20.

CO2 Uptake and Stability Enhancement in Vinyltrimethoxysilane-Treated SBA-15 Solid Amine-Based Sorbents.

Silica-supported amine absorbents, including materials produced by tethering aminosilanes or infusion of poly(ethyleneimine), represent a promising class of materials for CO2 capture applications, including direct air and point source capture. Various silica surface treatments and functionalization strategies are explored to enhance stability and CO2 uptake in amine-based solid sorbent systems. Here, the synthesis and characterization of novel vinyltrimethoxysilane-treated Santa Barbara Amorphous-15 (SBA-15) supports and the corresponding enhancement in CO2 uptake compared to various SBA-15-based control supports are presented. The relationship between CO2 diffusion and amine efficiency in these systems is explored using a previously reported kinetic model. The synthesized materials are characterized with CO2 and H2O isotherms, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, 1H T1-T2 relaxation correlation NMR, and rapid thermal cycling experiments. The novel support materials are shown to enable high amine efficiencies, approaching a fourfold improvement over standard SBA-15-supported amines, while simultaneously exhibiting excellent stability when cycled rapidly under humid conditions. As the poly(ethyleneimine) loadings are held constant across the various samples, enhancements in CO2 uptake are attributed to differences in the way the poly(ethyleneimine) interacts with the support surface.

GloRESatE: A dataset for global rainfall erosivity derived from multi-source data.

Numerous hydrological applications, such as soil erosion estimation, water resource management, and rain driven damage assessment, demand accurate and reliable rainfall erosivity data. However, the scarcity of gauge rainfall records and the inherent uncertainty in satellite and reanalysis-based rainfall datasets limit rainfall erosivity assessment globally. Here, we present a new global rainfall erosivity dataset (0.1° × 0.1° spatial resolution) integrating satellite (CMORPH and IMERG) and reanalysis (ERA5-Land) derived rainfall erosivity estimates with gauge rainfall erosivity observations collected from approximately 6,200 locations across the globe. We used a machine learning-based Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) model to assimilate multi-source rainfall erosivity estimates alongside geoclimatic covariates to prepare a unified high-resolution mean annual rainfall erosivity product. It has been shown that the proposed rainfall erosivity product performs well during cross-validation with gauge records and inter-comparison with the existing global rainfall erosivity datasets. Furthermore, this dataset offers a new global rainfall erosivity perspective, addressing the limitations of existing datasets and facilitating large-scale hydrological modelling and soil erosion assessments.