Synergistically enhanced heterogeneous activation of dissolved oxygen for aqueous carbamazepine degradation over S(III) coupled with siderite.

The wide occurrence of emerging contaminants (ECs) was drawing more attention due to the potential hazard and threat on human and environment. Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a widely prescribed medication that has garnered considerable research interest with the exposures exceeding the environmental carrying capacity. We have established the innovative heterogeneous advanced oxidation process (AOPs) based on the activated dissolved oxygen (DO) coupled with S(III) and natural iron ore (siderite). In S(III)/O2/siderite system, we investigated the degradation efficiency, reactive species generation mechanism, and degradation pathway of CBZ. CBZ degradation and mineralization rate were 90% above and ∼15% with the reaction time of 40 minutes. The degradation of CBZ conformed to a pseudo-first-order kinetic model, with an activation energy determination of 76.36 kJ/mol. The optimal initial solution pH was the weak acid condition (pH = 4-6) for CBZ degradation. Moreover, the inhibition effects of coexisting substance including Cl-, HCO3-, and natural organic matter (NOM) on CBZ removal were observed, while the coexisted SO42- exhibited no significant influence. In addition, the reactive species generated in S(III)/O2/siderite system were predominantly identified as sulfate radical (SO4∙-) and hydroxyl radical (∙OH). The crucial intermediate complexes, Fe(III)S(IV)O3(+) and Fe(II)HS(IV)O3(+), was proposed to form in the initial stages of the reaction, which upon decomposition, yielded SO4∙- along with other reactive species. The degradation pathway of CBZ primarily involved deamination, oxidative ring-opening, hydroxylation, decarboxylation, and ketone degradation processes. This work provides the effective approach for the CBZ degradation with the mild reaction conditions and the sustainable technology for ECs treatment and control.

Cold exposure accelerates lysine catabolism to promote cold acclimation via remodeling hepatic histone crotonylation.

BACKGROUND: Cold environments pose serious threats on human health, with increased risk for myocardial infarction, stroke, frostbite, and hypothermia. Acquired cold acclimation is required to minimize cold-induced injures and to improve metabolic health. However, the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify critical amino acids involved in cold acclimation and unmask the regulatory mechanisms. METHODS: A total of twenty male participants were recruited and followed up after 3 months' natural cold exposure. Cold-induced vasodilation (CIVD) tests and clinical biochemical analysis were performed at baseline and after 3-months cold exposure, whilst blood samples were collected, and plasma amino acids were analyzed by targeted metabolomics. To further confirm the effect of lysine on cold tolerance and explain the latent mechanism, mice were challenged with chronic cold exposure for 7 days with lysine supplement, then core and local surface temperature as well as thermogenesis activity were detected. RESULTS: Continuous cold exposure shortened the CIVD onset time and increased the average finger temperature. Levels of the plasma lysine and glycine were decreased in both humans and mice. Venn analysis from three datasets revealed that lysine was the only significantly changed plasma amino acid, which strongly correlated with the altered CIVD. Moreover, mice sustained a relatively higher core temperature and surface temperature in the back, tail and paws upon lysine supplementation. Furthermore, lysine supplementation increased the level of histone H3K18cr and promoted the gene and protein expression of Cpt1a, Cpt2 and Cyp27a1 in liver. CONCLUSION: Our work identified lysine as a critical amino acid for the remodeling of hepatic histone crotonylation that facilitates cold acclimation.

Mechanistic Study on Oxygen Reduction Reaction in High-Concentrated Electrolytes for Aprotic Lithium-Oxygen Batteries.

Highly concentrated electrolytes (HCEs) have energized the development of high-energy-density lithium metal batteries by facilitating the formation of robust inorganic-derived solid electrolyte interfaces on the lithium anode. However, the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) occurring on the cathode side remains ambiguous in HCE-based lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) batteries. Herein, we investigate the ORR mechanism in a highly concentrated LiTFSI-CH3CN electrolyte using ultra-microelectrode voltammetry coupled with in situ spectroscopies. It is found that, compared to the dilute electrolyte, the HCE prolongs the lifespan of superoxide intermediates and decelerates their migration rate to the bulk solution, resulting in a change in growth mode for the discharge product of Li2O2 from traditional two-dimensional film growth to surface three-dimensional expansion growth. This alteration reduces the cathode passivation and thus delivers the enhanced discharge capacity. Additionally, the HCE also increases the reaction energy barrier between superoxide and solvent molecules, thereby minimizing parasitic reactions and improving the cycle performance of Li-O2 batteries. Our study reveals the intricate interplay between electrolytes and oxygen intermediates and provides important insights into electrolyte chemistries for better Li-O2 batteries.

Electron Sponge Effect by Dynamic-Regulated Electron Self-Flow toward Coupled Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis.

A dynamic-regulated Pd-Fe-N electrocatalyst was effectively constructed with electron-donating and back-donating effects, which serves as an efficient engineering strategy to optimize the electrocatalytic activity. The designed PdFe3/FeN features a comprehensive electrocatalytic performance toward the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR, yield rate of 29.94 µg h-1 mgcat-1 and FE of 38.43% at -0.2 V vs RHE) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER, 308 mV at 100 mA cm-2). Combining in situ ATR-FTIR, XAS, and DFT results, the role of the interstitial-N-dopant-induced electron sponge effect has been significantly elucidated in strengthening the electrocatalytic NRR process. Specifically, the introduction of a N dopant, an electron acceptor, initiates the generation of robust Lewis-acidic Fe sites, facilitating free N2 capture and bonding. Simultaneously, after NH3 adsorption, the N dopant can back-donate electrons to Fe sites, strengthening the NH3 deportation through weakening the Lewis acidity of Fe centers. Besides, the electron-deficient Fe sites contribute to the reconstruction of FeOOH, the real active species during the OER, which accelerates the four-electron reaction kinetics. This research offers a perspective on electrocatalyst design, potentially facilitating the evolution of advanced material engineering for efficient electrocatalytic synthesis and energy storage.

Development and validation of a nomogram to predict severe influenza.

BACKGROUND: Influenza is an acute respiratory disease posing significant harm to human health. Early prediction and intervention in patients at risk of developing severe influenza can significantly decrease mortality. METHOD: A comprehensive analysis of 146 patients with influenza was conducted using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. We assessed the relationship between severe influenza and patients' clinical information and molecular characteristics. First, the variables of differentially expressed genes were selected using R software. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to investigate the association between clinical information and molecular characteristics and severe influenza. A nomogram was developed to predict the presence of severe influenza. At the same time, the concordance index (C-index) is adopted area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC), area under the curve (AUC), decision curve analysis (DCA), and calibration curve to evaluate the predictive ability of the model and its clinical application. RESULTS: Severe influenza was identified in 47 of 146 patients (32.20%) and was significantly related to age and duration of illness. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated significant correlations between severe influenza and myloperoxidase (MPO) level, haptoglobin (HP) level, and duration of illness. A nomogram was formulated based on MPO level, HP level, and duration of illness. This model produced a C-index of 0.904 and AUC of 0.904. CONCLUSIONS: A nomogram based on the expression levels of MPO, HP, and duration of illness is an efficient model for the early identification of patients with severe influenza. These results will be useful in guiding prevention and treatment for severe influenza disease.

The value analysis of high-resolution thin-layer CT in the identification of early lung adenocarcinoma: An observation study.

The aim of this study was to explore the clinical value of high-resolution thin-layer computed tomography (CT) for the identification of early lung adenocarcinoma. Ninety patients with early lung adenocarcinoma who were diagnosed and treated in our hospital were selected as study subjects and divided into noninvasive (NIG, n = 51) and invasive (IG, n = 39) groups according to their pathological findings. Both groups underwent high-resolution target scanning. Differences in lesion size, density, and distribution between the 2 groups were compared. Intergroup differences in the CT signs were examined. A receiver-operating characteristic curve was established to calculate the diagnostic efficacy of high-resolution, thin-layer CT for early lung adenocarcinoma infiltration. The maximum diameter and density of the tumors were significantly higher in the IG than in the NIG (P < .05). The proportions of CT signs of lobulation, spicule, and vessel convergence were higher in the IG patients compared to the NIG (P < .05). High-resolution thin-layer CT for the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma infiltration had an AUC of 0.6702 (P < .05), a diagnostic sensitivity of 64.10%, and a diagnostic specificity of 60.78%. High-resolution thin-layer CT had certain differential diagnostic efficacy for early lung adenocarcinoma, which clearly presents various CT signs of early lung adenocarcinoma lesions.

High-Electrochemical-Activity Composite Cathode Enabled by Fast Segmental Relaxation for Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries (SSLSBs) have attracted a great deal of attention because of their high theoretical energy density and intrinsic safety. However, their practical applications are severely impeded by slow redox kinetics and poor cycling stability. Herein, we revealed the detrimental effect of aggregation of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) on the redox kinetics and reversibility of SSLSBs. As a paradigm, we introduced a multifunctional hyperbranched ionic conducting (HIC) polymer serving as a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) and cathode binder for constructing SSLSBs featuring high electrochemical activity and high cycling stability. It is demonstrated that the unique structure of the HIC polymer with numerous flexible ether oxygen dangling chains and fast segmental relaxation enables the dissociation of LiPS clusters, facilitates the conversion kinetics of LiPSs, and improves the battery's performance. A Li|HIC SPE|HIC-S battery, in which the HIC polymer acts as an SPE and cathode binder, exhibits an initial capacity of 910.1 mA h gS-1 at 0.1C and 40 °C, a capacity retention of 73.7% at the end of 200 cycles, and an average Coulombic efficiency of approximately 99.0%, demonstrating high potential for application in SSLSBs. This work provides insights into the electrochemistry performance of SSLSBs and provides a guideline for SPE design for SSLSBs with high specific energy and high safety.

Mathematical models for traffic-source PM2.5 dispersion in an urban street canyon considering the capture capability of roadside trees.

Rapid urbanization increases the densely built-up blocks, the population and vehicles. Large amounts of particulate matter (PM), especially PM2.5 (PM with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5µm or less), from vehicle exhaust are critical to human health. In typical street canyons in hot and humid regions, traffic-source PM usually diffuses to the densely built-up blocks through roadside trees. Roadside trees are a double-edged sword, serving as "guards" to absorb PM2.5 while may lead to PM2.5 gathering in street levels, thereby influencing the PM2.5 dispersion in the densely built-up blocks. To quantify the dispersion process, this study proposed traffic-source PM2.5 dynamic dispersion models considering the capture capability of roadside trees and built-up blocks based on the OSPM model. Due to the difficulty in obtaining the adsorption and deposition rate of the proposed models, the numerical simulations by ENVI-met software were used to solve and obtain the relationship between capture capability and characteristic index of roadside trees. Subsequently, The accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed traffic-source PM2.5 dynamic dispersion models were verified through field experimental data. Results show that the calculated PM2.5 concentration significantly linearly increased with the measured values with the determined coefficient (R2) of 0.98, and the first-order coefficient close to 1. It indicates that the proposed traffic-source PM2.5 dispersion model accurately quantified the impact of roadside trees on PM2.5 and its concentration dispersion process to the built-up blocks. This study provides suggestions for designing characteristic indexes of roadside trees and built-up blocks to improve the air quality of urban street canyons.

Betahistine mesylate reduces the damage of blue light exposure in Drosophila model.

Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of betahistine mesylate in treating vertigo and angioneurotic headache, enhancing microcirculation, and facilitating histamine release. However, limited research has been conducted on the drug's potential in mitigating blue light-induced damage. Thus, this study utilized Drosophila as the model organism and employed the Siler model to investigate the impact of various concentrations of betahistine mesylate on the lifespan, under 3000 lx blue light irradiation. At the same time we measure food intake, spontaneous activity, and sleep duration of Drosophila. The findings of this study indicate that a high concentration of betahistine mesylate can decrease the initial mortality (b0) in male flies, mitigating the damage of blue light to Drosophila. Consequently, this delays the aging process in male Drosophila and extends their average lifespan. After betahistine mesylate ingestion, locomotor activity upon blue light exposure decreased significantly in male Drosophila. In conclusion, this study offers initial evidence supporting the investigation of the regulatory mechanisms of betahistine mesylate on lifespan and its potential anti-blue light effects.

Pre-diagnostic plasma advanced glycation end-products and soluble receptor for advanced glycation end-products and mortality in colorectal cancer patients.

Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), formed endogenously or obtained exogenously from diet, may contribute to chronic inflammation, intracellular signaling alterations, and pathogenesis of several chronic diseases including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the role of AGEs in CRC survival is less known. The associations of pre-diagnostic circulating AGEs and their soluble receptor (sRAGE) with CRC-specific and overall mortality were estimated using multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression among 1369 CRC cases in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Concentrations of major plasma AGEs, Nε-[carboxy-methyl]lysine (CML), Nε-[carboxy-ethyl]lysine (CEL) and Nδ-[5-hydro-5-methyl-4-imidazolon-2-yl]-ornithine (MG-H1), were measured using ultra-performance liquid chromatography mass-spectrometry. sRAGE was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Over a mean follow-up period of 96 months, 693 deaths occurred of which 541 were due to CRC. Individual and combined AGEs were not statistically significantly associated with CRC-specific or overall mortality. However, there was a possible interaction by sex for CEL (Pinteraction = .05). Participants with higher sRAGE had a higher risk of dying from CRC (HRQ5vs.Q1 = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.21-2.30, Ptrend = .02) or any cause (HRQ5vs.Q1 = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.05-1.83, Ptrend = .09). These associations tended to be stronger among cases with diabetes (Pinteraction = .03) and pre-diabetes (Pinteraction <.01) before CRC diagnosis. Pre-diagnostic AGEs were not associated with CRC-specific and overall mortality in individuals with CRC. However, a positive association was observed for sRAGE. Our findings may stimulate further research on the role of AGEs and sRAGE in survival among cancer patients with special emphasis on potential effect modifications by sex and diabetes.

Anti-Resistant Strategies: Icotinib Derivatives as Promising Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Therapeutics.

BACKGROUND: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients often benefit from EGFR inhibitors like gefitinib. However, drug resistance remains a significant challenge in treatment. The unique properties of 1,2,3-triazole, a nitrogen-based compound, hold promise as potential solutions due to its versatile structural attributes and diverse biological effects, including anticancer properties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our synthesis process involved the huisgen cycloaddition chemical method, which generated diverse icotinib derivatives. We evaluated the anticancer capabilities of these derivatives against various cancer cell lines, with a specific focus on NSCLC cells that exhibit drug resistance. Additionally, we investigated the binding affinity of selected compounds, including 3l, towards wild-type EGFR using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments. RESULTS: Notably, icotinib derivatives such as derivative 3l demonstrated significant efficacy against different cancer cell lines, including those resistant to conventional therapies. Compound 3l exhibited potent activity with IC50 values below 10 µM against drug-resistant cells. SPR experiments revealed that 3l exhibited enhanced affinity towards wild-type EGFR compared to icotinib. Our research findings suggest that 3l acts as a compelling antagonist for the protein tyrosine kinase of EGFR (EGFR-PTK). CONCLUSION: Icotinib derivative 3l, featuring a 1,2,3-triazole ring, demonstrates potent anticancer effects against drug-resistant NSCLC cells. Its enhanced binding affinity to EGFR and modulation of the EGFR-RAS-RAF-MAPK pathway position 3l as a promising candidate for the future development of anticancer drugs.

Rational Design of a Multifunctional Hydrogel Trap for Water and Fertilizer Capture: A Review.

Water scarcity and land infertility pose significant challenges to agricultural development, particularly in arid and semiarid regions. Improving soil-water-retention capacity and fertilizer utilization efficiency through the application of soil additives has become a pivotal approach in agricultural practices. Hydrogels exhibit exceptional water absorption and fertilizer retention capabilities, making them extensively utilized in the fields of agriculture, forestry, and desert control. Currently, most reviews primarily focus on the raw materials, classification, synthesis methods, and application prospects of hydrogels, with limited attention given to strategies for enhancing water-retention performance, mechanisms underlying fertilizer absorption, and environmental risks. This review covers the commonly used cross-linking methods in hydrogel synthesis and the structure-activity relationship between hydrogels and water as well as fertilizer. Additionally, a thorough analysis of the ecological benefits and risks associated with hydrogels is presented. Finally, future prospects and challenges are delineated from the perspectives of material design and engineering applications.

Comparison of UV/PS and VUV/PS as ultrafiltration pretreatment: Performance, mechanisms, DBPs formation and toxicity assessment.

Ultrafiltration (UF) is widely used in drinking water plants, nevertheless, it still encounters challenges stemming from inevitable membrane fouling caused by natural organic matter (NOM). Herein, this work applied VUV/PS as UF membrane pretreatment and used UV/PS for comparison. VUV/PS system exhibited superior ability in removing NOM compared to UV/PS system. HO and SO4- played crucial roles in the degradation. [SO4-]ss was notably higher than [HO]ss in the systems, yet HO was of greater significance. [HO]ss and [SO4-]ss in the VUV/PS process were remarkably higher than those in the UV/PS process, due to the function of 185 nm photons. VUV/PS pretreatment basically recovered flux and effectively reduced fouling resistance, with better performance than UV/PS. Fouling mechanism was dominated by multiple mechanisms after UV/PS pretreatment, whereas it was transformed into pore blockage after VUV/PS pretreatment. Moreover, the UF effluent quality after VUV/PS pretreatment outperformed that of UV/PS but fell short of that without pretreatment, possibly due to the generation of abundant low MW substances under the action of HO and SO4-. After chlorine disinfection, UV/PS and VUV/PS pretreatments increased the DBPs production and cytotoxicity. Specifically, oxidant PS affected the membrane surface morphology and fouling behaviors, and had no obvious effect on interception performance and mechanical properties. In actual water treatment, VUV/PS and UV/PS pretreatments exhibited excellent performance in alleviating membrane fouling, improving water quality, and reducing DBPs formation and acute toxicity.

Avoiding the Kinetic Inertness of Chromium Ions Using a Coordination Substitution Strategy for the Rapid Synthesis of Chromium-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Chromium-based metal-organic frameworks (Cr-MOFs) are very attractive in a wide range of applications due to their robustness and high porosity. However, the kinetic inertness of chromium ions results in the synthesis of Cr-MOFs often taking prolonged reaction times, which limit their industrial applications. Herein, we report a novel synthesis strategy based on coordination substitution, which overcomes the kinetic inertness of chromium ions and can synthesize Cr-MOFs in a shorter time. The versatility of this strategy has been demonstrated by producing several known Cr-MOFs, such as TYUT-96Cr, MIL-100Cr, MIL-101Cr, and MIL-53Cr. PXRD, SEM, TEM, 77 K N2 adsorption, and TGA have proved that the Cr-MOFs synthesized using this new strategy have good crystallinity, high porosity, and excellent thermal stability. The synthesis mechanism was investigated using theoretical calculations.

Influence of Fermented Broccoli Residues on Fattening Performance, Nutrient Utilization, and Meat Properties of Finishing Pigs.

The study determined the impacts of dietary fermented residues' (FBR) inclusion on growth, nutrient utilization, carcass characteristics, and meat properties in fattening pigs. Seventy-two robust pigs were randomly assigned to two experimental groups (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire, thirty-six pigs each). Each group was subjected to a 52-day trial, during which they received either a corn-soybean meal-based diet or diet enhanced with a 10% addition of FBR. Consequently, adding 10% FBR caused a significant decrease in the digestive utilization of crude dietary components in fattening pigs (p < 0.05) but showed no significant impact on the growth performance. Additionally, FBR inclusion increased the marbling scores (p < 0.05) and total antioxidant functions (p < 0.05) of muscle tissues, indicating improved meat quality. Gender affected backfat depth, with barrows showing thicker backfat depth. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 10% FBR in finishing pigs influenced the meat quality by improving the marbling score and antioxidant performance while reducing digestibility without compromising growth performance.

A novel small RNA PhaS contributes to polymyxin B-heteroresistance in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.

In recent years, polymyxin has been used as a last-resort therapy for carbapenem-resistant bacterial infections. The emergence of heteroresistance (HR) to polymyxin hampers the efficacy of polymyxin treatment by amplifying resistant subpopulation. However, the mechanisms behind polymyxin HR remain unclear. Small noncoding RNAs (sRNAs) play an important role in regulating drug resistance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of sRNA on polymyxin B (PB)-HR in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. In this study, a novel sRNA PhaS was identified by transcriptome sequencing. PhaS expression was elevated in the PB heteroresistant subpopulation. Overexpression and deletion of PhaS were constructed in three carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae strains. Population analysis profiling, growth curve, and time-killing curve analysis showed that PhaS enhanced PB-HR. In addition, we verified that PhaS directly targeted phoP through the green fluorescent protein reporter system. PhaS promoted the expression of phoP, thereby encouraging the expression of downstream genes pmrD and arnT. This upregulation of arnT promoted the 4-amino-4-deoxyL-arabinosaccharide (L-Ara4N) modification of lipid A in PhaS overexpressing strains, thus enhancing PB-HR. Further, within the promoter region of PhaS, specific PhoP recognition sites were identified. ONPG assays and RT-qPCR analysis confirmed that PhaS expression was positively modulated by PhoP and thus up-regulated by PB stimulation. To sum up, a novel sRNA enhancing PB-HR was identified and a positive feedback regulatory pathway of sRNA-PhoP/Q was demonstrated in the study. This helps to provide a more comprehensive and clear understanding of the underlying mechanisms behind polymyxin HR in carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae.

Improved permeability in ceramsite@powdered activated carbon (PAC)-MnOx coupled gravity-driven ceramic membrane (GDCM) for manganese and ammonia nitrogen removal with intermittent short-term vertical aeration.

In our work, a gravity-driven ceramic membrane bioreactor (GDCMBR) was developed to remove Mn2+ and NH3-N simultaneously through the birnessite water purification layer in-situ construction on the ceramic membrane due to chemical pre-oxidation (powdered activated carbon (PAC)-MnOx). Considering the trade-off of biofouling and water production, the daily intermittent short-term vertical aeration mode was involving to balance this contradiction with the excellent water purification and improved membrane permeability. And the GDCMBR permeability of operation flux was improved for 5-7 LHM with intermittent short-term vertical aeration. Furthermore, only ∼7 % irreversible membrane resistance (Rir) also confirmed the improved membrane permeability with intermittent short-term vertical aeration. And some manganese oxidizing bacteria (MnOB) and ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) species at genus level were identified during long-term operation with the contact circulating flowing raw water, resulting in the better Mn2+ and NH3-N removal efficiency. Additionally, the nano-flower-like birnessite water purification layer was verified in ceramsite@PAC-MnOx coupled GDCMBR, which evolute into a porous flake-like structure with the increasing intermittent short-term aeration duration. Therefore, the sustainable and effective intermittent short-term aeration mode in ceramsite@PAC-MnOx coupled GDCMBR could improve the membrane permeability with the satisfactory groundwater purification efficiency, as well as providing an energy-efficient strategy for membrane technologies applications in water supply safety.

Key role of plankton species and nutrients on biomagnification of PAHs in the micro-food chain: A case study in plateau reservoirs of Guizhou, China.

There is considerable inconsistency in results pertaining to the biomagnification of PAHs in aquatic systems. Zooplankton specifically play an important role controlling the fate and distribution of organic contaminants up the food chain, particularly in large plateau reservoirs. However, it remains largely unknown how secondary factors affect the magnification of organic compounds in zooplankton. The present study assessed plankton species and nutrients affecting the trophic transfer of PAHs through the micro-food chain in plateau reservoirs, Guizhou Province China. Results show soluble ∑PAHs range from 99.9 - 147.3 ng L-1, and concentrations of ∑PAHs in zooplankton range from 1003.2 - 22441.3, with a mean of 4460.7 ng g-1 dw. Trophic magnification factors (TMFs) > 1 show biomagnifications of PAHs from phytoplankton to zooplankton. The main mechanisms for trophic magnification > 1 are 1) small Copepoda, Cladocera and Rotifera are prey for larger N. schmackeri and P. tunguidus, and 2) the δ15N and TLs of zooplankton are increasing with the increasing nutrients TN, NO3- and CODMn. As a result, log PAHs concentrations in zooplankton are positively correlated with the trophic levels (TLs) of zooplankton, and log BAFs of the PAHs in zooplankton are increasing with increasing TLs and log Kow. Temperature further enhances TMFs and biomagnifications of PAHs as noted by temperature related reductions in δ15N. There are also available soluble PAHs in the water column which are assimilated with increasing phytoplankton biomass within the taxa groups, diatoms, dinoflagellates and chlorophytes. Notable TMFs of PAHs in zooplankton in Guizhou plateau reservoirs are not significantly affected by phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass dilutions. The present study demonstrates the important roles of species selection, nutrients and temperature in the environmental fate of PAHs in freshwaters.

Advances in and Perspectives on Transgenic Technology and CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing in Broccoli.

Broccoli, a popular international Brassica oleracea crop, is an important export vegetable in China. Broccoli is not only rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals but also has anticancer and antiviral activities. Recently, an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system has been established and optimized in broccoli, and transgenic transformation and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing techniques have been applied to improve broccoli quality, postharvest shelf life, glucoraphanin accumulation, and disease and stress resistance, among other factors. The construction and application of genetic transformation technology systems have led to rapid development in broccoli worldwide, which is also good for functional gene identification of some potential traits in broccoli. This review comprehensively summarizes the progress in transgenic technology and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing for broccoli over the past four decades. Moreover, it explores the potential for future integration of digital and smart technologies into genetic transformation processes, thus demonstrating the promise of even more sophisticated and targeted crop improvements. As the field continues to evolve, these innovations are expected to play a pivotal role in the sustainable production of broccoli and the enhancement of its nutritional and health benefits.

Cholesterol Metabolism in Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Significance: Cholesterol plays a crucial role in the brain, where it is highly concentrated and tightly regulated to support normal brain functions. It serves as a vital component of cell membranes, ensuring their integrity, and acts as a key regulator of various brain processes. Dysregulation of cholesterol metabolism in the brain has been linked to impaired brain function and the onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease. Recent Advances: A significant advancement has been the identification of astrocyte-derived apoliprotein E as a key regulator of de novo cholesterol biosynthesis in neurons, providing insights into how extracellular signals influence neuronal cholesterol levels. In addition, the development of antibody-based therapies, particularly for AD, presents promising opportunities for therapeutic interventions. Critical Issues: Despite significant research, the association between cholesterol and neurodegenerative diseases remains inconclusive. It is crucial to distinguish between plasma cholesterol and brain cholesterol, as these pools are relatively independent. This differentiation should be considered when evaluating statin-based treatment approaches. Furthermore, assessing not only the total cholesterol content in the brain but also its distribution among different types of brain cells is essential. Future Direction: Establishing a causal link between changes in brain/plasma cholesterol levels and the onset of brain dysfunction/neurodegenerative diseases remains a key objective. In addition, conducting cell-specific analyses of cholesterol homeostasis in various types of brain cells under pathological conditions will enhance our understanding of cholesterol metabolism in neurodegenerative diseases. Manipulating cholesterol levels to restore homeostasis may represent a novel approach for alleviating neurological symptoms.