Aligned grains and scattered light found in gaps of planet-forming disk.

Polarized (sub)millimetre emission from dust grains in circumstellar disks was initially thought to be because of grains aligned with the magnetic field1,2. However, higher-resolution multi-wavelength observations3-5 and improved models6-10 found that this polarization is dominated by self-scattering at shorter wavelengths (for example, 870 µm) and by grains aligned with something other than magnetic fields at longer wavelengths (for example, 3 mm). Nevertheless, the polarization signal is expected to depend on the underlying substructure11-13, and observations until now have been unable to resolve polarization in multiple rings and gaps. HL Tau, a protoplanetary disk located 147.3 ± 0.5 pc away14, is the brightest class I or class II disk at millimetre-submillimetre wavelengths. Here we show deep, high-resolution polarization observations of HL Tau at 870 µm, resolving polarization in both the rings and the gaps. We find that the gaps have polarization angles with a notable azimuthal component and a higher polarization fraction than the rings. Our models show that the disk polarization is due to both scattering and emission from the aligned effectively prolate grains. The intrinsic polarization of aligned dust grains is probably more than 10%, which is much higher than that expected in low-resolution observations (about 1%). Asymmetries and dust features that are not seen in non-polarimetric observations are seen in the polarization observations.

Mechanism of agonist-induced activation of the human itch receptor MRGPRX1.

Mas-related G-protein-coupled receptors X1-X4 (MRGPRX1-X4) are 4 primate-specific receptors that are recently reported to be responsible for many biological processes, including itch sensation, pain transmission, and inflammatory reactions. MRGPRX1 is the first identified human MRGPR, and its expression is restricted to primary sensory neurons. Due to its dual roles in itch and pain signaling pathways, MRGPRX1 has been regarded as a promising target for itch remission and pain inhibition. Here, we reported a cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of Gq-coupled MRGPRX1 in complex with a synthetic agonist compound 16 in an active conformation at an overall resolution of 3.0 Å via a NanoBiT tethering strategy. Compound 16 is a new pain-relieving compound with high potency and selectivity to MRGPRX1 over other MRGPRXs and opioid receptor. MRGPRX1 was revealed to share common structural features of the Gq-mediated receptor activation mechanism of MRGPRX family members, but the variable residues in orthosteric pocket of MRGPRX1 exhibit the unique agonist recognition pattern, potentially facilitating to design MRGPRX1-specific modulators. Together with receptor activation and itch behavior evaluation assays, our study provides a structural snapshot to modify therapeutic molecules for itch relieving and analgesia targeting MRGPRX1.

Enantiomer-Specific Colorimetric Tandem Assays for Salivary d-Alanine Associated with Gastric Cancer.

Salivary d-alanine (d-Ala) and d-proline (d-Pro) are of concern for their potential in the noninvasive diagnosis of gastric cancer (GC). Most reports have succeeded in determining the total concentration of d-Ala and d-Pro. However, for personalized diagnosis and better elucidation of the underlying specific correlation of d-Ala (or d-Pro) with GC, it is desirable to determine the specific concentration of d-Ala or d-Pro. Herein, we propose an enantiomer-specific tandem assay of d-Ala based on the colorimetric reaction between 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine and pyruvic acid generated from the deamination of d-Ala catalyzed by d-amino acid oxidase, which is easily distinguished from l-form amino acids, d-Pro, and many other species. A linear concentration range is established from 20 to 400 µmol/L with a limit of detection of 1.01 µmol/L. Real saliva sample tests reveal that the levels of d-Ala in GC cases are remarkably higher than those in healthy individuals, which offers a simple and low-cost strategy for GC diagnosis. Simultaneously, the total concentrations of d-Ala and d-Pro in saliva are determined. Hence, the concentration of d-Pro and the proportion of d-Ala could be calculated, which further provides more molecule- and individual-specific information. This research may offer a convenient method for noninvasive diagnosis of GC and pave a new route to explore the potentials of rare d-form amino acids in disease diagnosis and treatment.

Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe for Real-Time Detection of ß-Galactosidase Activity in Lysosomes and Its Application in Drug-Induced Senescence Imaging.

Senescence is an important biological process, which leads to the gradual degradation of its physiological function and increases morbidity and mortality. Herein, a novel ratiometric fluorescent probe (P1) was constructed by using benzothiazolyl acetonitrile dye as fluorophore, exhibiting significantly enhanced blue-shifted emission to indicate the activity of ß-galactosidase (ß-gal), a commonly used biomarker for the detection of senescent cells. After incubation with ß-gal, the excimer emission of P1 at 620 nm was weakened, while the emission at 533 nm was significantly enhanced, forming an obvious ratiometric probe with high sensitivity and low detection limit (2.7 mU·mL-1). More importantly, probe P1 can locate lysosomes accurately, allowing us to monitor the emergence of living cell senescence in real time. P1 was successfully used to detect ß-gal activity in PC-12 cells, Hep G2 cells, and RAW 264.7 cells. It showed strong green fluorescence signal in senescent cells and red fluorescence signal in normal cells, indicating that it can detect endogenous senescence-related ß-gal content in living cells. For in vivo drug-induced senescence imaging, after 5 weeks of injection of D-galactose or hydroxyurea, the mice showed significant fluorescence enhancement in specific channels to indicate the activity of ß-gal in vivo. At the same time, the senescence of cell-specific organs and skin tissues at the organ level were also detected, which proved that the drug-induced senescence of brain, skin, and muscle tissues was the most serious. These results supported the important application value of P1 in senescence biomedical research.

Effect of Penetration Enhancer on the Structure of Stratum Corneum: On-Site Study by Confocal Polarized Raman Imaging.

Keratin and lipid structures in the stratum corneum (SC) are closely related to the SC barrier function. The application of penetration enhancers (PEs) disrupts the structure of SC, thereby promoting infiltration. To quantify these PE-induced structural changes in SC, we used confocal Raman imaging (CRI) and polarized Raman imaging (PRI) to explore the integrity and continuity of keratin and lipid structures in SC. The results showed that water is the safest PE and that oleic acid (OA), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and low molecular weight protamine (LMWP) disrupted the ordered structure of keratin, while azone and liposomes had less of an effect on keratin. Azone, OA, and SDS also led to significant changes in lipid structure, while LMWP and liposomes had less of an effect. Establishing this non-invasive and efficient strategy will provide new insights into transdermal drug delivery and skin health management.

A CRISPR/Cas12a-powered gold/nickel foam surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy biosensor for nucleic acid specific detection in foods.

Food is a necessary source of energy, but it also serves as a pathway for transmitting infectious pathogens, making food safety a matter of great concern. Rapid, accurate, and specific detection methods for foodborne viruses are crucial. Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS), due to its superior sensitivity and characteristic fingerprint spectra, holds enormous potential. However, due to the limitations of SERS, it requires specific conditions to achieve specificity. In order to enhance the specificity and accuracy of nucleic acid detection based on SERS, we have developed a CRISPR-Cas12a-mediated SERS technique to identify target DNA, harnessing the targeting recognition capability of CRISPR-Cas12a and ultra-sensitive SERS tags and successfully addressing SERS' lack of specific detection capability. This system includes a gold/nickel foam substrate (Au-NFs) and a reporter (ssDNA-ROX). The phenomenon of colloidal gold/silver nano-aggregation due to magnesium ions, which is commonly encountered in CRISPR-SERS, was simultaneously solved using AuNFs. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of target DNA in drinking water was performed by monitoring the intensity change of ROX Raman reporter molecules. The results showed that the sensor detected DNA within 30 min and the limit of detection (LOD) was 8.23 fM. This is expected to become one of the alternative methods for nucleic acid detection for its rapid detection and high specificity.

Internal standard optimization advances sensitivity and robustness of ratiometric detection method.

We design a p-aminothiophenol (pATP) modified Au/ITO chip to determine nitrite ions in lake water by a ratiometric surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) method based on nitrite ions triggering the transformation of pATP to p,p'-dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB). Intriguingly, by using the SERS peak (at 1008 cm-1) from benzoic ring deforming as an internal standard instead of the traditional peak at 1080 cm-1, the detection sensitivity of the method was improved 10 times.

Chinese-modified MIND Diet and subjective well­being in adults aged 60 years or older in China: a national community-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Observing the dietary principles of the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet has exhibited an association with a diminished occurrence of diverse ailments, enhanced mental well-being, and extended longevity. Nevertheless, current literature is deficient in terms of investigating the link between the MIND diet and subjective well-being (SWB) specifically in older adults. Hence, this study endeavors to examine the correlation between adhering to a Chinese-modified Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (cMIND) diet and SWB in the older Chinese adults, taking into account the unique dietary attributes of the Chinese population. METHODS: Using data from the latest four waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Multiple linear regression and multinomial ordered logistic regression were employed to examine the relationship between the duration of adherence to cMIND diet and SWB in Chinese older adults. RESULTS: The results indicated a significant association between the duration of adherence to cMIND diet and SWB (1 ∼ 6 years: B = 0.907, 95%CI = 0.508 ∼ 1.307, P < 0.001; 7 ∼ 9 years: B = 1.286, 95%CI = 0.767 ∼ 1.805, P < 0.001; 10 years and above: B = 2.320, 95%CI = 1.677 ∼ 2.963, P < 0.001). The longer the duration of adherence to cMIND diet, the higher the scores for life satisfaction (B = 0.184, 95%CI = 0.110 ∼ 0.259; B = 0.312, 95%CI = 0.217 ∼ 0.407; B = 0.321, 95%CI = 0.193 ∼ 0.448), positive affect (B = 0.434, 95%CI = 0.209 ∼ 0.658; B = 0.701, 95%CI = 0.400 ∼ 1.003; B = 1.167, 95%CI = 0.775 ∼ 1.559), and negative affect (B = 0.289, 95%CI = 0.078 ∼ 0.500; B = 0.832, 95%CI = 0.479 ∼ 1.185), suggesting a higher SWB score. Sensitivity analysis further supports our findings. CONCLUSION: Considering the poor knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to diet among Chinese adults, especially older adults, it is imperative to implement dietary policies that promote SWB in older adults to enhance their happiness in later life.

Association between pulse pressure and carotid plaques in old adults with uncontrolled hypertension: results from a community-based screening in Hangzhou, China.

BACKGROUND: There is a broad pulse pressure (PP) and a high prevalence of carotid plaques in old adults. Previous studies have indicated that PP is strongly associated with carotid plaque formation. This study aimed to explore this association in old adults with uncontrolled hypertension. METHODS: 1371 hypertensive patients aged ≥ 60 years with uncontrolled hypertension were enrolled in a community-based screening in Hangzhou, China. Carotid plaques were assessed using ultrasonography. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between PP and carotid plaques by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Carotid plaques were detected in 639 (46.6%) of subjects. Multiple plaques were found in 408 (63.8%) and soft plaques in 218 (34.1%). Elevated PP was associated with a high prevalence of carotid plaques. After adjusting for traditional risk factors, compared to patients within the lowest tertile of PP, those within the highest tertiles had an increased risk of carotid plaques (OR 2.061, CI 1.547-2.745). For each 1-SD increase, the risk increased by 40.1% (OR 1.401, CI 1.237-1.587). There was a nonlinear association between PP and carotid plaques (P nonlinearity = 0.039). The risk increased rapidly after the predicted PP level reached around 60 mmHg. The associations were stronger among participants with multiple and soft plaques. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested that PP was independently associated with carotid plaques in old adults with uncontrolled hypertension who have an increased risk of atherosclerosis.

Does unequal economic development contribute to the inequitable distribution of healthcare resources? Evidence from China spanning 2001-2020.

BACKGROUND: There is a dearth of research combining geographical big data on medical resource allocation and growth with various statistical data. Given the recent achievements of China in economic development and healthcare, this study takes China as an example to investigate the dynamic geographical distribution patterns of medical resources, utilizing data on healthcare resources from 290 cities in China, as well as economic and population-related data. The study aims to examine the correlation between economic growth and spatial distribution of medical resources, with the ultimate goal of providing evidence for promoting global health equity. METHODS: The data used in this study was sourced from the China City Statistical Yearbook from 2001 to 2020. Two indicators were employed to measure medical resources: the number of doctors per million population and the number of hospital and clinic beds per million population. We employed dynamic convergence model and fixed-effects model to examine the correlation between economic growth and the spatial distribution of medical resources. Ordinary least squares (OLS) were used to estimate the ß values of the samples. RESULTS: The average GDP for all city samples across all years was 36,019.31 ± 32,029.36, with an average of 2016.31 ± 1104.16 doctors per million people, and an average of 5986.2 ± 6801.67 hospital beds per million people. In the eastern cities, the average GDP for all city samples was 47,672.71 ± 37,850.77, with an average of 2264.58 ± 1288.89 doctors per million people, and an average of 3998.92 ± 1896.49 hospital beds per million people. Cities with initially low medical resources experienced faster growth (all ß < 0, P < 0.001). The long-term convergence rate of the geographic distribution of medical resources in China was higher than the short-term convergence rate (|ßi + 1| > |ßi|, i = 1, 2, 3, …, 9, all ß < 0, P < 0.001), and the convergence speed of doctor density exceeded that of bed density (bed: |ßi| >doc: |ßi|, i = 3, 4, 5, …, 10, P < 0.001). Economic growth significantly affected the convergence speed of medical resources, and this effect was nonlinear (doc: ßi < 0, i = 1, 2, 3, …, 9, P < 0.05; bed: ßi < 0, i = 1, 2, 3, …, 10, P < 0.01). The heterogeneity between provinces had a notable impact on the convergence of medical resources. CONCLUSIONS: The experiences of China have provided significant insights for nations worldwide. Governments and institutions in all countries worldwide, should actively undertake measures to actively reduce health inequalities. This includes enhancing healthcare standards in impoverished regions, addressing issues of unequal distribution, and emphasizing the examination of social determinants of health within the domain of public health research.

Magnetic Porous Hydrogel-Enhanced Wearable Patch Sensor for Sweat Zinc Ion Monitoring.

Wearable sensors for sweat trace metal monitoring have the challenges of effective sweat collection and the real-time recording of detection signals. The existing detection technologies are implemented by generating enough sweat through exercise, which makes detecting trace metals in sweat cumbersome. Generally, it takes around 20 min to obtain enough sweat, resulting in dallied and prolonged detection signals that cannot reflect the endogenous fluctuations of the body. To solve these problems, we prepared a multifunctional hydrogel as an electrolyte and combined it with a flexible patch electrode to realize real-time monitoring of sweat Zn2+. Such hydrogel has magnetic and porous properties, and the porous structure of hydrogel enables a fast absorption of sweat, and the magnetic property of the addition of fabricated Fe3O4 NPs not only improves the conductivity but also ensures the adjustable internal structures of the hydrogel. Such a sensing platform for sweat Zn2+ monitoring shows a satisfied linear relationship in the concentration range of 0.16-16 µg/mL via differential pulsed anodic striping voltammetry (DPASV) and successfully detects the sweat Zn2+ of four volunteers during exercise and resting, displaying a promising path for commercial application.

Combination of co-pyrolyzed biomass-sludge biochar and ultrasound for persulfate activation in antibiotic degradation: efficiency, synergistic effect, and reaction mechanism.

A carbon material Cu-corn straw-sludge biochar (Cu-CSBC) was prepared by hydrothermally modifying sewage sludge and corn stover. The composite coupled to ultrasound can effectively catalyze the activation of PS for organic pollutants degradation, and the removal rate of 20 mg/L TC reached 89.15% in 5 min in the presence of 0.5 g/L Cu-CSBC and 3 mM PS. The synergistic effect between the factors in the system, the reaction mechanism, and the efficient removal of TC in the aqueous environment were explored in a Cu-CSBC/US/PS system established for that purpose. Quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance analysis both demonstrated the Cu-CSBC/US/PS system generated •OH, SO4-•, 1O2, and O2- •, which involved in the reaction. The Cu, carboxyl, and hydroxyl groups on the Cu-CSBC surface promoted the generation of radicals and non-radicals for the degradation process, which was dominated by both radical and non-radical pathways. The degradation pathway is proposed by measuring the intermediate products with LC-MS. Finally, the stability of the Cu-CSBC/US/PS system was tested under various reaction conditions. This study not only prepared a novel biochar composite material for the active degradation of organic pollutants by PS but also provided an effective method for the resource utilization of solid waste and sludge treatment.

Exploring the Fate of Copper Ions in the Synthesis of Graphdiyne.

Copper is a crucial catalyst in the synthesis of graphdiyne (GDY). However, as catalysts, the final fate of the copper ions has hardly been concerned, which are usually treated as impurities. Here, it is observed that after simple washing with water and ethanol, GDY still contains a certain amount of copper ions, and demonstrated that the copper ions are adsorbed at the atomic layers of GDY. Furthermore, we transformed in situ the copper ions into ultrathin Cu nanocrystals, and the obtained Cu/GDY hybrids can be generally converted into a series of metal/GDY hybrid materials, such as Ag/GDY, Au/GDY, Pt/GDY, Pd/GDY, and Rh/GDY. The Cu/GDY hybrids exhibit extraordinary surface enhanced Raman scattering effect and can be applied in pollutant efficient enrichment and detection.

Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Enantioselective Detection of Gastric Cancer-Related d-Amino Acids in Saliva Based on Enzyme-Mediated Cascade Reaction.

The unusual d-amino acids (d-AAs), as the counter enantiomer of usual l-amino acids (l-AAs), have evoked increasing attention because of their potential relevance with diseases. Accordingly, it is essential to establish sensitive and selective detection methods for d-AAs without the interferences from l-AAs. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique is efficacious for the detection of molecules but routinely ineffective in enantiomeric differentiation. d-Proline (d-Pro) and d-alanine (d-Ala) are regarded as biomarkers of gastric cancer. Herein, Raman-active boronate modified SERS chips are constructed to develop a d-amino acid oxidase (DAAO)-mediated cascade reaction-based SERS enantioselective assay for d-Pro and d-Ala. The principle is that DAAO selectively catalyzes the deamination of d-Pro and d-Ala, and the produced H2O2 oxidizes boronate to present a new SERS peak at 883 cm-1 for quantitative analysis in a ratiometric way. A linear range from 20 to 400 µmol/L and a limit of detection down to 14.8 µmol/L are reached. In addition, interferences from l-AAs and many other possible species coexisting in biofluids with the detection of d-Pro and d-Ala are ignorable. Enzyme-mediated cascade reaction-based SERS chips are further utilized for saliva sample analysis, and the total levels of d-Pro and d-Ala in salivary samples from gastric cancer patients are much higher than those of healthy persons. This work provides a solution for SERS enantioselective analysis and noninvasive screening chiral biomolecules for disease diagnosis.

Absorption behavior of polycarboxylate superplasticizer with different molecular structures on montmorillonite.

Polycarboxylate (PCE) is a high performance superplasticizer for modern concrete. With the high quality sand becoming precious, more and more low quality sands are used in concrete. However, low quality sands generally contain a relatively high content of montmorillonite (MMT), which could seriously reduce the efficiency of PCE. In order to develop PCE suitable for concrete with low quality sands, the absorption behavior on MMT of PCE with different side chains and acid/ether ratio was investigated. In order to explore the effect of MMT on PCE, two macromonomers were selected, isoprene glycol ether 400(TPEG400) and isoprene glycol ether 2400 (TPEG2400), to synthesize six long and short side chain comb-type PCEs with acid-ether ratios of 1.5:1, 2.5:1 and 3.5:1, respectively. The MMT tolerance mechanism of comb-type PCE in MMT-containing cement slurry was examined by FT-IR, DLS, TOC and other analysis. The PCE with long side chain is much easier to be inserted into the layered structure of MMT, resulting in intercalation absorption. The absorption amount of two kinds of side chain PCE on the MMT particles decreased as the acid ether ratio increases. PCE with long side chains showed shear-thickening properties in MMT-containing cement slurry, on the contrary, short side chains showed shear-thinning properties.

Association and mediators between the impact of oral health-related quality of life and depression.

OBJECTIVES: Our research intended to explore the association and mediators (perceived social support and sleep quality) between the impact of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and depression among Chinese older adults. METHODS: A stratified, multi-stage random sampling approach was used in our study. A total of 3896 older individuals aged 60 years and older were included. Process macro 3.5 for SPSS was utilized for testing mediation hypotheses. RESULTS: The mean score of the OHRQoL of the elderly was 3.26 ± 7.15. The correlation coefficient between OHRQoL and depression was 0.25 (p < 0.001). Perceived social support (ß = 0.009, 95% CI = 0.006, 0.012) and sleep quality (ß = 0.073, 95% CI = 0.074, 0.093) mediated the relationship between OHRQoL and depression, respectively. The association between OHRQoL and depression was mediated sequentially by perceived social support and sleep quality (ß = 0.004, 95% CI = 0.002, 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: The participants reported relatively good OHRQoL. OHRQoL and depression showed a significant positive correlation. The relationship between OHRQoL and depression among Chinese seniors was mediated by perceived social support and sleep quality. Both directly and indirectly, OHRQoL can affect depression.

Effects of SpsNAC042 transgenic Populus hopeiensis on root development, leaf morphology and stress resistance.

To identify the function of the SpsNAC042 gene and its response to salt and drought stress, the SpsNAC042 gene was transformed into Populus hopeiensis by the Agrobacterium-mediated leaf disc method, and the phenotypic, physiological changes and related genes expression of transgenic lines were analyzed. The results showed that the number and length of roots of transgenic lines increased significantly. The leaves of transgenic lines curled inward. Under salt and simulated drought stress, the transgenic lines showed improved tolerance to salt and drought. The activities of SOD, POD, CAT and proline content in the transgenic lines were significantly increased, and the reduction rates of total chlorophyll and MDA content were significantly decreased, which indicated that the transgenic lines showed strong physiological responses under stress. Meanwhile, the gene expression of MPK6, SOS1, HKT1 and P5CS1 were significantly upregulated, and the gene expression of PRODH1 was significantly downregulated, which preliminarily verified the stress regulation mechanism that SpsNAC042 might activate. The above results showed that the SpsNAC042 gene could promote root development, make leaf morphology curl, and enhance P. hopeiensis tolerance to stress.

Approaching a Minimal Topological Electronic Structure in Antiferromagnetic Topological Insulator MnBi2Te4 via Surface Modification.

The topological electronic structure plays a central role in the nontrivial physical properties in topological quantum materials. A minimal, "hydrogen-atom-like" topological electronic structure is desired for research. In this work, we demonstrate an effort toward the realization of such a system in the intrinsic magnetic topological insulator MnBi2Te4, by manipulating the topological surface state (TSS) via surface modification. Using high resolution laser- and synchrotron-based angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we found the TSS in MnBi2Te4 is heavily hybridized with a trivial Rashba-type surface state (RSS), which could be efficiently removed by the in situ surface potassium (K) dosing. By employing multiple experimental methods to characterize K dosed surface, we attribute such a modification to the electrochemical reactions of K clusters on the surface. Our work not only gives a clear band assignment in MnBi2Te4 but also provides possible new routes in accentuating the topological behavior in the magnetic topological quantum materials.

Long-term effective remediation of black-odorous water via regulating calcium nitrate sustained-release.

Nitrate addition is reported as a cost-effective method for remediating black-odorous water, which is mainly induced by the deficiency of electron acceptor. However, excessive release of nitrate and lack of long-term effectiveness significantly limited the application of direct nitrate dosing technology. Herein, for remediating black-odorous water, we constructed a nitrate sustained-release ecological concrete (ecoN-concrete), in which calcium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2) was dosed into concrete block to regulate the release of nitrate. The results showed that chemical oxygen demand (COD), turbidity, ammonia, phosphate, and sulfate were significantly removed in an ecoN-concrete-contained reactor fed with black-odorous water, and its removal efficiency was largely dependent on Ca(NO3)2 dosage. Meanwhile, the released nitrate was lower than 25% of its total dosage and nitrite was lower than 1.5 mg/L during 14 days remediation. After three recycles, the removal efficiencies of COD and turbidity by using ecoN-concrete were still more than 85%, indicating an excellent nitrate sustained-release performance of ecoN-concrete, which can be applied for preventing water re-blackening and re-stinking. Further investigation illustrated that the ecoN-concrete (1) decreased the abundance of Desulfovibrio, Desulfomonile, and Desulforhabdus in the phylum of Desulfobacterota to alleviate the odorous gas production and (2) significantly increased the abundance of Bacillus and Thermomonas, which utilized the released-nitrate for consuming organic matters and ammonia. This study provided an artful Ca(NO3)2 dosing strategy and long-term effective method for black-odorous water remediation.

Cesium Amide-Catalyzed Selective Deuteration of Benzylic C-H Bonds with D2 and Application for Tritiation of Pharmaceuticals.

Hydrogen isotope exchange (HIE) represents one of the most attractive labeling methods to synthesize deuterium- and tritium-labeled compounds. Catalytic HIE methods that enable site-selective C-H bond activation and exchange labeling with gaseous isotopes D2 and T2 are of vital importance, in particular for high-specific-activity tritiation of pharmaceuticals. As part of our interest in exploring s-block metals for catalytic transformations, we found CsN(SiMe3 )2 to be an efficient catalyst for selective HIE of benzylic C-H bonds with D2 gas. The reaction proceeds through a kinetic deprotonative equilibrium that establishes an exchange pathway between C-H bonds and D2 gas. By virtue of multiple C-H bonds activation and high activity (isotope enrichment up to 99 %), the simple cesium amide catalyst provided a very powerful and practically convenient labeling protocol for synthesis of highly deuterated compounds and high-specific-activity tritiation of pharmaceuticals.