Comprehensive profiling of amino acids and derivatives in biological samples: A robust UHPLC-MS/MS method for investigating acute lung injury.

The severe respiratory dysfunctions associated with acute lung injury (ALI) and its sequelae have a high morbidity and mortality rate, are multifactorial, and lack a viable treatment. Considering the critical function that amino acids and derivatives play in the genesis of illnesses and the regulation of metabolic processes, monitoring the levels of metabolites associated with amino acids in biological matrices is necessary and interesting to study their pathological mechanisms. Exploring the dynamics of amino acids and derivatives level and searching for biomarkers provides improved clinical ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of ALI. Therefore, we developed an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method that can simultaneously determine the amino acid and derivatives metabolic levels to study amino acid profiles in different biological samples to facilitate clinical research of ALI. In this study, 48 amino acids and derivatives, including neurotransmitters, polyamines, purines, and other types, were quantified simultaneously in a fast, high-throughput, sensitive, and reliable manner within a 15-minute run time without derivatization. No relevant studies have been reported to quantify these 48 amino acid metabolites in three biological samples simultaneously. Satisfactory linearity (R > 0.995), inter-day and intra-day accuracy (85.17-112.67 % and 85.29-111.60 %, respectively), inter-day and intra-day precision (RSD < 13.80 % and RSD < 12.01 %, respectively), matrix effects (81.00 %-118.00 %), recovery (85.09 %-114.65 %) and stability (RSD < 14.72 %) were all demonstrated by the optimized method's successful validation for all analytes. In addition, the suggested method was effectively implemented in plasma, urine, and lung tissue from normal mice and mice with ALI, with the aim of finding potential biomarkers associated with ALI. Potential biomarkers were screened through multivariate statistical analysis and volcanic map analysis, and the changes of markers in ALI were again identified through heat map analysis and correlation analysis with biochemical indicators, which provided ideas and references for subsequent mechanism studies. Here, the technique created in this work offers a quick and dependable way to perform an integrated analysis of amino acids in a variety of biological materials, which can provide research ideas for understanding the physiopathological state of various diseases.

Bacteria-Targeting Nanoparticles with ROS-Responsive Antibiotic Release to Eradicate Biofilms and Drug-Resistant Bacteria in Endophthalmitis.

Background: Bacterial endophthalmitis is an acute progressive visual threatening disease and one of the most important causes of blindness worldwide. Current treatments are unsatisfactory due to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria and the formation of biofilm. Purpose: The aim of our research was to construct a novel nano-delivery system with better antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects. Methods: This study developed a novel antibiotic nanoparticle delivery system (MXF@UiO-UBI-PEGTK), which is composed of (i) moxifloxacin (MXF)-loaded UiO-66 nanoparticle as the core, (ii) bacteria-targeting peptide ubiquicidin (UBI29-41) immobilized on UiO-66, and (iii) ROS-responsive poly (ethylene glycol)-thioketal (PEG-TK) as the surface shell. Then the important properties of the newly developed delivery system, including biocompatibility, toxicity, release percentage, thermal stability, ability of targeting bacteria, and synergistic antibacterial effects on bacterial biofilms and endophthalmitis, were evaluated. Results: In vitro, MXF@UiO-UBI-PEGTK exhibited significant antibiotic effects including the excellent antibiofilm property against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus at high levels of ROS. Moreover, MXF@UiO-UBI-PEGTK demonstrated outstanding efficacy in treating bacterial endophthalmitis in vivo. Conclusion: This novel nanoparticle delivery system with ROS-responsive and bacteria-targeted properties promotes the precise and effective release of drugs and has significant potential for clinical application of treating bacterial endophthalmitis.

Development and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against p37 protein of African swine fever virus.

African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) is a highly contagious pathogen posing a serious threat to the global swine industry. Despite this, there is currently no effective vaccine against this virus. Within ASFV's core shell structure, p37, a product of polyprotein pp220, shares sequence similarity with SUMO-1 proteases. Localization studies show p37 in various nuclear regions during early infection, shifting to the cytoplasm later on. Research indicates active export of p37 from the nucleus, mediated by CRM1-dependent and -independent pathways. Hydrophobic amino acids in p37 are crucial for these pathways, highlighting their importance throughout the ASFV replication cycle. Additionally, p37 serves as the first nucleocytoplasmic shuttle protein encoded by ASFV, participating in the intranuclear material transport process during ASFV infection of host cells. In this study, we successfully screened five murine monoclonal antibodies targeting p37. Through the truncated expression method, we identified four dominant antigenic epitopes of p37 for the first time. Furthermore, utilizing alanine scanning technology, we determined the key amino acid residues for each epitope. This research not only provides essential information for a deeper understanding of the protein's function but also establishes a significant theoretical foundation for the design and development of ASFV vaccines.

Targeted bile acids metabolomics in cholesterol gallbladder polyps and gallstones: From analytical method development towards application to clinical samples.

Bile acids (BAs) are synthesized by the liver from cholesterol through several complementary pathways and aberrant cholesterol metabolism plays pivotal roles in the pathogeneses of cholesterol gallbladder polyps (CGP) and cholesterol gallstones (CGS). To date, there is neither systematic study on BAs profile of CGP or CGS, nor the relationship between them. To explore the metabolomics profile of plasma BAs in healthy volunteers, CGP and CGS patients, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of 42 free and conjugated BAs in human plasma. The developed method was sensitive and reproducible to be applied for the quantification of BAs in the investigation of plasma samples. The results show that, compared to healthy volunteers, CGP and CGS were both characterized by the significant decrease in plasma BAs pool size, furthermore CGP and CGS shared aberrant BAs metabolic characteristics. Chenodeoxycholic acid, glycochenodeoxycholic acid, λ-muricholic acid, deoxycholic acid, and 7-ketolithocholic acid were shared potential markers of these two cholesterol gallbladder diseases. Subsequent analysis showed that clinical characteristics including cysteine, ornithine and body mass index might be closely related to metabolisms of certain BA modules. This work provides metabolomic information for the study of gallbladder diseases and analytical methodologies for clinical target analysis and efficacy evaluation related to BAs in medical institutions.

R-(+)-WIN55212-2 protects pericytes from ischemic damage and restores retinal microcirculatory patency after ischemia/reperfusion injury.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cannabinoids are vasoactive substances that act as key regulators of arterial tone in the blood vessels supplying peripheral tissues and the central nervous system. This study aimed to investigate the potential of R-(+)-WIN55212-2 (WIN), a cannabinoid receptor 1 agonist (CB1), as a treatment for retinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Male Wistar rats were subjected to retinal I/R injury by increasing intraocular pressure in the anterior chamber. The rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal control, I/R, vehicle (pre-treated with dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO] via intraperitoneal injection), and experimental (pre-treated with WIN at a dose of 1 ml/kg via intraperitoneal injection). The rats were sacrificed at different time points of reperfusion (1 hour, 3 hours, 6 hours, and 1 day) after inducing retinal I/R injury, and their retinas were collected for analysis. Oxygen-glucose deprived/reperfusion (OGD/R) was performed by initially perfusing the retinas with oxygenated artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF), then switching to an OGD solution to simulate ischemia, followed by another perfusion with ACSF. Pericyte contraction and the "no-reflow" phenomenon were observed using infrared differential interference contrast (IR-DIC) microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Western blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and nitric oxide (NO) detection were used to explore the potential mechanism. KEY RESULTS: In both the OGD/R and I/R models, retinal pericytes exhibited persistent contraction even after reperfusion. The ability of WIN to regulate the tone of retinal pericytes and capillaries was specifically blocked by the BKCa inhibitor iberiotoxin (100 nM). WIN demonstrated a protective effect against retinal I/R injury by preserving blood flow in vessels containing pericytes. Pretreatment with WIN alleviated the persistent contraction and apoptosis of retinal pericytes in I/R-induced rats, accompanied by a reduction in intracellular calcium ion (Ca2+) concentration. The expression of CB1 decreased in a time-dependent manner in the I/R group. After I/R injury, endothelium-derived nitric oxide (eNOS) levels were reduced at all time points, which was successfully reversed by WIN therapy except for the 1 day group. Additionally, the downregulation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) and BKCa expression at 3 hours, 6 hours, and 1 day after I/R injury was restored by pretreatment of WIN. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: WIN exerted its protective effects on retinal I/R injury by inhibiting the contraction and apoptosis of pericytes through the CB1-eNOS-cGMP-BKCa signaling pathway, thus ameliorated the occlusion of retinal capillaries.

Activation of the GABA-alpha receptor by berberine rescues retinal ganglion cells to attenuate experimental diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the role and mechanism of berberine (BBR) in the protection of injured retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods: Experimental diabetic retinopathy rat model was successfully induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 60 mg/kg) in male SD rats with sufficient food and water for 8 weeks. Animals were randomly divided into four groups: (1) non-diabetic, (2) diabetic, (3) diabetic + BBR + PBS, and (4) diabetic + BBR + SR95531. BBR (100 mg/kg) was given daily by gavage to rats in the group (3) and group (4) for 8 weeks, and weekly intravitreal injections were conducted to rats in the group (3) with 5 µL of 1×PBS and rats in the group (4) with 5 µL of GABA-alpha receptor antagonist SR95531 to investigate the underlying mechanisms. The survival and apoptosis of RGCs were observed by fluorescence gold labeling technology and TUNEL staining. Visual function was evaluated by visual electrophysiological examination. Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining were used to analyze the expression of GABA-alpha receptors in RGCs. Results: In an animal model, BBR can increase the survival of RGCs, reduce RGCs apoptosis, and significantly improve the visual function. The reduction of GABA, PKC-α, and Bcl-2 protein expression caused by DR can be considerably increased by BBR. SR95531 inhibits BBR's protective effect on RGC and visual function, as well as its upregulation of PKC-α and Bcl-2. Conclusion: BBR is a promising preventive or adjuvant treatment for DR complications, and its key protective effect may involve the regulation of RGC apoptosis through the GABA-alpha receptor/protein kinase C-alpha (GABAAR/PKC-α) pathway.

Association between Serum Potassium with Risk of Onset and Visual Field Progression in Patients with Primary Angle Close Glaucoma: A Cross-Sectional and Prospective Cohort Study.

Evidence suggests that ion metabolism may be associated with oxidative stress in the ocular tissue in glaucoma patients. This study is aimed at determining whether serum ion levels are associated with the onset and/or visual field (VF) progression of PACG. A total of 265 PACG and 166 healthy subjects were included in the cross-sectional study. Meanwhile, 265 subjects with PACG were followed up every six months for at least two years in the cohort study. All subjects were evaluated for serum concentrations of ions (calcium, phosphorus, potassium (K+), sodium, and chlorine) and underwent VF examination. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the risk factors for PACG. Cox regression analyses and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were performed to identify factors associated with VF progression in PACG subjects. In the cross-sectional study, the K+ level (4.31 ± 0.39 mmol/L) was significantly higher in the PACG group than in the normal group (4.16 ± 0.35 mmol/L, P < 0.001). Multiple logistic regression showed that the increased K+ level was a risk factor of PACG (OR = 2.94, 95%CI = 1.63-5.32, P < 0.001). In the cohort study, there were 105 PACG subjects with progression and 160 PACG subjects without progression. The progression group had significantly higher baseline serum K+ levels (4.41 ± 0.37 mmol/L) than the no progression group (4.25 ± 0.39 mmol/L) (P = 0.002). The increased level of K+ at baseline was associated with faster VF progression (HR = 2.07, 95%CI = 1.23-3.46, P = 0.006). PACG subjects with higher baseline K+ levels had significantly lower VF nonprogression rates (51.94%) than subjects with lower K+ levels (68.38%, log-rank test P = 0.01). This study found that increased serum K+ level is a risk factor of PACG and is associated with faster VF progression in PACG, which might result from its influence on the oxidative stress process.

Change in axial length after vitrectomy with silicone oil tamponade for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to explore the changes in the axial length and related factors after vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). METHODS: This study retrospectively evaluated patients who underwent vitrectomy with silicone oil (SO) tamponade for RRD and subsequent silicone oil removal at our clinic. Using a Zeiss IOLMaster 700, axial length was measured before vitrectomy for RRD and SO removal. The change in axial length (ΔAL) was calculated, and multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the potential correlation between ΔAL and clinical factors, such as preoperative hypotony, extreme myopia, age, macular involvement, choroidal detachment, operation duration, and operation history. RESULTS: In total, 213 eyes from 213 patients were included. The mean axial length changed significantly pre- and post-vitrectomy (25.98 ± 2.87 mm and 26.25 ± 3.07 mm, respectively, P < 0.001); the mean ΔAL was 0.37 ± 0.62 mm. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative hypotony and extreme myopia were significantly correlated with the ΔAL (P = 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). A higher proportion of hypotonic eyes had ΔAL ≥ 0.3 mm (33/76 in hypotony eyes and 32/137 in others; P = 0.003). A higher proportion of extremely myopic eyes also had a ΔAL ≥ 0.3 mm (23/46 in extremely myopic eyes and 42/167 in others; P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: For patients with RRD and cataracts, as axial length changed significantly after vitrectomy in those with hypotony or extreme myopia, secondary lOL implantation should be considered.

Rapid identification of bear bile powder from other bile sources using chip-based nano-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

RATIONALE: Bear bile powder (BBP) is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and bile acids (BAs) are the main active components in BBP. Due to the scarcity of BBP resources, adulterations often occur in the market. Conventional methods to distinguish them are usually complicated and time-consuming. To enhance effectiveness and accuracy, a rapid and rough analytical method is desperately needed. METHODS: In this study, a rapid strategy using chip-based nano-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (nano-ESI-MS/MS) was established to distinguish BBP from other sources of bile powder (BP). In addition, the results were further verified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS). RESULTS: The precision of the chip-based nano-ESI-MS/MS method was validated to be acceptable with relative standard deviation (RSD) <15%. The distinction between BBP and other sources of BP, including common adulterants of pig bile powder (PBP), cattle bile powder (CBP), sheep bile powder (SBP), and chicken bile powder (CkBP), can be observed in the spectra. By using orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), more potential m/z markers were investigated. A BAs-related m/z marker of 498.3 was discovered as a typical differential molecular ion peak and was identified as tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) and taurochenodeoxycholic acid (TCDCA) in BBP. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed strategy has simple sample pretreatment steps and significantly shortened analysis time. As an emerging technology, chip-based nano-ESI-MS not only provides a reference for the rapid distinction of adulterated Chinese medicines, but also provides some insights into the identification of other chemicals and foods.

Case Report: Takotsubo Syndrome Induced by Severe Anaphylactic Reaction During Anesthesia Induction and Subsequent High-Dose Epinephrine Resuscitation.

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a type of non-ischemic cardiomyopathy characterized by an acute reversible left ventricular dysfunction with typical apical ballooning, usually with subsequent complete recovery. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are of great essence. Herein, we described a case of TTS of a patient who was scheduled initially for laparoscopic endometrial cancer staging. The 69-year-old woman presented with cardiogenic shock induced by the severe anaphylactic reaction to the antibiotics during anesthesia induction. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was implemented while several boluses of 1 mg epinephrine were injected. After the return of spontaneous circulation, a large number of orange peel-like rash appeared on the head, face, neck, and trunk of the patient. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) revealed diffused decreased left ventricular systolic function. Therefore, veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) were applied in the intensive care unit. Biomarkers like cardiac troponin I (cTnI) subsequently decreased with improved cardiac insufficiency. Finally, the patient was discharged in good condition. This case demonstrated that TTS could be secondary to severe anaphylactic shock and exogenous catecholamines. With the consideration of the reversible condition and predictable recovery of TTS, early vigilance and advanced life support devices should be necessary.

Rapid and accurate detection of phosphate in complex biological fluids based on highly improved antenna sensitization of lanthanide luminescence.

Rapid and accurate detection of phosphate (Pi) in complex biological fluid is of critical importance for timely warning of Pi accumulation and monitoring Pi related pathological process. Up to date, various luminescent probes have been developed for Pi determination in aqueous media. However, the huge obstacles of the current probes suffer from the inherent issues such as time-consuming, tedious preparation and unavoidable background interference during Pi detection. To circumvent this limitation, we proposed a universal and facile strategy to fabricate a novel sensitizer-Ln3+@surfactant micelle probe with time-resolved luminescent (TRL) superiority through the self-assembly of sensitizer, Ln3+ and surfactant. Through this design, the sensitizer-Ln3+ chelate can be encapsulated into the surfactant constructed micelle and Ln3+ luminescence can be substantially lighted up through the effective energy transfer from the coordinated sensitizer and the assistance of Triton X-100. Such high TRL signal can be sensitively and specifically quenched by Pi, which was attributed to the specific coordination competition between sensitizer and Pi towards Ln3+. Benefitting from the background-free interference and highly sensitive TRL response of the sensitizer-Ln3+@surfactant probe, we achieved the rapid, selective and sensitive detection of Pi in the range of 0.5-120 µM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.19 µM. Furthermore, the accuracy of the proposed method based on the Ln3+ involved micelle probes was further verified through the quantitation of Pi in real biological samples.

Unveiling the Excited-State Dynamics of Mn2+ in 0D Cs4PbCl6 Perovskite Nanocrystals.

Doping is an effective strategy for tailoring the optical properties of 0D Cs4PbX6 (X = Cl, Br, and I) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) and expanding their applications. Herein, a unique approach is reported for the controlled synthesis of pure-phase Mn2+-doped Cs4PbCl6 perovskite NCs and the excited-state dynamics of Mn2+ is unveiled through temperature-dependent steady-state and transient photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Because of the spatially confined 0D structure of Cs4PbCl6 perovskite, the NCs exhibit drastically different PL properties of Mn2+ in comparison with their 3D CsPbCl3 analogues, including significantly improved PL quantum yield in solid form (25.8%), unusually long PL lifetime (26.2 ms), large exciton binding energy, strong electron-phonon coupling strength, and an anomalous temperature evolution of Mn2+-PL decay from a dominant slow decay (in tens of ms scale) at 300 K to a fast decay (in 1 ms scale) at 10 K. These findings provide fundamental insights into the excited-state dynamics of Mn2+ in 0D Cs4PbCl6 NCs, thus laying a foundation for future design of 0D perovskite NCs through metal ion doping toward versatile applications.

Accurate detection of ß-hCG in women's serum and cervical secretions for predicting early pregnancy viability based on time-resolved luminescent lanthanide nanoprobes.

Sensitive and specific detection of ß-hCG in women's serum and cervical secretions is of great significance for early pregnancy evaluation. However, the accurate detection of trace amounts of ß-hCG in cervical secretions remains challenging because of its low level. Herein, we report a unique strategy for ß-hCG detection in a heterogeneous sandwich-type bioassay by using LiLuF4:Ce,Tb nanoparticles as time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) nanoprobes. By taking advantage of the intense and long-lived PL of the nanoprobes, the short-lived background autofluorescence can be completely eliminated, which enables the sensitive detection of ß-hCG with a linear range of 0-10 ng mL-1 and a detection limit down to 6.1 pg mL-1, approximately two orders of magnitude improvement relative to that of a commercial ß-hCG assay kit. Furthermore, we demonstrate the application of the nanoprobes for accurate detection of ß-hCG in clinical serum and cervical secretion samples and unveil that the ratio of ß-hCG levels in cervical secretions and serum can be a good indicator of early pregnancy viability in unknown locations. These findings bring new opportunities in perinatal medicine by employing luminescent lanthanide nanoprobes, thus laying a foundation for future development of luminescent nanoprobes for versatile biomedical applications.

Three new dibenzofurans from Cydonia oblonga Mill.

Phytochemical investigation of Cydonia oblonga Mill. collected in Xinjiang province, China, led to the isolation and identification of three new dibenzofurans (1-3) along with one known compound (4). Their structures were elucidated based on HRESIMS, spectroscopic data (IR, UV, 1D, 2D NMR) and X-ray diffraction analysis.

MiR-199a-5p regulates rat liver regeneration and hepatocyte proliferation by targeting TNF-α TNFR1/TRADD/CASPASE8/CASPASE3 signalling pathway.

Abnormally expressed miR-199a-5p (miR-199a) has been frequently reported in multiple types of malignancies. Nevertheless, its effect in liver regeneration (LR) is largely still unclear. Herein, we investigated the function of miR-199a in hepatocyte proliferation during LR. As a result, miR-199a expression was significantly increased 12-30 h, in rat hepatic tissue, after partial hepatectomy (PH). The down-regulated expression of miR-199a inhibited proliferation as well as promoted cell apoptosis of BRL-3A. Additionally, TNF-α was found as a target of miR-199a. The administration of TNF-α siRNA regulated the effects of miR-199a on hepatocyte proliferation as well as miR-199a-modulated TNF-α/TNFR1/TRADD/CASPASE8/CASPASE3 signalling pathways. Taken together, these present findings suggested that miR-199a promoted hepatocyte proliferation as well as LR via targeting TNF-α/TNFR1/TRADD/CASPASE8/CASPASE3.

Broadband NIR photostimulated luminescence nanoprobes based on CaS:Eu2+,Sm3+ nanocrystals.

Near-infrared (NIR) photostimulated luminescence (PSL) nanocrystals (NCs) have recently evoked considerable interest in the field of biomedicine, but are currently limited by the controlled synthesis of efficient PSL NCs. Herein, we report for the first time the controlled synthesis of CaS:Eu2+,Sm3+ NIR PSL NCs through a high-temperature co-precipitation method. The role of Sm3+ co-doping and the effect of thermal annealing on the optical properties of the NCs as well as the charging and discharging processes, the trap depth distribution, and the underlying PSL mechanism are comprehensively surveyed by means of photoluminescence, persistent luminescence, thermoluminescence, and PSL spectroscopies. The as-prepared NCs exhibit intense PSL of Eu2+ at 650 nm with a fast response to stimulation in a broad NIR region from 800 nm to 1600 nm, a duration time longer than 2 h, and an extremely low power density threshold down to 10 mW cm-2 at 980 nm. Furthermore, by taking advantage of the intense NIR PSL, we demonstrate the application of CaS:Eu2+,Sm3+ NCs as sensitive luminescent nanoprobes for biotin receptor-targeted cancer cell imaging. These results reveal the great promise of CaS:Eu2+,Sm3+ nanoprobes for autofluorescence-free bioimaging, and also lay the foundation for future design of efficient NIR PSL nanoprobes towards versatile bioapplications.

Odor removal by and microbial community in the enhanced landfill cover materials containing biochar-added sludge compost under different operating parameters.

Odor problem has become a growing concern for municipal solid waste (MSW) operators and communities located close to landfill sites. In this study, nine laboratory-scale landfill reactors were used to simulate in-situ odor control by a novel landfill cover material consisting of biochar-added sludge compost under various operating parameters. Characterization of odor removal and microbial community in the cover layer under various operating parameters was conducted using gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry and 454 high-throughput pyrosequencing, respectively. Results showed that H2S (76.9-86.0%) and volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs) (12.3-21.7%) were dominant according to their theoretical generated odor concentrations. The total odor REs calculated using the theoretical odor concentrations in the landfill reactors were different than using the measured odor values, which were ranked from high to low as: R6 > R5 > R7 > R4 > R8 > R9 > R3 > R2 > R1, showing the largest discrepancy of 25.3%. The optimum combination of operating parameters based on the theoretical odor concentration was different with that based on the measured odor concentrations. Moreover, although Firmicutes (12.21-91.48%), Proteobacteria (3.55-51.03%), and Actinobacteria (4.01-47.39%) were in general the three major bacterial phyla found in the landfill covers, the detailed bacterial communities in the cover materials of the simulated reactors varied with various operating parameters. Alicyclobacillus and Tuberibacillus showed positive correlations with the removal efficiencies (REs) of chlorinated compounds, H2S, aromatic compounds, volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs), and organic acids. The correlations of Rhodanobacter, Gemmatimonas, Flavisolibacter and Sphingomonas were strongly positive with ammonia RE and relatively positive with REs of organic acids, VOSCs, and aromatic compounds. These findings are instrumental in understanding the relationship between the structure of microbial communities and odor removal performances, and in developing techniques for in-situ odor control at landfills.

A New Class of Blue-LED-Excitable NIR-II Luminescent Nanoprobes Based on Lanthanide-Doped CaS Nanoparticles.

Lanthanide (Ln3+ )-doped luminescent nanoparticles (NPs) with emission in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) biological window have shown great promise but their applications are currently limited by the low absorption efficiency of Ln3+ owing to the parity-forbidden 4f→4f electronic transition. Herein, we developed a strategy for the controlled synthesis of a new class of NIR-II luminescent nanoprobes based on Ce3+ /Er3+ and Ce3+ /Nd3+ co-doped CaS NPs, which can be effectively excited by using a low-cost blue light-emitting diode chip. Through sensitization by the allowed 4f→5d transition of Ce3+ , intense NIR-II luminescence from Er3+ and Nd3+ with quantum yields of 9.3 % and 7.7 % was achieved, respectively. By coating them with a layer of amphiphilic phospholipids, these NPs exhibit excellent stability in water and can be exploited as sensitive NIR-II luminescent nanoprobes for the accurate detection of an important disease biomarker, xanthine, with a detection limit of 32.0 nm.

Full-Spectrum Persistent Luminescence Tuning Using All-Inorganic Perovskite Quantum Dots.

Applications of persistent luminescence phosphors as night or dark-light vision materials in many technological fields have fueled up a growing demand for rational control over the emission profiles of the phosphors. This, however, remains a daunting challenge. Now a unique strategy is reported to fine-tune the persistent luminescence by using all-inorganic CsPbX3 (X=Cl, Br, and I) perovskite quantum dots (PeQDs) as efficient light-conversion materials. Full-spectrum persistent luminescence with wavelengths covering the entire visible spectral region is achieved through tailoring of the PeQD band gap, in parallel with narrow bandwidth of PeQDs and highly synchronized afterglow decay owing to the single energy storage source. These findings break through the limitations of traditional afterglow phosphors, thereby opening up opportunities for persistent luminescence materials for applications such as a white-emitting persistent light source and dark-light multicolor displays.

Effects of operating parameters on in situ NH3 emission control during kitchen waste composting and correlation analysis of the related microbial communities.

Ammonia emission during composting results in anthropogenic odor nuisance and reduces the agronomic value of the compost due to the loss of nitrogen. Adjusting the operating parameters during composting is an emerging in situ odor control technique that is cheap and highly efficient. The effects of in situ NH3 emission control were investigated in this study by simultaneously adjusting key operating parameters (such as C/N ratio, aeration rate, and moisture content) during the composting processes (C1-C9). Results showed that the average NH3 emission concentrations for different treatments were in the order of C1 > C4 > C2 > C5 > C3 > C6 > C7 > C8 > C9. The total content of NH3 emission (21.02 g/kg) in C9 (C/N ratio = 35, aeration rate = 15 L/min, and moisture content = 60%) was much lower than that (65.95 g/kg) in C1 (C/N ratio = 15, aeration rate = 5 L/min, and moisture content = 60%). The nitrogen loss ratio was 27.36% for C1, while 16.15% for C9. The microbial diversity and abundance in C9 and C1 were compared using high-throughput sequencing. The relationship between NH3 emission, operating parameters, and the related functional microbial communities was also investigated. Results revealed that Nitrosospira, Nitrosomonas, Nitrobacter, Pseudomonas, Methanosaeta, Rhodobacter, Paracoccus, and Sphingobacterium were negatively related to NH3 emission. According to the above results, the optimal values for different operating parameters for the in situ NH3 control during kitchen waste composting were, respectively, moisture content of 70%, C/N ratio of 35, and aeration rate of 15 L/min, with the order of effectiveness from high to low being aeration rate > C/N > moisture. This information could be used as a valuable reference for the in situ NH3 emission control during kitchen waste composting.