Reactive Chlorine Species Advancing the Atmospheric Oxidation Capacities of Inland Urban Environments.

Chlorine (Cl) radicals from photolabile chlorine species are highly reactive and can affect the fate of air pollutants in the atmosphere. Although several campaigns have been conducted, typically in coastal environments, long-term observations of reactive chlorine species and their impacts on atmospheric oxidation capacities (AOCs) are lacking. Here, we report nearly full-year observations of Cl2 and ClNO2 levels in Beijing and evaluate their impacts on the AOC with a box model coupled with Cl chemistry. Cl radicals promote the circulation of OH-HO2-RO2 by accelerating the OH chain lengths by up to 12.6% on average, hence boosting the AOC, especially in the winter or spring. This promotion effect is nonlinearly dependent on the VOC and NOx concentrations, thus leading to a slight shift in ozone formation from a VOC-sensitive regime to a transition regime with seasonal differences. Given the ubiquitous reactive chlorines in polluted inland urban regions, the AOCs and the formation of secondary pollutants will be underestimated if the reactive chlorine species are neglected.

Dual-edged effects and mechanisms of hydroxylamine in partial denitrification-anaerobic ammonium oxidation system.

The combination of partial denitrification (PD) and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) is a novel and promising nitrogen removal process. Regulating the synergistic reaction between denitrifiers and anammox bacteria (AnAOB) is the key to achieving stable and efficient PD-anammox performance. In this study, 10 mg/L of hydroxylamine (NH2OH) was considered to efficiently promote the bacterial activity, microbial energy flow, and the synergy of functional microflora. As a result, the nitrogen removal rate (NRR) significantly increased from 0.05 to 0.30 g N/L/d in parallel with an increase in the nitrogen loading rate (NLR) from 0.10 to 0.40 g N/L/d. However, the dual-edged effect of NH2OH was also confirmed. The long-term presence of NH2OH caused overgrowth of complete-denitrifying bacteria and decreased the NRR to 0.11 g N/L/d. Additionally, NH2OH enhanced nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions via chemical pathways as well as enhanced denitrification Fortunately, the inhibition caused by NH2OH was reversible by stopping the dosing, the reactor restored to stable operation with an NRR of 0.27 g N/L/d. Analysis of metabolic intensity and pathways revealed the effecting process and mechanism of NH2OH on the PD-anammox system. This study verified the dual-edged effects and mechanisms of NH2OH, therefore proving a theoretical basis and technical reference for the application of PD-anammox.

The mediating effects of coping styles on the relationship between trait mindfulness and romantic relationship satisfaction.

The purpose of the current study was to explore the influence of coping styles and trait mindfulness on the satisfaction of romantic relationships (RRS) among college students. Of the 305 participants, 258 (males: 115, 44.6%) had previously been in, or were presently in a romantic relationship. All participants completed the MAAS, CSQ, and questions about RRS. There was a significant meditating role of mature coping styles in the relationship between trait mindfulness and RRS (indirect effect [95% CI] = 0.021 [0.001, 0.052]). However, the mediating effect of immature coping styles was not significant (indirect effect [95% CI] = 0.038 [-0.020, 0.097]). Mature coping style plays an important mediating role in the relationship between mindfulness and relationship satisfaction.

RNA binding protein RPS3 mediates microglial polarization by activating NLRP3 inflammasome via SIRT1 in ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic stroke is the obstruction of cerebral blood flow with a high morbidity. Microglial polarization is a contributing factor for ischemic stroke-induced injury. Here, we focused on function and mechanism of RNA binding protein RPS3 in microglial polarization after ischemic stroke. METHODS: Transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) was conducted in SD rats. Infarct area was detected by TTC staining and neurological score was assessed. Fluorescence staining tested neuronal apoptosis and microglial differentiation. Oxygen and glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) was applied for treating microglia. Levels of RPS3, SIRT1, M1 and M2 polarization markers (CD86, iNOS, CD206, Arg-1) were determined by RT-qPCR. Western blot detected RPS3, SIRT1, NLRP3, ASC and Cleaved-caspase-1 expression. RIP assay validated that RPS3 interacted with SIRT1. CCK-8 measured cell viability. Flow cytometry and ELISA assessed M1 and M2 polarization markers. LDH release was detected using colorimetric CytoTox 96 Cytotoxicity kit. RESULTS: RPS3 depletion improved neurological dysfunction and reduced infarction area in rats after tMCAO. Knockdown of RPS3 resulted in increased SIRT1 expression and decreased NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and induced microglia M2 polarization after ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). Besides, RPS3 directly targeted SIRT1 and reduced its expression in microglia. RPS3 silencing suppressed OGD/R-triggered neuronal and microglial cell death through SIRT1. Moreover, RPS3 activated NLRP3 inflammasome and regulated microglial polarization via SIRT1. CONCLUSION: RPS3 regulates microglial polarization and neuronal injury through SIRT1/NLRP3 pathway, suggesting a novel target for ischemic stroke treatment.

Evaluation of offline sampling for atmospheric C3-C11 non-methane hydrocarbons.

The concentration variation of C3-C11 non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) collected in several types of commercial flexible bags and adsorption tubes was systematically investigated using a gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) system. The percentage loss of each NMHC in the polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) bags was less than 5% during a 7-hr storage period; significant NMHCs loss was detected in aluminum foil composite film and fluorinated ethylene propylene bags. The thermal desorption efficiency of NMHCs for adsorption tubes filled Carbopack B and Carboxen1000 sorbents was greater than 95% at 300℃, and the loss of NMHCs in the adsorption tubes during 20-days storage at 4℃ was less than 8%. The thermal desorption efficiency for C11 NMHCs in the adsorption tube filled with Carbograph 1 and Carbosieve SⅢ absorbents was less than 40% at 300℃, and pyrolysis of the absorbents at 330℃ interfered significantly with the measurements of some alkenes. The loss of alkenes was significant when NMHCs were sampled by cryo-enrichment at -90℃ in the presence of O3 for the online NMHC measurements, and negligible for enrichment using adsorption tubes at 25℃. Although O3 scrubbers have been widely used to eliminate the influence of O3 on NMHC measurements, the loss of NMHCs with carbon numbers greater than 8 was more than 10%. Therefore, PVF bags and adsorption tubes filled Carbopack B and Carboxen1000 sorbents were recommended for the sampling of atmospheric NMHCs.

The more mindfulness practice, the more post-trauma stress symptoms? Trait mindfulness and PTSS during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Investigating the contributing factors of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) has always been an important topic in the field of traumatic psychology research. The current study explored the influences of pandemic/epidemic experiences, meditation experiences, and trait mindfulness on PTSS and the mediating role of emotional resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 522 participants in Hubei province completed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, the Adolescents' Emotional Resilience Questionnaire, and the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5. The results showed that (1) participants who had family or friends diagnosed with COVID-19 scored higher on avoidance. (2) Participants who had family or friends had been diagnosed with SARS or H1N1 scored higher on PTSS. (3) Participants with meditation experience scored significantly higher on all dimensions of PTSS, other than avoidance. (4) The mediating role of recovering from negative emotions in the relationship between trait mindfulness and PTSS was significant (95%CI= [-0.212, -0.094]), while the generating positive emotion was not significant (95%CI= [-0.050, 0.071]). Individuals with pandemic/epidemic experience are more likely to have a high level of PTSS. Individuals who have meditation experience also express a higher level of PTSS, which may be a result of the quality of meditation. Trait mindfulness and the ability to recover from negative emotions were protective factors against PTSS.

MIMONet: Structured-light 3D shape reconstruction by a multi-input multi-output network.

Reconstructing 3D geometric representation of objects with deep learning frameworks has recently gained a great deal of interest in numerous fields. The existing deep-learning-based 3D shape reconstruction techniques generally use a single red-green-blue (RGB) image, and the depth reconstruction accuracy is often highly limited due to a variety of reasons. We present a 3D shape reconstruction technique with an accuracy enhancement strategy by integrating the structured-light scheme with deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The key idea is to transform multiple (typically two) grayscale images consisting of fringe and/or speckle patterns into a 3D depth map using an end-to-end artificial neural network. Distinct from the existing autoencoder-based networks, the proposed technique reconstructs the 3D shape of target using a refinement approach that fuses multiple feature maps to obtain multiple outputs with an accuracy-enhanced final output. A few experiments have been conducted to verify the robustness and capabilities of the proposed technique. The findings suggest that the proposed network approach can be a promising 3D reconstruction technique for future academic research and industrial applications.

Biogas energy generated from livestock manure in China: Current situation and future trends.

This article investigates the current status of the livestock industry (cattle, pigs, sheep, and poultry) in China and assesses the potential for biogas production from anaerobically digested livestock manure. According to calculation results based on the latest data of livestock released by the National Bureau of Statistics of China in 2018, China produced 2 × 1012 kg of manure pollution in 2017, with pig waste representing the largest single manure source. Biogas that can be converted from high organic containing manure is a kind of clean bioenergy with low carbon footprint. In 2017, the energy potential from manure-produced biogas was about 5.74 × 1012-6.73 × 1012 MJ, which corresponds to 4-5% of China's total energy demand. Correlation analysis between biogas production and the livestock industry showed that crop production had significant effects on manure-generated biogas production. However, it is necessary to address the challenges when applying AD technology. Bioenergy potential from manure will be lost during material collection and transportation. Although large-scale livestock farming remains controversial, this type of farming can improve the energy recovery rate of livestock manure. How to gain benefits and maintain sustainable development is also a bottleneck for AD promotion. Reducing energy input in AD projects as well as enhancing the efficiency of methanogenesis of livestock manure are key factors for achieving a high net output of biogas projects. More inclusive strategies and a broader vision should be adopted to allow stakeholders to benefit from manure-generated biogas projects.

Characteristics and influence factors of NO2 exchange flux between the atmosphere and P. nigra.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is an important substance in atmospheric photochemical processes and can also be absorbed by plants. NO2 fluxes between the atmosphere and P. nigra seedlings were investigated by a double dynamic chambers method in Beijing from June 15 to September 3, 2017. The range of NO2 exchange fluxes between P. nigra seedlings and the atmosphere was from -14.6 to 0.8 nmol/(m2·sec) (the positive data represent NO2 emission from trees, while the negative values indicate absorption). Under ambient concentrations, the mean NO2 flux during the fast-growing stage (Jun. 15-Aug. 4) was -3.0 nmol/(m2·sec), greater than the flux of -1.5 nmol/(m2·sec) during the later growth stage (Aug. 8-Sept. 3). The daily exchange fluxes of NO2 obviously fluctuated. The fluxes were largest in the morning and decreased gradually over time. Additionally, the NO2 fluxes were larger under high light intensities than under low light intensities during the whole growth period. The effects of temperature on NO2 fluxes were different under two growth periods. The NO2 exchange fluxes were larger in a range of temperatures close to 44°C in the fast-growing stage, whereas there were no evident differences in NO2 exchange fluxes under widely differing temperatures in the later growth stage. Under polluted conditions, the uptake ability of NO2 was weakened. Additionally, the compensation point of NO2 was 5.6 ppb in the fast-growing stage, whereas it was 1.4 ppb in the later growth stage. The deposition velocities of NO2 were between 0.3 and 2.4 mm/sec.

Activity maintenance of the excised branches and a case study of NO2 exchange between the atmosphere and P. nigra branches.

The efficient maintenance of the activity of excised branches is the powerful guarantee to accurately determine gas exchange flux between the detached branches of tall trees and the atmosphere. In this study, the net photosynthetic rate (NPR) of the excised branches and branches in situ were measured simultaneously by using two photosynthetic instruments to characterize the activity of the excised branches of Phyllostachys nigra. The ratio of normalized NPR of excised branches to NPR in situ was used to assess the photosynthetic activity of detached branches. Based on photosynthetic activity, an optimal hydroponics protocol for maintaining activity of excised P. nigra branches was presented: 1/8 times the concentration of Gamborg B5 vitamin mixture with pH = 6. Under the best cultivation protocol, photosynthetic activity of excised P. nigra branches could be maintained more than 90% within 6 hr in the light intensity range of 200-2000 µmol/(m2·sec) and temperature range of 13.4-28.7°C. The nitrogen dioxide (NO2) flux differences between in situ and in vitro branches and the atmosphere were compared using double dynamic chambers. Based on the maintenance method of excised branches, the NO2 exchange flux between the excised P. nigra branches and the atmosphere (from -1.01 to -2.72 nmol/(m2·sec) was basically consistent with between the branches in situ and the atmosphere (from -1.12 to -3.16 nmol/(m2 sec)) within 6 hr. Therefore, this study provided a feasible protocol for in vitro measurement of gas exchange between tall trees and the atmosphere for a period of time.