[Occurrence Characteristic and Risk Assessment of Microplastics in Sishui River (Xingyang Section)].

Urban rivers are the main receptors and transporters of microplastic pollution. Understanding the occurrence and environmental risk of microplastics in urban rivers can provide theoretical basis for further control of microplastic pollution. The Sishui River, a tributary of the Yellow River, was selected as the research object. A total of nine water samples were collected from sewage outlets of the Sishui River (Xingyang section). The microplastics in the collected samples were characterized by their sizes, shapes, and colors using a microscope. It was found that microplastics were mostly in the form of transparent fibers and fragments in the water body of sewage outlets, of which the size below 500 µm was relatively high. In addition, PET and PE polymers were identified as the main types using a laser infrared imager. The correlation analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between the PET and PE, indicating that they were similar in origin. The results of the environmental risk assessment showed that the type of microplastics was the main factor affecting the assessment results, whereas the risk values of six sewage samples containing PVC were high. However, the value of pollution load index revealed a low risk level of pollutants in the study area.

Life cycle environmental impact assessment of natural gas distributed energy system.

Natural gas distributed energy is recognized as a pivotal means to enhance energy efficiency and mitigate carbon dioxide emissions through localized energy cascading. Positioned as a key option for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, this system optimizes energy utilization near end-users. While maximizing energy efficiency, it is imperative to address potential environmental challenges. A thorough, comprehensive environmental assessment, facilitated by the life cycle assessment method, proves instrumental in meeting this standard. Employing this method enables an intuitive grasp of the environmental strengths and weaknesses inherent in natural gas distributed energy within the power structure. This insight serves as a foundation for informed project decision-making, fostering the growth of the industry. We selected six environmental impact assessment categories based on the CML 2001 method, and conducted the life cycle analysis across four stages. China's inaugural natural gas distributed energy demonstration project was chosen as a model case, and an environmental impact assessment inventory was established, utilizing survey data and literature for comprehensive data collection and analysis. Results from case testing yield environmental impact assessment outcomes, with a specific sensitivity analysis for stages with notable environmental impact factors. The study underscores that the operation phase has the highest environmental impact, comprising 78.37% of the total combined environmental impact, followed by the fuel production phase. Comparative analyses with coal-fired and conventional natural gas power generation, based on dimensionless literature data, reveal that abiotic resources depletion potential is the primary contributor to the environmental impact of 1 kWh of electricity product, constituting 52.76% of the total impact value, followed by global warming potential. Concrete strategies have been outlined for decision-making in both the operational and planning phases of natural gas distributed energy projects. The strengthening of policies is pinpointed towards grid connection and scale expansion.

Activation of xanthine oxidase by 1,4-naphthoquinones: A novel potential research topic for diet management and risk assessment.

Oral intake of 1,4-naphthoquinones could be a potential risk factor for hyperuricemia and gout via activation of xanthine oxidase (XO). Herein, 1,4-naphthoquinones derived from food and food-borne pollutants were selected to investigate the structure and activity relationship (SAR) and the relative mechanism for activating XO in liver S9 fractions from humans (HLS9) and rats (RLS9). The SAR analysis showed that introduction of electron-donating substituents on the benzene ring or electron-withdrawing substituents on the quinone ring improved the XO-activating effect of 1,4-naphthoquinones. Different activation potential and kinetics behaviors were observed for activating XO by 1,4-naphthoquinones in HLS9/RLS9. Molecular docking simulation and density functional theory calculations showed a good correlation between -LogEC50 and docking free energy or HOMO-LUMO energy gap. The risk of exposure to the 1,4-naphthoquinones was evaluated and discussed. Our findings are helpful to guide diet management in clinic and avoid adverse events attributable to exposure to food-derived 1,4-naphthoquinones.

The impact of unconditional cash and food assistance on contraceptive expenditure of rural households in Coastal Bangladesh: Evidence from fuzzy RDD.

This study investigates the impact of unconditional cash and food (UCF) assistance on the monthly contraceptive expenditure of rural households in coastal Bangladesh using a fuzzy regression discontinuity design (RDD). Eligibility for UCF assistance was based on the running variable of land ownership in acres. We used eligibility as an instrumental variable to estimate the local average treatment effect of UCF assistance on contraceptive expenditures. The results show that UCF assistance results in increases in monthly contraceptive expenditures.

Characteristics, sources and health risks assessment of VOCs in Zhengzhou, China during haze pollution season.

Zhengzhou is one of the most haze-polluted cities in Central China with high organic carbon emission, which accounts for 15%-20% of particulate matter (PM2.5) in winter and causes significantly adverse health effects. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the precursors of secondary PM2.5 and O3 formation. An investigation of characteristics, sources and health risks assessment of VOCs was carried out at the urban area of Zhengzhou from 1st to 31st December, 2019. The mean concentrations of total detected VOCs were 48.8 ± 23.0 ppbv. Alkanes (22.0 ± 10.4 ppbv), halocarbons (8.1 ± 3.9 ppbv) and aromatics (6.5 ± 3.9 ppbv) were the predominant VOC species, followed by alkenes (5.1 ± 3.3 ppbv), oxygenated VOCs (3.6 ± 1.8 ppbv), alkyne (3.5 ± 1.9, ppbv) and sulfide (0.5 ± 0.9 ppbv). The Positive Matrix Factorization model was used to identify and apportion VOCs sources. Five major sources of VOCs were identified as vehicular exhaust, industrial processes, combustion, fuel evaporation, and solvent use. The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk values of species were calculated. The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of almost all air toxics increased during haze days. The total non-carcinogenic risks exceeded the acceptable ranges. Most VOC species posed no non-carcinogenic risk during three haze events. The carcinogenic risks of chloroform, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,2-dibromoethane, benzyl chloride, hexachloro-1,3-butadiene, benzene and naphthalene were above the acceptable level (1.0  ×  10-6) but below the tolerable risk level (1.0  ×  10-4). Industrial emission was the major contributor to non-carcinogenic, and solvent use was the major contributor to carcinogenic risks.

Resectable lung lesions malignancy assessment and cancer detection by ultra-deep sequencing of targeted gene mutations in plasma cell-free DNA.

BACKGROUND: Early detection of lung cancer to allow curative treatment remains challenging. Cell-free circulating tumour (ct) DNA (ctDNA) analysis may aid in malignancy assessment and early cancer diagnosis of lung nodules found in screening imagery. METHODS: The multicentre clinical study enrolled 192 patients with operable occupying lung diseases. Plasma ctDNA, white cell count genomic DNA (gDNA) and tumour tissue gDNA of each patient were analysed by ultra-deep sequencing to an average of 35 000× of the coding regions of 65 lung cancer-related genes. RESULTS: The cohort consists of a quarter of benign lung diseases and three quarters of cancer patients with all histopathology subtypes. 64% of the cancer patients are at stage I. Gene mutations detection in tissue gDNA and plasma ctDNA results in a sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 88%. When ctDNA assay was used as the test, the sensitivity was 69% and specificity 96%. As for the lung cancer patients, the assay detected 63%, 83%, 94% and 100%, for stages I, II, III and IV, respectively. In a linear discriminant analysis, combination of ctDNA, patient age and a panel of serum biomarkers boosted the overall sensitivity to 80% at a specificity of 99%. 29 out of the 65 genes harboured mutations in the patients with lung cancer with the largest number found in TP53 (30% plasma and 62% tumour tissue samples) and EGFR (20% and 40%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Plasma ctDNA was analysed in lung nodule assessment and early cancer detection, while an algorithm combining clinical information enhanced the test performance. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03081741.

Equivalent conditions and applications of a class of Hilbert-type integral inequalities involving multiple functions with quasi-homogeneous kernels.

Let K ( x 1 , … , x n ) satisfy K ( x 1 , … , t x i , … , x n ) = t λ λ i K ( t - λ i λ 1 x 1 , … , x i , … , t - λ i λ n x n ) for t > 0 . With this integral kernel, by using the method and technique of weight coefficients, the equivalent conditions and the best constant factors for the validity of Hilbert-type integral inequalities involving multiple functions are discussed. Finally, the applications of the integral inequalities are considered.

An Intercompany Perspective on Biopharmaceutical Drug Product Robustness Studies.

The Biophorum Development Group (BPDG) is an industry-wide consortium enabling networking and sharing of best practices for the development of biopharmaceuticals. To gain a better understanding of current industry approaches for establishing biopharmaceutical drug product (DP) robustness, the BPDG-Formulation Point Share group conducted an intercompany collaboration exercise, which included a bench-marking survey and extensive group discussions around the scope, design, and execution of robustness studies. The results of this industry collaboration revealed several key common themes: (1) overall DP robustness is defined by both the formulation and the manufacturing process robustness; (2) robustness integrates the principles of quality by design (QbD); (3) DP robustness is an important factor in setting critical quality attribute control strategies and commercial specifications; (4) most companies employ robustness studies, along with prior knowledge, risk assessments, and statistics, to develop the DP design space; (5) studies are tailored to commercial development needs and the practices of each company. Three case studies further illustrate how a robustness study design for a biopharmaceutical DP balances experimental complexity, statistical power, scientific understanding, and risk assessment to provide the desired product and process knowledge. The BPDG-Formulation Point Share discusses identified industry challenges with regard to biopharmaceutical DP robustness and presents some recommendations for best practices.

A Structure Identification and Toxicity Assessment of the Degradation Products of Aflatoxin B1 in Peanut Oil under UV Irradiation.

Aflatoxins, a group of extremely hazardous compounds because of their genotoxicity and carcinogenicity to human and animals, are commonly found in many tropical and subtropical regions. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is proven to be an effective method to reduce or detoxify aflatoxins. However, the degradation products of aflatoxins under UV irradiation and their safety or toxicity have not been clear in practical production such as edible oil industry. In this study, the degradation products of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in peanut oil were analyzed by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatograph-Thermo Quadrupole Exactive Focus mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (UPLC-TQEF-MS/MS). The high-resolution mass spectra reflected that two main products were formed after the modification of a double bond in the terminal furan ring and the fracture of the lactone ring, while the small molecules especially nitrogen-containing compound may have participated in the photochemical reaction. According to the above results, the possible photodegradation pathway of AFB1 in peanut oil is proposed. Moreover, the human embryo hepatocytes viability assay indicated that the cell toxicity of degradation products after UV irradiation was much lower than that of AFB1, which could be attributed to the breakage of toxicological sites. These findings can provide new information for metabolic pathways and the hazard assessment of AFB1 using UV detoxification.

Passive synchronization for Markov jump genetic oscillator networks with time-varying delays.

In this paper, the synchronization problem of coupled Markov jump genetic oscillator networks with time-varying delays and external disturbances is investigated. By introducing the drive-response concept, a novel mode-dependent control scheme is proposed, which guarantees that the synchronization can be achieved. By applying the Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional method and stochastic analysis, sufficient conditions are established based on passivity theory in terms of linear matrix inequalities. A numerical example is provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of our theoretical results.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled assessment of BMS-936558, a fully human monoclonal antibody to programmed death-1 (PD-1), in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

UNLABELLED: Expression of the programmed death 1 (PD-1) receptor and its ligands are implicated in the T cell exhaustion phenotype which contributes to the persistence of several chronic viral infections, including human hepatitis C virus (HCV). The antiviral potential of BMS-936558 (MDX-1106) - a fully human anti-PD-1 monoclonal immunoglobulin-G4 that blocks ligand binding - was explored in a proof-of-concept, placebo-controlled single-ascending-dose study in patients (N = 54) with chronic HCV infection. Interferon-alfa treatment-experienced patients (n = 42) were randomized 5∶1 to receive a single infusion of BMS-936558 (0.03, 0.1, 0.3, 1.0, 3.0 mg/kg [n = 5 each] or 10 mg/kg [n = 10]) or of placebo (n = 7). An additional 12 HCV treatment-naïve patients were randomized to receive 10 mg/kg BMS-936558 (n = 10) or placebo (n = 2). Patients were followed for 85 days post-dose. Five patients who received BMS-936558 (0.1 [n = 1] or 10 mg/kg) and one placebo patient achieved the primary study endpoint of a reduction in HCV RNA ≥0.5 log10 IU/mL on at least 2 consecutive visits; 3 (10 mg/kg) achieved a >4 log10 reduction. Two patients (10 mg/kg) achieved HCV RNA below the lower limit of quantitation (25 IU/mL), one of whom (a prior null-responder) remained RNA-undetectable 1 year post-study. Transient reductions in CD4(+), CD8(+) and CD19(+) cells, including both naïve and memory CD4(+) and CD8(+) subsets, were observed at Day 2 without evidence of immune deficit. No clinically relevant changes in immunoglobulin subsets or treatment-related trends in circulating cytokines were noted. BMS-936558 exhibited dose-related exposure increases, with a half-life of 20-24 days. BMS-936558 was mostly well tolerated. One patient (10 mg/kg) experienced an asymptomatic grade 4 ALT elevation coincident with the onset of a 4-log viral load reduction. Six patients exhibited immune-related adverse events of mild-to-moderate intensity, including two cases of hyperthyroidism consistent with autoimmune thyroiditis. Further investigation of PD-1 pathway blockade in chronic viral disease is warranted. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00703469.

Screening of serum biomarkers and establishment of a decision tree in silica-exposed populations by surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization time-of-fly mass spectrometry.

OBJECTIVE: To screen for serum biomarkers of silicosis and to study their roles using surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization time-of-fly mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS) techniques. METHODS: The serum protein/peptide profile on the CM10 proteinchip was acquired using SELDI-TOF-MS from workers classified by the Chinese national diagnostic standard for pneumoconiosis. Discriminant analysis was performed to establish a decision tree using protein/peptide peaks. RESULTS: Protein/peptide peaks changed much more in silica-exposed populations than they did in the control. Discriminant analysis using Wilks' lambda method could give high sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing the silica-exposed population from the control; the decision tree could give 100% sensitivity and 95% specificity in distinguishing the silicosis phase among the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Special proteins/peptides may change in silica-exposed workers and these changes may be used to distinguish silica-exposed populations from the control with the proper discriminant analytical method.

[Metabonomic study of blood plasma in the assessment of liver graft function].

OBJECTIVE: To access the capability of 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) -based metabonomics in the evaluation of graft function in the perioperation period of liver transplantation. METHODS: Plasma samples of 15 male primary hepatic carcinoma patients were collected for clinical biochemical analysis and 1H NMR spectroscopy 1 day before operation, 1 day and 1 week after the operation. The NMR data were analyzed using principal component analysis. RESULTS: Metabonomic analysis indicated that, compared with those before operation, blood concentrations of valine, alanine, acetone, succinic acid, glutamine, choline, lactate, and glucose increased significantly 1 day after transplantation. One week later, the levels of lipids and choline increased notably, while those of glucose and amino acids decreased. Principal component analysis showed significant difference between metabolic profiles of plasma samples of variant periods of liver transplantation, due to the variation of the levels of glucose, lipids, lactate, and choline. A good agreement was observed between clinical chemistry and metabonomic data. CONCLUSIONS: Metabonomic analysis can clearly identify the difference between the plasma samples of primary hepatic carcinoma patients at different time during the perioperation period of liver transplantation. It therefore may be a promising new technology in predicting the outcomes of liver transplantation.