Spatial heterogeneity, sediment-water exchange, and diffusion mechanisms of organophosphate esters from river to coastal aquatic system in a typical economic circle of northern China.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) have proven to be pervasive in aquatic environments globally. However, understanding their partitioning behavior and mechanisms at the sediment-water interface remains limited. This study elucidated the spatial heterogeneity, interfacial exchange, and diffusion mechanisms of 14 OPEs (∑14OPEs) from river to coastal aquatic system. The transport tendencies of OPEs at the sediment-water interface were quantitatively assessed using fugacity methods. The total ∑14OPEs concentrations in water and sediments ranged from 154 ng/L to 528 ng/L and 2.41 ng/g dry weight (dw) to 230 ng/g dw, respectively. This result indicated a descending spatial tendency with moderate variability. OPE distribution was primarily influenced by temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen levels. As the carbon atom number increased, alkyl and chlorinated OPEs transitioned from diffusion towards the aqueous phase to equilibrium. In contrast, aryl OPEs and triphenylphosphine oxide, which had equivalent carbon atom counts, maintained equilibrium throughout. Diffusion trends of individual OPE congener at the sediment-water interface varied at the same total organic carbon contents (foc). As the foc increased, the fugacity fraction values for all OPE homologs showed a declining trend. The distinct molecular structure of each OPE monomer might lead to unique diffusive behaviors at the sediment-water interface. Higher soot carbon content had a more pronounced effect on the distribution patterns of OPEs. The sediment-water distribution of OPEs was primarily influenced by total organic carbon, sediment particle size, dry density, and moisture content. OPEs displayed the highest sensitivity to fluctuations in ammonium and dissolved organic carbon. This study holds significant scientific and theoretical implications for elucidating the interfacial transport and driving forces of OPEs and comprehending their fate and endogenous release in aquatic ecosystems.

XBAT31 regulates reproductive thermotolerance through controlling the accumulation of HSFB2a/B2b under heat stress conditions.

Heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) play a crucial role in heat stress tolerance in vegetative tissues. However, their involvement in reproductive tissues and their post-translational modifications are not well understood. In this study, we identify the E3 ligase XB3 ORTHOLOG 1 IN ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA (XBAT31) as a key player in the ubiquitination and degradation of HSFB2a/B2b. Our results show that the xbat31 mutant exhibits a higher percentage of unfertile siliques and decreased expression of HSPs in flowers under heat stress conditions compared to the wild type. Conversely, the hsfb2a hsfb2b double mutant displays improved reproductive thermotolerance. We find that XBAT31 interacts with HSFB2a/B2b and mediates their ubiquitination. Furthermore, HSFB2a/B2b ubiquitination is reduced in the xbat31-1 mutant, resulting in higher accumulation of HSFB2a/B2b in flowers under heat stress conditions. Overexpression of HSFB2a or HSFB2b leads to an increase in unfertile siliques under heat stress conditions. Thus, our results dissect the important role of the XBAT31-HSFB2a/B2b module in conferring reproductive thermotolerance in plants.

Community-level risk assessments on organophosphate esters in the sediments from the Bohai Sea of China based on multimodal species sensitivity distributions coupled with the equilibrium partitioning method.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs), increasingly used as alternatives to brominated flame retardants, are ubiquitous in the global aquatic environment. Despite their potential toxicological impact on ecosystems, community-level risk assessments for OPEs in sediments remain scarce. This study investigated OPE occurrences and composition characteristics in the Bohai Sea's sediments and appraised both individual and joint ecological risks posed by characteristic OPE homologs using ten commonly used species sensitivity distribution (SSD) models, integrating acute-to-chronic conversion and phase equilibrium partitioning. OPEs were detected across all sediment samples, with total concentrations ranging from 0.213 ng/g dry weight (dw) to 91.1 ng/g dw. The predominant congeners included tri-n-butyl phosphate (TnBP), triisobutyl phosphate (TiBP), tri(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate, tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP), tris(1, 3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP), and triphenylphosphine oxide. Best-fit SSD models varied among TnBP, TiBP, TCEP, TCPP, and TDCIPP, demonstrating Sigmoid, Burr III, Sigmoid, Burr III, and Burr III, respectively. The same parametric model demonstrated variability in the fitting process for different OPE congeners, which also happened to the fitting results of ten parametric models for the same specific characteristic congener, underscoring the necessity of employing multiple models for precise community-level risk assessments. Hazard concentrations for a 5% cumulative probability were 0.116 mg/L, 2.88 mg/L, 1.30 mg/L, 1.44 mg/L, and 1.85 mg/L for each respective congener. The resulting risk quotients (RQ) and overall hazard index (HI) were selected as criteria to assess the individual and joint ecological risks of OPEs in sediments from the Bohai Sea, respectively. RQ and HI were both below 0.1, indicating a low risk to the local ecosystems. Multi-model SSD analysis could provide refined data for community-level risk evaluation, offering valuable insights for the development of evidence-based environmental standards and pollution control strategies.

Benzotriazole ultraviolet absorbents in surface waters and sediments of the Bohai Sea and North Yellow Sea: Spatial trends and influencing factors.

Benzotriazole ultraviolet absorbents (BUAs) of emerging concern were recently monitored in seawater and sediments from the Bohai Sea (BS) and North Yellow Sea (NYS), which are impacted by human activities, to elucidate their regional occurrence patterns, phase distributions, and contamination profiles. Although environmental variables such as sedimentary organic carbon, particle size, and salinity, as well as hydrological conditions, affected the environmental occurrence of BUAs in the BS and NYS, the source dependence of BUA distributions associated with urban impacts and riverine inputs was highlighted. Substantial spatial variability in the composition patterns and contamination profiles of BUAs identified through correlation and principal component analyses were likely caused by region-specific sources and characteristics. The distribution of target BUAs between the sediment and seawater phases showed no dependence on the octanol-water partition coefficient (KOW) but exhibited marked spatial variations. The diversity of BUA sorption behaviors was further explained by the total organic carbon (TOC)-normalized distribution coefficient (KTOC). Classic logKTOC-logKOW linear relationships accurately predicted the phase distributions of UV-326, UV-328, and UV-234, but deviations were found for lighter and heavier BUAs, possibly due to the influences of physical disturbance and microparticle binding.

Different responses of marine microalgae Phaeodactylum tricornutum upon exposures to WAF and CEWAF of crude oil: A case study coupled with stable isotopic signatures.

Increasing use of chemical dispersants for oil spills highlights the need to understand their adverse effects on marine microalgae and nutrient assimilation because the toxic components of crude oil can be more bioavailable. We employed the crude oil water-accommodated fraction (WAF) and chemically enhanced WAF (CEWAF) to compare different responses in marine microalgae (Phaeodactylum tricornutum) coupled with stable isotopic signatures. The concentration and proportion of high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HMW PAHs), which are key toxic components in crude oil, increased after dispersant addition. CEWAF exposure caused higher percent growth inhibition and a lower chlorophyll-a level of microalgae than those after WAF exposure. Compared with WAF exposure, CEWAF led to an enhancement in the self-defense mechanism of P. tricornutum, accompanied by an increased content of extracellular polymeric substances. 13C-depletion and carbon assimilation were altered in P. tricornutum, suggesting more HMW PAHs could be utilized as carbon sources by microalgae under CEWAF. CEWAF had no significant effects on the isotopic fractionation or assimilation of nitrogen in P. tricornutum. Our study unveiled the impact on the growth, physiological response, and nutrient assimilation of microalgae upon WAF and CEWAF exposures. Our data provide new insights into the ecological effects of dispersant applications for coastal oil spills.

Tuning electronic structure of the carbon skeleton to accelerate electron transfer for promoting the capture of gold.

The efficient and selective recovery of gold from secondary sources is key to sustainable development. However, the complexity of the recovery environment can significantly complicate the compositions of utilized sorbents. Here, we report a straw-derived mesoporous carbon as an inexpensive support material. This mesoporous carbon is modified by anions (sulfur modulation, C-S-180) to improve its electron-transfer efficiency and tune the electronic structure of its skeleton toward enhanced gold reduction. The high surface area of C-S-180 (989.4 m2/g), as well as the presence of abundant C-S in the porous structure of the adsorbent, resulted in an outstanding Au3+-uptake capacity (3422.75 mg/g), excellent resistance to interference, and favorable Au3+ selectivity. Dissimilar to most existing carbon-based adsorbents, electrochemistry-based studies on the electron-transfer efficiencies of adsorbents reveal that sulfur modulation is crucial to optimizing their adsorption performances. Furthermore, the density functional theory reveals that the optimization mechanism is attributable to the adjustment of the electronic structure of the carbon skeleton by C-S, which optimizes the band-gap energy for enhanced Au3+ reduction. These findings offer a strategy for constructing green and efficient adsorbents, as well as a basis for extending the applications of inexpensive carbon materials in gold recovery from complex environments.

Potential of Mie-Fluorescence-Raman Lidar to Profile Chlorophyll a Concentration in Inland Waters.

Vertical distribution of phytoplankton is crucial for assessing the trophic status and primary production in inland waters. However, there is sparse information about phytoplankton vertical distribution due to the lack of sufficient measurements. Here, we report, to the best of our knowledge, the first Mie-fluorescence-Raman lidar (MFRL) measurements of continuous chlorophyll a (Chl-a) profiles as well as their parametrization in inland water. The lidar-measured Chl-a during several experiments showed good agreement with the in situ data. A case study verified that MFRL had the potential to profile the Chl-a concentration. The results revealed that the maintenance of subsurface chlorophyll maxima (SCM) was influenced by light and nutrient inputs. Furthermore, inspired by the observations from MFRL, an SCM model built upon surface Chl-a concentration and euphotic layer depth was proposed with root mean square relative difference of 16.5% compared to MFRL observations, providing the possibility to map 3D Chl-a distribution in aquatic ecosystems by integrated active-passive remote sensing technology. Profiling and modeling Chl-a concentration with MFRL are expected to be of paramount importance for monitoring inland water ecosystems and environments.

Shared genetics and causal relationships between major depressive disorder and COVID-19 related traits: a large-scale genome-wide cross-trait meta-analysis.

Introduction: The comorbidity between major depressive disorder (MDD) and coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) related traits have long been identified in clinical settings, but their shared genetic foundation and causal relationships are unknown. Here, we investigated the genetic mechanisms behind COVID-19 related traits and MDD using the cross-trait meta-analysis, and evaluated the underlying causal relationships between MDD and 3 different COVID-19 outcomes (severe COVID-19, hospitalized COVID-19, and COVID-19 infection). Methods: In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis using the most up-to-date and publicly available GWAS summary statistics to explore shared genetic etiology and the causality between MDD and COVID-19 outcomes. We first used genome-wide cross-trait meta-analysis to identify the pleiotropic genomic SNPs and the genes shared by MDD and COVID-19 outcomes, and then explore the potential bidirectional causal relationships between MDD and COVID-19 outcomes by implementing a bidirectional MR study design. We further conducted functional annotations analyses to obtain biological insight for shared genes from the results of cross-trait meta-analysis. Results: We have identified 71 SNPs located on 25 different genes are shared between MDD and COVID-19 outcomes. We have also found that genetic liability to MDD is a causal factor for COVID-19 outcomes. In particular, we found that MDD has causal effect on severe COVID-19 (OR = 1.832, 95% CI = 1.037-3.236) and hospitalized COVID-19 (OR = 1.412, 95% CI = 1.021-1.953). Functional analysis suggested that the shared genes are enriched in Cushing syndrome, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction. Discussion: Our findings provide convincing evidence on shared genetic etiology and causal relationships between MDD and COVID-19 outcomes, which is crucial to prevention, and therapeutic treatment of MDD and COVID-19.

Investigating the presence of organophosphate esters in sediments from a typical fishing port agglomeration in Dalian, North China.

The presence of 14 organophosphate esters (OPEs) in surface sediments from a typical fishing port agglomeration in Dalian, North China was investigated for the first time. Tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEHP), triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO), and tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) dominated 12 detectable OPEs (∑OPEs), with concentrations ranging widely from 0.56 to 352 ng/g (dry weight basis). The ∑OPE levels in sediments varied significantly across fishing harbors of various grades, and within the same grade, highlighting uneven distribution of OPE sources and inputs to harbors. The first- and second-class fishing harbors had higher geometric mean of ∑OPE contents compared to center and natural harbors, reflecting higher OPE pollution in these areas. Although there were significant correlations among the OPE congeners with high detection frequencies, the composition patterns of sediment OPEs varied considerably among fishing ports. The sediments in the center and first-class harbors had higher abundance of non-chlorinated OPEs (non-Cl-OPEs), suggesting heterogeneity in source strength and pollution characteristics of Cl- and non-Cl-OPEs in fishing ports. The distribution of OPEs in sediments was weakly associated with sediment organic carbon, but not socioeconomic variables, indicating complex controlling factors of their distributions in port sediments. The ecological risks of sediment OPEs were evaluated, and while OPE accumulations ranged broadly (7-684 ng/cm2), exposure hazards were negligible. The sediments in first- and second-class fishing harbors, which had greater OPE accumulation, were identified as reservoirs of OPEs in port aquatic environments.

Occurrence, source, and transfer fluxes of organophosphate esters in the South Pacific and Fildes Peninsula, Antarctic.

Concentrations of 11 organophosphate esters (OPEs) were investigated in surface water and atmosphere samples collected from the South Pacific and Fildes Peninsula. TEHP and TCEP were the dominant OPEs in South Pacific dissolved water, with concentration range of nd-106.13 ng/L and 1.06-28.97 ng/L, respectively. The total concentration of ∑10OPEs in the South Pacific atmosphere was higher than that in Fildes Peninsula, ranging from 216.78 to 2033.97 pg/m3 and 161.83 pg/m3, respectively. TCEP and TCPP were the most dominant OPEs in the South Pacific atmosphere, while TPhP was the most prevalent in the Fildes Peninsula. The air-water exchange flux of ∑10OPEs at the South Pacific was 0.04-3.56 ng/m2/day, with a transmission direction of evaporation totally determined by TiBP and TnBP. The atmospheric dry deposition dominated the transport direction of OPEs between air and water, with an flux of Σ10OPEs at 10.28-213.62 ng/m2/day (mean: 85.2 ng/m2/day). The current transport flux of OPEs through the Tasman Sea to the ACC (2.65 × 104 kg/day) was significantly higher than the dry deposition flux over the Tasman Sea(493.55 kg/day), indicating the Tasman Sea's importance as a transport pathway for OPEs from low latitude areas to the South Pacific. Principal component analysis and air mass back-trajectory analysis provided evidence of terrestrial inputs from human activities that have impacted the environment in the South Pacific and the Antarctic.

Spatial distribution of polystyrene nanoplastics and small microplastics in the Bohai Sea, China.

Micro- and nano-plastic (MNP) pollution has attracted public concerns. Currently, most environmental researches focus on large microplastics (MPs), while small MNPs that have great impacts on marine ecosystems are rarely reported. Understanding the pollution levels and distribution patterns of small MNPs could help assess their potential impacts on the ecosystem. Polystyrene (PS) MNPs were often used as models to assess their toxicity, hence, we collected 21 sites in a Chinese sea area (the Bohai Sea) to analyze their pollution level and horizontal distribution in surface water samples, and vertical distributions in five sites with the water depth >25 m. Samples were filtered by glass membranes (1 µm) to trap MPs, which were frozen, ground, dried, and detected by pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (pyGC-MS); while the nanoplastics (NPs) in the filtrate were captured with alkylated ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4) to form aggregates, which were separated by glass membrane (300 nm) filtration for pyGC-MS determination. Small PS MPs (1-100 µm) and NPs (<1 µm) were detected in 18 samples with the mass concentrations ranging from <0.015 to 0.41 µg/L, indicating that PS MNPs are widely present in Bohai Sea. Our study contributes to understanding the pollution levels and distribution patterns of MNPs (<100 µm) in the marine system and provides valuable data for their further risk assessment.

Acute and Chronic Effects of Crude Oil Water-Accommodated Fractions on the Early Life Stages of Marine Medaka (Oryzias melastigma, McClelland, 1839).

Oil spill is a major marine environmental pollution issue. Research regarding the long-term effects of oil spills on the early life stage of marine fish is still limited. In this study, the potential adverse impact of crude oil from one oil spill accident which occurred in the Bohai Sea on the early life stages of marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma, McClelland, 1839) was evaluated. A 96-h acute test (larvae) and a 21-d chronic test (embryo-larvae) of water-accommodated fractions (WAFs) from crude oil were conducted, respectively. The results of the acute test showed that only the highest concentration of WAFs (100.00%) significantly affected the mortality of larvae (p < 0.01) and that the 96 h-LC50 was 68.92% (4.11 mg·L-1 expressed as total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs)). Larval heart demonstrated histopathological alterations in all WAF-exposed groups. The chronic test results showed that, except for larval mortality, the total hatching success (%)/hatching time of embryos in WAF treatments was not significantly different from those of the control group (p > 0.05), and no malformation was found in surviving larvae after 21 d of exposure. Nevertheless, the exposed embryos and larvae in the highest concentration of WAFs (60.00%) demonstrated significantly reduced heart rate (p < 0.05) and increased mortality (p < 0.01), respectively. Overall, our results indicated that both acute and chronic WAF exposures had adverse impacts on the survival of marine medaka. In the early life stages, the heart of the marine medaka was the most sensitive organ which showed both structural alteration and cardiac dysfunction.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Fildes Peninsula, maritime Antarctica: Effects of human disturbance.

This study provides the first data on the distribution, sources, and transport dynamics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Fildes Peninsula, Antarctica via summertime analyses of lakes, seawater, snow, and air in 2013. Relatively high PAH levels and similar composition profiles (dominance of two- and three-ring PAHs) in the investigated marine and terrestrial environmental matrices were found, indicating substantial primary emissions of petrogenic PAHs. This result was corroborated by nonequilibrium partitioning of atmospheric PAHs caused by release of anthropically-derived lighter PAHs and air mass movement trajectories mainly originated from the Antarctic marginal seas. Notable geographical disparities of PAH pollution in the various types of samples consistently suggested impacts of station-related activities, rather than long-range atmospheric transport, on PAHs in Fildes Peninsula. The lack for temperature dependence for gas-phase concentrations and various molecular diagnostic ratios of atmospheric PAHs demonstrated that the impact of local anthropogenic inputs on air PAH variability supersedes the re-emission effect. The derived air-water and air-snow exchanges of PAHs in this remote region indicated a disequilibrium state, partially associated with intense local emissions of PAHs. PAH outgassing from, and absorption into, lake and marine waters were both observed, probably due to differences in anthropogenic influences among sites, while the net deposition of gaseous PAHs into snow prevailed. The results of this study shed lights on the major importance of native anthropogenic sources in the footprint and fate of PAHs in the Fildes Peninsula, which merits further monitoring.

Source and sequestration of sediment organic carbon from different elevation zones in estuarine wetland, North China.

Estuarine wetland plays an important role in regulating global carbon cycle due to high terrestrial carbon input and burial. However, it is unclear how the source and sequestration of sediment organic carbon (SOC) in estuarine wetlands changes under the anthropogenic impact in the past century. In this study, combining parameters of TOC/TN ratios, δ13C, δ15N and 210Pb-chronology, temporal trends of SOC source and sequestration flux in Liaohe estuarine wetland were studied. The results showed that the source of organic carbon in Liaohe estuarine wetland was dominated by terrestrial input (contribution >60 %). Due to vegetation, TOC in shallow reed marsh was significantly higher than that of bare beach and subtidal flat. Affected by elevation, the sediment mass accumulation rate (MAR, kg·m-2·yr-1) showed differences in reed marsh (C1), bare beach (C2) and subtidal flat (C3), which were 6.57, 13.56 and 13.25 respectively in the past century. MAR fluctuated over time, it showed an overall increasing trend, especially since the 1980s. Correspondingly, the sequestration flux of SOC (SF-SOC, g·m-2·yr-1) showed an overall increasing trend with average of 82.84 (reed marsh), 151.93 (bare beach) and 123.71 (subtidal flat). Comparing to TOC, the higher MAR had a more distinct effect on carbon sequestration in Liaohe estuarine wetland. The difference in sedimentation rate and carbon sequestration are linked to the changes in sediment flux of riverine input and land utilization in the catchment area due to human activities in recent decades, including the construction of reservoirs, dams and local ditch wharf.

A metal-organic framework surrounded with conjugate acid-base pairs for the efficient capture of Cr(VI) via hydrogen bonding over a wide pH range.

Given the large amount of toxic Cr(VI) wastewater from various industries, it is urgent to take effective treatment measures. Adsorption has been regarded as highly desirable for Cr(VI) removal, but the effectiveness of most adsorbents is significantly dependent on pH value, in which precipitous performance drop and even structural collapse generally occur in strong acidic/alkaline aqueous. Thus, maintaining high adsorption performance and structural integrity over a wide pH range is challenging. To efficiently remove Cr(VI), we designed and prepared of an acid-base resistant metal-organic framework (MOF) Zr-BDPO, by introducing weak acid-base groups (-NH-, -N= and -OH) onto the ligand. Zr-BDPO achieved a maximum adsorption capacity of 555.6 mg·g-1 and retained skeletal structure at pH= 1-11. Interestingly, all these groups can generate conjugate acid-base pairs by means of H+ and OH- in the external solution and then form buffer layer. The removal of Cr(VI) at a broad range of pH values primarily via hydrogen bonds between -NH- and -OH, and the oxoanion species of Cr(VI) is unusual. This strategy that insulating high concentrations of acids and bases and relying on hydrogen bonds to capture Cr(VI) oxoanions provides a new perspective for actual Cr(VI) wastewater treatment.

Shipborne oceanic high-spectral-resolution lidar for accurate estimation of seawater depth-resolved optical properties.

Lidar techniques present a distinctive ability to resolve vertical structure of optical properties within the upper water column at both day- and night-time. However, accuracy challenges remain for existing lidar instruments due to the ill-posed nature of elastic backscatter lidar retrievals and multiple scattering. Here we demonstrate the high performance of, to the best of our knowledge, the first shipborne oceanic high-spectral-resolution lidar (HSRL) and illustrate a multiple scattering correction algorithm to rigorously address the above challenges in estimating the depth-resolved diffuse attenuation coefficient Kd and the particulate backscattering coefficient bbp at 532 nm. HSRL data were collected during day- and night-time within the coastal areas of East China Sea and South China Sea, which are connected by the Taiwan Strait. Results include vertical profiles from open ocean waters to moderate turbid waters and first lidar continuous observation of diel vertical distribution of thin layers at a fixed station. The root-mean-square relative differences between the HSRL and coincident in situ measurements are 5.6% and 9.1% for Kd and bbp, respectively, corresponding to an improvement of 2.7-13.5 and 4.9-44.1 times, respectively, with respect to elastic backscatter lidar methods. Shipborne oceanic HSRLs with high performance are expected to be of paramount importance for the construction of 3D map of ocean ecosystem.

Nootkatone alleviates rotenone-induced Parkinson's disease symptoms through activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide. Nootkatone (NKT) has been shown to have neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects and in this study, we systematically studied the efficacy and mechanism of action of NKT in rotenone (ROT)-induced PD rats. Firstly, through behavioral experiments and brain tissue staining, we found that NKT alleviated behavioral dysfunction and protected dopaminergic neurons associated with ROT-induced PD rats. Next, target prediction, protein-protein interaction (PPI), Gene Ontology (GO), and pathway enrichment analyses were used to obtain potential targets, specific biological processes, and molecular mechanisms of NKT for the potential treatment of PD. Furthermore, we also applied molecular docking to predict the binding capacity of NKT and related targets. Additionally, in vivo experiments confirmed that NKT could inhibit the expression of Mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 (MAPK3) by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, reducing neuroinflammation, and ultimately ameliorating ROT-induced PD symptoms. Taken together, the results of the study provide a clear explanation for the remission of PD symptoms by NKT, suggesting that it may be a promising candidate for the treatment of PD.

Evaluating the Occurrence of Polystyrene Nanoparticles in Environmental Waters by Agglomeration with Alkylated Ferroferric Oxide Followed by Micropore Membrane Filtration Collection and Py-GC/MS Analysis.

Although nanoplastics (NPs) are recognized as emerging anthropogenic particulate pollutants, the occurrence of NPs in the environment is rarely reported, partly due to the lack of sensitive methods for the concentration and detection of NPs. Herein, we present an efficient method for enriching NPs of different compositions and various sizes. Alkylated ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4) particles were prepared as adsorbents for highly efficient capture of NPs in environmental waters, and the formed large Fe3O4-NP agglomerates were separated by membrane filtration. Detection limits of 0.02-0.03 µg/L were obtained for polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) NPs by detection with pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). When analyzing real water samples from different sources, it is remarkable that PS NPs were detected in 11 out of 15 samples with concentrations ranging from <0.07 to 0.73 µg/L, while PMMA were not detected. The wide detection of PS NPs in our study confirms the previous speculation that NPs may be ubiquitous in the environmental waters. The accurate quantification of PS NPs in environmental waters make it possible to monitor the pollution status of NPs in aquatic systems and evaluate their potential risks.

Nardosinone regulates the slc38a2 gene to alleviate Parkinson's symptoms in rats through the GABAergic synaptic and cAMP pathways.

In a rotenone-induced Parkinson's disease (PD) rat model, behavioral investigation, pathological examination, inflammatory factor analysis, and mitochondrial structure and function investigation verified the anti-PD efficacy of nardosinone. A combined transcriptome and proteome analysis proposed that the anti-PD target of nardosinone is the slc38a2 gene and may involve the GABAergic synaptic pathway and cAMP-signaling pathway. Analysis of targeted slc38a2 knockout cells and expression of key enzyme-encoding genes in both pathways verified the target and pathways proposed by the 'omics analysis. This further confirms that nardosinone can regulate the slc38a2 gene, a potential new target for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, and plays an anti-PD role through the GABAergic synaptic and cAMP pathways.