Pregnancy outcomes of monochorionic diamniotic and dichorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies conceived by assisted reproductive technology and conceived naturally: a study based on chorionic comparison.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) and dichorionic diamniotic (DCDA) twin pregnancies conceived by assisted reproductive technology (ART) and conceived naturally. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data on twin pregnancies conceived by ART from January 2015 to January 2022,and compared pregnancy outcomes of MCDA and DCDA twins conceived by ART with those of MCDA and DCDA twins conceived naturally, pregnancy outcomes between MCDA and DCDA twins conceived by ART, and pregnancy outcomes of DCT and TCT pregnancies reduced to DCDA pregnancies with those of DCDA pregnancies conceived naturally. RESULT: MCDA pregnancies conceived by ART accounted for 4.21% of the total pregnancies conceived by ART and 43.81% of the total MCDA pregnancies. DCDA pregnancies conceived by ART accounted for 95.79% of the total pregnancies conceived by ART and 93.26% of the total DCDA pregnancies. Women with MCDA pregnancies conceived by ART had a higher premature delivery rate, lower neonatal weights, a higher placenta previa rate, and a lower twin survival rate than those with MCDA pregnancies conceived naturally (all p < 0.05). Women with DCDA pregnancies conceived naturally had lower rates of preterm birth, higher neonatal weights, and higher twin survival rates than women with DCDA pregnancies conceived by ART and those with DCT and TCT pregnancies reduced to DCDA pregnancies (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study confirms that the pregnancy outcomes of MCDA pregnancies conceived by ART are worse than those of MCDA pregnancies conceived naturally. Similarly, the pregnancy outcomes of naturally-conceived DCDA pregnancies are better than those of DCDA pregnancies conceived by ART and DCT and TCT pregnancies reduced to DCDA pregnancies.

A novel dual-channel cassava starch/polyvinyl alcohol-based film for visual monitoring of shrimp freshness.

In this study, the polyvinylpyrrolidone-alizarin nanoparticles (PVP-AZ NPs) with favorable water dispersion and the carbon quantum dots (RQDs) with aggregate induced emission effect were synthesized to construct an eco-friendly film for food freshness monitoring. The introduction of PVP-AZ NPs and RQDs enhanced the network structure and thermal stability of the cassava starch/polyvinyl alcohol film, and reduced its crystallinity and light transmittance via non-covalent binding with the film-forming matrix. The developed film exhibited visually recognizable colorimetric and fluorescent responses to ammonia at 0.025-25 mg/mL, and it can be reused at least 6 times. Practical application experiment proved that the film, as an indicator label, can achieve accurate, real-time, and visual dynamic monitoring of the freshness of shrimp stored at 25 °C, 4 °C, and - 20 °C under daylight (orange yellow to purple) and UV light (red to blue). The integration of multivariate detection technology can eliminate the interference of external factors by self-correction to improve sensitivity and reliability, which provides a reference for the development of other food quality and safety monitoring platforms.

Comparison of Alternative Protein Hydrogels for Delivering Myricetin: Interaction Mechanism and Stability Evaluation.

Food protein carriers from different sources might have distinct stabilizing and enhancing effects on the same small molecule. To elucidate the molecular mechanism, five different sourced proteins including soy protein isolates (SPIs), whey protein isolates (WPIs), edible dock protein (EDP), Tenebrio molitor protein (TMP), and yeast protein (YP) were used to prepare protein hydrogels for delivering myricetin (Myr). The results suggested that the loading capacity order of Myr in different protein hydrogels was EDP (11.5%) > WPI (9.3%) > TMP (8.9%) > YP (8.0%) > SPI (7.6%), which was consistent with the sequence of binding affinity between Myr and different proteins. Among five protein hydrogels, EDP had an optimum loading ability since it possessed the highest hydrophobic amino acid content (45.52%) and thus provided a broad hydrophobic cavity for loading Myr. In addition, these protein-Myr composite hydrogels displayed the core-shell structure, wherein hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction were the primary binding forces between proteins and Myr. Moreover, the thermal stability, storage stability, and sustained-release properties of Myr were significantly enhanced via these protein delivery systems. These findings can provide scientific guidance for deeper utilization of food alternative protein sources.

Prognostic nomogram in patients with right-sided colon cancer after colectomy: a surveillance, epidemiology, and end results-based study.

Objective: This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram for predicting overall survival (OS) in patients undergoing surgery for right-sided colon cancer (RCC). Methods: We collected 25,203 patients with RCC from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and randomly divided them into 7:3 training and internal validation set. Utilizing the Cox proportional hazards regression model, we constructed a nomogram based on prognostic risk factors. Furthermore, for external validation, we retrospectively followed up with 228 patients from Jiaxing First Hospital and assessed and calibrated the nomogram using the C-index and calibration curves. Results: After identifying independent prognostic factors through univariate and multivariate analyses, a nomogram was developed. The c-index values of this nomogram differed as follows: 0.851 (95% CI: 0.845-0.857) in the training set, 0.860 (95% CI: 0.850-0.870) in the internal validation set, and 0.834 (95% CI: 0.780-0.888) in the external validation set, indicating the model's strong discriminative ability. Calibration curves for 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year overall survival (OS) probabilities exhibited a high level of consistency between predicted and actual survival rates. Furthermore, Decision Curve Analysis (DCA) demonstrated that the new model consistently outperformed the TNM staging system in terms of net benefit. Conclusion: We developed and validated a survival prediction model for patients with RCC. This novel nomogram outperforms the traditional TNM staging system and can guide clinical practitioners in making optimal clinical decisions.

Fluorescent responsive membrane based on terbium coordination polymer and carbon dots with AIE effect for rapid and visual detection of fluoroquinolone.

In this study, based on aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effect and antenna effect, a novel portable fluorescent responsive membrane was constructed with red carbon dots (R-CDs) as reference signal and terbium coordination polymer (Tb-AMP CPs) as response signal for visual, instrument-free, and sensitive detection of fluoroquinolones (FQs). Specifically, the fluorescent responsive membrane (R-T membrane) was prepared by physically depositing R-CDs with AIE property and Tb-AMP CPs on the surface of polyvinylidene fluoride filter membranes at ambient temperature. In the presence of FQs, Tb3+ in the Tb-AMP CPs of the prepared membrane coordinated with the ß-diketone structure of FQs, which turned on the yellow-green fluorescence through the "antenna effect". As the concentration of FQs increased, the R-T membrane achieved a fluorescent color transition from bright pink to yellow-green. Its visual detection sensitivity for three FQs, including ciprofloxacin, difloxacin, and enrofloxacin, was 0.01 µM, and the detection limits were 7.4 nM, 7.8 nM, and 9.2 nM, respectively, by analyzing the color parameter green. In the residue analysis of FQs in real samples, the constructed membrane also exhibited remarkable anti-interference and reliability, which is of great significance for ensuring the safety of animal-derived food.

Effects of two celery fibers on the structural properties and digestibility of glutinous rice starch: A comparative study.

The present study focused on the extraction of water-soluble dietary fiber (CSDF) and water-insoluble dietary fiber (CIDF) from celery. It investigated their effects on glutinous rice starch's (GRS) physicochemical, structural, and digestive properties. The results showed that as the addition of the two dietary fibers increased, they compounded with GRS to varying degrees, with the complexing index reaching 69.41 % and 60.81 %, respectively. The rheological results indicated that the two dietary fibers reduced the viscosity of GRS during pasting and inhibited the short-term regrowth of starch. The FTIR and XRD results revealed that the two fibers interacted with GRS through hydrogen bonding, effectively inhibiting starch retrogradation. Furthermore, both fibers increased the pasting temperature of GRS, thus delaying its pasting and exhibiting better thermal stability. Regarding digestibility, the starch gels containing dietary fibers exhibited significantly reduced digestibility, with RS significantly increased by 8.15 % and 8.95 %, respectively. This study provides insights into the interaction between two dietary fibers and GRS during processing. It enriches the theoretical model of dietary fiber-starch interaction and provides a reference for the application development of starch-based functional foods.

Insight into the improvement mechanism of gel properties of pea protein isolate based on the synergistic effect of cellulose nanocrystals and calcium ions.

Here, the influence and potential mechanism by which cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) collaborated with Ca2+ enhancing the heat-induced gelation of pea protein isolate (PPI) were investigated. It was found that the combination of 0.45% CNC and 15 mM Ca2+ synergistically increased the gel strength (from 14.18 to 65.42 g) and viscoelasticity of PPI while decreased the water holding capacity. The improved particle size, turbidity, and thermostability as well as the reduced solubility, crystallinity, and gel porosity were observed in CNC/CaCl2 composite system. CNC fragments bind to specific amino acids in 11S legumin and 7S vicilin mainly through hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces. Moreover, changes in the protein secondary structure and enhancement of the molecular interaction induced by CNC and Ca2+ could favor the robust gel network. The results will provide a new perspective on the functional regulation of pea protein and the creation of pea protein gel-based food.

Remodeling mechanism of gel network structure of soy protein isolate amyloid fibrils mediated by cellulose nanocrystals.

The differences in the gelling properties of soy protein isolate (SPI) and soy protein isolate amyloid fibrils (SAFs) as well as the role of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) in regulating their gel behaviors were investigated in this study. The binding of CNC to ß-conglycinin (7S), glycinin (11S), and SAFs was predominantly driven by non-covalent interactions. CNC addition reduced the particle size, turbidity, subunit segments, and crystallinity of SPI and SAFs, promoted the conversion of α-helix to ß-sheet, improved the thermal stability, exposed more tyrosine and tryptophan residues, and enhanced the intermolecular interactions. A more regular and ordered lamellar network structure was formed in the SAFs-CNC composite gel, which could be conducive to the improvement of gel quality. This study would provide theoretical reference for the understanding of the regulatory mechanism of protein amyloid fibrils gelation as well as the high-value utilization of SAFs-CNC complex as a functional protein-based material or food ingredient in food field.

Cediranib enhances the transcription of MHC-I by upregulating IRF-1.

Diminished or lost Major Histocompatibility Complex class I (MHC-I) expression is frequently observed in tumors, which obstructs the immune recognition of tumor cells by cytotoxic T cells. Restoring MHC-I expression by promoting its transcription and improving protein stability have been promising strategies for reestablishing anti-tumor immune responses. Here, through cell-based screening models, we found that cediranib significantly upregulated MHC-I expression in tumor cells. This finding was confirmed in various non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines and primary patient-derived lung cancer cells. Furthermore, we discovered cediranib achieved MHC-I upregulation through transcriptional regulation. interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) was required for cediranib induced MHC-I transcription and the absence of IRF-1 eliminated this effect. Continuing our research, we found cediranib triggered STAT1 phosphorylation and promoted IRF-1 transcription subsequently, thus enhancing downstream MHC-I transcription. In vivo study, we further confirmed that cediranib increased MHC-I expression, enhanced CD8+ T cell infiltration, and improved the efficacy of anti-PD-L1 therapy. Collectively, our study demonstrated that cediranib could elevate MHC-I expression and enhance responsiveness to immune therapy, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for its potential clinical trials in combination with immunotherapy.

Preparation of the black rice starch-gallic acid complexes by ultrasound treatment: Physicochemical properties, multiscale structure, and in vitro digestibility.

This study aimed to investigate the multiscale structure, physicochemical properties, and in vitro digestibility of black rice starch (BRS) and gallic acid (GA) complexes prepared using varying ultrasound powers. The findings revealed that ultrasonic treatment disrupted BRS granules while enhancing the composite degree with GA. The starch granules enlarged and aggregated into complexes with uneven surfaces. Moreover, the crystallinity of the BRS-GA complexes increased to 22.73 % and formed V6-I-type complexes through non-covalent bonds. The increased short-range ordering of the complexes and nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen (1H NMR) further indicated that the BRS and GA molecules interacted mainly through non-covalent bonds such as hydrogen bonds. Additionally, ultrasound reduced the viscoelasticity of the complexes while minimizing the mass loss of the complexes at the same temperature. In vitro digestion results demonstrated an increase in resistant starch content up to 37.60 % for the BRS-GA complexes. Therefore, ultrasound contributes to the formation of V-typed complexes of BRS and GA, which proves the feasibility of using ultrasound alone for the preparation of starch and polyphenol complexes while providing a basis for the multiscale structure and digestibility of polyphenol and starch complexes.

Molecules inducing specific cyclin-dependent kinase degradation and their possible use in cancer therapy.

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) play an important role in the regulation of cell proliferation, and many CDK inhibitors were developed. However, pan-CDK inhibitors failed to be approved due to intolerant toxicity or low efficacy and the use of selective CDK4/6 inhibitors is limited by resistance. Protein degraders have the potential to increase selectivity, efficacy and overcome resistance, which provides a novel strategy for regulating CDKs. In this review, we summarized the function of CDKs in regulating the cell cycle and transcription, and introduced the representative CDK inhibitors. Then we made a detailed introduction about four types of CDKs degraders, including their action mechanisms, research status and application prospects, which could help the development of novel CDKs degraders.

Insights into the role of derailed endocytic trafficking pathway in cancer: From the perspective of cancer hallmarks.

The endocytic trafficking pathway is a highly organized cellular program responsible for the regulation of membrane components and uptake of extracellular substances. Molecules internalized into the cell through endocytosis will be sorted for degradation or recycled back to membrane, which is determined by a series of sorting events. Many receptors, enzymes, and transporters on the membrane are strictly regulated by endocytic trafficking process, and thus the endocytic pathway has a profound effect on cellular homeostasis. However, the endocytic trafficking process is typically dysregulated in cancers, which leads to the aberrant retention of receptor tyrosine kinases and immunosuppressive molecules on cell membrane, the loss of adhesion protein, as well as excessive uptake of nutrients. Therefore, hijacking endocytic trafficking pathway is an important approach for tumor cells to obtain advantages of proliferation and invasion, and to evade immune attack. Here, we summarize how dysregulated endocytic trafficking process triggers tumorigenesis and progression from the perspective of several typical cancer hallmarks. The impact of endocytic trafficking pathway to cancer therapy efficacy is also discussed.

Amino acid promoted oxidation of atrazine by Fe3O4/persulfate.

In the present study, we demonstrated that the presence of cysteine could remarkably enhance the degradation of atrazine by Fe3O4/persulfate system. The results of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra confirmed the combination of cysteine and Fe3O4 exhibited much higher activity on activation of persulfate to generate more SO4•- and •OH than Fe3O4 alone. At pH of 3.0, SO4•- and •OH contributed to about 58.2 % and 41.8 % of atrazine removal respectively, while •OH gradually dominated the oxidation of atrazine from neutral condition to alkaline condition. The co-existing Cl- and HCO3- could quench SO4•-, resulting in the inhibition of atrazine degradation. The presence of low natural organic matters (NOM) concentration (0-2 mg L-1) could enhance the atrazine removal, and high concentration (>5 mg L-1) of NOM restrained the atrazine degradation. During the Cysteine/Fe3O4/Persulfate process, cysteine served as a complexing reagent and reductant. Through acidolysis and complexation, Fe3O4 could release dissolved and surface bound Fe2+, both of which contributed to the activation of persulfate together. Meanwhile, cysteine was not rapidly consumed due to a regeneration process, which was beneficial for maintaining Fe2+/Fe3+ cycle and constantly accelerating the activation of persulfate for atrazine degradation. The reused Fe3O4 and cysteine in the Cysteine/Fe3O4/Persulfate process exhibited high stability for the atrazine degradation after three cycles. The degradation pathway of atrazine included alkylic-oxidation, dealkylation, dechlorination-hydroxylation processes. The present study indicates the novel Cysteine/Fe3O4/Persulfate process might be a high potential for treatment of organic polluted water.

Discovery of potent and selective c-Met inhibitors for MET-amplified hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent and lethal malignancy worldwide. The MET gene, which encodes receptor tyrosine kinase c-Met, is aberrantly activated in various solid tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer and HCC. In this study, we identified a novel c-Met inhibitor 54 by virtual screening and structural optimization. Compound 54 showed potent c-Met inhibition with an IC50 value of 0.45 ± 0.06 nM. It also exhibited high selectivity among 370 kinases and potent anti-proliferative activity against MET-amplified HCC cells. Moreover, compound 54 displayed significant anti-tumor efficacy in vivo, making it a potential candidate for HCC treatment in future studies.

Fate of glyphosate in lakes with varying trophic levels and its modification by root exudates of submerged macrophytes.

Accelerated eutrophication in lakes reduces the number of submerged macrophytes and alters the residues of glyphosate and its degradation products. However, the effects of submerged macrophytes on the fate of glyphosate remain unclear. We investigated eight lakes with varying trophic levels along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China, of which five lakes contained either glyphosate or aminomethylphosphate (AMPA). Glyphosate and AMPA residues were significantly positively correlated with the trophic levels of lakes (P < 0.01). In lakes, glyphosate is degraded through the AMPA and sarcosine pathways. Eight shared glyphosate-degrading enzymes and genes were observed in different lake sediments, corresponding to 44 degrading microorganisms. Glyphosate concentrations in sediments were significantly higher in lakes with lower abundances of soxA (sarcosine oxidase) and soxB (sarcosine oxidase) (P < 0.05). In the presence of submerged macrophytes, oxalic and malonic acids secreted by the roots of submerged macrophytes increased the abundance of glyphosate-degrading microorganisms containing soxA or soxB (P < 0.05). These results revealed that a decrease in the number of submerged macrophytes in eutrophic lakes may inhibit glyphosate degradation via the sarcosine pathway, leading to a decrease in glyphosate degradation and an increase in glyphosate residues.

Reduction potential of ammonia emissions and impact on PM2.5 in a megacity of central China.

Ammonia control has attracted attention due to the possibility for fine particles (PM2.5) mitigation. Based on past decade ammonia emissions assessments and future predictions, this study seasonally evaluated the ammonia emissions reduction potential in 2025 and 2030 in Wuhan, a Central China megacity, according to the short-term and long-term predictable policies. Furthermore, combined with the reduction potential, PM2.5 components observation and thermodynamic model, the effectiveness of implementing ammonia emission control to reduce PM2.5 by 2025 and 2030 was explored seasonally. Results indicated that the total ammonia emissions are expected to decrease by 19.6-33.9% in 2025 and 2030 under positive reduction scenarios, or increase by 8.9-11.7% in the absence of any intervention. Livestock holds the largest potential for reducing ammonia emissions accounting for 46.4-52.5% of the total. Improvement of human excrement management in rural regions also contributes a 35-37% potential. Despite the implementation of exhaust requirements, ammonia emissions from vehicles in 2030 are expected to continue to increase by 55.3% and 23.5% under the regular (S1) and enhanced (S2) reduction strategy scenarios, respectively. Seasonally, the most potential source of ammonia reduction in spring, summer and fall remains livestock. While in winter, non-agricultural sources dominate the reduction potential. Further results indicated that by ammonia control is expected to decrease PM2.5 concentration up to 5% (less than 1 µg m-3) in 2025-2030. Despite the better effectiveness in winter, ammonia control won't be an effective way to reduce PM2.5 in Central China in future, from the management policies and areal ammonia-rich conditions.

Exploring the formation mechanism of resistant starch (RS3) prepared from high amylose maize starch by hydrothermal-alkali combined with ultrasonic treatment.

In this study, type III resistant starch (RS3) was prepared from high amylose maize starch (HAMS) using hydrothermal (RS-H), hydrothermal combined ultrasonication (RS-HU), hydrothermal-alkali (RS-HA), and hydrothermal-alkali combined ultrasonication (RS-HAU). The role of the preparation methods and the mechanism of RS3 formation were analyzed by studying the multiscale structure and digestibility of the starch. The SEM, NMR, and GPC results showed that hydrothermal-alkali combined with ultrasonication could destroy the granule structure and α-1,6 glycosidic bond of HAMS and reduce the molecular weight of HAMS from 195.306 kDa to 157.115 kDa. The other methods had a weaker degree of effect on the structure of HAMS, especially hydrothermal and hydrothermal combined ultrasonication. The multiscale structural results showed that the relative crystallinity, short-range orderliness, and thermal stability of RS-HAU were significantly higher compared with native HAMS. In terms of digestion, RS-HAU had the highest RS content of 69.40 %. In summary, HAMS can generate many short-chain amylose due to structural damage, which rearrange to form digestion-resistant crystals. With correlation analysis, we revealed the relationship between the multiscale structure and the RS content, which can be used to guide the preparation of RS3.

The effects of light therapy on depression and sleep in women during pregnancy or the postpartum period: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, light therapy has been tried for the treatment of depression and sleep in pregnancy or postnatal period women, but the results have been inconclusive. This meta-analysis is the first to systematically review the effects of light therapy on depression and sleep disturbances in women during pregnancy and the postnatal period. METHODS: We searched for randomized controlled studies in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Chinese Biomedical Database up to January 2023. The standardized mean difference (SMD) was used to assess the efficacy of the outcome indicators. RESULTS: Eight studies were eventually included in the analysis. The results showed that light therapy was more effective than the placebo group in terms of depression (SMD = .34, CI = .08-.61) and sleep (SMD = .64,95%CI = .28-1.00). Subgroup analysis could not explain the significant heterogeneity. There were no serious adverse effects in either the light therapy or placebo groups. CONCLUSIONS: Light therapy could be considered an effective treatment for depression and sleep disturbances in women during pregnancy and the postnatal period. However, future high-quality trials with larger sample sizes are still needed.

High expression of CDKN2A is associated with poor prognosis in colorectal cancer and may guide PD-1-mediated immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Immunotherapy targeting the programmed death protein 1(PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1), is a promising treatment option for many cancers, but has exhibited poor therapeutic efficacy in CRC. This study aimed to identify and validate the prognostic value of immune-related genes and PD-1-associated genes for immunotherapy treatment of CRC. METHODS: An extensive analysis of prognostic immune-related DEGs and PD-1-related genes has highlighted CDKN2A as a vital overlapping gene. To further explore its expression in CRC and its prognostic value, we conducted qRT-PCR, Western blot experiments, and consulted various databases. Subsequently, we conducted gene expression analysis, survival and prognostic analysis, enrichment analysis, immune infiltration assessment, and TIDE analysis to assess the significance of CDKN2A. RESULTS: In CRC, CDKN2A was highly expressed compared to normal tissue. It was found that CDKN2A expression was related to clinicopathological features such as inflammation and tumor stage. Furthermore, a significant correlation was identified between CDKN2A and immune infiltration, specifically involving CD4 T cells, CD8 T cells, and macrophages. The analysis of the GSEA of CRC samples with high CDKN2A expression identified enrichment of genes involved in MYC target-v2 and metabolism pathways. Furthermore, UBE2I, CDK4, CDK6, TP53, and CCND1 were found to be significantly coexpressed with CDKN2A, suggesting a potential role that these gene play in CRC and immunotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that high CDKN2A expression in CRC is a potentially valuable prognostic biomarker, which may guide PD-1-mediated immunotherapy.

Wintertime Formation of Large Sulfate Particles in China and Implications for Human Health.

Outdoor air pollution causes millions of premature deaths annually worldwide. Sulfate is a major component of particulate pollution. Winter sulfate observations in China show both high concentrations and an accumulation mode with a modal size >1 µm. However, we find that this observed size distribution cannot be simulated using classical gaseous and aqueous phase formation (CSF) or proposed aerosol-processing formation (APF) mechanisms. Specifically, the CSF simulation underestimates sulfate concentrations by 76% over megacities in China and predicts particle size distributions with a modal size of ∼0.35 µm, significantly smaller than observations. Although incorporating the APF mechanism in the atmospheric chemical model notably improves sulfate concentration simulation with reasonable parameters, the simulated sulfate particle size distribution remains similar to that using the CSF mechanism. We further conduct theoretical analyses and show that particles with diameters <0.3 µm grow rapidly (2-3 s) to 1 µm through the condensation of sulfuric acid in fresh high-temperature exhaust plumes, referred to as in-source formation (ISF). An ISF sulfate source equivalent to 15% of sulfur emissions from fossil fuel combustion largely explains both observed size distributions and mass concentrations of sulfate particles. The findings imply that ISF is a major source of wintertime micron-sized sulfate in China and underscore the importance of considering the size distribution of aerosols for accurately assessing the impacts of inorganic aerosols on radiative forcing and human health.