Pristine/magnesium-loaded biochar and ZVI affect rice grain arsenic speciation and cadmium accumulation through different pathways in an alkaline paddy soil.

Cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) co-contamination has threatened rice production and food safety. It is challenging to mitigate Cd and As contamination in rice simultaneously due to their opposite geochemical behaviors. Mg-loaded biochar with outstanding adsorption capacity for As and Cd was used for the first time to remediate Cd/As contaminated paddy soils. In addition, the effect of zero-valent iron (ZVI) on grain As speciation accumulation in alkaline paddy soils was first investigated. The effect of rice straw biochar (SC), magnesium-loaded rice straw biochar (Mg/SC), and ZVI on concentrations of Cd and As speciation in soil porewater and their accumulation in rice tissues was investigated in a pot experiment. Addition of SC, Mg/SC and ZVI to soil reduced Cd concentrations in rice grain by 46.1%, 90.3% and 100%, and inorganic As (iAs) by 35.4%, 33.1% and 29.1%, respectively, and reduced Cd concentrations in porewater by 74.3%, 96.5% and 96.2%, respectively. Reductions of 51.6% and 87.7% in porewater iAs concentrations were observed with Mg/SC and ZVI amendments, but not with SC. Dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) concentrations in porewater and grain increased by a factor of 4.9 and 3.3, respectively, with ZVI amendment. The three amendments affected grain concentrations of iAs, DMA and Cd mainly by modulating their translocation within plant and the levels of As(III), silicon, dissolved organic carbon, iron or Cd in porewater. All three amendments (SC, Mg/SC and ZVI) have the potential to simultaneously mitigate Cd and iAs accumulation in rice grain, although the pathways are different.

Remnant cholesterol is associated with the progression and regression of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in Chinese adults.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to explore the associations of serum remnant cholesterol (RC) levels with the progression and regression of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in Chinese adults. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study in 13,903 individuals who underwent transient elastography tests (cohort 1) and a longitudinal study in 17,752 individuals who underwent at least two health check-up exams with abdominal ultrasound (cohort 2). Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were collected. Serum RC levels were calculated. Noninvasive fibrosis indices such as FIB-4 were evaluated in cohort 2. RESULTS: In cohort 1, serum RC levels were positively and independently associated with the severity of hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis according to logistic regression analysis. In cohort 2, baseline serum RC levels were increased in participants with the incidence of MASLD and decreased in participants with the regression of MASLD during the follow-up period. Baseline serum RC levels were independently associated with an increased risk of development and a decreased likelihood of regression of MASLD: the fully adjusted hazard ratios (HR) were 2.785 (95 % CI 2.332-3.236, P < 0.001) and 2.925 (95 % CI 2.361-3.623, P < 0.001), respectively. In addition, when we used FIB-4 to evaluate liver fibrosis, baseline serum RC levels were positively correlated with the incidence of high-intermediate probability of advanced fibrosis. However, we did not find an association between serum RC levels and the regression of liver fibrosis. CONCLUSION: Serum RC levels are independently correlated with the progression and regression of MASLD in Chinese adults, suggesting that RC may participate in the pathophysiological process of MASLD.

Improved high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for quantification of infliximab in pediatric plasma and its application in therapeutic drug monitoring.

RATIONALE: The application of infliximab (IFX) to immune-mediated disease is limited by the significant individual variability and associated clinical nonresponse, emphasizing the importance of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). Because of the cross-reactivity, limited linear range, and high costs, the clinical application of the previous reported methods was limited. Here, an improved high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method was developed to address the issues. METHODS: This study developed an improved bioanalytical HPLC-MS/MS method coupling nanosurface and molecular-orientation limited proteolysis technology. The commercially available compound P14R was selected as the internal standard. This method was developed with fewer volume of reagents and was thoroughly validated. The validated method was applied to TDM in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). RESULTS: Chromatography was performed using a Shim-pack GISS-HP C18 metal-free column (3 µm, 2.1 × 100 mm) with a gradient elution of 0.1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile at 0.4 mL/min. Detection and quantitation were performed using electrospray ionization (ESI) and multiple reaction monitoring in the positive ion mode. The method was validated to demonstrate its selectivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, recovery, matrix effect, and stability. The method exhibited a linear dynamic range of 0.3-100 µg/mL, with intra- and inter-day precision and relative errors below 15%. The recovery and matrix effect were measured as 87.28%-89.72% and 41.98%-67.17%, respectively, which were effectively compensated by the internal standard. A total of 32 samples collected from 24 pediatric patients with IBD were analyzed using the validated method, and only 46.9% achieved the reported targeted trough level. CONCLUSION: This study developed an improved HPLC-MS/MS method for the quantitative determination of IFX concentration in human plasma. The accurate, reliable, and cost-effective method was validated and utilized in the analysis of clinical samples. The results confirmed the importance of TDM on IFX and the clinical application prospects of the improved method.

[Study on the value of systemic immune inflammation index and nomogram in predicting the prognosis of patients with mucoepidermoid carcinoma].

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between preoperative systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and relapse-free survival (RFS) after surgical resection of mucoepidermoid carcinoma(MEC). METHODS: The data of 135 patients with MEC who underwent surgical resection in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2016 to July 2019 were collected, and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve was performed on the SII of patients. The optimal cut-off value was obtained by ROC analysis. Therefore, the patients' SII index was divided into high and low group, and survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional regression model and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were used to analyze the factors influencing prognosis, and a nomogram model was built to predict patients' relapse-free survival(RFS). Area under curve (AUC) and correction curve were used to evaluate the model and verify the consistency. RESULTS: Survival analysis showed that the RFS rate in low SII group was significantly higher than that in high SII group. Cox proportional hazard regression model showed high SII(HR=2.179, 95%CI: 1.072-4.426, P=0.031) and low tumor differentiation(HR=6.894, 95%CI: 2.770-17.158, P=0.000) and cervical lymph node metastasis (HR=2.091, 95%CI: 1.034-4.230, P=0.040) were significant predictors of poor RFS. CONCLUSIONS: The lower the preoperative SII, the better the prognosis of patients. The nomogram prognosis of MEC based on SII is effective.

Amino-modified nanoplastics at predicted environmental concentrations cause transgenerational toxicity through activating germline EGF signal in Caenorhabditis elegans.

In the real environment, some chemical functional groups are unavoidably combined on the nanoplastic surface. Reportedly, amino-modified polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-A NPs) exposure in parents can induce severe transgenerational toxicity, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unclear. Using Caenorhabditis elegans as the animal model, this study was performed to investigate the role of germline epidermal growth factor (EGF) signal on modulating PS-A NPs' transgenerational toxicity. As a result, 1-10 µg/L PS-A NPs exposure transgenerationally enhanced germline EGF ligand/LIN-3 and NSH-1 levels. Germline RNAi of lin-3 and nsh-1 was resistant against PS-A NPs' transgenerational toxicity, implying the involvement of EGF ligand activation in inducing PS-A NPs' transgenerational toxicity. Furthermore, LIN-3 overexpression transgenerationally enhanced EGF receptor/LET-23 expression in the progeny, and let-23 RNAi in F1-generation notably suppressed PS-A NPs' transgenerational toxicity in the exposed worms overexpressing germline LIN-3 at P0 generation. Finally, LET-23 functioned in neurons and intestine for regulating PS-A NPs' transgenerational toxicity. LET-23 acted at the upstream DAF-16/FOXO within the intestine in response to PS-A NPs' transgenerational toxicity. In neurons, LET-23 functioned at the upstream of DAF-7/DBL-1, ligands of TGF-ß signals, to mediate PS-A NPs' transgenerational toxicity. Briefly, this work revealed the exposure risk of PS-A NPs' transgenerational toxicity, which was regulated through activating germline EGF signal in organisms.

BSA-stabilized selenium nanoparticles ameliorate intracerebral hemorrhage's-like pathology by inhibiting ferroptosis-mediated neurotoxicology via Nrf2/GPX4 axis activation.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a prevalent hemorrhagic cerebrovascular emergency. Alleviating neurological damage in the early stages of ICH is critical for enhancing patient prognosis and survival rate. A novel form of cell death called ferroptosis is intimately linked to hemorrhage-induced brain tissue injury. Although studies have demonstrated the significant preventive impact of bovine serum albumin-stabilized selenium nanoparticles (BSA-SeNPs) against disorders connected to the neurological system, the neuroprotective effect on the hemorrhage stroke and the mechanism remain unknown. Therefore, based on the favorable biocompatibility of BSA-SeNPs, h-ICH (hippocampus-intracerebral hemorrhage) model was constructed to perform BSA-SeNPs therapy. As expected, these BSA-SeNPs could effectively improve the cognitive deficits and ameliorate the damage of hippocampal neuron. Furthermore, BSA-SeNPs reverse the morphology of mitochondria and enhanced the mitochondrial function, evidenced by mitochondrial respiration function (OCR) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Mechanistically, BSA-SeNPs could efficiently activate the Nrf2 to enhance the expression of antioxidant GPX4 at mRNA and protein levels, and further inhibit lipid peroxidation production in erastin-induced ferroptotic damages. Taken together, this study not only sheds light on the clinical application of BSA-SeNPs, but also provides its newly theoretical support for the strategy of the intervention and treatment of neurological impairment following ICH.

Mitochondrial Uncoupling Protein-2 Ameliorates Ischemic Stroke by Inhibiting Ferroptosis-Induced Brain Injury and Neuroinflammation.

Ischemic stroke is a devastating disease in which mitochondrial damage or dysfunction substantially contributes to brain injury. Mitochondrial uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2) is a member of the UCP family, which regulates production of mitochondrial superoxide anion. UCP2 is reported to be neuroprotective for ischemic stroke-induced brain injury. However, the molecular mechanisms of UCP2 in ischemic stroke remain incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated whether and how UCP2 modulates neuroinflammation and regulates neuronal ferroptosis following ischemic stroke in vitro and in vivo. Wild-type (WT) and UCP2 knockout (Ucp2-/-) mice were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). BV2 cells (mouse microglial cell line) and HT-22 cells (mouse hippocampal neuronal cell line) were transfected with small interfering (si)-RNA or overexpression plasmids to knockdown or overexpress UCP2 levels. Cells were then exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/RX) to simulate hypoxic injury in vitro. We found that UCP2 expression was markedly reduced in a time-dependent manner in both in vitro and in vivo ischemic stroke models. In addition, UCP2 was mainly expressed in neurons. UCP2 deficiency significantly enlarged infarct volumes, aggravated neurological deficit scores, and exacerbated cerebral edema in mice after MCAO. In vitro knockdown of Ucp2 and in vivo genetic depletion of Ucp2 (Ucp2-/- mice) increased neuronal ferroptosis-related indicators, including Fe2+, malondialdehyde, glutathione, and lipid peroxidation. Overexpression of UCP2 in neuronal cells resulted in reduced ferroptosis. Moreover, knockdown of UCP2 exacerbated neuroinflammation in BV2 microglia and mouse ischemic stroke models, suggesting that endogenous UCP2 inhibits neuroinflammation following ischemic stroke. Upregulation of UCP2 expression in microglia appeared to decrease the release of pro-inflammatory factors and increase the levels of anti-inflammatory factors. Further investigation showed that UCP2 deletion inhibited expression of AMPKα/NRF1 pathway-related proteins, including p-AMPKα, t-AMPKα, NRF1, and TFAM. Thus, UCP2 protects the brain from ischemia-induced ferroptosis by activating AMPKα/NRF1 signaling. Activation of UCP2 represents an attractive strategy for the prevention and treatment of ischemic stroke.

[Study on methods measuring mechanical properties of arterial wall by macroscopic indentation].

Accurately evaluating the local biomechanics of arterial wall is crucial for diagnosing and treating arterial diseases. Indentation measurement can be used to evaluate the local mechanical properties of the artery. However, the effects of the indenter's geometric structure and the analysis theory on measurement results remain uncertain. In this paper, four kinds of indenters were used to measure the pulmonary aorta, the proximal thoracic aorta and the distal thoracic aorta in pigs, and the arterial elastic modulus was calculated by Sneddon and Sirghi theory to explore the influence of the indenter geometry and analysis theory on the measured elastic modulus. The results showed that the arterial elastic modulus measured by cylindrical indenter was lower than that measured by spherical indenter. In addition, compared with the calculated results of Sirghi theory, the Sneddon theory, which does not take adhesion forces in account, resulted in slightly larger elastic modulus values. In conclusion, this study provides parametric support for effective measurement of arterial local mechanical properties by millimeter indentation technique.

Terpene synthases GhTPS6 and GhTPS47 participate in resistance to Verticillium dahliae in upland cotton.

Terpene synthases (TPSs) are enzymes responsible for catalyzing the production of diverse terpenes, the largest class of secondary metabolites in plants. Here, we identified 107 TPS gene loci encompassing 92 full-length TPS genes in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Phylogenetic analysis showed they were divided into six subfamilies. Segmental duplication and tandem duplication events contributed greatly to the expansion of TPS gene family, particularly the TPS-a and TPS-b subfamilies. Expression profile analysis screened out that GhTPSs may mediate the interaction between cotton and Verticillium dahliae. Three-dimensional structures and subcellular localizations of the two selected GhTPSs, GhTPS6 and GhTPS47, which belong to the TPS-a subfamily, demonstrated similarity in protein structures and nucleus and cytoplasm localization. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of the two GhTPSs yielded plants characterized by increased wilting and chlorosis, more severe vascular browning, and higher disease index than control plants. Additionally, knockdown of GhTPS6 and GhTPS47 led to the down-regulation of cotton terpene synthesis following V. dahliae infection, indicating that these two genes may positively regulate resistance to V. dahliae through the modulation of disease-resistant terpene biosynthesis. Overall, our study represents a comprehensive analysis of the G. hirsutum TPS gene family, revealing their potential roles in defense responses against Verticillium wilt.

Unlocking the potential of carbon dots in agriculture using data-driven approaches.

The utilization of carbon dots (CDs) in agriculture to enhance plant growth has gained significant attention, but the data remains fractionated. Systematically integrating existing data is needed to identify the factors driving the interactions between CDs and plants and strategically guide future research. Articles reporting on CDs and their effects on plants were searched based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulting in the collection of 71 articles comprising a total of 2564 data points. The meta-analysis reveals that the soil and foliar application of red-emitting bio-derived CDs at a low concentration (<10 ppm) leads to the most beneficial effects on plant growth. Random forest and gradient boosting algorithms revealed that the size and dose of CDs were important factors in predicting plant responses across multiple aspects (CDs properties, plant properties, environmental factors, and experimental conditions). Specifically, smaller sizes are more favorable to growth indicators (GI) below 6 nm, nutrient and quality (NuQ) at 3-6 nm, photosynthesis (PSN) below 7 nm, and antioxidant responses (AR) below 5 nm. Overall, our analysis of existing data suggests that CDs applications can significantly improve plant responses (GI, NuQ, PSN, and AR) by 10-39 %. To unlock the full potential of CDs, customized synthesis techniques should be employed to meet the specific requirements of different crops and climate condition. For example, we recommend the synthesis of small CDs (<7 nm) with emission peak values falling within the range of 405-475 and 610-670 nm to enhance plant growth. The global prediction of plant responses to CDs application in future scenarios have shown significant improvements ranging from 17 to 58 %, suggesting that CDs have widespread applicability. This novel understanding of the impact of CDs on plant response provides valuable insights for optimizing the application of these nanomaterials in agriculture.

Modulation of mercaptopurine intestinal toxicity and pharmacokinetics by gut microbiota.

The interaction between the gut microbiota and mercaptopurine (6-MP), a crucial drug used in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment, has not been extensively studied. Here we reveal the significant perturbation of gut microbiota after 2-week 6-MP treatment in beagles and mice followed by the functional prediction that showed impairment of SCFAs production and altered amino acid synthesis. And the targeted metabolomics in plasma also showed changes in amino acids. Additionally, targeted metabolomics analysis of feces showed changes in amino acids and SCFAs. Furthermore, ablating the intestinal microbiota by broad-spectrum antibiotics exacerbated the imbalance of amino acids, particularly leading to a significant decrease in the concentration of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM). Importantly, the depletion of gut microbiota worsened the damage of small intestine caused by 6-MP, resulting in increased intestinal permeability. Considering the relationship between toxicity and 6-MP metabolites, we conducted a pharmacokinetic study in pseudo germ-free rats to confirm that gut microbiota depletion altered the methylation metabolites of 6-MP. Specifically, the concentration of MeTINs, a secondary methylation metabolite, showed a negative correlation with SAM, the pivotal methyl donor. Additionally, we observed a strong correlation between Alistipes and SAM levels in both feces and plasma. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that 6-MP disrupts the gut microbiota, and depleting the gut microbiota exacerbates 6-MP-induced intestinal toxicity. Moreover, SAM derived from microbiota plays a crucial role in influencing plasma SAM and the methylation of 6-MP. These findings underscore the importance of comprehending the role of the gut microbiota in 6-MP metabolism and toxicity.

The disease recurrence perception scale for patients with inflammatory bowel disease: Instrument development and cross-sectional validation study.

Disease recurrence perception plays a key role in disease management and subsequent disease recurrence prevention. However, there are no specific tools for assessing disease recurrence perception in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) characterized by alternating remission and recurrence. To develop and validate an instrument for measuring disease recurrence perception of patients with IBD, the study was conducted in two steps: (1) instrument development and (2) psychometric tests. A total of 623 patients with IBD participated in the study. The common sense model of illness self-regulation (CSM) was used as a framework for instrument development. The administered version contained 48 items intended to be relevant to at least one of the six dimensions of the model. Based on preliminary analyzes, 12 items were deleted leaving 36 items for more detailed psychometric and factor analyzes. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the total 36-item instrument was 0.915. The content validity indexes at item and scale levels were satisfactory. The test-retest reliability of the total instrument was 0.870. Exploratory principal components analysis (n = 278) was used to identify six components congruent with intended CSM constructs that accounted for 62.6% of total item variance. Confirmatory factor analysis (n = 345) found acceptable fit for the six factor measurement model (χ2/df = 1.999, GFI = 0.846, NFI = 0.855, IFI = 0.922, TLI = 0.910, CFI = 0.921, RMSEA = 0.054). Overall, the DRPSIBD demonstrated satisfactory reliability and validity to warrant further development as a measure of disease recurrence perception of patients with IBD.

GhCLCc-1, a Chloride Channel Gene from Upland Cotton, Positively Regulates Salt Tolerance by Modulating the Accumulation of Chloride Ions.

The ionic toxicity induced by salinization has adverse effects on the growth and development of crops. However, researches on ionic toxicity and salt tolerance in plants have focused primarily on cations such as sodium ions (Na+), with very limited studies on chloride ions (Cl-). Here, we cloned the homologous genes of Arabidopsis thaliana AtCLCc, GhCLCc-1A/D, from upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), which were significantly induced by NaCl or KCl treatments. Subcellular localization showed that GhCLCc-1A/D were both localized to the tonoplast. Complementation of Arabidopsis atclcc mutant with GhCLCc-1 rescued its salt-sensitive phenotype. In addition, the silencing of the GhCLCc-1 gene led to an increased accumulation of Cl- in the roots, stems, and leaves of cotton seedlings under salt treatments, resulting in compromised salt tolerance. And ectopic expression of the GhCLCc-1 gene in Arabidopsis reduced the accumulation of Cl- in transgenic lines under salt treatments, thereby enhancing salt tolerance. These findings elucidate that GhCLCc-1 positively regulates salt tolerance by modulating Cl- accumulation and could be a potential target gene for improving salt tolerance in plants.

Population pharmacokinetics of nirmatrelvir in Chinese patients with COVID-19: Therapeutic drug monitoring and dosing regimen selection in clinical practice.

OBJECTIVES: To establish a population pharmacokinetics (PopPK) model of nirmatrelvir in Chinese COVID-19 patients and provide reference for refining the dosing strategy of nirmatrelvir in patients confirmed to be infected with SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: A total of 80 blood samples were obtained from 35 mild to moderate COVID-19 patients who were orally administered nirmatrelvir/ritonavir tablets. The PopPK model of nirmatrelvir was developed using a nonlinear mixed effects modelling approach. The stability and prediction of the final model were assessed through a combination of goodness-of-fit and bootstrap method. The exposure of nirmatrelvir across various clinical scenarios was simulated using Monte Carlo simulations. RESULTS: The pharmacokinetics of nirmatrelvir was well characterised by a one-compartment model with first-order absorption, and with creatinine clearance (Ccr) as the significant covariate. Typical population parameter estimates of apparent clearance and distribution volume for a patient with a Ccr of 95.5 mL·min-1were 3.45 L·h-1 and 48.71 L, respectively. The bootstrap and visual predictive check procedures demonstrated satisfactory predictive performance and robustness of the final model. CONCLUSION: The final model was capable of offering an early prediction of drug concentration ranges for different nirmatrelvir dosing regimens and optimise the dose regimen of nirmatrelvir in individuals with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.

A General Synthesis Method for Patterning PEDOT toward Wearable Electronics and Bioelectronics.

The conductive polymer poly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT), recognized for its superior electrical conductivity and biocompatibility, has become an attractive material for developing wearable technologies and bioelectronics. Nevertheless, the complexities associated with PEDOT's patterning synthesis on diverse substrates persist despite recent technological progress. In this study, we introduce a novel deep eutectic solvent (DES)-induced vapor phase polymerization technique, facilitating nonrestrictive patterning polymerization of PEDOT across diverse substrates. By controlling the quantity of DES adsorbed per unit area on the substrates, PEDOT can be effectively patternized on cellulose, wood, plastic, glass, and even hydrogels. The resultant patterned PEDOT exhibits numerous benefits, such as an impressive electronic conductivity of 282 S·m-1, a high specific surface area of 5.29 m2·g-1, and an extensive electrochemical stability range from -1.4 to 2.4 V in a phosphate-buffered saline. To underscore the practicality and diverse applications of this DES-induced approach, we present multiple examples emphasizing its integration into self-supporting flexible electrodes, neuroelectrode interfaces, and precision circuit repair methodologies.

Biodegradable microplastics pose greater risks than conventional microplastics to soil properties, microbial community and plant growth, especially under flooded conditions.

Biodegradable plastics (bio-plastics) are often viewed as viable option for mitigating plastic pollution. Nevertheless, the information regarding the potential risks of microplastics (MPs) released from bio-plastics in soil, particularly in flooded soils, is lacking. Here, our objective was to investigate the effect of polylactic acid MPs (PLA-MPs) and polyethylene MPs (PE-MPs) on soil properties, microbial community and plant growth under both non-flooded and flooded conditions. Our results demonstrated that PLA-MPs dramatically increased soil labile carbon (C) content and altered its composition and chemodiversity. The enrichment of labile C stimulated microbial N immobilization, resulting in a depletion of soil mineral nitrogen (N). This specialized environment created by PLA-MPs further filtered out specific microbial species, resulting in a low diversity and simplified microbial community. PLA-MPs caused an increase in denitrifiers (Noviherbaspirillum and Clostridium sensu stricto) and a decrease in nitrifiers (Nitrospira, MND1, and Ellin6067), potentially exacerbating the mineral N deficiency. The mineral N deficit caused by PLA-MPs inhibited wheatgrass growth. Conversely, PE-MPs had less effect on soil ecosystems, including soil properties, microbial community and wheatgrass growth. Overall, our study emphasizes that PLA-MPs cause more adverse effect on the ecosystem than PE-MPs in the short term, and that flooded conditions exacerbate and prolong these adverse effects. These results offer valuable insights for evaluating the potential threats of bio-MPs in both uplands and wetlands.

Selenium Nanomaterials Enhance Sheath Blight Resistance and Nutritional Quality of Rice: Mechanisms of Action and Human Health Benefit.

In the current work, the foliar application of selenium nanomaterials (Se0 NMs) suppressed sheath blight in rice (Oryza sativa). The beneficial effects were nanoscale specific and concentration dependent. Specifically, foliar amendment of 5 mg/L Se0 NMs decreased the disease severity by 68.8% in Rhizoctonia solani-infected rice; this level of control was 1.57- and 2.20-fold greater than that of the Se ions with equivalent Se mass and a commercially available pesticide (Thifluzamide). Mechanistically, (1) the controlled release ability of Se0 NMs enabled a wider safe concentration range and greater bioavailability to Se0 NMs, and (2) transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses demonstrated that Se0 NMs simultaneously promoted the salicylic acid- and jasmonic-acid-dependent acquired disease resistance pathways, antioxidative system, and flavonoid biosynthesis. Additionally, Se0 NMs improved rice yield by 31.1%, increased the nutritional quality by 6.4-7.2%, enhanced organic Se content by 44.8%, and decreased arsenic and cadmium contents by 38.7 and 42.1%, respectively, in grains as compared with infected controls. Human simulated gastrointestinal tract model results showed that the application of Se0 NMs enhanced the bioaccessibility of Se in grains by 22.0% and decreased the bioaccessibility of As and Cd in grains by 20.3 and 13.4%, respectively. These findings demonstrate that Se0 NMs can serve as an effective and sustainable strategy to increase food quality and security.

Self-Assembly of Single-Virus SERS Hotspots for Highly Sensitive In Situ Detection of SARS-CoV-2 on Solid Surfaces.

Microbial surface transmission has aroused great attention since the pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Developing a simple in situ detection method for viruses on solid surfaces is of great significance for timely public health surveillance. Taking advantage of the natural structure of SARS-CoV-2, we reported the assembly of Au@AgNPs on the surface of a single virus by the specific aptamer-spike protein interaction. Multiple hotspots can be created between the neighboring Au@AgNPs for the highly sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection of SARS-CoV-2. Using two different aptamers labeled with Cy3 and Au@AgNPs, in situ SERS detection of pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 (PSV) on packaging surfaces was achieved within 20 min, with a detection limit of 5.26 TCID50/mL. For the blind testing of 20 PSV-contaminated packaging samples, this SERS aptasensor had a sensitivity of 100% and an accuracy of 100%. This assay has been successfully applied to in situ detection of PSV on the surfaces of different packaging materials, suggesting its potential applicability.

Co-photoaging inhibited the heteroaggregation between polystyrene nanoplastics and different titanium dioxide nanoparticles.

Heteroaggregation between nanoplastics (NPs) and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) determines their environmental fates and ecological risks in aquatic environments. However, the co-photoaging scenario of NPs and TiO2NPs, interaction mechanisms of TiO2NPs with (aged) NPs, as well as the dependence of their heteroaggregation on TiO2NPs facets remain elusive. We found the critical coagulation concentration (CCC) of polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) with coexisting RTiO2NPs was 1.9 - 2.2 times larger than that with coexisting ATiO2NPs, suggesting a better suspension stability of PSNPs+RTiO2NPs. In addition, CCC of TiO2NPs with coexisting photoaged PSNPs (APSNPs) was larger 1.7 - 2.2 times than that with PSNPs coexisting, indicating photoaging inhibited their heteroaggregation due to increasing electrostatic repulsion derived from increased negative charges on APSNPs and the polymer-derived dissolved organic carbon. Coexisted TiO2NPs promoted oxidation of PSNPs with the action of HO· and O2·- under UV light, leading to inhibited heteroaggregation. Moreover, Van der Waals and Lewis-acid interaction dominated the formation of primary heteroaggregates of PSNPs-TiO2NPs (ESE = ‒2.20 ∼ ‒2.78 eV) and APSNPs-TiO2NPs (ESE = ‒3.29 ∼ ‒3.67 eV), respectively. The findings provide a mechanistic insight into the environmental process of NPs and TiO2NPs, and are significant for better understanding their environmental risks in aquatic environments.