Can we reach consensus on the dominant sulfate formation pathway in China's haze?

Atmospheric sulfate aerosols contribute significantly to air pollution and climate change. Sulfate formation mechanisms during winter haze events in northern China have recently received considerable attention, with more than 10 studies published in high-impact journals. However, the conclusions from in-field measurements, laboratory studies, and numerical simulations are inconsistent and even contradictory.

One-Step Phase Separation and Mineralization Fabrication of Membranes for Oily Wastewater Treatment.

Oily wastewater threatens the environment and the human health. Membrane technology offers a simple and efficient alternative to separating oil and water. However, complex membrane modifications are usually employed to optimize the separation performance.

Enhanced atmospheric oxidation toward carbon neutrality reduces methane's climate forcing.

The hydroxyl radical (OH), as the central atmospheric oxidant, controls the removal rates of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. It is being suggested that OH levels would decrease with reductions of nitrogen oxides and ozone levels by climate polices, but this remains unsettled. Here, we show that driven by the carbon neutrality pledge, the global-mean OH concentration, derived from multiple chemistry-climate model simulations, is projected to be significantly increasing with a trend of 0.

Nanochannel Stability of Chemically Converted Graphene Oxide Membranes.

Chemically converted graphene oxide laminate membranes, which exhibit stable interlayered nanochannels in aqueous environments, are receiving increasing attention owing to their potential for selective water and ion permeation. However, how the molecular properties of conversion agents influence the stabilization of nanochannels and how effectively nanochannels are stabilized have rarely been studied. In this study, mono-, di-, and tri-saccharide molecules of glucose (Glu), maltose (Glu2), and maltotriose (Glu3) are utilized, respectively, to chemically modify graphene oxide (GO).

Thin continuous membrane coating with high surface energy for comprehensive antifouling seawater distillation.

Membrane distillation (MD) has prominent advantages such as treating high-salinity wastewater with a low-grade thermal energy, high salt rejection, and zero discharge. However, organic fouling and mineral scaling are two major challenges for hydrophobic MD membranes when used for practical applications. Commonly, improving organic fouling- and mineral scaling-resistance require oppositely enhanced wetting properties of membrane, thus is difficult to simultaneously realize dual resistance with one membrane.

Side-Chain-Dependent Functional Intercalations in Graphene Oxide Membranes for Selective Water and Ion Transport.

Subnanometer interlayer space in graphene oxide (GO) laminates is desirable for use as permselective membrane nanochannels. Although the facile modification of the local structure of GO enables various nanochannel functionalizations, precisely controlling nanochannel space is still a challenge, and the roles of confined nanochannel chemistry in selective water/ion separation have not been clearly defined. In this study, macrocyclic molecules with consistent basal plane but varying side groups were used to conjunct with GO for modified nanochannels in laminates.

Unexpected response of nitrogen deposition to nitrogen oxide controls and implications for land carbon sink.

Terrestrial ecosystems in China receive the world's largest amount of reactive nitrogen (N) deposition. Recent controls on nitrogen oxides (NO = NO + NO) emissions in China to tackle air pollution are expected to decrease N deposition, yet the observed N deposition fluxes remain almost stagnant. Here we show that the effectiveness of NO emission controls for reducing oxidized N (NO = NO + its oxidation products) deposition is unforeseen in Eastern China, with one-unit reduction in NO emission leading to only 55‒76% reductions in NO-N deposition, as opposed to the high effectiveness (around 100%) in both Southern China and the United States.

Sulfate Formation Apportionment during Winter Haze Events in North China.

There is a large gap between the simulated and observed sulfate concentrations during winter haze events in North China. Although multiphase sulfate formation mechanisms have been proposed, they have not been evaluated using chemical transport models. In this study, the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) was used to apportion sulfate formation.

Xuanfei Pingchuan Capsules Ameliorate Autophagy in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells by Inhibiting p38 Phosphorylation.

This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of Xuanfei Pingchuan Capsules (XFPC) on autophagy and p38 phosphorylation in human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells induced by cigarette smoke extract (CSE). HBE cells were divided into five groups: blank, CSE, low XFPC dose (XFPC-L), medium XFPC dose (XFPC-M), and high XFPC dose (XFPC-H). HBE cells were induced by CSE to establish a cell model for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and different doses of XFPC medicated serum were used to treat the cells.

Untargeted GC-MS-Based Metabolomics for Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant gastrointestinal cancers in the world with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 68%. Although researchers accumulated many scientific studies, its pathogenesis remains unclear yet. Detecting and removing these malignant polyps promptly is the most effective method in CRC prevention.

Efficacy of statin therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis from 2008-2019.

Introduction: Statins produce significant hypolipidemic effects and reduce C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It has been reported that statins did not prevent the acute exacerbation of COPD or improve clinical outcomes. Therefore, we analyzed the actual therapeutic effects of statins on COPD therapy during long-term clinical trials.

Electrochemical luminescence determination of hyperin using a sol-gel@graphene luminescent composite film modified electrode for solid phase microextraction.

In this paper, a novel electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor of sol-gel@graphene luminescent composite film modified electrode for hyperin determination was prepared using graphene (G) as solid-phase microextraction (SPME) material, based on selective preconcentration of target onto an electrode and followed by luminol ECL detection. Hyperin was firstly extracted from aqueous solution through the modified GCE. Hydrogel, electrogenerated chemiluminescence reagents, pH of working solution, extraction time and temperature and scan rate were discussed.

Downregulation of Id1 by small interfering RNA in prostate cancer PC3 cells in vivo and in vitro.

Overexpression of helix-loop-helix protein-Id1 in prostate cancer correlates with tumor differentiation, and may play a key role in the development of prostate cancer. Hence, we inactivated the Id1 gene in prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo to determine whether the Id1 gene has therapeutic potential in the treatment of prostate cancer. A modified small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to inactivate the Id1 gene in androgen-independent prostate cancer cell line PC3 and its xenografts in nude mice.