Chromatographic differentiation in SOA fingerprint identification: A study on naphthalene and α-pinene oxidation.

The evolution of precursors to form secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is still a challenge in atmospheric chemistry. Chamber experiments were conducted to simulate the ambient OH oxidation of naphthalene and α-pinene, which are typical markers of anthropogenic and biogenic emissions. Particulate matters were sampled by quartz filters and were analyzed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) coupled with a thermal desorption system (TD) and a mass spectrometer (MS).

Developing a RecT-assisted endogenous CRISPR/SzCas9 system for precise genome editing in Streptococcus zooepidemicus.

Streptococcus zooepidemicus is the most commonly utilized strain for industrial-scale hyaluronic acid (HA) production due to its capacity to produce high-quality HA. However, the lack of efficient genetic manipulation approaches has significantly hindered the industrial application of this species. In this study, we developed a RecT-assisted endogenous CRISPR/SzCas9 system to enable markerless gene deletion, gene substitution, stop codon insertion, and iterative editing in the industrially significant strain S.

Chemical induction of DNA demethylation by 5-Azacytidine enhances tomato fruit defense against gray mold through dicer-like protein .

Postharvest decay, primarily caused by pathogenic fungi in ripening fruits and fresh vegetables, poses a challenge to agricultural sustainability and results in significant economic losses. The regulation of the fruit ripening by DNA methylation has been well demonstrated, while defense response of fruit underlying epigenetic regulation against postharvest decay remains uncertain. In the present study, treatment of tomato fruits with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-Azacytidine (5-Aza) notably decreased their susceptibility to gray mold.

Life-Course Health Risk Assessment of PM Elements in China: Exposure Disparities by Species, Source, Age, Gender, and Location.

Key stages in people's lives have particular relevance for their health; the life-course approach stresses the importance of these stages. Here, we applied a life-course approach to analyze the health risks associated with PM-bound elements, which were measured at three sites with varying environmental conditions in eastern China. Road traffic was found to be the primary source of PM-bound elements at all three locations, but coal combustion was identified as the most important factor to induce both cancer risk (CR) and noncancer risk (NCR) across all age groups due to the higher toxicity of elements such as As and Pb associated with coal.

Maternal GLP-1 receptor activation inhibits fetal growth.

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) regulates food intake, insulin production, and metabolism. Our recent study demonstrated that pancreatic α-cells-secreted (intraislet) GLP-1 effectively promotes maternal insulin secretion and metabolic adaptation during pregnancy. However, the role of circulating GLP-1 in maternal energy metabolism remains largely unknown.

[Chemical Composition and Characterization of Nitroaromatic Compounds in Urban Areas of Shanghai].

The compositional characteristics, concentration of nitroaromatic compounds(NACs) in PM in urban Shanghai, and their correlation with gaseous precursors were investigated. A total of 39 winter and 46 summer PM samples from 2020 to 2021 were collected using a high-flow sampler and analyzed via ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ESI-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry(UPLC-Orbitrap-HRMS). Quantitative analysis was performed on 12 NACs compounds, combined with backward trajectory meteorological elements, molecular composition, and classification analysis of CHON substances.

Repurposing endogenous type II CRISPR-Cas9 system for genome editing in Streptococcus thermophilus.

Streptococcus thermophilus has been extensively used in industrial milk fermentation. However, lack of efficient genetic manipulation approaches greatly hampered the industrial application of this species. Here, we repurposed the endogenous CRISPR1 and CRISPR3 systems, both belong to type II-A CRISPR-Cas9, by delivering a self-targeting CRISPR array with DNA repair template into S.

[Characteristics and Cause of PM During Haze Pollution in Winter 2022 in Zhoukou, China].

The characteristics and main factors of causes of haze in Zhoukou in January 2022 were analyzed. Six air pollutants, water-soluble ions, elements, OC, EC, and other parameters in fine particulate matter were monitored and analyzed using a set of online high-time-resolution instruments in an urban area. The results showed that the secondary inorganic aerosols(SNA), carbonaceous aerosols(CA, including organic carbon OC and inorganic carbon EC), and reconstructed crustal materials(CM, such as AlO, SiO, CaO, and FeO, etc.

A new strategy for browning regulation: Flos Sophorae Immaturus extract and thermal treatment modulates nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species network in fresh-cut potatoes.

Browning discoloration is a critical issue that negatively affects the quality of fresh-cut products and their industrial growth. Although many individual anti-browning technologies have been adopted, very few reports on the combination use of natural product extracts and physical methods exist. This study investigated the use of Flos Sophorae Immaturus extract in conjunction with thermal treatment and discovered that the combination effectively retarded browning in fresh-cut potatoes.

Double-Edged Role of VOCs Reduction in Nitrate Formation: Insights from Observations during the China International Import Expo 2018.

Aerosol nitrate (NO) constitutes a significant component of fine particles in China. Prioritizing the control of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a crucial step toward achieving clean air, yet its impact on NO pollution remains inadequately understood. Here, we examined the role of VOCs in NO formation by combining comprehensive field measurements conducted during the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai (from 10 October to 22 November 2018) and multiphase chemical modeling.

Herbal smoke fumigation for controlling Penicillium crustosum in fresh walnuts.

Fresh walnuts have a high water content and are susceptible to decay, and controlling fungal contamination during storage is vital to walnut marketing. In this research, the dominant pathogenic fungus of fresh walnuts was first identified as Penicillium crustosum by morphological and molecular methods. The antifungal effect of herbal smoke fumigation was tested in vitro and in vivo, including Myristica fragrans Houtt.

Sources of Organic Aerosol in China from 2005 to 2019: A Modeling Analysis.

Organic aerosol (OA) is a key component of fine particulate matter (PM) and affects the human health and leads to climate change. With strict control measures for air pollutants during the last decade, the OA concentration in China declined slowly, while its sources remain unclear. In this study, we simulate the primary OA (POA) and secondary OA (SOA) concentrations from 2005 to 2019 with a state-of-the-art air quality model, Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ, version 5.

[Spatial and Temporal Distribution Characteristics of Ozone Concentration and Population Health Benefit Assessment in the Yangtze River Delta Region from 2017 to 2020].

In recent years, the ozone (O) concentration has showed a rising trend in China, becoming second only to PM as an important factor affecting air quality. To grasp the spatial-temporal variations characteristics of O and the associated health impacts during the implementation of the three-year plan on defending the blue sky in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region, data collected from 210 monitoring stations in the YRD from 2017 to 2020 were analyzed using the global Moran's index and Getis-Ord index methods, and the associated health benefits of reduced O exposure were evaluated using the health risk and environmental value assessment methods. The results showed that during the study period, the interquartile range (IQR) of the annual average O concentration and that of the warm season both presented a declining trend.

Enigma of Urban Gaseous Oxygenated Organic Molecules: Precursor Type, Role of NO, and Degree of Oxygenation.

Oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) forms oxygenated organic molecules (OOMs), which contribute to secondary pollution. Herein, we present measurement results of OOMs using chemical ionization mass spectrometry with nitrate as the reagent ion in Shanghai. Compared to those in forests and laboratory studies, OOMs detected at this urban site were of relatively lower degree of oxygenation.

Exploration of the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effect of Luo Tong formula on retinal function in diabetic rats via the "gut microbiota-inflammation-retina" axis.

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common microvascular complication of diabetes. Luo Tong formula (LTF), a classical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, consists of four plants that have been widely and effectively used to treat DR. Previous work in our laboratory has confirmed that LTF can effectively ameliorate DR.

The interplays among meteorology, source, and chemistry in high particulate matter pollution episodes in urban Shanghai, China.

High particulate matter (PM) pollution episodes still occur occasionally in urban China, despite of improvements in recent years. Investigating the influencing factors of high-PM episodes is beneficial in the formulation of effective control measures. We herein present the effects of weather condition, emission source, and chemical conversion on the occurrence of high-PM episodes in urban Shanghai using multiple online measurements.

Hourly organic tracers-based source apportionment of PM before and during the Covid-19 lockdown in suburban Shanghai, China: Insights into regional transport influences and response to urban emission reductions.

During the Covid-19 outbreak, strict lockdown measures led to notable reductions in transportation-related emissions and significantly altered atmospheric pollution characteristics in urban and suburban areas. In this work, we compare comprehensive online measurements of PM major components and organic molecular markers in a suburban location in Shanghai, China before lockdown (Dec. 28, 2019 to Jan.

-Acetylglucosamine Promotes Tomato Plant Growth by Shaping the Community Structure and Metabolism of the Rhizosphere Microbiome.

Communication between plants and microorganisms is vital because it influences their growth, development, defense, propagation, and metabolism in achieving maximal fitness. -acetylglucosamine (N-GlcNAc), the building block of bacterial and fungal cell walls, was first reported to promote tomato plant growth via stimulation of microorganisms typically known to dominate the tomato root rhizosphere, such as members of and . Using KEGG pathway analysis of the rhizosphere microbial operational taxonomic units, the streptomycin biosynthesis pathway was enriched in the presence of N-GlcNAc.

[Characteristics of Nitroaromatic Compounds in PM in Urban Area of Shanghai].

Nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) are an important class of nitrogen-containing compounds in fine particles. The investigation of characteristics and seasonal variation of NACs in PM increases our knowledge about nitrogen-containing compounds and contributes to the scientific basis in formulating reduction policies of NO in urban areas. In this study, we analyzed the chemical composition of PM samples collected from March 2018 to February 2019 in an urban location in Shanghai.

Fungus Polygalacturonase-Generated Oligogalacturonide Restrains Fruit Softening in Ripening Tomato.

Fruit softening exacerbates mechanical damage incurred during shipping and handling and the increase in pathogen susceptibility. Here, oligogalacturonides (OGs) produced by fungal polygalacturonase (PG) delayed fruit softening in tomato and maintained fruit firmness at 8.37 ± 0.

Comparative Assessment of Cooking Emission Contributions to Urban Organic Aerosol Using Online Molecular Tracers and Aerosol Mass Spectrometry Measurements.

Cooking organic aerosol (COA) is an important source of particulate pollutants in urbanized regions. Yet, the diversity and complexity of COA components make direct identification and quantification of COA difficult. In this study, we conducted collocated OA measurements with an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) and a thermal desorption aerosol gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (TAG) in Shanghai.

A mitochondrion-targeted BODIPY-Ir(III) conjugate as a photoinduced ROS generator for the oxidative destruction of triple-negative breast cancer cells.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) provides an alternative option to root out localized triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and has been experiencing a surge of research interest over recent years. In this study, we put forward a paradigm of designing novel transition metal-based PSs with the following characteristics: favorable cell-permeability, significant light-harvesting ability and prominent ROS yield. A novel BODIPY-Ir(III) conjugate has been designed as a photoinduced ROS (O, ˙OH and ˙O) generator.