Fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) in urban lakes under hydrological connectivity: A multi-media mass balance approach.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of organic pollutants widely present in various environmental media. Some PAHs have carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic effects. Urban lakes are severely polluted by PAHs due to human activities.

Novel insights into PAHs accumulation and multi-method characterization of interaction between groundwater and surface water in middle Yangtze River: Hydrochemistry, isotope hydrology and fractionation effect.

To meet the challenge of water quality protection and management in the middle Yangtze River and understand the accumulation mechanism of PAHs in aquatic complexity systems, caused by hydro-chemical changes, anthropogenic and geological activities, and intensive surface water-groundwater interaction, a comprehensive study is urgently needed. The study investigated the pollution levels, potential sources, accumulation mechanism, and groundwater- surface water interaction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in wet and dry seasons of the middle Yangtze River. There was no significant difference of PAHs accumulation between wet and dry seasons of the middle Yangtze River.

IDO1-mediated M2 macrophage polarization alleviates the progression of ankylosing spondylitis.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) plays an anti-inflammatory role in autoimmune disease. However, its specific function in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the potential role of IDO1 in AS.

Benchmarking the medication efficiency and technological progress of diabetes drugs.

Background: Diabetes poses a serious global challenge, given its increasing prevalence, detrimental effects on public health, and substantial economic burden. Since 1950s, tens of drugs have been approved by the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In the past decade, the medical community and regulatory agencies have moved away from the glucose-centric paradigm and increasingly call for a holistic approach to assess different treatments' benefits and harms.

van der Waals NbOCl Nanodisks for Enhanced Second-Harmonic Generation.

Niobium oxide dichloride (NbOCl), a van der Waals crystal, exhibits exceptional second-harmonic generation (SHG) with high conversion efficiency, making it a promising candidate for on-chip quantum light sources, photon modulators, and sensors. To increase its suitability for integrated photonic systems, it is crucial to explore strategies for further improving optical nonlinear conversion efficiency. In this article, dielectric metasurfaces are employed to enhance SHG from patterned NbOCl nanodisks.

One-Stage Orbital Decompression Combined With Intraoperative Muscle Relaxation for TAO: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: To gauge the efficacy and safety of performing a one-stage endoscopic orbital decompression procedure combined with the intraoperative relaxed medial rectus muscle (MR) positioning technique as a means of treating esotropia associated with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO).

Design: Prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University.

Spread spectrum for covert communication in ultra-violet communication system.

In this paper, we propose a covert communication scheme based on a spread spectrum for ultra-violet communication. We first characterize the system model of the communication system, where Warden is adopted to monitor the legitimated user transmission based on the binary hypothesis test and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. To avoid periodic transmission of the pilot sequence which potentially degrades covertness, we propose a blind synchronization approach, such that the pilot sequence does not need to be transmitted.

A bibliometric analysis of seagrass sediment: Interpretation and prospects for research hotspots.

Seagrass sediment is intricately linked to their ecological functions, collectively forming the foundation of the seagrass ecosystem, and providing a range of essential ecosystem services, underscoring their significant research importance. This study aims to analyze the emerging hotspots and evolving trends in research on seagrass sediment over the past two decades (2003-2023), identify current research gaps, and forecast future directions for investigation. We extracted data from 3,390 studies identified in the Web of Science that have published pivotal research on seagrass sediment.

UBC18 E2 conjugating enzyme depends on SINAT1 E3 ligase to destabilize the ESCRT component FREE1 in plant iron deficiency responses.

E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes play a crucial role in the ubiquitination process by catalyzing ubiquitin transfer. Although the function of ubiquitin-protein ligases (E3s) in plants response to diverse abiotic stress by targeting specific substrates has been well studied, the involvement of E2s in environmental responses and their downstream targets are not well understood. In this study, we demonstrated that the E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme 18 (UBC18) influences the stability of FREE1 to modulate iron deficiency stress.

Observation of multiple topological bound states in the continuum in the photonic bilayer trimer lattice.

A topological bound state in the continuum (TBIC) is a novel topological phase that has attracted significant attention. Different from conventional topological insulators (TIs), where boundary states reside within gaps, TBICs can support unconventional boundary states that remain isolated from the surrounding bulk states. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate multiple TBICs in photonic bilayer trimer lattices using femtosecond laser writing technology.

Chemical signaling in biofilm-mediated biofouling.

Biofouling is the undesirable accumulation of living organisms and their metabolites on submerged surfaces. Biofouling begins with adhesion of biomacromolecules and/or microorganisms and can lead to the subsequent formation of biofilms that are predominantly regulated by chemical signals, such as cyclic dinucleotides and quorum-sensing molecules. Biofilms typically release chemical cues that recruit or repel other invertebrate larvae and algal spores.

Chronological evaluation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments of tangxun lake in central China and impacts of human activities.

This study sheds light on the contamination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Tangxun Lake sediments, an urban lake reflecting environmental changes in Central China. By analyzing sediment cores from both the inner and outer areas of the lake, we determined the historical trends and sources of PAHs over the past century. The results reveal a significant increase in PAHs concentrations, particularly since the 1980s, coinciding with China's rapid urbanization and industrialization.

Retinal perfusion related to visual field within the same asymmetric thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy.

Purpose: To quantify interocular differences in the retinal microvasculature between disparate eyes and explore associations between the retinal microvasculature and visual field abnormalities within the same asymmetric thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) patients.

Methods: Within the same asymmetric TAO eye, the eye with a severer visual field abnormality (based on the mean deviation [MD]) was considered a severe eye, and the fellow eye was considered mild. The densities of radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) and superficial retinal capillary plexuses (SRCP) were determined using optical coherence tomography angiography.

The value of 3D printing model combined PCNL in kidney stones: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: With the continuous advancement of medical imaging, 3D printing technology is emerging. This technology allows for the representation of complex objects in a model form. This research aims to delve into the irreplaceable value of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in conjunction with 3D printed models in urinary stone surgery.

Pyroptosis-related crosstalk in osteoarthritis: Macrophages, fibroblast-like synoviocytes and chondrocytes.

The pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) involves a multifaceted interplay of inflammatory processes. The initiation of pyroptosis involves the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and has been identified as a critical factor in regulating the development of OA. Upon initiation of pyroptosis, a multitude of inflammatory mediators are released and can be disseminated throughout the synovial fluid within the joint cavity, thereby facilitating intercellular communication across the entire joint.

ROK family regulator NagC promotes prodigiosin biosynthesis independent of -acetylglucosamine in sp. ATCC 39006.

Unlabelled: sp. ATCC 39006 is an important model strain for the study of prodigiosin production, whose prodigiosin biosynthesis genes () are arranged in an operon. Several transcription factors have been shown to control the transcription of the operon.

Functional studies on tandem carbohydrate-binding modules of a multimodular enzyme possessing two catalytic domains.

Unlabelled: Although functional studies on carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) have been carried out extensively, the role of tandem CBMs in the enzyme containing multiple catalytic domains (CDs) is unclear. Here, we identified a multidomain enzyme (Lc25986) with a novel modular structure from lignocellulolytic bacterial consortium. It consists of a mannanase domain, two CBM65 domains (LcCBM65-1/LcCBM65-2), and an esterase domain.