Volatile profiles and characteristic odorants in camellia seeds with different heat pretreatments.

Heat pretreatment plays a crucial role in affecting the quality, colour and aroma of camellia oil during the extraction process. This study aimed to investigate the effects of steaming, stir-frying, roasting, microwave and infrared treatment on the flavour and physicochemical quality of camellia seeds. The results indicated that, compared with unpretreated samples, the heat-pretreated ones exhibited increased oil content and browning degree, imparting a caramel colour with toasty and nutty flavours.

Precipitation, temperature, and landcovers drive spatiotemporal variability of groundwater nitrate concentration across the Continental United States.

Groundwater nitrate contamination, especially in agriculturally active regions, is a well-recognized environmental concern. Understanding how this contamination evolves across the continental USA (CONUS) and through time is important to designing effective mitigation strategies. Despite extensive research on nitrate contamination, no existing studies can accurately predict changes in groundwater nitrate concentrations over time across the CONUS.

Assessing the Release of Microplastics and Nanoplastics from Plastic Containers and Reusable Food Pouches: Implications for Human Health.

This study investigated the release of microplastics and nanoplastics from plastic containers and reusable food pouches under different usage scenarios, using DI water and 3% acetic acid as food simulants for aqueous foods and acidic foods. The results indicated that microwave heating caused the highest release of microplastics and nanoplastics into food compared to other usage scenarios, such as refrigeration or room-temperature storage. It was found that some containers could release as many as 4.

The Effect of Energy Use Rights Trading Policy on Environmental Performance: Evidence from Chinese 262 Cities.

This study provides empirical evidence and policy inspiration for China to implement the energy use rights trading policy. Using 262 cities in China from 2005 to 2019 as samples, we employed the double difference method and mediation analysis to empirically measure the impact of energy use rights trading policy on environmental performance. First, energy use rights trading policy can improve urban environmental performance.

Application of machine learning in groundwater quality modeling - A comprehensive review.

Groundwater is a crucial resource across agricultural, civil, and industrial sectors. The prediction of groundwater pollution due to various chemical components is vital for planning, policymaking, and management of groundwater resources. In the last two decades, the application of machine learning (ML) techniques for groundwater quality (GWQ) modeling has grown exponentially.

Does air quality improvement promote enterprise productivity increase? Based on the spatial spillover effect of 242 cities in China.

Introduction: Air pollution not only harms people's health, but also impedes urban economic development. This study aims to analyze how air quality improvement affects enterprise productivity. And then from regional and time heterogeneities' aspects to investigate if the air quality improvement increase enterprise productivity.

Impacts of Future Climate Variability on Atrazine Accumulation and Transport in Corn Production Areas in the Midwestern United States.

Atrazine is one of the most prevalent herbicides that has been widely applied to agricultural lands in the U.S. Understanding the transport and accumulation of atrazine in the subsurface under future climate scenarios is essential for future agriculture and water management.

Down-regulation of GAS5 has diagnostic value for tuberculosis and regulates the inflammatory response in mycobacterium tuberculosis infected THP-1 cells.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) growth arrest-special transcript 5 (GAS5) in the serum of tuberculosis (TB) patients and discuss the mechanism of GAS5 in TB by establishing an in-vitro TB cell model.

Methods: Serum expressions of GAS5 and miR-18a-5p were determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The effects of GAS5 on macrophage cell viability and the inflammatory response after MTB infection were assessed by CCK-8 and ELISA.

Modeling the vertical transport of antibiotic resistance genes in agricultural soils following manure application.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) may be introduced to agricultural soil through the land application of cattle manure. During a rainfall event, manure-borne ARGs may infiltrate into subsurface soil and leach into groundwater. The objective of this study was to characterize and model the vertical transport of manure-borne ARGs through soil following the land application of beef cattle manure on soil surface.

Toxic effect of p-chloroaniline and butyl acrylateon Nannochloropsis oculata based on water samples from two sea areas.

To compare the influence of water samples collected from various areas on toxic effect of HNS, we examined the toxic effect of two commonly found HNS: p-chloroaniline and butyl acrylate, on Nannochloropsis oculata cultured in seawater collected from Laizhou bay and Jiaozhou bay (China). The results showed that both p-chloroaniline and butyl acrylate had significant toxic effect on N. oculata cultured in both water samples.

Characterization of dissolved organic matter derived from coal gangue packed in underground reservoirs of coal mines using fluorescence and absorbance spectroscopy.

Organic and nitrogen pollutants in mine water could be removed effectively during the storage and transport of water in a coal mine underground reservoir packed with coal gangue through various water-rock interactions. However, little is known about the effect of the released dissolved organic matter (DOM) derived from the packed matrix on their removal. Column experiments were performed at a Darcy flux of 1.

Modeling the release and spreading of permanganate from aerated slow-release oxidants in a laboratory flow tank.

Aerated, slow-release oxidants are a relatively new technology for treating contaminated aquifers. A critical need for advancing this technology is developing a reliable method for predicting the radius of influence (ROI) around each drive point. In this work, we report a series of laboratory flow tank experiments and numerical modeling efforts designed to predict the release and spreading of permanganate from aerated oxidant candles (oxidant-wax composites).

Modeling the impact of evolving biofilms on flow in porous media inside a microfluidic channel.

This study integrates microfluidic experiments and mathematical modeling to study the impacts of biofilms on flow in porous media and to explore approaches to simplify modeling permeability with complicated biofilm geometries. E. coli biofilms were grown in a microfluidic channel packed with a single layer of glass beads to reach three biofilm levels: low, intermediate, and high, with biofilm ratios (β) of 2.

Climate change impacts the subsurface transport of atrazine and estrone originating from agricultural production activities.

Climate change will impact soil properties such as soil moisture, organic carbon and temperature and changes in these properties will influence the sorption, biodegradation and leaching of trace organic contaminants to groundwater. In this study, we conducted a modeling case study to evaluate atrazine and estrone transport in the subsurface under current and future climate conditions at a field site in central Nebraska. According to the modeling results, in the future, enhanced evapotranspiration and increased average air temperature may cause drier soil conditions, which consequently reduces the biodegradation of atrazine and estrone in the water phase.

Toxicity assessment of p-choroaniline on Platymonas subcordiformis and its biodegradation.

The use of p-chloroaniline (PCA) in various aspects leads to its existence and accumulation in the environment. Relevant researches showed that PCA was a prime toxic pollutant that had imposed a serious risk to public health and the environment. This paper investigated the toxicity effects of PCA on Platymonas subcordiformis (P.

Perchlorate behavior in the context of black carbon and metal cogeneration following fireworks emission at Oak Lake, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.

The imprints of fireworks displays on the adjacent water body were investigated from the perspective of cogeneration of black carbon, metals and perchlorate (ClO). In particular, the mixing and dissipation of ClO were studied at Oak Lake, Lincoln, Nebraska, following fireworks displays in 2015 and 2016. Following the display, ClO concentration in the water increased up to 4.

Prediction of nitrate accumulation and leaching beneath groundwater irrigated corn fields in the Upper Platte basin under a future climate scenario.

Understanding the impacts of future climate change on soil hydrological processes and solute transport is crucial to develop appropriate strategies to minimize the adverse impacts of agricultural activities on groundwater quality. To evaluate the direct effects of climate change on the transport and accumulation of nitrate-N, we developed an integrated modeling framework combining climatic change, nitrate-N infiltration in the unsaturated zone, and groundwater level fluctuations. The study was based on a center-pivot irrigated corn field at the Nebraska Management Systems Evaluation Area (MSEA) site.

Enhanced biodegradation of atrazine at high infiltration rates in agricultural soils.

The objective of this study was to assess the persistence and transport of atrazine at high infiltration rates expected from higher intensity precipitation associated with climate change scenarios in the midwestern U.S. The transport and transformation of atrazine was monitored in column experiments at high infiltration rates (64-119 mm d-1) associated with increased precipitation intensity.

Three-dimensional modeling of nitrate-N transport in vadose zone: Roles of soil heterogeneity and groundwater flux.

Contamination of groundwater from nitrogen fertilizers in agricultural lands is an important environmental and water quality management issue. It is well recognized that in agriculturally intensive areas, fertilizers and pesticides may leach through the vadose zone and eventually reach groundwater. While numerical models are commonly used to simulate fate and transport of agricultural contaminants, few models have considered a controlled field work to investigate the influence of soil heterogeneity and groundwater flow on nitrate-N distribution in both root zone and deep vadose zone.

Adsorption and decontamination of α-synuclein from medically and environmentally-relevant surfaces.

The assembly and accumulation of α-synuclein fibrils are implicated in the development of several neurodegenerative disorders including multiple system atrophy and Parkinson's disease. Pre-existing α-synuclein fibrils can recruit and convert soluble non-fibrillar α-synuclein to the fibrillar form similar to what is observed in prion diseases. This raises concerns regarding attachment of fibrillary α-synuclein to medical instruments and subsequent exposure of patients to α-synuclein similar to what has been observed in iatrogenic transmission of prions.

MiR-143 regulates the proliferation and migration of osteosarcoma cells through targeting MAPK7.

Accumulating documents have been suggested that microRNA-143 (miR-143) function as a tumor suppressor, involved in many biological processes including tumor initiation and progression. However, the biological function and molecular mechanism of miR-143 in Osteosarcoma (OS) still remains to be further investigated. Despite many efforts have been made, the prognosis of OS is still unsatisfied.

The attachment of colloidal particles to environmentally relevant surfaces and the effect of particle shape.

Despite the prevalence of nonspherical colloidal particles, the role of particle shape in the transport of colloids is largely understudied. This study investigates the attachment of colloidal particles onto environmentally relevant surfaces while varying particle shape and ionic strength. Using quartz crystal microbalance and atomic force microscopy measurements, the role of particle shape was elucidated and possible mechanisms discussed.

Influence of ligands on metal speciation, transport and toxicity in a tropical river during wet (monsoon) period.

Metal speciation and transport are seldom assessed in densely populated Tropical River. An evaluation of the phase distribution for Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb) and Zinc (Zn) along with chemical speciation, variance with different water quality parameters and toxicity were conducted in the Brahmaputra River of India from upstream to downstream during wet (monsoon) periods in July 2014. Results indicated that metal free ions and carbonates were dominant in the inorganic fractions whereas metal concentrations were negligible in the anionic inorganic fractions.

The influence of ionic strength and organic compounds on nanoparticle TiO2 (n-TiO2) aggregation.

This study investigated the aggregation of n-TiO2 in the presence of humic acid (HA) and/or 17β-estradiol (E2) under high ionic strength conditions simulating levels detected in landfill leachate. Aggregation of n-TiO2 was strongly influenced by ionic strength as well as ionic valence in that divalent cations (Ca(2+)) were more effective than monovalent (Na(+)) at the surface modification. HA or E2 enhanced aggregation of n-TiO2 in 20 mM CaCl2, however little aggregation was observed in 100 mM NaCl.