Contamination, fraction, and source apportionment of heavy metals in sediment of an industrialized urban river in China.

In this study, we conducted an analysis of the heavy metal concentrations, health risk assessment, fraction and source interpretation in surface and core sediments from main stream of the Pearl River and Pearl River Estuary (RRE) area. Results showed that the higher deposited heavy metal concentrations in sediments occur at the Pearl River. The concentrations of heavy metals in surface sediments from the studied locations are in a descending order: Zn > Cr > Cu > Ni > Pb > Cd.

5' copyback defective viral genomes are major component in clinical and non-clinical influenza samples.

Clinical samples from people with influenza disease have been analyzed to assess the presence and abundance of Defective Viral Genomes (DVGs), but these have not been assessed using the same bioinformatic pipeline. The type of DVG most described for influenza infections (deletion DVGs) differs from the most commonly described DVGs from non-segmented negative stranded viruses (5' copyback). This could be attributed to either differences between viruses or the tools used to detect and characterize DVGs.

Spatial and temporal dynamics and fluxes estimation of manganese fractions in sediments from the Pearl River Estuary, southern China.

Sequential extraction was used to study the historical dynamics and fluxes of the chemical fractions of manganese (Mn) in sediments collected from the Pearl River Estuary (PRE), southern China. Results revealed that the proportion of Mn associated with different fractions decreased in the order of acid-soluble fraction (F1) > reducible fraction (F2) > residual fraction (F4) > oxidizable fraction (F3). F1 (47%) was the dominant Mn fraction, indicating the strong bioavailability of Mn to aquatic organisms in the PRE.

Glycosylation of H4 influenza strains with pandemic potential and susceptibilities to lung surfactant SP-D.

We recently reported that members of group 1 influenza A virus (IAV) containing H2, H5, H6, and H11 hemagglutinins (HAs) are resistant to lung surfactant protein D (SP-D). H3 viruses, members of group 2 IAV, have high affinity for SP-D, which depends on the presence of high-mannose glycans at glycosite N165 on the head of HA. The low affinity of SP-D for the group 1 viruses is due to the presence of complex glycans at an analogous glycosite on the head of HA, and replacement with high-mannose glycan at this site evoked strong interaction with SP-D.

The research on CO oxidation over Ce-Mn oxides: The preparation method effects and oxidation mechanism.

A series of CeO-MnO for highly efficient catalytical oxidation of carbon monoxide were prepared by citrate sol-gel (C), hydrothermal (H) and hydrothermal-citrate complexation (CH) methods. The outcome indicates that the catalyst generated using the CH technique (CH-1:8) demonstrated the greatest catalytic performance for CO oxidation with a T of 98 °C, and also good stability in 1400 min. Compared to the catalysts prepared by C and H method, CH-1:8 has the highest specific surface of 156.

Spatial and Temporal Variations and Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Fractions in Sediments of the Pearl River Estuary, Southern China.

Sequential extraction was used to study the mobility and ecological risk of chemical fractions of six heavy metals in sediments collected from the Pearl River Delta (PRE) in China. Results revealed that residual fractions (F4) were the dominant forms for Cr and Ni in surface sediments, indicating that they were primarily stable in nature and had low bioavailability and ecotoxicity. Cd had a high environmental risk owing to its higher availability in acid-soluble fraction (F1), whereas Pb occurred predominantly in the reducible fraction (F2) in surface sediments.

Harmless process of organic matter in organosilicon waste residue by fluidization-like DDBD reactor: Temperature action and mechanism.

Herein, the non-hazardous application of low-temperature plasma technology in solid waste from the silicone industry was investigated by using a fluidization-like double dielectric barrier discharge plasma (DDBD) reactor. The results show ∼92.9% TOC in the organosilicon waste residue could be removed at the conditions (Discharge power: 7.

Post-vaccination serum cytokines levels correlate with breakthrough influenza infections.

Post-vaccination cytokine levels from 256 young adults who subsequently suffered breakthrough influenza infections were compared with matched controls. Modulation within the immune system is important for eliciting a protective response, and the optimal response differs according to vaccine formulation and delivery. For both inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) and live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIV) lower levels of IL-8 were observed in post-vaccination sera.

A review of the advances in catalyst modification using nonthermal plasma: Process, Mechanism and Applications.

With the continuous development of catalytic processes in chemistry, biology, organic synthesis, energy generation and many other fields, the design of catalysts with novel properties has become a new paradigm in both science and industry. Nonthermal plasma has aroused extensive interest in the synthesis and modification of catalysts. An increasing number of researchers are using plasma for the modification of target catalysts, such as modifying the dispersion of active sites, regulating electronic properties, enhancing metal-support interactions, and changing the morphology.

Catalytic ozonation of toluene over amorphous Cu-Mn bimetallic oxide: Influencing factors, degradation mechanism and pathways.

Herein, amorphous catalysts were employed to investigate the catalytic ozonation system, revealing the degradation mechanism and influencing factors (O concentration, temperature, and humidity) for toluene catalytic ozonation. CuMnO exhibited the highest toluene oxidized and excellent stability (∼85% at 60 h) based on the suitable value of O/O and potent synergy between Cu with Mn. To explore the effect of factors, the change of fresh and post-reaction samples was compared as revealed in the relevant characterization results (SEM, XRD, BET, XPS, TGA), DRIFTS and GC-MS identified the intermediates and byproducts.

Antigenic comparison of the neuraminidases from recent influenza A vaccine viruses and 2019-2020 circulating strains.

Although viral-based influenza vaccines contain neuraminidase (NA or N) antigens from the recommended seasonal strains, NA is not extensively evaluated like hemagglutinin (H) during the strain selection process. Here, we compared the antigenicity of NAs from recently recommended H1N1 (2010-2021 seasons) and H3N2 (2015-2021 seasons) vaccine strains and viruses that circulated between September 2019 and December 2020. The antigenicity was evaluated by measuring NA ferret antisera titers that provide 50% inhibition of NA activity in an enzyme-linked lectin assay.

Bias at the third nucleotide of codon pairs in virus and host genomes.

Genomes of different sizes and complexity can be compared using common features. Most genomes contain open reading frames, and most genomes use the same genetic code. Redundancy in the genetic code means that different biases in the third nucleotide position of a codon exist in different genomes.

Investigation of Cu-Mn catalytic ozonation of toluene: Crystal phase, intermediates and mechanism.

The effect of different crystal phases, i.e. spinel phase (CuMnO) and amorphous phase (CuMnO), was explored in Cu-Mn catalytic ozonation of toluene.

A Codon-Pair Bias Associated With Network Interactions in Influenza A, B, and C Genomes.

A new codon-pair bias present in the genomes of different types of influenza virus is described. Codons with fewer network interactions are more frequency paired together than other codon-pairs in influenza A, B, and C genomes. A shared feature among three different influenza types suggests an evolutionary bias.

Universal influenza vaccine based on conserved antigens provides long-term durability of immune responses and durable broad protection against diverse challenge virus strains in mice.

Current influenza vaccines rely on inducing antibody responses to the rapidly evolving hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) proteins, and thus need to be strain-matched. However, predictions of strains that will circulate are imperfect, and manufacturing of new vaccines based on them takes months. As an alternative, universal influenza vaccines target highly conserved antigens.

Balancing the influenza neuraminidase and hemagglutinin responses by exchanging the vaccine virus backbone.

Virions are a common antigen source for many viral vaccines. One limitation to using virions is that the antigen abundance is determined by the content of each protein in the virus. This caveat especially applies to viral-based influenza vaccines where the low abundance of the neuraminidase (NA) surface antigen remains a bottleneck for improving the NA antibody response.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A/Guangdong/17SF003/2016 is immunogenic and induces cross-protection against antigenically divergent H7N9 viruses.

Avian influenza A(H7N9) epidemics have a fatality rate of approximately 40%. Previous studies reported that low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI)-derived candidate vaccine viruses (CVVs) are poorly immunogenic. Here, we assess the immunogenicity and efficacy of a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A/Guangdong/17SF003/2016 (GD/16)-extracted hemagglutinin (eHA) vaccine.

A novel pilot-scale installation integrated of improved sieve-tray tower and wet electrostatic precipitator for paint mist removal.

In order to overcome the problem of decrease of the spraying exhausts purification efficiency caused by the paint mist, the installation combining of the improved sieve-tray tower and the wet electrostatic precipitator (WEP) was used for the treatment of the pilot-scale 1,000 m paint waste gas. The characteristics of paint mist were investigated, showing that the size distribution of oil-based paint mist located in the range of 5.4-43.

Reduced Influenza B-Specific Postvaccination Antibody Cross-reactivity in the B/Victoria Lineage-Predominant 2019/20 Season.

Background: The influenza activity of the 2019/20 season remained high and widespread in the United States with type B viruses predominating the early season. The majority of B viruses characterized belonged to B/Victoria (B/Vic) lineage and contained a triple deletion of amino acid (aa) 162-164 in hemagglutinin (3DEL). These 3DEL viruses are antigenically distinct from B/Colorado/06/2017 (CO/06)-the B/Vic vaccine component of the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons representing the viruses with a double deletion of aa 162-163 in hemagglutinin (2DEL).

Insights from the comparison of genomic variants from two influenza B viruses grown in the presence of human antibodies in cell culture.

Understanding the extent and limitation of viral genome evolution can provide insight about potential drug and vaccine targets. Influenza B Viruses (IBVs) infect humans in a seasonal manner and causes significant morbidity and mortality. IBVs are negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses with a segmented genome and can be divided into two antigenically distinct lineages.

Immune Pressure on Polymorphous Influenza B Populations Results in Diverse Hemagglutinin Escape Mutants and Lineage Switching.

Mutations arise in the genomes of progeny viruses during infection. Mutations that occur in epitopes targeted by host antibodies allow the progeny virus to escape the host adaptive, B-cell mediated antibody immune response. Major epitopes have been identified in influenza B virus (IBV) hemagglutinin (HA) protein.

Tackling environmental challenges in pollution controls using artificial intelligence: A review.

This review presents the developments in artificial intelligence technologies for environmental pollution controls. A number of AI approaches, which start with the reliable mapping of nonlinear behavior between inputs and outputs in chemical and biological processes in terms of prediction models to the emerging optimization and control algorithms that study the pollutants removal processes and intelligent control systems, have been developed for environmental clean-ups. The characteristics, advantages and limitations of AI methods, including single and hybrid AI methods, were overviewed.

Pb dating to investigate the historical variations and identification of different sources of heavy metal pollution in sediments of the Pearl River Estuary, Southern China.

In this study, we investigated the historical variation, source identification, and distribution of heavy metal pollution in sediments of the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) using Pb dating. Our results suggest that the heavy metal concentrations were higher in the western part of the estuary. For all heavy metals, Cd was significantly enriched in the sediments.

The neuraminidase of A(H3N2) influenza viruses circulating since 2016 is antigenically distinct from the A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 vaccine strain.

A(H3N2) virus predominated recent influenza seasons, which has resulted in the rigorous investigation of haemagglutinin, but whether neuraminidase (NA) has undergone antigenic change and contributed to the predominance of A(H3N2) virus is unknown. Here, we show that the NA of the circulating A(H3N2) viruses has experienced significant antigenic drift since 2016 compared with the A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 vaccine strain. This antigenic drift was mainly caused by amino acid mutations at NA residues 245, 247 (S245N/S247T; introducing an N-linked glycosylation site at residue 245) and 468.

Pregnancy level of estradiol attenuated virus-specific humoral immune response in H5N1-infected female mice despite inducing anti-inflammatory protection.

Estradiol, a major female steroid produced during pregnancy, has been reported to protect ovariectomized animals against H1N1 influenza infections via its anti-inflammatory effects. However, it remains unclear why pregnant women with high gestational estradiol levels are highly susceptible to influenza infections. This study was aimed to investigate the effects of pregnancy level of estradiol on female immunity against H5N1 infection in Balb/c mice.