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The burning of incense for home use is a widespread practice that has been shown to have significant negative impacts on human health and air quality. However, there is a lack of understanding regarding its emission profiles and associated health risks. To address this knowledge gap, we utilized a state-of-the-art thermal desorption comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (TD-GC×GC-MS) to (semi-)quantify the emission factors (EFs) 317 volatile compounds and thoroughly investigate the organic profiles of incense burning smoke across a full-volatility range. Results showed that toluene (70.8 ± 35.7 µg g-1) is the most abundant compound in incensing-burning smoke, followed by benzene, furfural, and phenol. Phenol, toluene, furfural, 2-furanmethanol, benzene, and benzyl alcohol are the main contributors to ozone and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) estimation. Intermediate volatility organic compounds (IVOCs) accounted for 19.2% of the total EFs, but 40.0% of the estimated SOA. Additionally, a novel pixel-based method, combined with aroma analysis, revealed that furfural can act as a key tracer of incense burning, and is responsible for the distinctive flavor of incense smoke. High bioaccumulation potential (BAP) assessment using pixel-based partition coefficient estimation revealed that acenaphthylene, dibenzofuran, and phthalate esters (PAEs) are chemicals of high-risk concern and warrant further control. Our results highlight the critical importance of investigating home-use incense burning and provide new insights into the health impacts of incense burning smoke by novel approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particulate Free amino acids (FAAs) are essential components of organonitrogen that have critical climate impacts, but they are usually considered stable end products from protein degradation. In this work, we investigated the decay glycine (GC) as a model FAA under photolysis of different particulate nitrate salts using an in-situ micro-Raman system. Upon changes of the relative humidity (RH) cycle between 3 and 80% RH, ammonium nitrate (AN)+GC mixed particles did not exhibit any phase change, whereas sodium nitrate (SN)+GC mixed particles crystallized at 60% and deliquesced at 82% RH. Under light illumination at 80% RH, AN+GC particles showed almost no spectral changes, while rapid decays of glycine and nitrate were observed in SN+GC particles. The interactions between nitrate and glycine in AN+GC particles suppressed crystallization, but also hindered nitrate photolysis and glycine decay. On the other hand, glycine formed a complex with Na+ in deliquescent SN+GC particles and allowed unbonded nitrate to undergo photolysis and trigger glycine decay, though nitrate photolysis was greatly hindered upon particle crystallization. Our work provides insights into how FAAs may interact with different nitrate salts under irradiation and lead to distinct decay rates, which facilitates further investigations on their atmospheric lifetime estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In regions of the nitrogen limited low latitude ocean, phosphate can also be depleted to levels initiating stress responses in marine microbes. Here, we associate a broad region of phosphate depletion in the subtropical North Pacific with different levels of phosphorus stress. Nutrient and aerosol addition experiments demonstrated primary nitrogen limitation of the bulk phytoplankton community, with supply of aerosols relieving this limitation. At northern sites with depleted phosphate, alkaline phosphatase activities were enhanced, indicating elevated phosphorus stress. Analysis of satellite- and model-derived aerosol loading showed that aerosol deposition was elevated in these regions. Surface rate measurements suggested that the regional enhancement in phosphate depletion was predominantly driven by elevated nitrogen fixation, likely stimulated by the coincident supply of aerosol iron. Such observations are important for predicting future biogeochemical responses in the subtropical North Pacific to changing aerosol supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Arctic Ocean is unique, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific basins and being especially vulnerable to the impacts of a changing climate. Iron stable isotopes (δ56Fe) provide a unique window into the biogeochemical cycling of Fe in the Arctic. Here we present the first seawater δ56 Fe for the Western Arctic Ocean, from the 2015 U.S. GEOTRACES GN01 transect. Samples analyzed for δ56Fe include seawater dissolved (<0.2 μm), soluble (<-0.003 μm), and leachable particulate phases. Several key processes were explored using Fe isotopes, each characterized by a distinct combination of δ56Fe and Fe concentrations. Input of Fe from reducing continental shelf sediments was characterized by high dissolved Fe concentrations (6.18 ± 4.84 nmol kg-1) and low δ56 Fe (-1.57 ± 0.66‰). Riverine Fe input observed in the Transpolar Drift Current was characterized by high Fe concentrations corresponding to a riverine end-member Fe concentration of 19 nM, and near-zero δ56Fe (0.02 ± 0.23‰) that was similar to that of average crustal material. The deep Arctic was mostly characterized by low Fe concentrations (0.33 ± 0.14 nmol kg-1) and slightly higher δ56Fe (0.05 ± 0.30‰), except for samples taken near continental slopes that were affected by sedimentary Fe input with lower δ56 Fe, and in the Amundsen Basin which showed possible hydrothermal Fe input. Our data thus illuminate Fe biogeochemical cycling processes in the modern Arctic Ocean, and serve as a baseline for understanding how the Arctic Fe cycle responds to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platycladi Cacumen (Platycladus orientalis leaf) it a traditional Chineso medicine with a variety of medicinal value., and Vo efficc-cc has been recorded bc manc ancient booko. Ito chemical component. mainlc include flavonoid., volatile oil, tannins and so on. Pharmacolog ical studies have confirmed that P. orientalis leaves have various pharmacological effects such as antibacteeal, anti-oxidant, anti-tumos, hais growth promoting and hemostatic effects. Through review of the research on the chemical component and pharmacological effects of P. orientalis leaves, this studc if intended to provide référença for she research, development and utilization of P. orientalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the continuous on-line measurements of isoprene in the atmosphere have been carried out by using the Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) in the band of 202.71-227.72 nm for the first time. Under the zero optical path in the laboratory, different equivalent concentrations of isoprene were measured by the combination of known concentration gas and series calibration cells. The correlation between the measured concentrations and the equivalent concentrations was 0.9996, and the slope was 1.065. The correlation coefficient between DOAS and on-line VOCs instrument is 0.85 and the slope is 0.86 in the comparison of 23 days field observation. It is estimated that the detection limit of isoprene with DOAS is about 0.1 ppb at an optical path of 75 m, and it is verified that isoprene could be measured in the ultraviolet absorption band using DOAS method with high temporal resolution and low maintenance cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microstrip monopole antenna backed with a novel uniplanar compact electromagnetic bandgap (UC-EBG) structure for 2.4 GHz wireless body area network applications is proposed here. The proposed antenna has a size reduction of 50% when the number of EBG array is optimised from 3 × 4 to 2× 3, while the radiation performance is almost invariable at the same time. The operating frequency band under different conditions has the capability of covering the 2.4-2.4835 GHz industrial, scientific, and medical band. Due to the addition of 2×3 UC-EBG on the back, the radiation patterns become unidirectional, and the measured average gain increases from 2.1 to 5.6 dB. Meanwhile, the cross-polarisation of the monopole antenna can be suppressed prominently by the EBG array. The simulated specific absorption rate values are 0.0536 W/kg under 1 g standard and 0.0296 W/kg under 10 g standard, which are far below the limitation of USA and Europe. These results can manifest the reliable wearable performance of the proposed antenna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increased concerns on the shipping emitted air pollutants, the feasible technology for the surveillance is in high demand. Here we presented the shore-based Multi-Axis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) measurements of emitted SO2 and NO2 from ships under different traffic conditions in China's ship emission control area (ECA) of Shanghai and Shenzhen, China. These three typical measurement sites are used to represent emission scenarios of ship docked at berth, navigation in the inland waterway and inbound/outbound in the deep water port. With 2-dimensional scanning, the observation shows that the hotspots of SO2 and NO2 can be quickly and easily located from multiple berth. Although the MAX-DOAS measurements can not distinguish the single ship plume in the busy shipping lanes of inland waterway area, it certificates that the variations of SO2 and NO2 levels are mainly impacted by the ship traffic density and atmospheric dispersion conditions. In the open water area with low density of vessels, the MAX-DOAS measurements can capture the pulse signal of ship emitted SO2 and NO2 very well, and characterize the peaks altitude and insistent duration of the individual ship plumes. Combined with the ship information of activity data, rated power of engine and fuel sulfur content, it was found that SO2/NO2 ratio in single plume is usually low (<1.5) for inbound vessel due to the usage of auxiliary engine with less power and clean fuel of low sulfur content. Meanwhile, the unexpected high SO2/NO2 ratio implies the fuel usage with sulfur content exceeding limit of regulations. Therefore, the observed SO2/NO2 ratio in the plume of single ship can be used as the index for the compliance of fuel sulfur content, and then tag the suspicious ship for further enforcement. Combined the ship emission estimated by actual operation parameters and logical sulfur content, the shore-based MAX-DOAS measurement will provide the fast and more accurate way for the surveillance of ship emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protects against hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) by inhibiting the proliferation and migration of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Under hypoxia, the hypoxia-inducible factor 1α(HIF-1α) inhibits ACE2 indirectly; however, the underlying mechanism is unclear. In the present study, we found that exposure to chronic hypoxia stimulated microRNA (miRNA) let-7b expression in rat lung via a HIF-1α-dependent pathway. Let-7b downregulated ACE2 expression by directly targeting the coding sequence of ACE2. Our in vitro and in vivo results revealed that let-7b contributed to the pathogenesis of HPH by inducing PASMCs proliferation and migration. Let-7b knockout mitigated right ventricle hypertrophy and pulmonary vessel remodeling in HPH by restoring ACE2 expression. Overall, we demonstrated that HIF-1α inhibited ACE2 expression via the HIF-1α-let-7b-ACE2 axis, which contributed to the pathogenesis of HPH by stimulating PASMCs proliferation and migration. Since let-7b knockout alleviated the development of HPH, let-7b may serve as a potential clinical target for the treatment of HPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient flexible energy storage systems have received tremendous attention due to their enormous potential applications in self-powering portable electronic devices, including roll-up displays, electronic paper, and "smart" garments outfitted with piezoelectric patches to harvest energy from body movement. Unfortunately, the further development of these technologies faces great challenges due to a lack of ideal electrode materials with the right electrochemical behavior and mechanical properties. MXenes, which exhibit outstanding mechanical properties, hydrophilic surfaces, and high conductivities, have been identified as promising electrode material candidates. In this work, taking 2D transition metal carbides (TMCs) as representatives, we systematically explored several influencing factors, including transition metal species, layer thickness, functional group, and strain on their mechanical properties (e.g., stiffness, flexibility, and strength) and their electrochemical properties (e.g., ionic mobility, equilibrium voltage, and theoretical capacity). Considering potential chargetransfer polarization, we employed a charged electrode model to simulate ionic mobility and found that ionic mobility has a unique dependence on the surface atomic configuration influenced by bond length, valence electron number, functional groups, and strain. Under multiaxial loadings, electrical conductivity, high ionic mobility, low equilibrium voltage with good stability, excellent flexibility, and high theoretical capacity indicate that the bare 2D TMCs have potential to be ideal flexible anode materials, whereas the surface functionalization degrades the transport mobility and increases the equilibrium voltage due to bonding between the nonmetals and Li. These results provide valuable insights for experimental explorations of flexible anode candidates based on 2D TMCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate state of charge (SOC) estimation can prolong lithium-ion battery life and improve its performance in practice. This paper proposes a new method for SOC estimation. The second-order resistor-capacitor (2RC) equivalent circuit model (ECM) is applied to describe the dynamic behavior of lithium-ion battery on deriving state space equations. A novel method for SOC estimation is then presented. This method does not require any matrix calculation, so the computation cost can be very low, making it more suitable for hardware implementation. The Federal Urban Driving Schedule (FUDS), The New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), and the West Virginia Suburban Driving Schedule (WVUSUB) experiments are carried to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. Experimental results show that the SOC estimation error can converge to 3% error boundary within 30 s when the initial SOC estimation error is 20%, and the proposed method can maintain an estimation error less than 3% with 1% voltage noise and 5% current noise. Further, the proposed method has excellent robustness against parameter disturbance. Also, it has higher estimation accuracy than the extended Kalman filter (EKF), but with decreased hardware requirements and faster convergence rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The state of charge (SOC) is an important parameter for batteries, especially those for electric vehicles. Since SOC cannot be obtained directly by measurement, SOC estimation methods are required. In this paper, three model-based methods, including the extended particle filter (EPF), cubature particle filter (CPF), and unscented particle filter (UPF), are compared in terms of complexity, accuracy, and robustness. The second-order resistor-capacitor (RC) equivalent circuit model is selected as the circuit model of the lithium-ion battery, and the parameters of the model are obtained by off-line identification. Then, the City test is applied to compare the performance of the methods. The experimental results show that the EPF method exhibits low complexity and fast running speed, but poor accuracy and robustness. Compared with the EPF method, the complexity of the CPF and UPF methods is relatively high, but these models offer improved accuracy and robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a field survey in the Krka River and its estuary (Croatia) in September 2014 to study the significance of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and derived nutrients. During the sampling period, the exchange time of the brackish water above the halocline in the Krka River Estuary (KRE) was calculated to be 8.3 ± 3.5 days. Three approaches of three end-member model, mass balance model and time series observation in tidal period based on Ra isotopes were used to evaluate the SGD fluxes in the KRE surface layer. We estimated the SGD flux to be (1.3-7.8) x 105 m3 d-1, which was approximately 2.7-16.1% of the Krka River discharge into the estuary. By establishing the nutrient budgets in the KRE surface layer, SGD dominated the nutrient sources, followed by Krka River. SGD-derived dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and dissolved orthosilicate (DSi) contributed 26.8-68.6% and 9.5-38.3% to the total DIN and DSi fluxes into the surface waters of KRE, respectively. This indicates that SGD was likely a major external source of those nutrients in the KRE. We have identified that SGD-derived nutrients and their high N : P ratios may affect the ecosystem productivity in the KRE and nearby Adriatic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The state of charge (SOC) is the residual capacity of a battery. The SOC value indicates the mileage endurance, and an accurate SOC value is required to ensure the safe use of the battery to prevent over- and over-discharging. However, unlike size and weight, battery power is not easily determined. As a consequence, we can only estimate the SOC value based on the external characteristics of the battery. In this paper, a cubature particle filter (CPF) based on the cubature Kalman filter (CKF) and the particle filter (PF) is presented for accurate and reliable SOC estimation. The CPF algorithm combines the CKF and PF algorithms to generate a suggested density function for the PF algorithm based on the CKF. The second-order resistor-capacitor (RC) equivalent circuit model was used to approximate the dynamic performance of the battery, and the model parameters were identified by fitting. A dynamic stress test (DST) was used to separately estimate the accuracy and robustness of the CKF and the CPF algorithms. The experimental results show that the CPF algorithm exhibited better accuracy and robustness than the CKF algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: We report a meta-analysis of recent studies comparing the diagnostic yields of endobronchial ultrasonography plus fluoroscopically-guided transbronchial biopsy (EBUS + TBB) with that of conventional fluoroscopically-guided TBB for peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs). METHODS: We searched Medline, the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Google Scholar through 31 March 2013 using the keywords: lung neoplasm, pulmonary lesions, diagnosis, endobronchial ultrasound, fluoroscopy, and fluoroscopic. RESULTS: Four studies were included in the study with a total of 461 patients, 222 in the EBUS + TBB group and 239 in the TBB only group. The meta-analysis revealed that the group with EBUS + TBB was more favored in terms of positive diagnostic yield than the group diagnosed with only conventional TBB (odds ratio [OR] = 2.211, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.422–3.438, P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis based on lesion size found that smaller PPLs had higher accuracy (OR = 4.502, 95% CI = 2.002–10.126, P < 0.001) than PPLs of large size (OR = 1.849, 95% CI = 1.033–3.311, P = 0.039). CONCLUSION: Obtaining TBB samples for histopathological diagnosis is enhanced by the addition of EBUS to conventional fluoroscopic guidance; this is, especially important for patients with small peripheral lung lesions who benefit greatly from early diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the impacts of long-range transport on particulate inorganic nitrogen associated with dust in downwind areas, aerosol samples were collected in the Qingdao coastal region on dust and non-dust (ND) days in spring from 2008 to 2011. The concentrations of water-soluble ions were measured by ion chromatography, with metal elements detected using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Compared to atmospheric aerosols collected on ND days, samples from dust days exhibited higher concentrations of particles and crustal elements. Total aerosol particle concentrations increased by a factor of 5.9 on average dust days. On dust days, the average concentrations of crustal elements (Sc, Al, Fe, Ca and Mg) increased by over a factor of four relative to those on ND days. The inorganic nitrogen content increased 1.2 to 9.2-fold during some dust events in which storms were weak or slow moving and reactions occurred during transport. By contrast, nitrate and ammonium exhibited very low concentrations (< 20 % of ND samples) or decreased concentrations in some cases as a result of the strong dilution effect of low-nutrient dust particles arising from their rapid transport in a strong dust storm. If air masses traveled faster than 40.5 ± 9.9 km/h, the inorganic nitrogen content of most aerosol samples decreased compared to that of ND samples because of the strong dilution effect. The concentration of atmospheric particulate inorganic nitrogen was related to not only the transport path and speed but also the local emissions and reaction conditions during transport. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) receptor model results showed that the contribution of soil dust dramatically increased from 23 % to 36 % (90 % of the residuals < 3.0 and r2 = 0.97) on dust days, while the contributions of local anthropogenic sources decreased, especially that of secondary aerosols. The dry deposition flux of atmospheric particulates increased from 2800 ± 700 mg/m2/month on ND days to 16,800 ± 15,900 on dust days. The dry deposition flux of particulate inorganic nitrogen increased 1.1 to 5.8-fold under the weak dilution effects of dust events. The dry deposition flux of nitrate decreased by 46 %-63 %, while that of ammonium decreased by 14 % or to ND levels when strong dilution occurred during dust events. The atmospheric input of nitrogen to the ocean was not enhanced by dust events, and dust deposition was an uncertain source of nitrogen to the ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exact analytic solutions of the kink soliton equation obtained in a recent interesting study of the classical Skyrme model defined on a simple spherically symmetric background are presented. By a variational method, the existence of spherically symmetric monopole solutions are proved. In particular, all finite-energy kink solitons must be Bogomool'nyi-Prasad-Sommerfield are showed. Moreover, together with numerical analysis, we can clearly see the validity of our theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, nanotwinned cubic boron nitrides (NT c-BN) have demonstrated extraordinary leaps in hardness. However, an understanding of the underlying mechanisms that enable nanotwins to give orders of magnitude increases in material hardness is still lacking. Here, using transmission electron microscopy, we report that the defect density of twin boundaries depends on nanotwin thickness, becoming defect-free, and hence more stable, as it decreases below 5 nm. Using ab initio density functional theory calculations, we reveal that the Shockley partials, which may dominate plastic deformation in c-BNs, show a high energetic barrier. We also report that the c-BN twin boundary has an asymmetrically charged electronic structure that would resist migration of the twin boundary under stress. These results provide important insight into possible nanotwin hardening mechanisms in c-BN, as well as how to design these nanostructured materials to reach their full potential in hardness and strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary artery intimal sarcoma (PAIS) is a rare malignant tumor that presents with nonspecific symptoms and may be misdiagnosed as thromboembolic disease. We report a case of a 40-year-old female who presented with diarrhea as the initial symptom, was misdiagnosed and received thrombolytic therapy for presumed pulmonary embolism. Progressive symptoms and subsequent surgery led to the diagnosis of PAIS, and early relapse after pulmonary endarterectomy. Her survival time was 17 months after pulmonary endarterectomy. To our knowledge, diarrhea as initial manifestation of PAIS has not been described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) represent a surprisingly novel field in mammalian transcriptome research. With the development of RNA sequencing technology and computational methods, lncRNAs have been demonstrated to have important roles in biological processes at the epigenetic, transcription and post-transcriptional levels. In addition, the dysregulation of lncRNAs contributes to numerous diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The present review discusses the important functions of lncRNAs in respiratory diseases, highlights the mechanistic roles which underlie lncRNAs in lung cancer as well as considers the current and future potential use of lncRNAs as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the treatment of lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report high-pressure synthesis of chromium monoboride (CrB) at 6 GPa and 1400 K. The elastic and plastic behaviors have been investigated by hydrostatic compression experiment and micro-indentation measurement. CrB is elastically incompressible with a high bulk modulus of 269.0 (5.9) GPa and exhibits a high Vickers hardness of 19.6 (0.7) GPa under the load of 1 kg force. Based on first principles calculations, the observed mechanical properties are attributed to the polar covalent Cr-B bonds interconnected with strong zigzag B-B covalent bonding network. The presence of metallic Cr bilayers is presumably responsible for the weakest paths in shear deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of dissolved silicon in natural waters for the determination of silicon isotopes by MC-ICPMS often involves pre-concentration and purification steps. In this study, we present a simplified magnesium co-precipitation step to enrich the dissolved silicon by substituting concentrated ammonia for NaOH solution and increasing the co-precipitation time. Silicon recovery using single coprecipitation protocol is quantitative and less affected by the volume of ammonia. The separation of silicon from other cations is achieved using a cation exchange resin and ensures complete yields. A low procedural blank of ~14.0 ng Si was achieved by purifying all the reagents. No detectable Si isotope fractionation is observed using the optimized single co-precipitation followed by a cation exchangeresin purification step. Suitability of the application of this method in various natural waters is demonstrated, including river saline and seawater. The modified single co-precipitation method presented in our study is more convenient than the previous multiple co-precipitation protocol and has a broad application range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]