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Summary: The base‐editing technique using CRISPR/nCas9 (Cas9 nickase) or dCas9 (deactivated Cas9) fused with cytidine deaminase is a powerful tool to create point mutations. In this study, a novel G. hirsutum‐Base Editor 3 (GhBE3) base‐editing system has been developed to create single‐base mutations in the allotetraploid genome of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). A cytidine deaminase sequence (APOBEC) fused with nCas9 and uracil glycosylase inhibitor (UGI) was inserted into our CRISPR/Cas9 plasmid (pRGEB32‐GhU6.7). Three target sites were chosen for two target genes, GhCLA and GhPEBP, to test the efficiency and accuracy of GhBE3. The editing efficiency ranged from 26.67 to 57.78% at the three target sites. Targeted deep sequencing revealed that the C→T substitution efficiency within an 'editing window', approximately six‐nucleotide windows of −17 to −12 bp from the PAM sequence, was up to 18.63% of the total sequences. The 27 most likely off‐target sites predicted by CRISPR‐P and Cas‐OFFinder tools were analysed by targeted deep sequencing, and it was found that rare C→T substitutions (average < 0.1%) were detected in the editing windows of these sites. Furthermore, whole‐genome sequencing analyses on two GhCLA‐edited and one wild‐type plants with about 100× depth showed that no bona fide off‐target mutations were detectable from 1500 predicted potential off‐target sites across the genome. In addition, the edited bases were inherited to T1 progeny. These results demonstrate that GhBE3 has high specificity and accuracy for the generation of targeted point mutations in allotetraploid cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We demonstrate with field data the benefit of using high‐time‐resolution chemical speciation data in achieving more robust source apportionment of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) using positive matrix factorization (PMF). Hourly composition data were collected over a month in Shanghai, including four inorganic ions, 13 elements, organic, and elemental carbon. PMF analysis of the hourly data set (PMF1h) resolves eight factors: secondary nitrate/sulfate, vehicular/industrial emissions, coal combustion, secondary sulfate, tire wear, Cr and Ni point source, residual oil combustion, and dust, with the first three being the major ones and each contributing to >20% of PM2.5 mass. To characterize the benefit gained from time resolution, we carried out separate PMF analyses of 4‐ and 6‐hr averaged data of the same data set (PMF6h and PMF4h). PMF6h and PMF4h produce an eight‐factor solution sharing similar factors to those by PMF1h but show less stability and more mixing in source profiles. Profile mixing was especially noticeable for tire wear, coal combustion, and Cr and Ni point source in PMF6h, as the 6‐hr averaging significantly decreased between‐sample variability and increased rotational ambiguity. While the three sets of PMF solutions were similar in contributions for factors with major species as source markers (e.g., secondary nitrate/sulfate), larger variations existed for factors with trace species as markers due to mixing of major species in the profiles and higher rotational uncertainties in PMF4h and PMF6h. Our results indicate that hourly time series of elements and major components could achieve more robust source apportionment through better capturing of diurnal‐scale dynamics in source activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-type B and P double doped porous g-C 3 N 4 (CN–B–P) nanosheets is successfully prepared by using melamine and cyanuric acid as precursors, [Emin]BF 4 and [Bmim]PF 6 as B and P sources. The reason for obtaining a porous structure is that the raw material is decomposed to produce gas molecular etching materials such as CO 2 and NH 3 in the process of pyrosynthesis. The formed porous structure provides largest specific surface area (BET), which reach 137.49 m2g−1. A largest BET and porous morphology are conducive to providing more reactive sites. It short the electron transfer path and accelerate the electron transfer efficiency. Under the influence of B and P doping and porous structure, the H 2 production of CN–45B–45P reach 9443.38 ​μmol/g/h, which is 12.34 times more than bulk carbon nitride CN (765.17 ​μmol/g/h), and is better than best sample (N–CN–45B–45P) without platinum as a cocatalyst (1187.34 ​μmol/g/h). In addition, the cyclic and continuous hydrogen production test results shows that the sample has excellent stability and durability. When the light source is irradiated to the surface of the sample and the irradiation energy is greater than the band gap energy, the porous structure of the sample surface and the introduction of boron and phosphorus elements promote the separation rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, and the electrons transition from the valence band to the conduction band. The reduction of H 2 O to H 2 completes the process of photocatalytic hydrogen production. [Display omitted] • With [Emin]BF 4 and [Bmim]PF 6 as boron and phosphorus sources, B and P doped porous g-C 3 N 4 was prepared. • The porous materials have the highest carrier concentration, which accelerates the electron transfer efficiency. • The sample(CN-45B-45P) had a large specific surface area. • Hydrogen production performance has been greatly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 2.5 major components and organic molecular markers in a suburban location in Shanghai, China before lockdown (Dec. 28, 2019 to Jan. 23, 2020) and during lockdown (Jan. 24 to Feb. 9, 2020). The NO x levels declined sharply by 59% from 44 to 18 ppb during the lockdown, while O 3 rose two times higher to 42 ppb. The PM 2.5 level dropped from 64 to 49 μg m−3 (−24%). The major components all showed reductions, with the reduction of nitrate most prominent at −58%, followed by organics at −19%, and sulfate at −17%. Positive matrix factorization analysis identifies fourteen source factors, including nine primary sources and five secondary sources. The secondary sources consist of sulfate-rich factor, nitrate-rich factor, and three secondary organic aerosol (SOA) factors, with SOA_I being anthropogenic SOA, SOA_II associated with later generation products of organic oxidation, and SOA_III being biogenic SOA. The combined secondary sources contributed to 69% and 63% (40 and 22 μg m−3) of PM 2.5 before and during lockdown, respectively, among which the reductions in the nitrate-rich (−55%) factor was the most prominent. Among primary sources, large reductions (>80%) were observed in contributions from industrial, cooking, and vehicle emissions. Unlike some studies reporting that the restriction during the Covid-19 resulted in enhanced secondary sulfate and SOA formation, we observed decreases in both secondary inorganic and SOA formation despite the overall elevated oxidizing capacity in the suburban site. Our results indicate that the formation change in secondary inorganic and organic compounds in response to substantial reductions in urban primary precursors are different for urban and suburban environments. [Display omitted] • Covid lockdown lowered PM 2.5 and NO x while increased O 3 levels in suburban Shanghai. • Nitrate was the most prominent contributor to PM 2.5 reduction during lockdown. • Lockdown led to reduced PM 2.5 contributions by 8 primary and 5 secondary sources. • Contribution percent drop from industrial and vehicular sources were as high as 87%. • Lockdown effects on SOA formation likely differ in suburban and urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) photocatalysts are used to achieve photocatalytic activity under visible light, but they suffer from an unprecedented bottleneck period. These photocatalysts have many intrinsic shortcomings, such as their small specific surface area and inefficient separation rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. Therefore, changing the morphology and structure of g-C 3 N 4 are essential challenges in addressing these shortcomings. Herein, we propose a novel one-pot method for constructing porous ultrathin g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets. Melamine and potassium gluconate were effectively combined via a supramolecular assembly strategy. As a gas template, potassium gluconate decomposes to produce CO 2 at high temperature. This novel potassium gluconate-cooperative pore generation on g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets method is proposed for the first time. As a result, the PCN-1.4 (the optimum sample of porous ultrathin g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets) photocatalyst has a large surface and a porous layer structure (67.95 m2 g−1, 0.3594 cm3 g−1) with abundant nitrogen defects. Furthermore, the porous ultrathin g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets prepared by this method not only have good performance in hydrogen production, but also in TC degradation. On the one hand, the PCN-1.4 sample exhibits an excellent hydrogen production efficiency (2323 μmol.g−1 h−1) that is 12 times that of bulk g-C 3 N 4 (192 μmol g−1 h−1). On the other hand, compared to the tetracycline hydrochloride degradation efficiency of bulk g-C 3 N 4 of 22 %, PCN-1.4 exhibits a higher degradation rate as high as 83 %. In summary, a new pathway for the generative pore-making is provided to prepare other porous materials. [Display omitted] • A new way of effective combination of potassium gluconate and melamine, the porous ultrathin g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets was successfully prepared. • The potassium gluconate acts as a gas template to create a porous structure. • The PCN-1.4 exhibited highly enhanced photocatalytic H 2 evolution activity. • In the degradation of TC, the rate is 82% under visible light in porous g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets. • A noval porous ultrathin nanosheets structure method and photocatalytic mechanism were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glutaraldehyde-crosslinked chitosan microparticles (CGP) prepared via the inversed-phase emulsification were successively modified by epichlorohydrin (ECH) and amidinothiourea (AT) as novel adsorbent (CGPET) for selective removal of Hg(II) in solution. FTIR, EA, XPS, SEM-EDX, TG, DTG, and XRD results indicated that CGPET had ample −NH 2 and C S, relative rough surface, mean diameter of ~40 μm, great thermal stability, and crystalline degree of 2.4%, beneficial to the uptake of Hg(II). The optimum parameters (pH 5, dosage 1 g/L, contact time 4 h, and initial concentration 150 mg/L) were acquired via batches of adsorption experiments. Adsorption behavior was well described by the Liu isothermal and pseudo-second-order kinetics models, and the maximum adsorption capacity was 322.51 mg/g, surpassing many reported adsorbents. Regeneration and coexisting-ion tests demonstrated that CGPET had outstanding reusability (R r > 86.89% at the fifth cycle) and selectivity (R s > 93%). Besides, its potential adsorption sites and mechanisms were proposed. [Display omitted] • Chitosan-based microparticles (CGPET) were first fabricated via two-step grafting. • CGPET of 40 μm in size had good thermal stability and relative rough spherical surface. • CGPET had sound reusability and outstanding selectivity for Hg(II). • Adsorption capacity for Hg(II) was higher than the counterparts reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field campaigns rarely measure individual polar organic compounds online, leaving unexplored their potential in tracking the formation dynamics of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). In a three-week-long field campaign in urban Shanghai, we deployed a commercial Thermal desorption Aerosol Gas chromatograph system (TAG) that integrates sampling, in-situ derivatization, and thermal desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis, producing hourly measurement of polar organics including a set of biogenic and anthropogenic SOA tracers. The abundance and variations of these SOA tracers were examined in relation to five PM 2.5 episodes, varying from 4 to 64 h in duration, during the field campaign from 9 November to 3 December 2018. The episodes were associated with stagnant air parcels. In comparison with the non-episodic hours, the episodic hours showed distinct chemical characteristics of a large mass increment of nitrate (an average of 4.7 fold) and secondary organic compounds (~3–6.4 fold), exceeding those of primary pollutants (1.6–1.9 fold). These results clearly indicate the significant contributions of secondary inorganic and organic production processes to forming PM 2.5 episodes. The SOA concentration estimated by the set of TAG-measured SOA tracers reached an average concentration of 2.6 μg/m3, accounting for a significant portion of OA in view of that the total organic matter (OM) in PM 1 measured by an Aerosol Mass Spectrometer was 7.9 μg/m3. Among them the SOA attributed to monoaromatic compounds (e.g., toluene) accounted for a noticeable portion of the total OM, implying that control strategies targeting local anthropogenic emissions would be effective in reducing the severity of episodic PM pollution. Examining the ratio of two monoterpene-derived SOA products, we found evidence of less-aged SOA in urban Shanghai, and this result was collaborated by the O/C value (0.4) of bulk OA. This work demonstrates hourly SOA tracer measurements by TAG are uniquely specific on identification of major SOA precursors for episodic events and observing the evolution of SOA. Image 1 • Online measurement of individual aerosol organics was made for the first time in urban Shanghai. • Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) tracers specific to a few common precursors were tracked. • Significant mass enhancement of SOA tracers and nitrate was observed during 5 PM 2.5 episodes. • Toluene and other monoaromatics SOA tracer had a mass increment of 5.6 during episodes vs. <2 for primary pollutants. • The diagnostic ratio of two α-pinene SOA tracers suggested fresh SOA in urban Shanghai. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic parameters within lacustrine sediments serve as invaluable proxies for deciphering the paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic conditions. However, the dissolution of magnetic minerals can significantly alter detrital magnetic mineral assemblages, thereby complicating their interpretation in paleoenvironmental reconstructions. In an effort to clarify the impact of this dissolution on the grain size of magnetic minerals in lacustrine sediments, we undertook a thorough analysis of the rock magnetic properties on samples from the interval characterized by low ARM (anhysteretic remanent magnetization)/SIRM (saturation isothermal remanent magnetization) values between 140 and 320 ka in the Heqing (HQ) lacustrine drill core, located in Southwest China. Temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility and FORC diagrams revealed a predominance of single-vortex and pseudo-single domain (PSD) magnetite and maghemite within the sample. When compared to samples from both the glacial and interglacial periods, the high SIRM, elevated magnetic susceptibility, and low ARM/SIRM ratio intervals from 140 to 320 ka suggested a high concentration of magnetic minerals coupled with a relatively low concentration of fine-grained particles in the sediments. The reductive dissolution of the fine-grained magnetic oxides is responsible for the reduction in the fine-grained magnetic particles in this interval. Our findings indicate that pedogenic fine-grained magnetite and maghemite are the first to dissolve, followed by the dissolution of coarser-grained iron oxides into finer particles. This process underscores the complex interplay between magnetic mineral dissolution and grain size distribution in lacustrine sediments, with significant implications for the reliability of paleoenvironmental interpretations derived from magnetic parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent internal modification of mRNA and plays an important role in regulating plant growth. However, there is still a lack of effective tools to precisely modify m6A sites of individual transcripts in plants. Here, programmable m6A editing tools are developed by combining CRISPR/dCas13(Rx) with the methyltransferase GhMTA (Targeted RNA Methylation Editor, TME) or the demethyltransferase GhALKBH10 (Targeted RNA Demethylation Editor, TDE). These editors enable efficient deposition or removal of m6A modifications at targeted sites of endo‐transcripts GhECA1 and GhDi19 within a broad editing window ranging from 0 to 46 nt. TDE editor significantly decreases m6A levels by 24%–76%, while the TME editor increases m6A enrichment, ranging from 1.37‐ to 2.51‐fold. Furthermore, installation and removal of m6A modifications play opposing roles in regulating GhECA1 and GhDi19 mRNA transcripts, which may be attributed to the fact that their m6A sites are located in different regions of the genes. Most importantly, targeting the GhDi19 transcript with TME editor plants results in a significant increase in root length and enhanced drought resistance. Collectively, these m6A editors can be applied to study the function of specific m6A modifications and have the potential for future applications in crop improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: The transcriptomic, phenotypic and metabolomic analysis of transgenic plants overexpressing GhMPK31 in upland cotton revealed the regulation of H2O2 burst and the synthesis of defensive metabolites by GhMPK31. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are a crucial class of protein kinases, which play an essential role in various biological processes in plants. Upland cotton (G. hirsutum) is the most widely cultivated cotton species with high economic value. To gain a better understanding of the role of the MAPK gene family, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the MAPK gene family in cotton. In this study, a total of 55 GhMPK genes were identified from the whole genome of G. hirsutum. Through an investigation of the expression patterns under diverse stress conditions, we discovered that the majority of GhMPK family members demonstrated robust responses to abiotic stress, pathogen stress and pest stress. Furthermore, the overexpression of GhMPK31 in cotton leaves led to a hypersensitive response (HR)-like cell death phenotype and impaired the defense capability of cotton against herbivorous insects. Transcriptome and metabolomics data analysis showed that overexpression of GhMPK31 enhanced the expression of H2O2-related genes and reduced the accumulation of defensive related metabolites. The direct evidence of GhMPK31 interacting with GhRBOHB (H2O2-generating protein) were found by Y2H, BiFC, and LCI. Therefore, we propose that the increase of H2O2 content caused by overexpression of GhMPK31 resulted in HR-like cell death in cotton leaves while reducing the accumulation of defensive metabolites, ultimately leading to a decrease in the defense ability of cotton against herbivorous insects. This study provides valuable insights into the function of MAPK genes in plant resistance to herbivorous insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insects pose significant challenges in cotton‐producing regions. Here, they describe a high‐throughput CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated large‐scale mutagenesis library targeting endogenous insect‐resistance‐related genes in cotton. This library targeted 502 previously identified genes using 968 sgRNAs, generated ≈2000 T0 plants and achieved 97.29% genome editing with efficient heredity, reaching upto 84.78%. Several potential resistance‐related mutants (10% of 200 lines) their identified that may contribute to cotton‐insect molecular interaction. Among these, they selected 139 and 144 lines showing decreased resistance to pest infestation and targeting major latex‐like protein 423 (GhMLP423) for in‐depth study. Overexpression of GhMLP423 enhanced insect resistance by activating the plant systemic acquired resistance (SAR) of salicylic acid (SA) and pathogenesis‐related (PR) genes. This activation is induced by an elevation of cytosolic calcium [Ca2+]cyt flux eliciting reactive oxygen species (ROS), which their demoted in GhMLP423 knockout (CR) plants. Protein‐protein interaction assays revealed that GhMLP423 interacted with a human epidermal growth factor receptor substrate15 (EPS15) protein at the cell membrane. Together, they regulated the systemically propagating waves of Ca2+ and ROS, which in turn induced SAR. Collectively, this large‐scale mutagenesis library provides an efficient strategy for functional genomics research of polyploid plant species and serves as a solid platform for genetic engineering of insect resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A zinc metal organic framework nanofiber fluorescent membrane (Zn(Eu)-MOF@PAN NFM) was prepared by doping the lanthanide metal Eu through an electrospinning and impregnation process. It was found that it had a strong fluorescence quenching effect on nitrobenzene, 4-nitrophenol, benzaldehyde and Fe3+ ions. [Display omitted] Metal-organic framework (MOF) fluorescent materials have significant advantages in detecting organic pollutants and metal ion pollution. A zinc metal organic framework nanofiber fluorescent membrane (Zn(Eu)-MOF@PAN NFM) was prepared by doping the lanthanide metal Eu using an electrospinning and impregnation process. The structure and morphology of the membrane was characterized by SEM, XRD, FT-IR and XPS. The results show that the membrane has good fluorescence performance and can successfully and efficiently detect nitrobenzene (NB; detection limit = 0.861 ppm, K sv = 0.143 ppm−1), 4-nitrophenol (4-NP; detection limit = 0.631 ppm, K sv = 0.178 ppm−1), benzaldehyde (BA; detection limit = 0.981 ppm, K sv = 0.051 ppm−1) and Fe3+ ions (detection limit = 3.418 ppm, K sv = 3.210×10−3 ppm−1) in solution. In terms of repeatability and stability, the test results are obviously better than the property of the powder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Base editors (BEs) display diverse applications in a variety of plant species such as Arabidopsis, rice, wheat, maize, soybean, and cotton, where they have been used to mediate precise base pair conversions without the collateral generation of undesirable double-stranded breaks (DSB). Studies of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) underpinning plant traits are still challenging, particularly in polyploidy species where such SNPs are present in multiple copies, and simultaneous modification of all alleles would be required for functional analysis. Allotetraploid cotton has a number of homoeologous gene pairs located in the A and D sub-genomes with considerable SNPs, and it is desirable to develop adenine base editors (ABEs) for efficient and precise A-to-G single-base editing without DSB in such complex genome. Results: We established various ABE vectors based on different engineered adenosine deaminase (TadA) proteins fused to Cas9 variants (dCas9, nCas9), enabling efficient A to G editing up to 64% efficiency on-target sites of the allotetraploid cotton genome. Comprehensive analysis showed that GhABE7.10n exhibited the highest editing efficiency, with the main editing sites specifically located at the position A5 (counting the PAM as positions 21–23). Furthermore, DNA and RNA off-target analysis of cotton plants edited with GhABE7.10n and GhABE7.10d by whole genome and whole-transcriptome sequencing revealed no DNA off-target mutations, while very low-level RNA off-target mutations were detected. A new base editor, namely GhABE7.10dCpf1 (7.10TadA + dCpf1), that recognizes a T-rich PAM, was developed for the first time. Targeted A-to-G substitutions generated a single amino acid change in the cotton phosphatidyl ethanolamine-binding protein (GhPEBP), leading to a compact cotton plant architecture, an ideotype for mechanized harvesting of modern cotton production. Conclusions: Our data illustrate the robustness of adenine base editing in plant species with complex genomes, which provides efficient and precise toolkit for cotton functional genomics and precise molecular breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long and continuous lacustrine sedimentary sequences from southwest (SW) China is an excellent material for research on the evolution of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM). However, well-dated research spanning periods exceeding 50 ka in the late Quaternary remains scarce because of the limited dating range of the 14C method. Therefore, we collected a 33.9-m long lacustrine sedimentary core (PT2) from SW China for a chronology study in the late Quaternary using geomagnetic excursion (GE) and relative paleointensity (RPI) correlation. This study will improve our understanding of the dynamics and evolutionary rules of the ISM. Detailed rock magnetic analyses showed that single domain- and vortex-state magnetite (and/or maghemite) dominated the magnetic properties in moderate and strong magnetic intervals. Moderate variations in concentration-dependent (SIRM, ARM) and grain size-dependent (ARM/SIRM) parameters satisfied the criteria for RPI research. Consequently, we present the magnetostratigraphy and RPI record of the PT2 lacustrine sedimentary core based on stepwise alternating field demagnetization. Five GEs were identified by at least three continuous reversed inclinations. Using the radiocarbon dating results as constraints, we identified the Hilina Pali, Mono Lake, and Laschamp excursions. By proxy correlation with the adjacent sedimentary core, an age tie of 140.07 ka was obtained. Subsequently, four RPI lows matched the NRM/ARM troughs in the adjacent HQ2002 drill core according to their synchronous changes. Based on the age ties above, post-Blake and Blake excursions were identified. Accordingly, three RPI lows were correlated with troughs in the global target curve PISO-1500 between 60 and 100 ka. Using AMS 14C dates, proxy-matched ties, magnetic excursions, and RPI correlation ties as constraints, we established an age-depth model of the PT2 lacustrine sequence since ∼184 ka. [Display omitted] • Based on 14C dates, 5 GEs were identified by correlating magnetic polarity with GITS. • 7 age ties were matched by correlations between RPI curve and PISO1500 stacks. • We built up the age model of a lake sequence since ∼184 ka by GE and RPI correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PEI-ECH-CMCS microspheres were first fabricated via elaborate three-step reactions. • PEI-ECH-CMCS microspheres of 24.79 μm in size had smooth spherical surfaces. • New sorbent had pH-responsive swelling features, beneficial to pollutants' capture. • Adsorption capacity for Cr(VI) or Pb(II) was higher than the counterparts reported. PEI-ECH-CMCS microspheres (MPs) were first constructed via elaborately programmed procedures. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, conductometric titration, Brunauer−Emmett−Teller, X-ray diffraction, pH at zero point of charge (pH zpc), scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and swelling results demonstrated that chitosan-based adsorbent had ample −NH 2 and −COOH, specific surface area of 29.040 m2/g, porous 3D architectures, pH zpc of 4.2, uniform spherical surfaces, narrow size distribution (19–33 μm), and pH-responsive swelling features, advantageous to Cr(VI) and Pb(II) capture. Adsorption parameters were obtained from batch experiments and pH 3 and 5 were chosen for Cr(VI) and Pb(II) capture. Pseudo-second-order kinetic and Liu isotherm models well interpreted adsorption behavior, and thermodynamic, isotherm, and kinetic studies revealed an exothermic, spontaneous, monolayer, and chemical adsorption process. Maximum adsorption capacity for Cr(VI) or Pb(II) was 331.32 or 302.56 mg/g, exceeding CS-based adsorbents reported. Excellent reusability and feasibility were evidenced by adsorption capacity loss < 12.10% and high removal efficiency for Cr(VI) (95.79%) and Pb(II) (91.40%) in synthetic effluents. Finally, potential adsorption mechanisms were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Epidemiological evidence linking source-specific ambient particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm (PM 2.5) and cardiac arrhythmias is limited. In this study, we investigated the impact of source-specific PM 2.5 on cardiac arrhythmias in a panel of forty-five healthy adults living in Beijing, China, between 2015 and 2016. Repeated measures of 24-hour electrocardiograms were conducted during clinical visits, and daily counts of four arrhythmia events including supraventricular premature beat (SVPB), atrial tachycardia (AT), premature ventricular contraction (PVC) and ventricular tachycardia (VT) were recorded. One hundred forty-seven constituents in PM 2.5 were analyzed for collected particulate samples, in which fifty-six of them above laboratory detection limits were selected for source apportionment analysis using positive matrix factorization. The average contributions of identified five major sources to PM 2.5 were 45.9% from secondary nitrate/sulfate, 18.0% from coal combustion, 16.9% from crustal soil, 13.8% from biomass burning, and 5.4% from cooking. Generalized estimating equation models were used to estimate relative risks (RR) of arrhythmias in association with interquartile-range (IQR) increases in PM 2.5 constituents and specific sources. Total PM 2.5 mass as well as several combustion related constituents were found of significant impacts on increased risks of arrhythmia events. Among the identified sources of PM 2.5 , coal burning has been found the major source that associated with increased risks of SVPB, PVC and VT with RR of 1.19 [95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.04, 1.36] to 1.64 (95% CI: 1.35, 2.00). PM 2.5 from combustion related secondary nitrate/sulfate was also found of significant impact on SVPB and AT, followed by PM 2.5 from biomass burning and crustal soil. Our results indicated that PM 2.5 from anthropogenic activity related sources were most responsible for increased risks of arrhythmia events. Our findings enhance the understanding of increased risks of arrhythmias from exposure to PM 2.5 , and provide evidence on source-specific PM control priorities. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Five sources of PM 2.5 were identified in the present study. • Constituents related with combustion were associated with increased risks of arrhythmias. • PM 2.5 from anthropogenic sources were most responsible for increased risks of arrhythmias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cu and g-C 3 N 4 were selectively deposited on the {0 1 0} and {1 1 0} facets of BiVO 4 by photodeposition, respectively. • Cu/BiVO 4 /g-C 3 N 4 composites with the synergistic effect of the interface electric field and the interface heterojunction were prepared. • The surface plasmon resonance that Cu produces significantly improves the capacity to absorb light. The preparation of photocatalysts with high photogenerated carrier separation efficiency and excellent light absorption performance plays an important role in environmental pollution control. This paper successfully synthesised decahedral BiVO 4 with co-exposed {0 1 0} and {1 1 0} facets by the hydrothermal method. Cu nanoparticles and negatively charged g-C 3 N 4 were selectively deposited on the {0 1 0} and {1 1 0} facets of BiVO 4 by photodeposition using methanol and NaIO 3 as hole scavengers and electron acceptors, respectively. A Cu/BiVO 4 /g-C 3 N 4 composite photocatalyst with synergistic effect of the Schottky junction, surface heterojunction and interfacial electric field was prepared. The photocatalytic performance was evaluated under visible light by degrading 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) and ciprofloxacin (CIP). Compared to pure BiVO 4 and g-C 3 N 4 , Cu/BiVO 4 /g-C 3 N 4 -30 showed the best photocatalytic performance. The degradation efficiency of MBT was 97.9% in 60 min and the degradation efficiency of CIP was 92.8% in 120 min. The degradation of MBT was studied using high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Therefore, this work provides a feasible strategy for designing photocatalysts that degrade organic pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the NEC-TT speaker recognition system designed for the 2018 Speaker Recognition Evaluation (SRE'18) benchmarking. The NEC-TT submission was among the best-performing systems in this latest edition of SRE organized by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It comprises multiple sub-systems based on a deep speaker embedding front-end followed by a probabilistic linear discriminant analysis (PLDA) back-end. Speaker embeddings are continuous-valued vector representations that allow easy comparison between speaker voices with simple geometric operations. The effectiveness of deep speaker embeddings relies on the quantity and diversity of the training data. To this end, we hinge on data augmentation and mixed-bandwidth training strategies to increase the number of training examples and speakers. By doing so, we not only increase the quantity of the training data but also expand the output softmax layer with a larger number of speaker classes. From a system design perspective, we adopted a two-stage pipeline consisting of a general multi-domain speaker embedding front-end followed by a domain-specific PLDA back-end. This has a significant benefit in commercial deployment since the same speaker embedding front-end could be used with multiple domain-adapted PLDA back-ends to cater to every specific deployment. This paper provides a detailed description and analysis of the design methodology, data augmentation, bandwidth extension, multi-head attention, PLDA adaptation, and other components that have contributed to good performance in NEC-TT's SRE'18 results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric oxidation capacity (AOC) reflects the potential of the atmosphere in converting primary pollutants into secondary aerosols and ozone (O 3 ). In this study, the AOC at an urban supersite in Wuhan, a megacity in central China, was quantified by considering the reactions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon monoxide (CO) with atmospheric oxidants (OH, NO 3 , O 3 , and Cl). Photochemical loss of total VOCs (13.7-23.7 %) during transport was accounted for by monitoring the concentration ratio of o-xylene and ethylbenzene, a VOC pair with diverse reaction rate constants with OH. AOC would be underestimated by 9.0-25.2 % in the 4 seasons if being estimated from the observed VOCs instead of photochemical-loss corrected VOCs. The atmospheric oxidants were measured or indirectly estimated using well-established parameterizations. In particular, hourly reactive chlorine species were measured using an iodide-based chemical ionization mass spectrometer (I-CIMS). Cl radical concentration was calculated by assuming a steady-state between the production from reactive chlorine species and the removal by O 3 and VOCs. The result showed that AOC would be underestimated by 14.5 % and 1.9 % in winter and spring if Cl radicals were neglected. Based on the above quantification, the composition of AOC was further apportioned to atmospheric oxidants, VOC categories, as well as the sources of VOC and CO. In winter, CNG combustion exhaust, electronics industry, and secondary formation were critical for regulating the AOC. In spring, secondary formation was the most important AOC source, followed by electronics industry and biogenic sources., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Unsaturated fatty acids (uFAs) are important constituents of atmospheric organic aerosols, undergoing rapid degradation in the atmosphere that significantly influences aerosol's physical and chemical properties. This study quantified the effective pseudo-first order decay rates of three abundant uFAs-oleic, elaidic, and linoleic acids under real atmospheric conditions using continuous bihourly measurement at a suburban site in Hong Kong over a 9-month period from November 2020 to August 2021. The impact of key environmental parameters, including ozone, initial uFA concentration, relative humidity, and temperature, on the decay rates was rigorously examined. Distinct kinetic behaviors were observed across different temperature ranges (TR 1 : 5-13 °C; TR 2 : 13-22 °C; TR 3 : 22-26 °C; TR 4 : 26-30 °C). Arrhenius plots of the decay rates revealed contrasting effective activation energies under TR 2 and TR 4 , likely due to different phase states of aerosols and reaction mechanisms under varying environmental conditions. This study extends previous laboratory research by incorporating a wider range of ambient conditions, uncovering the complex interactions between environmental factors and the decay kinetics of uFAs. The findings provide critical insights for accurately modeling the fate of ambient organic aerosols and understanding the intricate impacts of atmospheric conditions on aerosol chemistry.

The glutamate receptor (GLR) serves as a ligand-gated ion channel that plays a vital role in plant growth, development, and stress response. Nevertheless, research on GLRs in cotton is still very limited. The present study conducted a comprehensive analysis of GLRs gene family in cotton. In total, 41 members of the GLR family were identified in cotton unveiling distinct subgroups in comparison to Arabidopsis. Among these members, the third subgroup highlights its pivotal role in cotton's defense against insect infestation. Furthermore, the CRISPR/Cas9 system was utilized to create a mutant library of GLR members, which consisted of a total of 135 independent mutant lines, resulting in the production of novel cotton materials with valuable breeding potential for pest control. Further, this study elucidates the influence of GhGLR3.4 on jasmonic acid (JA) pathway signal transduction and demonstrated its participation in the influx of intracellular Ca 2+ , which regulates "calcium transients" following stimulation, thereby influencing multiple intracellular reactions. The study also found that GhGLR3.4 influences the synthesis of the JA pathway and actively partakes in long-distance signal transmission among plants, facilitating the transfer of defense signals to neighbor leaves and thereby triggering systemic defense. Consequently, this research advances our knowledge of plants' comprehensive defense mechanism against insect pest infestation., (© 2024 Society for Experimental Biology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) act as key signal transduction enzymes in plants, especially in response to diverse stresses, including herbivory. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of the CDPK gene family in upland cotton revealed that GhCPKs are widely expressed in multiple cotton tissues and respond positively to various biotic and abiotic stresses. We developed a strategy for screening insect-resistance genes from a CRISPR-Cas9 mutant library of GhCPKs. The library was created using 246 single-guide RNAs targeting the GhCPK gene family to generate 518 independent T0 plants. The average target-gene coverage was 86.18%, the genome editing rate was 89.49%, and the editing heritability was 82%. An insect bioassay in the field led to identification of 14 GhCPK mutants that are resistant or susceptible to insects. The mutant that showed the clearest insect resistance, cpk33/74 (in which the homologous genes GhCPK33 and GhCPK74 were knocked out), was selected for further study. Oral secretions from Spodoptera litura induced a rapid influx of Ca 2+ in cpk33/74 leaves, resulting in a significant increase in jasmonic acid content. S-adenosylmethionine synthase is an important protein involved in plant stress response, and protein interaction experiments provided evidence for interactions of GhCPK33 and GhCPK74 with GhSAMS1 and GhSAM2. In addition, virus-induced gene silencing of GhSAMS1 and GhSAM2 in cotton impaired defense against S. litura. This study demonstrates an effective strategy for constructing a mutant library of a gene family in a polyploid plant species and offers valuable insights into the role of CDPKs in the interaction between plants and herbivorous insects., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Below-ground herbivory impacts plant development and often induces systemic responses in plants that affect the performance and feeding behavior of above-ground herbivores. Meanwhile, pest-damaged root tissue can enhance a plant's susceptibility to abiotic stress such as salinity. Yet, the extent to which herbivore-induced plant defenses are modulated by such abiotic stress has rarely been studied. In this study, we examine whether root feeding by larvae of the turnip moth, Agrotis segetum (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) affects the performance of the above-ground, sap-feeding aphid Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on cotton, and assess whether those interactions are modulated by salinity stress. In the absence of salinity stress, A. segetum root feeding does not affect A. gossypii development. On the other hand, under intense salinity stress (i.e., 600 mM NaCl), A. segetum root feeding decreases aphid development time by 16.1 % and enhances fecundity by 72.0 %. Transcriptome, metabolome and bioassay trials showed that root feeding and salinity stress jointly trigger the biosynthesis of amino acids in cotton leaves. Specifically, increased titers of valine in leaf tissue relate to an enhanced performance of A. gossypii. Taken together, salinity stress alters the interaction between above- and below-ground feeders by changing amino acid accumulation. Our findings advance our understanding of how plants cope with concurrent biotic and abiotic stressors, and may help tailor plant protection strategies to varying production contexts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The discovery of high-entropy oxides (HEOs) in 2015 has provided a family of potential solid catalysts, due to their tunable components, abundant defects or lattice distorts, excellent thermal stability (Δ G ↓ = Δ H - T Δ S ↑), and so on. When facing the heterogeneous catalysis by HEOs, the micrometer bulky morphology and low surface areas (e.g., <10 m 2 g -1 ) by traditional synthesis methods obstructed their way. In this work, an electrospinning method to fabricate HEO nanofibers with diameters of 50-100 nm was demonstrated. The key point lay in the formation of one-dimensional filamentous precursors, during which the uniform dispersion of five metal species with disordered configuration would help to crystallize into single-phase HEOs at lower temperatures: inverse spinel (Cr 0.2 Mn 0.2 Co 0.2 Ni 0.2 Fe 0.2 ) 3 O 4 (400 °C), perovskite La(Mn 0.2 Cu 0.2 Co 0.2 Ni 0.2 Fe 0.2 )O 3 (500 °C), spinel Ni 0.2 Mg 0.2 Cu 0.2 Mn 0.2 Co 0.2 )Al 2 O 4 (550 °C), and cubic Ni 0.2 Mg 0.2 Cu 0.2 Zn 0.2 Co 0.2 O (750 °C). As a proof-of-concept, (Ni 3 MoCoZn)Al 12 O 24 nanofiber exhibited good activity (CH 4 Conv. > 96%, CO 2 Conv. > 99%, H 2 /CO ≈ 0.98), long-time stability (>100 h) for the dry reforming of methane (DRM) at 700 °C without coke deposition, better than control samples (Ni 3 MoCoZn)Al 12 O 24 -Coprecipitation-700 (CH 4 Conv. < 3%, CO 2 Conv. < 7%). The reaction mechanism of DRM was studied by in situ infrared spectroscopy, CO 2 -TPD, and CO 2 /CH 4 -TPSR. This electrospinning method provides a synthetic route for HEO nanofibers for target applications.

This study reports the assembly of a near-complete genome of Catharanthus roseus, consisting of 561.7 Mb scaffolded into 8 pseudochromosomes with a contig N50 of 24.7 Mb and a scaffold N50 of 71.1 Mb. The assembly enables the construction of a gene regulatory network of the vinblastine biosynthetic pathway and provides insights into the high susceptibility of C. roseus to the Huanglongbing pathogen., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD) has not been fully elucidated, and there are no effective disease-modifying drugs for the treatment of PD. Mesenchymal stem cells have been used to treat several diseases, but are not readily available., Methods: Here, we used phenotypically uniform trophoblast stage-derived mesenchymal stem cells (T-MSCs) from embryonic stem cells, which are capable of stable production, and their exosomes (T-MSCs-Exo) to explore the molecular mechanisms involved in dopaminergic (DA) neuron protection in PD models using experimental assays (e.g., western blotting, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry staining)., Results: We assessed the levels of DA neuron injury and oxidative stress in MPTP-induced PD mice and MPP + -induced MN9D cells after treating them with T-MSCs or T-MSCs-Exo. Furthermore, T-MSCs-Exo miRNA sequencing analysis revealed that miR-100-5p-enriched T-MSCs-Exo directly targeted the 3' UTR of NOX4, which could protect against the loss of DA neurons, maintain nigro-striatal system function, ameliorate motor deficits, and reduce oxidative stress via the Nox4-ROS-Nrf2 axis in PD models., Conclusions: The study suggests that miR-100-5p-enriched T-MSCs-Exo may be a promising biological agent for the treatment of PD. Schematic summary of the mechanism underlying the neuroprotective actions of T-MSCs-Exo in PD. T-MSCs Exo may inhibit the expression level of the target gene NOX4 by delivering miR-100-5p, thereby reducing ROS production and alleviating oxidative stress via the Nox4-ROS-Nrf2 axis, thus improving DA neuron damage in PD., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)