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Background: Müllerian adenosarcoma, a rare malignancy, presents diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. In this study, we conducted an analysis of the clinicopathological characteristics of 22 adenosarcomas, with a particular focus on screening for DICER1 hot mutations. Methods: The cohort consisted of patients with adenosarcoma who were registered at the West China Second Hospital between the years 2020 and June 2022. Sanger sequencing was employed to screen for somatic Hotspot mutations in the RNase IIIb domain of DICER1 in the 22 adenosarcomas. Results: Only one patient exhibited a DICER1 mutation that was not a DICER1 Hotspot mutation. Among the 22 patients, all underwent total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and 14 out of these 22 patients received adjuvant treatment. Conclusion: In summary, our study of 22 Müllerian adenosarcomas focused on the clinicopathological features and the presence of DICER1 Hotspot mutations. Although our findings did not reveal any DICER1 mutations in the studied samples, this negative result provides valuable information for the field by narrowing down the genetic landscape of adenosarcomas and highlighting the need for further research into alternative molecular pathways driving this malignancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oocyte meiotic prophase I (MI) is an important event in female reproduction. Breast cancer amplified sequence 2 (BCAS2) is a component of the spliceosome. Previous reports have shown that BCAS2 is critical in male germ cell meiosis, oocyte development, and early embryo genome integrity. However, the role of BCAS2 in oocyte meiosis has not been reported. We used Stra8‐GFPCre mice to knock out Bcas2 in oocytes during the pachytene phase. The results of fertility tests showed that Bcas2 conditional knockout (cKO) in oocytes results in infertility in female mice. Morphological analysis showed that the number of primordial follicles in the ovaries of 2‐month‐old (M) mice was significantly reduced and that follicle development was blocked. Further analysis showed that the number of primordial follicles decreased and that follicle development was slowed in 7‐day postpartum (dpp) ovaries. Moreover, primordial follicles undergo apoptosis, and DNA damage cannot be repaired in primary follicle oocytes. Meiosis was abnormal; some oocytes could not reach the diplotene stage, and more oocytes could not develop to the dictyotene stage. Alternative splicing (AS) analysis revealed abnormal AS of deleted in azoospermia like (Dazl) and diaphanous related formin 2 (Diaph2) oogenesis‐related genes in cKO mouse ovaries, and the process of AS was involved by CDC5L and PRP19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Granulosa cell abnormalities are characteristics of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). Abnormal expression of serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 1 (SRSF1) can cause various diseases, but the role of SRSF1 in mouse granulosa cells remains largely unclear. In this study, we found that SRSF1 was expressed in the nuclei of both mouse oocytes and granulosa cells. The specific knockout of Srsf1 in granulosa cells led to follicular development inhibition, decreased granulosa cell proliferation, and increased apoptosis. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis of RNA-seq results revealed abnormal expression of genes involved in DNA repair, cell killing and other signalling pathways. Alternative splicing (AS) analysis showed that SRSF1 affected DNA damage in granulosa cells by regulating genes related to DNA repair. In summary, SRSF1 in granulosa cells controls follicular development by regulating AS of genes associated with DNA repair, thereby affecting female reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Granulosa cell proliferation and differentiation are essential for follicle development. Breast cancer amplified sequence 2 (BCAS2) is necessary for spermatogenesis, oocyte development, and maintaining the genome integrity of early embryos in mice. However, the function of BCAS2 in granulosa cells is still unknown. Results: We show that conditional disruption of Bcas2 in granulosa cells caused follicle development failure; the ratio of the positive cells of the cell proliferation markers PCNA and Ki67 were unchanged in granulosa cells. Specific deletion of Bcas2 caused a decrease in the BrdU-positive cell ratio, cell cycle arrest, DNA damage, and an increase in apoptosis in granulosa cells, and RPA1 was abnormally stained in granulosa cells. RNA-seq results revealed that knockout of Bcas2 results in unusual expression of cellular senescence genes. BCAS2 participated in the PRP19 complex to mediate alternative splicing (AS) of E2f3 and Flt3l mRNA to inhibit the cell cycle. Knockout of Bcas2 resulted in a significant decrease in the ratio of BrdU-positive cells in the human granulosa-like tumour (KGN) cell line. Conclusions: Our results suggest that BCAS2 may influence the proliferation and survival of granulosa cells through regulating pre-mRNA splicing of E2f3 and Flt3l by forming the splicing complex with CDC5L and PRP19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Gag recognizes viral packaging signal (Psi) specifically via its nucleocapsid (NC) domain, resulting in the encapsidation of two copies of genomic RNA (gRNA) into the viral particle. The NCp7, which is cleaved from Gag during viral maturation, is a nucleic acid chaperone, coating and protecting the gRNA. In this study, an RT-qPCR-based approach was developed to quantitatively compare the Psi-selectivity of Gag and NCp7 in the presence of bacterial or 293T total RNAs. The binding affinity of Gag and NCp7 to the stem-loop (SL) 3 of Psi was also compared using surface plasmon resonance. We found that Gag selected more Psi-RNA than NCp7 from both E. coli BL21 (DE3) and in vitro binding reactions, and Gag bound to SL3-RNA with a higher affinity than NCp7. Moreover, Gag contained two Zn2+ whereas NCp7 contained one. The N-terminal zinc-finger motif of NCp7 lost most of its Zn2+-binding activity. Deletion of N-terminal amino acids 1–11 of NCp7 resulted in increased Psi-selectivity, SL3-affinity and Zn2+ content. These results indicated that Zn2+ coordination of Gag is critical for Psi-binding and selection. Removal of Zn2+ from the first zinc-finger motif during or after Gag cleavage to generate mature NCp7 might serve as a switch to regulate the functions of Gag NC domain and mature NCp7. Our study will be helpful to elucidate the important roles that Zn2+ plays in the viral life cycle, and may benefit further investigations of the function of HIV-1 Gag and NCp7. • An RT-qPCR-based approach is developed to compare the Psi-selectivity of Gag and NCp7. • Gag selected more Psi-RNA than NCp7 in the presence of bacteria or 293T total RNAs. • Gag bound to SL3-RNA with a higher affinity than NCp7 in SPR experiments. • Gag contains two Zn2+ whereas NCp7 contains one. • NCp7Δ1–11 contains two Zn2+ and has higher Psi-selectivity and SL3-affinity than NCp7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Morphological variations of two populations of Akebia trifoliata were evaluated. • The selection progress in the selected population was estimated. • Fruit weight showed positive correlations with most of the measured characters. • Cluster analysis showed two distinct clusters among all the evaluated individuals. Abstract Akebia trifoliata is perennial and deciduous vines, its fruit, seed, stem and root have been used in Chinese herbalism for at least 2000 years. As a high-value medicinal, the A. trifoliata should be exploited and domestication is underway as edible fruit crop. In the present study, a wild seedlings population and a three-generation selected population have been evaluated and characterized for a set of morphological traits in order to evaluate the effectiveness of recurrent selection method in achieving selection progress, maintaining genetic variability, and increasing the potential for selection of superior genotypes in A. trifoliata. The result showed that the fruit weight increased 33.16% which ranged from 237.67 to 598.54 g with an average of 310.86 g in the selected population. The leaf of A. trifoliata in the selected population became much larger range from 91.24 to 170.43 mm with an average of 117.33 mm, the leaf length, leaf width and petiole length increased 15.72%, 7.91% and 9.33%, respectively. Correlation analysis showed most of the measured characters are highly correlated each other. The principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that the first five components can explain 83.90% of the total variance. Cluster analysis revealed two distinct clusters among the selected population. The present study showed the effectiveness of the recurrent selection method when applied in A. trifoliata breeding, although some refinements in the selection program could further improve its efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation of toluene in dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor packed with zeolites or MnO x /zeolites was investigated. The supported catalysts were prepared by loading 3 wt% of manganese on different zeolites (MCM-41, ZSM-5 and 13X) and were characterized in detail using N 2 adsorption, XRD, TEM, H 2 -TPR and XPS analysis technology. Compared to the non-thermal plasma (NTP) alone system, the toluene degradation was improved significantly in NTP-MnO x /zeolites system. The highest toluene conversion of 99.4%, the CO 2 selectivity of 73%, the carbon balance of 99.5% can be achieved in DBD reactor packed with MnO x /MCM-41. Both XRD and TEM results confirm that the manganese oxides were dispersed more uniformly on MnO x /MCM-41 than on MnO x /ZSM-5 or MnO x /13X. H 2 -TPR and XPS results suggest that manganese oxides on MnO x /MCM-41 are MnO 2 and Mn 2 O 3 , while those on MnO x /ZSM-5 or MnO x /13X are MnO 2 and MnO. These results indicate that the structures of zeolites play a significant role in the dispersion and oxidation state of manganese oxides, then affecting the activity of catalyst for toluene removal in plasma-catalysis system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from gas, the unavoidable presence of water can degrade the performance of adsorbent because water competes well with VOCs. In this study, the adsorption kinetic behavior of water vapor on hypercrosslinked polymeric adsorbent (HPA) at three temperatures (308 K, 318 K and 328 K) was studied through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and compared with granular activated carbon (GAC) and activated carbon fiber (ACF). The results showed that the kinetic rate constants decreased with the increase of relative pressure, but increased with the increase of temperature for three adsorbents. Under the same condition, the kinetic rate constants were as following: HPA > ACF > GAC, which was just opposite with the concentration of surface functional groups. Activation energies were found to increase with the increase of relative pressure, indicating the development of barriers to diffusion associated with the formation of water clusters. A compensation effect was observed, where activation energy and ln(preexponential factor) parameter exhibited a linear correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Actinidia chinensis is an important economic plant belonging to the basal lineage of the asterids. Availability of a complete Actinidia chloroplast genome sequence is crucial to understanding phylogenetic relationships among major lineages of angiosperms and facilitates kiwifruit genetic improvement. We report here the complete nucleotide sequences of the chloroplast genomes for Actinidia chinensis and A. chinensis var deliciosa obtained through de novo assembly of Illumina paired-end reads produced by total DNA sequencing. The total genome size ranges from 155,446 to 157,557 bp, with an inverted repeat (IR) of 24,013 to 24,391 bp, a large single copy region (LSC) of 87,984 to 88,337 bp and a small single copy region (SSC) of 20,332 to 20,336 bp. The genome encodes 113 different genes, including 79 unique protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes and 4 ribosomal RNA genes, with 16 duplicated in the inverted repeats, and a tRNA gene (trnfM-CAU) duplicated once in the LSC region. Comparisons of IR boundaries among four asterid species showed that IR/LSC borders were extended into the 5’ portion of the psbA gene and IR contraction occurred in Actinidia. The clap gene has been lost from the chloroplast genome in Actinidia, and may have been transferred to the nucleus during chloroplast evolution. Twenty-seven polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci were identified in the Actinidia chloroplast genome. Maximum parsimony analyses of a 72-gene, 16 taxa angiosperm dataset strongly support the placement of Actinidiaceae in Ericales within the basal asterids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the cottonseed peptides (CPs) were prepared from cottonseed meal fermented byBacillus subtilisBJ-1. Chemical composition and antioxidant activities of the CP were investigated. The results showed that the CP contained a balanced ratio of amino acids which dominantly composed of glutamic acid (211.7 g kg−1), aspartic acid (81.4 g kg−1), and arginine (97.5 g kg−1). The molecular weight distribution of CP was lower than 1000 Da. The CP presented a concentration-dependent effect on the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical activity, metal-chelating ability, and reducing power. The half maximal effective concentration values for the DPPH and hydroxyl radicals’ scavenging activities, metal-chelating activity, and reducing power were 3.41, 3.28, 1.80, and 1.66 mg mL−1, respectively. Moreover, CP at the lowest concentration of 0.01 mg mL−1protected the H2O2-induced oxidant death in Raw 264.7 cells. These data suggest that CP could be used as a potential antioxidant for applications in food ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Highlights: [•] Cu-doped TiO2 coating was synthesized by micro-arc oxidation. [•] Cu nanoparticles were successfully incorporated into the coating. [•] The Cu-doped coating exhibited excellent antibacterial activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To investigate emissions of NH3 from on-road vehicles and their contribution to atmospheric NH3, we analyzed a suite of measurements including NH3, NO, SO2, black carbon (BC), NH4 + in PM2.5, etc., collected in summer 2007 at a site near a highway with the highest traffic density in Canada. From 26 to 28 August 2007, large variations of NO mixing ratio (from <1 ppb to >110 ppb) and BC concentration (from <0.5 to >6 μg m−3) were simultaneously observed and were found to be associated with varying contributions of air pollutants emitted by vehicles on the highway. Using NO as a tracer of vehicular plumes, the estimated emission factor of NH3 relative to NO from on-road vehicles was less than 0.5–0.9 ppb NH3 per 50 ppb NO. The average mixing ratios of NH3 and NO during the three days were 4.0 ± 2.4 ppb and 23 ± 33 ppb, respectively. The NH3 derived from on-road vehicular emissions was estimated to be less than 0.4 ppb on average during the measurement period, accounting for ∼10% of the mixing ratio of NH3 measured at the sampling site. Several spikes of NH3 were observed on these days with the maximum mixing ratio of NH3 reaching 16.9 ppb. The observed spikes of NH3 were probably ascribed to non-traffic emissions of NH3 near the sampling site. We conclude that emissions of NH3 from on-road vehicles only accounted for a much small fraction of urban atmospheric ammonia, and more important sources are yet to be identified. However, it is still unknown whether negligible emissions of NH3 from vehicles in Toronto are just the result of its local traffic composition or they are generally true world wide. In addition, the negligible emissions could also be due to unknown loss in the GP-IC, although it is not found so far. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Human glioblastomas (GBM) are thought to be initiated by glioma stem-like cells (GSLCs). GSLCs also participate in tumor neovascularization by transdifferentiating into vascular endothelial cells. Here, we report a critical role of GSLCs in the formation of vasculogenic mimicry (VM), which defines channels lined by tumor cells to supply nutrients to early growing tumors and tumor initiation. GSLCs preferentially expressed vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) that upon activation by VEGF, mediated chemotaxis, tubule formation and increased expression of critical VM markers by GSLCs. Knockdown of VEGFR-2 in GSLCs by shRNA markedly reduced their capacity of self-renewal, forming tubules, initiating xenograft tumors, promoting vascularization and the establishment of VM. Our study demonstrates VEGFR-2 as an essential molecule to sustain the “stemness” of GSLCs, their capacity to initiate tumor vasculature, and direct initiation of tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A long-term record of Asian dust storms showed seven high-occurrence-frequency centers in China. The intrusion of Asian dust into the downwind seas, including the China seas, the Sea of Japan, the subarctic North Pacific, the North Pacific subtropical gyre, and the western and eastern Equatorial Pacific, has been shown to add nutrients to ocean ecosystems and enhance their biological activities. To explore the relationship between the transported dust from various sources to the six seas and oceanic biological activities with different nutrient conditions, the correlation between monthly chlorophyll a concentration in each sea and monthly dust storm occurrence frequencies reaching the sea during 1997–2007 was examined in this study. No correlations were observed between dust and chlorophyll a concentration in the <50 m China seas because atmospheric deposition is commonly believed to exert less impact on coastal seas. Significant correlations existed between dust sources and many sea areas, suggesting a link between dust and chlorophyll a concentration in those seas. However, the correlation coefficients were highly variable. In general, the correlation coefficients (0.54–0.63) for the Sea of Japan were highest, except for that between the subarctic Pacific and the Taklimakan Desert, where it was as high as 0.7. For the >50 m China seas and the North Pacific subtropical gyre, the correlation coefficients were in the range 0.32–0.57. The correlation coefficients for the western and eastern Equatorial Pacific were relatively low (<0.36). These correlation coefficients were further interpreted in terms of the geographical distributions of dust sources, the transport pathways, the dust deposition, the nutrient conditions of oceans, and the probability of dust storms reaching the seas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chloride depletion in sea-salt aerosols was studied using size-segregated inorganic ions data collected at a Canadian rural coastal site during a summer (June 29–July 15, 2002) and a fall campaign (October 25 – November 15, 2002). Three samples collected in the fall campaign had high concentrations of sea-salt and ammoniated sulfate and nitrate aerosols and were used to study the relative importance of different chemical reactions contributing to the depletion. The percentage depletion (Cl− depletion(%)) increased substantially with decreasing particle size (up to 86% for particles in the size range of 1.0–3.1 μm). For particles >6.2 μm, the observed NO3 − was responsible for all the depleted Cl−; but less than a quarter of the depletion was explained by the HCl-released reaction between NaCl and HNO3; the rest of the depletion was likely due to the non-HCl-released reactions, e.g., between NaCl and N2O5. For particles in the size range of 3.1–6.2 μm, the NO3 − was responsible for nearly 80–90% of all the depleted Cl− via HCl-released and/or non-HCl-released reactions; the remaining depletion was likely due to the reactions releasing Cl2, HOCl, etc. Particles >3.1 μm were mostly neutral acidity while a portion of particles at 1.0–3.1 μm was acidic. SO4 2− was only responsible for Cl− depletion(%) in acidic particles at 1.0–3.1 μm and the highest Cl− depletion(%) was observed in acidic particles of this size range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Extent of neutralization (EoN) of atmospheric aerosol is an important parameter in understanding related nucleation mechanisms, acid-catalyzed reactions and gas–aerosol partitioning. Ion m/z −195 detected by the Aerosol Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (ATOFMS) has been used as an indicator of incompletely-neutralized sulphate aerosol, but there are no laboratory data to support this assumption. In this study, experiments using artificially generated sulphuric acid nucleated aerosol and metal sulphate aerosol across a range of EoN found that the peak area ratio and hit ratio of ion m/z −195 to ion m/z −97 detected by the ATOFMS increased with decreasing EoN. Area ratio and hit ratio are sensitive to EoN at the low and high value zones, respectively. In ambient air measured by the ATOFMS and a Gas Particle Ion Chromatograph (GPIC) in Toronto, Canada, ion m/z −195 was always detected in ammonium sulphate aerosol, and its hit number and peak area varied widely, regardless of EoN indicated by the equivalent ratio of to . Thus, ion m/z −195 alone is not an indicator of acidic sulphate aerosol. The combined approach using the ATOFMS and the GPIC found that cloud-processing formed incompletely-neutralized acidic sulphate aerosol in 2 out of 35 days sampled in winter in Toronto, Canada. It is interesting that the two episodes both occurred at night. Formation of incompletely-neutralized acidic sulphate aerosol caused a decrease in the concentration of particulate nitrate. This can be explained by acidic sulphate aerosol reacting with ammonium nitrate, leading to the release of HNO 3 to the gas phase. It was also found that the GPIC results occasionally suffered a positive artifact of concentration caused by the clogging-induced high back-pressure in the instrument. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Accurate measurements of SO2 at low ambient concentrations are needed in order to investigate the role of SO2 in particle nucleation events and the long-term impact of reductions in sulfur emissions in recent decades. In this study, artifacts in SO2 concentration measurements were investigated using two identical ion chromatography-based instruments (the Gas Particle Ion Chromatograph, GP-IC, Dionex Corporation) and two identical UV fluorescence-based SO2 analyzers (the TECO 43CTL, an industry standard). The SO2 concentration values measured with the GP-IC at roadside sites were compared with simultaneous side-by-side measurements made with the fluorescence analyzers. The SO2 concentration measured with the GP-IC had an ∼30% negative calibration artifact. When the GP-ICs were calibrated using an improved procedure developed in the course of this study, only a ±5% difference from the TECO analyzers remained, except under high NO concentration conditions. The fluorescence analyzers exhibited a positive artifact under elevated NO concentration conditions. Sulfur oxidation ratios were calculated based on the GP-IC-measured SO2 and SO4 2- concentrations and used to help identify potential emission sources. The SO2 concentrations measured with the GP-IC were also compared to data obtained from a National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) speciation sampler equipped with a Na2CO3-coated denuder. Good correlation between SO2 data from the two methods was seen during five months of measurement, but the GP-IC SO2 data were ∼30% lower than the NAPS data. Deposition of SO2 within an urban street canyon is discussed as a possible explanation for this difference. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Due to its rapidly expanding economic and industrial developments, China is currently considered to be the engine of the world''s economic growth. China''s economic growth has been accompanied by an expansion of the urban area population and the emergence of a number of mega cities since the 1990. This expansion has resulted in tremendous increases in energy consumption, emissions of air pollutants and the number of poor air quality days in mega cities and their immediate vicinities. Air pollution has become one of the top environmental concerns in China. Currently, Beijing, Shanghai, and the Pearl River Delta region including Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and their immediate vicinities are the most economically vibrant regions in China. They accounted for about 20% of the total GDP in China in 2005. These are also areas where many air pollution studies have been conducted, especially over the last 6 years. Based on these previous studies, this review presents the current state of understanding of the air pollution problems in China''s mega cities and identifies the immediate challenges to understanding and controlling air pollution in these densely populated areas. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Particle size (30 to 10,000 nm) distributions in number concentration were measured using an Electrical Low Pressure Impactor onboard a Mobile Real-time Air Monitoring Platform from June 2002 to August 2003 in Hong Kong to investigate the size distributions of on-road vehicular particles and their relationship with ambient temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH). In this article, we focus on the size distributions of particles >30 nm in vehicle plumes where fresh vehicular particles dominated and the NOx concentration was >400 ppb. A uni-modal size distribution with mode at either 60-108 nm or 108-170 nm was generally observed from April to October. This mode is conventionally believed to be soot particles in the literature and the different mode sizes probably depend on engine and vehicle operating conditions. From November to March, a bi-modal size distribution with a dominant mode at 30-60 nm and a minor mode at either 108-170 nm or 60-108 nm was generally observed. The existence of the 30-60 nm mode is explained in the literature by the growth of nucleated particles when vehicular exhaust cools in ambient air. Ratios of the number concentration of 30-60 nm particles to BC mass concentration correlated negatively with T, as well as with RH when RH was <60%. The ratios appeared not to be sensitive to RH when RH was >60%. The correlations suggested that T and RH exert significant influences on the formation of vehicular submicron particles, leading to varying size distributions of vehicular particles in Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volume concentration data of submicron particles in on-road vehicle plumes gathered by the Mobile Real-time Air Monitoring Platform (MAP) on city streets, highways and in tunnels in Hong Kong are used to study the size distributions and growth of vehicular submicron particles due to gas condensation and, particularly, its dependency on ambient temperature. Three particle volume size distributions are observed: a uni-modal distribution with an accumulation mode at , and two bi-modal distributions with a minor mode at and the dominant mode at either or . In tunnels, the ratio of particle volume concentration to black carbon (BC) mass concentration correlates negatively with ambient temperature ; the dominant mode tends to be at the large particle size when the temperature is low, and when the temperature is high, the uni-mode appears at the small particle size. Thus temperature seems to exert a significant influence on the condensation growth of fresh vehicular particles. On the other hand, this ratio correlates positively with ambient particle concentrations . Ambient particles measured in this study are mostly while BC in vehicle plumes is generally believed to be mainly in the size range in the literature. Temperature-dependent gas-condensation competition between fresh BC and ambient particles is suggested to play a role in the bi-modal formation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Some studies have reported that small submicron atmospheric particles are more acidic than large submicron particles; other studies demonstrated a reversed trend. In this study, the size dependence of in situ pH in submicron particles in Hong Kong was investigated. The equivalent ratios of [NH4 +]measured to [SO4 2−]measured in submicron particles were found to be generally less than unity and size dependent, suggesting the possibility of incomplete gas–aerosol equilibrium. The Aerosol Inorganic Model-II (AIM-II) model using measured ionic compositions with the gas–aerosol partitioning disabled was used to estimate the in situ pH in different sized particles. The estimated in situ pH of different sized submicron atmospheric particles was between −2.5 and 1.5 and it generally decreases with increasing submicron particle size. At such low in situ pH, the estimated HSO4 − equivalent concentrations were 3.2 times (on average) of those of H+ in different sized particles. The trends of the size dependence of the [NH4 +]measured to [SO4 2−]measured ratio and pH under different regimes of relative humidity are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The availability of high time-resolution (1 s full spectrum scan) particle sizers permitted atmospheric researchers to scrutinize the characteristics of ultrafine particles in rapidly varying (perhaps, random) high concentration environments such as roadside, on-road, and tunnels. These data also revealed possible artifacts associated with the slower (~30 s or more) scanning sizers when used in this kind of environment. This study discusses sampling rate artifact problems based on simulations using 1 s Engine Exhaust Particle Sizer data taken on a mobile platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In situ aerosol pH is important in the study of atmospheric chemistry because many heterogeneous atmospheric chemical processes are pH dependent, but it is not easy to measure the in situ pH of PM2.5 due to the low liquid water content of aerosol particles. In situ aerosol pH is usually estimated by thermodynamic modeling. This study compared the in situ pH of PM2.5 in Hong Kong estimated by different thermodynamic methods such as AIM-II (Aerosol Inorganics Model-II) with the gas–aerosol partitioning calculation disabled, HCl/Cl−, HNO3/NO3 − and NH3/NH4 + gas–aerosol equilibrium equations, and two thermodynamic gas–aerosol equilibrium models (ISORROPIA and SCAPE2). In the first method, actual measured particulate composition was used as input while only the total (gas+aerosol) composition was used in the other methods. AIM-II with the gas–aerosol partitioning calculation disabled gives the lowest in situ aerosol pH, 3.5, 2.8, 3.1, 2.7 and 4.3 unit (on average) less than that estimated by HCl/Cl−, HNO3/NO3 − and NH3/NH4 + gas–aerosol equilibrium equations, and by SCAPE2 and ISORROPIA, respectively. The differences in estimated in situ pH are discussed in terms of the extent of the gas–aerosol equilibrium achieved, especially the NH3/NH4 + equilibrium. Although the estimated equilibrium concentrations deviated from the measured NH4 + in PM2.5 by only 20–35%, the estimated in situ pH is very sensitive to the deviation. It is possible that approaches based on the assumption of the gas–aerosol equilibrium may not be suitable for estimating in situ aerosol pH in the atmosphere. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An Engine Exhaust Particle Sizer was used on a mobile platform to measure ultrafine particle (5.6-560 nm) concentration profiles in streets and tunnels. Particle size distribution data along the lengths of the tunnels showed that number concentration profiles of <30 nm particles were highly nonlinear. Conventional point measurement studies inside tunnels to determine, for instance, emission factors of ultrafine particles in this range are therefore location dependent and may not be representative. The particle concentration profiles obtained in this experiment allowed the study of the transformation of 10 nm particles to 50 nm particles. Outside of the tunnels and on heavily traveled highways, particles exhibited a dominant mode at 10 nm and a minor mode at 50 nm. Inside the tunnels, 10 nm particles gradually decreased after an abrupt increase, while 50 nm particles increased from entrance to exit. The 10 nm particles decreased at 2-4 times the rate of increase of the 50 nm particles, therefore, condensational growth of the 10 nm particles alone cannot explain the decrease. The estimated hetero-coagulation rate between 10 nm particles and particles >30 nm inside the tunnel was substantially higher than that outside due to the increase in the concentration of particles >30 nm. The hetero-coagulation process is proposed to play a key role in the transformation of particle modes in the tunnel. This study provides new insight on the transformation of ultrafine particle modes in vehicular plumes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dicarboxylic acids in atmospheric aerosols have received much attention because of their potential roles in affecting the global climate. The composition and the sources of dicarboxylic acids in PM2.5 were studied at one remote and two urban sites in Hong Kong in the winter of 2000 and in the summer of 2001. Oxalate was the dominant dicarboxylic acid in all samples. The winter oxalate concentrations were high and spatially uniform, with an average value of 0.36 μg m−3, but the summer oxalate concentrations were low and had a large spatial variation. The influence of meteorological factors on the concentrations of dicarboxylic acids was also studied. The ratio of malonate to succinate was used to distinguish primary sources from secondary sources of these acids. This ratio at all three sites was close to that from direct vehicular exhaust in the winter, but it was close to that of secondary reactions in the summer. Hence, the acids were attributed to vehicular emissions in the winter and secondary sources in the summer. This hypothesis is also supported by a good correlation of oxalate with sulfate in the summer but a poor one in the winter. The correlations of oxalate with malonate, succinate, sulfate and K+ were also studied in terms of the routes of secondary formation of these dicarboxylic acids. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To study the formation of atmospheric sulfate, nitrate and chloride particulates in Beijing, China, 14 sets of measurements of the concentrations of SO2, HNO3, NH3 and size-segregated particles were made in the summer of 2001 and the spring of 2002. Because of the very different humidity levels in Beijing in the summer and the spring, significant differences in the size characteristics and in the formation mechanisms of these ions were found. In the summer, the major fraction of sulfate was present in the fine mode with a mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) of 0.7±0.1 μm. Its formation was attributed to in-cloud processing, which was supported by the observation of a large mole ratio of the sulfate at 0.54–1.0 μm to SO2, with a maximum value of 3.0. The major fraction of nitrate sometimes appeared in the fine mode with an MMAD of 0.7±0.1 μm and sometimes in the coarse mode with an MMAD of 6.0±1.5 μm. The coarse mode nitrate was associated with Ca2+. The major peak of chloride, in most cases, appeared in the coarse mode. Chloride was expected to have formation mechanisms similar to nitrate formation in the coarse mode. In the spring, the major fraction of sulfate was present in the fine mode with an MMAD of 0.45±0.05 μm and its formation was ascribed to non-cloud heterogeneous processes. A small mole ratio of the fine mode sulfate to SO2, with a maximum value of only 0.06, was observed. Nitrate and chloride generally have a similar MMAD as sulfate in the fine mode, suggesting that both may originate from atmospheric processes similar to sulfate formation. Alternatively, they could be formed by gas condensation onto existing sulfate particles. Overall, much more efficient sulfate formation by cloud processing led to a higher sulfate concentration in the summer than in the spring, although the SO2 concentration followed the reverse trend in Beijing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sparse data on the size distributions of ionic species, especially organic ions, in atmospheric particles are available in the literature. To study the size distributions and the formation of atmospheric ionic species, 14 sets of measurements of the concentrations of the gases and size-segregated atmospheric particles were made in Beijing in the summer of 2001 and the spring of 2002. Significant differences of the size distribution characteristics and the formation mechanism of the ions in these two periods were found. Using the size distributions of SO42−, K+ and Ca2+ as references, the size distributions of oxalic, malonic and succinic acids were examined to investigate the formation of these acids in the atmospheric particles in Beijing. In the summer, oxalate was present mostly in the fine mode with an MMAD of 0.7±0.1 μm, coincident with the droplet mode of sulfate. The formation of fine mode oxalate, like sulfate, was attributed to in-cloud processes. Malonate was also present mostly in the fine mode with an MMAD of 0.8±0.2 μm and its formation was also attributed to in-cloud processes. The MMAD of fine mode malonate sometimes shifted to values larger than that of sulfate, which can be explained by a minor evaporation of malonate during water evaporation from cloud droplets. The size distribution and the formation of succinate are similar to those of oxalate. In the spring, oxalate sometimes dominated in the fine mode, where oxalate was highly correlated with sulfate (r=0.86) and had an MMAD (0.45±0.05 μm) similar to sulfate, but it sometimes dominated in the coarse mode, in association with Ca2+. The fine mode oxalate was attributed to heterogeneous formation but the coarse mode oxalate was probably related to biological formation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The strong acidity and the concentrations of ammonium, sodium, sulfate, nitrate and chloride in PM2.5 in Hong Kong were measured using a Harvard honeycomb denuder/filter-pack system. The role of atmospheric mixing height in the variation in concentrations of the species in PM2.5 was investigated and the contribution of long-range transport to the ambient aerosols in Hong Kong was quantitatively determined. The average measured strong acidity in the spring, summer, autumn and winter of 2000, and the spring of 2001 was 49(23–92), 27(11–52), 97(71–145), 45(26–57), and 103(78–167) nmol/m3, respectively. Simulations using the aerosol inorganic model (AIM2) revealed that the in situ acidity of PM2.5 was only a minor fraction (23–39%) of the measured strong acidity because of the presence of bisulfate ions. The in situ acidity was correlated with a large difference between the ambient relative humidity and the estimated deliquescence relative humidity of the aerosols. In equivalent concentrations, acidity, ammonium and sulfate accounted for 16% (9–21%), 31% (26–39%) and 42% (40–45%) of the water-soluble inorganic species, respectively. Analysis of air mass trajectories showed that long-range transport of aerosols through the East/South China Sea (marine) and mainland China (continental) was possible. When Hong Kong was under the influence marine air masses, the measured concentrations of sulfate, ammonium and nitrate showed a strong correlation with the atmospheric mixing height. Continental long-range transport of aerosols was found to increase the concentrations of sulfate and ammonium by 49–383% and 33–302%, respectively. In total, about 40% of the sulfate and ammonium of PM2.5 in Hong Kong measured in this study was from continental air masses. However, the influence of the continental air masses on nitrate concentration and acidity was not obvious. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A year-long field study to characterize the ionic species in PM2.5 was carried out in Shanghai and Beijing, China, in 1999–2000. Weekly samples of PM2.5 were collected using a special low flow rate (0.4 l min−1) sampler. In Shanghai, SO42− NO3− and NH4+ were the dominant ionic species, which accounted for 46%, 18% and 17% of the total mass of ions, respectively. Local SO2 emissions were an important source of SO42− in PM2.5 because the SO42− concentration was correlated with the SO2 concentration (r=0.66). The relatively stable SO42−/SO2 mass ratio over a large range of temperatures suggests that gas-phase oxidation of SO2 played a minor role in the formation of SO42−. The sum of SO42− and NO3− was highly correlated with NH4+ (r=0.96), but insufficient ammonium was present to totally neutralize the aerosol. In Beijing, SO42−, NO3− and NH4+ were also the dominant ionic species, constituting 44%, 25% and 16% of the total mass of water-soluble ions, respectively. Local SO2 emissions were an important source of SO42− in the winter since SO42− was correlated with SO2 (r=0.83). The low-mass SO42−/SO2 ratio (0.27) during winter, which had low humidity, suggests that gas-phase oxidation of SO2 was a major route of sulfate formation. In the summer, however, much higher mass ratios of SO42−/SO2 (5.6) were observed and were ascribed to in-cloud sulfate formation. The annual average ratio of NO3−/SO42− was 0.4 and 0.6 in Shanghai and in Beijing, respectively, suggesting that stationary emissions were still a dominant source in these two cities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Nanostructured octacalcium phosphate (OCP) coatings were grown on MgO coatings of Mg through a simple chemical deposition. • The structure and functionalities of OCP coatings can be tailored by altering treatment time. • OCP coating uniformly covers the entire surface of MgO coating. • The composite coating notably improved the corrosion resistance and cytocompatibility of Mg. • OCP coating synthesized through chemical deposition in 0.5 h (MAO/CD0.5) showed most excellent cellular adhesion and spreading. Magnesium (Mg) has been considered as the next-generation orthopedic implant material due to its biodegradability, but high degradation rate and severe cytotoxicity hinder its clinical application. Preparing micro-arc oxidation (MAO)/octacalcium phosphate (OCP) composite coating is considered as an ideal approach to solve the problems. In this work, nanostructured OCP coatings with variable structures were prepared facilely on MAO coated Mg by chemical deposition (CD) in a simple trace PO 4 3− ion contained Ca(NO 3) 2 solution. The results show that nanostructured OCP grows and covers the MAO coating completely after CD. The morphology and thickness of OCP coating can be regulated by varying deposition time. The thinnest OCP coating with a fine structure is observed after 0.5 h of deposition, which shows the best cytocompatibility. Extending deposition time roughens the surface structure and thickens the coatings. The thickest OCP coating with a coarse structure can be obtained after 2 h of deposition, which shows the best corrosion resistance and mineralization. These results clearly indicate the functionality of the OCP coating can be easily tailored only by varying deposition time to meet different clinical requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ambient formation of secondary particulate matter (ambient FSPM) is commonly recognized as the major cause of severe PM2.5 air pollution in China. We present observational evidence showing that the ambient FSPM was too weak to yield a detectable contribution to extreme PM2.5 pollution events that swept northern China between 11 and 14 January 2019. Although the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model (v5.2) reasonably reproduced the observations in January 2019, it largely underestimated the concentrations of the PM2.5 during the episode. We propose a novel mechanism, called the "in-fresh-stack-plume non-precipitation-cloud processing of aerosols" followed by the evaporation of semi-volatile components from the aerosols, to generate PM2.5 at extremely high concentrations because of highly concentrated gaseous precursors and large amounts of water droplets in fresh cooling combustion plumes under poor dispersion conditions, low ambient temperature, and high relative humidity. The recorded non-precipitation-cloud processing of the aerosols in fresh stack combustion plumes normally lasts 20–30 s, but it prolongs as long as 2–5 min under cold, humid, and stagnant meteorological conditions and expectedly causes severe PM2.5 pollution events. Regardless of the presence of the natural cloud in the planetary boundary layer during the extreme events, the fast conversion of air pollutants in water droplets and the generation of the PM2.5 through the non-precipitation-cloud processing of aerosols always occur in fresh combustion plumes. The processing of aerosols is detectable using a nano-scan particle sizer assembled on an unmanned aerial vehicle to monitor the particle formation in stack plumes. In-fresh-stack-plume processed aerosols under varying meteorological conditions need to be studied urgently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Nanostructured hydroxyapatite coatings were hydrothermally grown on porous MgO coatings on Mg. • The morphology of hydroxyapatite can be tailored by P content in MgO coating. • Hydroxyapatite uniformly covers the entire surface of MgO coating. • The composite coating notably improves the corrosion resistance and cytocompatibility of Mg. Clinical application of magnesium (Mg) in bone reconstruction has been hindered owing to its high degradation rate in physiological environment. Surface modification by the strategy combining micro-arc oxidation (MAO) and hydrothermal treatment (HT) to prepare a composite coating (MAO-HT) and improve its corrosion resistance has been proved an effective method. In this work, Mg was micro-arc oxidized in electrolyte with different Na 3 PO 4 contents, and subsequently hydrothermally treated in Ca(NO 3) 2 solution. The results show that hydroxyapatite (HA) can be fabricated on MAO coating after HT for 4 h. The HA shows nano-flake morphology when P content in the MAO coating is low (12.1 at%), while nano-particle morphology is observed when the P content is high (20.0 at %). Electrochemical tests reveal an improved corrosion resistance of MAO-HT coatings than corresponding MAO coatings. In vitro biological tests indicate that MAO-HT coatings are more favorable for MG63 cells proliferation than MAO coatings. Especially, Nano-flake HA/MAO composite coating shows the highest corrosion resistance and cytocomatibility thus is promising as biomedical coatings of Mg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inconsistencies in the long-term trends between ambient ammonia (NH3) concentration and NH3 emission have been frequently reported in literature while the proposed causes for the inconsistencies are contentious. In the present study we investigated trends in ambient NH3 concentration in the past decade at seven Canadian sites with daily (one in every three days) NH3 data and fifteen sites in the U.S. with bi-weekly data. Supplemental data analyzed in this study include NH3 emission data at provincial level in Canada and state level in the U.S., NH4+ in PM2.5, meteorological data, and Palmer drought Index. We found that ambient NH3 concentration increased by >100% at six sites, 50-100% at seven sites, and <50% at nine sites during the study periods (9-14 years) while NH3 emission decreased by >25% in half of the associated provinces or states. Reduced chemical loss of ambient NH3 due to the reduced chemical conversion to NH4+ partially contributed to NH3 increase in concentration at approximately 60% of the sites and played little role at the other sites. Correlation analysis results implied that hot and dry weather increased ambient NH3 concentrations, likely through impacting soil and vegetation NH3 emissions. At the majority of the studied sites, multiple factors, including reduced chemical conversion to NH4+, increasing temperature, and decreasing soil moisture, contributed together to the observed NH3 increasing trend, although one significant factor dominated at some sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Akebia trifoliata belongs to the Lardizabalaceae family of flowering plants, has tremendous potential as a new fruit crop for further domestication and commercialization in China. However, the selection of A. trifoliata is extremely limited due to lack of information about basic inheritance of fruit traits. In this study, 11 key fruit characters, including single fruit weight (SFW), fruit length (FL), fruit width (FW), peel thickness (PT), peel weight (PW), soluble solids content (SSC), seed weight (SW), pulp weight (PuW), edible ratio (ER), hundred-grain weight (HGW) and seed number (SN) were evaluated, and genetic parameters were analyzed. The results showed that the 11 tested traits have high repeatability range from 0.87 to 0.95. Correlation analysis showed that SFW was positively correlated with FL, FW, PT, PW and PuW, but negatively correlated with ER. The Smith-Hazel-index based multitrait selection was used to select superior lines. The SH selection index identified superior lines with high SFW and ER, and low SN. Taken together, our results provide important information for domestication and breeding program of Akebia trifoliate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The composite scaffold composed of n-HA, MXene and g-C 3 N 4 has excellent photothermal and photodynamic properties. • N-HA can enhance the killing effect of mild hyperthermia combined with ROS on bone tumors, and then eliminate tumor quickly. • The scaffold effectively induces osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs and facilitates the formation of new bone. After resection of bone tumour, the risk of cancer recurrence and numerous bone defects continues to threaten the health of patients. To overcome the challenge, we developed a novel multifunctional scaffold material consisting mainly of nano-hydroxyapatite particles (n -HA), MXene nanosheets and g-C 3 N 4 to prevent tumour recurrence and promote bone formation. N -HA has the potential to restrict the growth of osteosarcoma cells, and the combination of MXene and g-C 3 N 4 enables the scaffolds to produce photodynamic and photothermal effects simultaneously under near infrared (NIR) irradiation. Surprisingly, n -HA can further enhance the synergistic anti-tumour function of photodynamic and photothermal, and the scaffolds can eradicate osteosarcoma cells in only 10 min at a mild temperature of 45 ℃. Moreover, the scaffold exhibit exceptional cytocompatibility and possesses the capacity to induce osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Therefore, this multifunctional scaffold can not only inhibits the proliferation of bone tumour cells and rapidly eradicate bone tumour through NIR irradiation, but also enhances osteogenic activity. This promising measure can be used to treat tissue damage after bone tumour resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is a critical abiotic stress which leads to crop yield and a decrease in quality. Annexins belong to a multi-gene family of calcium- and lipid-binding proteins and play diverse roles in plant growth and development. Herein, we report a rice annexin protein, OsANN9, which in addition to regular annexin repeats and type-II Ca2+ binding sites, also consists of a C2H2-type zinc-finger domain. We found that the expression of OsANN9 was upregulated by polyethylene glycol (PEG) or water-deficient treatment. Moreover, plants that overexpressed OsANN9 had increased survival rates under drought stress, while both OsANN9-RNAi and osann9 mutants showed sensitivity to drought. In addition, the overexpression of OsANN9 increased superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities, which regulate reactive oxygen species homeostasis. Collectively, these findings indicate that OsANN9 may function as a positive regulator in response to drought stress by modulating antioxidant accumulation. Interestingly, the setting rates of osann9 mutant rice plants significantly decreased in comparison to wild-type plants, suggesting that OsANN9 might be involved in other molecular mechanisms in the rice seed development stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Furthermore, in addition to BCOR-ITD, other BCOR gene variants, such as EP300:BCOR [[3]] and BCOR:CREBBP [[5]] fusion, have recently been reported, broadening the genetic alteration spectrum for this entity. This was first reported by Sturm et al. in a study of 323 patients with CNS tumours, where this type of tumour was named "high-grade neuroepithelial tumour with BCOR ITD" (HGNET BCOR ITD) [[2]]. In conclusion, BCOR fusion tumours may be distinguished from BCOR-ITD tumours of the CNS by older age, greater glial differentiation, an ependymoma-like appearance and a higher likelihood of a better prognosis. Report two adult cases of high-grade neuroepithelial neoplasm harbouring EP300::BCOR fusions with comprehensive molecular detection. [Extracted from the article]

Heatwaves are strongly associated with temperature distributions, but the mechanisms by which distributions are influenced by climate change remains unclear. Comparing simulations from a high‐spatial resolution Community Earth System Model (CESM‐HR) with those from low‐resolution models, we identify substantial improvements by CESM‐HR in reproducing observed Northern Hemisphere summer temperature skewness, as well as the frequency, intensity, persistence, and total heatwave days. Temperature skewness is strongly linked to land‐atmosphere interactions and atmospheric circulation. Under global warming projections, some regions exhibit enhanced temperature skewness, along with more frequent and persistent heatwaves of greater intensity. We find that in energy‐limited regimes, such as India, negative skewness in latent heat flux facilitates large positive skewness in sensible heat flux, which modulates near‐surface air temperatures. Skewness differences of latent and sensible heat fluxes are amplified under global warming, increasing the temperature skewness. We find that this contrasting flux mechanism is active in several heatwave‐prone regions. Plain Language Summary: Heatwaves have occurred frequently in the recent decades, exerting substantial impacts on human health. While it is well known that mean warming can induce more frequent heatwaves, how higher order characteristics of the temperature distribution like skewness influence extreme hot events has received less focus. Using a high‐resolution global climate model to simulate the response to future anthropogenic climate forcing, we find that regions with increasing positive temperature skewness tend to experience more frequent, persistent and intensified heatwaves. We also find that surface soil moisture and energy partitioning can significantly alter the shape of near surface air temperature distribution, and hence heatwaves. Key Points: Striking improvements in simulating temperature skewness and heatwave days are achieved by a high‐resolution Earth system modelRegions with enhanced temperature skewness in a warming climate tend to suffer more frequent, persistent and intense heatwavesOver energy‐limited regions, temperature distribution is affected by negatively skewed latent and positively skewed sensible heat fluxes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Despite the importance of hybridization in evolution, the evolutionary consequence of homoploid hybridizations in plants remains poorly understood. Specially, homoploid hybridization events have been rarely documented due to a lack of genomic resources and methodological limitations. Actinidia zhejiangensis was suspected to have arisen from hybridization of Actinidia eriantha and Actinidia hemsleyana or Actinidia rufa. However, this species was very rare in nature and exhibited sympatric distribution with its potential parent species, which implied it might be a spontaneous hybrid of ongoing homoploid hybridization. Here, we illustrate the dead‐end homoploid hybridization and genomic basis of isolating barriers between A. eriantha and A. hemsleyana through whole genome sequencing and population genomic analyses. Chromosome‐scale genome assemblies of A. zhejiangensis and A. hemsleyana were generated. The chromosomes of A. zhejiangensis are confidently assigned to the two haplomes, and one of them originates from A. eriantha and the other originates from A. hemsleyana. Whole genome resequencing data reveal that A. zhejiangensis are mainly F1 hybrids of A. hemsleyana and A. eriantha and gene flow initiated about 0.98 million years ago, implying both strong genetic barriers and ongoing hybridization between these two deeply divergent kiwifruit species. Five inversions containing genes involved in pollen germination and pollen tube growth might account for the fertility breakdown of hybrids between A. hemsleyana and A. eriantha. Despite its distinct morphological traits and long recurrent hybrid origination, A. zhejiangensis does not initiate speciation. Collectively, our study provides new insights into homoploid hybridization in plants and provides genomic resources for evolutionary and functional genomic studies of kiwifruit. Significance Statement: This work demonstrates dead‐end hybridization between two deeply divergent kiwifruit species rather than homoploid hybrid speciation, providing new insight into Actinidia speciation and generating valuable genomic resources for future evolutionary and functional genomics studies of kiwifruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the composites of ZnTCPP and g-C 3 N 4 (ZP/CN) were prepared for the treatment of bacterial infections. The antibacterial efficiency of ZP/CN against Staphylococcus aureus reached 99.99% under visible light irradiation for 10 min. [Display omitted] Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) has received much attention as a metal-free polymeric two-dimensional photocatalyst for antibiotic-free antibacterial application. However, the weak photocatalytic antibacterial activity of pure g-C 3 N 4 stimulated by visible light limits its applications. Herein, g-C 3 N 4 is modified with Zinc (II) meso -tetrakis (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin (ZnTCPP) by amidation reaction to enhance the utilization of visible light and reduce the recombination of electron-hole pairs. The composite (ZP/CN) is used to treat bacterial infection under visible light irradiation with a high efficacy of 99.99% within 10 min due to the enhanced photocatalytic activity. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and density flooding theory calculations indicate the excellent electrical conductivity between the interface of ZnTCPP and g-C 3 N 4. The formed built-in electric field is responsible for the high visible photocatalytic performance of ZP/CN. In vitro and in vivo tests have demonstrated that ZP/CN not only possesses excellent antibacterial activity upon visible light irradiation, but also facilitates the angiogenesis. In addition, ZP/CN also suppresses the inflammatory response. Therefore, this inorganic–organic material can serve as a promising platform for effective healing of bacteria-infected wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of fermented broccoli stem and leaf residue (FBR) on the growth performance, serum biochemical characteristics, and meat quality of growing pigs. A total of 72 growing pigs (Durox × Landrace × Yorkshire) were subjected to three dietary treatments with different levels (0%, 5% and 10%) of FBR with three replicates for an experimental period of 70 day. The average daily feed intake of growing pigs was higher (p < 0.05) in the 5% FBR treatment compared with the control group (0% FBR). The serum urea nitrogen content in growing pigs was lower (p < 0.05) in the 5% and 10% FBR treatments. The lightness value was higher (p < 0.05) in the longissimus dorsi muscle of pigs fed 5% and 10% FBR diets compared with the control group, and the yellowness value was increased in pigs fed the 10% FBR diet compared with pigs fed the control diet. Overall, the beneficial effects of FBR supplementation on serum biochemical parameters, and meat colour without undermining the growth performance indicate that up to 10% FBR could be used in diets to enhance the production of growing pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Both solid and liquid waste from livestock were treated in the EFS during the aerobic process. • Pig manure with thermophilic cellulose-degrading strains in the EFS was investigated. • Different kinds of waste straws were used as padding material in the EFS. • The relationship between environmental factors and dominant bacteria was revealed. • The addition of thermophilic bacteria improved the fermentation process. Abstract In the present study, ectopic fermentation systems were treated with both solid and liquid waste from livestock. Then, the various physicochemical properties and compositions of microbial communities in different waste straws treatments were compared. The addition of thermophilic bacteria was beneficial to the decomposition of litter, and it improved the fermentation process. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes were the predominant types in the fermentation vessels, and the presence of the phyla Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes was correlated with factors prevailing in the mature phase. Furthermore, pig manure with sawdust, rape stem, and rice chaff and pig manure with sawdust, rice straw, and rice chaff vessels had higher concentrations of dissolved nitrogen, which were conducive to the conversion of fermentation wastes into useful fertilizer. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using rape stem and rice straw as padding materials during the treatment of both liquid and solid livestock waste in ectopic fermentation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angiosperm mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) are notable for their extreme diversity in both size and structure. However, our current understanding of this diversity is limited, and the underlying mechanism contributing to this diversity remains unclear. Here, we completely assembled and compared the mitogenomes of three kiwifruit (Actinidia) species, which represent an early divergent lineage in asterids. We found conserved gene content and fewer genomic repeats, particularly large repeats (>1 kb), in the three mitogenomes. However, sequence transfers such as intracellular events are variable and dynamic, in which both ancestral shared and recently species-specific events as well as complicated transfers of two plastid-derived sequences into the nucleus through the mitogenomic bridge were detected. We identified extensive whole-genome rearrangements among kiwifruit mitogenomes and found a highly variable V region in which fragmentation and frequent mosaic loss of intergenic sequences occurred, resulting in greatly interspecific variations. One example is the fragmentation of the V region into two regions, V1 and V2, giving rise to the two mitochondrial chromosomes of Actinidia chinensis. Finally, we compared the kiwifruit mitogenomes with those of other asterids to characterize their overall mitogenomic diversity, which identified frequent gain/loss of genes/introns across lineages. In addition to repeat-mediated recombination and import-driven hypothesis of genome size expansion reported in previous studies, our results highlight a pattern of dynamic structural variation in plant mitogenomes through global genomic rearrangements and species-specific fragmentation and mosaic loss of intergenic sequences in highly variable regions on the basis of a relatively large ancestral mitogenome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The characteristics, distributions, and direct radiative effects (DRE) of marine aerosols in the western Pacific Ocean over East Asia during the period from 17 March to 22 April 2014 were investigated by an online-coupled regional atmospheric chemistry/aerosol-climate model RIEMS-Chem (Regional Integrated Environmental Model System with Chemistry). The emissions and relevant processes of sea salt, marine primary organic aerosol (MPOA), sulfate and Methyl sulfonic acid (MSA) produced from dimethylsulfide (DMS) were parameterized and coupled with RIEMS-Chem. The model results for total aerosol masses (PM 10 and PM 2.5), inorganic and carbonaceous aerosols, gas precursors, and aerosol optical depth (AOD) were compared with various observational data sets including a research cruise Dongfanghong II from the Yellow Sea to the open oceans, near-surface aerosol and gas concentrations from the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET) and China National Environmental Monitoring Center (CNEMC), and AOD from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). Model comparisons demonstrated a generally good skill of the RIEMS-Chem in representing the temporal and spatial variations of these variables. The distributions of marine aerosols were characterized by the maximum sea salt concentration up to 70 μg m−3 in the ocean northeast of Japan, the maximum concentration of MPOA >2 μg m−3 in the East China Sea and in portions of the northwest Pacific (NWP) region, and the maximum DMS-produced aerosol concentration >0.3 μg m−3 in the southern parts of the ocean. It was noteworthy that marine aerosols can be easily transported to the inland areas of south China. The clear-sky DREs by sea salt ranging from −9 to −17 W/m2 occurred in the open oceans northeast of Japan, comparable to the DREs of −10 ~ −20 W/m2 by anthropogenic aerosols, whereas the DREs by MPOA were strongest (up to −1.3 Wm−2) in the East China Sea and the oceans northeast of Japan due to active phytoplankton blooms there and comparable in magnitude to the DREs by sea salt (around −3 Wm−2) in the East China Sea. The maximum DRE by the DMS-produced aerosols was −0.4 Wm−2 mainly in the northern parts of the South China Sea. Sea salt exhibited an increasing radiative importance from the China marginal seas to the open oceans, accounting for 10% and 33% of the DREs by all aerosols, respectively. Under all-sky conditions, the sum of DREs by all the marine aerosols were estimated to be −2.2 W/m2, −3.5 W/m2, −2.3 W/m2, and −4.3 W/m2 averaged over the entire domain, ocean, East China Sea, and the NWP region, accounting for 20%, 27%, 13%, and 36% of the DREs by all aerosols, respectively, which demonstrated the important role of marine aerosols in modulating shortwave radiation in springtime in the western Pacific Ocean which was just downwind of the Asian continent with large amounts of anthropogenic and dust emissions. Graphical abstract The model simulated mean near-surface concentrations (unit: μg m−3) of (a) sea salt, (b) MPOA, (c) DMS-produced aerosols, and clear-sky direct radiative effects (unit: W/m2) at the top of the atmosphere by (d) sea salt, (e) MPOA, (f) DMS aerosols in spring 2014. Unlabelled Image Highlights • The distributions and direct radiative effects of marine aerosols were explored with RIEMS-Chem. • The maximum mean levels of sea salt and MPOA exceeded 70 μg m−3 and 2 μg m−3 in the western Pacific Ocean. • The all-sky DRE by marine aerosols was −3.5 W/m2, accounting for 27% of the DRE by total aerosols over the ocean. • The DRE by MPOA was comparable to that by sea salt in regions of plankton bloom, such as the East China Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract An online coupled regional chemistry-aerosol-climate model was developed and applied to explore the distribution, evolution and indirect effects of marine primary organic aerosols (MPOA) over East Asia during the period from 12 March to 22 April 2014. Model results were compared with a variety of observations from ground measurement, cruise experiment and satellite retrievals, which demonstrated the model was capable of reproducing reasonably well the major features in meteorological variables, gas species, aerosol components and cloud properties in the western Pacific Ocean in springtime. Active bloom events were observed in the western Pacific Ocean during the study period, with mean surface seawater Chlorophyll a (Chl-a) concentrations up to 10 mg m−3 in the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, Sea of Japan, as well as the ocean northeast of Japan. The mean surface MPOA concentration was simulated to be up to 2.5 μg m−3 in the East China Sea, followed by that in the ocean northeast of Japan, and about 0.5 μg m−3 in the coastal areas of east China. MPOA generally caused increases in the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC), cloud optical depth (COD) and cloud liquid water path (CLWP), but decrease in the cloud droplet effective radius (CDER). The above changes in cloud properties induced a negative indirect radiative effect (IRE), with the mean values being −5.3 Wm-2, −8.2 Wm-2 and -12.2 Wm-2 over the ocean, East China Sea and the north western Pacific Ocean, which accounted for about 40%, 35% and 51% of the IRE due to all aerosols in these regions, respectively. It was noteworthy that the MPOA induced IRE was −3.6 Wm-2 in east China, accounting for 20% of the IRE by all aerosols and the percentage contribution was about 32% for the whole domain, suggesting its important influence on cloud and radiation during the study period. The sensitivity of MPOA activation to the factors affecting hygroscopicity and surface tension was examined by sensitivity simulations. The indirect effects of MPOA tended to suppress precipitation in most of the domain, with the maximum decrease in the accumulated precipitation up to 50 mm in parts of south China and the East China Sea. In terms of domain average, MPOA accounted for 16%, 22%, 18% of the precipitation reduction due to all aerosols over the land, ocean and the whole domain, respectively, indicating its nonnegligible influence on precipitation over East Asia in springtime 2014. Highlights • The indirect effect of marine primary organic aerosol (MPOA) was investigated. • MPOA led to an increase in cloud droplet number and a decrease in effective radius. • The indirect radiative effect by MPOA was −5.3Wm-2 over the western Pacific Ocean. • MPOA caused a decrease in precipitation in the East China Sea and southeast China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium alloys have been recognized as promising implant materials because of their biodegradability. However, rapid degradation due to electrochemical corrosion compromises their cytocompatibility and mechanical integrity. In the present work, a porous ZrO 2 ceramic coating was constructed on the surface of AZ31B magnesium alloy (ZrO 2 -AZ31B) to improve its corrosion resistance. The corrosion resistance of the coating was evaluated in simulated body fluid solution by electrochemical techniques. Higher open circuit potential, impedance and polarization resistance of ZrO 2 -AZ31B indicate it has a better corrosion resistance than that of AZ31B substrate in simulated body fluid solution. The results suggest that fabricating a ZrO 2 ceramic coating on magnesium alloys is an effective method to decrease the degradation rate of magnesium alloys thereby better matching clinical requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A regional air quality model system (RAQMS) was developed by coupling the treatment of heterogeneous reactions between sea salt aerosols (SSAs) and trace gases and applied to the investigation of aerosol properties and evolutionary features in the western Pacific Ocean in the spring of 2014. Model results for meteorological variables, PM concentrations, and size-resolved water soluble inorganic aerosol (WSIA) concentrations were compared and analyzed with a variety of observations from in situ measurements and the research cruise Dongfanghong II . Model validation demonstrated that the model can simulate the spatial-temporal distribution and size distribution of aerosol inorganic components in the marine atmosphere over East Asia, and the inclusion of heterogeneous reactions on SSAs apparently improved the model simulation for WSIA concentration, especially for aerosol size distribution. In the western Pacific Ocean, the non-sea salt SO 4 2− and NO 3 − formed on SSAs accounted for up to 30% and 90% of surface SO 4 2− and NO 3 − concentrations on average, respectively. The atmospheric depositions of total inorganic sulfur and nitrogen were estimated to be 13184 × 10 3 kgS/d and 10728 × 10 3 kgN/d, respectively. Wet deposition was the dominant removal pathway, which accounted for 75% and 68% of sulfur and nitrogen depositions, respectively. The deposition of fine-mode SO 4 2− exceeded that of coarse-mode SO 4 2− , whereas the deposition of coarse-mode NO 3 − was comparable to that of fine-mode NO 3 − . The non-sea salt SO 4 2− and NO 3 − formed on SSAs contributed 16% and 9% of total sulfur and nitrogen depositions on average, respectively. The above results revealed the important role of SSAs in both atmospheric chemistry and deposition in the western Pacific Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Sertoli cells are essential for testis development and normal spermatogenesis by providing support and nutrients. Pre‐messenger RNA (pre‐mRNA) processing is the basic mechanism required for gene expression, and members of the serine/arginine‐rich protein (SR) family are key components of the machines that perform these basic processing events. Serine/arginine‐rich splicing factor 2 (SRSF2) is an important member of the SR family; however, the physiological functions of SRSF2 in Sertoli cells are still unclear. Here, we found that SRSF2 was localized in the nuclei of Sertoli and germ cells in male mice at all stages by breeding Amh‐Cre mice obtained with Srsf2‐specific knockout in Sertoli cells to define the function of SRSF2 in Sertoli cells. The experimental results showed that specific deletion of SRSF2 impaired fetal Sertoli cell proliferation and induced abnormal apoptosis and severe DNA damage in seminiferous tubules, resulting in severe testicular dysplasia, seminiferous tubule atrophy, and almost no normal seminiferous tubules at postnatal day 14. Eventually, these changes resulted in failure to produce normal sperm and infertility. Further RNA‐seq results showed that many key genes related to proliferation and apoptosis were downregulated; Racgap1 mRNA undergoes exon skipping. Thus, SRSF2‐dependent Sertoli cells are essential for testicular development and male reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kiwifruit is a perennial, deciduous and functionally dioecious plant. However, very little is known about the whole-genome molecular mechanisms contributing to distinct sexual phenotypes. To gain a global view of genes differentially expressed between male and female flowers, we analyzed genome-wide gene expression profiles in the flowers of male and female plants using high-throughput RNA sequencing. Results: A total of 53.5 million reads were generated. Based on the alignments of unigenes to kiwifruit genome predicted genes, a total of 39,040 unique genes with a mean length of 970 bp were identified. There were 2,503 UniGenes differentially expressed between female and male flowers, with 1,793 up-regulated and 710 down-regulated in the female flowers. Moreover, the gene expression pattern of 17 out of 19 unigenes differentially expressed between male and female flowers revealed by RNA-Seq was confirmed by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). Conclusions: Here, we obtained a large number of EST sequences from female and male flowers of kiwifruit. This comparative transcriptome analysis provides an invaluable resource for gene expression, genomics, and functional genomic studies in A. chinensis and its related species. This study also represents a first step toward the investigation of genes involved in kiwifruit sex determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]