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The fate of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) was evaluated at a site where municipal biosolids have been applied annually for 38 years as a waste management strategy. Soil cores (1.8 m in 30-cm sections), groundwater from four wells, and biosolids applied in 2022 were analyzed for PFAS (54 targeted, 17 semi-quantified) using liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry including suspect screening. Total PFAS concentrations decreased with soil depth from 1700 ng/g to 2.06 ng/g. PFAS distribution in 2022 biosolids were 60 mol% perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) precursors and intermediates. The surface soil was dominated by long-chain PFAAs (67-76 mol%) reflecting precursor degradation after biosolids application. Presence of semi-quantified intermediates further reflects precursor degradation in surface soil. Long-chain PFAAs diminished with depth while short-chain PFAAs increased with up to 98 and 96 mol% short-chain PFAAs in the bottom depth and groundwater, respectively. PFAS distribution with depth is consistent with chain-length dependent sorption-impacted transport and the high organic carbon content of the surface soil (15.2 % OC) which subsequently decreased with depth (~2-3 % OC at >60 cm). High organic carbon content in the upper horizon is likely from decades of high biosolids application rates, which contributed to minimizing leaching of long-chain PFAS. While the well within the dedicated land disposal is not drinking water, for comparison only, PFAS concentrations in this well only marginally exceeded the EU drinking water directive for total PFAS and a few individual short-chain PFAS, but did exceed tenfold, the USEPA drinking water standard for PFOA., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Linda S Lee reports financial support was provided by U.S. EPA National Priorities program, EPA-G2021-ORD-F1, Grant No. 84024051. Rodrigo Alvarez-Ruiz reports financial support was provided by U.S. EPA National Priorities program, EPA-G2021-ORD-F1, Grant No. 84024051. Youn J. Choi reports financial support was provided by U.S. EPA National Priorities program, EPA-G2021-ORD-F1, Grant No. 84024051. Linda S Lee reports was provided by USDA NIFA Hatch Project 1,006,516. Youn J. Choi reports financial support was provided by USDA NIFA Hatch Project 1,006,516. Linda S Lee reports financial support was provided by Water Research Foundation. If there are other authors, they 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 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cordycepin, a nucleoside analog, is widely used in medicine and health products. However, the production of cordycepin from Cordyceps militaris faces the challenges of low productivity and high rate of greenhouse gas emissions. In this study, by optimizing the cordycepin biosynthesis pathway through promoter combination, Kozak sequence, and enzyme fusion, enhancing the methanol assimilation capacity in peroxisomes, adjusting the synthesis of NADPH and ATP, and combining the enhanced supply of adenosine and 3'-AMP, the cordycepin high-yield strain Pp29 was constructed, which produced 1551.44 mg/L cordycepin by shake-flask fermentation. In fed-batch fermentation, Pp29 achieved the highest yield (8.11 g/L, 67.64 mg/g DCW, and 1.35 g/L/d) to date in 10 L fermenter, and the CO 2-eq emissions were 1.9-17.3 times lower than C. militaris and other yeast systems. This study provide basis for Pichia pastoris to be used as chassis cell for synthesizing cordycepin and other nucleoside analogs by methanol as carbon source., 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. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Aroma is an important indicator of fruit flavor, but mechanisms of aroma formation in strawberries (Fragaria spp.) during natural ripening are still not clear. In this study, aroma compounds in strawberry cultivars were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Richly creamy strawberry cultivars in particular expressed high levels of vanillin acetate and coumarin (up-regulated by 12.6- and 9.8-fold, respectively), while the aroma-free cultivars were dominated by differential changes in terpenes and alcohols. Further research using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and RNA-Seq indicated that the activation of the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and alpha-linolenic acid metabolic pathways constituted the key to formation of aroma compounds in creamy strawberry cultivars. The results of this study not only provide a well-defined database to detect aroma compounds in different strawberry cultivars but also explore the underlying mechanisms of creamy aroma formation in strawberries., 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ion beam-induced deposition (IBID) using Pt(CO) 2 Cl 2 and Pt(CO) 2 Br 2 as precursors has been studied with ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) surface science techniques to provide insights into the elementary reaction steps involved in deposition, complemented by analysis of deposits formed under steady-state conditions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and mass spectrometry data from monolayer thick films of Pt(CO) 2 Cl 2 and Pt(CO) 2 Br 2 exposed to 3 keV Ar + , He + , and H 2 ions indicate that deposition is initiated by the desorption of both CO ligands, a process ascribed to momentum transfer from the incident ion to adsorbed precursor molecules. This precursor decomposition step is accompanied by a decrease in the oxidation state of the Pt(II) atoms and, in IBID, represents the elementary reaction step that converts the molecular precursor into an involatile PtX + ions indicate that deposition is initiated by the desorption of both CO ligands, a process ascribed to momentum transfer from the incident ion to adsorbed precursor molecules. This precursor decomposition step is accompanied by a decrease in the oxidation state of the Pt(II) atoms and, in IBID, represents the elementary reaction step that converts the molecular precursor into an involatile PtX 2 species. Upon further ion irradiation these PtCl 2 species experience ion-induced sputtering. The difference between halogen and Pt sputter rates leads to a critical ion dose at which only Pt remains in the film. A comparison of the different ion/precursor combinations studied revealed that this sequence of elementary reaction steps is invariant, although the rates of CO desorption and subsequent physical sputtering were greatest for the heaviest (Ar 2 species experience ion-induced sputtering. The difference between halogen and Pt sputter rates leads to a critical ion dose at which only Pt remains in the film. A comparison of the different ion/precursor combinations studied revealed that this sequence of elementary reaction steps is invariant, although the rates of CO desorption and subsequent physical sputtering were greatest for the heaviest (Ar + ) ions. The ability of IBID to produce pure Pt films was confirmed by AES and XPS analysis of thin film deposits created by Ar + /Pt(CO) 2 Cl 2 , demonstrating the ability of data acquired from fundamental UHV surface science studies to provide insights that can be used to better understand the interactions between ions and precursors during IBID from inorganic precursors., (Copyright © 2024, Abdel-Rahman et al.)

N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a carcinogenic disinfection byproduct formed from reactions between dichloramine and organic nitrogen-containing precursors. It is unclear if NDMA precursors in surface water intakes originate in anthropogenic (i.e., wastewater) or natural sources. The Truckee River has a single point source release of treated wastewater effluent, making it an ideal system to study the relative importance of precursor sources. Three Lagrangian sampling events were conducted. NDMA formation potential (FP, a measurement of precursors) above the wastewater outfall indicated that the natural background of NDMA precursors was 2-28 ng/L. NDMA FP increased to 18-31 ng/L immediately downstream of the wastewater outfall, but decreased rapidly in a first order manner, and were not statistically different from the upstream samples in only ∼6 km. This suggests that the dominant source of NDMA precursors may be wastewater derived only near wastewater outfalls and deviates from the previous belief that wastewater-derived precursors are responsible for NDMA formation in drinking water sources located further downstream. Additionally, given the rapid loss of the wastewater precursors in this study, precursors which are slow to biodegrade/photolyze/adsorb to sediment are likely to be poor surrogates for the overall wastewater NDMA precursor pool. To understand temporal changes in the wastewater impact on environmental NDMA precursor loading, two 24-hour sampling events were conducted near (<3 km) the wastewater outfall and demonstrated that temporal changes in the NDMA precursors directly downstream of the wastewater outfall are directly linked to the wastewater flow contribution., 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. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

New hematopoietic cell models have recently emerged through immortalization of CD34 cells to study and understand various molecular mechanisms of erythropoiesis. Here, we characterize the JK-1 CML-derived cell line, previously shown to spontaneously differentiate without cytokines. Using an epigenetic differentiation inhibitor that keeps JK-1 in an early differentiation phase, we characterized 2 progenitor stages: BFU-E JK-1 and CFU-E JK-1 with CD34+/CD36- and CD34-/CD36 + phenotypes respectively. Then, using the PFI-1 inducer known to synchronously control the terminal differentiation of JK-1 cells, 5 precursor stages were obtained (ProE, Baso1-2, PolyC, OrthoC) and characterized via cell morphology, CD49a and Band3 markers. Enlarged phenotyping was carried out for the earlier phase, and expression kinetics of membrane proteins such as RhAG, RhD/CE, CD47, DARC and CD44 were performed on each stage of the terminal phase. Furthermore, since JK-1 offers the unique property of covering a broad spectrum of differentiation stages, we explored deeper the GATA2/GATA1 and the non-erythroid/erythroid spectrin 'switching'. The possibility of obtaining large quantities of JK-1 cells at each stage of differentiation, as shown in this study, as well as the potential to genetically modify these cells, via CrisprCas9, makes their use of considerable interest for studying pathologies occurring during erythropoiesis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Using free microorganisms for industrial processes has some limitations, such as the extensive consumption of substrates for growth, significant sensitivity to the microenvironment, and the necessity of separation from the product and, therefore, the cyclic process. It is widely acknowledged that confining or immobilizing cells in a matrix or support structure enhances enzyme stability, facilitates recycling, enhances rheological resilience, lowers bioprocess costs, and serves as a fundamental prerequisite for large-scale applications. This report summarizes the various cell immobilization methods, including several synthetic (polyvinylalcohol, polyethylenimine, polyacrylates, and Eudragit) and natural (gelatin, chitosan, alginate, cellulose, agar-agar, carboxymethylcellulose, and other polysaccharides) polymeric materials in the form of thin films, hydrogels, and cryogels. Advancements in the production of well-known antibiotics like penicillin and cephalosporin by various strains were discussed. Additionally, we highlighted cutting-edge research related to strain producers of peptide-based antibiotics (polymyxin B, Subtilin, Tyrothricin, varigomycin, gramicidin S, friulimicin, and bacteriocin), glusoseamines, and polyene derivatives. Crosslinking agents, especially covalent linkers, significantly affect the activity and stability of biocatalysts (penicillin G acylase, penicillinase, deacetoxycephalosporinase, L-asparaginase, β-glucosidase, Xylanase, and urease). The molecular weight of polymers is an important parameter influencing oxygen and nutrient diffusion, the kinetics of hydrogel formation, rigidity, rheology, elastic moduli, and other mechanical properties crucial for long-term utilization. A comparison of stability and enzymatic activity between immobilized enzymes and their free native counterparts was explored. The discussion was not limited to recent advancements in the biopharmaceutical field, such as microorganism or enzyme immobilization, but also extended to methods used in sensor and biosensor applications. In this study, we present data on the advantages of cell and enzyme immobilization over microorganism (bacteria and fungi) suspension states to produce various bioproducts and metabolites-such as antibiotics, enzymes, and precursors-and determine the efficiency of immobilization processes and the optimal conditions and process parameters to maximize the yield of the target products.

Background: Diagnostic delays in Bipolar Disorder (BD) are common and may contribute to worse outcomes. While most studies focus on depression as a primary precursor, both anxiety and attention deficit disorders are also frequent initial diagnoses. In the current study, we utilized a large, diverse electronic health record (EHR) dataset to quantify the rates and correlates of conversion to BD from these major precursor diagnoses., Methods: Our study analyzed a comprehensive ten-year EHR dataset from Johns Hopkins Medicine, a diverse urban medical center, to assess and compare the rates and correlates of conversion to BD from Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), anxiety disorders, and ADHD. Risk factors for transition were assessed as time-varying variables in proportional hazards models., Results: Of the 21,341 patients initially included, 1232 later transitioned to a diagnosis of BD. Adjusted-one-year conversion rates for patients with MDD, anxiety disorders, and ADHD were 4.2 %, 3.4 %, and 4.0 %, respectively, with ten-year rates at 11.4 %, 9.4 %, and 10.9 %, respectively. Age (19-29 years), treatment setting (emergency and inpatient), and psychotropic medications were associated with conversion to BD across all precursor diagnoses. Severe and psychotic forms of MDD were among the strongest risk factors for transitioning to BD. Although risk factors for convertion were similar, transition rates were lower in children, particularly in indivudals with ADHD, who showed a higher rate of BD conversion in adults., Conclusions: The highest risk of transitioning to BD was observed in patients initially diagnosed with MDD, though significant risk was also noted in those with initial diagnoses of anxiety disorders and adult ADHD., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The knowledge of chloropropanediols (MCPD) fatty acid esters formation pathways is an important condition for these processing contaminants mitigation. This study aimed to assess the potential of a group of lipophilic environmental contaminants, polychlorinated alkanes, commonly known as chlorinated paraffins (CPs), to contribute to the formation of MCPD esters. Laboratory-scale model systems representing vegetable oils contaminated with both a technical mixture of short-chained CPs and individual short-chained CPs were designed and subjected to heat treatment (230 °C, 2 h) to simulate the deacidification and deodorisation processes. A substantial increase in MCPD content (up to 3.4 times the control levels) was observed in systems spiked with a technical mixture. MCPD formation seems to correlate very well with the concentration of CPs in these systems. Based on the generated data, we can conclude that the processing of vegetable oils contaminated with CPs might contribute to elevated concentrations of MCPD., 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ultra-high nickel single-crystal cathode materials have become the most promising for lithium-ion batteries. However, the preparation of ultra-high nickel single-crystal precursors by a continuous coprecipitation method has the disadvantages of large particle size, wide distribution, poor morphology. The extent of the inhomogeneous reactions can be more severe in single-crystal cathodes with larger particle size. Herein, the coprecipitation method with a solid concentrator was adopted, and citrate sodium was used as a complexing agent to improve the physical properties of precursors and electrochemical performance of single-crystal cathode materials. By analyzing the morphology and agglomeration mechanism of the precursor nucleuses under different pH values, it was found that hexagonal nanosheets grew along the 101 direction, and the primary particles showed thicker at pH of 11.4. The hexagonal nanosheets grew along the 001 direction, and the primary particles showed finer at pH of 12.2. The morphology and particle size uniformity of the secondary particles formed by agglomeration at these two pH values showed poor. However, hexagonal nanosheets grew synergistically along the 001 and 101 directions at pH of 11.8, so the primary particles with uniform particle size gradually agglomerated, and then the secondary particles with ultra-small particle size and uniform distribution obtained. Compared to materials prepared by the traditional continuous coprecipitation method, the precursor displays a smaller particle size(D 50  = 1.8 µm), higher sphericity, uniformity and denser internal structure. In order to evaluate the performance of Ni 0.94 Co 0.04 Mn 0.02 (OH) 2 with ultra-small particle size, the sintering conditions of LiNi 0.94 Co 0.04 Mn 0.02 O 2 need to be explored. It was found that the LiNi 0.94 Co 0.04 Mn 0.02 O 2 cathode material prepared at 790 °C exhibited higher discharge capacity, cycle and rate performance, compared to materials prepared at 760 °C and 820 °C. We further utilized TEM, EPMA, and XPS to test the internal structure and valence state of LiNi 0.94 Co 0.04 Mn 0.02 O 2 cathode material. The results show that the LiNi 0.94 Co 0.04 Mn 0.02 O 2 calcined at 790 °C has a good single crystal structure. The LiNi 0.94 Co 0.04 Mn 0.02 O 2 cathode materials inherited the structure and particle size of Ni 0.94 Co 0.04 Mn 0.02 (OH) 2 precursors, and displayed discharge capacity of 194.7 mAh/g and capacity retention rate of 89.8 % after 100 cycles at 1 C. The microstructure and phase transition of the as-prepared cathode material are well-maintained after long-term cycling, without obvious inter-crystalline micro-crack. The results indicate that its electrochemical performance is better than that of cathode materials with precursors prepared by a continuous coprecipitation method. This work provides new insights for the preparation of small-particle-size precursor and single-crystal cathode materials., 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 Inc. All rights reserved.)

Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) are harmful byproducts in food heating. Therefore, exploring the prediction and generation patterns of HAAs is of great significance. In this study, genetic algorithm (GA) and support vector regression (SVR) are used to establish a prediction model of HAAs based on heating conditions, reveal the influence of heating temperature and time on the precursor and formation of HAAs in roast beef, and study the formation rules of HAAs under different processing conditions. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the effect on HAAs generation increases with the increase of heating temperature and time. The GA-SVR model exhibited near-zero absolute errors and regression correlation coefficients (R) close to 1 when predicting HAAs contents. The GA-SVR model can be applied for real-time monitoring of HAAs in grilled beef, providing technical support for controlling hazardous substances and intelligent processing of heat-processed meat products., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal connections that could influence the work reported in this article., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Direct electron beam writing is a powerful tool for fabricating complex nanostructures in a single step. The electron beam locally cleaves the molecules of an adsorbed gaseous precursor to form a deposit, similar to 3D printing but without the need for a resist or development step. Here, we employ for the first time a silver β-diketonate precursor for focused electron beam-induced deposition (FEBID). The used compound (hfac)AgPMe 3 operates at an evaporation temperature of 70-80 °C and is compatible with commercially available gas injection systems used in any standard scanning electron microscope. Growth of smooth 3D geometries could be demonstrated for tightly focused electron beams, albeit with low silver content in the deposit volume. The electron beam-induced deposition proved sensitive to the irradiation conditions, leading to varying compositions of the deposit and internal inhomogeneities such as the formation of a layered structure consisting of a pure silver layer at the interface to the substrate covered by a deposit layer with low silver content. Imaging after the deposition process revealed morphological changes such as the growth of silver particles on the surface. While these effects complicate the application for 3D printing, the unique deposit structure with a thin, compact silver film beneath the deposit body is interesting from a fundamental point of view and may offer additional opportunities for applications., (Copyright © 2024, Höflich et al.)

Layered oxides with ultrahigh nickel content are considered promising high energy cathode materials. However, their cycle stability is constrained by a series of heterogeneous structural transformations during the complex solid-state lithiation process. By in-depth investigation into the solid-state lithiation process of LiNi 0.92 Co 0.04 Mn 0.04 O 2 , it is found that the protruded parts on the surface of precursor particles tend to be surrounded by locally excessive LiOH, which promotes the formation of a rigid and dense R 3 - m ${{\rm { R}}\mathrel{\mathop{{\rm { 3}}}\limits^{{\rm -}}}{\rm { m}}}$ shell during the early stage of lithiation process. The shell will hinder the diffusion of lithium and topotactic lithiation within the particles, culminating in spatially heterogeneous intermediates that can impair the electrochemical properties of the cathode material. The spheroidization of the precursor can enhance uniformity in structural evolution during solid-phase lithiation. Ultrahigh nickel cathodes derived from spherical precursors demonstrate high initial discharge specific capacity (234.2 mAh g -1 , in the range of 2.7-4.3 V) and capacity retention (89.3 % after 200 cycles), significantly superior to the non-spherical samples. This study not only sheds light on the intricate relationship between precursor shape and structural transformation but also introduces a novel strategy for enhancing cathode performance through precursor spheroidization., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Satellite-based formaldehyde（HCHO）columns and tropospheric nitrogen dioxide columns were observed using the Ozone Monitoring Instrument（OMI），and groundbased observations of ozone（O 3 ）for May-August from 2013 to 2022 were connected to calculate the threshold values of the HCHO to NO 2 ratio（FNR）in Shanxi Province. Then，the spatiotemporal distributions and variations in summertime ozone photochemical production regimes were analyzed. The results showed that：① The volatile organic compound（VOC） -sensitive regime area（FNR < 2.3）was obviously reduced，while the VOCs-NO x transitional regime（FNR between 2.3-4.1）area increased in the early years and then decreased， and NO x -sensitive regime area expanded significantly in summer from 2013 to 2022 over Shanxi Province. ② The increased summertime FNR during 2013 to 2019 was associated with the co-effect of increased HCHO columns and decreased tropospheric NO 2 columns. The Shanxi Province was generally under an NO x regime since 2016，which reflected the remarkable effect of NO x emission reductions；however，there was a shift from a VOC-sensitive regime to a VOCs-NO x transitional regime，in which O 3 pollution aggravation was widespread under the background of decreased NO x emissions. The decrease in O 3 concentration during 2020 to 2022 followed the synergistical declines in HCHO columns and tropospheric NO 2 columns. ③ The O 3 weekend effects were reversed in Linfen and Yuncheng but were persistent in the other nine cities. Satellite-based weekend HCHO and NO 2 levels were higher than those on weekdays in some cities of Shanxi Province，indicating that the O 3 weekend effect was not only dependent on the changes of precursors emissions but was also closely related to O 3 photochemical production sensitivity. The results indicated the necessity of simultaneous controls in NO x emissions and VOCs emissions for ozone abatement plans over Shanxi Province. In addition，Taiyuan，Yangquan，Yuncheng，and Jincheng should continue to promote reduction in NO x emissions.

Infiltrating ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, referred to here as "pancreatic cancer," is one of the deadliest of all of the solid malignancies. The five-year survival rate in the United States for individuals diagnosed today with pancreatic cancer is a dismal 12%. Many invasive cancers, including pancreatic cancer, however, arise from histologically and genetically well-characterized precursor lesions, and these precancers are curable. Precursor lesions therefore are an attractive target for early detection and treatment. This is particularly true for individuals with an increased risk of developing invasive cancer, such as individuals with a strong family history of pancreatic cancer, and individuals with a germline variant known to increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. There is therefore a need to understand the precursor lesions that can give rise to invasive pancreatic cancer in these individuals., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Amorphous IGZO (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) are standard backplane electronics to power active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) televisions due to their high carrier mobility and negligible low leakage characteristics. Despite their advantages, limitations in color depth arise from a steep subthreshold swing (SS) (≤ 0.1 V/decade), necessitating costly external compensation for IGZO transistors. For mid-size mobile applications such as OLED tablets and notebooks, it is important to ensure controllable SS value (≥ 0.3 V/decade). In this study, a conversion mechanism during plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) is proposed as a feasible route to control the SS. When a pulse of a diethylzinc (DEZn) precursor is exposed to the M 2 O 3 (M = In or Ga) surface layer, partial conversion of the underlying M 2 O 3 to ZnO is predicted on the basis of density function theory calculations. Notably, significant distinctions between In-Ga-Zn (Case I) and In-Zn-Ga (Case II) films are observed: Case II exhibits a lower growth rate and larger Ga/In ratio. Case II TFTs with a-IGZO (subcycle ratio of In:Ga:Zn = 3:1:1) show reasonable SS values (313 mV decade -1 ) and high mobility (µ FE ) of 29.3 cm2 Vs -1 (Case I: 84 mV decade -1 and 33.4 cm 2 Vs -1 ). The rationale for Case II's reasonable SS values is discussed, attributing it to the plausible formation of In-Zn defects, supported by technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The prevention and control of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAA) formation to mitigate of potential risks to humans, can be achieved by targeting their precursors. In this study, the detailed roles of individual and excess component (20 common α-amino acids, creatine, creatinine, and glucose) on HAA formation in roasted beef patties were examined using UPLC-MS/MS. The results confirmed the reported classical precursors of HAAs. Some components regulated the competitive production of Norharman and Harman. Glycine (Gly) and glucose favored Norharman formation, while cysteine (Cys) and phenylalanine (Phe) for Harman. Serine (Ser) and threonine (Thr) were identified as potential precursors for IQx-type HAAs. Interestingly, methionine (Met), Gly, Thr, Cys, alanine (Ala), and Ser were revealed as more targeted underlying precursors for 1,6-DMIP and 1,5,6-TMIP, and the formation mechanism was inferred. Furthermore, Pro, Leu, His, Ile, Lys and Asp were considered as great inhibitors for HAAs., 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Guanzhong urban agglomeration has a good development foundation and great development potential, and it has a unique strategic position in the national all-round opening up pattern. In recent years, the problem of near-surface ozone （O 3 ） in the Guanzhong Region has become increasingly prominent, which has become a bottleneck affecting the continuous improvement of air quality. In order to effectively prevent and control O 3 pollution, this study analyzed the characteristics of annual, monthly, and daily changes in O 3 concentration in the Guanzhong Region based on the environmental monitoring data from 2018 to 2021. A geo-detector was used to study the driving factors of the spatial differentiation of O 3 concentration, and the sources of O 3 were analyzed using a backward trajectory model and emission inventory construction. The results showed that the daily and monthly variation in O 3 concentration in the Guanzhong Region were unimodal. The daily maximum value appeared at 15：00, the minimum value appeared at 07：00, the peak value of the monthly average appeared in June, and the valley value appeared in December. The O 3 concentration was highest in summer, followed by that in spring, and the lowest in winter. The days of O 3 exceeding the standard showed mainly mild pollution, and moderate and above pollution showed a trend of decreasing first and then increasing. The O 3 concentration in the Guanzhong Region was mainly closely related to precursors and meteorological factors, and the explanatory power of the interaction of each factor was significantly greater than that of any single factor. The regional transport of O 3 concentration in the Guanzhong Region was mainly affected by easterly airflow, followed by the northwest direction, with the potential source areas located mainly in Henan Province and Hubei Province. The main local sources of volatile organic compounds （VOCs） were solvent use sources, process sources, and mobile sources, and the main emission sources of nitrogen oxides （NO x ） were mobile sources and industrial production combustion sources. The research results have a guiding significance for O 3 joint prevention and control in the Guanzhong Region.

Osteoclast (OC) differentiation, vital for bone resorption, depends on osteoclast and precursor fusion. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) inhibits osteoclast differentiation. OPG's influence on fusion and mechanisms is unclear. Osteoclasts and precursors were treated with OPG alone or with ATP. OPG significantly reduced OC number, area and motility and ATP mitigated OPG's inhibition. However, OPG hardly affected the motility of precusors. OPG downregulated fusion-related molecules (CD44, CD47, DC-STAMP, ATP6V0D2) in osteoclasts, reducing only CD47 in precursors. OPG reduced Connexin43 phosphorylated forms (P1 and P2) in osteoclasts, affecting only P2 in precursors. OPG disrupted subcellular localization of CD44, CD47, DC-STAMP, ATP6V0D2, and Connexin43 in both cell types. Findings underscore OPG's multifaceted impact, inhibiting multinucleated osteoclast and mononuclear precursor fusion through distinct molecular mechanisms. Notably, ATP mitigates OPG's inhibitory effect, suggesting a potential regulatory role for the ATP signaling pathway. This study enhances understanding of intricate processes in osteoclast differentiation and fusion, offering insights into potential therapeutic targets for abnormal bone metabolism., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) have been extensively used for extinguishing hydrocarbon-fuel fires at military sites, airports, and fire-training areas. Despite being a significant source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), our understanding of PFAS occurrence in AFFF formulations and AFFF-impacted environments is limited, as is the impact of microbial transformation on the environment fate of AFFF-derived PFAS. This literature review compiles PFAS concentrations in electrochemical fluorination (ECF)- and fluorotelomer (FT)-based AFFFs and provides an overview of PFAS occurrence in AFFF-impacted environments. Our analysis reveals that AFFF use is a predominant point source of PFAS contamination, including primary precursors (polyfluoroalkyl substances as AFFF components), secondary precursors (polyfluoroalkyl transformation products of primary precursors), and perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs). Moreover, there are discrepancies between PFAS concentration profiles in AFFFs and those measured in AFFF-impacted media. For example, primary precursors constitute 52.6 % and 99.5 % of PFAS mass in ECF- and FT-based AFFFs, respectively, whereas they represent only 0.7 % total mass in AFFF-impacted groundwater. Conversely, secondary precursors, which constitute <1 % of PFAS in AFFFs, represent 4.0-27.8 % of PFAS in AFFF-impacted environments. The observed differences in PFAS levels between AFFFs and environmental samples are likely due to in-situ biotransformation processes. Biotransformation rates and pathways reported for AFFF-derived primary and secondary precursors varied among different classes of precursors, consistent with the PFAS occurrence in AFFF-impacted environments. For example, readily biodegradable primary precursors, N-dimethyl ammonio propyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamide (AmPr-FASA) and n:2 fluorotelomer thioether amido sulfonate (n:2 FtTAoS), were rarely detected in AFFF-impacted environments. In contrast, key secondary precursors, perfluoroalkane sulfonamides (FASAs) and n:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (n:2 FTS), were widely detected, which was attributed to their resistance to biotransformation. Key knowledge gaps and future research priorities are presented to better understand the occurrence, fate, and transport of AFFF-derived PFAS in the environment and to design more effective remediation strategies., 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.)

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are currently of great interest for many applications, such as energy storage and nanocomposites, because of their natural abundance. A number of carbonization studies have reported abnormal graphitization behavior of CNCs, although cellulose is generally known as a precursor for hard carbon (nongraphitizable carbon). Herein, we report a spray-freeze-drying (SFD) method for CNCs and a subsequent carbonization study to ascertain the difference in the structural development between the amorphous and crystalline phases. The morphological observation by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy of the carbonized SFD-CNC clearly shows that the amorphous and crystalline phases of CNC are attributed to the formation of hard and soft carbon, respectively. The results of a reactive molecular dynamics (RMD) study also show that the amorphous cellulose phase leads to the formation of fewer carbon ring structures, indicative of hard carbon. In contrast, the pristine crystalline cellulose phase has a higher density and thermal stability, resulting in limited molecular relaxation and the formation of a highly crystalline graphitic structure (soft carbon).

Sulfidized nanoscale zero-valent iron (S-nZVI) showed excellent removal capacity for cadmium (Cd) in aqueous phase. However, the remediation effects of S-nZVI on Cd-contaminated sediment and its interactions with microorganisms in relation to Cd fate remain unclear. The complexity of the external environment posed a challenge for Cd remediation. This study synthesized S-nZVI with different S and Fe precursors to investigate the effect of precursors and applied the optimal material to immobilize Cd in sediments. Characterization analysis revealed that the precursor affected the morphology, Fe 0 crystallinity, and the degree of oxidation of the material. Incubation experiments demonstrated that the immobilization efficiency of Cd using S-nZVI Fe 3+ +S 2- (S/Fe = 0.14) reached the peak value of 99.54%. 1% and 5% dosages of S-nZVI significantly reduced Cd concentration in the overlying water, DTPA-extractable Cd content, and exchangeable (EX) Cd speciation (P < 0.05). Cd leaching in sediment and total iron in the overlying water remained at low levels during 90 d of incubation. Notably, each treatment maintained a high Cd immobilization efficiency under different pH, water/sediment ratio, organic acid, and coexisting ion conditions. Sediment physicochemical properties, functional bacteria, and a range of adsorption, complexation and precipitation of CdS effects dominated Cd immobilization., 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.)

Precursor method is a well-known technology for preparing certain functional materials. In this work, a novel 3d-4f bimetallic organic framework, denoted as 45MCeCo (45 M representing 4,5-imidazole dicarboxylic acid), was successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal technique. The compound thus obtained has the molecular formula of C 10 H 11 CeCoN 4 O 12 . By meticulously controlling the amounts of the experimental materials, it was feasible to prepare flower-like crystals possessing identical single crystal structures and significantly larger specific surface areas. As a precursor for electrode materials, this structure underwent calcination at different temperatures to prepare Co 3 O 4 /CeO 2 composites with in situ composite heterostructures. Post-electrochemical tests revealed that CeO 2 remains unreactive across all potentials, thereby contributing to the stabilization of the electrode material structure. In contrast, Co 3 O 4 participated in redox reactions to provide a specific capacity to the sample. In addition, when comparing the performance of the electrode material under different calcination conditions, it became evident that the material exhibited optimal electrochemical performance when subjected to a temperature of 700 °C for 2 h., 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 Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the Maillard reaction in Baijiu and the effects of extended aging in the presence of Maillard reaction intermediates (MRIs) on aromatic compounds, particularly focusing on heterocyclic changes. MRIs with different aroma types in Baijiu aged 1-18 years and force-aged for 6 weeks were determined. Results revealed that MRIs in soy sauce aroma-type Baijiu were significantly more abundant than those in other types of Baijiu. Changes in MRIs were observed and compared in aging and forced-aging Baijiu. Additionally, the distribution and variation of heterocycles in Baijiu were examined, which revealed an increase in N-heterocycle levels but a decrease in S- and O-heterocycle levels to a certain extent. The results of this study demonstrate that the Maillard reaction during the aging of Baijiu influences heterocycle concentrations, thereby improving flavor of aged Baijiu. Research into heterocycles and the Maillard reaction may help elucidate the aromatic evolution of Baijiu with aging and provide guidance for Baijiu storage., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are potentially related to many adverse health outcomes and could be transferred from maternal blood to human milk, which is an important exposure source for infants during a long-term period. In this study, the maternal blood of 76 women after delivery and their matched human milk samples obtained at 0.5, 1, and 3 months were analyzed by solid-phase extraction method with metal-organic framework/polymer hybrid nanofibers as the sorbents and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-negative electrospray ionization mass spectrometric for quantitative analysis of 31 PFAS. The perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorooctane sulfonate, and N -methyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetic acid (N-MeFOSAA) contributed to more than approximately 50% of the total PFAS concentrations in blood and human milk, while N-MeFOSAA (median: 0.274 ng/mL) was the highest PFAS in human milk at 3 months. The transfer efficiencies for PFAS from maternal blood to human milk at 0.5 months were generally lower, with medians ranging from 0.20% to 16.9%. The number of PFAS species detected in human milk increased as the lactation time went on from 0.5 to 3 months, and the concentrations of 10 PFAS displayed an increasing trend as the prolongation of lactation time ( p < 0.05).

During the life activities of microorganisms, a variety of secondary metabolites are produced, including antimicrobials and antitumor drugs, which are widely used in clinical practice. In addition to exploring new antibiotics, this makes it one of the research priorities of Actinomycetes to effectively increase the yield of antibiotics in production strains by various means. Most antibiotic-producing strains have a variety of functional regulatory factors that regulate their growth, development, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis processes. Through the study of precursor substances in antibiotic biosynthesis, researchers have revealed the precursor biosynthesis process and the mechanism by which precursor synthesis regulators affect the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, which can be used to obtain engineered strains with high antibiotic production. This paper summarizes the supply of antibiotic biosynthesis precursors and the progress of research on the role of regulators in the process of precursors in biosynthesis. This lays the foundation for the establishment of effective breeding methods to improve antibiotic yields through the manipulation of precursor synthesis genes and related regulators.

Polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters (PAPs) are emerging substitutes for legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are widely applied in consumer products and closely related to people's daily lives. Increasing concern has been raised about the safety of PAPs due to their metabolism into perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and other perfluorinated carboxylates (PFCAs) in vivo. This review summarizes the current knowledge on PAPs and highlights the knowledge gaps. PAPs dominated the PFAS profiles in wastewater, sludge, household dust, food-contact materials, paper products, paints, and cosmetics. They exhibit biomagnification due to their higher levels in top predators. PAPs have been detected in human blood worldwide, with the highest mean levels being found in the United States (1.9 ng/mL) and China (0.4 ng/mL). 6:2 diPAP is the predominant PAP among all identified matrices, followed by 8:2 diPAP. Toxicokinetic studies suggest that after entering the body, most PAPs undergo biotransformation, generating phase Ⅰ (i.e., PFCAs), phase II, and intermediate products with toxicity to be verified. Several epidemiological and toxicological studies have reported the antiandrogenic effect, estrogenic effect, thyroid disruption, oxidative damage, and reproductive toxicity of PAPs. More research is urgently needed on the source and fate of PAPs, human exposure pathways, toxicity other than reproductive and endocrine systems, toxic effects of metabolites, and mixed exposure effects., 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 © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This paper presents the preparation of heterogeneous catalysts for the direct hydrogenation process of CO 2 to methanol. The development of the modern chemical industry is inextricably linked to the use of catalytic processes. As a result, currently over 80% of new technologies introduced in the chemical industry incorporate catalytic processes. Since the basic factor of catalytic processes is the catalysts, the studies for the deepening of the knowledge regarding the nature of the action of the catalysts, for the development of new catalysts and catalytic systems, as well as for their improvement, represent a research priority of a fundamental or applied nature. The Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 catalyst for the synthesis of green methanol, using precursors of an inorganic (copper nitrate, denoted by Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 -1) and organic (copper acetate, denoted by Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 -2) nature, are obtained by chemical impregnation that includes two stages: preparation and one of calcination. The preparation methods and conditions, as well as the physico-chemical properties of the catalyst precursor, play a major role in the behavior of the catalysts. The prepared catalysts were characterized using atomic adsorption analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, specific surface area and pore size analyses, adsorption, and the chemisorption of vapor (BET)., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The unique structural architecture of the peptidoglycan allows for the stratification of bacteria as either Gram-negative or Gram-positive, which makes bacterial cells distinguishable from mammalian cells. This classification has received attention as a potential target for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Bacteria's ability to metabolically integrate peptidoglycan precursors during cell wall biosynthesis and recycling offers an opportunity to target and image pathogens in their biological state. This Review explores the peptidoglycan biosynthesis for bacteria-specific targeting for infection imaging. Current and potential radiolabeled peptidoglycan precursors for bacterial infection imaging, their development status, and their performance in vitro and/or in vivo are highlighted. We conclude by providing our thoughts on how to shape this area of research for future clinical translation.

The σ-1 receptor is a non-opioid transmembrane protein involved in various human pathologies including neurodegenerative diseases, inflammation, and cancer. The previously published ligand [ 18 F]FTC-146 is among the most promising tools for σ-1 molecular imaging by positron emission tomography (PET), with a potential for application in clinical diagnostics and research. However, the published six- or four-step synthesis of the tosyl ester precursor for its radiosynthesis is complicated and time-consuming. Herein, we present a simple one-step precursor synthesis followed by a one-step fluorine-18 labeling procedure that streamlines the preparation of [ 18 F]FTC-146. Instead of a tosyl-based precursor, we developed a one-step synthesis of the precursor analog AM-16 containing a chloride leaving group for the S N 2 reaction with 18 F-fluoride. 18 F-fluorination of AM-16 led to a moderate decay-corrected radiochemical yield (RCY = 7.5%) with molar activity (A m ) of 45.9 GBq/μmol. Further optimization of this procedure should enable routine radiopharmaceutical production of this promising PET tracer., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Labelled Compounds and Radiopharmaceuticals published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Top-down proteomics (TDP) directly analyzes intact proteins and thus provides more comprehensive qualitative and quantitative proteoform-level information than conventional bottom-up proteomics (BUP) that relies on digested peptides and protein inference. While significant advancements have been made in TDP in sample preparation, separation, instrumentation, and data analysis, reliable and reproducible data analysis still remains one of the major bottlenecks in TDP. A key step for robust data analysis is the establishment of an objective estimation of proteoform-level false discovery rate (FDR) in proteoform identification. The most widely used FDR estimation scheme is based on the target-decoy approach (TDA), which has primarily been established for BUP. We present evidence that the TDA-based FDR estimation may not work at the proteoform-level due to an overlooked factor, namely the erroneous deconvolution of precursor masses, which leads to incorrect FDR estimation. We argue that the conventional TDA-based FDR in proteoform identification is in fact protein-level FDR rather than proteoform-level FDR unless precursor deconvolution error rate is taken into account. To address this issue, we propose a formula to correct for proteoform-level FDR bias by combining TDA-based FDR and precursor deconvolution error rate., (© 2023 The Authors. Proteomics published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Fishy odor in aquatic products has a significant impact on the purchasing decisions of consumers. The production of aquatic products is a complex process involving culture, processing, transportation, and storage, which contribute to decreases in flavor and quality. This review systematically summarizes the fishy odor composition, identification methods, generation mechanism, and elimination methods of fishy odor compounds from their origin and formation to their elimination. Fishy odor compounds include aldehydes (hexanal, heptanal, and nonanal), alcohols (1-octen-3-ol), sulfur-containing compounds (dimethyl sulfide), and amines (trimethylamine). The mechanism of action of various factors affecting fishy odor is revealed, including environmental factors, enzymatic reactions, lipid oxidation, protein degradation, and microbial metabolism. Furthermore, the control and removal of fishy odor are briefly summarized and discussed, including masking, elimination, and conversion. This study provides a theoretical basis from source to elimination for achieving targeted regulation of the flavor of aquatic products, promoting industrial innovation and upgrading., 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Carbon dots (CDs) are a newly discovered type of fluorescent material that has gained significant attention due to their exceptional optical properties, biocompatibility, and other remarkable characteristics. However, single CDs have some drawbacks such as self-quenching, low quantum yield (QY), and poor stability. To address these issues, researchers have turned to organosilicon, which is known for its green, economical, and abundant properties. Organosilicon is widely used in various fields including optics, electronics, and biology. By utilizing organosilicon as a synthetic precursor, the biocompatibility, QY, and resistance to self-quenching of CDs can be improved. Meanwhile, the combination of organosilicon with CDs enables the functionalization of CDs, which significantly expands their original application scenarios. This paper comprehensively analyzes organosilicon in two main categories: precursors for CD synthesis and matrix materials for compounding with CDs. The role of organosilicon in these categories is thoroughly reviewed. In addition, the paper presents various applications of organosilicon compounded CDs, including detection and sensing, anti-counterfeiting, optoelectronic applications, and biological applications. Finally, the paper briefly discusses current development challenges and future directions in the field., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

On 6 February 2023, Türkiye was hit by two earthquakes with 7.5 (Eq2) and 7.8 (Eq1) magnitudes. In this study, the hourly ground-level air pollutant concentrations measured in the earthquake areas were examined in detail. In addition, the remote sensing retrievals of CO, NO 2 , SO 2 and CH 4 from TROPOMI instrument were also processed and investigated. The hourly mean PM 2.5 and CO increased at four stations close to the epicentre several hours prior to the earthquake. The abrupt increase in CO is likely, but PM 2.5 is probably related to the degassing activities in the faults. At the day of the earthquake, a significant TROPOMI NO 2 increase and a different spatial distribution over the region are observed. This increase coincides with the Eq2 (20 min prior) and a distinctive spatial distribution was observed on that day, indicating this signal can be associated with the earthquake or another process affected by the earthquake. On the other hand, TROPOMI CO indicated a significantly different pattern from NO 2 with lowest levels around or prior to the earthquakes, and increased levels afterwards. Limited data from TROPOMI was available for CH 4 and SO 2 due to meteorological conditions and data quality over the region to draw any conclusive findings. According to the results, it may be helpful to perform special Earth-based observations of NO 2 , CO and counts of nanoparticles in the ground-based atmosphere near fault lines in seismically active belts. In addition, anomalies can also be monitored via available satellite retrievals, especially in regions with active fault lines., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Burcak Kaynak reports financial support was provided by Istanbul Technical University and Ulku Alver Sahin reports financial support was provided by Istanbul University Cerrahpasa., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Issues: Project Stop, a real-time monitoring program for pseudoephedrine-containing medicines, was initiated in 2005 by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia in collaboration with police in the state of Queensland. The program implemented an online database to record pseudoephedrine purchases (and attempted purchases) to prevent large-scale diversion to methamphetamine production., Approach: This narrative review aims to understand the overall impact of Project Stop, what evidence exists for this kind of intervention in Australia, and what lessons can be learned from its introduction. Systematic database searches were conducted in Embase, PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar, with 20 relevant sources selected for inclusion., Key Findings: Project Stop successfully prevented some pseudoephedrine from being diverted from pharmacies to methamphetamine production. The intervention has been most effective in jurisdictions that made the program mandatory. Project Stop was also associated with a temporary decline in clandestine laboratory seizures in Queensland, changes in methamphetamine production methods and reduced voluntary treatment admissions for methamphetamine use. Implementation was not associated with an appreciable effect on secondary indicators, such as methamphetamine production and harmful use., Implications: Future applications of a Project Stop model must ensure ongoing impact evaluation, assessment of its effect on individual's drug-related behaviour and combine it with policies that address drug use as a health issue., Conclusion: Project Stop has been narrowly successful in terms of reducing pseudoephedrine diversion and demonstrates the potential for third-party policing practices directed at the consumer level, in collaboration with healthcare practitioners, rather than only regulating precursor wholesalers., (© 2023 The Authors. Drug and Alcohol Review published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.)

Natural animal-based flavors have great appeal to consumers and have broad applications in the food industry. In this review, we summarized findings related to bacon and Cheddar cheese flavors' components and their precursors, reaction mechanisms, influential factors, and characterization methods. The results show that free sugars, free amino acids, peptides, vitamins, lipids, and nitrites are precursors to bacon flavor. The conditions governing the formation of bacon flavor are thermally dependent, which facilitates the use of thermal food processing to generate such a flavor. For Cheddar cheese flavor, milk ingredients such as lactose, citrate, fat, and casein are reported as precursors. The optimum conditions to generate Cheddar cheese flavor from precursors are quite strict, which limits its application in food processing. As an alternative, it is more practical to generate Cheddar cheese flavor by combining key aroma compounds using thermal food processing. This review provides the food industry the comprehensive information about the generation of bacon and Cheddar cheese flavors using precursor molecules.

The article presents the research results for the synthesis of inorganic sorbents based on manganese oxide compounds. It shows the results of the lithium sorption from brines with the use of synthesized sorbents. The effect of temperature, the molar ratio of Li/Mn, and the duration for obtaining a lithium-manganese precursor and its acid treatment was studied. The sorption characteristics of the synthesized sorbents were studied. The effect of the ratio of the sorbent mass to the brine volume and the duration of the process on the sorption of lithium from brine were studied. In this case, the sorbent recovery of lithium was ~86%. A kinetic model of the lithium sorption from brine on a synthesized sorbent was determined. The kinetics of the lithium sorption was described by a pseudo-second-order model, which implies limiting the speed of the process due to a chemical reaction.

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) possess excellent solubility and selectivity, making them suitable for extracting valuable metals and serving as a green alternative in the recycling process. This work introduces a low-viscosity DES consisting of dimethylthetin, oxalic acid, and water for the comprehensive recovery of cathode materials from LIBs. Leaching parameters such as ratio (1:1), leaching temperature (60 °C), and reaction time (15 min) for were systematically optimized, resulting in a selective separation efficiency of 99.98 % for lithium ions. Furthermore, in-situ regeneration of the precursor can be achieved during the leaching process. Charge-discharge tests indicate that the initial charge and discharge capacities of the regenerated battery are 166.8 mAh/g and 138.4 mAh/g, respectively. The DES demonstrates stability and can be easily recycled by replenishing the consumed components. This proposed strategy facilitates the reintroduction of nonrenewable resources into the supply chain and reduces the environmental impact of heavy metals, aligning with the principles of a circular economy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Leming Ou reports financial support was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: The polysaccharide capsule of Streptococcus pneumoniae plays a major role in virulence, adherence to epithelial cells, and overall survival of the bacterium in the human host. Galactose, mannose, and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) are likely to be relevant for metabolization in the nasopharynx, while glucose is the primary carbon source in the blood. In this study, we aim to further the understanding of the influence of carbon sources on pneumococcal growth, capsule biosynthesis, and subsequent adherence potential., Methods: We tested the growth behavior of clinical wild-type and capsule knockout S. pneumoniae strains, using galactose, GlcNAc, mannose, and glucose as carbon source for growth. We measured capsule thickness and quantified capsule precursors by fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran exclusion assays and 31 P-nuclear magnetic resonance measurements, respectively. We also performed epithelial adherence assays using Detroit 562 cells and performed a transcriptome analysis (RNA sequencing)., Results: We observed a reduced growth in galactose, mannose, and GlcNAc compared to growth in glucose and found capsular size reductions in mannose and GlcNAc compared to galactose and glucose. Additionally, capsular precursor measurements of uridine diphosphate-(UDP)-glucose and UDP-galactose showed less accumulation of precursors in GlcNAc or mannose than in glucose and galactose, indicating a possible link with the received capsular thickness measurements. Epithelial adherence assays showed an increase in adherence potential for a pneumococcal strain, when grown in mannose compared to glucose. Finally, transcriptome analysis of four clinical isolates revealed not only strain specific but also common carbon source-specific gene expression., Conclusion: Our findings may indicate a careful adaption of the lifestyle of S. pneumoniae according to the monosaccharides encountered in the respective human niche., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Werren, Mostacci, Gjuroski, Holivololona, Troxler, Hathaway, Furrer and Hilty.)

Intraductal carcinoma of the prostate (IDC-P) is a distinct tumor type characterized by an expansile growth of atypical glandular epithelial cells within pre-existing prostate glands and ducts and has significant implications on clinical outcomes and patient management. There is an agreement that isolated IDC-P should not be graded, and IDC-P should be reported with a comment on its clinical significance. However, whether IDC-P should be factored into Grade Group (GG) in the presence of concurrent prostate cancer (PCa) has been debated vigorously. The contradicting opinions were promulgated when the Genitourinary Pathology Society (GUPS) and the International Society of Urological Pathologists (ISUP) published their recommendations for this issue. When IDC-P is present with PCa, the ISUP recommends incorporating it in the GG for the entire case, whereas the GUPS recommends excluding it from the final GG. Consequently, pathologists and clinicians are faced with the conundrum of conflicting recommendations. In this review article, the authors evaluate the magnitude of discrepant GG between the two grading methods, explore the rationales behind the differing views of the two urological societies, present the current reporting practices for IDC-P, and propose a provisional and pragmatic guide to alleviate the dilemma of which recommendation to follow.

With better light utilization, larger tolerance factor, and higher power conversion efficiency (PCE), the HC(NH 2 ) 2 + (FA)-based perovskite is proven superior to the popular CH 3 NH 3 ) is introduced into the perovskite precursor for three objectives. First of all, the partial substitution of Yb + (MA)- and Cs-based halide perovskites in solar cell applications. Unfortunately, limited by intrinsic defects within the FA-based perovskite films, the perovskite films can be easily transformed into a yellow δ-phase at room temperature in the fabrication process, a troublesome challenge for its further development. Here, ytterbium fluoride (YbF 3 ) is introduced into the perovskite precursor for three objectives. First of all, the partial substitution of Yb 3+ for Pb 2+ in the perovskite lattice increases the tolerance factor of the perovskite lattice and facilitates the formation of the α phase. Second, YbF 3 and DMSO in the solvent form a Lewis acid complex YbF 3 ·DMSO, which can passivate the perovskite film, reduce defects, and improve device stability. Consequently, the YbF 3 modified Perovskite solar cell exhibits a champion conversion efficiency of 24.53% and still maintains 90% of its initial efficiency after 60 days of air exposure under 30% relative humidity., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Indium oxide (In 2 O 3 ) is a transparent wide-bandgap semiconductor suitable for use in the back-end-of-line-compatible channel layers of heterogeneous monolithic three-dimensional (M3D) devices. The structural, chemical, and electrical properties of In 2 O 3 films deposited by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) were examined using two different liquid-based precursors: (3-(dimethylamino)propyl)-dimethyl indium (DADI) and ( N , N -dimethylbutylamine)trimethylindium (DATI). DATI-derived In 2 O 3 films had higher growth per cycle (GPC), superior crystallinity, and low defect density compared with DADI-derived In 2 O 3 films. Density functional theory calculations revealed that the structure of DATI can exhibit less steric hindrance compared with that of DADI, explaining the superior physical and electrical properties of the DATI-derived In 2 O 3 film. DATI-derived In 2 O 3 field-effect transistors (FETs) exhibited unprecedented performance, showcasing a high field-effect mobility of 115.8 cm 2 /(V s), a threshold voltage of -0.12 V, and a low subthreshold gate swing value of <70 mV/decade. These results were achieved by employing a 10-nm-thick HfO 2 gate dielectric layer with an effective oxide thickness of 3.9 nm. Both DADI and DATI-derived In 2 O 3 FET devices exhibited remarkable stability under bias stress conditions due to a high-quality In 2 O 3 channel layer, good gate dielectric/channel interface matching, and a suitable passivation layer. These findings underscore the potential of ALD In 2 O 3 films as promising materials for upper-layer channels in the next generation of M3D devices.

Per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) are widely used industrial and household chemicals and occur on various contaminated field sites. To better understand their behavior on soils, spike experiments were performed with 6:2 diPAP (6:2 polyfluoroalkyl phosphate diester) on pure mineral phases (titanium dioxide, goethite and silicon dioxide) in aqueous suspensions under artificial sunlight. Further experiments were performed with uncontaminated soil and four precursor PFAS. Titanium dioxide (referenced as 100 %) showed the highest reactiveness to transform 6:2 diPAP to its primary metabolite 6:2 fluorotelomer carboxylic acid, followed by goethite with the addition of oxalate (4.7 %), silicon dioxide (1.7 %) and soil (0.0024 %). Experiments with four precursors [6:2 diPAP, 6:2 fluorotelomer mercapto alkyl phosphate (FTMAP), N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide ethanol-based phosphate diester (diSAmPAP), N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid (EtFOSAA)] on natural soils showed a transformation of all four precursors by simulated sunlight. The production of the primary intermediate from 6:2 FTMAP (6:2 FTSA, rate constant k = 2.7∗10 -3 h -1 ) was approximately 13-times faster than from 6:2 diPAP (6:2 FTCA, rate constant k = 1.9∗10 -4 h -1 ). EtFOSAA was completely decomposed within 48 h whereas only ~7 % diSAmPAP was transformed in the same time. The primary photochemical transformation product of diSAmPAP and EtFOSAA was PFOA, PFOS was not detected. The production rate constant of PFOA varied significantly between EtFOSAA (k = 0.01h -1 ) and diSAmPAP (k = 1.3∗10 -3 h -1 ). Photochemically produced PFOA consisted of branched and linear isomers and can therefore be used in source tracking. Experiments with different soils suggest that the oxidation of EtFOSAA to PFOA is expected to primarily be driven by hydroxyl radicals, whereas for the oxidation of EtFOSAA to further intermediates, another mechanism instead or in addition to the oxidation by hydroxyl radicals is responsible., 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 © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This contribution demonstrates and discusses the preparation of finely dispersed copper(II) oxide nanosuspensions as precursors for reductive laser sintering (RLS). Since the presence of agglomerates interferes with the various RLS sub-processes, fine dispersion is required, and oversized particles must be identified by a measurement methodology. Aside from the established method of scanning electron microscopy for imaging individual dried particles, this work applies the holistic and statistically more significant laser diffraction in combination with dynamic image analysis in wet dispersion. In addition to direct ultrasonic homogenization, high-energy ball milling is introduced for RLS, to produce stable nanosuspensions with a high fine fraction, and, above all, the absence of oversize particles. Whereas ultrasonic dispersion stagnates at particle sizes between 500 nm and 20 μm, even after 8 h, milled suspension contains a high proportion of finest particles with diameters below 100 nm, no agglomerates larger than 1 μm and a trimodal particle size distribution with the median at 50 nm already, after 100 min of milling. The precursor layers produced by doctor blade coating are examined for their quality by laser scanning microscopy. The surface roughness of such a dry film can be reduced from 1.26 μm to 88 nm by milling. Finally, the novel precursor is used for femtosecond RLS, to produce homogeneous, high-quality copper layers with a sheet resistance of 0.28Ω/sq and a copper mass concentration of 94.2%.

Sandstorms, a natural meteorological event, occur repeatedly during the dry season and can accumulate large amounts of natural/anthropogenic pollutants during the deposition process, potentially introducing disinfection by-product (DBP) precursors into surface waters. In this study, the characteristics of sandstorm-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) and its DBP formation potential were elucidated. Overall, sandstorm-derived DOM mainly consisted of low-molecular-weight, low-aromaticity, high-nitrogen organic matter, with a dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release yield of 14.4 mg-DOC/g. The halogenated DBP formation potential (calculated as total organic halogen) of sandstorm-derived DOM was comparable to that of surface water, while the normalized DBP-associated toxicity was 1.96 times higher. Similar to DOM introduced by other depositional pathways, sandstorm-derived DOM also had higher yields of highly cytotoxic DBPs (haloacetaldehydes [HALs], haloacetonitriles [HANs] and halonitromethanes [HNMs]). The average atmospheric deposition flux for DOM during the sandstorm event (50.4 ± 2.1 kg km -2 day -1 ) was 6.95 times higher than that of dry deposition, indicating a higher probability of contaminant input. Simultaneously, the estimation revealed that the sandstorm will increase the formation potential of toxicity forcing agents, such as HALs, HANs and HNMs, in surface water by 3.87%, 2.39% and 9.04%, respectively. Considering the high frequency of sandstorm events and the sorption of other organic pollutants by sand and dust, the impact of sandstorms on surface water quality should be of concern., 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 © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is frequently associated with precursor lesions, and biliary intraepithelial neoplasia (BilIN) may play a significant role in the development of ICC. However, the exact sequence and progression of these lesions remain to be elucidated. We report a rare case of ICC that exhibited extensive longitudinal intraductal extension of high-grade BilIN in the posterior bile ducts and involved the hepatic hilum and the peripheral hepatic parenchyma., Case Presentation: A 70-year-old female presented with anorexia. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a 15 mm enhancing intrahepatic tumor extending to the right intrahepatic secondary confluence. This was associated with a 7 mm diameter cystic dilatation of the segment 6 bile duct (B6). Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) revealed stenosis at the bifurcation of the posterior bile duct branch. Bile cytology confirmed the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma cells. Therefore, the patient was diagnosed with an ICC involving the right glissonean pedicle and underwent a right hepatectomy and lymph node dissection. Histologic examination revealed the tumor consisted of moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. In connection with this lesion, diffuse intraductal atypical epithelial cells, which were diagnosed as high-grade BilIN, was observed not only in the dilated B6 but in the entire posterior bile ducts, which measured approximately 120 mm in diameter. Furthermore, two distinct foci of adenocarcinomas were identified in the peripheral hepatic parenchyma. A lymph node metastasis was also present. The pathological diagnosis was ICC pT4N1M0 stage IVA. The patient underwent adjuvant chemotherapy and has shown no recurrence 5 years after surgery. Imaging modalities were unable to accurately assess the extent of the intraductal neoplastic lesions due to their low papillary or sessile intraductal tubular growth. No risk factors for BilIN development, which has the potential to predispose to cholangiocarcinoma, were identified in the present case., Conclusions: We present a case of ICC involving the right hepatic hilum, accompanied by extensive longitudinal extensions of high-grade BilIN and multifocal microscopic invasions in peripheral hepatic parenchyma. Notably, the intraductal lesions involved the entire posterior intrahepatic bile ducts. The presence of biliary neoplasia with extensive intraductal extension, in conjunction with ICC, should be considered as a variant of BilIN., (© 2023. Japan Surgical Society.)

The leaching of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) from Australian firefighting training grounds has resulted in extensive contamination of groundwater and nearby farmlands. Humans, farm animals, and wildlife in these areas may have been exposed to complex mixtures of PFASs from aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs). This study aimed to identify PFAS classes in pooled whole blood ( n = 4) and serum ( n = 4) from cattle exposed to AFFF-impacted groundwater and potentially discover new PFASs in blood. Thirty PFASs were identified at various levels of confidence (levels 1a-5a), including three novel compounds: (i) perfluorohexanesulfonamido 2-hydroxypropanoic acid (FHxSA-HOPrA), (ii) methyl((perfluorohexyl)sulfonyl)sulfuramidous acid, and (iii) methyl((perfluorooctyl)sulfonyl)sulfuramidous acid, belonging to two different classes. Biotransformation intermediate, perfluorohexanesulfonamido propanoic acid (FHxSA-PrA), hitherto unreported in biological samples, was detected in both whole blood and serum. Furthermore, perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides, including perfluoropropane sulfonamide (FPrSA), perfluorobutane sulfonamide (FBSA), and perfluorohexane sulfonamide (FHxSA) were predominantly detected in whole blood, suggesting that these accumulate in the cell fraction of blood. The suspect screening revealed several fluoroalkyl chain-substituted PFAS. The results suggest that targeting only the major PFASs in the plasma or serum of AFFF-exposed mammals likely underestimates the toxicological risks associated with exposure. Future studies of AFFF-exposed populations should include whole-blood analysis with high-resolution mass spectrometry to understand the true extent of PFAS exposure.

The rapid growth of the delivery service market in Korea due to the impact of COVID-19 has resulted in an increase in crashes associated with delivery motor scooters. In particular, required minimum delivery time, which is an important factor for food delivery service, can lead to hazardous riding situations leading to traffic crashes. Although the food delivery service industry is continuously increasing, effective measures to improve the traffic safety of delivery motor scooters are insufficient. This study derived precursors in order to detect risky riding events using real-world naturalistic riding study data. It is essential to understand the riding characteristics of food delivery motor scooters to conduct the riding safety monitoring in more scientific and automated manners. Various candidate precursors were derived from riding characteristics data collected from GPS sensors and inertial measurement unit sensors. A decision tree model was then adopted to classify unsafe and normal riding events in order to determine the priority of precursors. A classification accuracy of 95.7% was obtained using three salient riding risk precursors including the norm of the angular velocity, which represents composite vector quantity of 3-axis measurements, acceleration, and X-axis angular velocity. The results of this study are expected to be used as a fundamental data to prepare for riding safety management systems that contribute to enhancing the safety of food delivery motor scooters., 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 © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The synthesis of TiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) in supercritical media has been reported over the last two decades. However, very few studies have compared the physicochemical characteristics and photoactivity of the TiO 2 powders produced from different precursors, and even fewer have investigated the effect of using different ratios of hydrolytic agent/precursor (HA/P) on the properties of the semiconductor. To bridge this knowledge gap, this research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of TiO 2 NPs obtained in a supercritical CO 2 medium from four different TiO 2 precursors, namely diisopropoxytitanium bis (acetylacetonate) (TDB), titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TIP), titanium (IV) butoxide (TBO), and titanium (IV) 2-ethylhexyloxide (TEO). Further, the effect of various HA/P ratios (10, 20, 30, and 40 mol/mol) when using ethanol as a hydrolytic agent has also been analyzed. Results obtained have shown that the physicochemical properties of the catalysts are not significantly affected by these variables, although some differences do exist between the synthesized materials and their catalytic performances. Specifically, photocatalysts obtained from TIP and TEO at the higher HA/P ratios (HA/P = 30 and HA/P = 40) led to higher CO 2 photoconversions (6.3-7 µmol·g -1 ·h -1 , Apparent Quantum Efficiency < 0.1%), about three times higher than those attained with commercial TiO 2 P-25. These results have been imputed to the fact that these catalysts exhibit appropriate values of crystal size, surface area, light absorption, and charge transfer properties.

Aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition of MoS 2 from solutions containing the single-source precursors cis -Mo(CO) 4 (TMTU) 2 and Mo(CO) 5 (TMTU) in toluene was compared to depositions from the coreactant solution containing Mo(CO) 6 and uncoordinated TMTU in toluene. The results were used to assess the significance of ligand precoordination on the properties of the deposited films. Raman spectra and GI-XRD patterns of the films show that the single-source precursors produced more intense and sharper signals for 2H-MoS 2 as compared to the coreactant system of Mo(CO) 6 and TMTU, which is indicative of improved crystallinity. SEM and XPS were also used to assess morphology and film composition. Thermolysis of cis -Mo(CO) 4 (TMTU) 2 and analysis of the pyrolysis products by GC-MS and 1 H NMR suggested a decomposition mechanism of the TMTU ligand where a terminal sulfido is generated on the molybdenum center with loss of a heteroatom stabilized carbene.