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Objective: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of potassium aluminum sulfate (alum) application on the stainability and translucency of computer‐aided design and computer‐aided manufacturing (CAD‐CAM) materials after coffee thermocycling (CTC). Materials and Methods: Disk‐shaped specimens (Ø10 × 1 mm; N = 200) were fabricated by using additively (Crowntec [CT] and Varseo Smile Crown Plus [VS]) and subtractively manufactured (Brilliant Crios [RCR], CEREC Block [FC], and Vita Enamic [VE]) CAD‐CAM materials and polished. All specimens were randomly divided into two groups as alum applied and control (n = 10). All specimens were then subjected to CTC (10,000 cycles at 5–55°C) and color coordinates were measured at each time interval. Color differences (ΔE00) and relative translucency parameters (RTPs) were calculated and the data were statistically analyzed (a = 0.05). Results: Among tested time intervals, alum applied specimens had their lowest ΔE00 after alum application (p ≤ 0.006), except for FC (p = 0.177). In addition, alum applied RCR had lower ΔE00 values than its control specimens (p = 0.029). Alum applied specimens had their lowest RTP after CTC (p < 0.001) and alum application decreased the RTP of CT (p = 0.010). CTC reduced the RTP of all materials in control groups (p < 0.001). Alum applied CT had higher RTP than its control specimens (p = 0.049). Conclusions: Alum application's effect on color change varied depending on the material and alum mostly resulted in clinically acceptable changes in translucency. CTC led to unacceptable color and translucency changes based on previously reported threshold values. Clinical Significance: Optical properties of CAD‐CAM materials and the sustainability of these properties over time is critical for longevity. Alum may improve the color stability of reinforced composite resin when subjected to long‐term coffee consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We successfully synthesized a one-dimensional cobalt sulfate coordinating polymer, whose simple hydrogen bond web structure facilitated the analysis of the proton transfer process. At 175 °C, without humidity, the conductivity is 0.0311 S cm−1, which exceeds those of most of the organic inorganic hybrid materials under anhydrous conditions (world record rank 8). Based on its crystal structure and theoretical calculations, the subversive proton conduction pathway was inferred clearly. We, for the first time, found that the proton smartly chose the path with a lower energy barrier but not the one with short distance to transport avoiding short circuit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We recently showed that 6-sulfo sialyl N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) in O-linked glycans recognized by the CL40 antibody is abundant in the pleural mesothelium under physiological conditions and that these glycans undergo complementary synthesis by GlcNAc6ST2 (encoded by Chst4) and GlcNAc6ST3 (encoded by Chst5) in mice. GlcNAc6ST3 is essential for the synthesis of R-10G-positive keratan sulfate (KS) in the brain. The predicted minimum epitope of the R-10G antibody is a dimeric asialo 6-sulfo LacNAc. Whether R-10G-reactive KS/sulfated LacNAc oligosaccharides are also present in the pleural mesothelium was unknown. The question of which GlcNAc6STs are responsible for R-10G-reactive glycans was an additional issue to be clarified. Here, we show that R-10G-reactive glycans are as abundant in the pulmonary pleura as CL40-reactive glycans and that GlcNAc6ST3 is only partially involved in the synthesis of these pleural R-10G glycans, unlike in the adult brain. Unexpectedly, GlcNAc6ST2 is essential for the synthesis of R-10G-positive KS/sulfated LacNAc oligosaccharides in the lung pleura. The type of GlcNAc6ST and the magnitude of its contribution to KS glycan synthesis varied among tissues in vivo. We show that GlcNAc6ST2 is required and sufficient for R-10G-reactive KS synthesis in the lung pleura. Interestingly, R-10G immunoreactivity in KSGal6ST (encoded by Chst1) and C6ST1 (encoded by Chst3) double-deficient mouse lungs was markedly increased. MUC16, a mucin molecule, was shown to be a candidate carrier protein for pleural R-10G-reactive glycans. These results suggest that R-10G-reactive KS/sulfated LacNAc oligosaccharides may play a role in mesothelial cell proliferation and differentiation. Further elucidation of the functions of sulfated glycans synthesized by GlcNAc6ST2 and GlcNAc6ST3, such as R-10G and CL40 glycans, in pathological conditions may lead to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the physiopathology of the lung mesothelium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial dissimilatory sulfate reduction (DSR) is a key process in the Earth biogeochemical sulfur cycle. In spite of its importance to the sulfur and carbon cycles, industrial processes, and human health, it is still not clear how reduction of sulfate to sulfide is coupled to energy conservation. A central step in the pathway is the reduction of sulfite by the DsrAB dissimilatory sulfite reductase, which leads to the production of a DsrC-trisulfide. A membrane-bound complex, DsrMKJOP, is present in most organisms that have DsrAB and DsrC, and its involvement in energy conservation has been inferred from sequence analysis, but its precise function was so far not determined. Here, we present studies revealing that the DsrMKJOP complex of the sulfate reducer Archaeoglobus fulgidus works as a menadiol:DsrC-trisulfide oxidoreductase. Our results reveal a close interaction between the DsrC-trisulfide and the DsrMKJOP complex and show that electrons from the quinone pool reduce consecutively the DsrM hemes b, the DsrK noncubane [4Fe-4S]3+/2+ catalytic center, and finally the DsrC-trisulfide with concomitant release of sulfide. These results clarify the role of this widespread respiratory membrane complex and support the suggestion that DsrMKJOP contributes to energy conservation upon reduction of the DsrC-trisulfide in the last step of DSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widely discussed single‐atom catalysts (SACs) are regarded as a kind of attractive material for sulfate radical‐based advanced oxidation processes (SR‐AOPs) owing to their maximum atomic utilization efficiency and outstanding stability. Currently, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have appeared as prospective precursors for building SACs due to extensive chelating sites, functional adjustability, and structural tunability. However, there are few critical and systematic reviews about the application of MOF‐derived SACs in SR‐AOPs, especially in‐depth analysis of the mechanisms. Therefore, this review seeks to offer a thorough summary of the development of MOF‐derived SACs in SR‐AOPs. First, the unique advantages of MOFs as derivative precursors for SACs are discussed thoroughly. Afterward, the current synthesis strategies are elaborated categorically to unveil the formation process of single atoms and their coordination environments. Notably, the roles of different reaction sites including the generation of reactive species and mediating electron transfer are further analyzed to explain mechanisms comprehensively. Thereafter, the characterization techniques and theoretical calculations for mechanisms studies are also highlighted. Eventually, critical insights into present challenges and future developments are proposed, which are expected to enhance the catalytic efficiency of MOF‐derived SACs in SR‐AOPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS)-based biowaiver monograph is presented for isavuconazonium sulfate. A BCS-based biowaiver is a regulatory option to substitute appropriate in vitro data for in vivo bioequivalence studies. Isavuconazonium sulfate is the prodrug of isavuconazole, a broad-spectrum azole antifungal indicated for invasive fungal infections. While the prodrug can be classified as a BCS Class III drug with high solubility but low permeability, the parent drug can be classified as a BCS Class II drug with low solubility but high permeability. Interestingly, the in vivo behavior of both is additive and leads isavuconazonium sulfate to act like a BCS class I drug substance after oral administration. In this work, experimental solubility and dissolution data were evaluated and compared with available literature data to investigate whether it is feasible to approve immediate release solid oral dosage forms containing isavuconazonium sulfate according to official guidance from the FDA, EMA and/or ICH. The risks associated with waiving a prodrug according to the BCS-based biowaiver guidelines are reviewed and discussed, noting that current regulations are quite restrictive on this point. Further, results show high solubility but instability of isavuconazonium sulfate in aqueous media. Although experiments on the dissolution of the capsule contents confirmed 'very rapid' dissolution of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) isavuconazonium sulfate, its release from the commercial marketed capsule formulation Cresemba is limited by the choice of capsule shell material, providing an additional impediment to approval of generic versions via the BCS-Biowaiver approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Late Permian Zechstein Sea of Central Europe, up to 2000 m of evaporitic rocks were deposited in at least four consecutive cycles. The age of these evaporitic rocks could not yet be precisely determined, because they are virtually fossil-free and do not contain radiometrically datable volcanic layers. A chemostratigraphic age of the succession can be determined by comparing 87Sr/86Sr ratios of marine gypsum and anhydrite to the worldwide marine strontium evolution curve. Unfortunately, published 87Sr/86Sr data of the Zechstein succession are characterized by frequent outliers towards higher ratios, making an age assignment challenging. The scatter in 87Sr/86Sr ratios might be induced by different processes like the contribution of meteoric water to the brine, in-situ Rb decay, or post-depositional hydrothermal or diagenetic overprint. Here, we present a dataset of 26 new gypsum and anhydrite 87Sr/86Sr ratios from drill cores situated at "Alter Stolberg" in the northernmost Thuringian Basin. Evaporites of the Werra-, Staßfurt-, and Leine cycles were sampled. The close proximity of the drillings allows a very accurate assignment of the stratigraphic position of each sample, so that trends and outliers in 87Sr/86Sr ratios can easily be recognized. While the entire Werra Formation obviously revealed non-marine 87Sr/86Sr ratios, the lowermost 87Sr/86Sr ratios in the Staßfurt and Leine Formations can be assumed to represent marine ratios and allow estimating a chemostratigraphic age of 257‒254 Ma. The combination of the 87Sr/86Sr data with the mineral composition of the samples suggests a contribution of meteoric water, probably river water, to the Zechstein Sea as the main reason for the observed increase in 87Sr/86Sr ratios. Additional in-situ Rb decay, related to the riverine input of clay minerals, cannot be excluded. Modelling the amounts of sea water and meteoric water in the brine indicates that 83‒99% of meteoric water would be necessary to explain the highest 87Sr/86Sr ratios observed in the Werra Formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion induced by sulfate attack on cement-treated aggregates (SACA) is a well-known problem that can be solved. It causes obvious heaves in road bases and railway subgrades. In this paper, the effects of the sodium sulfate content, cement content, degree of compaction, sulfate types, attack types, aluminum ion supply, concentration of curing sulfate solution, and temperature on the expansion behavior induced by SACA were investigated over 60 days in the laboratory. Based on the Sobol sensitivity analysis method, the influence of the sensitivity of each factor on the expansion was quantitatively analyzed, and the dominant factor of expansion was proposed. Results show that sulfate content is the domain factor of expansion that is induced by SACA, and it presents a logarithmic function relationship with strain. The 0.5% sodium sulfate content is the minimum sulfate content which causes the expansion that is induced by SACA. When the sulfate content is less than 1%, the expansion induced by SACA is minor. When the sulfate content is between 1% and 3%, the expansion behavior is expressed in four stages as follows: rapid strain increase, followed by a short stagnation period, then a significant strain increase and, finally, constant strain. When the sulfate content is greater than 5%, there are two stages comprising the expansion behavior as follows: the rapid strain increases and constant strain occurs. Greater sulfate content, greater degree of compaction, and lower temperature have positive effects on the expansion induced by SACA. The cement content does not have a consistent effect on expansion behavior. Compared with a sodium sulfate attack, both the reaction rate and expansion of cement-treated aggregates that are attacked by gypsum are smaller, and the attack period is also longer. When the sulfate content is greater than 1%, the addition of kaolin promotes the progression of the expansion induced by SACA. A small amount of water is sufficient for the demand for the sulfate attack. When the sulfate content is at a certain level, the expansion induced by SACA that is under external attack is much smaller than the expansion that is under internal attack. This study is expected to serve as a reference for future research on the mechanics of SACA, and it attempts to provide theoretical support for amending expansions that are induced by SACA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, a novel Brønsted-acidic ionic liquid 1,3-(4,4′-bipyridinium disulfonic acid)-propane-dihydrogen sulfate (BPDSPDH) was synthesized as a bi-functional catalyst. BPDSPDH was characterized using various analytical techniques such as FTIR, TGA, 13CNMR, 1HNMR, and mass spectrometry. Afterward, the catalytic ability of BPDSPDH was explored in the synthesis of chromeno[4,3-b]chromene and pyrido[2,3-d:6,5-d′]dipyrimidine derivatives. BPDSPDH is an ionic liquid catalyst with advantages such as having a high catalytic activity due to its acidic and basic sites, the use of affordable and easily accessible starting materials for catalyst production, recyclability of the catalyst up to 4 times without significant loss in catalytic activity, short reaction time, high yields and moderate reaction conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The common approach to creating antimicrobial polymer materials is the distribution of a bactericidal additive in a material by mixing the additive with a solution or a melt of the polymer. This work proposes the method introducing of copper(II) sulfate, which has antimicrobial properties, into a poly(lactic acid) film by forced impregnation of a salt solution via the crazing mechanism. CuSO4 has been found to be uniformly distributed in the bulk of the polymer in the form of particles with sizes of about 100 nm. In the course of the structural modification, the surface of the polymer film becomes rougher and more hydrophobic. The water contact angle increases from 40° to 60°–65°. The incorporation of CuSO4 does not affect the surface properties but has a reinforcing effect on the polymer matrix as is evident from tensile tests (strength and elongation at break increase by 2.5 and 1.4 times, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New biamphiphilic surfactants (BSs) have been synthesized based on alkylmethylmorpholinium cation and dodecyl sulfate anion (Mor-n(DS), n = 4, 6, 8, 10). The structure of the biamphiphiles has been characterized by IR spectroscopy, 1H NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis. The aggregation behavior of the biamphiphiles in aqueous solutions has been assessed by tensiometry, conductometry, fluorescence spectroscopy (using a pyrene probe) and dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering. It has been shown that an increase in the hydrophobic tail length by two carbon atoms in an amphiphilic cation leads to an increase in the surface activity of the surfactant by ~5 units and a decrease in the aggregation threshold of the systems by 1.5–2 times. It has been established that the formation of aggregates with hydrodynamic diameters of 20–120 nm depending on the alkyl chain length of the alkylmethylmorpholinium cation and BS concentration. The zeta potential of the systems ranges from –25 to –100 mV and decreases with increasing biamphiphile concentration. Spectrophotometry has been employed to show a significant solubilization capacity of the biamphiphiles with respect to a hydrophobic dye Orange OT. The compounds obtained may be of interest for biomedical applications and other high-tech areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fucoidan ameliorated dextran sulfate sodium-induced ulcerative colitis through promoting autophagy. • Fucoidan-induced autophagy improved colon barrier and reshaped gut microbiota. • The present study supported the therapeutic potential of fucoidan for the adjuvant treatment of other autophagy-related diseases. Although previous research has unveiled the remedial effects of fucoidan, an extract from marine algae, on ulcerative colitis (UC), the precise mechanisms remain elusive. Animal studies have suggested a connection between autophagy and the beneficial influences of fucoidan intervention. We hypothesized that fucoidan's alleviative effects on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC could be ascribed to autophagy. For our study, we chose 36 male C57BL/6 mice and administered 100 or 400 mg/(kg/body weight/day) of fucoidan via gavage for 5 consecutive weeks. During the last week, the mice were given 3% DSS in drinking water to induce UC. In contrast to the DSS-induced UC model, fucoidan intervention prevented DSS-induced body weight loss, mitigated colon shortening, improved colon mucosa damage, enhanced the intestinal barrier, and reduced serum inflammatory factor concentrations. Furthermore, fucoidan intervention reshaped the gut microbiota compositions, increased the relative abundance of Bacteroidota, Muribaculaceae_unclassified, Clostridiales_unclassified , and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group , and decreased the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Escherichia-Shigella , which led to a lower Firmicutes/Bacteroidota ratio. Additionally, fucoidan treatment enhanced autophagy, as evidenced by upregulated protein expressions of BECLIN1, ATG5, ATG7, and an increased microtubule-associated-proteinlight-chain-3-II/microtubule-associated-proteinlight-chain-3-I ratio. Our findings corroborated the ameliorating effects of fucoidan intervention on DSS-induced UC through autophagy activation, reorganization of gut microbiota, and fortification of the intestinal barrier. This lends support to the therapeutic potential of fucoidan as a natural bioactive ingredient for future UC treatments in humans. Rapidly increasing incidence of UC imposed an enormous burden on health care. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential mechanisms of fucoidan to ameliorate DSS-induced UC. Fucoidan treatments improved the intestinal barrier, regulated gut microbiota composition, decreased serum inflammatory factors concentrations, and promoted autophagy by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, thereby ameliorating DSS-induced UC. Abbreviations: AKT, protein kinase B; ATG5, autophagy-related gene 5; ATG7, autophagy-related gene 7; ATG16L1, autophagy-related protein 16-like 1; DSS, dextran sulfate sodium; IL-1β, interleukin-1β; LC3, microtubule-associated-proteinlight-chain-3; mTOR, mammalian target of rapamycin; MUC-2, mucin-2; PI3K, phosphoinositide-3 kinase; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor-alpha; UC, ulcerative colitis; ULK1, serine/threonine kinase Unc-51-like kinase 1; ZO-1, zonula occludens-1. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Galvanic interactions present alternative strategies to achieve a more efficient Cu dissolution from CuFeS2. The present work studied the interaction between chalcopyrite–magnetite (CuFeS2-Fe3O4) in acidified ferric sulphate Fe2(SO4)3-H2SO4 at a solution pH of 1.8 and a temperature of 25 or 50 °C. The addition of Fe3O4 to CuFeS2 forms a galvanic couple, which positively impacts the dissolution of Cu. The results showed that the presence of Fe3O4 led to high and fast Cu dissolution rates and decreased significantly the activation energy, from 83 to 57 kJ/mol. In addition to that, the solid residues revealed that CuFeS2 dissolution produced intermediate Cu-S-rich phases: CuS, Cu2S and Cu5FeS4, which appeared to envelop CuFeS2, had no observable intermediate phase while in the presence of Fe3O4. The results showed that 94% of Cu could be recovered after 5 h of leaching at 50 °C at a Fe3O4/CuFeS2 ratio of 4:1 and a 460 mV Ag/AgCl solution potential. The findings of this study present an option for efficient Cu dissolution from CuFeS2 in ferric sulphate at atmospheric pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfate crystals typically exhibit minimal optical anisotropy due to the near‐zero polarizability anisotropy (δ) of [SO4]2− tetrahedra, arising from highly symmetrical electron clouds. Recent research sought to enhance δ via chemical modifications, such as fluorination. However, the resultant crystals often maintain subpar optical anisotropy, frequently with birefringence values below 0.1. In this study, we have uncovered that δ can be significantly strengthened by chemically tailoring the tetrahedral [SO4]2− with anisotropic π‐conjugated modules. This has been demonstrated by several newly proposed S−O‐Org (Org: π‐conjugated organic species) moieties, which show a sharp increase in δ based on theoretical computations. To further validate this experimentally, we synthesized and characterized six new 3‐pyridinesulfonate crystals with the formula A(3‐C5H4NSO3) ⋅ xH2O (A=Li, Ag, K, Rb, Cs, and NH4; x=0 and 1). Notably, these materials exhibit strong optical anisotropy, with birefringence values ranging from 0.240 to 0.312 at 546 nm. These values are approximately 23 to 145.5 times greater than those of corresponding sulfates, and they outperform a vast number of sulfate‐related optical materials, thus verifying the effectiveness of the proposed strategy. Furthermore, the title compounds exhibit diverse microstructure peculiarities influenced by the size and binding natures of the counter cations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfate crystals typically exhibit minimal optical anisotropy due to the near‐zero polarizability anisotropy (δ) of [SO4]2− tetrahedra, arising from highly symmetrical electron clouds. Recent research sought to enhance δ via chemical modifications, such as fluorination. However, the resultant crystals often maintain subpar optical anisotropy, frequently with birefringence values below 0.1. In this study, we have uncovered that δ can be significantly strengthened by chemically tailoring the tetrahedral [SO4]2− with anisotropic π‐conjugated modules. This has been demonstrated by several newly proposed S−O‐Org (Org: π‐conjugated organic species) moieties, which show a sharp increase in δ based on theoretical computations. To further validate this experimentally, we synthesized and characterized six new 3‐pyridinesulfonate crystals with the formula A(3‐C5H4NSO3) ⋅ xH2O (A=Li, Ag, K, Rb, Cs, and NH4; x=0 and 1). Notably, these materials exhibit strong optical anisotropy, with birefringence values ranging from 0.240 to 0.312 at 546 nm. These values are approximately 23 to 145.5 times greater than those of corresponding sulfates, and they outperform a vast number of sulfate‐related optical materials, thus verifying the effectiveness of the proposed strategy. Furthermore, the title compounds exhibit diverse microstructure peculiarities influenced by the size and binding natures of the counter cations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfate-rich sedimentary rocks explored by the Opportunity rover during its 14-year surface mission at Meridiani Planum provide an invaluable window into the thousands of sulfate deposits detected on Mars via remote sensing. Existing models explaining the formation of martian sulfates can be generally described as either bottom-up, groundwater-driven playa settings or top-down icy chemical weathering environments. Here, we propose a hybrid model involving both bottom-up and top-down processes driven by freeze-thaw cycles. Freezing leads to cryo-concentration of acidic fluids from precipitations at the surface, facilitating rapid chemical weathering despite low temperatures. Cryosuction causes the upward migration of vadose water and even groundwater with dissolved ions, resulting in the accumulation of ions in near-surface environments. Evaporation precipitates salts, but leaching separates chlorides from sulfates during the thawing period. Freeze-thaw cycles, therefore, can enrich sulfates at the surface. While freeze-thaw is more commonly understood as a mechanism of physical weathering, we suggest that it is a fundamental aspect of chemical weathering on Mars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the authors present as an innovation, the homogeneous sulfonation of Udel® polysulfone (PSU) with acetylsulfate (ACS) under reflux at 45°C in dichloromethane and inert N2 atmosphere (g) for 1.5 h. Different proportions of ACS were used, obtaining sulfonated products with varying degrees of sulfonation (DS). Confirmation of sulfonated polysulfone (PSU-S), denominated as PSU-SA (high degree of sulfonation) and PSU-SB (low degree of sulfonation), was carried out by FTIR and ¹H NMR. Determination of DS was carried out through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DSC), varying indexes between 0.883 and 3.022, which correspond to a sulfonated polymer with ion exchange capacity (IEC) from 1.720 to 4.400 meq/g. The evolution of DS related to methods used was monitored and confirmed by ¹H NRM. Sulfonation is undertaken to enhance the suitability of this polymer for future applications in the production of biofuels, targeting its utilization in catalytic processes for esterification and transesterification mechanisms of oils and fats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to analyze three aspects. (1) Formulation of biochar from wood refinery sawmill waste at pyrolysis temperatures of 450°C and 550°C with pyrolysis times of 2 and 4 hours. (2) The best wood refinery sawing waste biochar dosage to improve the chemical quality of acidic sulfate soil through improving soil pH, Al-dd, N, P, and K of the soil. (3) Growth and production of paddy on acidic sulfate soils by application of ameliorant biochar of waste sawmill wood mill. The research was conducted in acidic sulfate soil in a screen house in the Experimental Garden of the Faculty of Agriculture, Syiah Kuala University. Soil samples and biochar were analyzed at the Soil and Plant Research Laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture. The study was an experiment using a factorial complete randomized design with two factors: the temperature and pyrolysis time and the dose of biochar. The results showed that the application of biochar waste from sawmill wood refineries had a very significant and significant effect on improving the quality of acidic sulfate soil and the growth and production of rice fields. The formulation of biochar at a pyrolysis temperature of 550°C for 2-hour pyrolysis with 20 tons/ha is the best improvement in acid sulfate soil quality, growth, and rice field production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fast, simple and cost-effective technique has been used to produce spray-drying porous particles of salbutamol sulfate (SS) for inhalation drug delivery. The particles were produced using water as solvent and ammonium bicarbonate as pore-forming agent. A full factorial experimental design (24) with a central point was used to evaluate the influence of process parameters (drying air inlet temperature, atomization air volume flowrate, feed volume flowrate and the pore-forming agent concentration) on process yield, moisture content, densities and particle size. In addition, particle morphology, in-vitro aerosolization properties, stability and cytotoxicity of selected samples were studied. Within the experimental design parameters window, it was shown that the highest inlet temperature and pore-forming agent concentration were the factors that more affected the process yield and tap density values. Particles with the lowest tap densities values exhibited porous morphology. In addition, the pore-forming agent concentration proved to be the most significant variable affecting particle size. The highest pore-forming agent concentration, the largest particle size. The porous particles exhibit remarkable aerosolization performance, surpassing the performance of previously reported SS porous particles and a commercial formulation. These powders showed a high process yield and the absence of ammonium bicarbonate in the final product, as confirmed by FT-IR. Furthermore, the powders presented good stability even over long periods of time and did not exhibit cytotoxicity on the murine alveolar macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research on atmospheric particle formation has shown substantial discrepancies between observed and modeled atmospheric sulfate levels. This is because models mostly consider sulfate originating from S O 2 oxidation by •OH radicals in mechanisms catalyzed by solar radiation while ignoring other pathways of non-radical S O 2 oxidation that would substantially alter atmospheric sulfate levels. Herein, we use high-level quantum chemical calculations based on density functional theory and coupled cluster theory to show that monoethanolamine (MEA), a typical alkanolamine pollutant released from C O 2 capture technology, can facilitate the conversion of atmospheric S O 2 to sulfate in a non – •OH – radical oxidation mechanism. The initial process is the MEA-induced S O 2 hydrolysis leading to the formation of H O S O 2 − • M E A H + . The latter entity is thereafter oxidized by ozone ( O 3 ) and nitrogen dioxide ( N O 2 ) to form H S O 4 − • M E A H + , which is an identified stabilizing entity in sulfate-based aerosol formation. Results show that the H O S O 2 − • M E A H + reaction with O 3 is kinetically and thermodynamically more feasible than the reaction with N O 2 . The presence of an additional water molecule further promotes the H O S O 2 − • M E A H + reaction with O 3 , which occurs in a barrierless process, while it instead favors HONO formation in the reaction with N O 2 . The investigated pathway highlights the potential role alkanolamines may play in S O 2 oxidation to sulfate, especially under conditions that are not favorable for •OH production, thereby providing an alternative sulfate source for aerosol modeling. The studied mechanism is not only relevant to sulfate formation and may effectively compete with reactions with sulfur dioxide and hydroxyl radicals under heavily polluted and highly humid conditions such as haze events, but also an important pathway in MEA removal processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantification of anaerobic oxidation of organic matter in the global seabed is to a large extent based on transport-reaction modeling of pore water ions involved in the mineralization processes. As the predominant of these processes, sulfate reduction can be modeled from the depth distribution of sulfate and other relevant solutes. An active organoclastic sulfate reduction is typically characterized by sulfate profiles with a concave-down shape. We use here a comprehensive database to show that half of all competent sulfate profiles have an opposite, concave-up shape, which may appear inconsistent with this concept. We also show that there is a strong discrepancy between sulfate profiles obtained by gravity coring and by IODP coring, with generally much higher sulfate flux and shallower sulfate penetration depth in the gravity cores (the term IODP here covers the international ocean drilling programs, DSDP, ODP and IODP). The discrepancy is correlated with a selectivity for coring sites in the published studies, by which gravity coring is focused towards the ocean margins and continental shelf and towards high surface water productivity and high sedimentation rate. In contrast, IODP coring is more frequently done in low sedimentation regions and is largely absent from the continental shelf. As a result, estimates of sulfate reduction in the global seabed may be biased by a selection of only IODP core data for the modeling. Furthermore, the modeling of pore water profiles shows net rates of sulfate reduction, while 35S-radiotracer experiments show the higher gross rates of the process. Estimates from 35S-radiotracer measurements suggest that dissimilatory sulfate reduction oxidizes 77 Tmol yr−1 of organic carbon globally, which is 3- to 4-fold higher than recent data based on modeling of IODP data. The potential biases by global estimates of sulfate reduction in marine sediments are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic cosmetics, particularly hair dyes, are becoming increasingly popular among people of all ages and genders. 2,4,5,6-tetraaminopyrimidine sulfate (TAPS) is a key component of oxidative hair dyes and is used as a developer in several hair dyes. TAPS has previously been shown to absorb UVB strongly and degrade in a time-dependent manner, causing phototoxicity in human skin cells. However, the toxic effects of UVB-degraded TAPS are not explored in comparison to parent TAPS. Therefore, this research work aims to assess the toxicity of UVB-degraded TAPS than TAPS on two different test systems, that is, HaCaT (mammalian cell) and Staphylococcus aureus (a bacterial cell). Our result on HaCaT has illustrated that UVB-degraded TAPS is less toxic than parent TAPS. Additionally, UVB-exposed TAPS and parent TAPS were given to S. aureus, and the bacterial growth and their metabolic activity were assessed via CFU and phenotype microarray. The findings demonstrated that parent TAPS reduced bacterial growth via decreased metabolic activity; however, bacteria easily utilized the degraded TAPS. Thus, this study suggests that the products generated after UVB irradiation of TAPS is considered to be safer than their parent TAPS. Graphical Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keratan sulfate glycosaminoglycan is composed of repeating N -acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) disaccharide units consisting of galactose (Gal) and N -acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), both often 6- O -sulfated. Sulfate contents of keratan sulfate are heterogeneous depending upon the origins. In this study, keratan sulfate is classified as either highly sulfated (in which both GlcNAc and Gal residues are 6- O -sulfated) or low-sulfated (in which only GlcNAc residues are 6- O -sulfated). It is reported that highly sulfated keratan sulfate detected by the 5D4 monoclonal antibody is preferentially expressed in normal epithelial cells lining the female genital tract and in their neoplastic counterparts; however, expression of low-sulfated keratan sulfate in either has not been characterized. In the present study, we generated the 294-1B1 monoclonal antibody, which selectively recognizes low-sulfated keratan sulfate, and performed precise glycan analysis of sulfated glycans expressed on human serous ovarian carcinoma OVCAR-3 cells. We found that OVCAR-3 cells do not express highly sulfated keratan sulfate but rather express low-sulfated form, which was heterogeneous in 294-1B1 reactivity. Comparison of mass spectrometry spectra of sulfated glycans in 294-1B1-positive versus -negative OVCAR-3 cells indicated that the 294-1B1 epitope is likely at least 2, and possibly 3 or more, tandem GlcNAc-6- O -sulfated LacNAc units. Then, using the 294-1B1 antibody, we performed quantitative immunohistochemical analysis of 40 specimens from patients with ovarian cancer, consisting of 10 each of serous, endometrioid, clear cell, and mucinous carcinomas, and found that among them low-sulfated keratan sulfate was widely expressed in all but mucinous ovarian carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural kaolins may contain some metal cations (K+, Na+, Mg+2, Ca+2) and anions such as carbonate, phosphate, and sulfate as impurities, depending on the formation conditions. The kaolins of Turkiye generally give a high-quality white color after firing due to their low Fe2O3 content. Unfortunately, Turkiye's kaolin deposits generally contain high levels of SO3. Since the alunite mineral, which is the source of SO3, cannot be removed from the structure by known methods, kaolins containing alunite can only be used in the white cement sector. In this study, the suitability of the kaolins of the Balıkesir Sındırgı region, which has a large part of the kaolin reserves of Turkiye, to the areas of use where kaolin is mostly used in its current state has been investigated, and the samples obtained from the region have been examined in which areas of use they are suitable for use in raw form, and suggestions have been made about the enrichment methods to be carried out by comparing with the studies in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Densities of aqueous solutions of MnSO 4 , CoSO 4 , NiSO 4 and CuSO 4 have been measured by vibrating tube densimetry up to near-saturation concentrations over the temperature range 293.15 ≤ T / K ≤ 343.15 at 5 K intervals and at 0.1 MPa pressure. Apparent molar volumes, V ϕ , calculated from the densities revealed close similarities among all four electrolytes, with their V ϕ values essentially differing by constant concentration-independent addends for each salt at each temperature. It was found that there is an almost linear relationship between V ϕ (MSO 4 ,aq) and the M–O bond length of the hydrated cations obtained from structural studies. This relationship can be used to predict values of V ϕ (MSO 4 ,aq) for other sulfate salts over wide ranges of concentration and temperature, providing that the requisite structural data are available. Measurements of selected ternary, quaternary and quinary mixtures of these electrolytes at constant total concentrations showed that their V ϕ values almost always exhibit linear mixing (Young's rule) behavior at all temperatures investigated. This finding can be exploited to predict the volumetric properties of solutions containing complex mixtures of bivalent metal sulfates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study is to use machine learning models to predict drinking water quality from a public health nursing approach. Design: Machine learning study. Sample: "Water Quality Dataset" was used in the study. The dataset contains physical and chemical measurements of water quality for 2400 different water bodies. The process consists of four stages: Data processing with Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique, hyperparameter tuning with 10‐fold cross‐validation, modeling and comparative analysis. 80% of the dataset is allocated as training data and 20% as test data. ML models logistic regression, K‐nearest neighbor, support vector machine, random forest, XGBoost, AdaBoost Classifier, Decision Tree algorithms were used for water quality prediction. Accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score and AUC performance metrics of ML models were compared. To evaluate the performance of the models, 10‐fold cross‐validation was used and a comparative analysis was performed. The p‐values of the models were also compared. Results: N this study, where drinking water quality was predicted with seven different ML algorithms, it can be said that XGBoost and Random Forest are the best classification models in all performance metrics. There is a significant difference in all ML algorithms according to the p‐value. The H0 hypothesis is accepted for these algorithms. According to the H0 hypothesis, there is no difference between actual values and predicted values. Conclusion: In conclusion, the use of ML models in the prediction of drinking water quality can help nurses greatly improve access to clean water, a human right, be more knowledgeable about water quality, and protect the health of individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of the surfactant was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, and its low-temperature solubility, surface properties, emulsification properties and dispersion properties were measured by turbidity, drop volume, water splitting time and dispersion index methods. The effects of reaction temperature, reaction time, catalyst dosage and raw material ratio on the content of active substances in the products were investigated by the single-factor experimental method, and the optimum synthesis reaction conditions were determined. The results showed that under the conditions of reaction temperature of 100 °C, reaction time of 3 h, catalyst dosage of 1% of the total mass of the reactants and re(block polyether) : re(sulfamic acid) = 1:1.5, the content of active substances in the products reached 96.49%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the deformation behavior and failure strength of sulfate saline silty clay at a temperature of -10℃ and confining pressures of 6~10 MPa, we have performed low-temperature triaxial shear tests on sulfate saline silty clay in Hexi region of Gansu province, China. The variation trend of deviatoric stress, volumetric strain and initial deformation modulus with confining pressure were analyzed. The results demonstrated that the stress-strain curve of frozen sulfate saline silty clay was hyperbolic and the deviatoric stress increased as the axial strain increased and was eventually constant. Owing to particle breakage and melting of ice, when the confining pressure, σ3>6 the strength decreased as the confining pressure increased and the sample exhibited volumetric shrinkage throughout the entire confining-pressure range. A constitutive model of frozen sulfate saline silty clay under high confining pressure has been proposed in combination with the Duncan Chang model and the validity of the model has been confirmed by comparison with test data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of food infections caused by consumption of egg and egg products are caused by Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Enteritidis. In this study, the inhibitory effect against S. Enteritidis was determined by dipping the eggshell into Salmonella-specific bacteriophage SE-P47 and levulinic acid (LVA) plus sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solutions (0.5% LVA+0.05% SDS, 1% LVA+0.05% SDS and 2% LVA+0.5% SDS) separately for 10 minutes. The treatments of phage and 2% LVA+0.5% SDS reduced S. Enteritidis below the detectable level on eggshell (at 2.76, 3.22, 4.48 and 5.30 log CFU/cm2 inoculum levels). After the treatment of 1% LVA+0.05% SDS, 1.94 and 0.89 log reductions were obtained at 4.48 and 5.30 log CFU/cm2 inoculum levels, respectively, while S. Enteritidis decreased below the detectable number at 2.76, 3.22 log CFU/cm2 inoculum levels. Although the lowest antibacterial activity was observed in the treatment of 0.5% LVA+%0.05 SDS, the decrease in the number of S. Enteritidis detected in all samples except 5.30 log CFU/cm2 inoculum level was found to be significant compared to the control sample. The results indicated that the combination of LVA and SDS, and especially SE-P47 phage alone had good potential efficacy for Salmonella decontamination on eggshell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of byproducts as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and recycled coarse aggregates (RCAs) can contribute to the production of more sustainable self-compacting concrete (SCC) while modifying the durability properties of these mixtures. Thus, this study addresses the combined use of concrete waste (CW) as RCA and residue of masonry (RM) as SCM, the CW and RM obtained from construction and demolition waste, to generate SCC mixtures and to evaluate the performance of these mixtures under sulfate attack (5% Na2SO4 and 5% MgSO4 solutions). In detail, a reference SCC (M1) and three SCCs with 25% of RM and different level RCAs (0%, 50%, and 100% replacement by volume) were cast. The hardened properties of the SCC mixtures were assessed in terms of compressive strength and sulfate attack. The results showed that the SCC mixtures with RM and RCA, cured in water, exhibited lower compressive strength results in all the evaluated ages compared with M1 (reference mixture, without RM and RCA). However, the SCC mixture with RM presented the maximum compression strength result among the different mixtures at 180 and 360 days. When mixtures were exposed to sulfate solutions, the SCC mixture with RM showed the best performance, and even the SCC mixtures with RM and RCA exhibited lower linear expansion and loss of compressive strength when compared with M1. The presence and severity of the sulfate attack were assessed via X-ray diffraction and scanning electron micrograph, which confirmed the presence of ettringite and gypsum in all the exposed SCC mixtures in the Na2SO4 and MgSO4 solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sm2(SO4)3(H2O)5, monoclinic, C2/c (no. 15), a = 15.653(3) Å, b = 9.5369(19) Å, c = 10.199(2) Å, β = 120.36(3)°, V = 1313.9(6) Å3, Z = 1, Rgt(F) = 0.0281, wRref(F2) = 0.0664, T = 293 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Preparation of BaSO4 from samples of atmospheric rain, snow, and aerosols has been used for δ18O and δ34S analyses. In the present study, we investigated the effect of various sample pretreatments on δ18O and δ34S values determined from a Na2SO4 reagent solution and samples of atmospheric precipitation to improve assay time and cost efficiency. Methods: BaSO4 was prepared from a Na2SO4 solution by (a) evaporative concentration, (b) evaporation to dryness, (c) evaporation to dryness after adding HCl, and (d) evaporation to concentration after adding HCl, followed by cooling and then precipitation using a BaCl2 solution. To analyze the atmospheric precipitation samples for δ18O, BaSO4 prepared from the samples was treated with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) and SO42− and separated chromatographically. The values of δ18O and δ34S were measured using a continuous‐flow elemental analyzer coupled to an isotope‐ratio mass spectrometer. Results: The δ34S values in BaSO4 precipitated from Na2SO4 solution determined by methods (a)–(c) were consistent within precisions of ±0.5‰. The δ18O values of methods (a) and (b) were consistent within ±0.2‰, whereas the δ18O values of methods (c) and (d) increased with increasing HCl concentrations. Similar results were obtained from samples of atmospheric precipitations. The δ18O values from DTPA‐treated BaSO4 were consistent with those obtained by chromatographic separation within ±0.5‰. Conclusions: We found no significant differences in the effects of various pretreatments (acidification, heating, concentration, and drying) on δ18O and δ34S values in sulfate from samples of atmospheric precipitation and aerosols extracted as BaSO4 if HCl was not added to the sample before heating and BaSO4 was treated with DTPA for the δ18O analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid waste landfill (SWL) is known as a major pollution source contaminating air, water sources, and soil environment. The main hazard of SWL is leachate including high organic matter and nutrients. Recently, sulphate radical-based advanced oxidation processes (SR-AOPs) based on persulphate (PS) have been applied as a useful method for removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia from landfill leachate (LL). The removal efficiency of the SR-AOPs depends on effective parameters such as pH, oxidant dosage, catalyst dosage, temperature, reaction time, and so forth. Among SR-AOPs, thermal persulphate oxidation (TPO) seems to be promising for removal of both COD and ammonia; however, the high amount of energy cost is regarded as a major drawback. The drawbacks and future challenges for the use of SR-AOPs for LL have been discussed, and some strategies such as using coupled mechanisms of SR-AOPs have been proposed to tackle the common difficulties. Finally, the performance of SR-AOPs for treatment of LL has been compared with hydroxyl radical processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current study proposes an effective way to modify the properties of super-sulfated cement (SSC) paste and mortar with preheated flue gas desulfurization (FDG) gypsum at different temperatures and durations, and different sulfate compositions. Preheated FGDs with temperatures between 25 and 150 °C and durations between 0 and 24 h were used to replace 5, 10 and 15 mass/% of slag in SSC. Besides the ordinary Portland cement, the sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was also used as the alkali activator. Both anhydrite and sodium sulfate with five different contents were used to provide the ions of SO3 to react with the ions of Ca and Al released from slag during hydration to form ettringite. Experimental results showed that partial replacement of untreated FDG with either the specifically preheated FDG or the commercial sulfates noticeably enhanced the early hydration of modified SSC pastes with setting time being significantly shortened and increased the compressive strength, while the NaOH solution delayed the setting time and reduced the compressive strength. Microstructural examinations revealed that using partial preheated FDG or commercial anhydrite did not alter the hydrated components, but significantly enhanced the fractions and stabilized the crystallization of those hydrates with hydration time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two neodymium sulfate based purely inorganic networks, [NH4][Nd(SO4)2(H2O)3] ⋅ H2O (1) and [Nd2(SO4)3(H2O)4] ⋅ H2O (2) have been synthesized at different reaction temperatures and pH values. The structure of 1 features a two‐dimensional (2D) anionic corrugated sheet with an sql topological net built up by linking NdO8 units and μ2‐SO42− anions, in which the NH4+ charge‐compensating/templating cations occupy the intersheet layers. While 2 possesses a 3D neutral framework with an unprecedented (3,42,7‐c) net constructed by NdO9 units and μ4‐ and μ6‐SO42− linkers. They exhibit thermally induced irreversible structural transformation associated with the dehydration and the changes in coordination geometry and dimensionality. Both compound 1 and 2 display typical antiferromagnetic interactions between the Nd3+ centres. In addition, the CO2 adsorption isotherms of the desolvated samples 1 and 2 were also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preliminary microbiological investigation of the Barguzin Valley terrestrial hydrotherms did not elucidate the composition of the community of sulfate-reducing prokaryotes (SRP) responsible for high sulfide concentrations in the Kuchiger and Umkhei springs. Measurement of sulfate reduction rate (SRR) with labeled sulfate in the samples collected together with those for determination of community composition by 16S rRNA gene profiling revealed that, while not numerous, the SRP consisting of Desulfobacterota and Thermodesulfovibrio was responsible for a highly active process. SRR in the sediments of the Umkhei and Kuchiger springs was up to 12.7 ± 0.2 and 2.05 ± 0.08 mg S dm–3 day–1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main structural features of the most important representatives of the sulfate class, which includes 490 mineral species, are considered. Their systematics is based on the analysis of interatomic interactions, including the structures with isolated island complexes, with one-dimensional mixed columns of [SO4] tetrahedra and M-cation octahedra (with the M–O bonds that are the second strongest after S–O), and with mixed layers and frameworks. The relationship between the structural characteristics and compositional features has been analyzed for a number of minerals, and examples of how structural data help to solve problems of genetic and ecological mineralogy are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper, we report crystal structures of four types ([A(1)H][A(2)H]Y, [A(1)H]3[A(2)H]Y2, A(1)H[A(2)H···A(2)]Y, and A(1)H[A(1)H···A(2)]Y) of mixed salts containing the sulfate anion (Y = SO42−) and amino acids A, i.e., sarcosine (Sar), dimethylglycine (DMG), betaine (Bet), β-alanine (β-Ala), and l-proline (l-Pro): (β-AlaH)(DMGH)SO4·2H2O (I), (β-AlaH)(BetH)SO4 (II), (β-AlaH)(l-ProH)SO4 (III), (BetH)(l-ProH)SO4 (IV), (SarH)3(l-ProH)(SO4)2 (V), (β-AlaH)(l-ProH···l-Pro)SO4 (VI), and (β-AlaH)(β-AlaH···DMG)SO4 (VII). The O···O distances in dimeric cations (l-ProH···l-Pro) and (β-AlaH···DMG) are 2.450(3) and 2.5295(12) Å in (VI) and (VII), respectively. Crystal structure determinations of (β-AlaH)(BetH)SO4 (II) at 100 K (P21/n), 200 K (Pnma), 250 K (Pnma), and room temperature (Pnma) revealed a structural phase transition in the interval between 100 and 200 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Indoxyl sulfate and parathyroid hormone (PTH), which accumulate in chronic kidney disease (CKD), have been reported to reduce cytochrome P450(CYP)3A activity. Homozygotes of the CYP3A5*3 allele have reduced CYP3A5 activity compared to carriers of at least one CYP3A5*1 allele. 4β‐Hydroxycholesterol (4β‐OHC) has been established as an endogenous substrate reflecting CYP3A activity. 4β‐OHC is produced through hydroxylation by CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 and by autoxidation of cholesterol, whereas 4α‐hydroxycholesterol (4α‐OHC) is produced solely by autoxidation of cholesterol. This study focused on CKD patients and evaluated the effects of plasma indoxyl sulfate and intact‐PTH concentrations on plasma 4β‐OHC concentration, 4β‐OHC/total cholesterol ratio and 4β‐OHC–4α‐OHC, with consideration of the influence of CYP3A5 polymorphism. Methods: Sixty‐three CKD patients were analysed and divided into CYP3A5 carrier group (n = 26) and non‐carrier group (n = 37). Results: Plasma indoxyl sulfate significantly correlated inversely with 4β‐OHC concentration and with 4β‐OHC–4α‐OHC in both the CYP3A5*1 carrier group (r = −0.42, P =.034; r = −0.39, P =.050, respectively) and the non‐carrier group (r = −0.45, P =.0054; r = −0.39, P =.019, respectively). However, multiple regression analysis did not identify plasma indoxyl sulfate concentration as a significant independent factor associated with any of the CYP3A activity indices. There was no significant correlation between plasma intact‐PTH concentration and any of the CYP3A activity indices. Conclusions: The present results suggest that plasma indoxyl sulfate and intact‐PTH concentrations do not have clinically significant effects on CYP3A activity in patients with CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PM2.5 pollution over Hangzhou Bay area, China has received continuous attention. In this study, PM2.5 samples were collected simultaneously in six typical cities in Zhejiang Province from 15 October 2019 to 15 January 2020 (autumn and winter) and from 1 June to 31 August 2020 (summer), and major water-soluble ions were analyzed. Average concentrations of NO3− and SO42− in the six cities were 3.93–15.64 μg/m3 and 4.61–7.58 μg/m3 in autumn and winter, with mass fractions of NO3− and SO42− in PM2.5 up to 19.6–34.2% and 13.6–26.3%, respectively, while in summer, they were 1.23–2.64 μg/m3 and 2.22–4.14 μg/m3, with mass fractions of 7.0–15.0% and 14.7~25.1%. Both NO3− and SO42− were mostly from gas-to-particle transformation of precursors. High relative humidity in the six cities was suggested to significantly promote the formation of NO3− and SO42−, particularly in autumn and winter, while enhanced atmospheric oxidation favored the formation of SO42− in summer. However, the formation of NO3− was inhibited under a high temperature of >15 °C. The concentrations of SO42− and NO3 were mostly correlated with each other among the six cities. Potential source contribution function analysis indicated that both SO42− and NO3− were mostly from local pollution of Hangzhou Bay area in Zhejiang Province and also transported from Shanghai and the southern region of Jiangsu Province. This study contributed to the understanding of regional characteristics of SO42− and NO3− in Hangzhou Bay area and suggested that joint prevention and control efforts should be strengthened to reduce regional PM2.5 pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the properties of concretes containing silica fume (SF) at different substitution levels after exposure to sodium sulfate solution were investigated. For this purpose, 5%, 10% and 15% SF were used according to the cement weight. The mixtures were kept in Na2SO4 solution with 3%, 5% and 10% concentrations for 30, 60, 90 and 120 day periods. Compressive strength losses and expansion ratios of all mixtures after exposure to solution were determined. In addition, the slump values of the mixtures as fresh concrete properties were also measured. A superplasticizer was used especially in order not to decrease the slump values of SF added mixtures. Thus, there was no significant decrease in the slump values of the SFadded mixtures. The test results showed that the presence of SF had a positive effect on the strength loss caused by the sodium sulfate effect. The best resistance to sodium sulfate attack was obtained with 15% SF substitution; A strength loss of 3% to 8% was detected in a 120-day period and at all concentrations. In particular, the strength of the samples exposed to 3% concentrated solution increased at early ages (30 and 60 days). This can be attributed to the filling of the pore spaces by the expanding products and the thickening of the mortar matrix. While the relative residual compressive strength of the control sample kept in 10% concentration solution ranged between 94% and 77.95%, these values were obtained between 100.31% and 92.35% for the SD-15 sample. In addition, it was observed that the expansion values of the samples exposed to the Na2SO4 solution were similar to the compressive strength results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium tanshinone IIA sulphate (STS) is a product originated from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge [Lamiaceae], which exerts an antitumour effect. However, the role of STS on lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unexplored. Our study explores the effect and mechanism of STS against LUAD. LUAD cells were treated with 100 μM STS for 24 h and control group cells were cultured under normal medium conditions. Functionally, the viability, migration, invasion and angiogenesis of LUAD cells were examined by MTT, wound healing, transwell and tube formation assay, respectively. Moreover, cells were transvected with different transfection plasmids. Dual luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays were used to verify the relationship between miR-874 and eEF-2K. STS significantly decreased the viability (40–50% reduction), migration (migration rate of A549 cells from 0.67 to 0.28, H1299 cells from 0.71 to 0.41), invasion (invasion numbers of A549 cells from 172 to 55, H1299 cells from 188 to 35) and angiogenesis (80-90% reduction) of LUAD cells. Downregulation of miR-874 partially abolished the antitumour effect of STS. EEF-2K was identified to be the target of miR-874, and its downregulation markedly abolished the effects of miR-874 downregulation on tumourigenesis of LUAD. Moreover, silencing of TG2 abrogated eEF-2K-induced progression of LUAD. STS attenuated the tumourigenesis of LUAD through the mediation of the miR-874/eEF-2K/TG2 axis. STS is a promising drug to fight against lung cancer, which might effectively reverse drug resistance when combined with classical anticancer drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

External sulphate attack (ESA) interferes with spatial changes in fracture toughness of cemented paste backfill (CPB) and affects its mechanical stability. Large-scale curing column models are developed to investigate the spatial evolution of mode-I and mode-II fracture toughness (i.e. KIC and KIIC) under seepage- and diffusion-induced ESA. It has been found that the seepage-induced ESA leads to spatial changes in KIC and KIIC of CPB at advanced ages and higher extent of degradation of fracture toughness is measured at a deeper position in CPB. Comparatively, KIc can be used as a reliable quantity to estimate KIIc under the diffusion-induced ESA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel alkali-activated filling grout (AAG) for shield tunnels requires detailed understanding of its sulfate resistance prior to practical application. This paper presents a comparative study of the sulfate resistance of a typical ordinary portland cement (OPC)-based grout and two groups of representative AAG formulated with industrial by-products including fly ash, ground granulated blast-furnace slag, and steel slag as the solid precursors. In the study, the grout samples after 28 days of standard curing were exposed to the 5% by weight Na2SO4 (pH = 7.92) and 5% by weight MgSO4 (pH = 7.25) solutions, respectively, to simulate different cases of external sulfate erosion. The sulfate resistance and deterioration mechanism of various grout samples were evaluated and analyzed via multitechnical examinations including visual appearance, mass loss, compressive/flexural strength, strength retention coefficient, mineral composition, microstructure morphology, and pore-size distribution at different test ages. The experimental results indicated that whether under Na2SO4 or MgSO4 erosion, AAG always exhibited more slight deterioration than the OPC-based grout in terms of visual appearance, mass loss, and strength reduction. The reasons for these observations are as follows. The main gel products of AAG were mainly C-(A)-S-H and N-A-S-H, which interweaved and coexisted to form a denser matrix structure than that of the OPC-based grout. The resulting poorer permeability of the AAG matrix was not conducive to the ion exchange between the matrix and the environmental solution. In addition, compared with the OPC-based grout, the lower calcium content and more stable bonded aluminum phases in AGG limited the formation of expansive products responsible for microcracking under sulfate erosion. MgSO4 could cause more severe deterioration than Na2SO4 , mainly due to the promotion of decalcification of calcium-containing phases by the presence of Mg2+ and the resulting gel products harmful to the matrix. This study demonstrated the excellent sulfate resistance of AAG, which can provide scientific basis for its future engineering application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, steel fiber–reinforced magnesium phosphate cement–based concrete (SFRMPCC) has attracted much attention due to its excellent properties. To apply this new type of concrete to practical engineering, this paper evaluates the effect of steel fiber (SF) content and curing age on the water and sulfate resistance of magnesium phosphate cement–based concrete (MPCC). Specimens containing fly ash and metakaolin and with different SF volume contents were prepared and subjected to curing in air, water, and 5% Na2SO4 solution. The mass change, cubic compressive strength (CCS), strength retention rate, deterioration factor, microstructure, and phase composition were analyzed. Empirical formulas for strength prediction are proposed using range, variance, and nonlinear regression analysis methods. The results showed that the specimens immersed in water and Na2SO4 solution had good mass retention. The compressive strength of air-cured specimens gradually increased with the curing age, and the addition of a proper amount of SF could improve the strength under air curing. However, the addition of SF had a negative effect on the compactness and strength of specimens immersed in water and sulfate solution. SFRMPCC and MPCC had good resistance to sulfate attack, which may be related to the new reaction in the magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint condition with limited disease-modifying treatments currently. Palm tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) has been previously shown to be effective against OA, but its mechanism of action remains elusive. This study aims to compare serum metabolomic alteration in Sprague–Dawley rats with monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced OA which were treated with palm TRF, glucosamine sulphate, or a combination of both. This study was performed on thirty adult male rats, which were divided into normal control (n = 6) and OA groups (n = 24). The OA group received intra-articular injections of MIA and daily oral treatments of refined olive oil (vehicle, n = 6), palm TRF (100 mg/kg, n = 6), glucosamine sulphate (250 mg/kg, n = 6), or a combination of TRF and glucosamine (n = 6) for four weeks. Serum was collected at the study's conclusion for metabolomic analysis. The findings revealed that MIA-induced OA influences amino acid metabolism, leading to changes in metabolites associated with the biosynthesis of phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan as well as alterations in the metabolism of phenylalanine, tryptophan, arginine and proline. Supplementation with glucosamine sulphate, TRF, or both effectively reversed these metabolic changes induced by OA. The amelioration of metabolic effects induced by OA is linked to the therapeutic effects of TRF and glucosamine. However, it remains unclear whether these effects are direct or indirect in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasmid DNA (pDNA) is a key biotechnological product whose importance became apparent in the last years due to its role as a raw material in the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine manufacturing process. In pharmaceutical production processes, cells need to grow in the defined medium in order to guarantee the highest standards of quality and repeatability. However, often these requirements result in low product titer, productivity, and yield. In this study, we used constraint-based metabolic modeling to optimize the average volumetric productivity of pDNA production in a fed-batch process. We identified a set of 13 nutrients in the growth medium that are essential for cell growth but not for pDNA replication. When these nutrients are depleted in the medium, cell growth is stalled and pDNA production is increased, raising the specific and volumetric yield and productivity. To exploit this effect we designed a three-stage process (1. batch, 2. fed-batch with cell growth, 3. fed-batch without cell growth). The transition between stage 2 and 3 is induced by sulfate starvation. Its onset can be easily controlled via the initial concentration of sulfate in the medium. We validated the decoupling behavior of sulfate and assessed pDNA quality attributes (supercoiled pDNA content) in E. coli with lab-scale bioreactor cultivations. The results showed an increase in supercoiled pDNA to biomass yield by 33% and an increase of supercoiled pDNA volumetric productivity by 13 % upon limitation of sulfate. In conclusion, even for routinely manufactured biotechnological products such as pDNA, simple changes in the growth medium can significantly improve the yield and quality. Highlights: Genome-scale metabolic models predict growth decoupling strategies. Sulfate limitation decouples cell growth from pDNA production. Sulfate limitation increases the specific supercoiled pDNA yield by 33% and the volumetric productivity by 13%. We propose that sulfate limitation improves the biosynthesis of over 25% of naturally secreted products in E. coli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anions play a significant role in the construction of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). Anions can affect coordination between metal ions and organic ligands, and the formation of crystal structures, thereby affecting the structure and properties of MOFs. Two novel 3D porous MOFs ({[Cd3(TIPE)2(SO4)1.6(H2O)2.4]·2.8OH·6.2H2O}n (MOF-1) and {[Cd3(TIPE)2(SO4)3(H2O)2]·10H2O}n (MOF-2)) were successfully synthesized, by introducing SO42− to design and adjust their structure and properties, in which the sulfate ions not only participated in coordination but also played a bridging role. Both MOF-1 and MOF-2 exhibited high stability and strong fluorescence properties, and their fluorescence properties also changed compared to those of previously reported 2D nonporous MOF-3 ({[Cd2(TIPE)2Cl3(ACN)]·CdCl3·3H2O}n) with an identical ligand. They could also be used in combination with MOF-3 to distinguish between Fe3+ and Cr2O72− ions, due to a change in their fluorescence properties. In this work, the structure was reshaped by introducing sulfate ions, and the role and function of the sulfate ions in the structure were studied, providing a feasible idea for the design and precise regulation of MOFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been proved that the removal of aromatic contaminants from the environment with sulfate radical anion (SO4˙−)-based advanced oxidation technology is an effective method. Thus, knowing the second-order rate constants between aromatic contaminants and a sulfate radical is important for evaluating the advanced oxidation processes. In the present manuscript, the quantitative structure–property relationship (QSPR) technique using the inbuilt Monte Carlo algorithm of CORAL software is employed to model the second-order rate constants of the sulfate radical for a dataset of 88 aromatic contaminants. The dataset is used to construct ten random splits and each of them is divided into four sets (i.e. active training, passive training, calibration, and validation). To construct QSPR models, a hybrid optimal descriptor is applied using a combination of SMILES and HFG (hydrogen-filled graph). Four target functions i.e. TF0 (WIIC = WCII = 0), TF1 (WIIC = 0.5 and WCII = 0), TF2 (WIIC = 0 and WCII = 0.3) and TF3 (WIIC = 0.5 and WCII = 0.3) are employed to build 40 QSRR models. The statistical outcomes of each target function are compared with each other. The better predictive potential is obtained for the models generated by the combination of the index of ideality of correlation (IIC) and correlation intensity index (CII). The statistical quality of the established QSPR model of split 5 calculated by TF3 is better than that of the other models, so it is considered to be the best model (Rvalidation2 = 0.8162, IIC = 0.6554, CII = 0.8787, CCC = 0.8734, Q2 = 0.7778 and RMSE = 0.2213). The promoters of increase and decrease of rate constants are also extracted from three splits 4, 5 and 8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]