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High temperatures cause physiological and biochemical changes and significantly affect young panicle development of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Brassinosteroids play important roles in enhancing crop stress resistance. In this study, we subjected rice cultivars Huanghuazhan (heat-resistant) and IR36 (heat-sensitive) to high temperature (HT, 40 ºC) or normal temperature (NT, 33 ºC) for 7 d at the panicle initiation stage, in conjunction with application of 24-epibrassinolide [EBR, a synthetic brassinolide (BR)] or brassinazole (BRZ, a BR biosynthesis inhibitor) at the beginning of the treatments. HT exacerbated spikelet degeneration and inhibited young panicle growth, which were partially prevented by EBR application, while BRZ application aggravated the reduction in spikelet number. HT decreased the contents of BR, active cytokinins (aCTK), active gibberellins (aGA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), but increased the content of abscisic acid (ABA) in young panicles. The activities of key enzymes involved in sucrose hydrolysis, glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle in young panicles were decreased with the change of endogenous hormone levels under HT. In addition, the contents of H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) were increased and the activities of antioxidant enzymes were decreased in young panicles. Exogenous application of EBR induced the expression of phytohormone biosynthesis-related genes and down-regulated the expression of phytohormone catabolism-related genes to increase the contents of endogenous BR, aCTK, aGA and ABA, thus promoting the decomposition and utilization of sucrose in young panicles, enhancing the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase, and reducing the accumulation of H2O2 and MDA in young panicles, whereas application of BRZ had the opposite physiological effects. These results showed that brassinosteroids mediate endogenous phytohormone metabolism to alleviate HT injury at the panicle initiation stage in rice.

Two rice genotypes Huanghuazhan (HHZ, heat-resistant) and IR36 (heat-susceptible) were subjected to high-temperature (HT, 40 °C) and normal-temperature (NT, 32 °C) treatments at the spikelet differentiation stage. HT treatment inhibited spikelet differentiation, aggravated spikelet degeneration, reduced spikelet size, and disordered carbohydrate allocation. Meanwhile, HT treatment increased nonstructural carbohydrate content in leaves, but decreased that in stems and young panicles, and the same tendencies of sucrose and starch contents were observed in leaves and stem. However, HT treatment significantly increased the sucrose content and sharply decreased the glucose and fructose contents in young panicles. Lower activity levels of soluble acid invertase (EC3.2.1.26) and sucrose synthase (EC2.4.1.13) were observed under HT treatment. Moreover, HT treatment reduced the activities of key enzymes associated with glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle, which indicated sucrose consumption was inhibited in young panicles under HT treatment. Exogenous glucose and fructose applied under HT treatment increased the spikelet number more than exogenous sucrose. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that the reduction of spikelet number under high temperature was more affected by the decrease in sugar consumption than the blocking of sucrose transport. The impairment of sucrose hydrolysis was the main reason for the inhibition of sugar utilization. Keywords: Rice, High temperature, Panicle development, Spikelet number, Carbohydrate allocation, Sugar consumption

Background: Reynoutria multiflora (Thunb.) Moldenke (Polygonum multiflorum Thunb, PM) is a medicinal plant that was an element of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for centuries as a treatment for a wide range of conditions. Recent studies reported that PM suppressed prostate cancer growth in an AR-dependent manner. However, its role and mechanism in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer remain to be explored. This study aims to explore the anti-tumor role and potential mechanism of PM on prostate cancer., Methods: Cell viability, colony formation, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), and wound-healing assays were conducted to evaluate the tumor suppression effect of PM on lethal prostate cancer models in vitro. A xenograft mice model was established to detect the impact of PM on tumor growth and evaluate its biosafety in vivo. Integrative network pharmacology, RNA-seq, and bioinformatics were applied to determine the mechanisms of PM in prostate cancer. Molecular docking, cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), CRISPR-Cas13, RT-qPCR, and WB were collaboratively employed to identify the potential anti-tumor ingredient derived from PM and its corresponding targets., Results: PM significantly suppressed the growth of prostate cancer and sensitized prostate cancer to AR antagonists. Mechanistically, PM induced G2/M-phase cell-cycle arrest by modulating the phosphorylation of CDK1. Additionally, polygalacic acid derived from PM and its structural analog suppress prostate cancer growth by targeting CDC25B, a master regulator of the cell cycle that governs CDK1 phosphorylation., Conclusion: PM and its ingredient polygalacic acid suppress lethal prostate cancer growth by regulating the CDC25B-CDK1 axis to induce cell cycle arrest., 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.)

Microplastics are widespread in facility strawberry greenhouses and can be deposited on the surface of strawberries through air currents. Investigating effective cleaning methods represents a viable strategy to reduce human ingestion of MPs. Therefore, different cleaning methods were compared: ultrasonic cleaning for 30 min, deionized water rinsing once, deionized water immersion for 30 min, and fruit immersion in washing salt for 30 min. The MPs in strawberry washing water were analyzed and compared using laser direct infrared imaging to investigate their characteristics and the optimal reduction of MPs on the surface of strawberries. The quality of the cleaning results was in the following order: water immersion > washing salt immersion > water rinsing > ultrasound. Water immersion was 1.3-2 times more effective in removing microplastics than other treatments. Furthermore, 21 polymer types were detected in the samples. Most MPs were less than 50 µm in size. The main polymers in this size range were polyamide, chlorinated polyethylene, and polyethylene terephthalate, and they mainly existed as fragments, fibers, and beads. This study provides a valuable reference for reducing human intake of microplastics through fresh fruits and vegetables., 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 B.V.)

Background & Aims: Steatotic liver disease (SLD), characterized by elevated liver fat content (LFC), is influenced by genetics and diet. However, whether diet has a differential effect based on genetic risk is not well-characterized. We aimed to determine how genetic factors interact with diet to affect SLD in a large national biobank., Methods: We included UK Biobank participants with dietary intake measured by 24-hour recall and genotyping. The primary predictors were dietary pattern, PNPLA3-rs738409-G, TM6SF2-rs58542926-T, a 16-variant hepatic steatosis polygenic risk score (PRS), and gene-environment interactions. The primary outcome was LFC, and secondary outcomes were iron-controlled T1 time (cT1, a measure of liver inflammation and fibrosis) and liver-related events/mortality., Results: A total of 21,619 participants met inclusion criteria. In non-interaction models, Mediterranean diet and intake of fruit/vegetables/legumes and fish associated with lower LFC, while higher red/processed meat intake and all genetic predictors associated with higher LFC. In interaction models, all genetic predictors interacted with Mediterranean diet and fruit/vegetable/legume intake, while the steatosis PRS interacted with fish intake and the TM6SF2 genotype interacted with red/processed meat intake, to affect LFC. Dietary effects on LFC were up to 3.8-fold higher in PNPLA3-rs738409-GG vs. -CC individuals, and 1.4-3.0-fold higher in the top vs. bottom quartile of the steatosis PRS. Gene-diet interactions were stronger in participants with vs. without overweight. The steatosis PRS interacted with Mediterranean diet and fruit/vegetable/legume intake to affect cT1 and most dietary and genetic predictors associated with risk of liver-related events or mortality by age 70., Conclusions: Effects of diet on LFC and cT1 were markedly accentuated in patients at increased genetic risk for SLD, implying dietary interventions may be more impactful in these populations., Impact and Implications: Genetic variants and diet both influence risk of hepatic steatosis, inflammation/fibrosis, and hepatic decompensation; however, how gene-diet interactions influence these outcomes has previously not been comprehensively characterized. We investigated this topic in the community-based UK Biobank and found that genetic risk and dietary quality interacted to influence hepatic steatosis and inflammation/fibrosis on liver MRI, so that the effects of diet were greater in people at elevated genetic risk. These results are relevant for patients and medical providers because they show that genetic risk is not fixed (i.e. modifiable factors can mitigate or exacerbate this risk) and realistic dietary changes may result in meaningful improvement in liver steatosis and inflammation/fibrosis. As genotyping becomes more routinely used in clinical practice, patients identified to be at high baseline genetic risk may benefit even more from intensive dietary counseling than those at lower risk, though future prospective studies are required., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Agricultural production uses different types of fertilisation treatments, typically employing the combined application of organic fertiliser (OF) or organic-inorganic fertiliser (OIF) to improve soil quality. When coupled with cadmium (Cd), microplastics (MPs) affect plant growth and Cd accumulation in soils treated with different fertilisers. This study systematically examined the effects of polyurethane (PU) MPs coupled with Cd on the growth characteristics, root metabolite characteristics, rhizosphere bacterial community structure, and Cd bioavailability of maize under different long-term fertilisation treatments and soil types (red/cinnamon soil). The combined effects of PU MPs and Cd on maize growth differed across fertilisation treatments. Under OF, maize plants accumulated more Cd than under OIF. The accumulation of Cd in maize plants in red soil was twice that in cinnamon soil. Under OF, PU MPs promoted Cd activation by decreasing the soil pH, while root metabolites promoted Cd adsorption sites by synthesising specific amino acids, degrading aromatic compounds, and synthesising pantothenic acid and coenzyme A. Under OF, PU MPs can lower the soil pH to promote the activation of cadmium, while root metabolites promote root growth and increase cadmium adsorption sites by synthesizing specific amino acids, degrading aromatic compounds, and synthesizing pantothenic acid and coenzyme A, hereby promoting root Cd absorption. Under OIF, PU MPs act by influencing the biosynthesis of amino acids in root metabolites, enriching energy metabolism pathways, promoting the transport and translocation of mineral nutrients, thereby amplifying the "toxic effects" of Cd. This study provides new insights into the risk assessment of PU MPs and Cd coupling under different fertilisation treatments, and suggests that the prevention and control of combined PU MPs and Cd pollution in red soil under OF treatment should receive more attention in the future., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest We declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This novel report presents the first known case, to our knowledge, of a 16-year-old male patient who experienced intraventricular thrombosis and pulmonary embolism after a Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum, attributed to chronic bar displacement. Two years after the operation, the patient experienced post-exercise cough and hemoptysis, which led to his admission. Imaging revealed pulmonary embolism, thrombosis in the right ventricular outflow tract, and lung infiltrative lesions. We hypothesize that the chronic bar displacement led to its embedment in the right ventricle, resulting in thrombus formation, which subsequently contributed to partial pulmonary embolism. Surgery revealed the bars' intrusion into the right ventricle and lung. This case highlights the risk of severe complications from bar displacement in the Nuss procedure, which necessitates long-term follow-up evaluation, caution against strenuous activities after surgery, and use of thoracoscopic guidance during bar implantation and removal. It underscores the importance of vigilant evaluation for late-stage complications in patients with respiratory distress or thrombosis after a Nuss procedure., Competing Interests: Financial/Nonfinancial Disclosures None declared., (Copyright © 2024 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Nowadays, the development of sustainable molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with high selectivity is still challenging due to the limitations of bio-based functional monomers. In this study, the highly selective and porous MIPs (LC-TMIPs) were designed and prepared on short amylose (SAM) as bio-based functional monomers, λ-cyhalothrin (LC) as a template molecule, and tetrafluoroterephthalonitrile as a rigid crosslinking agent. Static, dynamic, and selective adsorption experiments were conducted to investigate the adsorption performance. The results indicated that, compared to MIPs prepared using epichlorohydrin as flexible crosslinking agents, LC-TMIPs exhibited higher imprinting factor (3.93), selectivity (5.78), and adsorption capacity (35.79 mg g -1 ), as well as faster adsorption/desorption kinetics. The LC-TMIPs were used as sorbents for the selective determination of LC in both apple and cucumber samples by high-performance liquid chromatography. Under the optimal extraction conditions, the recoveries of the method reached 92.1-106.1 %, with a linear range of 1.5-30 ng g -1 and a detection limit of 0.5 ng g -1 . The proposed preparation method of LC-TMIPs is expected to open a new way to prepare highly selective and sustainable MIPs for hydrophobic compounds., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The combined pollution of microplastics (MPs) and Cd can affect plant growth and development and Cd accumulation, with most studies focusing on dryland soil. However, the effects of polyurethane (PU) controlled-release fertiliser coated MPs (PU MPs), which widely exist in rice systems, coupled with Cd on plant growth and Cd accumulation under flooding conditions are still unknown. Therefore, in the present study, in situ techniques were used to systematically study the effects of PU MPs and Cd coupling on the physiological and biochemical performance, metabolomics characteristics, rhizosphere bacterial community, and Cd bioavailability of rice in different soil types (red soil/cinnamon soil). The results showed that the effects of PU MPs on rice growth and Cd accumulation were concentration-dependent, especially in red soil. High PU concentration (1 %) inhibited rice root growth significantly (44 %). The addition of PU MPs inhibited photosynthetically active radiation, net photosynthesis, and transpiration rate of rice, mainly with low concentration (0.1 %) in red soil and high concentration (1 %) in cinnamon soil. PU MPs can enhance the expression of Cd resistance genes (cadC and copA) in soil, enhance the mobility of Cd, and affect the metabolic pathways of metabolites in the rhizosphere soil (red soil: fatty acid metabolism; cinnamon soil: amino acid degradation, heterobiodegradation, and nucleotide metabolism) to promote Cd absorption in rice. Especially in red soil, Cd accumulation in the root and aboveground parts of rice after the addition of high concentration PU (1 %) was 1.7 times and 1.3 times, respectively, that of the control (p < 0.05). Simultaneously, microorganisms can affect rice growth and Cd bioavailability by affecting functional bacteria related to carbon, iron, sulfur, and manganese. The results of the present study provide novel insights into the potential effects of PU MPs coupled with Cd on plants, rhizosphere bacterial communities, and Cd bioavailability., 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. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background & Aims: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and its progressive form steatohepatitis (NASH), represent a genetically and phenotypically diverse entity for which there is no approved therapy, making it imperative to define the spectrum of pathways contributing to its pathogenesis. Rare variants in genes encoding nuclear envelope proteins cause lipodystrophy with early-onset NAFLD/NASH; we hypothesized that common variants in nuclear envelope-related genes might also contribute to hepatic steatosis and NAFLD., Methods: Using hepatic steatosis as the outcome of interest, we performed an association meta-analysis of nuclear envelope-related coding variants in three large discovery cohorts (N >120,000 participants), followed by phenotype association studies in large validation cohorts (N >600,000) and functional testing of the top steatosis-associated variant in cell culture., Results: A common protein-coding variant, rs6461378 (SUN1 H118Y), was the top steatosis-associated variant in our association meta-analysis (p <0.001). In ancestrally distinct validation cohorts, rs6461378 associated with histologic NAFLD and with NAFLD-related metabolic traits including increased serum fatty acids, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and decreased HDL. SUN1 H118Y was subject to increased proteasomal degradation relative to wild-type SUN1 in cells, and SUN1 H118Y-expressing cells exhibited insulin resistance and increased lipid accumulation., Conclusions: Collectively, these data support a potential causal role for the common SUN1 variant rs6461378 in NAFLD and metabolic disease., Impact and Implications: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), with an estimated global prevalence of nearly 30%, is a growing cause of morbidity and mortality for which there is no approved pharmacologic therapy. Our data provide a rationale for broadening current concepts of NAFLD genetics and pathophysiology to include the nuclear envelope, and particularly Sad1 and UNC84 domain containing 1 (SUN1), as novel contributors to this common liver disease. Furthermore, if future studies confirm causality of the common SUN1 H118Y variant, it has the potential to become a broadly relevant therapeutic target in NAFLD and metabolic disease., (Copyright © 2023 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The large-scale utilization of plastic products in agricultural facility production has resulted in considerable accumulation of microplastics in the soil. However, there is a lack of systematic research on the accumulation and distribution of microplastics in facility agriculture. This study examined the presence of microplastics in the 15 representatives of Beijing facility agriculture soil in five districts with different planting years, and assessed the potential pollution risks. The abundance of microplastics in soil layers at a depth of 0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm was 896.5 ± 80.0 (range, 160-2120), 630.6 ± 47.0 (180-1340), and 445.3 ± 47.0 (80-1480) items/kg, respectively. Overall, the microplastics were primarily fiber-shaped (72.2 %), white (75.9 %), 1-2 mm in size (37.9 %), and composed of polypropylene and polyethene. The risk assessment indices of the microplastics in the 0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm soil layers were 272.1, 289.5, and 291.6, respectively, representing a risk level of 4 in each case. Using the conditional fragmentation model, we found that the microplastics in facility soil featured low stability and small sizes, and their primary sources were organic fertilizer and irrigation water. The number of mulching years, irrigation method, and the amount of organic fertilizer applied, influenced the accumulation of microplastics in the facility soil. This study provides scientific evidence supporting the pollution levels and need for risk control related to microplastics in facility soils., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We declare that we do not have any possible financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work. We declare that we have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Organic composts are considered emerging contributors to microplastics (MPs) accumulation in agricultural soils. However, MPs pollution in organic compost from different raw materials is unknown. This study investigated MPs occurrence and characteristics in 124 organic compost samples, including single feedstock (livestock manure, poultry manure, crop straw, and solid waste) and compound organic composts, and quantitatively assessed related ecological risks of MPs pollution. The highest and lowest MPs abundances were observed in solid waste (6615 items kg -1 ) and crop straw (1500 items kg -1 ) composts, respectively. Compost MPs were mainly 0.5-1 mm (39.5%), colorful polypropylene and polyethylene fragments and films, and polyethylene terephthalate fibers, and the input to farmland soils was 6.96 × 10 7 to 1.88 × 10 8 items ha -1 yr -1 . Regardless of feedstock, compost-based MPs of different shapes exhibited complicated weathering morphologies and adhered to some mineral colloids. The highest and lowest MPs-induced risk indices in solid waste (H = 134.3) and crop straw (H = 8.9) composts yielded hazard levels IV (high risk) and II (low risk), respectively, due to the different abundance of polymers with diverse hazard scores. These findings provide insights into MPs pollution in organic composts and a theoretical basis for the safe production and application of compost., 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.)

Although biodegradable plastic film is a promising alternative product for reducing polyethylene plastic pollution in agricultural soils, the effects of its residues on plant growth and soil properties remain unclear. In this study, we conducted an experiment to investigate root properties and soil enzyme activities in Poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) microplastics (PBAT-MPs) contaminated soil (0 % (CK), 0.1 %, 0.2 %, 0.5 % and 1 % of dry soil weight) with soybean (Glycine max (Linn.) Merr.) and maize (Zea mays L.). The results show that PBAT-MP accumulation in soil negatively affects root growth, and alter soil enzyme activities, which may then constrain C/N cycling and potential yields. For soybean, the total root length, total root surface area and root biomass decreased by 34 %- 58 %, 34 %- 54 % and 25 %- 40 % at the harvesting stage compared to CK, respectively. The negative effects of PBAT-MPs on maize roots were greater than on soybean roots. The total root length, root surface area and root biomass of maize decreased by 37 %- 71 %, 33 %- 71 % and 24 %- 64 % at the tasseling and harvesting stage, respectively (p < 0.05). Furthermore, a statistical analysis of the data indicates that the inhibition of soybean and maize root growth by PBAT-MP accumulation was mediated by the significantly different impacts of PBAT-MP addition on C-enzyme (β-xylosidase, cellobiohydrolase, β-glucosidase) and N-enzyme activities (leucine-aminopeptidase, N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase, alanine aminotransferase) in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil, possibly due to interactions with plant-specific root exudates and microbial communities. These findings show the potential risks posed by biodegradable microplastics on the plant-soil system, and suggest that biodegradable plastic film should be applied with caution., 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 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Combined pollution from microplastics (MPs) and cadmium (Cd) can influence soil environment and soil biota, altering plant growth and development, and Cd mobilization. We investigated the effects of polystyrene (PS) and polypropylene (PP) MPs alongside Cd on soil Cd bioavailability, rhizosphere soil metabolomics, bacterial community structure, and maize (Zea mays L.) growth in two soil types (red soil and cinnamon soil). Although the addition of PS/PP-Cd promoted Cd accumulation in maize plants overall, there were large-particle-size- and small-particle-size-dependent effects in the red soil and cinnamon soil, respectively. The difference is mainly due to the capacity of the large particle size MPs to significantly reduce soil pH, improve soil electrical conductivity (EC), promote active Cd, and intensify Cd mobilization in red soil. In contrast, small-size MPs in cinnamon soil promoted the synthesis and secretion of rhizosphere amino acids and soil metabolites, thus promoting Cd absorption by maize roots. Soil microorganisms also improved Cd bioavailability via C-related functional bacteria. Overall, our study provides novel insights on the potential effects of combined MPs and Cd pollution on soil ecology and agricultural production, enhancing our understanding of rhizosphere metabolites in different soils., 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.)

Microplastics (MPs) are posing new threats to soil ecosystems. Organic fertilizers are considered as an emerging contributor to MPs accumulation in agricultural soils. However, few studies have focused on the MPs fate in soils under long-term organic fertilizer application. Based on an 11-year field test with wheat-maize cropping rotation, this study investigated the characteristics of MPs in pig manure and cow manure composts, and examined the impact of long-term compost application on soil MPs accumulation, surface morphology, and distribution. The MPs contents in pig manure and cow manure composts were 3547 and 4520 items kg -1 , respectively. Microplastics abundances in soils under long-term use of these two composts were 144 to 287 and 140 to 316 items kg -1 , respectively, which increased significantly with increasing compost application amount and was substantially higher than that in soils without compost. Accumulated soil MPs sourced from long-term compost application were 1.73 × 10 8 to 7.22 × 10 8 items ha -1 , accounting for 43.0 %-75.9 % of the total, and the contribution value doubled as the compost application rate doubled. The proportion of MPs <1 mm in composts (31.0 %) was lower when compared with that in compost-amended soils (43.8 %), and size and abundance reduced with increasing soil depth. Microplastics shapes and polymer types in composts and compost-amended soils were similar and mostly included fragments of polyethylene and polypropylene and fibers of polyethylene terephthalate. Microplastics in compost-amended soils showed complicated weathered surface morphologies, and soil mineral colloids were attached. These results demonstrate that compost-derived MPs in soils can be gradually weathered and degraded into smaller particles under long-term compost application. These findings provide key insights into the pollution level of soil MPs with organic fertilizer application and serve as a scientific basis for developing MPs mitigation measures in agricultural soils., 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.)

Microplastics (MPs) as new environmental pollutants are receiving increasing attention worldwide. Urban rainwater runoff plays an important role in facilitating the migration of land-based MPs to surface water. Previous research has focused predominantly on aquatic ecosystems, whereas research on this migration pathway and the characteristics of MPs in rainwater pipelines draining from different land-use types is still lacking. This study investigated the abundance and characteristics of MPs in rainfall and pipeline rainwater runoff from main roads, office complexes, an agricultural experiment station, and residential areas during different rainfall periods in Haidian District, Beijing, China. Microplastic abundance in pipeline rainwater runoff ranged from 1.6 to 29.6 items L -1 , of which 0.7 to 6.0 items L -1 were derived from rainfalls, accounting for 24.0 % to 77.4 % of the total. Microplastic abundances in rainfall and pipeline rainwater runoff decreased significantly as rainfall events progressed. The proportions of MPs < 1 mm in rainfall (38.0 %) and rainwater runoff (44.5 %) were the largest. Average MPs abundance was the highest in rainwater runoff from the main road area and lowest in the office area (p < 0.05). The abundance of polyester fibers in rainwater runoff from the residential area was significantly higher than that in other areas, while the main road area had the highest abundance of films (p < 0.05). Overall, 72 % of MPs in rainfall were fibers, and most were composed of polyester, while the MPs in rainwater runoff were mainly fragments (41.2 %) and fibers (35.3 %) composed mainly of polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyester. This study shows that urban pipeline rainwater runoff is one of the main pathways for land-based MPs transport to surface waters, and provides a scientific reference for preventing and controlling MPs entering water bodies through rainwater pipelines., 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 © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Microplastics (MPs) pollution in the environment has become a global hotspot, but there is insufficient research on MPs in soils of large cities. This study investigated the pollution status of MPs in soils in different functional areas (commercial, tourist, industrial, and residential areas) of the Xi'an metropolitan area. The average abundances of MPs were 2218 items/kg in Xi'an city, 1329 items/kg in Xianyang city and 1400 items/kg in Yangling city. All MPs presented different shapes and were dominated by fragment and fiber. The 0-0.5 mm MPs accounted for the largest proportion. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was the predominant polymer type for MPs. The results showed that the soil in the Xi'an metropolitan area was polluted by MPs, with the pollution of MPs in Xi'an city being more severe than other two cities. This could be related to the advanced urbanization and industrialization process. Moreover, industrial and tourist areas had frequent industrial and human activities, so their MPs pollution was the worst. In addition, residential areas and some commercial areas far away from pollution sources had lower pollution levels and a more uniform distribution of MPs. This study may provide data and valuable reference for the investigation of soil MPs pollution in the Xi'an metropolitan area., 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 © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Microplastics (MPs) affect the accumulation of heavy metals by regulating the soil environment. However, studies on the dynamic effects of microplastics on the available states of heavy metals in soil are lacking. In particular, how controlled-release fertilizer coated microplastics can synergistically change the avsilable states of heavy metals in soil by affecting soil physical and chemical properties and microbial community structure is still lacking. The dynamic effect of polyurethane (PU) MPs on the effective state of soil cadmium (Cd; DGTCd), at different particle sizes and concentrations, was studied in situ by diffusive gradient in thin-films (DGT) for the first time. The bioavailability, soil chemical properties, and microbial effects of PU MPs on Cd depend on PU particle size and concentration; high-concentration (1 %) PU MPs cause a significant increase in DGT-Cd concentration. The addition of PU MPs decreased soil pH and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), while increasing the absolute zeta value, Fe(II) and Mn(II), in a manner dependent on particle size, concentration, and culture time. Correlation analysis combined with path analysis showed that PU MPs affected the effective state of Cd by changing soil properties, among which Fe(II) content and DOC were important factors controlling the activation of Cd. Meanwhile, changes in soil properties and heavy metal availability correlated significantly with microbial community composition, suggesting that PU MPs may indirectly impact heavy metal activity by affecting microorganisms and functional genes associated with C and Fe cycling. Therefore, when the concentration of PU MPs is higher than 1 %, we should strengthen ecological risk prevention and control of the compound pollution of controlled-release fertilizer coated microplastics and heavy metals in farmland soil., 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 © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Combined pollution from microplastics (MPs) and other environmental pollutants has attracted considerable attention. Few studies have investigated the effects of polyurethane (PU) and polypropylene (PP) MPs on available Cadmium(Cd) in different soil types. Here, PU and PP additions affected available Cd and reduced its concentration in soil (P > 0.05). PU and PP reduced available Cd more strongly in clay soil than that in sandy soil. PU and PP improved the soil porous structure and voids and significantly increased the Zeta potential in clay soil (P < 0.05). Dissolved organic carbon and pH in clay soil were significantly negatively correlated with available Cd after PU and PP addition, and Fe(Ⅱ) was significantly negatively correlated with available Cd in sandy soil. PU and PP addition promoted the C-C, CO 3 2- , and C-H functional groups and FeO, FeOOH, and Fe 3 O 4 formation and influenced the effective Cd through adsorption and precipitation. CdCO 3 formation and clay mineral adsorption, and iron oxide formation, influenced the effective Cd in clay and sandy soils, respectively. PU and PP influenced the effective state of Cd by affecting bacterial communities related to carbon and iron cycles. This study is significant for assessing the environmental risks of MPs combined with heavy metals in different soils and their mechanisms., 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 © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Neurotransmitters (NTs) and their metabolites play crucial roles in the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle. Thus, a comprehensive quantitative analysis of NTs would be useful in elucidating the potential mechanisms involved in sedative-hypnotic activities. In this study, we developed a high-throughput quantitative method based on a two-dimensional chromatography-mass spectrometry technique to simultaneously analyze 63 NTs and their metabolites in rat plasma, brain homogenate, and microdialysis samples from five different sleep-associated regions of the brain. Moreover, this method was used to study the neurochemical mechanism of an adenosine analog sedative-hypnotic candidate YZG-331. Most of the correlations between NTs were lost after the administration of the sedative, particularly in the caudate putamen (CPu) and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), indicating that the sleep-wake balance was affected. Administration of the adenosine analog YZG-331 could act similar as accumulation of adenosine, inducing adenosine and its metabolite adenine were decreased significantly in the CPu, accompanying with GABA, aspartate, and glutamate changed slightly by the communications between different neurons to further promote sleep. In addition, YZG-331 affected the metabolism of tryptophan and serotonin (5-HT) in the DRN and orbital frontal cortex (OFC). Melatonin and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (a metabolite of 5-HT) were significantly increased in the OFC, and the levels of glutamate/glutamine, asparagine, and adrenaline were altered. Sleep homeostasis is a balance between the duration of sleep and wakefulness and is coordinated by all NTs. The high-throughput quantitative method introduced in this study may aid in revealing the temporal cohesion among NTs, evaluating sleep homeostasis, and determining the effects of sedative-hypnotic drugs., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Phytic acid (myo-inositol hexaphosphate, IHP) is a dominant form of organic phosphate (OP) in organic carbon-rich surface soil. The IHP impact on Fe (oxyhydr)oxide transport is critical for iron and phosphorus (bio)geochemical processes in iron and phosphorus rich soil and subsurface systems. Three typical Fe (oxyhydr)oxides (ferrihydrite, hematite, and goethite) were studied in this research. The effects of IHP and morphology on Fe (oxyhydr)oxide transport and IHP cotransport had been investigated using saturated sand columns. The results showed that IHP significantly enhanced the mobility of Fe (oxyhydr)oxide by 30-90% due to the stronger electrostatic repulsion. At low IHP concentration (< 50 µM IHP), the rod-like goethite and goethite-facilitated IHP showed high mobility due to their orientation and motion along the water flow, which is 70% faster than ferrihydrite and hematite at pH 5 and 90% faster at pH 10. The mobility of amorphous ferrihydrite was slowest among three selected iron oxides (< 37% at pH 5 and < 72% at pH 10). At high IHP concentration (> 50 μM IHP), the surface precipitation might have occurred on ferrihydrite because of its poorly ordered crystallinity, contributing to its less negatively charged surface and weak transport. The new insight provided in this study is essential for evaluating the fate and transport behavior of iron and iron-facilitate OP in soil rich in iron and OP., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Detailed knowledge on tissue-specific metabolic reprogramming in diabetic nephropathy (DN) is vital for more accurate understanding the molecular pathological signature and developing novel therapeutic strategies. In the present study, a spatial-resolved metabolomics approach based on air flow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization (AFADESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) integrated mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) was proposed to investigate tissue-specific metabolic alterations in the kidneys of high-fat diet-fed and streptozotocin (STZ)-treated DN rats and the therapeutic effect of astragaloside IV, a potential anti-diabetic drug, against DN. As a result, a wide range of functional metabolites including sugars, amino acids, nucleotides and their derivatives, fatty acids, phospholipids, sphingolipids, glycerides, carnitine and its derivatives, vitamins, peptides, and metal ions associated with DN were identified and their unique distribution patterns in the rat kidney were visualized with high chemical specificity and high spatial resolution. These region-specific metabolic disturbances were ameliorated by repeated oral administration of astragaloside IV (100 mg/kg) for 12 weeks. This study provided more comprehensive and detailed information about the tissue-specific metabolic reprogramming and molecular pathological signature in the kidney of diabetic rats. These findings highlighted the promising potential of AFADESI and MALDI integrated MSI based metabolomics approach for application in metabolic kidney diseases., (© 2021 Chinese Pharmaceutical Association and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.)

Plastics pollution in global soil systems is becoming a severely global issue and potential threat to terrestrial ecosystem serves and human health. Herein, in order to determine the degradability and ecological effects of polyethylene (PE) films, we measured the weight loss and characterization of PE films and analyzed variation in microbial community. The results of weight loss, SEM and FTIR spectra exhibited that PE films had unique degradation performance under different conditions. Simultaneously, we investigated the effects of PE films on the microbial community, and the microbiota colonizing on plastics. PE films may change the soil microbial community composition in soil, and hold the post of unique matrix for microbial colonization. These results indicate that the degradation of PE films and microbial community composition in soil can be affected by different conditions (soil layer, time and plants). By assessing the alteration of microbial community composition and PE films in soil, this work will contribute to enhance our understanding on the potential risks of plastics on soil ecosystems and provide a scientific basis for understanding the ecological effect of plastics on soil functions., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Microplastic (MP) pollution in terrestrial ecosystems has aroused great concern. However, little is known regarding the distribution of MPs in Sand Land soils and their associated destinies. We investigated the MPs pollution in different areas, different vegetation cover and restoration years in Mu Us Sand Land soils. The results clearly showed that the soils of Mu Us Sand Land contain a relatively higher MPs abundance. The significant differences of MPs abundance were demonstrated among soil from sand, grassland and woodland, which the total MP abundance of sand soil was higher than that of grassland and woodland. The distribution of MP size in the woodland area primarily from 0 to 0.50 mm, which is significantly higher than that other areas. In addition, the highest concentration of MP collected was found at Salix tree (ST), followed by Poplar tree (PT) and Chinese pine (CP), while the lowest concentration was at Pinus sylvestris (PSs) and Jujube tree (JT). It is worth noting that the abundance of MPs decreases with restoration years increased, whether it is PT or PSs. We speculate that the tree disturbance in the sampling area might affect the distribution of microplastics and then be conducive to plastic fragmentation., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Anxi persimmon is a popular fruit because of its appealing flavor and rich nutrients such as polysaccharides. However, the harvested persimmon fruit softens and deteriorates quickly. This study explored the influences of the treatment of papers containing 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on the contents of cell wall polysaccharides and activities of cell wall-degrading enzymes in harvested Anxi persimmons, as well as its effect on fruit softening. The results demonstrated that, in comparison to the control Anxi persimmons, the Anxi persimmons treated with 1.35 μL/L 1-MCP manifested higher fruit firmness, higher contents of protopectin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, but a lower level of water-soluble pectin, lower activities of pectin methylesterase, polygalacturonase, cellulase, and β-galactosidase in Anxi persimmons during postharvest storage. These findings suggested that the treatment of papers containing 1.35 μL/L 1-MCP could retard softening of harvested Anxi persimmon fruit via inhibiting the degradation of cell wall polysaccharides., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The development of quantitative metabolomics approaches for future standardized and translational applications has become increasingly important. Data-independent targeted quantitative metabolomics (DITQM) is a newly proposed method providing ion pair information on 1324 metabolites. However, the quantification of more than 1000 metabolites in large sample sizes has still not been implemented. In this study, on the basis of the DITQM concept, scheduled multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) methods for both high-abundant and low-abundant metabolites were established to broaden the quantification coverage, and an open-source program "Quanter&#95;1.0" was coded to facilitate efficient data handling. Our results demonstrated that 1015 metabolites in human plasma met the quantitative requirements and could be relatively determined in an effective manner. The method was then applied to a large-scale sample study of lung cancer consisting of three distinct analytical batches. It was obvious that data quality that originated from quantitative metabolomics was improved, with substantially lower intra- and inter-batch data variation, resulting in a more effective multivariate statistical model. Finally, 26 potential biomarkers of lung cancer were discovered. Collectively, our approach provides a promising tool for quantitative metabolomics research involving large-scale sample sizes and clinical application., 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 © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Investigation of the in vivo drug action and metabolic differences of epimer drugs is challenging. Whole-body MSI analysis can visually present the stereoscopic distribution of molecules related to the interaction of drugs and organisms, and can provide more comprehensive organ-specific profiling information. Herein, we developed a whole-body spatially-resolved imaging metabolomics method based on an air flow-assisted ionisation desorption electrospray ionisation (AFADESI)-MSI system coupled with a high-resolution mass spectrometer and highly discriminating imaging software. The epimeric sedative-hypnotic drug candidates YZG-331 and YZG-330 were selected as examples, and rats administered normal or high oral doses were used. By performing multivariate statistical data-mining on the combined MSI data, organ-specific differential ions were screened. By comparing the variations in the relative contents of the drugs, their metabolites, and endogenous neurotransmitters throughout whole-body tissue sections of the rats, rich information that could potentially explain the more significant sedative-hypnotic effects of YZG-330 compared to YZG-331 was obtained. Such as the increased ratio of gamma-aminobutyric acid in the brain and stomach of the rats (0.25, 0.47, 0.68, 0.30, and 0.89 for the control and YZG-331-H, YZG-330-H, YZG-331-L, and YZG-330-L, respectively) were interesting. This study provided a convenient and visual method to investigate in vivo molecular metabolic differences and provide insight towards a better understanding of the pharmacodynamic mechanisms of these sedative-hypnotic drug-candidates., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the water resource potential for bioenergy production from sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.)) in Northern China according to the distribution of water resources, climate conditions and the total water consumption of bioenergy based on sweet sorghum, which consisted of blue water, green water and grey water. At a case study site in Inner Mongolia, simulation with a plant phenological model was used to determine whether sweet sorghum could reach the harvestable stage for sugar juice production. The blue water in the agricultural phase was estimated according to the potential crop evapotranspiration (ET c ), the drought sensitivity of sweet sorghum in different stages and the precipitation during the growing season. The results showed that the irrigation water was significantly different among the districts, ranging from 730 to 5500 m 3 /ha and 2060 to 6680 m 3 /ha for early-maturing and late-maturing varieties, respectively. To avoid the water pressure level to be exacerbated and the severe reallocation of water resources resulting in negative effects on other sectors, the maximal annual water withdrawal was set to not surpass the upper threshold of water stress level of 40%. That makes the maximum area for the production of sweet sorghum cannot exceed 1.95 × 10 4  ha, representing only 0.24% of the total marginal land area in Inner Mongolia. However, the economic benefits of bioenergy production from sweet sorghum would be negative due to the high labour input. Therefore, not only the availability of marginal land, the climate conditions and local water resources but also the improvement of mechanisation and agricultural production techniques should be considered to attain the sustainable development of bioenergy production and address global energy and environmental crises., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The pseudo-targeted metabolomics approach was developed recently which combined the advantages of untargeted and targeted analysis. However, the current pseudo-targeted analysis method has limitations due to the technical characteristics. In this study, a novel metabolic pathway-based pseudo-targeted approach was proposed for urine metabolomics analysis using an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-MS/MS system operated in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. MRM ion pairs were acquired from urine samples through untargeted analysis using UPLC-HRMS, as well as by searching for metabolites in related pathways in relevant databases and from previous relevant research, including amino acids, fatty acids, nucleosides, carnitines, glycolysis metabolites, and steroids. This improved pseudo-targeted method exhibited good repeatability and precision, and no complicated peak alignment was required. As a proof of concept, the developed novel method was applied to the discovery of urine biomarkers for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The results showed that ESCC patients had altered acylcarnitines, amino acids, nucleosides, and steroid derivative levels et al. compared to those of healthy controls. The novelty of this study lies in the fact that it provides an approach for acquiring MRM ion pairs not only from untargeted MS analysis but also from targeted searching for metabolites in related metabolic pathways. By improving the detection limit of low-abundance metabolites, it enlarges the range for the discovery of potential biomarkers. Our work provides a foundation for achieving pseudo-targeted metabolomics analysis on the widely used LC-MS/MS MRM platform., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The discovery and identification of reliable disease biomarkers and relevant disrupted metabolic pathways is still a major challenge in metabolomics. Here, we proposed a biotransformation-based metabolomics profiling method to identify reliable disease biomarkers by simultaneous quantitation and qualification of cancer-related metabolites and their metabolic pathways via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The approach was based on selecting a subset of known cancer-related metabolites from our previous metabolomics work, cancer research literature and biological significance. The metabolic profiling of pathway-related metabolites was developed by predicted multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) of ion pairs based on their chemical structures and biotransformation. Then, a high-throughput quantitative method was established. Overall, this approach enables the sensitive and accurate detection of cancer-related metabolites and the identification of other relevant metabolites, which facilitates better data quality and in-depth investigation of dysregulated metabolic pathways. As a proof of concept, the approach was applied to a small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) study. The results showed that 43 metabolites were significantly changed, and arginine metabolism was apparently disturbed, which proved the proposed approach could be a powerful tool for discovering reliable disease biomarkers and aberrant metabolic pathways., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Targeted quantification and untargeted global profiling are the two mainstream approaches, a merging of which could provide enhanced analytical potential in metabolomics research. Here, a simultaneous targeted quantification and untargeted metabolomics (STQUM) strategy was developed for more efficient, accurate and comprehensive metabolomics research by using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS/MS). First, we selected 110 cancer-related metabolites as targets and established a dual LC sequential separation method for simultaneous analysis of strong and weak polar metabolites. In order to achieve efficient acquisition for synchronous qualitative and quantitative analysis, high-resolution, data-dependent parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) method and data-independent all ion fragmentation (AIF) method were established. Their performance in targeted confirmation and quantification, and untargeted analysis were systematically investigated and assessed. In total, 78 metabolites were confidently confirmed in positive ion mode in both PRM and AIF assays, in which 73 metabolites can be accurately quantified. In addition, simultaneously untargeted profiling of 4651 features of high reliability and validity were achieved. Both AIF and PRM methods revealed high confidence, sensitivity and accuracy. In the STQUM approach, another 15 metabolites could be accurately quantified in negative ion mode. The method offers a new perspective for merging the hypothesis-based targeted quantitative validation and untargeted biomarkers discovery in one run for improved analysis efficiency and integrity., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The high prevalence and long latency period of prostate cancer (PCa) provide a unique opportunity to control disease progression with dietary and nutraceutical approaches. We developed ProFine, a standardized composition of luteolin, quercetin, and kaempferol, and investigated its potential as a nutraceutical for PCa in preclinical models. The three ingredients of ProFine demonstrated synergistic in vitro cytotoxicity and effectively induced apoptosis in PCa cells. ProFine markedly affected the transcriptome of PCa cells, suppressed the expression of androgen receptor, and inhibited androgen-regulated genes. Oral administration of ProFine did not exhibit obvious toxicities in mice, and the three ingredients retained their individual pharmacokinetic and bioavailability profiles. Importantly, ProFine significantly retarded the growth of PCa xenografts in athymic nude mice and extended the survival of animals. This study provides preclinical evidence supporting the promise of ProFine as a safe, efficacious, and affordable intervention to control PCa progression and improve clinical outcomes., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Monodisperse superhydrophilic melamine formaldehyde resorcinol resin (MFR) microspheres were prepared in 90min at 85°C via a microwave-assisted method with a yield of 60.6%. The obtained MFR microspheres exhibited narrow size distribution with the average particle size of about 2.5µm. The MFR microspheres were used as absorbents to detect triazines in juices followed by high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Various factors affecting the extraction efficiency were investigated. Under the optimized conditions, the built method exhibited excellent linearity in the range of 1-250μgL -1 (R 2 ≥ 0.9994) and lower detection limits (0.3-0.65μgL -1 ). The relative standard deviations of intra- and inter-day analyses ranged from 3% to 7% and from 2% to 7%, respectively. The method was applied to determine six triazines in three juice samples. At the spiked level of 3μgL -1 , the recoveries were in the range of 90-99% with the relative standard deviations ≤ 8%., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this work, magnetic superhydrophilic molecularly imprinted resins (MMIRs) were prepared for the determination of triazines in aqueous samples combined HPLC-MS/MS. The amino functionalized magnetic nanoparticles were introduced into superhydrophilic molecularly imprinted resins based on one-pot condensation of resorcinol, melamine and formaldehyde. The obtained MMIRs exhibited magnetic responsiveness, superhydrophilic and selective feature. The MMIRs were directly used as adsorbents for selective enrichment and separation of six triazines in juice and lake samples under an applied magnetic field. The detection limits of triazines are in the range of 0.02-0.07μgL -1 (except for simazine, 0.38μgL -1 ). At the spiked level (5μgL -1 ), the recoveries are in the range of 85-101% with the RSDs ≤7%. This work provided a novel and efficient approach for the detection of triazines in aqueous samples., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A simple extraction method based on acetonitrile-K2HPO4 aqueous two-phase system was developed for separation and enrichment of five triazines in milk samples. Acetonitrile was used for extraction of analytes from milk sample and precipitation of milk protein. Deproteinization and extraction were achieved in one single step. Analytes were extracted into the upper phase of the aqueous two-phase system. The parameters affecting the extraction efficiency, such as the volume of acetonitrile, the type and amount of salts, pH value of sample and extraction time were investigated. The limits of detection of atraton, desmetryn, atrazine, terbumeton and terbuthylazine were 2.1, 2.6, 2.3, 2.8 and 2.5μg/L, respectively. When the present method was applied to the analysis of real milk samples, the recoveries of analytes ranged from 86.3 to 120.6% and relative standard deviations were lower than 7.9%., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this paper, Au-Ag-Au double shell nanoparticles were prepared based on the reduction of the metal salts HAuCl4 and AgNO3 at the surface of seed particles. Due to the synergistic effect between Au and Ag, the hybrid nanoparticles are particularly stable and show excellent performances on the detection of 2-mercapto-1-methylimidazole (methimazole). The binding of target molecule at the surface of Au-Ag-Au double shell nanoparticles was demonstrated based on both localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra. The LSPR intensity is directly proportional to the methimazole concentration in the range of 0.10-3.00×10(-7) mol L(-1). The SERS spectrum can be applied in identification of methimazole molecule. The LSPR coupled with SERS based on the Au-Ag-Au double shell nanoparticles would be very attractive for the quantitative determination and qualitative analysis of the analytes in medicines., (© 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in tumorigenesis has been well established. Genetic variants in the miRNA biogenesis pathway genes may modify cancer development and survival by affecting the miRNA biogenesis. Our aim is to investigate the association of polymorphisms in the miRNA biogenesis pathway genes and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) risk among neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) patients., Methods: A case-control study was performed to analyze 53 SNPs in 11 miRNA biogenesis pathway genes in 356 patients (200 patients with NF1 and 156 patients with both NF1 and MPNST) in China. Association analysis was performed in an additive genetic model by logistics regression., Results: Four SNPs (DDX5 rs1991401, OR=1.79, 95% CI, 1.34-2.38, P=7.90 × 10(-5); DROSHA rs10719, OR=1.64, 95% CI, 1.23-2.20, P=8.76 × 10(-4); AGO2 rs7005286, OR=0.48, 95% CI, 0.32-0.72, P=3.46 × 10(-4); GEMIN4 rs7813, OR=0.50, 95% CI, 0.34-0.72, P=2.65 × 10(-4)) were significantly associated with MPNST risk. A strong gene-dose effect with increased MPNST risk (P for trend<0.001) was observed., Conclusions: Genetic variants in the miRNA biogenesis pathway genes may modify MPNST risk both individually and jointly., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The noble metal nanoparticles (NPs), including gold nanorods (AuNRs), gold nanospheres (AuNSs) and silver nanoplates (AgNPTs), were synthesized and Tween 20 stabilized NPs (Tween 20-NPs) were used as the probes for determining Hg(2+). Hg(2+) was determined based on the strong affinity between Au (Ag) and Hg. Hg(2+) was reduced to Hg in the presence of sodium borohydride. Hg interacts with the NPs and the diameter of the NPs decreases with the increase of Hg(2+) concentration, which causes the shift in absorption peak of Tween 20-NPs. The peak shifts are linearly related to Hg(2+) concentrations. Compared with AuNSs and AgNPTs, when the AuNRs was used, the sensitivity for determining Hg(2+) was higher. The developed method shows a good selectivity for Hg(2+) and can be applied to the determination of Hg(2+) in water samples., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

An integrated approach combining data acquisition using MS(E) and multi-period product ion scan (mpMS/MS), with high-resolution characteristic extracted ion chromatograms (hcXIC) as a data mining method, was developed for in vivo drug metabolites screening and identification. This approach is illustrated by analyzing metabolites of a potential anticancer agent, 3,6,7-trimethoxyphenanthroindolizidine (CAT) in rat urine based on rapid resolution liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry (RRLC-MS/MS). Untargeted full-scan MS(E) enabled the high-throughput acquisition of potential metabolites, and targeted mpMS/MS contributed to the sensitivity and specificity of the acquisition of molecules of interest. The data processing method hcXIC, based on the structure of CAT, was shown to be highly effective for the metabolite discovery. Through the double-filtering effect of the characteristic ion and accurate mass, conventional extracted ion chromatograms that contained a substantial number of false-positive peaks were simplified into chromatograms essentially free of endogenous interferences. As a result, 21 metabolites were detected in rat urine after oral administration of CAT. Based on the characteristic fragmentation patterns of the phenanthroindolizidine alkaloid, the structures of 9 metabolites were identified. Furthermore, the interpretation of the MS/MS spectra of these metabolites enabled the determination of demethylation position as well as the differentiation between N-oxidized and hydroxylated metabolites., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A rapid, sensitive, specific and accurate analytical method of ultra-fast liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry (UFLC-MS/MS) was established for simultaneous quantitative analysis of 16 distinct endogenous estrogens and their metabolites (EMs) in postmenopausal female urine. The quantitative method utilized a hydrolysis/extraction/derivatization step and a UFLC system to achieve separation in 16 min. The lower limit of quantitation for each estrogen metabolite was 2 pg mL(-1) with the percent recovery of a known added amount of estrogen at 93.2-109.3%. The intra-batch accuracy and precision for all analytes were 87.5-107.7% and 0.6-11.7%, respectively, while inter-batch accuracy and precision were 87.0-105.8% and 1.2-10.2%, respectively. Using this developed and validated method, the comprehensive metabolic profiling of 16 EMs in urine samples of 86 postmenopausal female breast cancer patients and 36 healthy controls was investigated by systematic statistical analysis. As a result, the circulating levels of 6 EMs were found to be different by a comparison of patients and healthy controls. The parent estrogens, estrone (E1) and 17β-estradiol (E2), as well as 2-hydroxyestradiol (2-OHE2) and 4-hydroxyestradiol (4-OHE2) were produced in higher abundance, whereas 16α-hydroxyestrone (16α-OHE1) and 2-methoxyestradiol (2-MeOE2) were decreased in the breast cancer group. 2-OHE2 and 4-OHE2 in particular showed significant elevation in patients, which are consistent with the carcinogenic mechanism hypothesis that catechol estrogens can react with DNA via quinones, resulting in mutations to induce breast cancer. Thus, 2,4-hydroxylation may be the dominant metabolic pathway for parent estrogens rather than 16α-hydroxylation. The lower level of 2-MeOE2 in the breast cancer group was believed to correlate with its protective effect against tumor formation. This study could provide valuable information on the association of the EM metabolic pathway with carcinogenesis as well as identify potential biomarkers for estrogen-induced breast cancer risk., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The DNA was determined based on resonance light scattering (RLS) spectrometry and the localized surface plasmon resonance. The gold bipyramids were used as the probes and synthesized by a seed-mediated method. Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide was used as stabilizing agent. DNA can be bound to the gold bipyramids due to electrostatic interaction and aggregates, which results in a strong enhancement of the RLS intensity. Under the optimal conditions, the intensity of RLS is directly proportional to the concentration of DNA in the range from 0.1 to 2.0 μg mL(-1)., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Based on the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sodium 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate (mesna) was determined using unmodified gold colloid as the probe. The Raman scattering intensity was obviously enhanced in the presence of sodium chloride. The influence of experimental parameters, such as incubation time, sodium chloride concentration and pH value on SERS performance was examined. Under the optimum conditions, the SERS intensity is proportional to the concentration of mesna in the range of 9.0×10(-8) to 9.0×10(-7) mol/L and detection limit (S/N=3) is 1.16×10(-8) mol/L. The corresponding correlation coefficient of the linear equation is 0.996, which indicates that there is a good linear relationship between SERS intensity and mesna concentration. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method is a viable method for determination of mesna. The real samples were analyzed and the results obtained were satisfactory., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this paper, the anionic surfactant sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate (SDBS) and cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTMAB) were used as resonance light scattering (RLS) probe to determine bovine serum albumin (BSA). Based on the weak RLS intensity of SDBS-CTMAB probe and the enhancement of RLS intensity of BSA in the presence of the probe, a simple assay for BSA was developed. The experimental results showed that the formation of three component complex BSA-SDBS-CTMAB is the main reason for the enhancement of RLS intensity of BSA, in which SDBS as a bridge can interact with both BSA and CTMAB. The effects of pH value, incubation time, concentrations of SDBS and CTMAB on the enhanced RLS intensity of BSA were investigated. Under the optimum conditions, the enhanced RLS intensity is proportional to the concentration of BSA in the range from 2.5 x 10(-8) to 2.0 x 10(-6)mol L(-1). The detection limit is 9.7 x 10(-9) mol L(-1) for BSA. The study of foreign substance effect on the determination of BSA indicated that most of metal ions have little effect on the determination of BSA. The results of assay for BSA in synthetic samples were satisfactory.

As a resonance light scattering (RLS) probe, the polyelectrolyte polymethacrylic acid (PMAA) was applied in this assay. The bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human serum albumin (HSA) were determined by the electrostatic interaction of PMAA and proteins. At pH 3.8 Na(2)HPO(4)-citric acid buffer solution, the RLS intensities of PMAA-BSA (HSA) system were greatly enhanced. The characteristic peaks were appeared at the wavelength 320, 546 and 594 nm. The optimization conditions of the reaction were also examined and selected. Under the selected conditions, the RLS intensities were proportional to the protein concentrations in the range of (0.0200-2.00) x 10(-6) mol/L for BSA and (0.0200-2.40) x 10(-6) mol/L for HSA. The influences of some foreign substances were also examined. The synthetic samples containing proteins and some real samples were analyzed and the results obtained were satisfactory.

By means of the resonance light scattering (RLS) technique, a new method was developed to determine the bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human serum albumin (HSA) by the interaction of serum albumin with poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA). At Tris-NaOH buffer solution, the RLS intensity of serum albumin at the wavelength 320, 550 and 590 nm was obviously enhanced in the presence of PDDA. The influences of some experimental factors, including incubation time, addition sequence of reagents, pH value, concentration of PDDA and foreign substances, on the enhancement of the RLS intensity were examined. The optimum conditions of the experiment were selected. Under the selected experimental condition, the enhanced RLS intensities were directly proportional to the concentrations in the range of (0.0250-2.75)x10(-6) mol/L for BSA and (0.0235-1.17)x10(-6) mol/L for HSA. The detection limits (S/N=3) were 8.40x10(-9) mol/L for BSA and 7.39x10(-9) mol/L for HSA. The synthetic samples were analysed and the results obtained were satisfactory.

A simple, highly sensitive assay for fibronectin (Fn) was reported using resonance light-scattering (RLS) technique based on the enhanced RLS intensity of hyperin-cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTMAB)-Fn system. The interaction system of hyperin-CTMAB-Fn was investigated using spectral methods. Mechanistic investigations show that the main reason of the enhanced RLS intensity of Fn is the formation of three-component complex (hyperin-CTMAB-Fn), in which CTMAB acts as a bridge between hyperin and Fn. The effects of pH, surfactant, concentration of CTMAB and hyperin, incubation time and foreign substances on the enhancement of RLS intensity were studied. Under the optimum conditions, the enhancement of RLS intensity is in proportion to the concentration of Fn in the range of 1.9-248ng/ml. The synthetic samples containing Fn were analyzed and results obtained were satisfied.

Based on the interaction between human complement factor C4 (human C4) and sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate (SDBS) and the resonance light-scattering (RLS) technique, a highly sensitive assay for human C4 using resonance light-scattering technique was developed. At pH 2.8 Na2HPO4-citric acid buffer solution, the RLS intensities of SDBS system at 283, 503 and 600 nm were obviously enhanced in the presence of human C4. The effects of surfactant, pH, incubation time, concentration of SDBS and foreign substances on the enhanced RLS intensity of system were investigated. Under the optimum conditions, the enhanced RLS intensity is directly proportional to the concentration of human C4 in the range of (0.5-120)x10(-6)gl-1 and the linear regression equation was obtained with high correlation coefficient. This RLS technique was applied to the determination of human C4 in some synthetic samples with good recovery. Moreover, it was found that the electrostatic interaction is the main binding force between SDBS and human C4.

The interaction between colloidal gold and human complement factor 4 (human C4) at different pH was investigated by spectral methods, including absorption and resonance light-scattering spectrometry. According to the changes of color and absorption spectra of colloidal gold solution in presence of human C4, the interaction between colloidal gold and human C4 was quantitatively investigated using a semi-empirical "flocculation parameter". At the same time, the changes of resonance light-scattering spectra and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images indicate that the aggregation of colloidal gold happens by electrostatic interaction in presence of human C4 in the pH range 5-6. However, the colloidal gold solution remains stable at pH >6 and pH <5 due to the repulsive electrostatic interaction between colloidal gold and human C4. The flocculation parameter is directly proportional to the concentration of human C4 in the range from 9.7 to 233.0 microgl(-1). In addition, the interactions between the colloidal gold and bovine serum albumin (BSA) as well as human serum albumin (HSA) were also investigated using the same methods. It was found that there was no aggregation of colloidal gold in presence of BSA and HSA in the pH range 5-6. However, when the pH of solution is 4, the aggregation of colloidal gold happens. Because BSA and HSA have different structure, the intensity of aggregation of colloidal gold in presence of BSA is greater than that in presence of HSA at pH 4.