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To find a cocatalyst that can replace noble metals, fungal carbon dot (CD) modified molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) cocatalyst system was designed. The composites were prepared by hydrothermal and calcination methods with different ratios of CDs, MoS2 and nitrogen-rich carbon nitride (p-C3N5). p-C3N5 has excellent electronic properties, and MoS2 modified by CDs (D-MoS2) can significantly enhance the photocatalytic performance of p-C3N5 by improving the photogenerated electron migration efficiency. The experiments showed that the developed CDs/MoS2/C3N5 composites exhibited excellent performance in both photocatalytic hydrogen (H2) evolution and methylene blue (MB) degradation, with CMSCN5 (D-MoS2 with 5% mass fraction) showing the best photocatalytic activity. The corresponding H2 evolution rate of CMSCN5 was 444 μmol g-1 h-1 and 1.45 times higher than that of unmodified p-C3N5, by 120 min, the removal rate of MB was up to 93.51%. The 5 cycle tests showed that CMSCN5 had great stability. The high charge mobility and high density of H2 evolution active sites of MoS2 nanosheets, together with the electron storage and transfer properties of CDs can obviously improve electron migration and reduce the photogenerated carrier recombination on the p-C3N5 surface. The design and preparation of such composites offer broad prospects for the development of photocatalytic systems with noble metal-free cocatalysts.

A novel N-rich sugarcane-like photocatalyst CdS/C3N5 (CCN) was prepared by a thermal polymerization method and tested for generating H2 and realizing antiphotocorrosive performance. The best photocatalytic H2 evolution is obtained for a CdS to C3N5 mass ratio of 1:1 (CCN3), which is nearly 33 and 3 times higher than that of pure C3N5 and CdS, respectively. CCN3 can be used to effectively reduce CdS photocorrosion and increase stability because of its N-rich performance and sugarcane-like structure, which can affect electron transport and enhance the internal binding force, respectively. CCN3 can maintain a high H2 evolution ability after 5 cycles, while still maintaining the original sugarcane-like shape, which has an anti-photocorrosive ability.

Integrating and utilizing natural resources rationally is an important strategy for sustainable development. Herein, a novel nanoporous carbon material with rime scenery-like support was firstly established, in which waste biomass fungus bran was skillfully selected as the layered structure carbon skeletons for loading carboxymethyl cellulose derived carbon particles. The dual biomass-derived carbon with the aid of activating by KMnO4 has a unique structure and favorable electrical conductivity. The resulting sample also has a high micropore ratio, which is optimum for the formation of double layer in aqueous electrolyte. Profiting from hierarchical nanopore structure and nitrogen self-doping, the optimized carbon electrode exhibited excellent specific capacitance of 407 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1, remarkable rate characteristic, and superior cycling performance (96.9% remained after 5000 cycles). More importantly, the assembled symmetric supercapacitor exhibited a high energy density of 11.4 Wh kg−1 and outstanding electrochemical performance in aqueous electrolyte, which benefited from well-connected networks and multipath channels. This research realizes the utilization of waste biomass in carbon-based electrodes and offers the basis of preparation method for the next generation of sustainable energy storage devices. The fabricated rime scenery-like nanoporous carbon materials exhibit ultra-high specific capacitance and the symmetric supercapacitor possesses a high energy density and power density.

Household air pollution (HAP) from indoor combustion of solid fuel is a global health burden that has been linked to lung cancer. A striking example occurs in Xuanwei, China where the lung cancer rate for never smoking women is among the highest in the world and largely attributed to high levels of various toxic constituents, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a combustion product of smoky (bituminous) coal used for cooking and heating. Several air pollution constituents have been associated with epigenetic accelerated aging (EAA) derived from DNA methylation (DNAm)-based biomarkers that are highly correlated with biological processes underlying aging-related diseases. We aim to assess the association between HAP exposure and EAA in Xuanwei, China. We analyzed 106 never smoking women in an exposure assessment study in Xuanwei, China with a repeat DNA sample from 23 subjects. Household fuel type used for cooking and heating (smoky vs. smokeless coal) was collected using a questionnaire, and exposure models were used to predict levels of 43 individual HAP constituents for current and childhood exposure. Leukocyte DNAm was measured using Illumina EPIC array. EAA was derived for five clocks using the Horvath calculator and defined as the residuals resulting from regressing each clock on chronological age. We used generalized estimating equations to assess the associations between fuel type, clusters derived from predicted levels of HAP exposure, and ambient 5-methylchrysene (5-MC), a carcinogenic PAH previously associated with lung cancer in Xuanwei and selected a priori for analyses, as independent variables and EAA clocks as dependent variables, while accounting for repeated-measurements. We observed a significant increase in GrimAge EAA among smoky coal users compared to smokeless coal users for current (β=1.84 years (y), 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.59, 3.09, P-value=0.004) and childhood (β=4.14 y, 95% CI: 1.63, 6.64, P-value=0.001) exposures. We also observed a monotonic increase in GrimAge EAA for a cluster of 31 PAHs reflecting current exposure (β=0.77 y, 95% CI: 0.36, 1.19, P-value=3 × 10−4) and for a cluster of 33 PAHs reflecting childhood exposure (β=0.92 y, 95% CI: 0.40, 1.45, P-value=0.001). Ambient 5-MC, one of the constituents within the PAH clusters, was found to have an increasing monotonic relationship with GrimAge EAA for current (β=0.15 y, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.25, P-value=0.003) and childhood (β=0.30 y, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.47, P-value=4.7 × 10−4) exposures. Our findings suggest that exposure to PAH from indoor smoky coal combustion is associated with EAA, particularly for the GrimAge clock, a strong biomarker of mortality. This finding is consistent with our recent observation linking accelerated GrimAge to increased risk of lung cancer in a prospective study of never smoking women in China. Additionally, our study provides further support for 5-MC as a prominent carcinogenic component of smoky coal emissions. Citation Format: Batel Blechter, Andres Cardenas, Seraphina (Junming) Shi, Mohammad L. Rahman, Jason Y.Y. Wong, Wei Hu, George S. Downward, Lutzen Portengen, Richard Cawthon, H. Dean Hosgood, Jihua Li, Debra T. Silverman, Yunchao Huang, Roel Vermeulen, Nathaniel Rothman, Qing Lan. Smoky coal exposure is associated with epigenetic accelerated aging. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 4219.

Large-scale applications of metal nanoparticles (MNPs) in waste treatment and environmental remediation are challenging due to declining activity and stability of nanoparticles that arises from rapid aggregation during synthesis and deactivation under environmental conditions. A potential approach to overcome these problems is to confine the highly reactive MNPs in porous frameworks. In confined nano-architectures, dispersed MNPs are more stable and accessible to pollutants while integration of the support can further improve catalytic degradation of pollutants with high metal utilization. In this perspective, emerging environmental applications of confined-MNP nanocomposites are discussed, focusing on the removal of toxic heavy metals, degradation of organic pollutants and catalytic denitrification. The confinement effects are emphasised, including spatial restriction in material synthesis, enrichment and selective adsorption of reactants, and electronic interactions between metal and support. Understanding the confinement effects to guide the design of confined materials for targeted pollutants, and especially for single-atom catalysts and heteroatom doping, is highlighted.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), caused by SFTS virus (SFTSV) infection, was first reported in 2010 in China with an initial fatality of up to 30%. The laboratory confirmation of SFTSV infection in terms of detection of viral RNA or antibody levels is critical for SFTS diagnosis and therapy. In this study, a new luciferase immunoprecipitation system (LIPS) assay based on pREN2 plasmid expressing SFTSV NP gene and tagged with Renilla luciferase (Rluc), was established and used to investigate the levels of antibody responses to SFTSV. Totally 464 serum samples from febrile patients were collected in the hospital of Shaoxing City in Zhejiang Province in 2019. The results showed that 82 of the 464 patients (17.7%) had antibody response to SFTSV, which were further supported by immunofluorescence assays (IFAs). Further, qRT-PCR and microneutralization tests showed that among the 82 positive cases, 15 patients had viremia, 10 patients had neutralizing antibody, and one had both (totally 26 patient). However, none of these patients were diagnosed as SFTS in the hospital probably because of their mild symptoms or subclinical manifestations. All the results indicated that at least the 26 patients having viremia or neutralizing antibody were the missed diagnosis of SFTS cases. The findings suggested the occurrence of SFTS and the SFTS incidence were higher than the reported level in Shaoxing in 2019, and that LIPS may provide an alternative strategy to confirm SFTSV infection in the laboratory.

Ticks are well known as vectors of many viruses which usually do great harm to human and animal health. Yunnan Province, widely covered by flourishing vegetation and mainly relying on farming husbandry, is abundant with Rhipicephalus microplus ticks. Therefore, it is of great significance to characterize the viral profile present in R. microplus parasitizing on cattle in Yunnan Province. In this study, a total of 7387 R. microplus ticks were collected from cattle and buffalo in the northwest and southeast areas of Yunnan Province from 2015 to 2017. We investigated the virome of R. microplus using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and the prevalence of important identified viruses among tick groups by RT-PCR. It revealed the presence of diverse virus concerning chu-, rhabdo-, phlebo-, flavi- and parvo- viruses in Yunnan. These viruses consist of single-stranded, circular and segmented sense RNAs, showing a greatly diversity in genomic organization. Furthermore, continuous epidemiological survey among ticks reveals broad prevalence of three viruses (Yunnan mivirus 1, Wuhan tick vrius 1 and YN tick-associated phlebovirus 1) and two possible prevalent viruses including a flavivirus-like segmented virus (Jingmen tick virus) and a bovine hokovirus 2 in Yunnan. Serological investigation among cattle indicates that these identified viruses may be infectious to cattle and can elicit corresponding antibody. Our findings on R. microplus-associated viral community will contribute to the prevention of viral disease and tracking the viral evolution. Further analysis is needed to better elucidate the pathogenicity and natural circulation of these viruses. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s12250-020-00319-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorised users.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), the causative agent of a febrile human disease, was first identified from central and eastern provinces in China, and later in Japan and South Korea. Hubei Province is one of the major SFTS epidemic areas in the central part of China. This study reported the isolation of 11 new SFTSV strains from patients in Hubei Province collected in 2017. Extensive phylogenetic analyses were conducted based on the complete coding sequences of SFTSV segments including the new strains. It was suggested that five different SFTSV genotypes were circulating in Hubei, and 15 reassortment patterns and migration pathways correlated with each genotype were identified, which was more than previously recognized. Hubei Province was more involved in the evolutionary events of SFTSV than that previously thought in which the evolutionary events of SFTSV were reported to be independent from those in other epidemic regions. Further divergence of SFTSV strains was suggested by pairwise comparison of SFTSV sequences from each genotype and sequence identity normalized to representative strain in genotype C1. Subsequently, amino acid variations specific for genotype(s), strain(s), or cluster(s) were inspected, which may be related to differential biological activity of SFTSV strains/genotypes. In conclusion, we analyzed the current status of SFTSV phylogeny in Hubei Province and discussed the possible events correlated to SFTSV evolution. It provided an in-depth insight into SFTSV evolution, raising concerns for the use of proper SFTSV strains in future studies. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s12250-020-00289-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Porous carbon is the most important and most common adsorbent for the separation and treatment of organic pollutants. Characteristics such as accessible and large surface area, physical and chemical stability, and low-cost manufacturing method are desired for any adsorbent. Herein, a hierarchically porous carbon (HPC) was prepared by pyrolysis and graphitization of crystalline metal–organic frameworks (MOF-5) for enhanced adsorption of aromatic contaminants. The material treated at high temperature (950 °C) possesses large surface area (1512 m2/g), high porosity (0.94 cm3/g), and hierarchically porous structures. The generated mesopores around 4 nm improve the interconnectivity of micro- and macropores to make the porous material ideal for sorption of organic pollutants such as aromatic hydrocarbons. Effects of adsorbent dose, pH, ionic strength, contact time, and initial concentration on the adsorption of p-nitrophenol (PNP, as a model) were investigated. Adsorption isotherms and kinetics suggest that the adsorption is a spontaneous and endothermic physisorption process with monolayer surface coverage. The surface sites are electron-rich due to the graphitic layer, which has high affinity toward π electrons of the aromatic ring. The adsorption capacity of the hierarchically porous carbon (HPC) is nearly over 100% higher that of conventional activated carbon.

Hubei Province is a major epidemic area of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome bunyavirus (SFTSV) in China. However, to date, a few SFTSV strains have been isolated from Hubei Province, preventing effective studies of epidemic outbreaks. Here, we report three confirmed patients (2015–2016) with typical symptoms of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome disease (SFTS) who were farmers resident in different regions in Hubei Province. Three new SFTSV strains were isolated from the serum samples of each patient. Characterization of viral growth properties showed that there were no significant differences in virus production. All strains were completely sequenced, and phylogenetic analysis showed that unlike the other strains from Hubei province, which belonged to the SFTSV C3 genotype, one of the three strains belonged to the SFTSV C2 genotype. These results suggested that multiple SFTSV genotypes have been circulating in Hubei Province, providing insights into SFTSV evolution and improving our understanding of SFTSV prevalence in Hubei Province. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: Supplementary material is available for this article at 10.1007/s12250-017-3953-3 and is accessible for authorized users.

Two challenges persist in the applications of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) for environmental remediation and waste treatment: limited mobility due to rapid aggregation and short lifespan in water due to quick oxidation. Herein, we report the nZVI incorporated into mesoporous carbon (MC) to enhance stability in aqueous solution and mobility in porous media. Meanwhile, the reactivity of nZVI is preserved thanks to high temperature treatment and confinement of carbon framework. Small-sized (~ 16 nm) nZVI nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed in the whole carbon frameworks. Importantly, the nanoparticles are partially trapped across the carbon walls with a portion exposed to the mesopore channels. This unique structure not only is conductive to hold the nZVI tightly to avoid aggregation during mobility but also provides accessible active sites for reactivity. This new type of nanomaterial contains ~ 10 wt% of iron. The nZVI@MC possesses a high surface area (~ 500 m2/g) and uniform mesopores (~ 4.2 nm) for efficient pollutant diffusion and reactions. Also, high porosity of nZVI@MC contributes to the stability and mobility of nZVI. Laboratory column experiments further demonstrate that nZVI@MC suspension (~ 4 g Fe/L) can pass through sand columns much more efficiently than bare nZVI while the high reactivity of nZVI@MC is confirmed from reactions with Ni(II). It exhibits remarkably better performance in nickel (20 mg/L) extraction than mesoporous carbon, with 88.0% and 33.0% uptake in 5 min, respectively.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus that causes epidemics widely in the world especially in the tropical and subtropical regions. Phylogenetic analysis has found that the CHIKV lineages were associated with the spatial and temporal distributions, which were related to the virus adaption to the major mosquito species and their distributions. In this study, we reported the complete genome sequences of eight CHIKV isolates from the outbreak in Pakistan last year. Then we reviewed the evolutionary history using extensive phylogenetic analysis, analyzed lineage-specific substitutions in viral proteins, and characterized the spreading pathway of CHIKV strains including the Pakistani strains. The results showed that the Pakistani stains belonged to the ECSA.IOL sub-lineage and derived from India. The genetic properties of the Pakistani strains including the adaptive substitution to vectors were further characterized, and the potential risks from the occurrence of CHIKV infection in Pakistan were discussed. These results provided better understanding of CHIKV evolution and transmission in the world and revealed the possible origination of the CHIKV outbreak and epidemic in Pakistan, which would promote the disease prevention and control in the identified countries and territories with the history of CHIKV infections as well as new regions with potential risk of CHIKV outbreaks. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: Supplementary material is available for this article at 10.1007/s12250-017-4077-5 and is accessible for authorized users.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is a novel phlebovirus that was identified to be the etiological pathogen of the emerging infectious disease, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS). SFTSV could be transmitted through tick bite. Transmission of SFTSV among humans has also been reported mainly through direct blood contact. In July 2014, a cluster of six suspected SFTS cases occurred in Shandong Province, China. In this cluster, both symptomatic and asymptomatic persons were included. By analyzing the clinical data and results of laboratory tests, and conducting the epidemiological interviews with the cases and their families, risk factors responsible for the transmission were evaluated. The findings suggested that SFTSV transmission among humans may cause asymptomatic infection via personal contact without blood exposure.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a highly pathogenic tick-borne virus with a fatality rate of up to 50% in humans. CCHFV is widely distributed in countries around the world. Outbreaks of CCHFV infection in humans have occurred in prior years in Xinjiang Province, China. Epidemiological surveys have detected CCHFV RNA in ticks and animals; however, few isolates were identified. In this study, we identified and isolated a new CCHFV strain from Hyalomma asiaticum asiaticum ticks collected from north of Tarim Basin in Xinjiang, China. A preliminary investigation of infection and antigens expression of CCHFV was performed in newborn mice. The target tissues for CCHFV replication in newborn mice were identified. The analysis of the phylogenetic relationships with other Chinese strains suggested that diverse genotypes of CCHFV have circulated in Xinjiang for years. These findings provide important insights into our understanding of CCHFV infection and evolution as well as disease prevention and control for local residents. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: Supplementary material is available for this article at 10.1007/s12250-016-3936-9 and is accessible for authorized users.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is caused by severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), which has had a serious impact on public health in parts of Asia. There is no specific antiviral drug or vaccine for SFTSV and, therefore, it is important to determine the factors that influence the occurrence of SFTSV infections. This study aimed to explore the spatial associations between SFTSV infections and several potential determinants, and to predict the high-risk areas in mainland China. The analysis was carried out at the level of provinces in mainland China. The potential explanatory variables that were investigated consisted of meteorological factors (average temperature, average monthly precipitation and average relative humidity), the average proportion of rural population and the average proportion of primary industries over three years (2010–2012). We constructed a geographically weighted logistic regression (GWLR) model in order to explore the associations between the selected variables and confirmed cases of SFTSV. The study showed that: (1) meteorological factors have a strong influence on the SFTSV cover; (2) a GWLR model is suitable for exploring SFTSV cover in mainland China; (3) our findings can be used for predicting high-risk areas and highlighting when meteorological factors pose a risk in order to aid in the implementation of public health strategies.

Honey bees are essential to the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. However, despite no single factor being blamed for losses of honey bee colonies in Europe and the USA, viruses have been considered as a major driver. Moreover, a virus vector can enhance the titer and virulence of virus such as Varroa destructor can change the virulence of the deformed wing virus. Here, we report molecular evidence for aphid lethal paralysis virus (ALPV) infecting Vespa velutina, which is an important predator of honey bees, especially of Apis cerana. Viral replication and phylogenetic analysis indicated that ALPV can not only replicate in V. velutina and A. cerana, but ALPV from A. cerana (ALPV-Ac) was also significantly associated with that of V. velutina (ALPV-Vv), though distinct from those of Apis mellifera (ALPV-Am). The host state posterior probability displayed that V. velutina is the main viral reservoir between V. velutina and A. cerana. Our results show ALPV had expanded host diversity resulting in potential impacts on the health of pollinators, even on the pollination ecosystem. We suggest further studies should investigate potential risks and impacts on pollinator populations of hornets. These results should have an impact conservation efforts focused on sustaining native pollinator abundance and diversity, and therefore, the crucial ecosystem services that they provide.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome bunyavirus (SFTSV) has been identified as the etiological agent causing severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS). SFTSV was reported in recent years as a newly emerging tick-borne virus in China, Japan and South Korea and is a novel member of the genus Phlebovirus, family Bunyaviridae, which is suspected to be transmitted by the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis. The genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships between geographically distributed SFTSV strains are currently unclear. In this study we used extensive bioinformatics analyses to provide deep insight into the mechanisms of evolution and relationships among SFTSV strains. The genetic diversity of SFTSV was characterized and found to be generated through recombination and reassortment events. Further, potential correlations between the geographic distribution and migration pathways of SFTSV were subject to in-depth analysis. The potential of birds migration related to SFTSV migration were also discussed. The results of this study will facilitate better understanding of the mechanisms of evolution of SFTSV, which will be important in developing public-health interventions and strategies for SFTS disease control and prevention in endemic areas.

Recent outbreaks of Zika virus (ZIKV) infections in Oceania's islands and the Americas were characterized by high numbers of cases and the spread of the virus to new areas. To better understand the origin of ZIKV, its epidemic history was reviewed. Although the available records and information are limited, two major genetic lineages of ZIKV were identified in previous studies. However, in this study, three lineages were identified based on a phylogenetic analysis of all virus sequences from GenBank, including those of the envelope protein (E) and non-structural protein 5 (NS5) coding regions. The spatial and temporal distributions of the three identified ZIKV lineages and the recombination events and mechanisms underlying their divergence and evolution were further elaborated. The potential migration pathway of ZIKV was also characterized. Our findings revealed the central roles of two African countries, Senegal and Cote d'Ivoire, in ZIKV evolution and genotypic divergence. Furthermore, our results suggested that the outbreaks in Asia and the Pacific islands originated from Africa. The results provide insights into the geographic origins of ZIKV outbreaks and the spread of the virus, and also contribute to a better understanding of ZIKV evolution, which is important for the prevention and control of ZIKV infections. [Image: see text] ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: Supplementary material is available for this article at 10.1007/s12250-016-3774-9 and is accessible for authorized users.