In-situ construction of iron-modified nickel nanoparticles assisted by hexamethylenetetramine with the internal and external collaboration for highly selective electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) electroreduction provides a sustainable route for realizing carbon neutrality and energy supply. Up to now, challenges remain in employing abundant and inexpensive nickel materials as candidates for CO2 reduction due to their low activity and favorable hydrogen evolution. Here, the representative iron-modified nickel nanoparticles embedded in nitrogen-doped carbon (Ni1-Fe0.125-NC) with the porous botryoid morphology were successfully developed. Hexamethylenetetramine is used as nitrogen-doped carbon source. The collaboration of internal lattice expansion with electron effect and external confinement effect with size effect endows the significant enhancement in electrocatalytic CO2 reduction. The optimized Ni1-Fe0.125-NC exhibits broad potential ranges for continuous carbon monoxide (CO) production. A superb CO Faradaic efficiency (FECO) of 85.0 % realized at -1.1 V maintains a longtime durability over 35 h, which exceeds many state-of-the-art metal catalysts. Theoretical calculations further confirm that electron redistribution promotes the desorption of CO in the process for favorable CO production. This work opens a new avenue to design efficient nickel-based materials by considering the intrinsic structure and external confinement for CO2 reduction.

Changes in corneal endothelial cells after scleral-sutured fixation of intraocular lens in children with congenital ectopia lentis: a 2-year follow-up.

PURPOSE: To investigate the changing patterns of corneal endothelial cells and the associated factors in children with congenital ectopia lentis (CEL) after scleral-sutured fixation of intraocular lens (SSFIOL). SETTING: Zhongshan ophthalmic center, Guangzhou, China. DESIGN: Retrospective study. METHODS: Patients were divided into the surgery group and the control group. Central endothelial cell density (ECD), coefficient of variation in cell size (CV), the percentage of hexagonal cells (hexagonality, HEX), average cell size (AVG) and central corneal thickness (CCT) were analyzed for both group at baseline and each follow-up visit. Clinic characteristic, ocular parameters, IOL decentration and IOL tilt of patients in the surgery group were collected. Multiple linear regression was performed to assess the potential associated factors for the postoperative changes in corneal endothelial cells in the surgery group. RESULTS: After 2-year follow-up, the decline of ECD was 17.8% (95%CI: -21.8 to -13.9) in the surgery group and -3.1% (95%CI: -5.2 to -1.0) in the control group(P<0.001), while the increase of AVG was 24.3%(17.1to 31.6) in the surgery group and 2.7%(1.0 to 4.5) in the control group (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that AL≥24mm and WTW<12.2mm were significantly associated with greater loss of ECD (ß=-241.41, 95% CI: -457.91 to -24.91, P=0.030 and ß=251.63, 95% CI: 42.10 to 461.17,P=0.020, respectively) and AL≥ 24mm was significantly positively associated with the increase of AVG (ß=34.81, 95% CI: 0.90 to 68.71, P=0.044). CONCLUSIONS: SSFIOL has a significant impact on corneal endothelium in children with CEL. More attention should be paid to monitor postoperative corneal endothelium change during long-term follow-up in CEL children, especially for those with longer AL and smaller WTW.

Comprehensive data mining reveals RTK/RAS signaling pathway as a promoter of prostate cancer lineage plasticity through transcription factors and CNV.

Prostate cancer lineage plasticity is a key driver in the transition to neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), and the RTK/RAS signaling pathway is a well-established cancer pathway. Nevertheless, the comprehensive link between the RTK/RAS signaling pathway and lineage plasticity has received limited investigation. In particular, the intricate regulatory network governing the interplay between RTK/RAS and lineage plasticity remains largely unexplored. The multi-omics data were clustered with the coefficient of argument and neighbor joining algorithm. Subsequently, the clustered results were analyzed utilizing the GSEA, gene sets related to stemness, multi-lineage state datasets, and canonical cancer pathway gene sets. Finally, a comprehensive exploration of the data based on the ssGSEA, WGCNA, GSEA, VIPER, prostate cancer scRNA-seq data, and the GPSAdb database was conducted. Among the six modules in the clustering results, there are 300 overlapping genes, including 3 previously unreported prostate cancer genes that were validated to be upregulated in prostate cancer through RT-qPCR. Function Module 6 shows a positive correlation with prostate cancer cell stemness, multi-lineage states, and the RTK/RAS signaling pathway. Additionally, the 19 leading-edge genes of the RTK/RAS signaling pathway promote prostate cancer lineage plasticity through a complex network of transcriptional regulation and copy number variations. In the transcriptional regulation network, TP63 and FOXO1 act as suppressors of prostate cancer lineage plasticity, whereas RORC exerts a promoting effect. This study provides a comprehensive perspective on the role of the RTK/RAS pathway in prostate cancer lineage plasticity and offers new clues for the treatment of NEPC.

The New Challenge of Obesity - Obesity-Associated Nephropathy.

In recent years, obesity has become one of the major diseases that affect human health and consume human health resources, especially when it causes comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and kidney disease. Many studies have demonstrated that obesity is associated with the development of chronic kidney disease and can exacerbate the progression of end-stage renal disease. This review described the mechanisms associated with the development of obesity-associated nephropathy and the current relevant therapeutic modalities, with the aim of finding new therapeutic targets for obesity-associated nephropathy. The mechanisms of obesity-induced renal injury include, in addition to the traditional alterations in renal hemodynamics, the involvement of various mechanisms such as macrophage infiltration in adipose tissue, alterations in adipokines (leptin and adiponectin), and ectopic deposition of lipids. At present, there is no "point-to-point" treatment for obesity-induced kidney injury. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors, sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors and bariatric surgery described in this review can reduce urinary protein to varying degrees and delay the progression of kidney disease. In addition, recent studies on the therapeutic effects of intestinal flora on obesity may reduce the incidence of obesity-related kidney disease from the perspective of primary prevention. Both of these interventions have their own advantages and disadvantages, so the continuous search for the mechanism of obesity-induced related kidney disease will be extremely helpful for the future treatment of obesity-related kidney disease.

iTRAQ-based proteomic study on monocyte cell model discovered an association of LAMP2 downregulation with HIV-1 latency.

BACKGROUND: Patients with immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection are challenging to be cured completely due to the existence of HIV-1 latency reservoirs. However, the knowledge of the mechanisms and biomarkers associated with HIV-1 latency is limited. Therefore, identifying proteins related to HIV-1 latency could provide new insights into the underlying mechanisms of HIV-1 latency, and ultimately contribute to the eradication of HIV reservoirs. METHODS: An Isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantification (iTRAQ)-labeled subcellular proteomic study was performed on an HIV-1 latently infected cell model (U1, a HIV-1-integrated U937 cell line) and its control (U937). Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were analyzed using STRING-DB. Selected DEPs were further evaluated by western blotting and multiple reaction monitoring technology in both cell model and patient-derived cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4)+ T cells. Finally, we investigated the relationship between a specific DEP lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein 2 (LAMP2) and HIV-1 reactivation by panobinostat or lysosome regulation by a lysosomotropic agent hydroxychloroquine in U1 and U937 cells. RESULTS: In total, 110 DEPs were identified in U1 cells comparing to U937 control cells. Bioinformatics analysis suggested associations of the altered proteins with the immune response and endosomal/lysosomal pathway. LAMP2, leukocyte surface antigen CD47, CD55, and ITGA6 were downregulated in HIV-1 latent cells. Downregulated LAMP2 was further confirmed in resting CD4+ T cells from patients with latent HIV-1 infection. Furthermore, both HIV-1 reactivation by panobinostat and stimulation with hydroxychloroquine upregulated LAMP2 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated the involvement of the endosomal/lysosomal pathway in HIV-1 latency in macrophage cell model. The down-modulation of LAMP2 was associated with HIV latency, and the restoration of LAMP2 expression accompanied the transition of viral latency to active infection. This study provides new insights into the mechanism of HIV-1 latency and potential strategies for eradicating HIV-1 reservoirs by targeting LAMP2 expression.

Improvement in the Sustained-Release Performance of Electrospun Zein Nanofibers via Crosslinking Using Glutaraldehyde Vapors.

Volatile active ingredients in biopolymer nanofibers are prone to burst and uncontrolled release. In this study, we used electrospinning and crosslinking to design a new sustained-release active packaging containing zein and eugenol (EU). Vapor-phase glutaraldehyde (GTA) was used as the crosslinker. Characterization of the crosslinked zein nanofibers was conducted via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mechanical properties, water resistance, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. It was observed that crosslinked zein nanofibers did not lose their fiber shape, but the diameter of the fibers increased. By increasing the crosslink time, the mechanical properties and water resistance of the crosslinked zein nanofibers were greatly improved. The FT-IR results demonstrated the formation of chemical bonds between free amino groups in zein molecules and aldehyde groups in GTA molecules. EU was added to the zein nanofibers, and the corresponding release behavior in PBS was investigated using the dialysis membrane method. With an increase in crosslink time, the release rate of EU from crosslinked zein nanofibers decreased. This study demonstrates the potential of crosslinking by GTA vapors on the controlled release of the zein encapsulation structure containing EU. Such sustainable-release nanofibers have promising potential for the design of fortified foods or as active and smart food packaging.

Evaluating the mosquito vector range for two orthobunyaviruses: Oya virus and Ebinur Lake virus.

BACKGROUND: Mosquito-borne viruses cause various infectious diseases in humans and animals. Oya virus (OYAV) and Ebinur Lake virus (EBIV), belonging to the genus Orthobunyavirus within the family Peribunyaviridae, are recognized as neglected viruses with the potential to pose threats to animal or public health. The evaluation of vector competence is essential for predicting the arbovirus transmission risk. METHODS: To investigate the range of mosquito vectors for OYAV (strain SZC50) and EBIV (strain Cu20-XJ), the susceptibility of four mosquito species (Culex pipiens pallens, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Aedes albopictus, and Ae. aegypti) was measured through artificial oral infection. Then, mosquito species with a high infection rate (IR) were chosen to further evaluate the dissemination rate (DR), transmission rate (TR), and transmission efficiency. The viral RNA in each mosquito sample was determined by RT-qPCR. RESULTS: The results revealed that for OYAV, Cx. pipiens pallens had the highest IR (up to 40.0%) among the four species, but the DR and TR were 4.8% and 0.0%, respectively. For EBIV, Cx. pipiens pallens and Cx. quinquefasciatus had higher IR compared to Ae. albopictus (1.7%). However, the EBIV RNA and infectious virus were detected in Cx. pipiens pallens, with a TR of up to 15.4% and a transmission efficiency of 3.3%. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that Cx. pipiens pallens was susceptible to OYAV but had an extremely low risk of transmitting the virus. Culex pipiens pallens and Cx. quinquefasciatus were susceptible to EBIV, and Cx. pipiens pallens had a higher transmission risk to EBIV than Cx. quinquefasciatus.

Targeting miR-181a/b in retinitis pigmentosa: implications for disease progression and therapy.

BACKGROUND: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a genetically heterogeneous group of degenerative disorders causing progressive vision loss due to photoreceptor death. RP affects other retinal cells, including the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). MicroRNAs (miRs) are implicated in RP pathogenesis, and downregulating miR-181a/b has shown therapeutic benefit in RP mouse models by improving mitochondrial function. This study investigates the expression profile of miR-181a/b in RPE cells and the neural retina during RP disease progression. We also evaluate how miR-181a/b downregulation, by knocking out miR-181a/b-1 cluster in RPE cells, confers therapeutic efficacy in an RP mouse model and explore the mechanisms underlying this process. RESULTS: Our findings reveal distinct expression profiles, with downregulated miR-181a/b in RPE cells suggesting a protective response and upregulated miR-181a/b in the neural retina indicating a role in disease progression. We found that miR-181a/b-2, encoded in a separate genomic cluster, compensates for miR-181a/b-1 ablation in RPE cells at late time points. The transient downregulation of miR-181a/b in RPE cells at post-natal week 6 (PW6) led to improved RPE morphology, retarded photoreceptor degeneration and decreased RPE aerobic glycolysis. CONCLUSIONS: Our study elucidates the underlying mechanisms associated with the therapeutic modulation of miR-181a/b, providing insights into the metabolic processes linked to its RPE-specific downregulation. Our data further highlights the impact of compensatory regulation between miR clusters with implications for the development of miR-based therapeutics.

Accurate Protein pKa Prediction with Physical Organic Chemistry Guided 3D Protein Representation.

Protein pKa is a fundamental physicochemical parameter that dictates protein structure and function. However, accurately determining protein site-pKa values remains a substantial challenge, both experimentally and theoretically. In this study, we introduce a physical organic approach, leveraging a protein structural and physical-organic-parameter-based representation (P-SPOC), to develop a rapid and intuitive model for protein pKa prediction. Our P-SPOC model achieves state-of-the-art predictive accuracy, with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.33 pKa units. Furthermore, we have incorporated advanced protein structure prediction models, like AlphaFold2, to approximate structures for proteins lacking three-dimensional representations, which enhances the applicability of our model in the context of structure-undetermined protein research. To promote broader accessibility within the research community, an online prediction interface was also established at isyn.luoszgroup.com.

Bi-directional charge transfer channels in highly crystalline carbon nitride enabling superior photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

Introducing a donor-acceptor (D-A) unit is an effective approach to facilitate charge transfer in polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) and enhance photocatalytic performance. However, the introduction of hetero-molecules can lead to a decrease in crystallinity, limiting interlayer charge transfer and inhibiting further improvement. In this study, we constructed a novel D-A type carbon nitride with significantly higher crystallinity and a bi-directional charge transfer channel, which was achieved through 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylic acid (2,5-TDCA)-assisted self-assembly followed by KCl-templated calcination. The thiophene and cyano groups introduced serve as the electron donor and acceptor, respectively, enhancing in-plane electron delocalization. Additionally, introduced potassium ions are intercalated among the adjacent layers of carbon nitride, creating an interlayer charge transfer channel. Moreover, the highly ordered structure and improved crystallinity further facilitate charge transfer. As a result, the as-prepared photocatalyst exhibits superior photocatalytic hydrogen evolution (PHE) activity of 7.449 mmol h-1 g-1, which is 6.03 times higher than that of pure carbon nitride. The strategy of developing crystalline D-A-structured carbon nitride with controlled in-plane and interlayer charge transfer opens new avenues for the design of carbon nitride with enhanced properties for PHE.

Insights from the neural guidance factor Netrin-1 into neurodegeneration and other diseases.

Netrin-1 was initially discovered as a neuronal growth cue for axonal guidance, and its functions have later been identified in inflammation, tumorigenesis, neurodegeneration, and other disorders. We have recently found its alterations in the brains with Alzheimer's disease, which might provide important clues to the mechanisms of some unique pathologies. To provide better understanding of this promising molecule, we here summarize research progresses in genetics, pathology, biochemistry, cell biology and other studies of Netrin-1 about its mechanistic roles and biomarker potentials with an emphasis on clinical neurodegenerative disorders in order to expand understanding of this promising molecular player in human diseases.

Triglyceride-glucose index predicts postoperative delirium in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative delirium (POD) is more prevalent among elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Insulin resistance (IR) can be assessed using the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, a novel biomarker. This study aims to investigate the predictive potential of the TyG index for POD in elderly patients with T2DM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Elderly patients (≥ 65) with T2DM who underwent non-neurosurgery and non-cardiac surgery were enrolled. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between the TyG index and POD. Additionally, subgroup analyses were performed to compare the sex-specific differences in the predictive ability of the TyG index for POD. RESULTS: A total of 4566 patients were included in this retrospective cohort. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined the optimal cut-off value for the TyG index to be 8.678. In the univariate model, a TyG index > 8.678 exhibited an odds ratio (OR) of 1.668 (95% CI: 1.210-2.324, P = 0.002) for predicting POD. In the multivariate regression models, the ORs were 1.590 (95% CI: 1.133-2.252, P < 0.008), 1.661 (95% CI: 1.199-2.325, P < 0.003), and 1.603 (95% CI: 1.137-2.283, P = 0.008) for different models. Subgroup analyses demonstrated that the predictive ability of the TyG index was more pronounced in females compared to males. CONCLUSION: The TyG index shows promise as a novel biomarker for predicting the occurrence of POD in elderly surgical patients with T2DM.

Adaptively resettable microfluidic patch for sweat rate and electrolytes detection.

Skin-interfaced microfluidic patch has become a reliable device for sweat collection and analysis. However, the intractable problems of emptying the microchannel for reuse, and the channel's volumetric capacity limited by the size of the patch, directly hinder the practical application of sweat sensors. Herein, we report an adaptively resettable microfluidic sweat patch (Art-Sweat patch) capable of continuously monitoring both sweat rate (0.2-4.0 µL min-1) and total ionic charge concentration (10-200 mmol L-1). We develop a platform with a vertical and horizontal microchannel combined strategy, enabling repeatedly filling sweat and emptying the microchannel for autonomously resetting and detecting. The variation in the emptied volume is designed to be adaptively identified by the sensor, resulting in enhanced stability and an enlarged volumetric capacity of over 300 µL. By integrating with self-designed wireless transmission modules, the proposed Art-Sweat patch shows product-level wearability and high performance in monitoring variations in regional sweat rate and concentration for hydration status assessment.

An Integrated Approach of Bioassays and Non-Target Screening for the Assessment of Endocrine-Disrupting Activities in Tap Water and Identification of Novel Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals.

The safety of drinking water is a significant environmental issue of great concern for human health since numerous contaminants are often detected in drinking water and its sources. Boiling is a common household method used to produce relatively high-quality drinking water in some countries and regions. In this study, with the aid of an integrated approach of in vitro bioassays and non-target analysis based on high-resolution mass spectrometry coupled with liquid chromatography, alterations in endocrine-disrupting activities in tap water samples without and with boiling were revealed, as well as the potential endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) contributing to these alterations were identified. The organic extracts of tap water had no significant (ant)agonistic activities against an estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) at enrichment concentrations of ≤10 times, posing no immediate or acute health risk to humans. However, the presence of agonistic activities against PR and MR and antagonistic activities against ER, PR, GR, and MR in OEs of tap water at relatively higher enrichment concentrations still raise potential health concerns. Boiling effectively reduced antagonistic activities against these steroid hormone receptors (SHRs) but increased estrogenic and glucocorticoid activities in drinking water. Four novel potential EDCs, including one UV filter (phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid, PBSA) and three natural metabolites of organisms (beta-hydroxymyristic acid, 12-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid, and isorosmanol) were identified in drinking water samples, each of which showed (ant)agonistic activities against different SHRs. Given the widespread use of UV filters in sunscreens to prevent skin cancer, the health risks posed by PBSA as an identified novel EDC are of concern. Although boiling has been thought to reduce the health risk of drinking water contamination, our findings suggest that boiling may have a more complex effect on the endocrine-disrupting activities of drinking water and, therefore, a more comprehensive assessment is needed.

Exploring Deactivation Reasons of Biomass-Based Phosphorus-Doped Carbon as a Metal-Free Catalyst in the Catalytic Dehydroaromatization of n-Heptane.

Catalytic dehydroaromatization of n-alkanes into high-value aromatics has garnered extensive interest from both academia and industry. Our group has previously reported that phosphorus-doped carbon materials exhibit high selectivity for C-H bond activation in the dehydroaromatization of n-hexane. In this study, using n-heptane as a probe, we synthesized biomass-based phosphorus-doped carbon catalysts to investigate the impact of hydrogen heat treatment and carbon deposition on catalyst structure. Despite achieving an initial conversion of n-heptane at approximately 99.6%, with a toluene selectivity of 87.9%, the catalyst activity fell quickly. Moreover, longer hydrogen treatment time and higher hydrogen concentrations were found to accelerate catalyst deactivation. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and N2 adsorption measurements (BET) indicated that a small amount of coke deposition was not the primary cause of catalyst deactivation. Temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia gas (NH3-TPD) revealed a significant decrease in acid-active functional groups. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and solid-state 31P NMR spectroscopy confirmed the reduction of active central phosphorus species. These results suggest that catalyst deactivation primarily arises from the decrease in acidity and the partial reduction of phosphorus-containing groups, leading to a substantial loss of active sites. This work contributes new perspectives to understanding the properties and design improvements of metal-free carbon catalysts.

The effect of social pension on health-related quality of life of the rural older people: a panel study from China.

BACKGROUND: Social pensions, social assistance systems for older people in rural areas, have been put into place in many nations and have positively impacted health. The long-term health consequences of social pension programs in China are uncertain. The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term health consequences of the new rural social pension (NRSP) for the rural older people in China. METHODS: Based on the 2011 and 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, we compared the scores on eight Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) subscales of the rural older people before and after participation in the NRSP. The propensity score matching and difference-in-difference methods were used in data analysis. We also conducted a heterogeneity analysis for subgroups with different characteristics and pension enrolment times. RESULTS: The NRSP significantly enhanced scores on physical functioning, role-physical, and self-rated mental health of old rural participants by 1.90 (p < 0.01), 2.05 (p < 0.01), and 2.93 (p < 0.05), respectively. After excluding newly enrolled individuals, the beneficial health effects of the NRSP remained significant. There were no significant changes due to NRSP in the other five scores on the HRQoL subscale of the rural older people. The NRSP had more health benefits for older people in underdeveloped areas without formal schooling. CONCLUSIONS: The NRSP reduced health disparities and had long-term benefits on the physical and mental health of the rural older people. We suggest continuously expanding the NRSP throughout rural China and further improving the social support system to enhance the overall quality of life of the rural older people. Comparable social pension programs aimed at underprivileged groups could also be conducted in other low- or middle-income nations.

Convolutional Neural Network-Driven Impedance Flow Cytometry for Accurate Bacterial Differentiation.

Impedance flow cytometry (IFC) has been demonstrated to be an efficient tool for label-free bacterial investigation to obtain the electrical properties in real time. However, the accurate differentiation of different species of bacteria by IFC technology remains a challenge owing to the insignificant differences in data. Here, we developed a convolutional neural networks (ConvNet) deep learning approach to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of the IFC toward distinguishing various species of bacteria. First, more than 1 million sets of impedance data (comprising 42 characteristic features for each set) of various groups of bacteria were trained by the ConvNet model. To improve the efficiency for data analysis, the Spearman correlation coefficient and the mean decrease accuracy of the random forest algorithm were introduced to eliminate feature interaction and extract the opacity of impedance related to the bacterial wall and membrane structure as the predominant features in bacterial differentiation. Moreover, the 25 optimized features were selected with differentiation accuracies of >96% for three groups of bacteria (bacilli, cocci, and vibrio) and >95% for two species of bacilli (Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteritidis), compared to machine learning algorithms (complex tree, linear discriminant, and K-nearest neighbor algorithms) with a maximum accuracy of 76.4%. Furthermore, bacterial differentiation was achieved on spiked samples of different species with different mixing ratios. The proposed ConvNet deep learning-assisted data analysis method of IFC exhibits advantages in analyzing a huge number of data sets with capacity for extracting predominant features within multicomponent information and will bring about progress and advances in the fields of both biosensing and data analysis.

Concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in vegetables from Sydney and Newcastle, Australia.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in 53 fruit and vegetable samples collected from a local wholesale and retail market in Sydney and a local supermarket in Newcastle. As there is limited information about PFAS levels in vegetables on the market, this study aimed to fill this gap and assess potential risks for humans through consumption of these vegetables. METHODS: QuEChERS extraction - a solid-phase extraction method, a portmanteau word formed from 'quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe' - followed by enhanced matrix removal-lipid cleaning and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis were used to detect 30 PFASs in vegetables. RESULTS: PFOA was detected in 7 out of the 53 samples, with concentrations of 0.038-1.996 ng g-1 fresh weight; PFOS was detected in 2 samples only, with concentrations ranging from 0.132 to 0.911 ng g-1 fresh weight. PFHxS was not detected in any sample in this study. PFOA and PFOS concentrations measured in vegetables in this study constituted daily intake of 2.03 ng kg-1 body weight (BW) and 1.98 ng kg-1 BW, respectively, according to recommended daily vegetable intake and BW data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most sensitive population group is girls of 4-8 years of age. These estimated exposure levels represent up to 1.3% of the tolerable daily intake for PFOA (160 ng kg-1 BW) and 9.9% for PFOS (20 ng kg-1 BW) according to Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Consumption of the vegetables from the study locations poses a marginal risk to human health. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of Particle Size on the Gas Uptake Kinetics and Physical Properties of Type III Porous Liquids.

Type III porous liquids (PLs) consist of porous solid particles dispersed in a size-excluded liquid phase and are attracting much attention as novel media for applications such as gas separation. However, the effects of fundamental variables such as particle size on their physical properties are currently largely unknown. Here we study the effects of particle size in a series of porous liquids based on solid Al(OH)(fumarate) (a microporous metal-organic framework, MOF) with particle sizes of 60 nm, 200-600 nm, or 800-1000 dispersed in liquid polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Properties examined include physical stability of the dispersion, viscosity, total CO2 uptake, and kinetics of CO2 uptake. As expected, both physical stability and viscosity decreased with increasing particle size. Unexpectedly, total gravimetric gas uptake also varied with particle size, being greatest for the largest particles, which we ascribe to larger particles having a lower relative content of surface-bound FMA ligands. Various models for the gas uptake kinetic data were considered, specifically adsorption reaction models such as pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and Elovich models. In contrast to pure PDMS, which showed first-order kinetics, all PLs fit best to the Elovich model confirming that their uptake mechanism is more complex than for a simple liquid. Adsorption diffusion models, specifically Weber and Morris' intraparticle model and Boyd's model, were also applied which revealed a three-step process in which a combination of diffusion through a surface layer and intraparticle diffusion were rate-limiting. The rate of gas uptake follows the order PDMS < PL1 < PL2 < PL3, showing that the porous liquids take up gas more rapidly than does PDMS and that this rate increases with particle size. Overall, the study suggests that for high gas uptake and fast uptake kinetics, large particles may be preferred. Also, the fact that large particles resulted in low viscosity may be advantageous in reducing the pumping energy needed in flow separation systems. Therefore, the work suggests that finding ways to stabilize PLs with large particles against phase separation could be advantageous for optimizing the properties of PLs toward applications.