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Theoretical and Applied Climatology 2022The deep blue sky is an indicator of a lower concentration of aerosols and a cloudless sky. With increasing human emissions, a trend towards days with fewer deep blue...
UNLABELLED
The deep blue sky is an indicator of a lower concentration of aerosols and a cloudless sky. With increasing human emissions, a trend towards days with fewer deep blue skies might indicate a decline in a good living environment for humans. This study investigates the long-term changes of the deep blue sky in China from 1980 to 2018. Due to a lack of direct measurements, we use atmospheric visibility and low cloud cover to classify blue sky days into three grades: light blue day, medium blue day, and deep blue day. Climatologically, annual deep blue days increase from southeast China to northwest China, with the maximum number in Xinjiang and eastern Inner Mongolia and the minimum number in western Qinghai and southern Hebei. From 1980 to 2018, annual deep blue days show a prominent decreasing trend in most of China, with area-mean annual deep blue days decreasing by -0.48 days per year (d/y) in China, and the variation becomes more obvious after 2013. The maximum decreasing trend is observed in eastern China. The most prominent decreases of deep blue days are seen in winter. Both air pollution and the change in meteorological conditions contribute to the decrease of wintertime deep blue days in China. Specifically, the decrease in surface wind speed hinders the cleaning of air by winds, the increase in surface air temperature, and decrease in relative humidity is favorable for low cloud increase, and the increasing emission of pollution reduces atmospheric visibility.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00704-021-03898-1.
PubMed: 35095143
DOI: 10.1007/s00704-021-03898-1 -
Journal of Dairy Science May 2022Previous research has shown that the brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum (ASCO) has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties and also increases milk I concentration. We...
Supplementation of Ascophyllum nodosum meal and monensin: Effects on diversity and relative abundance of ruminal bacterial taxa and the metabolism of iodine and arsenic in lactating dairy cows.
Previous research has shown that the brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum (ASCO) has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties and also increases milk I concentration. We aimed to investigate the effects of supplementing ASCO meal or monensin (MON) on ruminal fermentation, diversity and relative abundance of ruminal bacterial taxa, metabolism of I and As, and blood concentrations of thyroid hormones, antioxidant enzymes, and cortisol in lactating dairy cows. Five multiparous ruminally cannulated Jersey cows averaging (mean ± standard deviation) 102 ± 15 d in milk and 450 ± 33 kg of body weight at the beginning of the study were used in a Latin square design with 28-d periods (21 d for diet adaptation and 7 d for data and sample collection). Cows were fed ad libitum a basal diet containing (dry matter basis) 65% forage as haylage and corn silage and 35% concentrate and were randomly assigned to 1 of the following 5 dietary treatments: 0, 57, 113, or 170 g/d of ASCO meal, or 300 mg/d of MON. Supplements were placed directly into the rumen once daily after the morning feeding. Diets had no effect on ruminal pH and NH-N concentration, which averaged 6.02 and 6.86 mg/dL, respectively. Total volatile fatty acid concentration decreased linearly in cows fed incremental amounts of ASCO meal. Supplementation with ASCO meal did not change the ruminal molar proportions of volatile fatty acids apart from butyrate, which responded quadratically with the lowest values observed at 56 and 113 g/d of ASCO supplementation. Compared with the control diet or diets containing ASCO meal, cows fed MON showed greater molar proportion of propionate. Diets did not affect the α diversity indices Shannon, Simpson, and Fisher for ruminal bacteria. However, feeding incremental levels of ASCO meal linearly decreased the relative abundance of Tenericutes in ruminal fluid. Monensin increased the relative abundance of the CAG:352 bacterial genus in ruminal fluid compared with the control diet. Linear increases in response to ASCO meal supplementation were observed for the concentrations and output of I in serum, milk, urine, and feces. Fecal excretion of As increased linearly in cows fed varying amounts of ASCO meal, but ASCO did not affect the concentration and secretion of As in milk. The plasma activities of the antioxidant enzymes and the serum concentrations of thyroid hormones did not change. In contrast, circulating cortisol decreased linearly in diets containing ASCO meal. The apparent total-tract digestibilities of dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein increased linearly with ASCO meal, but those of neutral and acid detergent fiber were not affected. In summary, feeding incremental amounts of ASCO meal decreased serum cortisol concentration, and increased I concentrations and output in serum, milk, feces, and urine.
Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Arsenic; Ascophyllum; Bacteria; Cattle; Dietary Supplements; Digestion; Fatty Acids, Volatile; Female; Hydrocortisone; Iodine; Lactation; Monensin; Rumen
PubMed: 35221070
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2021-21107 -
Scientific Reports Dec 2020Sampling the concentration of insulin in human skin using microdialysis is challenging because of low intracutaneous concentrations and low recovery, presumably due to...
Sampling the concentration of insulin in human skin using microdialysis is challenging because of low intracutaneous concentrations and low recovery, presumably due to adsorption of insulin to the microdialysis system. In this study, we aimed to (1) measure how the concentration of insulin varies in three different tissue compartments (intracutaneous, subcutaneous and intravenous) and (2) to study how much insulin is adsorbed to the microdialysis catheter membranes and tubing during a typical microdialysis experiment, both in vivo and in vitro. We hypothesized that (1) the concentration of insulin decreases from the intravenous compartment to the intracutaneous and subcutaneous tissue, and that (2) adsorption of insulin to the microdialysis membrane and tubing impairs the recovery of insulin from the tissue. In this experimental study, microdialysis catheters were inserted intracutaneously, subcutaneously and intravenously in 11 healthy subjects. Systemic endogenous hyperinsulinemia was induced by intake of an oral glucose load. Insulin concentration was measured in the dialysate and in the extracted samples from the catheter membrane and tubings. In vitro microdialysis was performed to investigate the temporal resolution of the adsorption. After an oral glucose load insulin concentration increased intravenously, but not in the intracutaneous or subcutaneous compartments, while glucose, lactate and pyruvate concentrations increased in all compartments. The adsorption of insulin to the microdialysis membrane in vivo was highest in the intravenous compartment (p = 0.01), compared to the intracutaneous and subcutaneous compartments. In vitro, the adsorption to the microdialysis membrane was highest one hour after sampling, then the concentration gradually decreased after three and five hours of sampling. The concentration of insulin in peripheral tissues is low, probably due to decreasing tissue vascularity. Adsorption of insulin to the microdialysis membrane is modest but time-dependent. This finding highlights the importance of a stabilization time for the microdialysis system before sampling tissue analytes.
Topics: Adult; Biomarkers; Blood Glucose; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Glucose; Humans; Insulin; Limit of Detection; Male; Microdialysis; Reproducibility of Results; Tissue Distribution; Urea; Young Adult
PubMed: 33319790
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78728-x -
Electrophoresis Apr 2023Identifying significant variations in genomes can be cumbersome, as the variations span a multitude of base pairs and can make genome assembly difficult. However, large...
Identifying significant variations in genomes can be cumbersome, as the variations span a multitude of base pairs and can make genome assembly difficult. However, large DNA molecules that span the variation aid in assembly. Due to the DNA molecule's large size, routine molecular biology techniques can break DNA. Therefore, a method is required to concentrate large DNA. A bis-acrylamide roadblock was cured in a proof-of-principle 3D printed device to concentrate DNA at the interface between the roadblock and solution. Lambda concatemer DNA was stained with YOYO-1 and loaded into the 3D printed device. A dynamic range of voltages and acrylamide concentrations were tested to determine how much DNA was concentrated and recovered. The fluorescence of the original solution and the concentrated solution was measured, the recovery was 37% of the original sample, and the volume decreased by a factor of 3 of the original volume.
Topics: Printing, Three-Dimensional; DNA; Acrylamide
PubMed: 36799437
DOI: 10.1002/elps.202200200 -
Journal of Dairy Science Jul 2021Concentration of milk in the dairy industry is typically achieved by thermal evaporation or reverse osmosis (RO). Heat concentration is energy intensive and leads to...
Concentration of milk in the dairy industry is typically achieved by thermal evaporation or reverse osmosis (RO). Heat concentration is energy intensive and leads to cooked flavor and color changes in the final product, and RO is affected by fouling, which limits the final achievable concentration of the product. The main objective of this work was to evaluate forward osmosis (FO) as an alternative method for concentrating milk. The effects of fat content and temperature on the process were evaluated, and the physicochemical properties and sensory qualities of the final product were assessed. Commercially pasteurized skim and whole milk samples were concentrated at 4, 15, and 25°C using a benchtop FO unit. The FO process was assessed by monitoring water flux and product concentration. The color of the milk concentrates was also evaluated. A sensory panel compared the FO concentrated and thermally concentrated milks, diluted to single strength, with high temperature, short time pasteurized milk. The FO experimental runs were conducted in triplicate, and data were analyzed by single-factor ANOVA. Water flux during FO decreased with time under all processing conditions. Higher temperatures led to faster concentration and higher concentration factors for both skim and whole milk. After 5.75 h of FO processing, the concentration factors achieved for skim milk were 2.68 ± 0.08 at 25°C, 2.68 ± 0.09 at 15°C, and 2.36 ± 0.08 at 4°C. For whole milk, after 5.75 h of FO processing, concentration factors of 2.32 ± 0.12 at 25°C, 2.12 ± 0.36 at 15°C, and 1.91 ± 0.15 at 4°C were obtained. Overall, maximum concentration levels of 40.15% total solids for skim milk and 40.94% total solids for whole milk were achieved. Additionally, a triangle sensory test showed no significant differences between regular milk and FO concentrated milk diluted to single strength. This work shows that FO is a viable nonthermal processing method for concentrating milk, but some technical challenges need to be overcome to facilitate commercial utilization.
Topics: Animals; Filtration; Flavoring Agents; Membranes, Artificial; Milk; Osmosis; Taste
PubMed: 33865601
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2020-20019 -
Biophysical Journal Jul 2023Biomolecular condensates, thought to form via liquid-liquid phase separation of intracellular mixtures, are multicomponent systems that can include diverse types of...
Biomolecular condensates, thought to form via liquid-liquid phase separation of intracellular mixtures, are multicomponent systems that can include diverse types of proteins and RNAs. RNA is a critical modulator of RNA-protein condensate stability, as it induces an RNA concentration-dependent reentrant phase transition-increasing stability at low RNA concentrations and decreasing it at high concentrations. Beyond concentration, RNAs inside condensates can be heterogeneous in length, sequence, and structure. Here, we use multiscale simulations to understand how different RNA parameters interact with one another to modulate the properties of RNA-protein condensates. To do so, we perform residue/nucleotide resolution coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of multicomponent RNA-protein condensates containing RNAs of different lengths and concentrations, and either FUS or PR proteins. Our simulations reveal that RNA length regulates the reentrant phase behavior of RNA-protein condensates: increasing RNA length sensitively rises the maximum value that the critical temperature of the mixture reaches, and the maximum concentration of RNA that the condensate can incorporate before beginning to become unstable. Strikingly, RNAs of different lengths are organized heterogeneously inside condensates, which allows them to enhance condensate stability via two distinct mechanisms: shorter RNA chains accumulate at the condensate's surface acting as natural biomolecular surfactants, while longer RNA chains concentrate inside the core to saturate their bonds and enhance the density of molecular connections in the condensate. Using a patchy particle model, we additionally demonstrate that the combined impact of RNA length and concentration on condensate properties is dictated by the valency, binding affinity, and polymer length of the various biomolecules involved. Our results postulate that diversity on RNA parameters within condensates allows RNAs to increase condensate stability by fulfilling two different criteria: maximizing enthalpic gain and minimizing interfacial free energy; hence, RNA diversity should be considered when assessing the impact of RNA on biomolecular condensates regulation.
Topics: Thermodynamics; Temperature; Biomolecular Condensates; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; RNA
PubMed: 36883003
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.03.006 -
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine Mar 2020Renal function is characterized by concentration of urea for removal in urine. We tested urea as a CEST-MRI contrast agent for measurement of the concentrating capacity...
PURPOSE
Renal function is characterized by concentration of urea for removal in urine. We tested urea as a CEST-MRI contrast agent for measurement of the concentrating capacity of distinct renal anatomical regions.
METHODS
The CEST contrast of urea was examined using phantoms with different concentrations and pH levels. Ten C57BL/6J mice were scanned twice at 7 T, once following intraperitoneal injection of 2M 150 µL urea and separately following an identical volume of saline. Kidneys were segmented into regions encompassing the cortex, outer medulla, and inner medulla and papilla to monitor spatially varying urea concentration. Z-spectra were acquired before and 20 minutes after injection, with dynamic scanning of urea handling performed in between via serial acquisition of CEST images acquired following saturation at +1 ppm.
RESULTS
Phantom experiments revealed concentration and pH-dependent CEST contrast of urea that was both acid- and base-catalyzed. Z-spectra acquired before injection showed significantly higher CEST contrast in the inner medulla and papilla (2.3% ± 1.9%) compared with the cortex (0.15% ± 0.75%, P = .011) and outer medulla (0.12% ± 0.58%, P = .008). Urea infusion increased CEST contrast in the inner medulla and papilla by 2.1% ± 1.9% (absolute), whereas saline infusion decreased CEST contrast by -0.5% ± 2.0% (absolute, P = .028 versus urea). Dynamic scanning revealed that thermal drift and diuretic status are confounding factors.
CONCLUSION
Urea CEST has a potential of monitoring renal function by capturing the spatially varying urea concentrating ability of the kidneys.
Topics: Algorithms; Animals; Contrast Media; Female; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Kidney; Kidney Cortex; Kidney Function Tests; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Normal Distribution; Phantoms, Imaging; Reproducibility of Results; Urea
PubMed: 31483529
DOI: 10.1002/mrm.27968 -
Redox Biology Apr 2023Supraphysiological concentrations of oxygen (hyperoxia) can compromise host defense and increase susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections, causing...
GAT107-mediated α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor signaling attenuates inflammatory lung injury and mortality in a mouse model of ventilator-associated pneumonia by alleviating macrophage mitochondrial oxidative stress via reducing MnSOD-S-glutathionylation.
Supraphysiological concentrations of oxygen (hyperoxia) can compromise host defense and increase susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections, causing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Compromised host defense and inflammatory lung injury are mediated, in part, by high extracellular concentrations of HMGB1, which can be decreased by GTS-21, a partial agonist of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR). Here, we report that a novel α7nAChR agonistic positive allosteric modulator (ago-PAM), GAT107, at 3.3 mg/kg, i.p., significantly decreased animal mortality and markers of inflammatory injury in mice exposed to hyperoxia and subsequently infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The incubation of macrophages with 3.3 μM of GAT107 significantly decreased hyperoxia-induced extracellular HMGB1 accumulation and HMGB1-induced macrophage phagocytic dysfunction. Hyperoxia-compromised macrophage function was correlated with impaired mitochondrial membrane integrity, increased superoxide levels, and decreased manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) activity. This compromised MnSOD activity is due to a significant increase in its level of glutathionylation. The incubation of hyperoxic macrophages with 3.3 μM of GAT107 significantly decreases the levels of glutathionylated MnSOD, and restores MnSOD activity and mitochondrial membrane integrity. Thus, GAT107 restored hyperoxia-compromised phagocytic functions by decreasing HMGB1 release, most likely via a mitochondrial-directed pathway. Overall, our results suggest that GAT107 may be a potential treatment to decrease acute inflammatory lung injury by increasing host defense in patients with VAP.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated; alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; HMGB1 Protein; Hyperoxia; Macrophages; Acute Lung Injury; Superoxide Dismutase; Oxidative Stress
PubMed: 36717349
DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2023.102614 -
Environment International May 2023With the Chinese government revising ambient air quality standards and strengthening the monitoring and management of pollutants such as PM, the concentrations of air...
With the Chinese government revising ambient air quality standards and strengthening the monitoring and management of pollutants such as PM, the concentrations of air pollutants in China have gradually decreased in recent years. Meanwhile, the strong control measures taken by the Chinese government in the face of COVID-19 in 2020 have an extremely profound impact on the reduction of pollutants in China. Therefore, investigations of pollutant concentration changes in China before and after COVID-19 outbreak are very necessary and concerning, but the number of monitoring stations is very limited, making it difficult to conduct a high spatial density investigation. In this study, we construct a modern deep learning model based on multi-source data, which includes remotely sensed AOD data products, other reanalysis element data, and ground monitoring station data. Combining satellite remote sensing techniques, we finally realize a high spital density PM concentration change investigation method, and analyze the seasonal and annual, the spatial and temporal characteristics of PM concentrations in Mid-Eastern China from 2016 to 2021 and the impact of epidemic closure and control measures on regional and provincial PM concentrations. We find that PM concentrations in Mid-Eastern China during these years is mainly characterized by "north-south superiority and central inferiority", seasonal differences are evident, with the highest in winter, the second highest in autumn and the lowest in summer, and a gradual decrease in overall concentration during the year. According to our experimental results, the annual average PM concentration decreases by 3.07 % in 2020, and decreases by 24.53 % during the shutdown period, which is probably caused by China's epidemic control measures. At the same time, some provinces with a large share of secondary industry see PM concentrations drop by more than 30 %. By 2021, PM concentrations rebound slightly, rising by 10 % in most provinces.
Topics: Humans; Particulate Matter; Environmental Monitoring; COVID-19; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; China; Disease Outbreaks
PubMed: 37146469
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107941 -
Journal of Dairy Science Sep 2023The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of varying the ratio of dietary palmitic (C16:0; PA) and stearic (C18:0; SA) acids on nutrient digestibility,...
Altering palmitic acid and stearic acid ratios in the diet of early-lactation Holsteins under heat stress: Feed intake, digestibility, feeding behavior, milk yield and composition, and plasma metabolites.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of varying the ratio of dietary palmitic (C16:0; PA) and stearic (C18:0; SA) acids on nutrient digestibility, production, and blood metabolites of early-lactation Holsteins under mild-to-moderate heat stress. Eight multiparous Holsteins (body weight = 589 ± 45 kg; days in milk = 51 ± 8 d; milk production = 38.5 ± 2.4 kg/d; mean ± standard deviation) were used in a duplicated 4 × 4 Latin square design (21-d periods inclusive of 7-d data collection). The PA (88.9%)- and SA (88.5%)-enriched fat supplements, either individually or in combination, were added to diets at 2% of dry matter (DM) to formulate the following treatments: (1) 100PA:0SA (100% PA + 0% SA), (2) 66PA:34SA (66% PA + 34% SA), (3) 34PA:66SA (34% PA + 66% SA), and (4) 0PA:100SA (0% PA + 100% SA). Diets offered, in the form of total mixed rations, were formulated to be isonitrogenous (crude protein = 17.2% of DM) and isocaloric (net energy for lactation = 1.69 Mcal/kg DM), with a forage-to-concentrate ratio of 40:60. Ambient temperature-humidity index averaged 72.9 throughout the experiment, suggesting that cows were under mild-to-moderate heat stress. No differences in DM intake across treatments were detected (mean 23.5 ± 0.64 kg/d). Increasing the dietary proportion of SA resulted in a linear decrease in total-tract digestibility of total fatty acids, but organic matter, DM, neutral detergent fiber, and crude protein digestibilities were not different across treatments. Decreasing dietary PA-to-SA had no effect on the time spent eating (340 min/d), rumination (460 min/d), and chewing (808 min/d). As dietary PA-to-SA decreased, milk fat concentration and yield decreased linearly, resulting in a linear decrease of 3.5% fat-corrected milk production and milk fat-to-protein ratio. Feed efficiency expressed as kg 3.5% fat-corrected milk/kg DM intake decreased linearly with decreasing the proportion of PA-to-SA in the diet. Treatments had no effect on milk protein and lactose content. A linear increase in de novo and preformed fatty acids was identified as the ratio of PA to SA decreased, while PA and SA concentrations of milk fat decreased and increased linearly, respectively. A linear reduction in blood nonesterified fatty acids and glucose was detected as the ratio of PA to SA decreased. Insulin concentration increased linearly from 10.3 in 100PA:0SA to 13.1 µIU/mL in 0PA:100SA, whereas blood β-hydroxybutyric acid was not different across treatments. In conclusion, the heat-stressed Holsteins in early-lactation phase fed diets richer in PA versus SA produced greater fat-corrected milk and were more efficient in converting feed to fat-corrected milk.
Topics: Female; Cattle; Animals; Palmitic Acid; Dietary Fiber; Digestion; Animal Feed; Diet; Lactation; Fatty Acids; Dietary Supplements; Stearic Acids; Eating; Milk Proteins; Feeding Behavior
PubMed: 37500434
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2022-22934