Secondary Components Research Articles

Short-Term Effects of Primary and Secondary Particulate Matter on Ceramide Metabolism, Pro-Inflammatory Response, and Blood Coagulation.

Evidence of the precise biological pathway responsible for acute cardiovascular events triggered by particulate matter (PM) exposure from anthropogenic emissions is sparse. We investigated the associations of biomarkers relevant to the pathophysiology of atherothrombosis (ceramide metabolism, pro-inflammatory response, and blood coagulation) with primary and secondary components in particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5). A total of 152 healthy participants were followed with four repeated clinical visits between September 2019 and January 2020 in Beijing. Exposure to ambient inorganic aerosols (sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, and chloride), as well as organic aerosols (OA) in PM2.5, was measured by a real-time aerosol chemical speciation monitor, and sources of OA were performed by positive matrix factorization. We found significant increases of 101.9-397.9% in ceramide indicators associated with interquartile-range increases in inorganic aerosols and OA prior to 72 h of exposure. Higher levels of organic and inorganic aerosols in PM2.5 were associated with increases of 3.1-6.0% in normal T cells regulated upon activation and expressed and secreted relevant to the pro-inflammatory response; increases of 276.9-541.5% were observed in D-dimers relevant to coagulation. Detrimental effects were further observed following OA exposure from fossil fuel combustion. Mediation analyses indicated that ceramide metabolism could mediate the associations of PM2.5 components with pro-inflammatory responses. Our findings expand upon the current understanding of potential pathophysiological pathways of cardiovascular events posed by ambient particulates and highlight the importance of reducing primary and secondary PM from anthropogenic combustions.

Investigation of the potential mechanisms of α-amylase and glucoamylase through ultrasound intensification

The aim of this study is to enhance the efficiency of enzymes, reduce operational costs, and increase production output. Experimental research shows that ultrasound positively impacted the activity of α-amylase and glucoamylase, with the peak α-amylase activity observed at 30 W for 5 min and the highest glucoamylase activity at 60 W for 3 min. Ultrasonication extended the optimal temperature of both enzymes, but had no effect on the optimal pH. According to the kinetic experiments, ultrasonic treatment could improve the catalytic efficiency of α-amylase and glucoamylase. Furthermore, the SDS-PAGE results revealed that ultrasound treatment did not alter the molecular weights of the enzymes and their primary structures; The circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy analysis indicated the secondary structural components, especially the α-sheet and the tryptophan fluorescence intensity, were notably affected by ultrasound. The changes in the secondary and tertiary structure of α-amylase and glucoamylase suggest that ultrasonic treatment may enhance their activities. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for the efficient utilization of α-amylase and glucoamylase through understanding the enzyme structure changes after ultrasound.

Case Study: Providing Tens and Retrowalking on Knee Osteoarthritis Functional Activities

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease associated with cartilage damage in the joints, involving a complex interactive process of joint degradation, consisting of repair processes in the cartilage, bone, and synovium followed by secondary components of inflammation. This disease is commonly found in patients over the age of 50. This study aims to investigate the effects of TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) and Retrowalking on functional activity in osteoarthritis knee in the year 2023. The research design employed is a quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design. The population in this study was 232 individuals, with a sample size of 10 respondents. Sampling technique was done through purposive sampling. Bivariate analysis results indicate the impact of TENS and Retrowalking on functional activity in osteoarthritis knee, with an average increase in functional activity of 23.270 and a significance level (α) of 0.005. It can be concluded that TENS and Retrowalking have been shown to affect the increase in functional activity in osteoarthritis knee. Therefore, it is hoped that hospitals can implement TENS and Retrowalking interventions for osteoarthritis knee patients.

Importance of early diagenesis of deep-sea sediments to the REY enrichment and oceanic element budget

Deep-sea sediments have become an important new type of rare-earth element (REY) resources that have high potential to meet the increasing demand. However, the enrichment mechanisms of such deposits remain unclear. In this paper, we made a detailed discussion in bulk-sample geochemistry along the core profile of GC26 collected at the western Pacific Ocean. Elements are classified into lithophile-, phosphate-, and metal oxide elements, which have affinities to silicate, phosphate, and Fe–Mn (oxyhydr)oxide phases in sediments, respectively. Biophosphate is the major host of REY in deep-sea sediments. Its accumulation has a substantial effect on bulk-sample strontium isotopes, but a weak effect on bulk neodymium isotopes. Although the bulk neodymium isotopes imply there was a slight change in sedimentary provenances, it cannot explain the different behaviors of the three elemental groups simultaneously. Water-rock interactions at high temperature enlighten us that water–sediment interactions at low temperature, also known as early diagenesis, may be the answer of behaviors of the three element groups. Silicate dissolution during early diagenesis releases elements from the silicate lattice. When biophosphate accumulation occurs, the released phosphate elements (including REY) are preferentially incorporated into biophosphate rather than being released into seawater, which is the key to REY enrichment in deep-sea sediments. This is also the case for metal oxide elements (e.g., Mn, Co, and Ni) when oxygen fugacity is high enough to cause Fe–Mn (oxyhydr)oxide deposition as coatings or micro-nodules. Considerable amounts of silicate elements (e.g., Al, Ti, Fe, Cr, and V) are released into seawater to participate into global oceanic element cycle if they are less compatible in newly formed secondary silicate components (e.g., phillipsite). Our results provide new insights into the importance of early diagenesis of deep-sea sediments to REY enrichment and the global oceanic elemental budget.

LONESOME HIGHWAY-TARGET OF MONOPTEROS5 transcription factor complex promotes a predifferentiation state for xylem vessel differentiation in the root apical meristem by inducing the expression of VASCULAR-RELATED NAC-DOMAIN genes.

In Arabidopsis thaliana, heterodimers comprising two bHLH family proteins, LONESOME HIGHWAY (LHW) and TARGET OF MONOPTEROS5 (TMO5) or its homolog TMO5-LIKE 1 (T5L1) control vascular development in the root apical meristem (RAM). The LHW-TMO5/T5L1 complex regulates vascular cell proliferation, vascular pattern organization, and xylem vessel differentiation; however, the mechanism of preparation for xylem vessel differentiation in the RAM remains elusive. We examined the relationship between LHW-T5L1 and VASCULAR-RELATED NAC-DOMAIN (VND) genes, which are key regulators of vessel differentiation, using reverse genetics approaches. LHW-T5L1 upregulated the expression of VND1, VND2, VND3, VND6, and VND7 but not that of other VNDs. The expression of VND1-VND3 in the RAM was decreased in lhw. In vnd1 vnd2 vnd3 triple loss-of-function mutant roots, metaxylem differentiation was delayed, and VND6 and VND7 expression was reduced. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis of VND1-overexpressing cells revealed that VND1 upregulates genes involved in the synthesis of secondary cell wall components. These results suggest that LHW-T5L1 upregulates VND1-VND3 at the early stages of vascular development in the RAM, and VNDs promote a predifferentiation state for xylem vessels by triggering low levels of VND6 and VND7 as well as genes for the synthesis of secondary cell wall materials.

Pemetaan Komponen Metabolit Sekunder Utama dari Tanaman Berkhasiat terhadap Paru paru menurut Al-Qanun fi at-Tibb 2 karya Ibnu Sina

Al-Qanun fii at-Tibb 2 is a medical text book by Ibn Sina, which contains monographs of various natural materials, especially plants that have properties for organs including the lungs. In this book there is no data regarding the secondary metabolite content of these plants and this study aims to conduct a literature review of the main secondary metabolite components of these plants. and see the correlation between the major components and their efficacy on the lungs. This research was conducted using the literature review method through various databases by extracting from 124 scientific journals information about 58 plants that are efficacious for lung organs according to Al Qanun Fi'l Tibb and data has been produced in the form of the content of the main secondary metabolites of these plants, namely flavonoids, terpenes, tannins, lignans., saponins, anthraquinones, glucosinolates, phenolic acids, sekoiridoids, steroids, and alkaloids as the major components. Based on the results of this review, the main components of secondary metabolites are known to have reported beneficial bioactivities in the treatment of the respiratory system and lung organ.

Geophysical Responses to an Environmentally‐Boosted Volcanic Unrest

AbstractThe spatiotemporal relationship between geophysical, environmental, and geochemical responses during volcanic unrest is essentially unknown, making their joint use and interpretation for eruption forecasting challenging. Here, Empirical Orthogonal Functions analysis applied to GPS data allows the separation of the dominant deep‐sourced inflation from environmentally controlled signals associated with extension at Campi Flegrei caldera. This separation bridges the gap between deformation, seismic and geochemical responses, clarifying the processes underlying the ongoing volcanic unrest. Persistent meteoric forcing during the 2017–2018 hydrological year changed the decadal trend of seismic energy and secondary deformation components, pairing their spatial patterns. The result was a block in the carbon dioxide released in 2018 at Solfatara, the primary stress‐release valve at the caldera. The subsequent overpressure weakened the fractured eastern caldera, opening pathways for deep, hot materials to reach the surface. Our results give insight into how environmental forcing can favor volcanic unrest in pressurized calderas.

Full-angle chip scale package of mini LEDs with a V-shape packaging structure.

The light distribution of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) generally resembles that of a Lambertian light source. When used as large-area light sources, the light distribution angle of LEDs must be modified through secondary optics design to achieve uniformity and minimize the number of light sources. However, secondary optical components pose several challenges such as demanding alignment accuracy, material aging, detachment, and lower reliability. Therefore, this paper proposes a primary optical design approach to achieve full-angle emission in LEDs without the need for lenses. The design employs a flip-chip as the light source and incorporates a V-shaped packaged structure, including a white wall layer, optical structure layers, and a V-shaped diffuse structure. With this design, the LEDs achieve full-angle emission without relying on lenses. Our experimental results demonstrated a peak intensity angle of 77.7°, a 20.3% decrease in the intensity of the central point ratio, and a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the light distribution of 175.5°. This design is particularly suitable for thin, large-area, and flexible backlight light sources. Moreover, the absence of secondary optical components allows for a thinner light source module.

Characterization, Anti-glycation, Anti-inflammation, and Lipase Inhibitory Properties of Rauvolfia vomitoriaLeaf Extract: In Vitro and In Silico Evaluations for Obesity Treatment.

Pancreatic lipase (PLP) is an enzyme responsible for the catalytic hydrolysis of fats and its inhibition is relevant for obesity management. Side effects linked with orthodox inhibitors have, however, paved the way for an increased search for safe natural sources. The present study investigated the anti-glycation, anti-inflammatory, and anti-lipase properties of Rauvolfia vomitoria aqueous (ARV), ethanolic (ERV), and methanolic (MRV) leaf extracts coupled with the molecular interactions of selected bioactive compounds with PLP using in vitro and in silico techniques. Phytochemical constituents were characterized using spectroscopic techniques. Drug-likeness and chemical reactivity profile of selected bioactive compounds were analyzed using SwissADME and quantum chemical calculations. FT-IR and GC-MS affirmed the presence of phenolic compounds including 3-phenyl-2-ethoxypropylphthalimide and 5-methyl-2-phenyl-1H-indole. All extracts showed moderate anti-glycation, anti-inflammatory, and lipase inhibitory capacities relative to standard controls. However, MRV exhibited the highest lipase inhibition (IC50, 0.17 ± 0.01mg/mL), using a mixed-inhibition pattern. MRV interaction with PLP resulted in decreased secondary structure components of PLP (α-sheet, β-turn). MRV compounds (MCP20, MCP28, etc.) exhibited low chemical hardness, EHOMO-ELUMO energy gap, and high chemical reactivity. Foremost MRV compounds obeyed Lipinski's rule of five for drug-likeness and interacted with PHE-78 amongst others at PLP catalytic domain with high binding affinity (≥ - 9.3kcal/mol). Pi-alkyl hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bonding were predominantly involved. Our findings provide scientific insights into the ethnotherapeutic uses of R. vomitoria extracts for the management of obesity and related complications, plus useful information for optimizable drug-like candidates against obesity.

Intra-Articular Injection of Adipose-Derived Stromal Vascular Fraction in Osteoarthritic Temporomandibular Joints: Study Design of a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of the TMJ. It is characterized by progressive degradation of the extracellular matrix components of articular cartilage, with secondary inflammatory components leading to pain in the temporomandibular region and reduced mouth opening. Current treatments do not halt disease progression, hence the need for new therapies to reduce inflammation and, consequently, improve symptoms. The aim of our randomized controlled clinical trial protocol is to investigate the efficacy of adjuvant intra-articular injections of autologous tissue-like stromal vascular fraction (tSVF), compared to arthrocentesis alone, in reducing pain and improving mouth opening in TMJ osteoarthritis patients. The primary endpoint analysis will consist of the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain. The secondary endpoint analyses will include maximal interincisal mouth opening measurements; assessment of oral health and mandibular function based on the oral health impact profile (OHIP) questionnaire and mandibular functional impairment questionnaire (MFIQ); complications during the follow up; synovial cytokine analysis at baseline and after 26 weeks; and nucleated cells and tSVF (immuno)histochemistry analyses of the intervention group. Our randomized clinical trial protocol will be applied to evaluate the efficacy of a new promising tSVF injection therapy for TMJ osteoarthritis. The safety of intra-articular injections of tSVF has been proven for knee osteoarthritis. However, since a tSVF injection is considered a heterologous application of cell therapy, the regulatory requirements are strict, which makes medical ethical approval challenging.

Insights into the seasonal characteristics of single particle aerosols in Chengdu based on SPAMS

To investigate the seasonal characteristics in air pollution in Chengdu, a single particle aerosol mass spectrometry was used to continuously observe atmospheric fine particulate matter during one-month periods in summer and winter, respectively. The results showed that, apart from O3, the concentrations of other pollutants (CO, NO2, SO2, PM2.5 and PM10) were significantly higher in winter than in summer. All single particle aerosols were divided into seven categories: biomass burning (BB), coal combustion (CC), Dust, vehicle emission (VE), K mixed with nitrate (K-NO3), K mixed with sulfate and nitrate (K-SN), and K mixed with sulfate (K-SO4) particles. The highest contributions in both seasons were VE particles (24%). The higher contributions of K-SO4 (16%) and K-NO3 (10%) particles occurred in summer and winter, respectively, as a result of their different formation mechanisms. S-containing (K-SO4 and K-SN), VE, and BB particles caused the evolution of pollution in both seasons, and they can be considered as targets for future pollution reduction. The mixing of primary sources particles (VE, Dust, CC, and BB) with secondary components was stronger in winter than in summer. In summer, as pollution worsens, the mixing of primary sources particles with 62 [NO3]− weakened, but the mixing with 97 [HSO4]− increased. However, in winter, the mixing state of particles did not exhibit an obvious evolution rules. The potential source areas in summer were mainly distributed in the southern region of Sichuan, while in winter, besides the southern region, the contribution of the western region cannot be ignored.

Assessing the potential of phytogenic feed additives: A comprehensive review on their effectiveness as a potent dietary enhancement for nonruminant in swine and poultry.

Phytogenic feed additives (PFAs) often referred to as phytobiotics or botanical feed additives, are natural compounds derived from various plants, herbs, spicesand other botanical sources. These feed additives are intended to serve a variety of purposes, including an immune system regulator, an antimicrobial, an antimutagenic, an antioxidantand a growth promoter. They are composed of bioactive compounds extracted from plants, including essential oils, polyphenols, terpenoidsand flavonoids. They are mostly utilized as substitute antibiotic growth promoters in nonruminant (swine and poultry) livestock production, owing to the prohibition of antibiotic usage in the feed industry. It has been thoroughly examined to ascertain their impact on intestinal health and activity, correlation with animals'effective health and well-being, productivity, food securityand environmental impact. The potential uses of these feed additives depend on the properties of herbs, the comprehension of their principal and secondary components, knowledge of their mechanisms of action, the safety of animalsand the products they produce. They are gaining recognition as effective and sustainable tools for promoting animal health and performance while reducing the reliance on antibiotics in nonruminant nutrition. Their natural origins, multifaceted benefitsand alignment with consumer preferences make them a valuable addition to modern animal farming process. However, because of their inconsistent effects and inadequate knowledge of the mechanisms of action, their usage as a feed additive has been limited. This review offers a comprehensive assessment of the applications of PFAs as an effective feed supplement in swine and poultry nutrition. In summary, this comprehensive review provides current knowledge, identifies gaps in researchand emphasizes the potential of phytogenic additives to foster sustainable and healthier livestock production systems while addressing the global concerns associated with antibiotic use in livestock farming.

Unveiling the structure and interactions of SOG1, a NAC domain transcription factor: An in-silico perspective

SOG1 is a crucial plant-specific NAC domain family transcription factor and functions as the central regulator of DNA damage response, acting downstream of ATM and ATR kinases. In this study, various in-silico approaches have been employed for the characterization of SOG1 transcription factor in a comparative manner with its orthologues from various plant species. Amino acid sequences of more than a hundred SOG1 or SOG1-like proteins were retrieved and their relationship was determined through phylogenetic and motif analyses. Various physiochemical properties and secondary structural components of SOG1 orthologues were determined in selective plant species including Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, Amborella trichopoda, and Physcomitrella patens. Furthermore, fold recognition or threading and homology-based three-dimensional models of SOG1 were constructed followed by subsequent evaluation of quality and accuracy of the generated protein models. Finally, extensive DNA-Protein and Protein-Protein interaction studies were performed using the HADDOCK server to give an insight into the mechanism of how SOG1 binds with the promoter region of its target genes or interacts with other proteins to regulate the DNA damage responses in plants. Our docking analysis data have shown the molecular mechanism of SOG1′s binding with 5′-CTT(N)7AAG-3′ and 5′-(N)4GTCAA(N)4-3′ consensus sequences present in the promoter region of its target genes. Moreover, SOG1 physically interacts and forms a thermodynamically stable complex with NAC103 and BRCA1 proteins, which possibly serve as coactivators or mediators in the transcription regulatory network of SOG1. Overall, our in-silico study will provide meaningful information regarding the structural and functional characterization of the SOG1 transcription factor.

Dissociation constants of relevant secondary organic aerosol components in the atmosphere

The presented studies focus on measuring the determination of the acidity constant (pKa) of relevant secondary organic aerosol components. For our research, we selected important oxidation products (mainly carboxylic acids) of the most abundant terpene compounds, such as α-pinene, β-pinene, β-caryophyllene, and δ-3-carene. The research covered the synthesis and determination of the acidity constant of selected compounds. We used three methods to measure the acidity constant, i.e., 1H NMR titration, pH-metric titration, Bates-Schwarzenbach spectrophotometric method. Moreover, the pKa values were calculated with Marvin 21.17.0 software to compare the experimentally derived values with those calculated from the chemical structure. pKa values measured with 1H NMR titration ranged from 3.51 ± 0.01 for terebic acid to 5.18 ± 0.06 for β-norcaryophyllonic acid. Moreover, the data determined by the 1H NMR method revealed a good correlation with the data obtained with the commonly used potentiometric and UV-spectroscopic methods (R2 = 0.92). In contrast, the comparison with in silico results exhibits a relatively low correlation (R2Marvin = 0.66). We found that most of the values calculated with the Marvin Program are lower than experimental values obtained with pH-metric titration with an average difference of 0.44 pKa units. For di- and tricarboxylic acids, we obtained two and three pKa values, respectively. A good correlation with the literature values was observed, for example, Howell and Fisher (1958) used pH-metric titration and measured pKa1 and pKa2 to be 4.48 and 5.48, while our results are 4.24 ± 0.10 and 5.40 ± 0.02, respectively.

Impact of urbanization on fine particulate matter concentrations over central Europe

Abstract. Rural-to-urban transformation (RUT) is the process of turning a rural or natural land surface into an urban one, which brings about important modifications in the surface, causing well-known effects like the urban heat island (UHI), reduced wind speeds, and increased boundary layer heights. Moreover, with concentrated human activities, RUT introduces new emission sources which greatly perturb local and regional air pollution. Particulate matter (PM) is one of the key pollutants responsible for the deterioration of urban air quality and is still a major issue in European cities, with frequent exceedances of limit values. Here we introduce a regional chemistry–climate model (regional climate model RegCM coupled offline to chemistry transport model CAMx) study which quantifies how the process of RUT modified the PM concentrations over central Europe including the underlying controlling mechanisms that contribute to the final PM pollution. Apart from the two most studied ones, (i) urban emissions and (ii) urban canopy meteorological forcing (UCMF; i.e. the impact of modified meteorological conditions on air quality), we also analyse two less studied contributors to RUT's impact on air quality: (iii) the impact of modified dry-deposition velocities (DVs) due to urbanized land use and (iv) the impact of modified biogenic emissions due to urbanization-induced vegetation modifications and changes in meteorological conditions which affect these emissions. To calculate the magnitude of each of these RUT contributors, we perform a cascade of simulations, whereby each contributor is added one by one to the reference state, while focus is given on PM2.5 (particulate matter with diameter less then 2.5 µm). Its primary and secondary components, namely primary elemental carbon (PEC), sulfates (PSO4), nitrates (PNO3), ammonium (PNH4), and secondary organic aerosol (SOA), are analysed too. The validation using surface measurements showed a systematic negative bias for the total PM2.5, which is probably caused by underestimated organic aerosol and partly by the negative bias in sulfates and elemental carbon. For ammonium and nitrates, the underestimation is limited to the warm season, while for winter, the model tends to overestimate their concentrations. However, in each case, the annual cycle is reasonably captured. We evaluated the RUT impact on PM2.5 over a sample of 19 central European cities and found that the total impact of urbanization is about 2–3 and 1–1.5 µg m−3 in winter and summer, respectively. This is mainly driven by the impact of emissions alone causing a slightly higher impact (1.5–3.5 and 1.2–2 µg m−3 in winter and summer), while the effect of UCMF was a decrease at about 0.2–0.5 µg m−3 (in both seasons), which was mainly controlled by enhanced vertical eddy diffusion, while increases were modelled over rural areas. The transformation of rural land use into an urban one caused an increase in dry-deposition velocities by around 30 %–50 %, which alone resulted in a decrease in PM2.5 by 0.1–0.25 µg m−3 in both seasons. Finally, the impact of biogenic emission modifications due to modified land use and meteorological conditions caused a decrease in summer PM2.5 of about 0.1 µg m−3, while the winter effects were negligible. The total impact of urbanization on aerosol components is modelled to be (values indicate winter and summer averages) 0.4 and 0.3 µg m−3 for PEC, 0.05 and 0.02 µg m−3 for PSO4, 0.1 and 0.08 µg m−3 for PNO3, 0.04 and 0.03 µg m−3 for PNH4, and 0 and 0.05 µg m−3 for SOA. The main contributor of each of these components was the impact of emissions, which was usually larger than the total impact due to the fact that UCMF was counteracted with a decrease. For each aerosol component, the impact of modified DV was a clear decrease in concentration, and finally, the modifications of biogenic emissions impacted SOA predominantly, causing a summer decrease, while a very small secondary effect of secondary inorganic aerosol was modelled too (they increased). In summary, we showed that when analysing the impact of urbanization on PM pollution, apart from the impact of emissions and the urban canopy meteorological forcing, one also has to consider the effect of modified land use and its impact on dry deposition. These were shown to be important in both seasons. For the effect of modified biogenic emissions, our calculations showed that they act on PM2.5 predominantly through SOA modifications, which only turned out to be important during summer.

Do it yourself: 3D-printed miniature CDC trap for adult mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) surveillance.

The central component of mosquito and vector surveillance programs globally is the adult mosquito trap, which is intended to collect host-seeking mosquitoes. The miniature CDC trap is a widely distributed trap style in part due to its relative affordability and compact nature. Despite already being a simple trap, in-house production methods, such as 3D printing, could improve the accessibility of the CDC trap by eliminating some of the supply chain variables. We present here several trials with the Salt Lake City (SLC) trap, a three-dimensional (3D) printed trap design. Functional assessments were made on secondary components and found no statistically significant differences when comparing CO2 line height (above vs. below fan), battery types (sealed lead acid vs. USB battery pack), and trap body collection shape (funnel body vs. simple/straight body). The SLC trap was compared directly to a commercial equivalent, the ABC trap, with comparative assessment on species diversity and evenness in collections and found to be statistically equivalent on all metrics. Methods also detail an accompanying optional transport system for a pressurized CO2/regulator set-up, should a practitioner elect not to use dry ice. Our final design is presented here with the publicly published stereolithography (STL) files and a detailed outline of the transport container system. Alternative models are available for in-house manufacture of mosquito traps, and we contribute these designs in an effort to stimulate further growth in vector surveillance.

EFFECTIVENESS OF THE LARVACIDE ETHANOL EXTRACT OF SOURSOP (Annona muricata L.) LEAVES AGAINST Aedes aegypti LARVA

Highlights Dengue fever, caused by mosquitoes known as Aedes aegypti, can be avoided by applying larvicides while the insects are still in their larval stage. The extract from soursop leaves at a concentration of 3% is the most effective for Aedes aegypti larvae, resulting in 100% mortality. Abstract Background: Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is an infectious disease caused by one of the four serotypes of dengue virus transmitted through mosquitoes, especially Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. As the Aedes aegypti mosquito-borne DHF illness is still in its larval stage, it can be prevented by utilizing larvicides. A more secure and efficient method to eliminate mosquitoes is by using natural larvicides. Underutilized soursop leaves contain secondary metabolite components that can potentially be larvicides, such as annonins, saponins, flavonoids, and tannins. Objective: This study was to determine the effectiveness of soursop leaf extract as a larvicide in controlling Aedes aegypti vectors and to determine the most effective concentration of soursop leaf extract as an Aedes aegypti larvicide. Material and Method: The study was an analytic observational study utilizing a cross-sectional methodology. This study was carried out from March to May 2022. Soursop leaves were extracted using the percolation method, employing a solvent of 96% ethanol with alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, and tannins. Results: The soursop leaves extract yielded in this study was as much as 131.22 grams (13.12%). The most effective concentration of soursop (Annona muricata L.) leaves was 3%, with a mortality value of 100%, not much different from the value resulting from 1% temephos. The LC50 results obtained a value of 0.163%. Conclusion: Soursop leaf extract was effective as a larvicide against Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae.

Causes Investigation of PM2.5 and O3 Complex Pollution in a Typical Coastal City in the Bohai Bay Region of China in Autumn: Based on One-Month Continuous Intensive Observation and Model Simulation

In order to investigate the causes of complex air pollution in coastal cities in the Bohai Rim of China, a one-month intensive field observation combined with model simulation was carried out in a typical city named Dongying in September 2022. The results showed that two PM2.5 and O3 complex pollution episodes occurred in Dongying in the observation period, with the primary pollutant being O3. Atmospheric photochemical reactions occurring under unfavorable meteorological conditions led to the production of O3 while at the same time facilitating the generation of nitrate, sulfate, and other secondary components of PM2.5 by enhancing the atmospheric oxidizing capacity, which promoted the formation of complex air pollution. It was worth noting that in the context of high pollutants emission, the occurrence of complex air pollution was more sensitive to the variation in meteorological conditions than to the change in pollutants emission. To continuously improve air quality and protect human health in Dongying, it is recommended that an effective regional joint air pollution prevention and control mechanism with neighboring cities should be established in the premise of effective local pollutants reduction, and special attention should be paid to the adverse effect of the air mass transportation from Bohai Bay.

Characterization of carbonaceous particles by single particle aerosol mass spectrometer in the urban area of Chengdu, China.

Carbonaceous particles are an important chemical component of atmospheric fine particles. In this study, a single particle aerosol mass spectrometer was used to continuously measure the carbonaceous particles in Chengdu, one of the megacities most affected by haze in China, from January 22 to March 3, 2021. During the observation period, the average mass concentration of PM2.5 was 62.3 ± 37.2 μg m-3, and the emissions from mobile sources were more prominent. Carbonaceous particles accounted for 68.6% of the total particles and could be classified into 10 categories, with elemental carbon (EC) mixed with sulfate (EC-S) particles making the highest contribution (33.1%). EC particles rich in secondary components and organic carbon (OC) particles rich in secondary component exhibited different diurnal variations, suggesting different sources and mixing mechanisms. From "excellent" to "polluted" days, the contributions of EC-S, EC mixed with sulfate and nitrate (EC-SN) and OC mixed with EC (OC-EC) particles increased by 9.8%, 4.5% and 6.6%, respectively, and thus these particles are key targets for future pollution control. The potential source contribution of the southwest area was stronger than that of other areas, and the potential contribution of regional transport to EC-related particles was stronger than to OC-related particles. Most particles were highly mixed with sulfate or nitrate, and the level of secondary mixing further enhanced as pollution worsened.

Wintertime fine aerosol particles composition and its evolution in two megacities of southern and northern China

Study on fine aerosols composition can help understand the particles formation and is crucial for improving the accuracy of model simulations. Based on field data measured by a Q-ACSM (Quadrupole-Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor), we have comprehensively compared the characteristics, evolution, and potential formation mechanisms of the components in NR-PM2.5 during wintertime at two megacities (Beijing and Guangzhou) of southern and northern China. We show that as PM pollution intensifies, the mass fraction of the primary aerosols (e.g., COA, HOA) in PM2.5 in Guangzhou increased, along with a slight decline in proportion of both the secondary organic (SOA) and inorganic (SIA) aerosols; In contrast, in Beijing, the proportion of the SIA ramped up from 28 % to 53 % with the pollution evolution; and the fraction of SOA in total OA also increased due to a substantial increment in the proportion of MO-OOA (from 29 % to 48 %), suggesting a significance of the secondary processes in worsening aerosols pollution in Beijing. Our further analysis demonstrates a leading role of aqueous pathway in the secondary formation of aerosols at the Beijing site, presenting an exponential rising of SIA and SOA with the relative humidity (RH) increase. Compared to Beijing, however, we find that the photochemical oxidation other than aqueous process in Guangzhou plays a more critical role in those secondary aerosols formation. Combined with the Hysplit trajectory model, we identify the high humid conditions in Guangzhou are typically affected by clean marine air masses, explaining the slower response of secondary components to the RH changes. Moreover, the particles in Guangzhou were observed less hygroscopic that is adverse to the aerosol aqueous chemistry. The results provide basis for the precise control of PM pollution in different regions across China and would be helpful in improving model simulations.