Total Deposition Research Articles

Wpływ emisji przemysłu metalurgicznego na rozwój wybranych składników depozycji atmosferycznej na terenie Koszyc (Słowacja)

The aim of this paper is to assess the impact of emissions and their decrease on the level of environmental burden through the study of selected atmospheric deposition parameters in the area with the dominant source of emissions from the iron and steel production complex. Total atmospheric deposition (AD), i.e., j. both wet and dry, was sampled from eleven sampling points at a distance of 3 to 16 kilometers from the ironworks complex. AD fluxes of selected elements (Fe, Al, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cu, Cr, Cd, As) and dust particles (PM) were evaluated in relation to the amount of emissions from the results of long-term AD monitoring (2009 – 2022). The analysis shows the dominant influence of emissions from the metallurgical industry on the deposition fluxes of most of the monitored parameters and, thus, on the environmental burden of the area. The emissions have a decisive impact on the AD of manganese, iron, chromium, particulate matter, zinc, and aluminum, but also, to a lesser extent, on the AD of the other monitored elements. Correlation analysis confirmed a statistically significant dependence between the amount of emissions and the mass fluxes of AD for iron, zinc, manganese, and chromium for most of the sampling sites. The potential of immission load of the urban environment of Košice by emissions from the metallurgical industry is significantly higher in the winter due to local specific meteorological conditions. The more than sevenfold decrease in emissions significantly affected the AD of most of the monitored parameters, but their decrease was not so significant except for the AD of lead. The average AD of the elements strongly associated with ironworks emission sources, namely iron, manganese, chromium, and zinc, decreased approximately twofold. The amount of emissions is only one of several factors that affect the quantity of fluxes of the monitored AD parameters. In addition to seasonal factors, local meteorological, climatic, orographic, and other local conditions, and specifics also play an essential role.

Evaluating the Relationship Between Banking Credit and Total Deposits in the Context of National Highway Development in India

National Highways (NHs) are key facilitators of sustainable growth and development. NHs have a multiplier effect on overall growth, industrialization and urbanization. A key challenge is that the investment that manifests, in terms of savings, deposits and bank credit, is highly endogenous. In such a scenario, a pertinent question arises: Do NHs have an impact or a mirror effect on bank credit? We skirt the problem by investigating the impact of the NH on bank credit. We study this research question by using NHs, examining the growth of banks in the treatment districts (districts within 10 km of an NH) and the control districts (districts beyond 50 km of an NH). We adopted panel regression with fixed effects and long difference estimation to analyse the research problem. The results from the districts that are within 10 km of an NH have a positive association with bank credit and aggregate deposits. This fosters the belief that bank credit and aggregate deposits respond to the development of infrastructural projects such as NHs. In conclusion, the study investigates an empirical association between the construction of NHs during the period between 2014 and 2022 and the local financial sector. Our results are helpful for policymakers and the National Highway Authority of India in evaluating the impact of infrastructural investment on access to banks in the context of an emerging economy. Our results indicate that an NH has a positive impact on the financial sector, but there is still a long road ahead.

Inversion of Critical Atmospheric 137Cs Emissions Following the Fukushima Accident by Resolving Temporal Formation from Total Deposition Data.

Understanding the transport of 137Cs emitted during the Fukushima accident is challenging because the critical emissions that produced the high-deposition area are not adequately resolved in existing source terms. This paper presents an objective inverse reconstruction of these emissions by fusing atmospheric concentrations with a-priori emissions extracted from total depositions. This extraction, previously considered impossible for complex real-world accidents, is achieved by identifying the critical temporal formation process of depositions in the high-deposition area and estimating the corresponding emissions by using an atmospheric transport model. The reconstructed source term reveals two emission peaks from 10:00-11:00 and 14:00-15:00 on March 15, which agree with the in situ pressure measurements and accident analysis, suggesting that they came from pressure drops in the primary containment vessels of Units 3 and 2, respectively. This finding explains the environmental observations of spherical 137Cs particles. The source term also objectively and independently confirms the widely used reverse estimate. The corresponding 137Cs transport simulations better match the various observations than those produced by other source terms, proving that the two-peak emission creates a high-deposition area. The proposed method outperforms the direct fusion of deposition and atmospheric concentration observations, providing a robust tool for multiobservation fusion.

Interleukin-10 deficiency induces thoracic perivascular adipose tissue whitening and vascular remodeling.

Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is an adipose layer, surrounding blood vessels, with a local modulatory role. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) has been shown to modulate vascular tissue. This study aimed to characterize the endogenous role of IL-10 in vascular remodeling, and PVAT phenotyping. Thoracic aortic segments from control (C57BL/6J) and IL-10 knockout (IL-10-/-) male mice were used. Analyzes of aorta/PVAT morphometry, and elastin, collagen and reticulin deposition were performed. Tissue uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) was accessed by Western blotting. Endogenous absence of IL-10 reduced total PVAT area (p = 0.0310), and wall/lumen ratio (p = 0.0024), whereas increased vascular area and thickness (p < 0.0001). Total collagen deposition was augmented in IL-10-/-, but under polarized light, the reduction of collagen-I (p = 0.0075) and the increase of collagen-III (p = 0.0055) was found, simultaneously with reduced elastic fibers deposition (p = 0.0282) and increased deposition of reticular fibers (p < 0.0001). Adipocyte area was augmented in the IL-10 absence (p = 0.0225), and UCP1 expression was reduced (p = 0.0420). Moreover, relative frequency of white adipose cells and connective tissue was augmented in IL-10-/- (p < 0.0001), added to a reduction in brown adipose cells (p < 0.0001). Altogether, these data characterize aorta PVAT from IL-10-/- as a white-like adipocyte phenotype. Endogenous IL-10 prevents vascular remodeling and favors a brown-like adipocyte phenotype, suggesting a modulatory role for IL-10 in PVAT plasticity.

Effects on local atmospheric environment of volcanic ash from Sakurajima volcano, inferred from atmospheric deposition of Potassium-40 at Kagoshima City, Japan

In this study, we statistically demonstrated that an anomalous high of 40K fallout in the atmospheric fallout in Kagoshima City is caused by heavy ashfall associated with eruptions of Sakurajima volcano. Sakurajima is one of the most active volcanoes in Japan, and its repeated explosive eruptions cause large amounts of ash to fall on Kagoshima City. The fallout of crust-derived natural radionuclides, 40K, 212Pb, and 214Bi, from the atmosphere in Kagoshima City showed a significant correlation with the number of eruptions of Sakurajima volcano and the amount of ashfall in Kagoshima City. In contrast, no significant correlation was found between 40K and 7Be fallout. The 40K fallout indicates that almost all of the atmospheric fallout in Kagoshima City is composed of volcanic ash particles. The contribution from mineral and sea salt particles other than volcanic ash is minimal. The mass balance of the observed 40K fallout, ashfall, and atmospheric fallout yield indicates that there is a significant amount of volcanic ash deposition that is not accounted for as ashfall. In most cases, the ash deposition observed as ashfall is only 30–70 wt% of the total deposition collected as atmospheric fallout samples, and the remaining portion is fine-grained and behaves as suspended volcanic ash particles, which significantly impact the atmospheric environment.

Aerosol dosimetry in the whole conducting zone of a murine left-lung using CF-PD and LSFM images

Aerosol dosimetry in respiratory airways is relevant for pulmonary drug delivery and inhalation toxicology. Consequently, computational fluid-particle dynamics (CF-PD) modelling of pulmonary aerosol delivery is an active research field. Additionally, mice are the most commonly used animals in medical research. Technological advances have provided information on whole mice lung morphologies with unprecedented high resolution. Therefore, in this study, we used high-resolution light sheet fluorescent microscopy (LSFM) images of a healthy C57BL/6 mouse lung with a constant air flow rate of 72 ml/min, to extract an anatomical 3-dimensional (3D) geometry of the entire airway tree of the left lung from the primary bronchi to the most distal bronchioles excluding the trachea. The airways were segmented based on an order- and generation-based method. Also, to compare the morphological data and regional deposition, a generation-based investigation including 25 generations was employed in the present model. One-way coupling of CF-PD modeling was applied to model an intubated and mechanically-ventilated mouse. Maximum values of the velocity and vorticity magnitude of 3.2 m/s and 200,000 1/s were reached in the second order, respectively, and maximum pressure and wall shear stress levels were 30 Pa and 3.5 Pa, respectively. Finally, order- and generation-based particle deposition efficiency and dose per lung area were obtained for the particle size range of 1 μm ≤ dp ≤ 10 μm yielding pronounced hotspot deposition patterns mainly near the proximal bifurcations. The results showed a positive correlation between deposition efficiency and particle size due to a size-dependent increase in inertial and gravitational effects. Maximum regional deposition and normalized dose was seen for 10 μm particles in the 1st order of the murine left lung. Smaller peak sizes of deposition efficiency were seen in the third and fourth orders of the mouse left lung due to almost complete loss of the largest particles in lower order airways. It also justifies the close to zero deposition efficiency in the highest orders (fifth to sixth). Both lung morphology as well as total and regional aerosol deposition showed reasonably good agreement with empirical data from the literature. The present CF-PD model with accurate realistic lung morphology, improves our knowledge of airway aerosol deposition hotspots. The obtained modeling method and the qualitative results can be implemented on human airways.

Preparation and capacitance performance of NiCo layered double hydroxide by multi-step constant current electrodeposition method

In comparison with single-step electrodeposition, multi-step electrodeposition for electrode preparation is more effective in releasing internal stresses, utilizing the highly efficient deposition time at the beginning of the electrodeposition, improving deposition efficiency, and producing adhesive-free high-performance electrodes with controllable mass. In this paper, NiCo layered double hydroxide (NiCo-LDH) with similar mass was successfully deposited by a two-electrode constant-current electrodeposition method using nickel foam as the substrate through different electrodeposition steps. A comparative study was conducted on the effects of NiCo-LDH deposition steps on the morphology, total deposition time, and electrochemical performance of NiCo-LDH samples. The results show that the mass of NiCo-LDH grown on foam nickel is similar when the number of deposition steps is from 1 to 6 at 12–13 mg, the coating of foam nickel substrate became more uniform. The total deposition time has decreased from 2550 s for 1-step deposition to 1542 s for 6-step deposition, reducing the occupation time of the electrodeposition equipment. As the number of deposition layers increases, the specific capacitance of NiCo-LDH shows a trend of first increasing and then stabilizing. The high mass specific capacitance of NiCo-LDH electrode material deposited in 6 steps is 953 F g−1 at a current density of 3 mA cm−2. The assembled asymmetric supercapacitor device achieved an energy density of 0.309 mWh cm−2 at a power density of 4.25 mW cm−2, and a capacitance retention rate of 94% after 10,000 cycles at a current density of 40 mA cm−2. This indicates that the NiCo-LDH material prepared by multi-step electrodeposition method has good capacitance performance, providing a simple and time-saving method for manufacturing large-scale multi-step electrodeposition of adhesive-free supercapacitor electrodes.

Measured black carbon deposition over the central Himalayan glaciers: Concentrations in surface snow and impact on snow albedo reduction

Deposition of ambient black carbon (BC) aerosols over snow-covered areas reduces surface albedo and accelerates snowmelt. Based on in-situ atmospheric BC data and the WRF-Chem model, we estimated the dry and wet deposition of BC over the Yala glacier of the central Himalayan region in Nepal during 2016–2018. The maximum and minimum BC dry deposition was reported in pre- and post-monsoon respectively. Approximately 50% of annual dry deposition occurred in the pre-monsoon season (March to May) and 27% of the annual dry deposition occurred in April. The total dry BC deposition rate was estimated as ∼4.6 μg m−2 day−1 providing a total deposition of 531 μg m−2 during the pre-monsoon season. The contribution of biomass burning and fossil fuel sources to BC deposition on an annual basis was 28% and 72% respectively. The annual accumulated wet deposition of BC was 196 times higher than the annual dry deposition. The ten months of observed dry deposition of BC (October 1, 2016 to August 31, 2017 – except December 2016) was ∼39% lower than that of WRF-Chem's estimated annual dry deposition from September 1, 2016 to August 31, 2017 partially due to model bias. The deposited content of BC over the snow surface has an important role in albedo reduction, therefore snow samples were collected from the surface of the Yala Glacier and the surrounding region in April 2016, 2017, and 2018. Samples were analyzed for BC mass concentration through the thermal optical analysis and single particle soot photometer method. The BC calculated via the thermal optical method was in the range of 352–854 ng g−1, higher than the BC calculated through the particle soot photometer method and estimated BC in 2 cm surface snow (imperial equation). The maximum surface snow albedo reduction due to BC was 8.8%, estimated by a widely used snow radiative transfer model and a linear regression equation.

Contribution of emissions from the oil sands activities in Alberta, Canada to atmospheric concentration and deposition of nitrogen and sulfur species at a downwind site

Oil sands activities in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region in Alberta, Canada, are large sources of atmospheric NOx and SO2. This study investigated the impact of oil sands emissions on the atmospheric deposition of nitrogen and sulfur species at a downwind site, about 350 km from the oil sands facilities. Measurement data are from the Canadian Air and Precipitation Monitoring Network (CAPMoN) from 2015 to 2019, including ambient concentrations of HNO3, pNO3-, NO2, pNH4+, NH3, SO2, pSO42− and base cations, as well as concentrations of NO3−, SO42−, NH4+, and base cations in precipitation. Sector analysis of air mass back trajectories was conducted to distinguish measurements with different air mass origins. Median atmospheric concentrations and dry deposition fluxes of HNO3, pNO3-, NO2, pNH4+, pSO42−, and SO2 on days when the air masses came from the oil sands sector were significantly greater than those with the “Clean” sector by 34–67%, whereas the difference in NH3 concentration was not significant. Contributions of the oil sands emissions to dry deposition fluxes of these species ranged from 3.8 to 13.1%. The precipitation-weighted mean concentrations of NO3−, SO42−, and NH4+ in samples with the oil sands sector were 76 %, 65 % and 81 % greater than those with the “Clean” sector, respectively. Contributions of the oil sands emissions to wet deposition of NO3−, SO42−, and NH4+ were 12.5 ± 8.9 %, 8.7 ± 4.4 %, and 6.0 ± 3.3 %, respectively. The annual total deposition of nitrogen and sulfur were 1.9 kg-N ha−1 and 0.74 kg-S ha−1, respectively, of which 8.0 ± 3.5 % and 8.7 ± 3.6 % were from oil sands emissions. The total deposition of sulfur and nitrogen did not exceed the critical loads (CL) of acidity, but nitrogen deposition exceeded the CLs of nutrient nitrogen in the region.

A study of particle dry deposition parameterizations in an atmospheric radioactive preparedness model: Application to the Chernobyl case

Parameterization of dry deposition is key for modelling of atmospheric transport and deposition of radioactive particles. Still, very simple parameterizations are often encountered in radioactive preparedness models such as the SNAP model (SNAP=Severe Nuclear Accident Program) of the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. In SNAP a constant dry deposition velocity (=0.2 cm/s) neglecting aerodynamic and surface resistances, is presently used. Therefore, two new dry depositions schemes (the Emerson scheme and the EMEP (European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme) scheme) have been implemented in SNAP to evaluate the benefits of including aerodynamic and surface resistances codes with respect to model prediction skills. The three dry deposition schemes are evaluated using 137Cs total deposition from soil sample data (n = 540) for a 60 km radial zone out from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) collected during the months after the accident. The present study capitalizes on high resolution meteorological data (2.5 km horizontal resolution), a detailed land-use data set with 273 sub-classes and the hitherto most comprehensive source term description for the Chernobyl accident. Based on our findings it is recommended to replace the present simple SNAP scheme with the Emerson or EMEP dry deposition scheme.

Long-Range Transport of a Dust Event and Impact on Marine Chlorophyll-a Concentration in April 2023

Dust aerosols serve as a crucial nutrient source to the oceans and profoundly influence marine ecosystems. This study used satellite and ground observations to explore a strong dust event on 9–13 April 2023, emanating from the Gobi Desert, shared by Mongolia and China’s Inner Mongolia region. We investigated the deposition of dust particles and their effects on marine phytoplankton communities. Our findings revealed that the dust event was intense, enduring, and expansive, illustrated by hourly PM10 concentrations peaking at 5055 µg/m3 near the source and consistently exceeding 1000 µg/m3, even at considerable distances. The dust traveled along two different trajectories and was deposited in the same area of the Northwest Pacific. Total dust deposition in the study area (37°N–42°N, 145°E–165°E) was 79.88 mg/m2 from 13 to 18 April, much higher than the 2019–2022 average deposition of 33.03 mg/m2 for the same period. With dust deposition, the observed mean chlorophyll-a concentrations in the area increased to 2.78 mg/m3 on 14 April, an extraordinary 692% increase above the long-term average. These results highlight the profound impact of dust on the productivity of marine phytoplankton communities by inputting more nutrients into the ocean through different pathways.

Atmospheric wet and dry phosphorus deposition in Lake Erhai, China

Lake Erhai is a potentially phosphorus (P)-limited lake and its water quality may have been affected by atmospheric P deposition. However, there have been few studies on atmospheric P deposition in this lake. In this study, we established five wet deposition monitoring sites and two dry deposition monitoring sites around Lake Erhai to quantify the wet and dry deposition of total phosphorus (TP), including dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) and particulate phosphorus (PP) from July 2022 to June 2023. Wet deposition fluxes of P species were collected by automatic rainfall collection instrument, and dry deposition fluxes were estimated using airborne concentration measurements and inferential models. The results reveal that among the different P components, DOP had the highest contribution (50%) to wet TP deposition (average all sites 12.7 ± 0.7 mg P m2/yr), followed by PP (40%) and DIP (10%). Similarly, DOP (51%) was the major contributor to dry TP deposition (average two sites 2.4 ± 0.9 mg P m2/yr), followed by DIP (35%) and PP (14%). Wet deposition dominated the annual total TP deposition (wet plus dry), accounting for approximately 83%. The key seasons for dry deposition were spring and autumn, which accounted for 64% of the annual total dry TP deposition. In comparison, wet deposition was significantly higher in the summer, accounting for 73% of the annual total wet TP deposition. The results of the potential source contribution function and concentration-weighted trajectories analysis indicate that local source emission and long-range transport from surrounding cities jointly exerted a substantial influence on aerosol P concentrations, particularly in the eastern and northwestern regions of the lake. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the different P components in atmospheric deposition, which is beneficial for developing effective strategies to manage the P cycle in Lake Erhai.

Air pollution in Białowieża forest: Analysis of short-term trends from 2014 to 2021

Air pollution caused by sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) has negative impacts on forest health and can initiate forest dieback. Long-term monitoring and analysis of these pollution are carried out in Białowieża Forest in NE Poland due to the threats from abiotic, biotic and anthropogenic factors. The main objective of our study was to monitor the levels and trends of air pollutant deposition in Białowieża Forest. During a short-term monitoring period over six years (2014–2021), the concentration of SO2 in the air decreased significantly (from 2.03 μg m−3 in December 2015 to 0.20 μg m−3 in July 2016), while the concentration of NO2 in the air showed a non-significant decrease (from 8.24 μg m−3 in December 2015 to 1.61 μg m−3 May 2016). There was no significant linear trend in the wet deposition of S–SO4 anions. Mean monthly S–SO4 deposition varies between 4.54 and 94.14 mg m−2month−1. Wet nitrogen deposition, including oxidized nitrogen (N–NO3) and reduced nitrogen (N–NH4), showed a non-significant increase. Mean monthly precipitation of N–NO3 and N–N H4 ranged from 1.91 to 451.73 mg m−2month−1. Neither did total sulphur deposition nor total nitrogen deposition exceed the mean deposition values for forests in Europe (below 6 ha−1yr−1 and 3–15 ha−1yr−1, respectively). Our results indicate that air pollutants originate from local sources (households), especially from the village of Białowieża, as demonstrated by the level and spatial distribution of air pollutant deposition. This indicates that air pollutants from the village of Białowieża could spread to other parts of Białowieża Forest in the future and may have a negative impact on forest health and can initiate forest dieback. It is therefore important to continue monitoring air pollution to assess the threats to this valuable forest ecosystem.

Research on a Neutron Detector with a Boron-Lined Multilayer Converter

3He is a splendid neutron detection material due to its high neutron reaction cross section, gaseous state, and nonelectronegative and nonpoisonous nature. With the worldwide problem of the “3He supply crisis” arising, boron-lined gaseous neutron detectors are being widely used in neutron detection to replace 3He neutron detectors. In this work, to reduce the scattering neutron background coming from the substrate of a boron-lined neutron detector in the application of neutron scattering, a new design of the boron-lined gaseous neutron detector composed of a boron-lined multichip converter and a multiwire proportional chamber was proposed. The electron drift efficiency matrix simulated by Garfield++ (Version 2023.4) and the values and positions of electron energy deposition simulated by Geant4 were obtained. The α, 7Li, and total charged particle energy deposition spectra were acquired via coupling calculations of the electron drift efficiency matrix and the values and positions of electron energy deposition, and the width of the slit was selected as 3 mm. The boron-lined multilayer converter neutron detector (BMCND) was tested using a 241Am–239Pu mixture α source, and the total count rate of α charged particles was measured as 599.5 s−1, which is 89% of the theoretical α particle emission rate of 672.9 s−1. The drift voltage experiments showed that 1200 V is enough to acquire a relatively ideal count, and a 2500 V drift voltage was confirmed, considering the higher count and instrument safety. We also performed the neutron detection experiments using a photo-neutron source, and a characteristic spectrum shape of “two stairs” was measured. When borated polyethylene was used to shield the BMCND, the detected total count decreased while keeping the characteristic spectrum shape, demonstrating that the BMCND was equipped with the ability to detect neurons, indicating that BMCNDs have the potential to be an outstanding 3He alternative neutron detector.

Seasonality of spectral radiative fluxes and optical properties of Arctic sea ice during the spring–summer transition

The reflection, absorption, and transmittance of shortwave solar radiation by sea ice play crucial roles in physical and biological processes in the ice-covered Arctic Ocean and atmosphere. These sea-ice optical properties, particularly during the melt season, significantly impact energy fluxes within and the total energy budget of the coupled atmosphere-ice-ocean system. We analyzed data from autonomous drifting stations to investigate the seasonal evolution of the spectral albedo, transmittance, and absorptivity for different sea-ice, snow, and surface conditions measured during the MOSAiC expedition in 2019–2020. The spatial variability of these properties was small during spring and increased strongly after melt onset on May 26, 2020, when liquid water content on the surface increased, largely accounting for the enhanced variability. The temporal evolution of surface albedo and sea-ice transmittance was mostly event-driven, thus containing episodic elements. Melt ponds reduced the local surface albedo by 31%–45%. Over the melting season, single ponding events increased the energy deposition of the sea ice by 35% compared to adjacent bare ice. Thus, single melt ponds may impact the summer energy budget as much as seasonal evolution over 1 month. Absorptivity and transmittance showed strong temporal and spatial variabilities independently of surface conditions, possibly due to the different internal sea-ice properties and under-ice biological processes. The differences in seasonal evolution shown for different sea-ice conditions strongly impacted the partitioning of shortwave solar radiation. This study shows that the formation and development of melt ponds, in reducing albedo by a third of bare ice sites, can notably increase the total summer heat deposition. The vastly different seasonal evolutions, different sea-ice conditions, and timing and duration of ponding events need to be considered when comparing local in-situ observations with large-scale satellite remote sensing datasets, which we suggest can help to improve numerical models.

Spatio-temporal Analysis of the factors affecting NOx concentration during the evaluation cycle of high pollution episodes in Tehran metropolitan

Tehran, the capital of Iran, experiences high levels of pollution, particularly during the cold seasons. Recent studies have shown an increase in the concentration of nitrogen compounds in Tehran. However, the role of advection, deposition, vertical diffusion processes and chemical conversion of NOx in this region requires further investigation. In this study, The Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) was employed to numerically simulate each of these processes during a severe pollution episode in winter from November 28, 2021, to December 8, 2021. During this high pollution episode, the weather conditions were calm, and based on the Air Quality Index (AQI), the air quality was unhealthy for sensitive groups. The presence of a ridge at the 500 hPa level, the placement of a low-level high-pressure cell over the region, and consequently, atmospheric subsidence and low wind speed create favorable conditions for severe pollution events in Tehran. Additionally, temperature inversion during the night and a decrease in the boundary layer height contribute to increased surface NOx concentration during this period. When comparing different processes influencing NOx concentrations, it has been observed that advection has the most significant impact, while dry deposition and chemical conversion have the least effect. On stable days advection increases NOx concentration in central and northeast of Tehran urban area during daytime. The maximum vertical diffusion is observed in the southern and western regions, corresponding to the emission pattern of NO and NO2. The examination of the vertical profile of advection and vertical diffusion shows that vertical diffusion dominates near the surface layer, while advection dominates at higher altitudes in terms of NOx concentration changes. Under unstable conditions (Dec-02), with arrival of the cold front and the influence of convective clouds, the impact of convective transport becomes more pronounced in reducing NOx concentrations in the southern and central regions of Tehran urban area. The highest NOx deposition is observed in the early morning in the southern and southwestern suburban areas of Tehran, correlating with wind direction variations, NOx concentration, and vegetation coverage. The results indicate that nearly 98% of the total NOy deposition (dry and wet deposition of NO, NO2, HNO3, and NO3) in Tehran's urban and suburban area is attributed to dry deposition of NO2.

Rainstorm erosion difference and topographical changes induced by heavy rainfall between afforestation and grassland restoration catchments on the Chinese Loess Plateau

The frequency and intensity of heavy rainfall on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) are increasing due to global climate change, which has caused severe soil erosion. However, precise evaluation of heavy rainfall-induced soil erosion, deposition, and related topographical changes at the catchment scale is lacking, and there is uncertainty as to how effectively trees can inhibit erosion, especially during heavy rainfall. In this study, we selected a pair of catchments with afforestation and natural grassland restoration on the CLP. Precise evaluation of erosion and topographic changes induced by heavy rainfall was conducted based on airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data. In the grassland catchment, the gully bed area increased by 17.6 %, the gully slope and inter-gully land area decreased by 1.4 %, and the length of the gully shoulder line decreased by 4.4 %. Conversely, the forestland catchment experienced a decrease in gully bed area of 8.8 %, an increase in gully slope area of 5.3 %, a decrease in inter-gully land area of 9.9 %, and a decrease in the length of the gully shoulder line of 11.4 %. Following heavy rainfall, both catchments experienced a substantial increase in terrain relief. Soil erosion in the gully slope accounted for >90 % of the total erosion in both catchments, while deposition in the same area contributed to >75 % of the total deposition. The grassland catchment experienced a unit area erosion of 233,908 m3 km−2, which was 4.7 times greater than that of the forestland catchment (49,768 m3 km−2). In both catchments, erosion predominantly transpired in the steep slope region adjacent to the gully shoulder line, accounting for >15 % of the gully slope erosion area. The grassland catchment exhibited a continuous distribution pattern of erosion and deposition, whereas the forestland catchment exhibited a scattered and intertwined distribution pattern. This study is essential for further research on erosion and topographic changes induced by extreme weather events and to determine appropriate measures.

Dl-3-n-butylphthalide promotes microglial phagocytosis and inhibits microglial inflammation via regulating AGE-RAGE pathway in APP/PS1 mice

Alzheimer's disease (AD) stands as the most prevalent neurodegenerative condition worldwide, and its correlation with microglial function is notably significant. Dl-3-n-butylphthalide (NBP), derived from the seeds of Apium graveolens L. (Chinese celery), has demonstrated the capacity to diminish Aβ levels in the brain tissue of Alzheimer’s transgenic mice. Despite this, its connection to neuroinflammation and microglial phagocytosis, along with the specific molecular mechanism involved, remains undefined. In this study, NBP treatment exhibited a substantial improvement in learning deficits observed in AD transgenic mice (APP/PS1 transgenic mice). Furthermore, NBP treatment significantly mitigated the total cerebral Aβ plaque deposition. This effect was attributed to the heightened presence of activated microglia surrounding Aβ plaques and an increase in microglial phagocytosis of Aβ plaques. Transcriptome sequencing analysis unveiled the potential involvement of the AGE (advanced glycation end products) -RAGE (receptor for AGE) signaling pathway in NBP’s impact on APP/PS1 mice. Subsequent investigation disclosed a reduction in the secretion of AGEs, RAGE, and proinflammatory factors within the hippocampus and cortex of NBP-treated APP/PS1 mice. In summary, NBP alleviates cognitive impairment by augmenting the number of activated microglia around Aβ plaques and ameliorating AGE-RAGE-mediated neuroinflammation. These findings underscore the related mechanism of the crucial neuroprotective roles of microglial phagocytosis and anti-inflammation in NBP treatment for AD, offering a potential therapeutic target for the disease.

An individualised 3D computational flow and particle model to predict the deposition of inhaled medicines — A case study using a nebuliser

Background and objective: Drug inhalation is generally accepted as the preferred administration method for treating respiratory diseases. To achieve effective inhaled drug delivery for an individual, it is necessary to use an interdisciplinary approach that can cope with inter-individual differences. The paper aims to present an individualised pulmonary drug deposition model based on Computational Fluid and Particle Dynamics simulations within a time frame acceptable for clinical use. Methods:We propose a model that can analyse the inhaled drug delivery efficiency based on the patient’s airway geometry as well as breathing pattern, which has the potential to also serve as a tool for a sub-regional diagnosis of respiratory diseases. The particle properties and size distribution are taken for the case of drug inhalation by using nebulisers, as they are independent of the patient’s breathing pattern. Finally, the inhaled drug doses that reach the deep airways of different lobe regions of the patient are studied. Results:The numerical accuracy of the proposed model is verified by comparison with experimental results. The difference in total drug deposition fractions between the simulation and experimental results is smaller than 4.44% and 1.43% for flow rates of 60 l/min and 15 l/min, respectively. A case study involving a COVID-19 patient is conducted to illustrate the potential clinical use of the model. The study analyses the drug deposition fractions in relation to the breathing pattern, aerosol size distribution, and different lobe regions. Conclusions:The entire process of the proposed model can be completed within 48 h, allowing an evaluation of the deposition of the inhaled drug in an individual patient’s lung within a time frame acceptable for clinical use. Achieving a 48-hour time window for a single evaluation of patient-specific drug delivery enables the physician to monitor the patient’s changing conditions and potentially adjust the drug administration accordingly. Furthermore, we show that the proposed methodology also offers a possibility to be extended to a detection approach for some respiratory diseases.

Abstract PO4-24-07: The Impact of GPER Modulation on Cancer Associated Fibroblasts on Extracellular Matrix Formation in Breast Cancer

Abstract Background: The G-protein coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) is a noncanonical estrogen receptor (ER) that is estimated to be present in roughly 50-60% of all breast cancer (BC) subtypes. Previous studies have suggested that the presence of GPER during primary disease aids in disease progression, metastasis, as well as chemotherapy resistance due to the agonistic activity of traditional chemotherapies for ER+ BC, tamoxifen and fulvestrant. It is also well established that the extracellular matrix (ECM), specifically collagen, contributes to the overall risk and progression of BC in patients. Importantly, fibroblasts are one of the primary cell types responsible for ECM deposition in the tumor microenvironment. We hypothesize that the modulation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) via estrogen signaling through GPER regulates the deposition and structure of key ECM proteins, such as collagen, to aid in disease progression. Methods: CAFs, isolated from human BC surgical resections, were plated at 100% confluency, and incubated with either 10nM β-estradiol (E2), 50nM G1 (a GPER specific agonist) or a vehicle control and 50ug/mL ascorbic acid daily for 14 days to induce matrix deposition. Phenol-free, high glucose DMEM with 10% charcoal stripped FBS was used as media to reduce FBS sourced estrogen. Following the 14-day incubation, cell proliferation was quantified prior to extracting the cells to isolate the CAF-derived matrix (CDM). The organization and composition of ECM was analyzed in CDMs through immunofluorescence (IF) or western blot, respectively. An unpaired t-test was conducted on biological triplicates and between vehicle control and either G1 or E2. Significance was determined as p&amp;lt; 0.05. Results: Culturing CAFs with E2 resulted in a 10% increase in cell proliferation (n=3, p&amp;lt; 0.05) and a 1.6-fold (n=3, p&amp;lt; 0.05) increase in total ECM deposition by western blot. Key ECM proteins such as collagen, fibronectin, and periostin had a 1.8, 1.3, and 1.3-fold increase, respectively (n=3, p&amp;lt; 0.05), in protein deposition with E2 treatment when normalized to cell number. Collagen fiber analysis of IF stained CDM for collagen resulted in a coefficient of alignment with E2 of 0.76 compared to 0.51 without (n=3 for E2 and n=6 for vehicle, p&amp;lt; 0.05). To confirm E2 was acting through GPER, CDMs were subsequently generated with exposure to 50nM G1, a specific GPER agonist. Collagen fiber analysis of the G1 exposed CDMs resulted in a coefficient of alignment with G1 of 0.71 compared to 0.51 without (n=3 for G1 and n=6 for vehicle, p&amp;lt; 0.05). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that estrogen signaling through GPER modulates the deposition of fibronectin, periostin, and collagen as well as the organization of collagen architecture. These results highlight the need to further investigate how the interplay between the ECM, GPER activity, and fibroblasts impacts breast cancer progression. Citation Format: Shelby Fertal, Brian Burkel, Fern Murdoch, Kathy O'Leary, Linda Schuler, Suzanne Ponik. The Impact of GPER Modulation on Cancer Associated Fibroblasts on Extracellular Matrix Formation in Breast Cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO4-24-07.