Unique Formulas Research Articles

Comparison of water-soluble and water-insoluble organic compositions attributing to different light absorption efficiency between residential coal and biomass burning emissions

Abstract. There are growing concerns about the climate impacts of absorbing organic carbon (also known as brown carbon, BrC) in the environment, yet its chemical composition and association with the light absorption capabilities remain poorly understood. This study characterized water-soluble and water-insoluble organic carbon (WSOC and WIOC) from residential solid fuel combustion at the molecular level and evaluated their quantitative relationship with mass absorption efficiency (MAE). The MAE values at λ = 365 nm from biomass burning were significantly higher than those from coal combustion (p < 0.05). Thousands of peaks were identified in the m/z range of 150–800, with the most intense ion peaks occurring between m/z 200–500 for WSOC and m/z 600–800 for WIOC, respectively. The CHO group predominated in the WSOC extract from biomass burning emissions, while sulfur-containing compounds (SOCs) including CHOS and CHONS were more intense in the WIOC extract, particularly from coal emissions. Emissions of the CHON group were positively correlated with the fuel nitrogen content (r = 0.936; p < 0.05), explaining their higher abundance in coal emissions compared to biomass. The SOC emissions were more predominant during flaming phases, as indicated by a positive correlation with modified combustion efficiency (MCE) (r = 0.750; p < 0.05). The unique formulas of coal combustion aerosols were in the lower H/C and O/C regions, with higher unsaturated compounds in the van Krevelen (VK) diagram. In the WIOC extract, coal combustion emissions contained significantly higher fractions of condensed aromatics (32 %–59 %) compared to only 4.3 %–9.7 % in biomass burning emissions. In contrast, the CHOS group in biomass burning emissions was characterized by larger condensed aromatic compound fractions than those in coal combustion. Moreover, the CHOS aromatic compound fractions were positively correlated with MAE values in both WSOC (r = 0.714; p < 0.05) and WIOC extracts (r = 0.929; p < 0.001), suggesting that these compounds significantly contributed to MAE variabilities across different fuels.

Performing the Buddha’s Word: The Role of the Bhāṇaka

Abstract The bhāṇakas were the main textual practitioners of early Buddhism. Although scholarship has been naturally critical of traditional accounts regarding the shaping of the canon, scholars have accepted many of their underlying assumptions, including a ubiquitous reference to bhāṇakas as “reciters,” without questioning the category. However, bhāṇakas were no less performers, storytellers, poets, expounders of the teaching and preachers. This article reconsiders their figure by showing that discourses were not preexisting entities that were placed in collections according to length and topic, but were generated through the particular methods of each Nikāya. Here, I focus on the Saṃyutta-nikāya, showing many of its unique formulas and narrative designs, including central definitions of the doctrine of selflessness and structured narrative frames. The Saṃyutta, we discover, even has its own ideological and philosophical emphases, and its own theory of liberation. This means that a Saṃyutta-text is the product of the Saṃyutta-methods and views. This understanding brings to light important aspects in the performative arts of the bhāṇakas.

Distribution, chemical, and molecular composition of high and low molecular weight humic-like substances in ambient aerosols

Abstract. Humic-like substances (HULIS) encompass a continuum of molecular weight (MW) ranges, yet our understanding of how HULIS characteristics vary with MW is still limited and not well established. In this study, a combination of ultrafiltration and solid-phase extraction protocols was employed to fractionate the high MW (HMW; > 1 kDa) and low MW (LMW; < 1 kDa) HULIS fractions from ambient aerosols collected during summer and winter at a rural site. Subsequently, comprehensive characterization using total organic carbon, high-performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC), UV-visible (UV-vis) and fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and negative electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry (ESI–HRMS) were conducted. The results revealed that HMW HULIS were dominated by larger-sized chromophores, substantially constituting a higher fraction of total organic carbon and UV absorption at 254 nm than LMW HULIS. While both HMW and LMW HULIS shared similar fluorophore types and functional groups, the former exhibited higher levels of humification and a greater presence of polar functional groups (e.g., −COOH; > C=O). HRMS analysis further unveiled that molecular formulas within HMW HULIS generally featured smaller sizes but higher degrees of unsaturation and aromaticity compared to those within LMW HULIS fractions. This observation suggests the possibility of small molecules assembling to form the HMW HULIS through intermolecular weak forces. Moreover, HMW HULIS contained a higher proportion of CHON but fewer CHO compounds than LMW HULIS. In both HMW and LMW HULIS, the unique molecular formulas were primarily characterized by lignin-like species, yet the former displayed a prevalence of N-enriched and highly aromatic species. Additionally, HMW HULIS contained more unique lipid-like compounds, while LMW HULIS exhibited a distinct presence of tannin-like compounds. These findings provide valuable insights into the distribution, optical properties, and molecular-level characteristics of HULIS in atmospheric aerosols, thereby advancing our understanding of their sources, composition, and environmental implications.

Direct Analysis of Marine Dissolved Organic Matter Using LC-FT-ICR MS.

Marine dissolved organic matter (DOM) is an important component of the global carbon cycle, yet its intricate composition and the sea salt matrix pose major challenges for chemical analysis. We introduce a direct injection, reversed-phase liquid chromatography ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry approach to analyze marine DOM without the need for solid-phase extraction. Effective separation of salt and DOM is achieved with a large chromatographic column and an extended isocratic aqueous step. Postcolumn dilution of the sample flow with buffer-free solvents and implementing a counter gradient reduced salt buildup in the ion source and resulted in excellent repeatability. With this method, over 5,500 unique molecular formulas were detected from just 5.5 nmol carbon in 100 μL of filtered Arctic Ocean seawater. We observed a highly linear detector response for variable sample carbon concentrations and a high robustness against the salt matrix. Compared to solid-phase extracted DOM, our direct injection method demonstrated superior sensitivity for heteroatom-containing DOM. The direct analysis of seawater offers fast and simple sample preparation and avoids fractionation introduced by extraction. The method facilitates studies in environments, where only minimal sample volume is available e.g. in marine sediment pore water, ice cores, or permafrost soil solution. The small volume requirement also supports higher spatial (e.g., in soils) or temporal sample resolution (e.g., in culture experiments). Chromatographic separation adds further chemical information to molecular formulas, enhancing our understanding of marine biogeochemistry, chemodiversity, and ecological processes.

Probing the optical and molecular properties of sedimentary dissolved organic matter in the laminated diatom mats from the southern Mariana Trench

Laminated diatom mats (LDMs) deposition, formed by the aggregation of giant diatoms (e.g., Ethmodiscus rex), are recognized as a crucial driver of the global carbon and silicon cycles due to their substantial contribution to the flux of organic carbon and biogenic silica. The biogenic silica-rich sediment is one of the typical sediment types in the deep-sea setting of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Here, we analyzed the concentrations of pore-water dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and phosphate (PO43−), the optical properties, and molecular compositions of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the two LDMs cores and one non-LDMs core retrieved from the southern Mariana Trench. Our results showed that the LDMs sediments with higher total organic carbon (TOC) contents have lower concentrations of DOC and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), compared to the non-LDMs core. Meanwhile, the LDMs samples exhibited lower relative intensity of fluorescent proteins-like, molecular lability boundary (MLBL%) and higher values for humification index (HIX) and aromaticity modification (AImod) compared to the non-LDM core, indicating a higher level of stability and recalcitrance of DOM likely resulting from microbial degradation of relatively labile DOM compounds. Furthermore, the LDMs samples were characterized by a high abundance of CHO-containing DOM components and a low abundance of nitrogen- and sulfur-containing components, potentially linked to microbial degradation of hydrocarbon compounds that were enriched in the LDMs sediments. Additionally, the unique formulas in the LDMs samples demonstrated higher degree of recalcitrance suggested by higher aromaticity and fraction of CRAM, which may be attributed to microbial transformation of DOM. These findings add to our limited knowledge of the optical properties and molecular composition of DOM in the deep-sea opal-rich sediments, and have implications for understanding DOM cycling in the deep oceans.

Dissolved organic matter composition and characteristics during extreme flood events in the Yangtze River Estuary

Understanding the molecular composition and fate of dissolved organic matter (DOM) during transport in estuaries is essential for gaining a comprehensive understanding of its role within the global biogeochemical cycle. In 2020, a catastrophic flood occurred in the Yangtze River basin. It is currently unknown whether differences in hydrologic conditions due to extreme flooding will significantly impact the estuarine to oceanic DOM cycle. We determined the DOM composition in the Yangtze River estuary (YRE) to the East China Sea by using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) during the high discharge and the flood period (monthly average discharge was 1.2 times higher) on the same trajectory. Our study found that the composition of DOM is more diverse, and more DOM molecules were introduced to the YRE during the flood, especially in the freshwater end member. The result revealed that the DOM was significantly labile and unstable during the flood period. A total of 1840 unique molecular formulas were identified during the flood period, most of which were CHON, CHONS, and CHOS compounds, most likely resulting from anthropogenic inputs from upstream. Only 194 of these molecules were detected in the seawater end member after transporting to the sea, suggesting that the YRE served as a ‘filter’ of DOM. However, the flood enhances the transport of a group of terrigenous DOM, that is resistant to photodegradation and biodegradation. As a result, YRE experienced ~1.6 times higher terrigenous DOC flux than high discharge period. Considering the increased frequency of future floods, our study provides a preliminary basis for further research on how floods affect the composition and characteristics of estuarine DOM. With the help of the FT-ICR MS technique, we can now better understand the dynamic of DOM composition and characteristics in large river estuaries.

Analytical study of the spherical hydrostatic bearing dynamics through a unique technique

Because of their self-alignment property and design simplicity, the spherical hydrostatic bearings have the advantage over the other bearing configurations. Their static and dynamic performances have been intensively studied. Focusing on the bearing dynamic performance, it could be realized that the researchers used to mechanically excite the bearing in the experimental studies and perturb the rotor (spatial finite displacement) in the theoretical studies, observing its behavior and expressing it by dynamic stiffness and damping coefficient. Owing to a lack of information on bearing oscillation, this study adopts a new method to analyze this bearing behavior theoretically and grasp its nature. Unusually, the bearing vibration is studied hydro-dynamically rather than mechanically, showing the effect of eccentricity, inertia, restrictor type, seat configuration, and the supply pressure on the performance. New and unique formulas have been derived to predict the frequency, stiffness, and dampness, explaining how these parameters create the bearing self-alignment property. Some thrust bearings, designed with different techniques, have been examined where the results show vibration even in the bearing’s stationary state. Also, the newly derived formulas could precisely predict the rotation and rotational speed of the Kugel ball (recently proved and designed as a spherical hydrostatic bearing).

Deciphering Guarapachangueo: Formulas and Formulaic Variation in Contemporary Rumba Percussion

This article serves to further the conceptual and musical analysis of guarapachangueo, a key influence in the contemporary style of the percussion in Havana-style rumba. I follow Turino’s (2009) lead in distinguishing between improvisation and formulaic performance in analyzing the rhythmic vocabulary of guarapachangueo as a set of related formulas and variations. In doing so, I expand upon and refine some of the characteristics of guarapachangeuo described by Bodenheimer (2015), particularly the common and yet nebulous idea that the style entails increased improvisation in the lower register of the percussion. As an active performer of the style who specializes in the lower register percussion, I will draw upon my experiences and those of fellow rumberos, as well as commercial recordings and online videos of rumba in highlighting the structural formulas used in rumba’s contemporary rhythmic vocabulary. I argue that rather than increased improvisation, guarapachangueo comprises an aesthetic approach to playing rumba in which unique formulas are employed, representing a break with the standardized formulas of traditional rumba from the second half of the 20th century. These formulas produce a heightened sense of tension and release in which increased space and the interactive exchange of percussive phrases are central. Internalized by drummers, these formulas and variations become part of the performer’s musical habitus and are drawn upon—often unconsciously—by the musicians in the form of musical decisions that “say something” in the flow of a rumba performance.

Readability of spine-related patient education materials: a standard method for improvement.

Orthopaedic patient education materials (PEMs) have repeatedly been shown to be well above the recommended reading level by the National Institute of Health and American Medical Association. The purpose of this study is to create a standardized method to improve the readability of PEMs describing spine-related conditions and injuries. It is hypothesized that reducing the usage of complex words (≥ 3 syllables) and reducing sentence length to < 15 words per sentence improves readability of PEMs as measured by all seven readability formulas used. OrthoInfo.org was queried for spine-related PEMs. The objective readability of PEMs was evaluated using seven unique readability formulas before and after applying a standardized method to improve readability while preserving critical content. This method involved reducing the use of > 3 syllable words and ensuring sentence length is < 15 words. Paired samples t-tests were conducted to assess relationships with the cut-off for statistical significance set at p < 0.05. A total of 20 spine-related PEM articles were used in this study. When comparing original PEMs to edited PEMs, significant differences were seen among all seven readability scores and all six numerical descriptive statistics used. Per the Flesch Kincaid Grade level readability formula, one original PEM (5%) versus 15 edited PEMs (75%) met recommendations of a sixth-grade reading level. The current study shows that using this standardized method significantly improves the readability of spine-related PEMs and significantly increased the likelihood that PEMs will meet recommendations for being at or below the sixth-grade reading level.

Deep Characterization of Serum Metabolome Based on the Segment-Optimized Spectral-Stitching Direct-Infusion Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry Approach.

Direct-infusion Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (DI-FTICR MS) shows great promise for metabolomic analysis due to ultrahigh mass accuracy and resolution. However, most of the DI-FTICR MS approaches focused on high-throughput metabolomics analysis at the expense of sensitivity and resolution and the potential for metabolome characterization has not been fully explored. Here, we proposed a novel deep characterization approach of serum metabolome using a segment-optimized spectral-stitching DI-FTICR MS method integrated with high-confidence and database-independent formula assignments. With varied acquisition parameters for each segment, a highly efficient acquisition was achieved for the whole mass range with sub-ppm mass accuracy. In a pooled human serum sample, thousands of features were assigned with unambiguous formulas and possible candidates based on highly accurate mass measurements. Furthermore, a reaction network was used to select confidently unique formulas from possible candidates, which was constructed by unambiguous formulas and possible candidates connected by the formula differences resulting from biochemical and MS transformation. Compared with full-range and conventional segment acquisition, 8- and 1.2-fold increases in observed features were achieved, respectively. Assignment accuracy was 93-94% for both a standard mixture containing 190 metabolites and a spiked serum sample with the root mean square mass error of 0.15-0.16 ppm. In total, 3534 unequivocal neutral molecular formulas were assigned in the pooled serum sample, 35% of which are contained in the HMDB. This method offers great enhancement in the deep characterization of serum metabolome by DI-FTICR MS.

Poster 307: A Standardized Method that Improves Readability of Patient Education Materials in Sports Medicine Knee Injuries

Objectives: Sports-related knee injuries such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or meniscus tears are very common, and there are ample resources for knee injury-related patient education materials (PEMs). However, the anatomy, pathology, and treatment plans of knee injuries are often described in terms that are obscure to patients. While the internet has become a vast resource for medical information, online PEMs in orthopaedics have consistently been shown to be written above the NIH- recommended sixth-grade reading level to the detriment of patient health literacy. The purpose of this study is to develop a standardized method to improve readability of orthopaedic PEMs without diluting their critical content by reducing the use of complex words (&gt;3 syllables) and shortening sentence length to &lt;15 words. Methods: OrthoInfo, a patient education website developed by the Academy of American Orthopedic Surgeons, was queried for PEMs relevant to the care of athletic injuries of the knee. Inclusion criteria were PEMs that were unique, pertained to topics of knee pathology in sports medicine, and written in a prose-format. Exclusion criteria were information presented in video or slideshow format, or topics not pertaining to knee pathology in sports medicine. Readability of PEMs was evaluated using seven unique readability formulas before and after applying a standardized method to improve readability while preserving critical content (reducing the use of &gt;3 syllable words and ensuring sentence length is &lt;15 words). Paired samples t-tests were conducted to assess the relationship between reading levels of the original PEMs and reading level of edited PEMs. Results: Reading levels differed significantly between the 23 original PEMs and edited PEMs across all seven readability formulas (p&lt;0.01). Mean Flesch Kincaid Grade Level of original PEMs (9.8±1.4) was significantly increased compared to that of edited PEMs (6.4±1.1) (p=1.9x10-13). 4.0% of original PEMs met NIH recommendations of a sixth-grade reading level compared to 48.0% of modified PEMs. Conclusions: A standardized method that reduces the use of &gt;3 syllable words and ensures sentence length is &lt;15 words significantly reduces the reading-grade level of PEMs for sports-related knee injuries. Orthopaedic organizations and institutions should apply this simple standardized method when creating PEMs to enhance health literacy. [Table: see text][Table: see text]

Agricultural Sulfur Applications Alter the Quantity and Composition of Dissolved Organic Matter from Field-to-Watershed Scales.

Over the past several decades, agricultural sulfur (S) use has dramatically increased. Excess S in the environment can cause several biogeochemical and ecologic consequences, including methylmercury production. This study investigated agriculturally associated changes to organic S─the most dominant form of S within soils─from field-to-watershed scales. Using a novel complementary suite of analytical methods, we combined Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, δ34S-DOS, and S X-ray absorption spectroscopy to characterize dissolved organic S (DOS) in soil porewater and surface water samples from vineyard agriculture (S addition) and forest/grassland areas (no S addition) within the Napa River watershed (California, U.S.). Vineyard soil porewater dissolved organic matter samples had two-fold higher S content compared to forest/grasslands and had unique CHOS2 chemical formulas─the latter also found in tributary and Napa River surface water. The isotopic difference between δ34S-DOS and δ34S-SO42- values provided insights into the likely dominant microbial S processes by land use/land cover (LULC), whereas the S oxidation state did not strongly differ by LULC. The results add to our understanding of the modern S cycle and point to upland agricultural areas as S sources with the potential for rapid S transformations in downgradient environments.

Effects of organic additives on spectroscopic and molecular-level features of photo-induced dissolved organic matter from microplastics

The environmental occurrence and impact of dissolved organic matter leached from microplastics (MP-DOM) has been the subject of increased research interest. Commercial plastics, which typically contain additives, are subject to natural weathering processes and can eventually lose their additives. However, the effects of organic additives in commercial microplastics (MPs) on the release of MP-DOM under UV irradiation remain poorly understood. In this study, four polymer MPs (polyethylene; PE, polypropylene; PP, polystyrene; PS, polyvinylchloride; PVC) and four commercial MPs, including a PE zip bag, a PP facial mask, a PVC sheet, Styrofoam, were subjected to leaching under UV irradiation, and the MP-DOM was characterized using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) and fluorescence excitation emission matrix-parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC). Although UV light promoted the leaching of MP-DOM from both MP groups, the amount released was more pronounced for the polymer MPs than for the commercial MPs. The commercial MP-DOM was characterized by a prominent protein/phenol-like component (C1), while a humic-like component (C2) prevailed in the polymer MPs. FT-ICR-MS identified a higher number of unique molecular formulas for the commercial than for the polymer MP-DOM. The unique molecular formulas of commercial MP-DOM included known organic additives and other breakdown products, while the polymer MP-DOM featured more pronounced unsaturated carbon structures in its identified unique formulas. Several molecular-level parameters showed significant correlations with fluorescence properties, such as CHO formulas (%) with C1 and condensed aromatic structure (CAS-like, %) with C2, suggesting the potential application of fluorescent components as an optical descriptor for the complex molecular-level composition. This study also revealed the possible high environmental reactivity of both polymer MPs and fully weathered plastics due to the unsaturated structures generated in sunlit environments.

Monitoring long-term chemical exposome by characterizing the hair metabolome using a high-resolution mass spectrometry-based suspect screening approach

Hair has recently emerged as a biospecimen for characterizing the long-term chemical exposome in biomonitoring investigations spanning several months, as chemical compounds circulating in the bloodstream accumulate in hair. Although there has been interest in using human hair as a biospecimen for exposome studies, it has yet to be widely adopted compared to blood and urine. Here, we applied a high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS)-based suspect screening strategy to characterize the long-term chemical exposome in human hair. Hair samples were collected from 70 subjects and cut into 3 cm segments, which were then mixed to prepare pooled samples. The pooled hair samples underwent a sample preparation procedure, and the hair extracts were further analyzed using an HRMS-based suspect screening approach. An in-house chemical suspect list containing 1227 chemical entries from National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals (Report) published by the U.S. CDC and the Exposome-Explorer 3.0 database developed by the WHO was subsequently used to screen and filter the suspect features against the HRMS dataset. Overall, we matched 587 suspect features in the HRMS dataset to 246 unique chemical formulas in the suspect list, and the structures of 167 chemicals were further identified through a fragmentation analysis. Among these, chemicals such as mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, methyl paraben, and 1-naphthol, which have been detected in the urine or blood for exposure assessment, were also identified in human hair. This suggests that hair reflects the accumulation of environmental compounds to which an individual is exposed. Exposure to exogenous chemicals may exert adverse effects on cognitive function, and we discovered 15 chemicals in human hair that may contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. This finding suggests that human hair may be a promising biospecimen for monitoring long-term exposure to multiple environmental chemicals and perturbations in endogenous chemicals in biomonitoring investigations.

Perspectives on the Use of Proprietary Blends in Dietary Supplements

This paper discusses the rationale for use of proprietary blends on dietary supplement labels, and their implications for researchers and consumers. The Dietary Supplement Health Education Act of 1994 allows the listing of nonnutrient dietary ingredients as proprietary blends on dietary supplement labels for companies to protect their unique formulas. The weight of the blend and names of the ingredients within the blends must be declared, but not the amounts of the individual ingredients within the proprietary blend. Thus, from label information, the amount of a dietary ingredient in a proprietary blend is not available for calculating exposures in assessments of intakes or for determining doses in clinical trials.

PyC2MC: An Open-Source Software Solution for Visualization and Treatment of High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Data.

Complex molecular mixtures are encountered in almost all research disciplines, such as biomedical 'omics, petroleomics, and environmental sciences. State-of-the-art characterization of sample materials related to these fields, deploying high-end instrumentation, allows for gathering large quantities of molecular composition data. One established technological platform is ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry, e.g., Fourier-transform mass spectrometry (FT-MS). However, the huge amounts of data acquired in FT-MS often result in tedious data treatment and visualization. FT-MS analysis of complex matrices can easily lead to single mass spectra with more than 10,000 attributed unique molecular formulas. Sophisticated software solutions to conduct these treatment and visualization attempts from commercial and noncommercial origins exist. However, existing applications have distinct drawbacks, such as focusing on only one type of graphic representation, being unable to handle large data sets, or not being publicly available. In this respect, we developed a software, within the international complex matrices molecular characterization joint lab (IC2MC), named "python tools for complex matrices molecular characterization" (PyC2MC). This piece of software will be open-source and free to use. PyC2MC is written under python 3.9.7 and relies on well-known libraries such as pandas, NumPy, or SciPy. It is provided with a graphical user interface developed under PyQt5. The two options for execution, (1) a user-friendly route with a prepacked executable file or (2) running the main python script through a Python interpreter, ensure a high applicability but also an open characteristic for further development by the community. Both are available on the GitHub platform (https://github.com/iC2MC/PyC2MC_viewer).

Just Suspended Speed Simulation in Torus Reactor Using Multiple Non-Linear Regression Model

In the chemical and water treatment industries, it is necessary to achieve maximum contact between the solid and liquid phase, thus promoting the mass and heat transfer, to obtain a homogeneous solution. Increasing stirring speed is the most recommended solution in different types of reactors: stirred tank, column, and tubular. However, this inadvertently increases the energy consumption of the industry. Determination of the minimum speed, labeled the just suspended speed (Njs) and crucial to attaining homogeneity, has been widely investigated. Numerous studies have been carried out to assess formulas for determining the solid particle speed in various reactor types. Given the limitations of the existing formulations based on a generalization of a unique equation for computing Njs for all soil classifications, it appears that most formulas can only approximate complex phenomena that depend on several parameters. A novel formula was developed, and the results given in this paper demonstrate the effectiveness of generating significant uncertainties for the estimation of Njs. The purpose of this study was the elaboration of experiment-based data-driven formulas to calculate Njs for different particle size classes. Nonlinear multiple regression (MNLR) models were used to generate the new formulas. The gradient descent optimization algorithm was employed to solve the hyperparameters of each novel equation, utilizing supervised learning. A comparison of the data indicated that the unique formulas presented in this study outperformed empirical formulas and provide a useful means for lowering energy consumption, while increasing the heat and mass transfer in torus type reactors.

Reducing the Use of Complex Words and Reducing Sentence Length to

To develop a standardized method to improve readability of orthopaedic patient education materials (PEMs) without diluting their critical content by reducing the use of complex words (≥3 syllables) and shortening sentence length to ≤15 words. OrthoInfo, a patient education website developed by the Academy of American Orthopedic Surgeons, was queried for PEMs relevant to the care of athletic injuries of the knee. Inclusion criteria were PEMs that were unique, pertained to topics of knee pathology in sports medicine, and written in a prose format. Exclusion criteria were information presented in video or slideshow format, or topics not pertaining to knee pathology in sports medicine. Readability of PEMs was evaluated using 7 unique readability formulas before and after applying a standardized method to improve readability while preserving critical content (reducing the use of ≥3 syllable words and ensuring sentence length is ≤15 words). Paired samples t-tests were conducted to assess the relationship between reading levels of the original PEMs and reading level of edited PEMs. Reading levels differed significantly between the 22 original PEMs and edited PEMs across all 7 readability formulas (P < .01). Mean Flesch Kincaid Grade Level of original PEMs (9.8 ± 1.4) was significantly increased compared to that of edited PEMs (6.4 ± 1.1) (P= 1.9× 10-13). 4.0% of original PEMs met National Institutes of Health recommendations of a sixth-grade reading level compared with 48.0% of modified PEMs. A standardized method that reduces the use of ≥3 syllable words and ensures sentence length is ≤15 words significantly reduces the reading-grade level of PEMs for sports-related knee injuries. Orthopaedic organizations and institutions should apply this simple standardized method when creating PEMs to enhance health literacy. The readability of PEMs is important when communicating technical material to patients. While many studies have suggested strategies to improve the readability of PEMs, literature describing the benefit of these proposed changes is scarce. The information from this study details a simple standardized method to use when creating PEMs that may enhance health literacy and improve patient outcomes.

Disparities in chemical exposures among pregnant women and neonates by socioeconomic and demographic characteristics: A nontargeted approach

BackgroundExposure to environmental chemicals during pregnancy adversely affects maternal and infant health, and identifying socio-demographic differences in exposures can inform contributions to health inequities. MethodsWe recruited 294 demographically diverse pregnant participants in San Francisco from the Mission Bay/Moffit Long (MB/ML) hospitals, which serve a primarily higher income population, and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFGH), which serves a lower income population. We collected maternal and cord sera, which we screened for 2420 unique formulas and their isomers using high-resolution mass spectrometry using LC-QTOF/MS. We assessed differences in chemical abundances across socioeconomic and demographic groups using linear regression adjusting for false discovery rate. ResultsOur participants were racially diverse (31% Latinx, 16% Asian/Pacific Islander, 5% Black, 5% other or multi-race, and 43% white). A substantial portion experienced financial strain (28%) and food insecurity (20%) during pregnancy. We observed significant abundance differences in maternal (9 chemicals) and cord sera (39 chemicals) between participants who delivered at the MB/ML hospitals versus ZSFGH. Of the 39 chemical features differentially detected in cord blood, 18 were present in pesticides, one per- or poly-fluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), 21 in plasticizers, 24 in cosmetics, and 17 in pharmaceuticals; 4 chemical features had unknown sources. A chemical feature annotated as 2,4-dichlorophenol had higher abundances among Latinx compared to white participants, those delivering at ZSFGH compared to MB/ML, those with food insecurity, and those with financial strain. Post-hoc QTOF analyses indicated the chemical feature was either 2,4-dichlorophenol or 2,5-dichlorophenol, both of which have potential endocrine-disrupting effects. ConclusionsChemical exposures differed between delivery hospitals, likely due to underlying social conditions faced by populations served. Differential exposures to 2,4-dichlorophenol or 2,5-dichlorophenol may contribute to disparities in adverse outcomes.

Molecular insights into the catalytic oxidation of methanol-to-olefins wastewater with phosphoric acid modified sludge biochar

With the development of methanol-to-olefin (MTO) process, the effective disposal of wastewater was one key factor for the long-period and benign development of this technology. Herein, a sludge-based biochar catalyst (GSC-P) was synthesized and used in photo-Fenton reaction for the degradation of MTO wastewater from the outlet of a biological aerated filter. More iron was distributed on the surface of GSC-P catalyst, facilitating the photo-Fenton oxidation of MTO wastewater, with chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate of 75.4% and total organic carbon (TOC) removal rate of 62.5%. The 2223 unique molecular formulas assigned by a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) in the original MTO wastewater showed that CHO compounds shared the lowest peak numbers (20.2%) but the highest peak abundance (51.6%) among the four groups. Besides, lipids, unsaturated hydrocarbons, lignins and proteins were the main structural types. After photo-Fenton treatment of 60 min, there were 56.7%–74.0% of compounds removed by the analysis of van Krevelen diagram, indicating that the MTO wastewater was degraded efficiently. Three possible evolution processes of dissolved organic matters during the photo-Fenton reaction were disclosed at the molecular-level.