Numerical analysis of the effects of particle-particle interactions and particle size on the performance of an electrodynamic dust shield; Electrodynamic dust shield performance under simulated operating conditions for solar energy applications; Performance of silver, zinc, and iron nanoparticles-doped cotton filters against airborne E. coli to minimize bioaerosol exposure

To overcome limitations of existing air-cleaning filters in capturing and deactivating aerosolized microorganisms, this study was embarked to evaluate novel Ag, Zn, and Fe nanoparticle-doped cotton filters (AgCt, ZnCt, FeCt), as biocidal filters for bioaerosol attenuation. To evaluate the biocidal activity of the nanocomposite filters, the survival of lab- generated E. coli after collection on each filter material was compared to collection on an undoped cotton control filter and in a BioSampler. Relative humidity (RH) affected the survival of bacteria on the filters, and the optimal RH was found to be 50 +/- 5%. The physical removal efficiency (PRE) determined by an optical particle counter was 99.9 +/- 0.7% for ZnCt, 97.4 +/- 1.2% for AgCt, and 97.3 +/- 0.6% for FeCt, where the control showed only 77.4 +/- 6.3% for particles > 500 nm. The doped filters showed 100% viable removal efficiency (VRE). Importantly, the VRE of the nanocomposite filters after four cycles remained nearly 99% and was greater than the cotton control filter at 76.6 +/- 3.2%. Adding to its benefits, the AgCt filters had a lower pressure drop than the FeCt and ZnCt filters and the cotton control. The permeability for the cotton control filter was 3.38 x 10(-11) m(2) while that for the AgCt filter was slightly higher (3.64 x 10(-11) m(2)) than the other filters as well. Overall, these results suggest that nanocomposite-doped filter media, particularly AgCt, can provide effective protection against airborne pathogens with a lower pressure drop, elevated collection efficiency, and better disinfection capability as compared to untreated cotton filters, which are all important features for practical biocidal applications. Graphical abstract

High Genetic Diversity and Structured Populations of the Oriental Fruit Moth in Its Range of Origin

The oriental fruit moth Grapholita ( = Cydia) molesta is a key fruit pest globally. Despite its economic importance, little is known about its population genetics in its putative native range that includes China. We used five polymorphic microsatellite loci and two mitochondrial gene sequences to characterize the population genetic diversity and genetic structure of G. molesta from nine sublocations in three regions of a major fruit growing area of China. Larval samples were collected throughout the season from peach, and in late season, after host switch by the moth to pome fruit, also from apple and pear. We found high numbers of microsatellite alleles and mitochondrial DNA haplotypes in all regions, together with a high number of private alleles and of haplotypes at all sublocations, providing strong evidence that the sampled area belongs to the origin of this species. Samples collected from peach at all sublocations were geographically structured, and a significant albeit weak pattern of isolation-by-distance was found among populations, likely reflecting the low flight capacity of this moth. Interestingly, populations sampled from apple and pear in the late season showed a structure differing from that of populations sampled from peach throughout the season, indicating a selective host switch of a certain part of the population only. The recently detected various olfactory genotypes in G. molesta may underly this selective host switch. These genetic data yield, for the first time, an understanding of population dynamics of G. molesta in its native range, and of a selective host switch from peach to pome fruit, which may have a broad applicability to other global fruit production areas for designing suitable pest management strategies.ISSN:1932-620

Fluorescent Bioaerosol Particles Resulting from Human Occupancy with and Without Respirators; Evaluation of the leaching risk posed by the beneficial use of ammoniated coal fly ash; Use of RNA amplification and electrophoresis for studying virus aerosol collection efficiency and their comparison with plaque assays

The spread of virus-induced infectious diseases through airborne routes of transmission is a global concern for economic and medical reasons. To study virus transmission, it is essential to have an effective aerosol collector such as the growth tube collector (GTC) system that utilizes water-based condensation for collecting virus-containing aerosols. In this work, we characterized the GTC system using bacteriophage MS2 as a surrogate for a small RNA virus. We investigated using RNA extraction and reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to study the total virus collection efficiency of the GTC system. Plaque assays were also used to enumerate viable viruses collected by the GTC system compared to that by a commercially available apparatus, the SKC(R) Biosampler. The plaque assay counts were used to enumerate viable viruses whereas RT-PCR provides a total virus count, including those viruses inactivated during collection. The effects of relative humidity (RH) and other conditions on collection efficiency were also investigated. Our results suggest that the GTC has a collection efficiency for viable viruses between 0.24 and 1.8% and a total virus collection efficiency between 18.3 and 79.0%, which is 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than that of the SKC(R) Biosampler. Moreover, higher RH significantly increases both the viable and total collection efficiency of the GTC, while its effect on the collection efficiency of the SKC(R) Biosampler is not significant

Dust removal from solar concentrators using an electrodynamic screen; Determination of the distribution of infectious viruses in aerosol particles using water-based condensational growth technology and a bacteriophage MS2 model

Inhalation of aerosols containing pathogenic viruses can result in morbidity, in some cases leading to mortality. The objective of this study was to develop a model for assessing how infectious viruses might distribute in airborne particles using bacteriophage MS2 as a surrogate for human viruses. Particle deposition in the respiratory system is size- dependent, and small virus-containing particles can be inhaled deeply into the lower lungs, potentially leading to more severe respiratory disease manifestations. Laboratory-generated virus-containing particles were size-selected by a differential mobility analyzer and then collected by the newly introduced Super-Efficient Sampler for Influenza Virus. The number of infectious and total viruses per particle as a function of particle size varied with the spraying medium: it approximated a cubic exponential value scaling for deionized (DI) water, a quartic exponential value for artificial saliva (AS), and between quadratic and cubic exponential value for beef extract solution (BES). The survivability of MS2 did not change significantly with particle size for DI water and BES, while that for AS was maximum at 120 nm. Viruses could be homogeneously distributed or aggregated inside or on the surface of the particles, depending on the composition of the spraying medium

Genome-wide alteration in DNA hydroxymethylation in the sperm from bisphenol A-exposed men.

Environmental BPA exposure has been shown to impact human sperm concentration and motility, as well as rodent spermatogenesis. However, it is unclear whether BPA exposure is associated with alteration in DNA hydroxymethylation, a marker for epigenetic modification, in human sperm. A genome-wide DNA hydroxymethylation study was performed using sperm samples of men who were occupationally exposed to BPA. Compared with controls who had no occupational BPA exposure, the total levels of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmc) increased significantly (19.37% increase) in BPA-exposed men, with 72.69% of genome regions harboring 5hmc. A total of 9,610 differential 5hmc regions (DhMRs) were revealed in BPA-exposed men relative to controls, which were mainly located in intergenic and intron regions. These DhMRs were composed of 8,670 hyper-hMRs and 940 hypo-hMRs, affecting 2,008 genes and the repetitive elements. The hyper-hMRs affected genes were enriched in pathways associated with nervous system, development, cardiovascular diseases and signal transduction. Additionally, enrichment of 5hmc was observed in the promoters of eight maternally expressed imprinted genes in BPA-exposed sperm. Some of the BPA-affected genes, for example, MLH1, CHD2, SPATA12 and SPATA20 might participate in the response to DNA damage in germ cells caused by BPA. Our analysis showed that enrichment of 5hmc both in promoters and gene bodies is higher in the genes whose expression has been detected in human sperm than those whose expression is absent. Importantly, we observed that BPA exposure affected the 5hmc level in 11.4% of these genes expressed in sperm, and in 6.85% of the sperm genome. Finally, we also observed that BPA exposure tends to change the 5hmc enrichment in the genes which was previously reported to be distributed with the trimethylated Histone 3 (H3K27me3, H3K4me2 or H3K4me3) in sperm. Thus, these results suggest that BPA exposure likely interferes with gene expression via affecting DNA hydroxymethylation in a way partially dependent on trimethylation of H3 in human spermatogenesis. Our current study reveals a new mechanism by which BPA exposure reduces human sperm quality

Population statistics for <i>G. molesta</i> investigated using five microsatellites.

<p><i>N</i>, number of moths successfully genotyped; <i>N_A</i>, mean number of alleles per locus; <i>P_A</i>, number of private alleles; <i>r</i>, allelic richness; <i>H_o</i>, observed heterozygosity; <i>H_e</i>, expected heterozygosity; <i>F_IS</i>, multilocus estimate of inbreeding coefficient; HW-<i>P</i>, <i>P</i>-value for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (significant departures from HW equilibrium are given in bold, <i>P</i><0.05); <i>H_e</i>, <i>H_o</i>, <i>F_IS</i>, <i>N_A</i>, <i>P_A</i> and HW-<i>P</i> are all indicated by mean values over five loci. The significances were tested for multi comparisons using the Bonferroni method.</p

Zoledronic acid and thymosin α1 elicit antitumor immunity against prostate cancer by enhancing tumor inflammation and cytotoxic T cells

Background Advanced or metastatic prostate cancer (PCa) is still an incurable malignancy with high lethality and a poor prognosis. Despite the remarkable success of immunotherapy against many types of cancer, most patients with PCa receive minimal benefit from current immunotherapeutic strategies, because PCa is an immune cold tumor with scarce T-cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment. The aim of this study was to develop an effective immunotherapeutic approach for immune cold PCa tumors.Methods The therapeutic efficacy of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and zoledronic acid (ZA) plus thymosin α1 (Tα1) therapy was analyzed retrospectively in patients with advanced or metastatic PCa. The effects and mechanisms by which ZA and Tα1 regulated the immune functions of PCa cells and immune cells were evaluated by a PCa allograft mouse model, flow cytometric analysis, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining assays, and PCR, ELISA, and Western blot analyses.Results In this study, clinical retrospective analysis revealed that ADT combined with ZA plus Tα1 improved the therapeutic outcomes of patients with PCa, which might be associated with an enhanced frequency of T cells. ZA and Tα1 treatment synergistically inhibited the growth of androgen-independent PCa allograft tumors, with increased infiltration of tumor-specific cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and enhanced tumor inflammation. Functionally, ZA and Tα1 treatment relieved immunosuppression in PCa cells, stimulated pro-inflammatory macrophages, and enhanced the cytotoxic function of T cells. Mechanistically, ZA plus Tα1 therapy blocked the MyD88/NF-κB pathway in PCa cells but activated this signaling in macrophages and T cells, altering the tumor immune landscape to suppress PCa progression.Conclusions These findings uncover a previously undefined role for ZA and Tα1 in inhibiting the disease progression of immune cold PCa tumors by enhancing antitumor immunity and pave the way for the application of ZA plus Tα1 therapy as an immunotherapeutic strategy for treating patients with immunologically unresponsive PCa

Unrooted NJ phenograms based on the combination of <i>G. molesta</i> COI and COII mtDNA haplotypes.

<p>Eight clusters are indicated by TY, TW1,TW2, TW3, W1, W2, Y1 and Y2.</p

Median-Joining network based on the combination of <i>G. molesta</i> COI and COII mtDNA haplotypes.

<p>Each circle represents a haplotype, and the area of a circle or square is proportional to the number of observed individuals. Colors within the nodes refer to the <i>G. molesta</i> sampling regions: green, TaiAn; red, YanTai; blue, WeiFang; black, the inferred missing haplotypes. The two capital letters each, PE, PO and PP indicate haplotpyes from peach, pome fruit (apple and pear) and both peach and pome fruit, respectively.</p

Sampling of <i>Grapholita molesta</i> in three Chinese regions on different hosts at different times.

<p>Information including region, sublocation code (<i>SLC</i>), sublocation, latitude and longitude, collection date (<i>D</i>), host, population code (<i>PC</i>) and number of individuals (<i>N</i>). Sublocation codes of the sampling region are indicated with a same initial letter. The population code (<i>PC</i>) shows: samples collected in the same month (June, July or August) indicated by the same number (6, 7 or 8, resp.), samples from the same sublocation with the same three capital letters (sub location code) in the middle with the initial letter referring to the region, and samples from the same host plant with the same two letters at the end (peach (Ph), pear (Pr) or apple (Ap)).</p