Apamarga Ksharodaka, an ayurvedic formulation made from the herb Achyranthes aspera Linn, is renowned for its wound healing properties. This study aimed to evaluate its wound-healing activity throu...

Antioxidant activity of several organ and total aerial part extracts from Calendula aegyptiaca was investigated. Flavonoids and total phenol contents as well as ferric reducing power assay (FRAP), ...

Plastic pipes are increasingly used in drinking water distribution systems, yet their impact on water quality remains insufficiently understood. Here, we systematically investigate the dual outcomes posed by plastic pipes─chemical leaching and cascaded microbial exposure risks─by integrating Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry and metagenomic analysis. Our results reveal that plastic pipes continuously release dissolved organic matter (DOM), including organic additives such as bisphenols (BPs) and organophosphate esters (OPEs), which profoundly reshape microbial communities. Under chlorinated conditions, leached DOM alters microbial diversity, promoting chlorine-resistant bacteria and opportunistic pathogens (OPs), while under nonchlorinated conditions, it accelerates microbial growth and enriches antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), OPs, and virulence factors (VFs). Among plastic materials, polyethylene (PE) exhibited the highest chemical risk, releasing high concentrations of TCPP (700 ng/L) and BPF (200 ng/L) along with 207–227 unique DOM molecules. In contrast, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) supported the highest OP abundance, while polypropylene random copolymer (PPR) fostered the greatest OP diversity. These findings challenge conventional drinking water safety assessments that separate chemical contamination from microbial risk, underscoring the urgent need for an integrated risk assessment framework. Furthermore, they highlight the necessity of paying greater attention to the chemical and cascading microbial issues arising from the leaching of plastic pipes into drinking water, and of conducting a more comprehensive assessment of the associated potential health risks.

BACKGROUND The apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene includes the strongest protective (ε2) and risk (ε4) variants for sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD), but underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We studied ...

High soil salinity is one of the most damaging abiotic stresses affecting crop productivity by generating osmotic stress and ion toxicity. In this study, we investigated the metabolic responses of ...

Geometrical structures of platinum oxide cluster anions were investigated using ion mobility-mass spectrometry and compared with their cationic counterparts obtained from our previous study. The measured collision cross sections (CCSs) with He under 170 K of PtnOn– anions were larger than those of PtnOn+ cations, suggesting that the anions adopt more extended structures than their cationic analogues. In particular, planar Pt frameworks with bridging oxygen atoms were predicted for PtnOn– (n = 4–7), based on the agreement between the experimental CCS values and those in theoretical calculations. For n = 4 and 5, these structures are consistent with the lowest-energy geometries reported for the corresponding neutral clusters. In contrast, the cationic species adopt three-dimensional structural motifs for n ≥ 5. The assigned structures and natural bond orbital (NBO) charge analyses indicate that increased electron density on the Pt framework stabilizes the planar configurations in the anions, leading to larger CCSs.

Most dissolved organic contaminants readily react with sulfate radicals (SO4•–) formed when persulfate is activated by thermolysis or base addition during in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO). However, under conditions encountered in the subsurface, hydrophobic contaminants associate with particles. To determine the potential of solids to protect contaminants from oxidation, we measured the stoichiometric efficiency (i.e., moles of contaminant transformed per mole of SO4•–) for a homologous series of chlorinated benzenes using solid-to-water ratios approaching subsurface conditions. Sorption to inorganic surfaces (i.e., sand and clays) reduced the stoichiometric efficiency by 3 orders of magnitude relative to contaminants in solution. At low initial oxidant concentrations (i.e., 10 mM), adsorbed contaminants were oxidized after desorbing to reestablish equilibrium. At higher oxidant concentrations (i.e., 500 mM), contaminant loss was attributable to SO4•– that reacted at the particle surface. Absorption by particulate organic matter (i.e., Pahokee peat) offered greater protection. For the most hydrophobic compounds (i.e., tetra-, penta-, and hexachlorobenzene), 1.5% organic matter by mass reduced the stoichiometric efficiency by an additional order of magnitude. The effect of sorption on the efficacy of persulfate ISCO can be predicted using contaminant hydrophobicity (i.e., the octanol–water partition coefficient, Kow), persulfate dosage, and particulate organic matter content.

Indoor semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) pose significant health risks due to their widespread presence. However, their comprehensive profiling remains difficult due to the inherent limitations of conventional active sampling techniques and targeted analytical approaches. Here, we present an integrated approach that combines polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) foam-based passive air sampling with non-targeted analysis for high-throughput screening and semi-quantitative evaluation of indoor SVOCs. Two passive samplers, specifically optimized for capturing gas-phase and particle-bound SVOCs, were calibrated under real-world indoor conditions. The experimentally derived sampling rates were then used to construct predictive models aimed at extending quantitative applicability across diverse compounds. In addition, a reference-compound-based semi-quantitative strategy was established to support the non-targeted analysis. Field application in a building material market showed strong agreement between passive and active sampling results for both gas-phase and particle-associated SVOCs. Overall, this integrated approach enhances conventional indoor air monitoring by enabling broader chemical coverage and semi-quantitative analysis, offering a practical tool for exposure assessment and risk-informed chemical management.

In the field of protein therapeutic discovery, it is crucial to characterize molecules quickly and precisely, while using minimal sample amounts. Traditional techniques often require significant amounts of samples (10–20 μg) and can introduce post-translational modification (PTM) artifacts that complicate characterization. This study presents an innovative approach using automated microdroplet-based reactions for ultrafast protein digestion and reduction in under one millisecond. The primary aim is to establish a rapid and reliable method for the characterization of protein therapeutics, essential for confirming the identity of protein molecules and assessing potential liabilities early in the discovery process. Furthermore, we have integrated ion mobility separation with microdroplet reactions to better understand the resulting mass species. Our findings demonstrate that this technique enhances the throughput of protein therapeutic characterization without compromising on accuracy. It is effective across a range of therapeutic protein formats including IgG1 antibodies, Fc-cytokine fusion proteins, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to apply online microdroplet-based reactions across multiple therapeutic modalities while integrating ion mobility separation, establishing a high-throughput workflow for comprehensive protein analysis.

Accurate and comprehensive peptide spectrum annotation is a crucial step to interpreting mass spectrometry-based proteomics data. While peak assignment in peptide fragmentation spectra is central to a...

Cellular senescence is a stable state of cell-cycle arrest characterized by extensive remodeling of the secretome, known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). The SASP profoundly in...

The oxidation of organic molecules, such as fatty acids, in seawater microdroplets generated by breaking waves is an important source of secondary organic aerosols and impacts the global climate. While the oxidation of fatty acids in sea spray aerosols (SSAs) has traditionally been attributed to photochemical reactions, this study reports a spontaneous nonphotochemical oxidation mechanism that occurs in seawater microdroplets. Notably, we observed marked increases in the oxidation rate (3186- to 11093-fold) for the naturally abundant fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid, oleic acid, and palmitic acid, with the primary oxidation products being hydroxylated. Integrated computational simulations and mass spectrometry analyses of reaction paths and intermediates suggest that this rapid oxidation is triggered by the simultaneous accumulation of fatty acids and the spontaneous generation of hydroxy radicals (•OH) at the microdroplet water–air interface. Our study revealed an overlooked path of fatty acid oxidation, shedding light on organic carbon cycles at the ocean–atmosphere interface.

Abstract. Drought represents one of the most severe challenges faced by agriculture and leveraging resources to promote crop resilience is critical. The pl

Intermediate-volatility (IVOCs) and semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) from light-duty gasoline vehicles (LDGVs) are major precursors of secondary organic aerosol (SOA), yet their emission charact...

The genus Robinia, which belongs to the Fabaceae family, is a source of polyphenols and may be medicinally and pharmacologically effective against life-threatening diseases. This study investigated a...

Gentiana scabra Bunge (G. scabra), a perennial herb of Gentianaceae, has long been valued in East Asian medicine for its dried roots used to treat various ailments. However, root-based utilization al...

The multi-attribute method (MAM) by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry peptide mapping has the potential to replace multiple conventional HPLC- and capillary electrophoresis-based purity/impur...

Milk oligosaccharides (MOs) are involved in microbiota development and health in newborns. Given the physiological immaturity of rabbits at birth, we …

Artificial sweeteners (ASs), which serve as vital alternatives to sucrose, have been detected in agricultural soils and crops. However, knowledge gaps persist regarding their bioaccumulation in plants, which is vital for assessing ecosystem risks. This study examined saccharin (SAC) and acesulfame (ACE) absorption, translocation, and biotransformation in plants via hydroponic experiments. Inhibition studies revealed that root uptake is an active, energy-dependent process involving aquaporins and anion channels. Their hydrophilicity enabled upward movement to above-ground tissues through transpiration and storage in water-soluble cellular components. High-resolution mass spectrometry detected 11 metabolites, proposing potential degradation pathways and identifying, for the first time in plants, phase II metabolites undergoing methylation and glucuronide conjugation. Ecotoxicity predictions indicated that hydroxylated and methylated metabolites were more toxic. This study is the first to explore the mechanisms of AS accumulation and biotransformation in plants, providing deeper insights into their in-plant behavior.

This study systematically analyzed metabolite changes in quinoa after lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation and the hypoglycemic mechanism of key me…

Polyclonal antibodies represent nature's approach to robust immunity, targeting multiple sites on pathogens, but their complex mixtures have remained largely unsequenceable, limiting their therapeutic...

VX-150 is an orally prodrug that rapidly convert into the active metabolite (VX-150M), which is a highly selective NaV1.8 blocker. In this study, in vitro permeability, protein binding, metabolic sta....

Disulfide bonds are essential for the structural and functional integrity of therapeutic peptides and proteins (TPPs). However, accurately mapping disulfide bonds in TPPs remains challenging due to th...

In this work, single-event microwave-induced nitrogen plasma–mass spectrometry (single-event MINP-MS) was evaluated for the first time for the analysis of discrete entities such as nanoparticles, biol...