Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yuping Xiang, Ailing Zhu, Yingying Guo, Guangliang Liu, Baowei Chen, Bin He, Yong Liang, Yongguang Yin, Yong Cai, Guibin Jiang
Summary: Iron sulfide nanoparticles (FeSNp) have shown to significantly reduce the bioavailability of both Hg(II) and MeHg in aquatic environments, inhibiting MeHg production and integration into food webs, although there is a potential risk of release when the sorbed contaminants are oxidized, increasing exposure risk to aquatic organisms. These findings provide valuable information for the development of in situ Hg remediation systems.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tania Charette, Danyel Bueno Dalto, Maikel Rosabal, J. Jacques Matte, Marc Amyot
Summary: This study found that although in vitro models showed that cooking fish muscle can significantly decrease the bioaccessibility of MeHg, it did not have the same effect in in vivo experiments. The research suggests that bioaccessibility is not suitable as a direct surrogate for evaluating the effect of cooking on MeHg availability in the body.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tao Sun, Qing Xie, Chuxian Li, Jinyong Huang, Caipeng Yue, Xuejie Zhao, Dingyong Wang
Summary: Both inorganic and organic fertilizers increase the concentration of methylmercury (MeHg) in rice grains, but through different mechanisms. Inorganic fertilizers enhance mercury methylation by increasing the bioavailability of mercury and the relative amount of Hg-methylating microbes. In contrast, organic matter in organic fertilizers is the main driver for the increase in MeHg concentrations in rice grains and can also immobilize mercury in soil.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Tantan Wang, Xu Yang, Zihao Li, Wenhao Chen, Xin Wen, Yubo He, Chi Ma, Zhongzhu Yang, Chang Zhang
Summary: This review summarizes the mechanisms by which eutrophication affects the production of methylmercury (MeHg), with a focus on the roles of algal organic matter (AOM) and iron (Fe)-sulfur (S)-phosphorus (P) dynamics. Suggestions for risk control of MeHg in eutrophic lakes are also proposed.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ting Sun, Zoe Lindo, Brian A. A. Branfireun
Summary: Climate change-driven ground warming will alter mercury cycling processes in high boreal and subarctic peatlands, particularly increasing MeHg production in subarctic peatlands. Increased soil temperature promotes microbial metabolism and organic matter turnover, resulting in higher concentrations of MeHg in the water.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hongtao Liu, Lixia Wang, Rongzhen Zhong, Meiwen Bao, Haonan Guo, Zhonglei Xie
Summary: Composting is effective in recycling livestock manure into organic fertilizer, with humic substances playing a key role in regulating heavy metal distribution. The study found that organic matter and fulvic acids were critical factors in explaining the redistribution of copper and zinc, with over 80% of the metals complexed with fulvic acids. Exogenous additives like phosphate rock and boron waste enhanced copper conversion but had limited influence on zinc due to weaker binding relationships.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
V Mangal, W. Y. Lam, H. Huang, E. J. S. Emilson, R. W. Mackereth, C. P. J. Mitchell
Summary: This study investigates the molecular composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and its relationship with mercury transport and transformations. High-resolution mass spectrometry is used to characterize DOM compound classes, DOM aromaticity, and the nominal oxygenation state of carbon across thirteen small boreal forest streams in central Canada. The results show significant differences in the abundance and classes of DOM compounds correlated with inorganic mercury and methylmercury concentrations across seasons and between mercury forms. Nitrogen and sulfur containing DOM compounds are most often positively correlated with inorganic mercury concentrations in late spring, while low-oxidized lignins are more important in fall. Low-oxidized lignins and hydrolysable tannins account for a large proportion of DOM-MeHg correlations, regardless of season. The study also reveals that the strongest correlations between inorganic mercury and DOM occur across a wide range of carbon oxygenation states, suggesting that DOM involved in inorganic mercury transport encompasses a wide range of polarities and thermodynamic stabilities. In contrast, DOM molecules exclusively correlated with MeHg concentrations have more positive carbon oxygenation states and aromatic qualities, indicating preferential transport of MeHg with more stable and aromatic DOM molecules. DOM molecules correlated with both inorganic mercury and MeHg concentrations are only found in late spring.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Florian Grassl, Aladin Ullrich, Ahmed E. Mansour, Shaimaa M. Abdalbaqi, Norbert Koch, Andreas Opitz, Marcus Scheele, Wolfgang Bruetting
Summary: The electronic properties of semiconducting inorganic lead sulfide (PbS) nanocrystals and organic linker molecules depend on the size of the nanocrystals and the ligands used. Mixing a weakly binding ligand with a strong binding partner can successfully create coupled organic-inorganic nanostructures. This study demonstrated that using a mixed ligand system improved the film homogeneity, reduced trap density, and enhanced photocurrent of the derived devices, making it a versatile tool for achieving COINs with improved performance.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Rong Luo, Cungang Xu, Guobo Chen, Chen-Ze Xie, Peng Chen, Nan Jiang, Dong-Mei Zhang, Yuhua Fan, Feng Shao
Summary: A series of Co(II)-H2L coordination polymers were synthesized with different auxiliary ligands. X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that 1, 3, and 4 have a two-dimensional (2D) structure, while 2 has a one-dimensional (1D) double-chain architecture. Sensing experiments showed that 1 and 2 can selectively detect Cr3+, Al3+, and Pb2+ ions through fluorescence turn-on effect, while 3-4 exhibit fluorescence turn-off sensing behavior for Fe3+ ions. Moreover, 1-4 can effectively detect and recognize Cr2O72- and CrO42- in aqueous solutions.
CRYSTAL GROWTH & DESIGN
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Rong Luo, Cungang Xu, Guobo Chen, Chen-Ze Xie, Peng Chen, Nan Jiang, Dong-Mei Zhang, Yuhua Fan, Feng Shao
Summary: A series of Co(II)-H2L coordination polymers with different auxiliary ligands were synthesized via a solvothermal method. X-ray diffraction analyses showed that compounds 1, 3, and 4 exhibited a two-dimensional structure, while compound 2 displayed a one-dimensional double-chain structure. Compounds 1 and 2 showed fluorescence turn-on sensing for Cr3+, Al3+, and Pb2+ ions, while compounds 3 and 4 exhibited turn-off sensing for Fe3+ ions. Additionally, compounds 1-4 could effectively detect and recognize Cr2O72- and CrO42- ions with high selectivity and sensitivity in aqueous solutions.
CRYSTAL GROWTH & DESIGN
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Li Tian, Wenyu Guan, Yunyun Ji, Xin He, Wei Chen, Pedro J. J. Alvarez, Tong Zhang
Summary: This study found that the crystal structure of nanoparticulate metacinnabar determines its methylation potential, with more exposure of the (111) facet leading to higher methylmercury production. Natural ligands hinder the natural attenuation of mercury methylation by preferentially adsorbing to the (111) facet. The methylation potential of nanoparticulate mercury is independent of surface area, highlighting the importance of nano-scale surface structure for understanding the environmental behavior of mercury and other soft elements.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mithun Sikder, Marie-Noele Croteau, Brett A. Poulin, Mohammed Baalousha
Summary: Laboratory experiments using the model freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis characterized the bioavailability of dissolved Pt(IV) and polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) of different sizes. The results showed that PtNPs had higher bioavailability than dissolved forms, and this bioavailability increased with nanoparticle diameter. The study also found that natural organic matter (NOM) suppressed the bioavailability of PtNPs, with a positive correlation between reduced sulfur content in NOM and PtNP bioavailability. The elimination of accumulated platinum after PtNP exposures exhibited a triphasic pattern, indicating potential in vivo PtNP dissolution.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Wankun Pan, Jingjie Zhou, Sheng Tang, Lianghuan Wu, Qingxu Ma, Karina A. Marsden, David D. R. Chadwick, Davey L. L. Jones
Summary: The process of nitrogen transformation after microbial utilisation of organic and inorganic N is still unclear. This study investigated the uptake, release, and reutilization of nitrogen by microorganisms using isotopically labeled compounds. It was found that microorganisms preferably took up glycine and ammonium, while nitrate was stored in the cytoplasm for future use. Additionally, the availability of carbon or nitrogen affected the cycling of inorganic and organic nitrogen by microorganisms.
BIOLOGY AND FERTILITY OF SOILS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tsuyoshi Tsujioka, Keishi Yamabayashi, Kazuma Kotani
Summary: Research has investigated the differences between the glass transition temperature and molecular motions on the surface of organic films compared to the bulk glasses. It was found that vacuum deposition of photochromic diarylethene film results in fluidity on the surface, and the deposition of small amounts of rubrene molecules causes fluctuations in surface tension, generating nanoscale dents due to Marangoni flow. The depth of the dents increases proportionally to the radii for colorless diarylethene films with a bulk glass transition temperature close to room temperature. However, the depth becomes constant for colored diarylethene films obtained through UV irradiation. The distribution of Tg in the depth direction is determined through the analysis of dent depth, revealing that the outermost surface Tg is about 100 K lower than the bulk Tg for photoisomerized diarylethene.
Article
Horticulture
Neslihan Kilic, Aysegul Burgut, Muhammet Ali Gundesli, Gozde Nogay, Sezai Ercisli, Nesibe Ebru Kafkas, Halina Ekiert, Hosam O. Elansary, Agnieszka Szopa
Summary: Organic and organic + chemical fertilizers used in strawberry cultivation in Turkey have a significant impact on fruit quality parameters, such as fruit color, soluble solids content, total acidity, fruit firmness, and vitamin C content. Compared to conventional chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers can increase soluble solid content and glucose, but decrease fruit firmness and vitamin C content. Organic fertilizers also produce more intensely colored strawberry fruits with higher Chroma values.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Ang Li, Shouye Liu, Andrew Bakshi, Longda Jiang, Wenhan Chen, Zhili Zheng, Patrick F. Sullivan, Peter M. Visscher, Naomi R. Wray, Jian Yang, Jian Zeng
Summary: Gene-based association tests are widely used in post-GWAS analysis to aggregate multiple SNP-trait associations into sets defined by gene boundaries. However, the common approach of combining SNP associations by summing c2 statistics ignores the directions of SNP effects, leading to a loss of power for SNPs with masking effects. In this study, we introduce a new set-based test called "mBAT-combo" that has better power to detect multi-SNP associations in the context of masking effects. We validate the method through simulations and real data applications, and find evidence for masking effects in a majority of gene-trait pairs.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS
(2023)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Abdel Abdellaoui, Loic Yengo, Karin J. H. Verweij, Peter M. Visscher
Summary: The GWAS era has led to significant discoveries in various fields, including population genetics, complex trait genetics, epidemiology, social science, and medicine. The emergence of large-scale biobanks and whole-genome sequencing will further enhance our understanding of human genetic variation and its implications for complex traits and diseases.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zhen Qiao, Julia Sidorenko, Joana A. Revez, Angli Xue, Xueling Lu, Katri Parna, Harold Snieder, Peter R. Visscher, Naomi Wray, Loic Yengo
Summary: This study characterizes the genetic regulation of post-prandial glucose levels and identifies the heritability of non-fasting glucose levels over time. The genetic control of glucose is largely constant across fasting durations and accounting for heritability differences improves the discovery of genetic variants associated with glucose. The study also identifies genetic loci controlling the variation of glucose levels in non-fasting individuals, which can be used to predict fasting glucose levels.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
V. Kartik Chundru, Riccardo E. Marioni, James G. D. Prendergast, Tian Lin, Allan J. Beveridge, Nicholas G. Martin, Grant W. Montgomery, David A. Hume, Ian J. Deary, Peter M. Visscher, Naomi R. Wray, Allan F. McRae
Summary: Testing the effect of rare variants on phenotypic variation is challenging due to the need for large cohorts. This study investigates the effect of rare genetic variants on DNA methylation (DNAm) and demonstrates their role in phenotypic variation. The study also shows that extreme levels of DNAm have functional consequences on gene expression.
HUMAN MOLECULAR GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Carolina Makowski, Hao Wang, Anjali Srinivasan, Anna Qi, Yuqi Qiu, Dennis van der Meer, Oleksandr Frei, Jingjing Zou, Peter M. Visscher, Jian Yang, Chi-Hua Chen
Summary: Human cortical expansion has not occurred uniformly across the brain. By comparing two sets of genome-wide association studies, we assessed the genetic architecture of cortical global expansion and regionalization in 32,488 adults. The genetic factors contributing to total surface area of the cortex expand anterior/frontal regions, while those contributing to thicker cortex increase dorsal/frontal-parietal thickness. The consideration of global measures is important for understanding the genetic variants underlying cortical morphology.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yu-Han Hsu, Greta Pintacuda, Ruize Liu, Eugeniu Nacu, Apri Kim, Kalliopi Tsafou, Natalie Petrossian, William Crotty, Jung Min Suh, Jackson Riseman, Jacqueline M. Martin, Julia C. Biagini, Daya Mena, Joshua K. T. Ching, Edyta Malolepsza, Taibo Li, Tarjinder Singh, Tian Ge, Shawn B. Egri, Benjamin Tanenbaum, Caroline R. Stanclift, Annie M. Apffel, Steven A. Carr, Monica Schenone, Jake Jaffe, Nadine Fornelos, Hailiang Huang, Kevin C. Eggan, Kasper Lage
Summary: Genetics have identified many schizophrenia risk genes and found common signals between schizophrenia and neurodevelopmental disorders. However, there is often a lack of functional interpretation of these genes in relevant brain cell types. In this study, the researchers investigated the protein network of six schizophrenia risk genes in induced cortical neurons, finding that it is enriched for common variant risk of schizophrenia and down-regulated in affected individuals. They also identified a sub-network centered on HCN1 that is enriched for common variant risk and contains proteins associated with rare protein-truncating mutations in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This study highlights the importance of brain cell-type-specific interactomes in interpreting genetic and transcriptomic data in schizophrenia and related disorders.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Xiaotong Wang, Alicia Walker, Joana A. Revez, Guiyan Ni, Mark J. Adams, Andrew M. McIntosh, Peter M. Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, Peter M. Visscher, Naomi R. Wray
Summary: In polygenic score (PGS) analysis, the coefficient of determination (R-2) is used to evaluate efficacy. However, in real data analyses, R-2 has been found to exceed the theoretical upper limit of the out-of-sample prediction calculated by SNP-based heritability (h(SNP)(2)). This is likely due to heterogeneities in cohort-specific h(SNP)(2) and genetic correlations between cohorts. We provide simulated and real data evidence to support these observations and emphasize the need for a better approach to address between-cohort heterogeneity.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Maodian Liu, Robert P. Mason, Penny Vlahos, Michael M. Whitney, Qianru Zhang, Joseph K. Warren, Xuejun Wang, Zofia Baumann
Summary: This study investigated the seasonal and tidal variations of mercury and methylmercury in Long Island Sound, revealing that the riverine input of organic matter and inorganic mercury stimulates methylmercury production, and tidal cycles further contribute to the remobilization of deposited mercury. The findings highlight the significance of water column biogeochemical processes in regulating methylmercury levels in temperate estuarine ecosystems.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Adrian I. Campos, Shinichi Namba, Shu-Chin Lin, Kisung Nam, Julia Sidorenko, Huanwei Wang, Yoichiro Kamatani, Ling-Hua Wang, Seunggeun Lee, Yen-Feng Lin, Yen-Chen Anne Feng, Yukinori Okada, Peter M. Visscher, Loic Yengo
Summary: Simulations and applications to real data show that adjustment of genome-wide association analyses for polygenic scores increases the statistical power for discovery across all ancestries, suggesting an analytical strategy for future studies in underrepresented populations.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emily Seelen, Van Liem-Nguyen, Urban Wunsch, Zofia Baumann, Robert Mason, Ulf Skyllberg, Erik Bjorn
Summary: This study demonstrates that the concentration of thiol compounds associated with dissolved organic matter controls the bioavailability of methylmercury in aquatic systems.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Hao Wang, Carolina Makowski, Yanxiao Zhang, Anna Qi, Tobias Kaufmann, Olav B. Smeland, Mark Fiecas, Jian Yang, Peter M. Visscher, Chi-Hua Chen
Summary: The study investigates the impact of chromosomal inversions on human brain morphology by analyzing genotypes of adults with European ancestry. Several common inversions, including 2p22.3, 16p11.2, and 17q21.31, show significant associations with cortical and subcortical morphology. The inverted orientations of these regions have a noticeable effect on brain size and motor cortex. These findings contribute to understanding the role of inversions in shaping human brain phenotypes.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Xiaotong Wang, Valentin Hivert, Shiane Groot, Ying Wang, Loic Yengo, John J. McGrath, Kathryn E. Kemper, Peter M. Visscher, Naomi R. Wray, Joana A. Revez
Summary: The study investigates the complex relationship between vitamin D levels, skin colour, and ancestral background, and identifies new genetic determinants of vitamin D levels. The findings suggest shared genetic mechanisms underlying the synthesis and metabolism of vitamin D across diverse ancestry groups. Additionally, the study reveals genetic variants that influence both skin colour and vitamin D levels, with variants showing different effects in individuals with different complexions.
Article
Cell Biology
Yang Wu, Ting Qi, Naomi R. Wray, Peter M. Visscher, Jian Zeng, Jian Yang
Summary: This study introduces OPERA, a method that enhances the identification of molecular phenotypes associated with complex traits by analyzing GWAS and multi-omics xQTL summary statistics together. The study finds that 50% of GWAS signals are shared with at least one molecular phenotype, and GWAS signals shared with multiple molecular phenotypes are particularly informative for understanding the genetic regulatory mechanisms of complex traits. Future research with more molecular phenotypes and larger sample sizes is needed to obtain a more saturated map linking molecular intermediates to GWAS signals.
Article
Cell Biology
Yeda Wu, Slavina B. Goleva, Lindsay B. Breidenbach, Minsoo Kim, Stuart Macgregor, Michael J. Gandal, Lea K. Davis, Naomi R. Wray
Summary: The study conducted a genome-wide association analysis to explore the genetic factors related to diverticular disease (DivD) of the intestine. The results indicated significant associations between DivD development and specific cell types and genes. The study also proposed a polygenic score that can effectively predict the risk of DivD and identified potential mechanisms involved in DivD development through statistical and bioinformatic analyses.
Article
Cell Biology
Eduardo A. Maury, Maxwell A. Sherman, Giulio Genovese, Thomas G. Gilgenast, Tushar Kamath, S. J. Burris, Prashanth Rajarajan, Erin Flaherty, Schahram Akbarian, Andrew Chess, Steven A. McCarroll, Po-Ru Loh, Jennifer E. Phillips-Cremins, Kristen J. Brennand, Evan Z. Macosko, James T. R. Walters, Michael O'Donovan, Patrick Sullivan, Jonathan Sebat, Eunjung A. Lee, Christopher A. Walsh
Summary: This study suggests that somatic copy-number variants (sCNVs) may play a potential role in the risk of schizophrenia (SCZ). Early-developmental sCNVs were more common in SCZ cases, including recurrent somatic deletions in the NRXN1 gene. Additionally, recurrent intragenic deletions of the ABCB11 gene were observed in treatment-resistant SCZ cases.
