A new Venus‐ESD‐Chamber (VEC) and peripheral systems were designed and built to simulate Venus lightning. It consists of three subsystems (a) electrostatic discharge (ESD) generation, (b) ...environmental pressure, temperature, gas composition control & monitoring, and (c) optical and non‐optical sensors. We conducted arc discharge experiments in air, in CO2, and in Venus major gas mixture (CO2‐N2, 96.5% ± 1.5%:3.5% ± 1.5%) under 10, 350, 700, and 1,000 mbar pressures, that correspond to the 50–75 km altitude range in the cloud layer of Venus. Plasma and Raman spectra, plus gas sensors, and GC‐MS were used to identify the ESD products and to semi‐quantify CO and O3 generated by ESD. We have found all species of free radicals that have been found in previous simulation studies using different discharge technologies, including some important species in CO2‐N2 system, nitrogen oxides and CN. In addition, we found three species (O3, N2+, and C2) that have not been previously reported. Our results suggest that electron flux and kinetic energy are the determining factors for the type of generated free radical species and gas pressure plays a less important role. We found that the quantity of CO changes with the type of ESD. The detection of O3 in this study suggests that lightning might be one of the sources of O3 observed in the Venusian atmosphere. OI emission line at 777.4 nm is the most prominent line in our plasma spectra of FD, consistent with the intense optical flash observed by the Lightning and Airglow Camera (LAC) on the Akatsuki mission.
Plain Language Summary
Lightning is a common phenomenon on Earth and plays an important role in atmospheric chemistry as well as in atmosphere‐surface interaction. The thick atmosphere and strong convective activities in Venus cloud layers could ignite lightning. Evidence of lightning on Venus (optical and electric types) has been reported since the 1970s, including the observation made by the most recent mission Akatsuki in 2020. Here, we report the detection of 15 types of free radicals generated during a set of arc‐type electric discharges in simulated Venus atmosphere with two major Venus gases (CO2 & N2) and in a pressure range corresponding to the Venus cloud layer (50–75 km altitude range). These free radicals are ions and neutral atoms/molecules in excited states, which have extremely high chemical reactivity and high kinetic energy. They could play crucial roles in Venus atmospheric chemistry and might be helpful to interpret some past mission observations for example, nitrogen oxides and O3.
Key Points
Building a Venus‐ESD chamber enables simulation of Venus lightning and radical sensing
Arc discharge was realized to simulate lightning in the cloud layer of Venus
15 types of free radicals and excited atoms/molecules were characterized using four sensors
The combined antibacterial effects of tilmicosin (TIL) and florfenicol (FF) against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP) (n = 2), Streptococcus suis (S. suis) (n = 2), and Haemophilus parasuis (HPS) ...(n = 2) were evaluated by chekerboard test and time‐kill assays. The pharmacokinetics (PKs) of TIL‐ and FF‐loaded hydrogenated castor oil (HCO)‐solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) were performed in healthy pigs. The results indicated that TIL and FF showed synergistic or additive antibacterial activities against APP, S. suis and HPS with the fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) ranging from 0.375 to 0.75. The time‐kill assays showed that 1/2 minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) TIL combined with 1/2 MIC FF had a stronger ability to inhibit the growth of APP, S. suis, and HPS than 1 MIC TIL or 1 MIC FF, respectively. After oral administration, plasma TIL and FF concentrations could maintain about 0.1 μg/ml for 192 and 176 hr. The SLN prolonged the last time point with detectable concentrations (Tlast), area under the concentration–time curve (AUC0‐t), elimination half‐life (T½ke), and mean residence time (MRT) by 3.1, 5.6, 12.7, 3.4‐fold of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) of TIL and 11.8, 16.5, 18.1, 12.1‐fold of the API of FF, respectively. This study suggests that the TIL‐FF‐SLN could be a useful oral formulation for the treatment of APP, S. suis, and HPS infection in pigs.
Objective
To compare maternal haemodynamics in women at low and high risk for preterm pre‐eclampsia (PE), and between those at high risk who are randomised to aspirin or placebo.
Design
Prospective, ...longitudinal observational study.
Setting
Maternity units in six UK hospitals.
Population
Women participating in the Aspirin for Prevention of Preterm Pre‐eclampsia (ASPRE) trial. The population comprised three groups of women: low risk for preterm PE (n = 1362), high risk for preterm PE treated with aspirin (n = 208) and high risk for preterm PE on placebo (n = 220).
Methods
Women had four visits during pregnancy: 11–14, 19–24, 30–34, and 35–37 weeks’ gestation. Blood pressure was measured with a device validated for pregnancy, and PE and maternal haemodynamics were assessed with a bioreactance monitor at each visit. A multilevel linear mixed‐effects analysis was performed to examine longitudinal changes of maternal haemodynamic variables, controlling for demographic characteristics, past medical history and medication use.
Main outcome measures
Longitudinal changes of cardiac output (CO), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and peripheral vascular resistance (PVR).
Results
The low‐risk group demonstrated the expected changes with an increase in CO and reduction in MAP and PVR, with a quadratic change across gestation. In contrast, the high‐risk groups had a declining CO, and higher MAP and PVR during pregnancy. The administration of aspirin did not appear to affect maternal haemodynamics.
Conclusions
Women screened as high risk for preterm PE have a pathological cardiac adaptation to pregnancy and the prophylactic use of aspirin (150 mg oral daily from the first trimester) in this group may not alter this haemodynamic profile.
Tweetable
In women at high risk of pre‐eclampsia, prophylactic use of aspirin may not alter the impaired maternal cardiac adaptation.
Tweetable
In women at high risk of pre‐eclampsia, prophylactic use of aspirin may not alter the impaired maternal cardiac adaptation.
A field campaign was carried out in September–November 2010 near the summit of Mt. Tai Mo Shan in Hong Kong. Isoprene, methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) and methacrolein (MAC) were measured. The average ...isoprene mixing ratio was 109 pptv, and the average MAC and MVK levels were 68 pptv and 164 pptv, respectively. The average daytime levels of isoprene (149 ± 20 pptv, average ± 95% confidence interval, p < 0.01), MAC (70 ± 9 pptv, p < 0.01) and MVK (169 ± 22 pptv, p < 0.1) were significantly higher than the average nighttime values (20 ± 5 pptv, 49 ± 8 pptv and 139 ± 25 pptv, respectively). The relationship between MVK and MAC indicated that nearby isoprene oxidation dominated their daytime abundances, while NO3 chemistry and regional transport of anthropogenic sources from inland Pearl River Delta region could explain the higher MVK to MAC ratios at night. Correlation analysis of MVK/isoprene versus MAC/isoprene found that the isoprene photochemical ages were between 10 and 64 min. Regression analysis of total O3 (O3 + NO2) versus MVK resulted in an estimated contribution of isoprene oxidation to ozone production of 12.5%, consistent with the simulated contribution of 10‐11% by an observation‐based model.
Key Points
Both isoprene and regional sources contributed to MVK and MAC
Contribution of isoprene oxidation to ozone production was 12.5%
Isoprene photochemical ages were between 10 and 64 min
The sensitivity of a heterojunction sensor, formed between WO3 and 3wt.% Nd2O3 doped SnO2, to humidity and NO2 has been investigated using forward bias resistance measurements at 300DGC. The sensor ...showed high sensitivity and a pseudo-linear response to NO2 in the range 0-5ppm in dry air. The response to variations in relative humidity (RH) was small at RH levels below 40%, with the sensor becoming saturated at higher values of RH. Cross-sensitivity measurements were carried out to assess the influence of RH variations on the sensor response to 2.5 and 5ppm NO2. Strong interference effects were observed, with the sensitivity of the sensor to NO2 decreasing rapidly as the RH of the atmosphere increased.
Chemoresistance in cancer has previously been attributed to gene mutations or deficiencies. Bax or p53 deficiency can lead to resistance to cancer drugs. We aimed to find an agent to overcome ...chemoresistance induced by Bax or p53 deficiency. Here, we used immunoblot, flow-cytometry analysis, gene interference, etc. to show that genistein, a major component of isoflavone that is known to have anti-tumor activities in a variety of models, induces Bax/p53-independent cell death in HCT116 Bax knockout (KO), HCT116 p53 KO, DU145 Bax KO, or DU145 p53 KO cells that express wild-type (WT) Bak. Bak knockdown (KD) only partially attenuated genistein-induced apoptosis. Further results indicated that the release of AIF and endoG also contributes to genistein-induced cell death, which is independent of Bak activation. Conversely, AIF and endoG knockdown had little effect on Bak activation. Knockdown of either AIF or endoG alone could not efficiently inhibit apoptosis in cells treated with genistein, whereas an AIF, endoG, and Bak triple knockdown almost completely attenuated apoptosis. Next, we found that the Akt-Bid pathway mediates Bak-induced caspase-dependent and AIF- and endoG-induced caspase-independent cell death. Moreover, downstream caspase-3 could enhance the release of AIF and endoG as well as Bak activation via a positive feedback loop. Taken together, our data elaborate the detailed mechanisms of genistein in Bax/p53-independent apoptosis and indicate that caspase-3-enhanced Bid activation initiates the cell death pathway. Our results also suggest that genistein may be an effective agent for overcoming chemoresistance in cancers with dysfunctional Bax and p53.
To effectively control bovine mastitis, tilmicosin (TIL)‐ and florfenicol (FF)‐loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) with hydrogenated castor oil (HCO) were prepared by a hot homogenization and ...ultrasonication method. In vitro antibacterial activity, properties, and pharmacokinetics of the TIL‐FF‐SLN were studied. The results demonstrated that TIL and FF had a synergistic or additive antibacterial activity against Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Streptococcus uberis, and Streptococcus agalactiae. The size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential of nanoparticles were 289.1 ± 13.7 nm, 0.31 ± 0.05, and −26.7 ± 1.3 mV, respectively. The encapsulation efficiencies for TIL and FF were 62.3 ± 5.9% and 85.1 ± 5.2%, and the loading capacities for TIL and FF were 8.2 ± 0.6% and 3.3 ± 0.2%, respectively. The TIL‐FF‐SLN showed no irritation in the injection site and sustained release in vitro. After medication, TIL and FF could maintain about 0.1 μg/mL for 122 and 6 h. Compared to the control solution, the SLN increased the area under the concentration–time curve (AUC0‐t), elimination half‐life (T½ke), and mean residence time (MRT) of TIL by 33.09‐, 23.29‐, and 37.53‐fold, and 1.69‐, 5.00‐, and 3.83‐fold for FF, respectively. These results of this exploratory study suggest that the HCO‐SLN could be a useful system for the delivery of TIL and FF for bovine mastitis therapy.
Grid field measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) covering the entire territory of Hong Kong were simultaneously carried out twice daily on 27 September 2013 and 24 September 2014, ...respectively, to advance our understanding on the spatiotemporal variations of VOCs and ozone (O3) formation, the factors controlling O3 formation and the efficacy of a control measure in Hong Kong. From before to after the control measure on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fueled vehicles, the VOCs originated from LPG vehicle exhaust deceased from 41.3±1.2μg/m3 (49.7±1.5%) to 32.8±1.4μg/m3 (38.8±1.7%) (p<0.05). In contrast, the contribution to VOCs made by gasoline and diesel vehicle exhaust and solvent usage increased (p<0.05). VOCs and nitric oxide (NO) in LPG source experienced the highest reductions at the roadside sites, while the variations were not significant at the urban and new town sites (p>0.05). For O3 production, LPG vehicle exhaust generally made a negative contribution (−0.17±0.06 ppbv) at the roadside sites, however it turned to a slightly positive contribution (0.004±0.038 ppbv) after the control measure. At the urban sites, although the reductions of VOCs and NO were minor (p>0.05), O3 produced by LPG vehicle significantly reduced from 4.19±1.92 ppbv to 0.95±0.38 ppbv (p<0.05). Meanwhile, O3 produced by LPG at the new town sites remained stable. The analysis of O3-precursor relationships revealed that alkenes and aromatics were the main species limiting roadside O3 formation, while aromatics were the most predominant controlling factor at urban and new town sites. In contrast, isoprene and sometimes NOx limited the O3 formation in rural environment.
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•Eulerian box model to calculate the diurnal profiles of VOCs•Inter-site differences of the effectiveness of the program•Spatial characteristics of O3-precursor relationships were studied.
The photochemical formation of alkyl nitrates (RONO2) and their impact on ozone (O3) formation were investigated using a Photochemical Box Model incorporating the Master Chemical Mechanism (PBM-MCM). ...The model was constrained with field measurement data collected on selected O3 episode days at Tai O, a rural-coastal site in southwestern Hong Kong, from August 2001–December 2002. The in-situ observations showed that the sum of C1–C5 RONO2 varied from 30.7 ± 14.8 pptv in spring to 120.7 ± 10.4 pptv in autumn, of which 2-butyl nitrate dominated with the highest average concentration of 30.8 ± 2.6 pptv. Model simulations indicated that the pathway of CH3O reacting with NO2, proposed in our previous study, made minor contributions (11.3 ± 0.7%) to methyl nitrate formation. Indeed, 51.8 ± 3.1% and 36.5 ± 6.3% of the methyl nitrate was attributed to the reaction of CH3O2+NO and to oceanic emissions/biomass burning, respectively. For the C2–C5 alkyl nitrates, the contribution of photochemical formation increased with increasing carbon number, ranging from 64.4 ± 4.0% for ethyl nitrate (EtONO2) to 72.6 ± 4.2% for 2-pentyl nitrate (2-PenONO2), while the contribution of oceanic emissions/biomass burning decreased from 35.1 ± 6.5% for EtONO2 to 26.8 ± 6.8% for 2-PenONO2. Model simulations of photochemical O3 levels influenced by RONO2 chemistry showed that the formation of methyl-, ethyl-, i-propyl-, n-propyl-, 2-butyl-, 2-pentyl-, and 3-pentyl-nitrates led to O3 reduction of 0.05 ± 0.03, 0.05 ± 0.03, 0.06 ± 0.02, 0.02 ± 0.02, 0.18 ± 0.04, 0.09 ± 0.02 and 0.06 ± 0.02 ppbv, respectively, with an average reduction rate of 11.0 ± 3.2 ppbv O3 per 1 ppbv RONO2 formation. The C1–C5 RONO2 constituted 18.6 ± 1.9% of the entire RONO2, and had a nitrogen reserve of 4.1 ± 0.2%, implying their potential influence on O3 production in downwind areas.
•Both PMF and MCM explored the pathways to RONO2.•CH3O + NO2 was not the major pathway to MeONO2.•RONO2 formation made negative contribution to O3.•Nitrogen partitioning in RONO2 was quantified.
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