AI-augmented prediction of high-risk PINK1 variants associated with Parkinson's disease: integrating multilayered bioinformatics, MD simulation, and deep learning.

Parkinson's disease is a prevalent neurodegenerative disease, in which genetic mutations in many genes play an important role in its pathogenesis. Among these, a mutation in the PINK1 gene, a mitochondrial-targeted serine/threonine putative kinase 1 that protects cells from stress-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, is implicated in autosomal recessive Parkinsonism. However, the exact etiology is not well understood.

Physio-biochemical regulation of drought resistance in tree species within dryland plantations.

Drought-resistance strategies play a crucial role in determining tree resilience and mortality. During drought, stomatal closure limits photosynthesis and triggers the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This process may decrease carbohydrate availability, which is key for antioxidant defense and osmoregulation.

Novel graph neural network reveals binding mechanisms and environmental risks of PAHs interaction with estrogen receptor B.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread environmental contaminants that threaten ecosystems and human health by binding to estrogen receptor β (ERβ) and disrupting endocrine function. Accurately identifying and predicting the interactions between PAHs and ERβ remains a key challenge in environmental science. To address this, we propose a Multi-Scale Dual-Stream Graph Attention Network (MS-DSGAT) for predicting PAHs-ERβ binding affinity.

Multiple isotopes and GIS analyses reveal sources and drivers of nitrate in the Loess Plateau's groundwater.

Groundwater plays a pivotal role in mediating nitrogen transfer to aquatic ecosystems, particularly in arid regions. Water scarcity, coupled with intensive agricultural activities, has placed the groundwater systems under significant pressure from non-point source pollution, underscoring the need for targeted investigation. Focusing on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), we combined dual-isotope analysis (δN-NO, δO-NO) with water isotopes (δD-HO, δO-HO) and implemented a dual-framework approach to investigate nitrate dynamics.

Legume Green Manure Further Improves the Effects of Fertilization on the Long-Term Yield and Water and Nitrogen Utilization of Winter Wheat in Rainfed Agriculture.

To revive the practice of planting legume green manure (GM) in the fallow period in rainfed agricultural areas, it is essential to demonstrate the benefits of this practice on the yields and water use efficiency (WUE) of subsequent crops, especially when integrating with optimized water and fertilizer management. We conducted a field experiment to determine the positive effects of planting legume GM in the summer fallow on the yield, WUE, and nitrogen uptake efficiency (NupE) of subsequent winter wheat, which was grown with plastic film mulching and integrated fertilization in the Loess Plateau of China. A split-plot-designed experiment was arranged with two main treatments, namely (1) wheat planting followed by GM planting in the summer fallow (GM) and (2) conventional wheat monoculture followed by bare land summer fallow (BL), and three sub-treatments: (1) control treatment without any chemical fertilizer (Ct), (2) application of chemical N, P, and K as basal fertilizer (B), and (3) application of basal fertilizer plus wheat straw return (BS).

An Analysis of the Different Salt-Tolerance Mechanisms in Rice Cultivars Induced by Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeONPs) can boost crops' salt tolerance, yet their regulatory mechanisms in rice cultivars with contrasting salt tolerance remain unclear. This study investigated the regulatory differences in poly (acrylic acid)-coated nanoceria (PNC)-primed in salt-sensitive (Huanghuazhan, H) and salt-tolerant (Xiangliangyou900, X) rice. The results showed that PNC priming improved salt tolerance in two cultivars, but the underlying mechanisms differed.

Integrated analysis of 16 S endophytic bacteria and non-targeted metabolomics reveals the drought response mechanisms of Portulaca Oleracea L.

Background: Drought is currently one of the biggest challenges facing global agricultural production. Purslane ( L.) has attracted widespread attention due to its exceptional drought resistance.

Toxicity Characterization, Detection and Remediation of Contaminants in Soils and Groundwater.

Soil and groundwater contamination remains a critical environmental and public health challenge worldwide [...

Root Meristem Maintenance Mechanisms are Key to Plant Defense Against Nanoplastics.

The pervasive prevalence of nanoplastics in environment poses a challenge that threatens ecosystem and agricultural production. Despite their ubiquity, the determinants of nanoplastics phytotoxicity and the mechanisms through which plants defend against this phytotoxicity remain poorly understand. In this study, it is demonstrated that the phytotoxicity of nanoplastics is inversely correlated with particle size.

seedlings adapt to drought stress through changing chlorophyll fluorescence parameters.

Understanding plants responses to drought stress is crucial for selecting appropriate species for shelter-forest construction in arid and semi-arid regions. , one of the most planted shrubs along the Taklimakan Desert Highway Shelterbelt (TDHS), contributes significantly to maintaining the highway's ecological stability. This study aimed to investigate the physiological responses of biennial seedlings to drought stress by monitoring changes in soil moisture and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters [actual photo chemical efficiency of PSII (Y), unregulated energy dissipation quantum yield (Y), non-photochemical quenching coefficient (NPQ), and regulatory energy dissipation quantum yield (Y] under controlled conditions.

Exploring the role of surface micro-topography in governing dissolved nitrogen dynamics in agricultural runoff during rainfall.

Understanding the migration characteristics of dissolved nitrogen from farmlands to runoff during rainfall is essential for managing agricultural non-point source pollution. The effects of tillage-induced surface micro-topography on the migration dynamics of dissolved nitrogen from soils to runoff have not been sufficiently explored. In this study, simulated rainfall experiments were conducted to investigate the export pathways, loads, and composition characteristics of dissolved nitrogen, including NO-N, NH-N, and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON).

GmAIR12-5 governs soybean nodule development associated with phosphorus availability.

Low phosphorus (P) bioavailability limits nitrogen (N) fixation in legume nodules. Although auxin-induced root 12 (AIR12) contributes to plant stress resistance, its role in regulating nodule adaptation to P deficiency remains elusive. In this study, a hydroponic experiment revealed that P deficiency restricted soybean (Glycine max) growth and decreased nodule development, especially in big nodules (diameter≥2 mm).

Diverse Impacts of Microplastic-derived Dissolved Organic Matter at Environmentally Relevant Concentrations on Soil Dissolved Organic Matter Transformation.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is critical to soil ecosystems, with its dynamics influenced by exogenous substances like microplastics (MPs)-derived dissolved organic matter (MPs-DOM) from agricultural mulches. However, the impacts of MPs-DOM, especially at environmentally relevant concentrations, on soil DOM dynamics remain unclear. Here, we examined DOM transformation in yellow (YS) and black (BS) soils upon the addition of MPs-DOM, leached from biodegradable and nonbiodegradable mulches under ultraviolet irradiation (UV-MPs-DOM) and dark conditions (D-MPs-DOM), at environmentally relevant concentrations (3 mg C/kg).

Synergistic effect of biochar and Phanerochaete chrysosporium regulating biofilm to promote microplastics degradation during composting.

This study aimed to explore the impact of sawdust biochar (T2), Phanerochaete chrysosporium (PC, T3), and their mixtures (T4) on the polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) degradation and related mechanisms during composting, the treatment without addition was regarded as control (T1). Results showed that compared with the control, adding biochar, PC and their mixture could reduce the PE-MPs abundance from 27,833 to 17,267-22600 items/kg, and the minimum value was observed in T4. Meanwhile, the pronounced surface cracks, highest carbon loss and carbonyl index observed in T4 also confirmed this result.

Effects of artificial humic acid on rhizosphere ecology and microbial regulation in a ryegrass-Bacillus cereus symbiotic system for remediating Cr(VI)-contaminated soil.

Pollution by heavy metals, particularly hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), has become a significant environmental threat. This study aimed to evaluate the synergistic effects of artificial humic acid (A-HA) and Bacillus cereus Q-0 on Cr(VI) remediation in a ryegrass-soil system. A-HA was synthesized, and B.

Transformation Products of Neonicotinoids: A Review of Human Exposure, Toxicity, and Health Risks.

Transformation products of neonicotinoids (t-NEOs) have gained substantial attention owing to their potential greater environmental persistence and toxicity than their parent compounds (p-NEOs). To date, a systematic review focusing on t-NEOs─particularly their human health risks─remains lacking compared with p-NEOs. This review comprehensively summarizes the current knowledge on the physical properties, transformation patterns, and predicted toxicity of t-NEOs.

Evaluating the abundance of two particle size ranges of polyethylene microplastics in pig manure under integrated black soldier fly and biochar-amended composting treatments.

The transfer of microplastic (MP) pollution from biomass waste to soil presents a significant challenge for resource utilization and treatment technologies. This study investigated combining black soldier fly larval bioconversion with biochar co-composting to control MPs in biomass waste. In the initial bioconversion process, polyethylene (PE) MPs of two different sizes were added: approximately 150 μm (Series 150) and approximately 300 μm (Series 300).

Hybrid deep learning framework for environmental microplastic classification: Integrating CNN-based spectral feature extraction and transformer models.

Accurate classification of environmental microplastics (MPs) from FTIR spectra remains challenging due to spectral variability, environmental weathering, and the limitations of existing models in capturing both local and global spectral features. This study proposes a hybrid deep learning framework that integrates convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and Transformer models to classify MPs based on Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The CNN component efficiently captures local spectral patterns, while the Transformer module models long-range dependencies and global contextual relationships across the full spectral range.

Land-use change from wheat fields to kiwifruit orchards increases fluoride accumulation and associated environmental risks.

Large areas of grain-crop farmland in Shaanxi have recently been converted to kiwifruit orchards, accompanied by intensive inputs including phosphate fertilizer and high-frequency irrigation. While the link between phosphate fertilizer and fluoride accumulation is known, the long-term impact of land-use change to high-input kiwifruit orchards on fluoride accumulation and vertical distribution is still unclear, especially in this region. We investigated the effects of this land-use change on soil fluoride accumulation and associated environmental risks by collecting soil samples (0-100 cm depth) from wheat fields and 10-, 20-, and 30-year-old kiwifruit orchards in Zhouzhi and Meixian counties-major kiwifruit-producing regions of Shaanxi.

Polyethylene microplastics reduce microbe-driven multifunctionality in maize-soybean intercropping ecosystem.

Microplastics (MPs) pollution poses a growing threat to agroecosystem functioning, yet its influence on soil microbial communities and ecosystem multifunctionality (ability to maintain multiple functions and services simultaneously) in intercropping system remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effects of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) MPs (0.1 %, 1 % and 5 %; w/w) on maize-soybean intercropping system, focusing on plant physiology, edaphic property, microbial diversity, and ecosystem multifunctionality.

Colloid mediated transport of Uranium(IV) in sulfide-rich aquifers: An overlooked pathway for uranium remobilization under the reductive conditions.

Immobilization of uranium via reductive precipitation is considered for remediation of uranium contaminated groundwater, however, the potential risk deriving from the migration of colloidal-state uranium challenges the remediation effectiveness. In this work, interaction and cotransport of uranium with bentonite colloids (BC) and humic acid (HA) were investigated under reductive conditions through sets of pyrite doped quartz sand columns. Uranium showed considerable mobility as the tetravalent state in the reductive media, both BC and HA significantly affected the transport of uranium, which were regulated by hydrochemical conditions.

Heavy metals trigger distinct molecular transformations in microplastic-versus natural-derived dissolved organic matter.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a key determinant of heavy metal fate in aquatic environments, influencing their mobility, toxicity, and bioavailability. Derived from natural sources such as soil and vegetation decomposition, natural DOM (N-DOM) typically features humic-like substances with abundant oxygen-containing functional groups that stabilize heavy metals through complexation. However, microplastic-derived DOM (MP-DOM), increasingly prevalent due to plastic degradation, may interact differently with heavy metals, potentially exacerbating environmental risks amid rising plastic pollution.

Source-sink relationship of petroleum hydrocarbons in the oilfield area of Northern Shaanxi: Multilayer perceptron-based modelling systems.

Petroleum contributes significantly to economic growth, but pollution near oilfields poses risks to ecosystems and human health. The soil petroleum content and sources in the Yanchang oilfield, located in northern Shaanxi, remain unclear and present an environmental threat. To address this, a comprehensive soil contamination survey was conducted in the surrounding area.

Optimization of degradation conditions and elucidation of novel biodegradation pathways for sulfamonomethoxine by a novel strain.

Unlabelled: As a commonly used sulfonamide antibiotic, the efficient reduction of sulfamonomethoxine (SMM) residue in the environment is a critical issue that urgently needs to be addressed. However, there is limited understanding of the microbial conditions needed for efficient SMM degradation and its mechanisms. Therefore, this study screened a new strain, sp.

Radial oxygen loss of Typha latifolia outperforms microbial effects in heavy metal(loid) stabilization.

Wetland plants play a critical role in the remediation of tailings pond wetlands. Their unique radial oxygen loss (ROL) and rhizosphere microbial communities can modify soil properties (e.g.