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  1. Abstract

    Mesoscopic calcium imaging enables studies of cell-type specific neural activity over large areas. A growing body of literature suggests that neural activity can be different when animals are free to move compared to when they are restrained. Unfortunately, existing systems for imaging calcium dynamics over large areas in non-human primates (NHPs) are table-top devices that require restraint of the animal’s head. Here, we demonstrate an imaging device capable of imaging mesoscale calcium activity in a head-unrestrained male non-human primate. We successfully miniaturize our system by replacing lenses with an optical mask and computational algorithms. The resulting lensless microscope can fit comfortably on an NHP, allowing its head to move freely while imaging. We are able to measure orientation columns maps over a 20 mm2field-of-view in a head-unrestrained macaque. Our work establishes mesoscopic imaging using a lensless microscope as a powerful approach for studying neural activity under more naturalistic conditions.

     
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  2. Hydroxyl radical (·OH)-initiated oxidation of isoprene, the most abundant nonmethane hydrocarbon in the atmosphere, is responsible for substantial amounts of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) within ambient fine particles. Fine particulate 2-methyltetrol sulfate diastereoisomers (2-MTSs) are abundant SOA products formed via acid-catalyzed multiphase chemistry of isoprene-derived epoxydiols with inorganic sulfate aerosols under low-nitric oxide conditions. We recently demonstrated that heterogeneous ·OH oxidation of particulate 2-MTSs leads to the particle-phase formation of multifunctional organosulfates (OSs). However, it remains uncertain if atmospheric chemical aging of particulate 2-MTSs induces toxic effects within human lung cells. We show that inhibitory concentration-50 (IC50) values decreased from exposure to fine particulate 2-MTSs that were heterogeneously aged for 0 to 22 days by ·OH, indicating increased particulate toxicity in BEAS-2B lung cells. Lung cells further exhibited concentration-dependent modulation of oxidative stress- and inflammatory-related gene expression. Principal component analysis was carried out on the chemical mixtures and revealed positive correlations between exposure to aged multifunctional OSs and altered expression of targeted genes. Exposure to particulate 2-MTSs alone was associated with an altered expression of antireactive oxygen species (ROS)-related genes (NQO-1, SOD-2, and CAT) indicative of a response to ROS in the cells. Increased aging of particulate 2-MTSs by ·OH exposure was associated with an increased expression of glutathione pathway related genes (GCLM and GCLC) and an anti-inflammatory gene (IL-10). 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available November 20, 2024
  3. Heterogeneous hydroxyl radical (•OH) oxidation is an important aging process for isoprene epoxydiol-derived secondary organic aerosol (IEPOX-SOA) that alters its chemical composition. It was recently demonstrated that heterogeneous •OH oxidation can age single-component particulate methyltetrol sulfates (MTSs), causing ∼55% of the SOA mass loss. However, our most recent study of freshly generated IEPOX-SOA particulate mixtures suggests that the lifetime of the complete IEPOX-SOA mixture against heterogeneous •OH oxidation can be prolonged through the fragmentation of higher-order oligomers. Published studies suggest that the heterogeneous •OH oxidation of IEPOX SOA could affect the organic atmospheric aerosol budget at varying rates, depending on aerosol chemical composition. However, heterogeneous •OH oxidation kinetics for the full IEPOX-SOA particulate mixture have not been reported. Here, we exposed freshly generated IEPOX-SOA particles to heterogeneous oxidation by •OH under humid conditions (relative humidity ∼57%) for 0−15 atmospheric-equivalent days of aging and derived an effective heterogeneous •OH rate coefficient (kOH) of 2.64 ± 0.4 × 10−13 cm^3 molecules−1 s−1. While ∼44% of particulate organic mass of nonoxidized IEPOX-SOA was consumed over the entire 15 day aging period, only <7% was consumed during the initial 10 aging days. By molecular-level chemical analysis, we determined oligomers were consumed at a faster rate (by a factor of 2−4) than monomers. Analysis of aerosol physicochemical properties shows that IEPOX-SOA has a core−shell morphology, and the shell becomes thinner with •OH oxidation. In summary, this study demonstrates that heterogeneous •OH oxidation of IEPOX-SOA particles is a dynamic process in which aerosol chemical composition and physicochemical properties play important roles. 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available October 19, 2024
  4. Free, publicly-accessible full text available June 12, 2024
  5. Oxidation of isoprene, the biogenic volatile organic compound with the highest emissions globally, is a large source of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) in the atmosphere. Organosulfates, particularly methyltetrol sulfates, formed from acid-driven reactions of isoprene epoxydiols (IEPOX), a key oxidation product, are important contributors to SOA mass. To date, most studies have focused on organosulfate formation on ammonium sulfate particles at low pH. However, recent work has shown sea spray aerosol (SSA) in the accumulation mode (~100 nm) is often quite acidic (pH ~ 2) and IEPOX-derived organosulfates have been identified in marine environments. Herein, we demonstrate that substantial SOA, including organosulfates, are formed on acidic sodium sulfate particles (pH = 1.3), representative of marine aerosol heterogeneously reacting with H2SO4 to form Na2SO4. For acidic sodium and ammonium sulfate particles, 31 and 28% (±1%), respectively, of inorganic sulfate is incorporated into organosulfate species, even though acidic particles with sodium versus ammonium as the primary cation formed 5% (±0.2) less SOA volume and 45% (±6%) less methyltetrol sulfates, suggesting other organosulfates may form. Even though both exhibited core-shell morphology after IEPOX uptake, physicochemical differences were observed via Raman microspectroscopy, with organosulfates identified in both the core and shell of acidic ammonium sulfate SOA particles, but only in the core for acidic sodium sulfate SOA via Raman microspectroscopy. Our results suggest that isoprene-derived SOA formed on aged SSA is potentially an important, but underappreciated, source of SOA and organosulfates in marine and coastal regions and could modify SOA budgets in these environments. 
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  6. Oxidation of isoprene, the biogenic volatile organic compound with the highest emissions globally, is a large source of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) in the atmosphere. Organosulfates, particularly methyltetrol sulfates formed from acid-driven reactions of the oxidation product isoprene epoxydiol (IEPOX) onto particulate sulfate, are important contributors to SOA mass. To date, most studies have focused on organosulfate formation on ammonium sulfate particles at low pH. However, recent work has shown that sea spray aerosol (SSA) in the accumulation mode (~100 nm) is often quite acidic (pH ~ 2). Marine biota are well-established sources of isoprene, with annual global oceanic fluxes of isoprene estimated to range from 1-12 Tg, and IEPOX-derived organosulfates have been identified in marine environments. Herein, we demonstrate that substantial SOA, including organosulfates, are formed on acidic sodium sulfate particles, representative of marine aerosol heterogeneously reacting with H2SO4 to form Na2SO4. We compare SOA formed from the reactive uptake of IEPOX onto particulate sulfate and find that the cation (sodium vs. ammonium) impacts the physical properties and chemical composition of the SOA formed. Additionally, we investigate the formation of SOA derived from sodium sulfate based on key properties including particle acidity and the extent of exposure to oxidation via OH radicals. Our results suggest that isoprene-derived SOA formed on aged SSA is potentially an important, but underappreciated, source of SOA and organosulfates in marine and coastal regions and could modify SOA budgets and composition in these environments. 
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  7. Organosulfates (OSs) are the most abundant class of organosulfur compounds (OrgS) in atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Globally, isoprene‐derived OSs (iOSs) are the most abundantly reported OSs. The methyltetrol sulfates (MTSs), formed from multiphase chemical reactions of isoprene‐derived epoxidiols (IEPOX) with acidic sulfate aerosols, are the predominant iOSs. A recent study revealed that the heterogeneous hydroxyl radical (•OH) oxidation of fine particulate MTSs yields several highly oxygenated and functionalized OSs previously attributed to non‐IEPOX pathways. By using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography interfaced to electrospray ionization high‐resolution quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (HILIC/ESI‐HRQTOFMS), iOSs were quantitatively characterized in PM2.5 collected from 20 ground sites within the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) network during the 2016 summer and winter seasons. Total water‐soluble sulfur (TWS‐S) and sulfur in the form of inorganic sulfate (Sinorg) were determined by inductively coupled plasmaoptical emission spectroscopy (ICP‐OES) and ion chromatography (IC), respectively. The difference between TWS‐S and Sinorg was used as an upper bound estimate of water‐soluble OrgS concentration. Significantly higher OrgS concentrations, coincident with elevated iOS concentrations, were observed only in summer. On average, iOSs (130 ± 60, up to 240 ng m‐3) explained 29% (± 7%) of OrgS and 5% (± 2%) of organic matter (OM = 1.8*OC) in summertime PM2.5 collected from the eastern U.S. For the western U.S., iOSs (11 ± 6 ng m‐3) account for 6% (± 5%) of OrgS and 0.7% (± 0.4%) of OM. This study provides critical insights into the abundance, prevalence, spatial variability of iOSs across the U.S. 
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