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Tendon adhesion is a common complication after tendon injury with the development of accumulated fibrotic tissues without effective anti-fibrotic therapies, resulting in severe disability. Macrophages are widely recognized as a fibrotic trigger during peritendinous adhesion formation. However, different clusters of macrophages have various functions and receive multiple regulation, which are both still unknown. In our current study, multi-omics analysis including single-cell RNA sequencing and proteomics was performed on both human and mouse tendon adhesion tissue at different stages after tendon injury. The transcriptomes of over 74 000 human single cells were profiled. As results, we found that SPP1+ macrophages, RGCC+ endothelial cells, ACKR1+ endothelial cells and ADAM12+ fibroblasts participated in tendon adhesion formation. Interestingly, despite specific fibrotic clusters in tendon adhesion, FOLR2+ macrophages were identified as an antifibrotic cluster by in vitro experiments using human cells. Furthermore, ACKR1 was verified to regulate FOLR2+ macrophages migration at the injured peritendinous site by transplantation of bone marrow from Lysm-Cre;R26RtdTomato mice to lethally irradiated Ackr1−/− mice (Ackr1−/− chimeras; deficient in ACKR1) and control mice (WT chimeras). Compared with WT chimeras, the decline of FOLR2+ macrophages was also observed, indicating that ACKR1 was specifically involved in FOLR2+ macrophages migration. Taken together, our study not only characterized the fibrosis microenvironment landscape of tendon adhesion by multi-omics analysis, but also uncovered a novel antifibrotic cluster of macrophages and their origin. These results provide potential therapeutic targets against human tendon adhesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: The anti-adhesion effect of polylactic acid (PLA) membrane with diamond-like carbon (DLC) depositing is 44.72%, enhanced by 23.11% compared to PLA. DLC deposited on PLA membranes has been shown to effectively reduce the levels of reactive oxygen species, leading to a decrease in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines within peritendinous adhesion tissue. DLC decelerates PLA biodegradation and lactic production, which reduces the number of CD68+CD206+ macrophages within peritendinous adhesion tissue. Post-traumatic peritendinous adhesion presents a significant challenge in clinical medicine. This study proposes the use of diamond-like carbon (DLC) deposited on polylactic acid (PLA) membranes as a biophysical mechanism for anti-adhesion barrier to encase ruptured tendons in tendon-injured rats. The results indicate that PLA/DLC composite membrane exhibits more efficient anti-adhesion effect than PLA membrane, with histological score decreasing from 3.12 ± 0.27 to 2.20 ± 0.22 and anti-adhesion effectiveness increasing from 21.61% to 44.72%. Mechanistically, the abundant C=O bond functional groups on the surface of DLC can reduce reactive oxygen species level effectively; thus, the phosphorylation of NF-κB and M1 polarization of macrophages are inhibited. Consequently, excessive inflammatory response augmented by M1 macrophage-originated cytokines including interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is largely reduced. For biocompatibility evaluation, PLA/DLC membrane is slowly absorbed within tissue and displays prolonged barrier effects compared to traditional PLA membranes. Further studies show the DLC depositing decelerates the release of degradation product lactic acid and its induction of macrophage M2 polarization by interfering esterase and PLA ester bonds, which further delays the fibrosis process. It was found that the PLA/DLC membrane possess an efficient biophysical mechanism for treatment of peritendinous adhesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the function of rare non-coding variants represents a significant challenge. Using MapUTR, a screening method, we studied the function of rare 3′ UTR variants affecting mRNA abundance post-transcriptionally. Among 17,301 rare gnomAD variants, an average of 24.5% were functional, with 70% in cancer-related genes, many in critical cancer pathways. This observation motivated an interrogation of 11,929 somatic mutations, uncovering 3928 (33%) functional mutations in 155 cancer driver genes. Functional MapUTR variants were enriched in microRNA- or protein-binding sites and may underlie outlier gene expression in tumors. Further, we introduce untranslated tumor mutational burden (uTMB), a metric reflecting the amount of somatic functional MapUTR variants of a tumor and show its potential in predicting patient survival. Through prime editing, we characterized three variants in cancer-relevant genes (MFN2, FOSL2, and IRAK1), demonstrating their cancer-driving potential. Our study elucidates the function of tens of thousands of non-coding variants, nominates non-coding cancer driver mutations, and demonstrates their potential contributions to cancer. The function of rare non-coding variants remains challenging to decipher. Here, the authors developed MapUTR to uncover 10,524 functional rare 3' UTR variants regulating mRNA abundance, many of which reside in cancer driver genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many Chinese adolescents suffer from academic burnout, and parenting stress may be a risk factor. The mediating mechanisms underlying this relationship are less known. This study examines the association between parenting stress and adolescent academic burnout, and tests whether adolescent mental health symptoms such as depression and anxiety symptoms, positive psychological traits such as self-efficacy and resilience mediate this association. A total of 1805 students aged 11 to 14 years and their parents were recruited from three schools in Shanghai, China, using multi-stage convenient cluster sampling. Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, Elementary School Student Burnout Scale, Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children-Chinese, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and General Self-Efficacy Scale were completed by 98.52% of participants. Multivariable regression analysis and structural equation modeling were applied using SAS 9.4 and Mplus 8.3. Parenting stress was positively associated with adolescent academic burnout (β = 0.086, p < 0.001). Adolescent anxiety and depression symptoms (β = 0.046, p < 0.01), self-efficacy and resilience (β = 0.080, p < 0.001) significantly mediated this association with a chain mediating effect of 0.043 (p < 0.001). Adolescent mental health symptoms and positive psychological traits mediated the association between parenting stress and academic burnout. They can be targets for future interventions aiming at reducing academic burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the association between household characteristics, perceived family support (PFS), and the developmental outcomes (resilience, academic performance, and prosociality) among at-risk students. Our large sample included 1564 primary and secondary school students from poor rural China (M = 11.55 years old). Having a caregiver whose resilience score was in the top 50% of the sample was associated with a 0.48-point increase (or 0.31 d effect size), while having a migrant mother was correlated with a 0.26-point decrease (or 0.17 d effect size). PFS was a significant (p < 0.0001) mediator between household characteristics and developmental outcomes. Our study highlights the link between caregiver resilience and PFS, and the healthy functioning of disadvantaged students in a developing context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) plays an important role in the regulation of oxidative stress, which is associated with endometriosis. This study aims to investigate the effects of NOX4 in endometriosis and its molecular mechanisms. Clinical specimens were collected, and human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) were isolated. The knockdown of NOX4 cell lines was established on the HESCs and induced by peritoneal fluid. The levels of NOX4 were determined by using immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining, western blotting, and qPCR, respectively. The levels of oxidative stress markers were determined by using western blotting and ELISAs, respectively. The correlation of NOX4 and oxidative stress markers was analyzed by the Pearson correlation coefficient. The levels of NOX4 were dramatically elevated in the ectopic endometrium. Besides, oxidative stress biomarkers were also dysregulated in the ectopic endometrium as compared to the normal endometrium. Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis revealed a relationship between NOX4 and oxidative stress biomarkers in the ectopic endometrium. NOX4 modulated the expressions of oxidative stress markers in endometrial stromal cells stimulated by the peritoneal fluid from endometriosis. The effects of NOX4 on endometriosis are in part by its regulatory effects against oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have determined that the nervous system can sense and respond to signals from skeletal tissue, a process known as skeletal interoception, which is crucial for maintaining bone homeostasis. The hypothalamus, located in the central nervous system (CNS), plays a key role in processing interoceptive signals and regulating bone homeostasis through the autonomic nervous system, neuropeptide release, and neuroendocrine mechanisms. These mechanisms control the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into osteoblasts (OBs), the activation of osteoclasts (OCs), and the functional activities of bone cells. Sensory nerves extensively innervate skeletal tissues, facilitating the transmission of interoceptive signals to the CNS. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current research on the generation and coordination of skeletal interoceptive signals by the CNS to maintain bone homeostasis and their potential role in pathological conditions. The findings expand our understanding of intersystem communication in bone biology and may have implications for developing novel therapeutic strategies for bone diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF)-8-silica hybrid monolithic column was prepared by one-step sol–gel method. The stationary phase in the monolithic column was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectra, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, nitrogen adsorption/desorption, and zeta potential. The results showed that ZIF-8-silica hybrid monolithic materials had abundant functional groups, good crystallinity, large specific surface area, and good thermal stability. A capillary electrochromatography (CEC) chiral separation system was for the first time constructed with ZIF-8-silica hybrid monolithic column and sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBE-β-CD) as a chiral additive and was applied to separate the selected single and mixed chiral compounds (13 natural amino acids and 5 chiral pesticides). Under the optimized CEC conditions, all the single analytes achieved baseline separation with resolution of 2.14–5.94 and selectivity factor of 1.06–1.49 in less than 6 min, and the mixed amino acids with similar properties were also simultaneously enantioseparated (Rs ≥ 1.82). Relative standard deviations (RSDs) of migration time and column efficiency were lower than 4.26% and did not change significantly after 200 runs, evidencing excellent reproducibility and stability. These results demonstrate that the application of SBE-β-CD as a chiral additive for ZIF-8-silica hybrid monolithic columns is a promising method for the separation of chiral compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disorder wherein the composition and gene expression patterns of peripheral blood immune cells change significantly. It is triggered by antigens with similar epitopes to Schwann cells that stimulate a maladaptive immune response against peripheral nerves. However, an atlas for peripheral blood immune cells in patients with GBS has not yet been constructed. This is a monocentric, prospective study. We collected 5 acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) patients and 3 healthy controls hospitalized in the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from December 2020 to May 2021, 3 AIDP patients were in the peak stage and 2 were in the convalescent stage. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from these patients. Furthermore, we performed cell clustering, cell annotation, cell–cell communication, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identification and pseudotime trajectory analysis. Our study identified a novel clonally expanded CD14+ CD163+ monocyte subtype in the peripheral blood of patients with AIDP, and it was enriched in cellular response to IL1 and chemokine signaling pathways. Furthermore, we observed increased IL1β–IL1R2 cell–cell communication between CD14+ and CD16+ monocytes. In short, by analyzing the single-cell landscape of the PBMCs in patients with AIDP we hope to widen our understanding of the composition of peripheral immune cells in patients with GBS and provide a theoretical basis for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media become an important space where people receive and share up-to-date health-related information during the rapid global spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). While information sharing in social media has been shown to improve relations, reduce stress, and enhance life satisfaction, little is known about reciprocal sharing. Situated in COVID-19 pandemic, this study conceptualizes information sharing as a communication process during which sharers expect the receivers to reciprocate, while receivers feel obligated to return the favor. Building upon social exchange theory and studies on social media sharing, the study tested a model of moderated mediation in which sharing of COVID-19 information was predicted to enhance life satisfaction by encouraging reciprocal sharing, i.e., information reciprocity. Subjective norms, attitudes, and perceived usefulness of the information was predicted to moderate the mediation. The hypothesized mediation was supported by data from a survey of 511 online participants in China. Furthermore, the indirect effect appeared stronger among the respondents who found the information more useful, reported more positive attitude, or perceived more subjective norms. The findings suggest that expected reciprocation may be an important incentive for social sharing, and received reciprocation may be a central part of the mechanism through which sharing benefits the sharer. Policymakers and communicators may need to take information reciprocity into consideration when designing health information campaign to confront communal threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignin molecules contain alcohol hydroxyl and phenolic hydroxyl, so lignin can be used instead of toxic bisphenol A (BPA) to synthesize epoxy resin, which can not only reduce the amount of formaldehyde emission but also achieve the purpose of waste utilization and environmental protection. In this study, the lignin of Eucalyptus urophylla was extracted with ionic liquid as the extraction agent, and subsequently phenolated by methylphenol as phenolic agent with concentrated sulfuric acid as catalyst to prepare phenolated lignin (PLG). Then, using NaOH as catalyst, the PLG was epoxidized with epoxy chloropropane (ECH) to synthesize the lignin-based epoxy resin (LGEP). The extraction of lignin and the synthesis of LGEP were investigated by the single-factor and orthogonal test, and the Eucalyptus urophylla raw materials, lignin, PLG, and LGEP were characterized by UV, FTIR, XRD, SEM, and TGA. The results demonstrated that when the ionic liquid was [ChCl][Gly], the temperature was 90 °C, the time was 4 h, and the liquid-solid ratio was 20:1; the extraction rate of lignin reached 93.73%, and the purity of the regenerated lignin was 96.3%. The mass ratio of PLG to ECH was 1:2.5, the mass fraction of NaOH was 20% of the mass of PLG, the reaction time was 3 h, and the reaction temperature was 95 °C. Under this condition, the epoxy value of LGEP was 0.364. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open burning of agricultural residues causes numerous complications including particulate matter pollution in the air, soil degradation, global warming and many more. Since they possess bio-conversion potential, agro-industrial residues including sugarcane bagasse (SCB), rice straw (RS), corncob (CC) and sweet sorghum bagasse (SSB) were chosen for the study. Yeast strains, Candida tropicalis, C. shehatae, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Kluyveromyces marxianus var. marxianus were compared for their production potential of bioethanol and phenylacetylcarbinol (PAC), an intermediate in the manufacture of crucial pharmaceuticals, namely, ephedrine, and pseudoephedrine. Among the substrates and yeasts evaluated, RS cultivated with C. tropicalis produced significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher ethanol concentration at 15.3 g L−1 after 24 h cultivation. The product per substrate yield (Yeth/s) was 0.38 g g-1 with the volumetric productivity (Qp) of 0.64 g L−1 h−1 and fermentation efficiency of 73.6% based on a theoretical yield of 0.51 g ethanol/g glucose. C. tropicalis grown in RS medium produced 0.303 U mL−1 pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC), a key enzyme that catalyzes the production of PAC, with a specific activity of 0.400 U mg−1 protein after 24 h cultivation. This present study also compared the whole cells biomass of C. tropicalis with its partially purified PDC preparation for PAC biotransformation. The whole cells C. tropicalis PDC at 1.29 U mL−1 produced an overall concentration of 62.3 mM PAC, which was 68.4% higher when compared to partially purified enzyme preparation. The results suggest that the valorization of lignocellulosic residues into bioethanol and PAC will not only aid in mitigating the environmental challenge posed by their surroundings but also has the potential to improve the bioeconomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The attachment of Ulva prolifera seedlings to Neopyropia yezoensis rafts is a negative phenomenon which affects Neopyropia cultivation in the Yellow Sea of China that has been extensively investigated. Although acid treatment can be effectively used for Neopyropia aquaculture, an accurate acid reagent is lacking. Therefore, the present study aims to determine the effective acid concentration and processing time for removing Ulva in Neopyropia cultivation whilst maintaining minimal damage to N. yezoensis. By the relationship between effective quantum yield of photosystem II (ΦPSII) and cell survival rate, we can determine the recovery threshold of two algae. Threshold points of effective quantum yield were 0.310 and 0.357 respectively, which were used as criteria to judge survival status of N. yezoensis and U. prolifera. Citric acid had an effective removal effect on U. prolifera and can maintain N. yezoensis with less damage compared with hydrochloric acid. pH is the main influencing factor of acid treatment and was determined as the main factor by establishing a model. The hydrochloric acid treatment group was composed of 8 combinations of pH and time, while the citric acid treatment group contained 17 combinations. Under these treatment combinations, U. prolifera can be removed, while N. yezoensis is almost unaffected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the limited medical resources in most cholera endemic countries, in this paper, a nonlinear fractional SVIR-B (Susceptible-Vaccinated-Infected-Recovered, Bacterial) cholera epidemic model with imperfect vaccination and saturated treatment is proposed and investigated. The model performs well-posed in both epidemiologically and mathematically, especially, we demonstrate the positivity and boundedness of all solutions using the generalized mean value theorem. The control reproduction number R vt is derived using the next generation matrix method and both local and global stability analyses for the disease-free equilibrium is performed by analyzing the characteristic equation and using Lyapunov functional. Then, the existence and stability of endemic equilibria are further addressed. Sufficient conditions for the existence of backward bifurcation and Hopf bifurcation are also derived. Subsequently, an optimal control problem with vaccination, media coverage, treatment, and sanitation as control strategies is proposed and analyzed, providing a rationale for cholera control and prevention. In addition, several numerical examples are employed to illustrate our theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sirtuin7 (SIRT7), as a member of the sirtuin and NAD+-dependent protein-modifying enzyme family, plays an important role in regulating cellular metabolism, stress responses, tumorigenesis, and aging. Ubiquitination and deubiquitination are reversible post-translational modifications that regulate protein stability, enzyme activity, protein–protein interactions, and cellular signaling transduction. However, whether SIRT7 is regulated by deubiquitination signaling is unclear. This study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanism of SIRT7 via deubiquitination signaling. Methods: USP17L2 or SIRT7-targeting shRNAs were used to deplete USP17L2 or SIRT7. Western blot was applied to assess the effects of USP17L2 or SIRT7 depletion. A co-immunoprecipitation assay was used to detect the interaction relationship. Cell Counting Kit-8 assays were applied to assess the viability of breast cancer cells. An immunohistochemistry assay was employed to detect the protein level in samples from breast cancer patients, and the TCGA database was applied to analyze the survival rate of breast cancer patients. Statistical analyses were performed with the Student's t test (two-tailed unpaired) and χ2 test. Results: We find that the deubiquitinase USP17L2 interacts with and deubiquitinates SIRT7, thereby increasing SIRT7 protein stability. In addition, USP17L2 regulates DNA damage repair through SIRT7. Furthermore, SIRT7 polyubiquitination is increased by knocking down of USP17L2, which leads to cancer cells sensitizing to chemotherapy. In breast cancer patient samples, high expression of USP17L2 is correlated with increased levels of SIRT7 protein. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the USP17L2-SIRT7 axis is the new regulator in DNA damage response and chemo-response, suggesting that USP17L2 may be a prognostic factor and a potential therapeutic target in breast cancer. Conclusion: Our results highlighted that USP17L2 regulates the chemoresistance of breast cancer cells in a SIRT7-dependent manner. Moreover, the role of USP17L2 as a potential therapeutic target in breast cancer and a prognostic factor for patients was elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enhanced hydrolysis of xylan-type hemicellulose is important to maximize ethanol production yield and substrate utilization rate in lignocellulose-based simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation system. In this study, we conduct δ-integration CRISPR Cas9 to achieve multicopy chromosomal integration with high efficiency of reductase–xylitol dehydrogenase pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Subsequently, we devise a consolidated bioprocessing-enabling S. cerevisiae consortium, in which every engineered yeast strain could secrete or display different assembly components to be adaptively assembled on the surface of scaffoldin-displaying yeast cell for synergistic catalysis and co-fermentation from steam-exploded Pennisetum purpureum. Despite the accumulation of xylitol, the maximum ethanol titer of the genetically engineered yeast strain reached 12.88 g/l with the cellulose conversion of 91.21% and hemicellulose conversion of 55.25% under 30 ºC after 96 h with the addition of commercial cellulase. The elaborated cellulosomal organization toward genetic engineering of an industrially important microorganism presents a designed approach for advanced lignocellulolytic potential and improved capability of biofuel processing. Keypoints: A replicative and integrative Di-CRISPR platform was promising in generating an efficient xylose-utilizing Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain. The functional activity of chimeric xylanases was demonstrated in direct hemicellulose-to-ethanol conversion. The feasibility of an accessory enzymatic system of cellulase for simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation from pretreated C4 grass was evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies a fractional-order delayed susceptible–infected–recovered epidemic model with saturated incidence rate and saturated treatment function. In particular, the positivity and boundedness of all solutions are determined. The existence and stability of all possible equilibria are also discussed. The study reveals that the model has multiple equilibria and the possible existence of backward bifurcation whose implications for the spread of disease are discussed. Then, a fractional-order delayed optimal control problem related to vaccination and treatment enhancement is proposed and analyzed. The existence of an optimal pair is shown and the optimal control solution is characterized. Three control strategies (viz., vaccination only; treatment enhancement only; the combination of vaccination and treatment enhancement) are discussed and compared through numerical simulations. In terms of the control effect and cost, the combination of vaccination and treatment enhancement is significantly superior to vaccination, and vaccination is better than treatment enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel fractional-order delayed Ross–Macdonald model for malaria transmission. This paper aims to systematically investigate the effect of both the incubation periods of Plasmodium and the order on the dynamic behavior of diseases. Utilizing inequality techniques, contraction mapping theory, fractional linear stability theorem, and bifurcation theory, several sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of solutions, the local stability of the positive equilibrium point, and the existence of fractional-order Hopf bifurcation are obtained under different time delays cases. The results show that time delay can change the stability of system. System becomes unstable and generates a Hopf bifurcation when the delay increases to a certain value. Besides, the value of order influences the stability interval size. Thus, incubation periods and the order have a major effect on the dynamic behavior of the model. The effectiveness of the theoretical results is shown through numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To resolve the severe wear problems of steering engine and fin stabilizer, the nonlinear response characteristics of steering engine and fin stabilizer are studied by analyzing sea trial data of ship Yukun. The nonlinear response characteristics are summarized and applied to a rudder and fin hybrid control system. Decoupling, H ∞ and H 2 controllers are designed to achieve low control frequency for it. Simulations show that all the three controllers can achieve excellent course-keeping and roll damping performances, and their control frequencies and amplitudes are consistent with those of nautical practice. It can be found that H 2 controller achieves the best response performance of course-keeping and energy saving performance for rudder engine; H ∞ controller achieves the best response performance for roll damping; Decoupling controller has the best energy saving performance for fin stabilizer. When the Beaufort wind force scale is increased from 6 to 8 and model perturbation is involved, H 2 controller shows the best robustness of control performance and control input. In addition, the designed low-order controllers can reduce hardware cost for autopilot realization in nautical field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to supply difficulties caused by seasonal availability, fuel ethanol production from a single lignocellulosic biomass species is always uneconomical at commercial scale. The utilization of blended biomass offers a potential solution to this problem. In this study, a prediction model was developed to evaluate the sugar release from blended garden wastes in a microwave-assisted hot water (MHW) process. The optimum blending ratio of Bauhinia blakeana Dunn (BB), rice straw (RS) and sugarcane bagasse (SC) was found to be 2:3:5, which promised a high total xylose yield of 67.82% (using a process temperature of 186 °C for 43 min). While the yield of xylose could only reach 52.47% when adopting the single garden waste of BB as feedstock under the same condition. Furthermore, the use of blended materials provided a cost savings of 22.23% as compared with the single RS feedstock, and no significant difference was found in the release of total xylose. The model developed was found to accurately predict the total xylose released from blended garden feedstocks. In addition, a steady supply of lignocellulosic biomass for fuel ethanol production could also be generated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) is commonly detected in wastewater and cannot be completely decomposed during conventional treatment processes. Ozone (O3) is often used in water treatment. This study explored the influence of natural organic matters (NOM) in secondary effluent of a sewage treatment plant on the ozonation pathways of SMX. The changes in NOM components during ozonation were also analyzed. SMX was primarily degraded by hydrolysis, isoxazole-ring opening, and double-bond addition, whereas hydroxylation was not the principal route given the low maximum abundances of the hydroxylated products, with m/z of 269 and 287. The hydroxylation process occurred mainly through indirect oxidation because the maximum abundances of the products reduced by about 70% after the radical quencher was added, whereas isoxazole-ring opening and double-bond addition processes mainly depended on direct oxidation, which was unaffected by the quencher. NOM mainly affected the degradation of micropollutants by consuming •OH rather than O3 molecules, resulting in the 63%–85% decrease in indirect oxidation products. The NOM in the effluent were also degraded simultaneously during ozonation, and the components with larger aromaticity were more likely degraded through direct oxidation. The dependences of the three main components of NOM in the effluent on indirect oxidation followed the sequence: humic-like substances>fluvic-like substance-s>protein-like substances. This study reveals the ozonation mechanism of SMX in secondary effluent and provides a theoretical basis for the control of SMX and its degradation products in actual water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The evidence on efficacy of intravitreously administered Conbercept (IVC) monotherapy for diabetic macular degeneration was still limited. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in November 2019 to summarize the current evidence on visual acuity (VA) changes with IVC monotherapy in the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) from Pubmed, ClinicalTrials.gov, EMbase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, Chin VIP Information (VIP), and Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM). Retrospective or prospective clinical studies which used IVC injection for the treatment of DME were included. Outcomes included in the analysis were change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT). A meta-regression was conducted to assess 1-year BCVA and CMT changes against numbers of injections. Results: A total of 20 studies were included in current study. At 12-month follow-up, an overall increase of 0.67 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) BCVA score [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.24–1.11; P = 0.003] and 1.03 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters (95% CI 0.69–1.38; P < 0.001) was shown with IVC injection compared to baseline. Decrease in CMT was 142.79 μm (95% CI 112.71–172.87; P < 0.001) compared to baseline. The meta-regression showed a significant increase in effect size between number of injections and 12-month logMAR BCVA scale change as well as CMT. Conclusion: Our findings suggest improved VA and CMT outcomes during 1-year follow-up in patients with DME who underwent IVC monotherapy. Increased injection frequency demonstrates a significant trend with improved outcomes at 12 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The globally changing environmental climate, ocean acidification, and heavy metal pollution are of increasing concern. However, studies investigating the combined effects of ocean acidification and zinc (Zn) exposure on macroalgae are very scarce. In this study, the photosynthetic performance of the red alga Pyropia yezoensis was examined under three different concentrations of Zn (control, 25 (medium), and 100 (high) μg L−1) and pCO2 (400 (ambient) and 1000 (high) μatm). The results showed that higher Zn concentrations resulted in increased toxicity for P. yezoensis, while ocean acidification alleviated this negative effect. Ocean acidification increased the relative growth rate of thalli under both medium and high Zn concentrations. The net photosynthetic rate and respiratory rate of thalli also significantly increased in response under ocean acidification, when thalli were cultured under both medium and high Zn concentrations. Malondialdehyde levels decreased under ocean acidification, compared to ambient CO2 conditions and either medium or high Zn concentrations. The activity of superoxide dismutase increased in response to high Zn concentrations, which was particularly apparent at high Zn concentration and ocean acidification. Immunoblotting tests showed that ocean acidification increased D1 removal, with increasing expression levels of the PSII reaction center proteins D2, CP47, and RbcL. These results suggested that ocean acidification could alleviate the damage caused by Zn exposure, thus providing a theoretical basis for a better prediction of the impact of global climate change and heavy metal contamination on marine primary productivity in the form of seaweeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as glucose intolerance of any degree that occurs after onset of pregnancy. Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) plays an important regulatory role in insulin resistance and is a risk factor in GDM. In the current study, we aimed to examine whether SHBG can regulate glucose metabolism through glucose transporters (GLUTs). SHBG was transfected into established human insulin model cells and the expression of SHBG, GLUT1, GLUT3, and GLUT4 was detected and analyzed in normal cells, model cells, and all groups of transfected cells by real-time PCR and western blotting. Further, immunofluorescence staining was performed on cells from each group to observe protein expression. In insulin resistance model cells, the expression of SHBG was low, whereas that of GLUT1 was high and of GLUT3 and GLUT4 was low, when compared with expression in control cells. Moreover, the overexpression of SHBG inhibited the expression of GLUT1 mRNA and protein, and promoted the expression of GLUT3 and GLUT4. Our results indicate that SHBG could be involved in glucose metabolism through its regulation of multiple GLUTs. Transfection of SHBG into insulin-resistant cells may partially improve the level of GLUTs, providing a potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of insulin resistance in GDM. Although SHBG can regulate glucose metabolism through GLUTs and thus cause insulin resistance and induce gestational diabetes, the regulation mechanism of GLUTs mediated by SHBG has not been elucidated, which will be the focus of further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pretreatment with solid base catalysts addressed the challenge of recalcitrance of the lignocellulosic cell wall and provided insight into an economical and environmentally friendly biorefinery technology. Several solid base catalysts were prepared, to establish a reliable assessment of the factors governing their catalytic behaviors. The activity of solid base catalysts, allowing the more accessible lignocellulosic molecules to be depolymerized by enzymes, were evaluated by investigating the properties of the catalysts, the pretreated feedstock, and the residues, after 72 h of enzymatic hydrolysis. A statistical design (CCD) approach was applied to define the factors for the maximum saccharification and an efficient activity recovery. In the case of hybrid pennisetum, an optimized yield of 92% and a retention of 98% activity after 4 cycles were obtained. One of the mechanisms of the solid base catalysts during recalcitrance removal reactions, considering their structures and chemical compositions, was to enhance the accessibility of the cellulosic molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into furfural (FF) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) requires a high reaction temperature (150–230 °C) in aqueous/organic systems. In this study, a novel choline chloride–formic acid-SnCl4·5H2O (ChCl–Fa–SnCl4) catalytic system was designed to transform herbal residues (HRs) carbohydrates into furanic derivatives at temperatures below 140 °C. The total yield of FF and xylose from HR of Heteropogon contortus (L.) Beauv (HRH) was 67.5% at 140 °C for 10 min, while the total yield of 5-HMF and glucose from HR of Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge was 93.8% at 120 °C. Characteristics of substrates such as molecular weight had a great influence on formation of furanic derivatives and sugar release. Surprisingly, the dissolution and recrystallisation characteristics of ChCl make this catalytic system sustainable and economically attractive. Recovery of ChCl and SnCl4 was 73.3% following simple natural recrystallisation, and recovered material retained a high chemical reactivity for FF and 5-HMF production. Moreover, 100% lignin dissolution was achieved in this system at 140 °C, and ~ 77% could be precipitated and recovered by adding water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "Enantioseparation by zeolitic imidazolate framework-8-silica hybrid monolithic column with sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin as a chiral additive in capillary electrochromatography" published in Microchimica Acta. The correction states that the wrong Figure 3 was included in the original article and provides the correct figure. The original article has been corrected. The publisher, Springer Nature, remains neutral regarding jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. The authors of the article are Lidi Gao, Hongshou Cui, Xinyu Guo, Qing Dong, Xingyu You, Xinshu Guo, Shili Qin, and Lihua Jia. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract: A novel lignin-derived deep eutectic solvent (DES) was synthesized from choline chloride (ChCl) and p-coumaric acid (PCA). The results showed that after pretreatment with lignin-derived DES, the dense cellulose-hemicellulose-lignin structure of herb residues of Cortex albiziae (HRCA) was effectively broken down and this facilitated subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis. The optimum pretreatment conditions were ChCl/PCA molar ratio of 1:1, 160 °C-5 h, and a solid-liquid ratio of 1:10. Compared with untreated HRCA, 72-h enzymatic digestibility increased from 48.08 to 84.62%. When a ChCl-PCA-water pretreatment was used, the 72-h digestibility level of the residue reached 99.36%. Moreover, the recycling and reusability of this novel DES were evaluated. The results showed that synthesis and utilization of green, environment-friendly and recyclable lignin-derived DES can offer a new way of utilizing lignin which has considerable potential in the refining of biomass. Graphical abstract: A novel lignin-derived deep eutectic solvent was synthesized, this DES pretreatment can improve the enzymatic digestibility of HCRA cellulose efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we reported the design and preparation of a double-layer antireflective (AR) coating, which possessed relatively high transmittance at 351, 527, and 1053 nm. The refractive indices and film thicknesses of the under layer and upper layer of the simulated AR coating were determined as 1.27, 95 nm and 1.18, 106 nm, respectively. The under layer of the double-layer coating dip-coated from a mixture of base-catalyzed and acid-catalyzed silica sols had a refractive index of 1.27. The upper layer fabricated by the deposition of methylated silica nanoparticles by simply adding methyltriethoxysilane into the base-catalyzed silica sols possessed a refractive index of 1.18. The hydrophobicity of coatings could be dramatically improved with the water contact angle increasing from 23.4° to 150.0°, and the refractive indices of the pure base-catalyzed silica coatings were easily decreased from 1.20 to 1.12 through the surface treatment of silica nanoparticles. Thus, we have successfully prepared a double-layer AR coating, which had a high transmittance of 99.8%, 96.1%, and 99.7% at 351, 527, and 1053 nm, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To purify cellulosic ethanol wastewater (CEW) and obtain algae simultaneously, culturing microalgae using CEW as the medium is a potentially promising technology. In this study, mutation breeding of Scenedesmus sp. induced by ultraviolet (UV) and ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) was performed, and three mutant strains were screened using undiluted CEW. Among them, the mutant MU1 showed a high biomass yield of 1075 mg L−1 and biomass productivity of 39.81 mg L−1 day−1, and the lipid and protein content of MU1 can reach up to 21.4 and 41.9% (dry weight of biomass), respectively. Meanwhile, the chemical oxygen demand (COD), total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), total phosphorus (TP) and chroma (CHR) removal percentages in CEW reached to 33.5, 71.2, 46.4 and 17.8%, respectively. These results indicated that MU1 is suitable for purifying CEW and producing biomass simultaneously, providing a prospective way for CEW treatment and low-cost microalgae cultivation.ᅟ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA editing introduces single nucleotide changes to RNA, thus potentially diversifying gene expression. Recent studies have reported significant changes in RNA editing profiles in disease and development. The functional consequences of these widespread alterations remain elusive because of the unknown function of most RNA editing sites. Here, we carry out a comprehensive analysis of A-to-I editomes in human populations. Surprisingly, we observe highly similar editing profiles across populations despite striking differences in the expression levels of ADAR genes. Striving to explain this discrepancy, we uncover a functional mechanism of A-to-I editing in regulating mRNA abundance. We show that A-to-I editing stabilizes RNA secondary structures and reduces the accessibility of AGO2-miRNA to target sites in mRNAs. The editing-dependent stabilization of mRNAs in turn alters the observed editing levels in the stable RNA repertoire. Our study provides valuable insights into the functional impact of RNA editing in human cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explicitly understanding biomass recalcitrance through the characterization of biomass physicochemical properties may help to develop efficient pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis strategies. The lignin of corncob and eucalyptus contain the same main linkage bonds: β-O-4 aryl ether bonds, β- β and β-5 structures, but the lignin of eucalyptus was of the syringyl (S)-guaiacy (G) type, while that of corncob was SG- p-hydroxyphenyl (H) type, corresponding to lignin S/G ratios of 1.6 and 1.1 respectively. Under the optimum microwave-hydrothermal pretreatment condition of 180 °C for 30 min at a 12.5% substrate concentration, the maximum total xylose yield of corncob (64.7%) was lower than that of eucalyptus (79.2%). In contrast, corncob resulted in a greater increase in enzymatic digestibility, from 59.6 to 82.4%, after pretreatments, compared with 16.7 to 74.9% for eucalyptus. There was a positive correlation between the xylose yield and lignin S/G ratio, but the lignin content was negatively correlated with enzymatic digestibility. Furthermore, based on the non-destructive characterization of three-dimensional X-ray microscopy, not only was the increase in the number and size of surface pores beneficial to the accessibility of cellulose to cellulosic enzymes, but the swelling of cell wall could reduce the recalcitrance of sugar release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The red macroalga Pyropia/ Porphyra is one of the most important marine crops in the world; Pyropia cultivation is severely affected by the green macroalga Ulva spp., a fouling organism. In this study, growth competition and acquisition of dissolved inorganic carbon (Ci) by Ulva prolifera and Pyropia yezoensis were investigated to understand the physiological characteristics of the two species. Competition experimental results showed that the relative growth rate of U. prolifera was not affected, whereas the growth rate of P. yezoensis was significantly inhibited. U. prolifera exhibited a competitive advantage when these two species were cultured together. The two algal species displayed high pH compensation points, suggesting that U. prolifera and P. yezoensis can photosynthesize by using HCO; the utilization ability of U. prolifera is stronger than that of P. yezoensis. The net photosynthetic rates of P. yezoensis and U. prolifera were significantly inhibited by the carbonic anhydrase (CA) inhibitors acetazolamide and 6-ethoxyzolamide indicating that CA is implicated in carbon-concentrating mechanisms (CCM). 4,4′-diisothiocyano-stilbene-2,2′-disulfonate (DIDS), another inhibitor that prevents direct HCO uptake, did not significantly affect U. prolifera. Conversely, DIDS can sharply decrease the photosynthetic rate of P. yezoensis, particularly at high pH. U. prolifera and P. yezoensis also showed CO-limited photosynthesis by which the half-saturating concentration of Ci exceeds that of seawater. U. prolifera did not show active HCO uptake; instead, U. prolifera used HCO via extracellular CA for photosynthetic carbon fixation. U. prolifera also utilizes extracellular CA-mediated HCO absorption to a higher extent than P. yezoensis. By contrast, P. yezoensis shows active HCO uptake and extracellular CCMs for photosynthetic carbon fixation. Therefore, these two algal species can survive in changing environments with high pH and low Ci concentration because of the action of CCMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on findings of a study on relative abundance of β-thalassemia-related mutations in southern China correlates with geographical coordinates. It states relation between the graticule and the pathogenic genotype diversity, and mentions computation of the correlation coefficient between each genotype's frequency and geographic components. It notes analysis of pathogenic mutation carrier rate.

RNA editing generates post-transcriptional sequence changes that can be deduced from RNA-seq data, but detection typically requires matched genomic sequence or multiple related expression data sets. We developed the GIREMI tool (genome-independent identification of RNA editing by mutual information; https://www.ibp.ucla.edu/research/xiao/GIREMI.html) to predict adenosine-to-inosine editing accurately and sensitively from a single RNA-seq data set of modest sequencing depth. Using GIREMI on existing data, we observed tissue-specific and evolutionary patterns in editing sites in the human population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate the associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in two mismatch repair genes ( hMLH1 and hMSH2) and colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis in Northeast China. We genotyped 387 patients for 10 SNPs in hMLH1 and hMSH2, using polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism approach. Associations between genotypes and overall survival (OS) were estimated using hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). Two SNPs of hMLH1 ( hMLH1 −93G>A and IVS3−1403A>T) were significantly associated with OS of CRC in dominant model and recessive model, respectively. For hMLH1 −93G>A, the adjusted HR equaled 0.66 (95 % CI 0.45-0.99, p = 0.04). As for hMLH1 IVS3−1403A>T, the adjusted HR equaled 1.90 (95 % CI 1.14-3.17, p = 0.01). When stratified by tumor location, hMLH1 −93G>A and IVS3−1403A>T were associated with colon cancer survival (for hMLH1 −93G>A, AA+AG vs. GG, HR = 0.34, 95 % CI 0.17-0.68, p < 0.01; for hMLH1 IVS3−1403A>T, AT vs. AA, HR = 2.20, 95 % CI 1.11-4.36, p = 0.02), rather than rectal cancer. None of SNPs located at hMSH2 were significantly associated with prognosis of CRC. Our findings suggested that common variants in hMLH1 may serve as a predictor of CRC survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) and phospholipaseA2 (PLA2) played important roles in the modulation of apoptosis, angiogenesis, carcinogenesis and invasion of colorectal cancer (CRC). The polymorphisms in COX- 2, 12- LOX and PLA2 may affect their roles. Therefore, we investigated if COX- 2 −1195G > A, 12- LOX 261Arg > Gln and PLA2 c.349 + 191A > G polymorphisms were associated with risk and prognosis of CRC as well as possible interactions with the environmental factors on the risk of CRC in Northeast of China. A case–control study with 451 cases and 631 controls were carried out, a cohort with 386 patients were followed up. Genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Compared with the 261Arg/Arg genotype, 12- LOX 261Arg/Gln genotype and 261Arg/Gln + Gln/Gln genotypes reduced the risk of rectal cancer by 33 % (adjusted OR = 0.67, 95 % CI 0.47–0.97, p = 0.03) and 32 % (adjusted OR = 0.68, 95 % CI 0.49–0.96, p = 0.03), respectively. The adjusted HR for the association between 12- LOX 261Gln/Gln genotype and overall survival in patients with CRC was 1.68 (95 % CI 1.06–2.68, p = 0.03). There was also evidence of an interaction between the PLA2 c.349 + 191 A > G genotypes and the overnight food consumption (adjusted OR i = 1.92, 95 % CI 1.14–3.25, Pinteraction = 0.01). These observations indicate that 12- LOX 261Arg > Gln polymorphism may affect risk of rectal cancer, and it may be a potential predictive marker for prognosis of CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]