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Failure of the normal process of cell death pathways contributes to the defection of immune systems and the occurrence of cancers. The key genes, the multimolecular mechanisms, and the immune functions of these genes in pan-cancers remain unclear. Using online databases of The Cancer Genome Atlas, GEPIA2, TISIDB, HPA, Kaplan-Meier Plotter, PrognoScan, cBioPortal, GSCALite, TIMER, and Sangerbox, we identified the key genes from the six primary cell death-related pathways and performed a comprehensive analysis to investigate the multimolecular characteristics and immunological functions of the hub genes in 33 human cancers. We identified five hub genes in the six primary cell death-related pathways (JUN, NFKB1, CASP3, PARP1, and TP53). We found that CASP3, PARP1, and TP53 were overexpressed in 28, 23, and 27 cancers. The expression of the five genes was associated with the development and prognosis of many cancers. Particularly, JUN, NFKB1, CASP3, and TP53 have prognostic values in Brain Lower Grade Glioma (LGG), while PARP1 and CASP3 could predict the survival outcomes in Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). In addition, an extensive association between five genes' expression, DNA methylation, and tumor-immune system interactions was noticed. The five cell death-related hub genes could function as potential biomarkers for various cancers, particularly LGG and ACC. The immunological function analysis of the five genes also proposes new targets for developing immunosuppressants and improving the immunotherapy efficacy of cancers. However, further extensive clinical and experimental research are required to validate their clinical values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory study aimed to examine the intention of people to use High Speed Rail (HSR) in Ghana premised on convenience, traveling time reliability, and transport safety. Participants were a convenience sample of 957 public transportation users (female = 40.6%; mean age = 23.3 years, SD = 0.78 years, age range = 16 to 90 years). The participants completed a survey on the determinants of their behavioural intentions towards the use of HRS. Structural equation modelling results indicated that attitude, convenience, travel time reliability, and travel safety significantly influenced behavioural intentions to use HSR. Further, Ghanaians scored higher on intention to use HSR than Moroccans and South Africans, implying higher HSR usage prospects for Ghana. Convenience, travel time reliability, and transport safety appear to be robust influences on intention to use HSR in these developing country nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a total of 69 topsoil samples and 10 Panax notoginseng samples from Yunnan Province were collected and the concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn in all the samples were determined. The hazard index (HI), total carcinogenic risk (TCR) and estimated daily intake (EDI) of heavy metals were calculated to assess the health risk of P. notoginseng growers and consumers. The average concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn in P. notoginseng planting soils are 43.6, 0.55, 50.8, 0.30, 73.4, 58.2, and 161 mg/kg, respectively. The average Nemerow integrated pollution index of heavy metals in soils is 1.8, indicating that the P. notoginseng planting soils are slightly polluted by those heavy metals. The average HI value is 1.29 and the TCR value of As is above the threshold value, suggesting that As pollution in soil has adverse impact on local growers' health. P. notoginseng is polluted by Cd, As and Pb. 39.1% of estimated daily intakes of As for P. notoginseng consumers through leaf consumption exceeding its permitted daily exposure dosages, suggesting that there is a potential health risk for P. notoginseng consumers to consume P. notoginseng leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accumulation, chemical speciation and distribution of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were investigated in various parts of alfalfa. Moreover, the adsorption characteristics for PCB 28 by alfalfa and the influencing factors of the adsorption characteristics were studied. There were different degrees of PCB accumulation in alfalfa roots, root nodules and shoots. The decreasing order of the accumulation of PCBs in plant tissues was root nodules > roots > shoots, and the decreasing order of the total PCB contents was roots > shoots > root nodules, indicating that the roots were the main sink for PCB accumulation. There were three modes of PCB speciation in alfalfa roots and root nodules, comprising strong sorption (78%) and weak sorption (19%) on tissue surfaces and absorption within tissues (2%). The adsorption isotherms of PCB 28 indicate that the adsorption capacities of root nodules and shoots were both significantly higher than that of the roots. Both lipids and carbohydrates, and especially lipids, affected the PCB adsorption capacities of the tissues. These results may help in the elucidation of the mechanisms of sorption and accumulation of PCBs in the plants and their main influencing factors and thus contribute to the development of phytoremediation technologies for PCB-contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pot experiment was conducted to explore the phytoremediation of a diphenylarsinic acid (DPAA)-spiked soil usingPteris vittataassociated with exogenousPhyllobacterium myrsinacearumRC6b. Removal of DPAA from the soil, soil enzyme activities, and the functional diversity of the soil microbial community were evaluated. DPAA concentrations in soil treated with the fern or the bacterium were 35–47% lower than that in the control and were lowest in soil treated withP. vittataandP. myrsinacearumtogether. The presence of the bacterium added in the soil significantly increased the plant growth and DPAA accumulation. In addition, the activities of dehydrogenase and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis and the average well-color development values increased by 41–91%, 37–78%, and 35–73%, respectively, in the treatments withP. vittataand/orP. myrsinacearumcompared with the control, with the highest increase in the presence ofP. vittataandP. myrsinacearumtogether. Both fern and bacterium alone greatly enhanced the removal of DPAA and the recovery of soil ecological function and these effects were further enhanced byP. vittataandP. myrsinacearumtogether. Our findings provide a new strategy for remediation of DPAA-contaminated soil by using a hyperaccumulator/microbial inoculant alternative to traditional physicochemical method or biological degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this study, we focus on the relation between bank governance and bank merger results under Taiwan’s special regulatory environment in 2000. Adopting governance variables (executive remuneration, managerial ownership, and board diversity), we find that managerial ownership is positively related to bank merger results and that board size is negatively correlated with bank mergers’ performance. This study supports sound governance mechanisms to prevent banks from pursuing a value-loss merger and acquisition (M&A). Our results offer the insight that internal bank governance structures have a bigger impact on the value effects from bank mergers. Thus, regulators may elevate the performance of bank M&As by enhancing corporate governance codes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bacterial strain ZY1 capable of utilizing PCBs as its carbon source was isolated from the root nodules of Chinese milk vetch (Astragalus sinicusL.). The strain was identified asMesorhizobiumsp. according to its physiological-biochemical properties and the analysis of its 16S rRNA gene sequence. When the initial OD600 was 0.15, 62.7% of 15 mg L−13,3′,4,4′-TCB in a liquid culture was degraded byMesorhizobiumsp. ZY1 within 10 days.Mesorhizobiumsp. ZY1 also greatly increased the biotransformation of soil PCBs. Pot experiments indicated that the soil PCB concentrations of a single incubation of strain ZY1 (R) and a single planting ofA. sinicus(P) decreased by 20.5% and 23.0%, respectively, and the concentration of PCBs in soil treated withA. sinicusand strain ZY1 decreased by 53.1%. We also observed thatA. sinicus-Mesorhizobiumsp. ZY1 treatment (PR) improved plant biomass and the concentration of PCBs in plants compared with a singleA. sinicusplanting treatment (P). The results suggest that the synergistic association betweenA. sinicusand PCBs-degradingMesorhizobiumsp. ZY1 can stimulate the phytoextraction of PCBs and the rhizosphere microflora to degrade PCBs, and might be a promising bioremediation strategy for PCB-contaminated soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The co-metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and the capacity of the fungusTrichoderma reeseiFS10-C to bioremediate an aged polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated soil were investigated. The fungal isolate removed about 54% of B[a]P (20 mg L−1) after 12 days of incubation with glucose (10 g L−1) supplementation as a co-metabolic substrate. Bioaugmented microcosms showed a 25% decrease in total PAH concentrations in soil after 28 days, and the degradation percentages of 3-, 4-, and 5(+6)-ring PAHs were 36%, 35%, and 25%, respectively. In addition, bioaugmented microcosms exhibited higher dehydrogenase (DHA) and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis (FDAH) activities and increased average well-color development (AWCD), Shannon-Weaver index (H), and Simpson index (D) significantly. Principal component analysis (PCA) also distinguished clear differentiation between treatments, indicating that bioaugmentation restored the microbiological function of the PAH-contaminated soil. The results suggest that bioaugmentation byT. reeseiFS10-C might be a promising bioremediation strategy for aged PAH-contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A novel molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) based thermo-sensitive electrochemical sensor was fabricated by an electropolymerization method using N-isopropylacryamide and theophylline as the monomer and the template molecule, respectively. The [Fe(CN)6]3−/[Fe(CN)6]4−was used as an electrochemical probe to investigate the electrochemical behavior of the prepared sensor. The influence factors including electropolymerization cycles, the utilization of cross-linkers, and the extraction solution were investigated in detail. The sensor exhibited excellent thermo-sensitive behavior to environmental temperature stimuli and displayed a good recognition capacity for template molecules from its analogues. This approach may allow the application of this type of intelligent electrochemical sensor for stimulus-responsive recognition of template molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted to study the phytoremediation of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) by legume (alfalfa, Medicago sativa L.)-grass (perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne L. and tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea) intercropping in contaminated agricultural soil at one of the largest e-waste recycling sites in China. Two compounds, DEHP and DnBP, were present in the soil and in the shoots of the test plants at much higher concentrations than the other target PAEs studied. Over 80% of ‘total’ (i.e., all six) PAEs were removed from the soil across all treatments by the end of the experiment. Alfalfa in monoculture removed over 90% of PAEs and alfalfa in the intercrop of the three plant species contained the highest shoot concentration of total PAEs of about 4.7 mg kg−1 DW (dry weight). Calculation of phytoextraction efficiency indicated that the most effective plant combinations in eliminating soil PAEs were the three-species intercrop (1.78%) and the alfalfa monocrop (1.41%). Phytoremediation with alfalfa was effective in both monoculture and intercropping. High bioconcentration factors (BCFs) indicated the occurrence of significant extraction of PAEs by plants from soil, suggesting that phytoremediation may have potential for the removal of PAEs from contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A pot experiment and a field trial were conducted to study the remediation of an aged field soil contaminated with cadmium, copper and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (7.67 ± 0.51 mg kg−1 Cd, 369 ± 1 mg kg−1 Cu in pot experiment; 8.46 ± 0.31 mg kg−1 Cd, 468 ± 7 mg kg−1 Cu, 323 ± 12 μg kg−1 PCBs for field experiment) under different cropping patterns. In the pot experiment Sedum plumbizincicola showed pronounced Cd phytoextraction. After two periods (14 months) of cropping the Cd removal rates in these two treatments were 52.2 ± 12.0 and 56.1 ± 9.1%, respectively. Total soil PCBs in unplanted control pots decreased from 323 ± 11 to 49.3 ± 6.6 μg kg−1, but with no significant difference between treatments. The field microcosm experiment intercropping of three plant species reduced the yield of S. plumbizincicola, with a consequent decrease in soil Cd removal. S. plumbizincicola intercropped with E. splendens had the highest shoot Cd uptake (18.5 ± 1.8 mg pot−1) after 6 months planting followed by intercropping with M. sativa (15.9 ± 1.9 mg pot−1). Liming with S. plumbizincicola intercropped with M. sativa significantly promoted soil PCB degradation by 25.2%. Thus, adjustment of soil pH to 5.56 combined with intercropping with S. plumbizincicola and M. sativa gave high removal rates of Cd, Cu, and PCBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of inoculation with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus caledonium and/or Rhizobium meliloti on phytoremediation of an agricultural soil contaminated with weathered PCBs by alfalfa grown for 180 days. Planting alfalfa (P), alfalfa inoculated with G. caledonium (P+AM), alfalfa inoculated with R. meliloti (P+R), and alfalfa co-inoculated with R. meliloti and G. caledonium (P+AM+R) decreased significantly initial soil PCB concentrations by 8.1, 12.0, 33.8, and 43.5%, respectively. Inoculation with R. meliloti and/or G. caledonium (P+AM+R) increased the yield of alfalfa, and the accumulation of PCBs in the shoots. Soil microbial counts and the carbon utilization ability of the soil microbial community increased when alfalfa was inoculated with R. meliloti and/or G. caledonium. Results of this field study suggest that synergistic interactions between AMF and Rhizobium may have great potential to enhance phytoremediation by alfalfa of an agricultural soil contaminated with weathered PCBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field-scale experiment was carried out to compare the effectiveness of five plant species in the remediation of oily sludge. Alfalfa, tall fescue, and soybean substantially increased the removal rate of oil and grease (O&G) after 120 days of remediation. Of these, soybean treatment showed the highest removal rate of 34.2% compared with only 13.7% in the unplanted control plot. In addition to assisting with phytoremediation, soybean can also be used for energy production, for example in the production of biodiesel. Furthermore, microbial counts and community level physiological profiling using Biolog sole carbon source utilization tests were used to investigate the effect of plants on the microbial community of oily sludge. Plants selectively increased microbial counts in the rhizosphere and O&G concentrations of the sludge were negatively correlated with counts of TPH (total petroleum hydrocarbon) degraders. The acute biotoxicity of the sludge was also tested by the bacterial luminescence method and alfalfa treatments decreased the biological toxicity of the sludge compared with the unplanted control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]