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Local recurrence and distant metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) caused by immune escape is one of the root causes of treatment difficulties. We aim to investigate the mechanism of immune escape in NSCLC. NSCLC tissues were collected. Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 assay. Cell migration and invasion ability was measured by Transwell assay. The expressions of E-cadherin, N-cadherin and PD-L1 were detected by Western blot. NSCLC cells were co-cultured with CD8+ T cells to simulate tumor microenvironment in vitro. The proportion of CD8+ T cells and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed the targeting relationship of circDENND2D and STK11. The expressions of circDENND2D and STK1 were down-regulated, while miR-130b-3p expression was up-regulated in NSCLC tissues. Overexpression of circDENND2D or STK11 inhibited NSCLC cells proliferation, migration and invasion, and attenuated the immune escape of NSCLC cells. CircDENND2D targeted miR-130b-3p to competitively promote STK11 expression. STK11 knockdown or miR-130b-3p overexpression attenuated the function of circDENND2D overexpression on NSCLC cells. CircDENND2D inhibited metastasis and immune escape of NSCLC by regulating miR-130b-3p/STK11 axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immunotherapy, represented by immune checkpoint inhibitors, has made significant progress in the treatment of cancer. Numerous studies have demonstrated that antitumor therapies targeting cell death exhibit synergistic effects with immunotherapy. Disulfidptosis is a recently discovered form of cell death, and its potential influence on immunotherapy, similar to other regulated cell death processes, requires further investigation. The prognostic value of disulfidptosis in breast cancer and its role in the immune microenvironment has not been investigated. Methods: High dimensional weighted gene coexpression network analysis (hdWGCNA) and Weighted co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) methods were employed to integrate breast cancer single-cell sequencing data and bulk RNA data. These analyses aimed to identify genes associated with disulfidptosis in breast cancer. Risk assessment signature was constructed using Univariate Cox and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analyses. Results: In this study, we constructed a risk signature by disulfidptosis-related genes to predict overall survival and immunotherapy response in BRCA patients. The risk signature demonstrated robust prognostic power and accurately predicted survival compared to traditional clinicopathological features. It also effectively predicted the response to immunotherapy in patients with breast cancer. Through cell communication analysis in additional single-cell sequencing data, we identified TNFRSF14 as a key regulatory gene. Combining TNFRSF14 targeting and immune checkpoint inhibition to induce disulfidptosis in tumor cells could potentially suppress tumor proliferation and enhance survival in patients with BRCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanadium dioxide (VO 2) is a promising material for energy-saving smart windows due to its reversible metal-to-insulator transition near room temperature, concomitantly with a structural phase transition between monoclinic VO 2 (M) phase and rutile VO 2 (R) phase. However, the fact that VO 2 has a complex crystalline phase makes its reliable synthesis an obstacle to its practical application. Machine learning (ML), a specific subset of artificial intelligence, can be utilized to generate virtual representations of experimental conditions and outcomes for the purpose of predicting experiments. Therefore, in the paper, four machine learning models were trained to perform optimization of the VO 2 hydrothermal synthesis. A random forest model achieved a classification accuracy of 87.27%. The synthetic parameter space was explored to filter combinations with a synthetic probability above 90%. Random forest models were used to guide the experimental synthesis, and the obtained products were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. The results showed that phase-pure VO 2 (B) and VO 2 (M) were successfully synthesized, demonstrating the effectiveness of machine learning in optimizing material synthesis, alleviating the stochasticity of material synthesis caused by the control of synthesis conditions, and promoting the application research of VO 2 materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer immune escape is associated with the metabolic reprogramming of the various infiltrating cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), and combining metabolic targets with immunotherapy shows great promise for improving clinical outcomes. Among all metabolic processes, lipid metabolism, especially fatty acid metabolism (FAM), plays a major role in cancer cell survival, migration, and proliferation. However, the mechanisms and functions of FAM in the tumor immune microenvironment remain poorly understood. We screened 309 fatty acid metabolism-related genes (FMGs) for differential expression, identifying 121 differentially expressed genes. Univariate Cox regression models in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were then utilized to identify the 15 FMGs associated with overall survival. We systematically evaluated the correlation between FMGs' modification patterns and the TME, prognosis, and immunotherapy. The FMGsScore was constructed to quantify the FMG modification patterns using principal component analysis. Three clusters based on FMGs were demonstrated in breast cancer, with three patterns of distinct immune cell infiltration and biological behavior. An FMGsScore signature was constructed to reveal that patients with a low FMGsScore had higher immune checkpoint expression, higher immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) scores, increased immune microenvironment infiltration, better survival advantage, and were more sensitive to immunotherapy than those with a high FMGsScore. Finally, the expression and function of the signature key gene NDUFAB1 were examined by in vitro experiments. This study significantly demonstrates the substantial impact of FMGs on the immune microenvironment of breast cancer, and that FMGsScores can be used to guide the prediction of immunotherapy efficacy in breast cancer patients. In vitro experiments, knockdown of the NDUFAB1 gene resulted in reduced proliferation and migration of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Simultaneous nitrogen and phosphorus removal was achieved in Fe(Ⅱ) amended PD/A. • Fe(Ⅱ)-driven spatial distribution of function bacteria intensified PD/A stability. • Lower effluent TIN of PD/A process could meet more stringent effluent standard. • Heterotroph and AnAOB exhibited positive feedbacks on low-dose Fe(Ⅱ) induction. The mainstream anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) faces considerable challenges with low-strength municipal wastewater. A Fe(Ⅱ)-amended partial denitrification coupled anammox (PD/A) process was conducted and achieved a long-term and efficient nitrogen and phosphorus removal, yielding effluent total nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations of 1.97 ± 1.03 mg/L and 0.23 ± 0.13 mg/L, respectively, which could well meet more stringent effluent discharge standard of some wastewater treatment plants in specific geographical locations, e.g., estuaries. Fe(Ⅱ)-driven vivianite formation provided key nucleuses for the optimization of the spatial distribution of heterotrophic and anammox bacteria with enhanced extracellular polymeric substances as key driving forces. Metagenomics analysis further revealed the increase of key genes, enhancing anammox bacteria homeostasis, which also bolstered the resistance to environmental perturbations. This study provided a comprehensive sight into the function of Fe(Ⅱ) in mainstream PD/A process, and explored a promising alternative for synergetic nitrogen and phosphorus removal for low-strength municipal wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: At present, there are more than 300 million asthma patients in the world. Electronic cigarettes (e‐cigarettes) are considered as a new way of smoking and are loved by young people. The relationship between e‐cigarettes and asthma risk is still controversial. Therefore, we conducted a meta‐analysis to explore the relationship between e‐cigarettes and asthma. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for research results published before august 2020. All data analysis was through R version 3.6.3. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots, Begg's rank correlation test, and Egger regression asymmetry tests. Most of the included studies were adjusted for potential confounding factors. Results: This meta found the association of e‐cigarette use with asthma, and the combined OR value was 1.27 (95% CI = 1.17–1.37). We found the significant association of current e‐cigarette usage with asthma (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.17–1.45), and the former use of e‐cigarettes also had an association with asthma (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.08–1.39). Then, when e‐cigarettes were used in combination with traditional cigarettes, the association odds with asthma was 1.47 (95% CI = 1.13–1.91), which was higher than that of users who used traditional cigarettes (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.19–1.49). In subgroup analysis, adult and female e‐cigarette users were more closely associated with asthma. Conclusion: In short, in this meta‐analysis, we found that current or former use of e‐cigarettes are associated with the prevalence of asthma. However, the specific relationship required more rigorous design for further verification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Locillomycins are cyclic lipononapeptides assembled by a nonlinear hexamodular NRPS and have strong antibacterial activity. In this study, we genetically engineered Bacillus velezensis FZB42 as a surrogate host for the heterologous expression of the loc gene cluster for locillomycins. The fosmid N13 containing whole loc gene cluster was screened from the B. velezensis 916 genomic library. Subsequently, a spectinomycin resistance cassette, and the cassette fused with an IPTG inducible promoter Pspac, was introduced in the fosmid N13 using λ Red recombination system, respectively. The resulting fosmids, designated N13+Spec and N13+PSSpec, were used for the transformation of B. velezensis FZB42 to obtain derivative strains FZBNPLOC and FZBPSLOC. RT-PCR and qRT-PCR results revealed the efficient heterologous expression of the loc gene cluster in both derivative strains. Particularly, there was positive correlation between the derivative FZBPSLOC strain and the enhanced production of locillomycins upon addition of the inducer IPTG with the highest production of locillomycins at 15-fold more than that of B. velezensis 916. This overproduction of locillomycins was also related to the enhancement of antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and exhibited moderate changes in its hemolytic activity. Together our findings demonstrate that the nonlinear hexamodular NRPS, encoded by the loc gene cluster from B. velezensis 916, is sufficient for the biosynthesis of cyclic lipononapeptide locillomycins in the surrogate host B. velezensis FZB42. Moreover, the FZBPSLOC strain will also be useful for further development of novel locillomycins derivatives with improved antibacterial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The effect of Na 2 CO 3 , Fe and Na 2 CO 3 + Fe during hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of wheat stalk with different temperature and reaction time was investigated in this study. The results indicated that Na 2 CO 3 + Fe can promote the cracking of wheat stalk compared with Na 2 CO 3 or Fe. Meanwhile, higher temperature favored the decomposition of wheat stalk and formation of heavy bio-oil. The highest heavy bio-oil yield was 24.25 wt% and the maximum liquefaction conversion rate was 89.45 wt% in system of Na 2 CO 3 + Fe at 270 °C. The analysis results indicated that longer reaction time could promote liquefaction conversion especially for heavy bio-oil with Na 2 CO 3 + Fe during the process of HTL. GC–MS, UPLC-MS and FT-IR analysis indicated that the major organic compounds in heavy bio-oil were aromatic compounds, alcohols, ketones, alkanes, and aldehydes, among of them aromatic compounds were the most prevalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work prepared Al 0·4 CoCu 0·6 Ni(Si 0.2 )Ti x (Si 0 Ti x (x ≤ 1.0) and Si 0.2 Ti x (x ≤ 0.5)) high entropy alloys (HEAs) with high strength and excellent plasticity by optimizing the added ratio of Ti and rapid cooling, discussed the effects of Ti and cooling rate on HEAs' microstructures and mechanical properties. The results showed that arc melted and copper injected Si 0 Ti x HEAs' phase structures changed gradually from “fcc + L1 2 (Si 0 Ti 0.25 )” to “fcc + L1 2 +minor bcc (Si 0 Ti 0.5 )” and finally to “fcc + L1 2 +bcc + Ni 3 Ti-type phase (Si 0 Ti 0.75 , Si 0 Ti 1.0 )”. But they transformed from “fcc + L1 2 +bcc + Ni 16 Ti 6 Si 7 -type phase (Si 0·2 Ti 0.25 )” to “fcc + L1 2 +bcc + AlNi 2 Ti-type + Ni 16 Ti 6 Si 7 -type phase (Si 0·2 Ti 0.5 )” for Si 0.2 Ti x HEAs. The micro-hardness of arc melted and copper injected HEAs gradually increased compared with Si 0 Ti 0 matrix HEA and that of copper injected HEAs were larger than arc melted HEAs (except Si 0 Ti 0.5 ). The compressive properties of Si 0 Ti 0.25 , Si 0 Ti 0.5 and Si 0·2 Ti 0.25 HEAs were relatively better, in which, the yield strengths of copper injected Si 0 Ti 0.25 , Si 0 Ti 0.5 and Si 0·2 Ti 0.25 HEAs were 2.7, 2.9 and 4.8 times than that of arc melted Si 0 Ti 0 matrix HEA (295 MPa), the fracture strain rates of the corresponding HEAs were 47.1%, 22.4% and 13.5% respectively. It introduced three strengthening mechanisms of solid solution strengthening, trace phase transformation and fine grain strengthening and realized HEAs' strength-ductility balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, radiative cooling has garnered widespread attention due to its energy-independent and environmentally friendly nature. However, one major challenge in the field of radiative cooling faces is the lack of artificial control over the cooling effect, which not only impacts cooling comfort but also leads to unnecessary energy waste during heating in cold environments. In this paper, a novel approach to address this challenge is proposed by a radiative cooling device with a three-layer structure consisting of vanadium dioxide (VO 2), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and silver. The transition of VO 2 between the metallic and insulating states results in the formation and disappearance of the Fabry-Pérot resonator, thereby facilitating the transition between different cooling modes. Additionally, the stretchability of the PDMS enables the device to achieve different radiative cooling power by applying varying levels of stress. In high-temperature environments, it achieves an average net radiative cooling power of 96.2 W/m2 throughout the day, highlighting its exceptional energy-saving capabilities. In low-temperature environments, the cooling effect can be suppressed to prevent excessive cooling, achieving a temperature reduction as low as 0.4 °C. This device offers controllable cooling power, and its diverse control modes in different environments contribute to its excellent environmental adaptability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work prepared Al 0.4 CoCu 0.6 NiSi x (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2) high entropy alloys by vacuum arc melting (M x ) and copper injection fast solidification (I x ), discussed the influence of trace Si and rapid cooling on the alloys' microstructures and mechanical properties, analyzed the alloys' strengthening mechanism and evaluated the proportion of different strengthening effects on the improved mechanical properties. The results showed that M x had a fcc + L1 2 structure, but it transformed to fcc + L1 2 + minor bcc when x = 0.1 and 0.2. I x had a fcc + L1 2 structure except I 0.2 (fcc + L1 2 + minor bcc). With the increase of silicon, M x 's hardness increased from 193 HV to 334 HV and I x 's hardness increased from 216 HV to 395 HV. M 0.2 's yield strength increased to 588 MPa, which was 2 times than that of M 0 , the fracture strength and plastic deformation were 3074 MPa, 40.5%. I x 's yield strength increased to 690 MPa, which was 2.3 times than that of M 0 , the fracture strength and plastic deformation reached 3407 MPa, 33.1%. The alloys' strengthening mechanism was the formation of bcc phase, solid solution strengthening and fine grain strengthening. And the strengthening effect of bcc phase was greater than fine grain strengthening and the fine grain strengthening effect was greater than solid solution strengthening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of macroalgae residue was accomplished with seven kinds of amine catalysts for chemical and bio-oil production. The effect of HTL conditions on product distribution was investigated, and results showed that both temperature and amines concentration have significant effects on conversion of macroalgae residue to liquid products and bio-oil. The effect of different amines on composition of liquid products and bio-oil was also studied. The main ingredient of liquid products were organic acids, and the yield of organic acids declined with the increase of alkyl chain in amines. The yield of bio-oil increased with the addition of alkyl chain for primary amines and tertiary amines, while decreased for secondary amines. Methylamine had the highest yield of liquid products of 79.09 wt%, and the highest bio-oil yield of 24.37 wt% was obtained in the presence of triethylamine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reported the preparation of a novel high-performance visible-light-active photocatalyst (cyclized polyacrylonitrile (CPAN)/FeWO 4 nanocomposite) from inexpensive and readily available polyacrylonitrile (PAN), FeSO 4 ·7H 2 O, and Na 2 WO 4 ·2H 2 O via a facile and practical approach. For the application to photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI), the as-prepared CPAN/FeWO 4 nanocomposite demonstrated not only substantially higher photocatalytic activity than FeWO 4 nanoparticles, but also fairly good durability under visible-light irradiation. Besides, the as-prepared CPAN/FeWO 4 also demonstrated a high efficiency in the visible-light-driven photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) in dilute black chromium-plating solution. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared CPAN/FeWO 4 photocatalyst was attributed to the formation of n-p heterojunction, which facilitated the separation and transfer of photo-induced holes and electrons. Furthermore, the photocatalytic experimental conditions also heavily influenced the Cr(VI) reduction rate over the as-prepared CPAN/FeWO 4 photocatalyst. This study provided useful information on the exploitation of PAN to modify semiconductor photocatalysts to create new higher efficiency visible-light-active CPAN/semiconductor composite photocatalysts. [Display omitted] • Facile preparation of CPAN/FeWO 4 nanocomposite as a new visible-light photocatalyst. • CPAN/FeWO 4 had much higher photocatalytic activity than FeWO 4 in Cr(VI) reduction. • CPAN/FeWO 4 was fairly durable for photocatalytic application. • Mechanism for the improved photocatalytic activity of CPAN/FeWO 4 was proposed. • CPAN/FeWO 4 can be used to treat the dilute black chromium-plating solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a layered transition metal-sulfur compound semiconductor that shows promising prospects for applications in optoelectronics and integrated circuits because of its low preparation cost, good stability and excellent physicochemical, biological and mechanical properties. MoS2 with high quality, large size and outstanding performance can be prepared via chemical vapor deposition (CVD). However, its preparation process is complex, and the area of MoS2 obtained is difficult to control. Machine learning (ML), as a powerful tool, has been widely applied in materials science. Based on this, in this paper, a ML Gaussian regression model was constructed to explore the growth mechanism of MoS2 material prepared with the CVD method. The parameters of the regression model were evaluated by combining the four indicators of goodness of fit (r2), mean squared error (MSE), Pearson correlation coefficient (p) and p-value (p_val) of Pearson's correlation coefficient. After comprehensive comparison, it was found that the performance of the model was optimal when the number of iterations was 15. Additionally, feature importance analysis was conducted on the growth parameters using the established model. The results showed that the carrier gas flow rate (Fr), molybdenum sulfur ratio (R) and reaction temperature (T) had a crucial impact on the CVD growth of MoS2 materials. The optimal model was used to predict the size of molybdenum disulfide synthesis under 185,900 experimental conditions in the simulation dataset so as to select the optimal range for the synthesis of large-size molybdenum disulfide. Furthermore, the model prediction results were verified through literature and experimental results. It was found that the relative error between the prediction results and the literature and experimental results was small. These findings provide an effective solution to the preparation of MoS2 materials with a reduction in the time and cost of trial and error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conversion of Undaria pinnatifida residue to glycolic acid was carried out using methylamine as catalyst by hydrothermal method at relatively low temperature. GC–MS and HPLC were used to identify the composition of bio-oil and liquid products which provide the knowledge of the chemical reaction pathways of the hydrothermal liquefaction. The main liquid product was organic acid which contained glycolic acid, lactic acid, formic acid and acetic acid. And the major organic acid was glycolic acid with the highest yield of 46.52% or 33.98% of dry biomass. Methylamine promoted the dissolution of cellulose from Undaria pinnatifida residue, and significantly improved the yield of glycolic acid. The mechanism of HTL was investigated and the results show that the carbocation C 3 was attacked by methylamine molecule which led to the high yield of glycolic acid. In addition, the recovery of methylamine was studied and the highest recovery rate reached 99.28%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of trimethylamine (TMA) on the hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) process and the recycle of TMA. The results suggest that the peeling reaction occurred on the surface and the cleavage of cellulose leading to water-soluble substances and bio-oil. The highest content of organic acids was found in the water-soluble phase. Model compounds, different glucides with TMA were used to investigate the mechanism of the HTL. Results suggest that the OH − appeared to selectively interact with C–O–C bonds, and thus causing the key linkages of cellulose to become much easier to be cleaved under mild conditions. In addition, the conditions for TMA recovery were optimized and the highest TMA recovery rate reached 98.89%. The recovered TMA had the same properties as the original compound, and it was perfectly re-usable in the conversion process of HTL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite recent successes in the control of dental caries, the mechanism of caries development remains unclear. To investigate the causes of dental decay, especially in early childhood caries, the supragingival microflora composition of 20 twins with discordant caries phenotypes were analyzed using high-throughput pyrosequencing. In addition, the parents completed a lifestyle questionnaire. A total of 228,789 sequencing reads revealed 10 phyla, 84 genera, and 155 species of microflora, the relative abundances of these strains varied dramatically among the children, Comparative analysis between groups revealed that Veillonella, Corynebacterium and Actinomyces were presumed to be caries-related genera, Fusobacterium, Kingella and Leptotrichia were presumed to be healthy-related genus, yet this six genera were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Moreover, a cluster analysis revealed that the microbial composition of samples in the same group was often dissimilar but that the microbial composition observed in twins was usually similar. Although the genetic and environmental factors that strongly influence the microbial composition of dental caries remains unknown, we speculate that genetic factors primarily influence the individual's susceptibility to dental caries and that environmental factors primarily regulate the microbial composition of the dental plaque and the progression to caries. By using improved twins models and increased sample sizes, our study can be extended to analyze the specific genetic and environmental factors that affect the development of caries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of laser technology, information technology, and materials, the detection of trace gas has been taken to a new level. Advanced analytical methods were invented, for example, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, chemical sensors, absorption spectrum, and so forth. With the detailed data gathered from new high‐tech equipment, we can predict and diagnose diseases such as diabetic ketoacidosis, irritable bowel syndrome, lung cancer and so on. However, there is still a large amount of exhaled gas that has not been discovered, which means that breath analysis of exhaled gas is a very promising field in the future. Non‐invasive breath diagnosis and monitoring technology have attracted huge attention from all over the world. Using exhaled gas to diagnose and monitor human disease has numerous advantages for being non‐invasive, convenient and environment friendly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conjugated polyvinyl alcohol derivative (CPVA)/ZnFe 2 O 4 nanocomposite was synthesized by a simple liquid-solid phase mixing and thermal dehydration/conjugation method. The CPVA/ZnFe 2 O 4 nanocomposite showed not only stronger photocatalytic activity than ZnFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles and previously reported MgFe 2 O 4 /CPVC and ZnFe 2 O 4 /CPVC photocatalysts (specifically, the photocatalytic activity of CPVA/ZnFe 2 O 4 was 3 times that of ZnFe 2 O 4 , and 300 mg CPVA/ZnFe 2 O 4 can achieve almost complete reduction of the Cr(VI) in 300 mL 50 mg/L K 2 Cr 2 O 7 aqueous solution after 300 min visible-light irradiation), but also remarkable reuse performance in the visible-light-activated reduction of aqueous Cr(VI). Furthermore, the CPVA/ZnFe 2 O 4 nanocomposite can be separated from the solution by magnetic attraction. The elevated photocatalytic activity of CPVA/ZnFe 2 O 4 nanocomposite was experimentally found to be due to its more efficient transfer and separation of photo-induced charges. The proposed modification of ZnFe 2 O 4 using CPVA is effective, economical, and environmental friendly, and the CPVA/ZnFe 2 O 4 nanocomposite photocatalyst has potential in utilizing sunlight for treating Cr(VI)-polluted water. [Display omitted] • First synthesis of CPVA/ZnFe 2 O 4 nanocomposite as a visible-light photocatalyst. • More efficient in the transfer and separation of e − and h + . • Higher activity and good reusability in photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI). • Simple and rapid separation from the solution by magnetic attraction. • Helpful to use green and cheap PVA to make new efficient visible-light photocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient and economical disposal of urea wastewater for promoting wastewater reuse, are still tough obstacles for the sustainable development of urea industry. In order to explore newly efficient and economical alternative for urea wastewater treatment, a novel one-stage autotrophic nitrogen removal reactor (submerged aerated biological filter, SABF) simultaneously combining with urea hydrolysis, partial nitritation (PN) and anammox was carried out and stably operated for 126 days. The SABF reactor not only presented excellent urea removal efficiency (˃ 99.5%) with average effluent urea concentration of 0.83 mg/L to meet reuse standard, but also achieved high nitrogen removal loading, ammonium removal efficiency and total nitrogen removal efficiency as 1.5 kg N/(m3·d), 89.46% and 77.09%, respectively. The urea removal mechanism was proven as the intracellular urea hydrolysis, which was conducive to accomplish the persistent free ammonia (FA) inhibition on nitrite-oxidizing bacteria for stable PN and guaranteed total nitrogen removal by anammox. High-throughput sequencing analysis results revealed that Nitrosomonas accounting for 15.92% should be responsible for excellent urea hydrolysis and PN performance and Candidatus_Brocadia with relative abundance of 1.63% was the main anammox bacteria for further nitrogen removal in the SABF reactor. The proposed process showed significant advantages of extremely low operational cost and high removal efficiency with recyclable effluent for urea wastewater treatment. This study provided a novel and superior alternative for the cleaner production of urea manufacturing enterprises, which can well alleviate the stress of urea wastewater treatment and further benefit the sustainable development of urea industry in the future. [Display omitted] • A novel one-stage nitrogen removal process for urea wastewater was developed. • Intracellular urea hydrolysis, partial nitritation, anammox were integrated in SABF. • A high N removal rate of 1.5 kg N/(m3·d) was achieved at 30 °C. • Effluent urea concentration was stably lower than 1 mg/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the sake of high efficiency and saving operational cost for high-concentration urea wastewater treatment, a novel two-stage partial nitritation (PN)-anammox process containing simultaneous urea hydrolysis and PN in sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was investigated. Although the influent urea concentration increased from 500 to 1200 mg/L, the SBR simultaneously achieved urea removal efficiency higher than 98% and stable PN with effluent NO 2 −-N/NH 4 +-N ratio of 1.0–1.3 without any extra alkalinity addition. The intracellular hydrolysis was the dominant mechanism for urea removal and persistent free ammonia inhibition on nitrite-oxidizing bacteria was the main reason for nitrite accumulation of 97.92% in SBR. The subsequent anammox reactor showed efficient nitrogen removal performance with average ammonium removal efficiency, nitrogen removal efficiency and maximum nitrogen removal loading rate of 98.08%, 81.45% and 1.05 kg N·m−3·d−1 respectively. High-throughput sequencing results indicated Gemmatimonadetes became the most abundant bacterial phylum related to potential intracellular urea hydrolysis and displayed obvious ammonium-oxidizing bacteria enrichment and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria inhibition in SBR, and the dominant anammox bacteria (Candidatus_Kuenenia) in anammox reactor. The proposed process was proven to be promising for high-concentration urea wastewater treatment, facilitating the sustainable development of the urea industry in the future. [Display omitted] • A novel biological nitrogen removal process for urea wastewater was investigated. • Autotrophic N removal with no alkalinity added was achieved for urea wastewater. • Intracellular urea hydrolysis and stable partial nitritation was integrated in SBR. • 81.45% of total N was removed by anammox with N removal rate of 1.05 kg N·m−3·d−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corn straw can be converted into monophenyl compounds by hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) in Nano ferrite+inorganic base catalyst system, and dual catalytic systems were favorable for some specific monophenyl compounds in this process. [Display omitted] • HTL of corn straw with Nano ferrite + inorganic base catalyst system was reported. • Highest yield of heavy bio-oil was 34.02 wt% at 180 °C with ZnFe 2 O 4. • Dual catalytic systems were helpful to preparation of mono benzene ring compounds. • Dual catalytic systems have obvious synergistic effect. Hydrothermal liquefaction of corn straw with different catalytic systems and temperatures were investigated in this study. Results showed dual catalytic system can effectively promote the degradation of corn straw at low temperature. With increase of temperature, aqueous phase increased and straw residue decreased for all catalytic systems. The heavy bio-oil yield increased with the increasing of temperature for single catalytic system, while the trend was opposite for dual catalytic system. In single catalytic system, ZnFe 2 O 4 was more suitable for preparation of heavy bio-oil, and the maximum yield reached 34.02 wt% at 180 °C. The proportion of monophenyl compounds in heavy bio-oil for dual catalytic system reached the maximum of 84% at 220 °C with ZnFe 2 O 4. At 180 °C, the contents of Benzofuran,2,3-dihydro and 2-Methoxy-4-vinylphenol reached the maximum of 31.42% and 17.64% in CoFe 2 O 4 catalyst system, and the maximum yield of Vanillin was 10.82% with ZnFe 2 O 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cost-effective nitrogen removal from iron oxide wastewater is a limitation in the sustainable development of the iron oxide manufacturing industry. Two processes, namely, complete nitritation (in a sequencing batch reactor with zeolite powder, ZSBR) combined with traditional denitrification and partial nitritation (in the same ZSBR) combined with anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), were successfully developed and then compared for long-term nitrogen removal from iron oxide wastewater. Stable and complete nitritation with nitrite accumulation ratio (NAR) > 95.1% was achieved in the ZSBR. Nitrogen removal rates (NRRs) of up to 4.083 ± 0.727 kg N/m3/d were obtained subsequently in a denitrifying upflow sludge blanket reactor at an influent chemical oxygen demand/total nitrogen ratio of 2.5. Efficient partial nitritation was also achieved with effluent NO 2 −–N/NH 4 +–N ratios of 1.1–1.5 and NAR > 92.0% in the ZSBR, with a final NRR of 1.175 kg N/m3/d in the subsequent anammox reactor. The addition of zeolite achieved persistent free ammonia inhibition on nitrite oxidizing bacteria in the ZSBR and resulted in efficient and controllable nitrite accumulation. The total chemical cost in the complete nitritation–denitrification process was 3.32 USD/kg NH 4 +–N, which was 1.14 times higher than that in the partial nitritation–anammox process. Both processes were effective and reliable in achieving nitrogen removal from iron oxide wastewater for the sustainable development of the iron oxide manufacturing industry. [Display omitted] • Two novel nitrogen removal processes were compared for iron oxide wastewater. • Both complete nitritation and partial nitritation (PN) were effectively achieved. • Free ammonia inhibition on nitrite oxidizing bacteria was crucial for nitritation. • Nitritation-denitrification consumed 2.14 times the chemical cost of PN-anammox. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corn straw can be converted into aromatic hydrocarbons and organic acids by hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), and copper oxide can be reduced to copper powder in this process. • HTL of corn straw with CuO + NaOH, NaOH and CuO was reported. • CuO + NaOH has synergistic effect on production of heavy bio-oil. • Highest yield of heavy bio-oil was 38.2 wt.% at 190 °C. • High temperature can increase the proportion of aromatic compounds in heavy bio-oil. • The maximum ratio of aromatic compounds in heavy bio-oil was 89.84% at 230 °C. In this study, hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of corn straw at different operation temperatures, reaction time and catalyst dosage were investigated, and the main product was heavy bio-oil. Results showed that CuO + NaOH have a synergistic effect in the HTL of corn straw. The product distribution and composition were also studied during the process, in which aromatic compounds achieved the highest proportion in heavy bio-oil. Moreover, the yield of aromatic compounds in hydrothermal products increased under simultaneous action of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts. The maximum ratio of aromatic compounds was 89.84% under condition of temperature 230 °C, reaction time 1 h, CuO content 3 g and NaOH 100 mL (1 mol·L−1). GC–MS analysis indicated that the major organic compounds in heavy bio-oil at temperatures between 210 °C and 270 °C were interestingly similar. SEM, XRD, H 2 -TPR and XPS analysis showed that CuO was completely reduced to copper in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive fibrotic lung disease of unknown cause with a variable course. Acute exacerbations of IPF (AE-IPF) is sudden accelerations of the disease or a superimposed idiopathic acute injury significantly reducing lung function. To examine the serum concentrations of Progranulin (PGRN) and activin A in patients with AE-IPF in a pilot study. Methods: Twenty-one patients with AE-IPF were compared with 23 patients with stable IPF as a control group. Serum PGRN and activin A levels, arterial blood gas measurements, and lung function were determined in these two groups. Results: Peripheral blood PGRN and activin A levels in patients with AE-IPF were 83.7 + 10.0 and 14.2 ± 1.7 ng/ml (mean + SD), respectively; higher than those in the control group 61.0 + 5.8 and 5.8 + 1.0 (p < 0.001). PGRN and activin A levels were significantly negatively correlated with carbon monoxide diffusion capacity r = − 0.857 (p < 0.001) and r = − 0.757 (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Progranulin (PGRN) and activin A may be involved in the pathogenesis of AE-IPF. They may be possible markers of disease activity in AE-IPF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bulked segregant CGT-Seq-facilitated map-based cloning of a powdery mildew resistance gene originating from wild emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccoides) In this study, we cloned the powdery mildew resistance allele I MlWE18 i ( I NLR SP WE18 sp i ) whose locus is not present in the wheat reference genomes using a combined BSA and CGT-seq strategies. Most of the cloned wheat disease resistance genes are NLRs that tend to be PAVs between the resistance and susceptible genotypes, especially the genes derived from wild relatives (Li I et al i ., 2020; Walkowiak I et al i ., 2020). Keywords: BSA; ChIP-Seq; NLR; PAV EN BSA ChIP-Seq NLR PAV 1288 1290 3 07/28/21 20210701 NES 210701 Powdery mildew, caused by I Blumeria graminis i f. sp. I tritici i ( I Bgt i ), is a widely occurring foliar disease of wheat worldwide. [Extracted from the article]

Vanadium dioxide (VO 2) is a key material for thermochromic smart windows that can respond to environmental temperature to regulate near-infrared transmittance automatically. To date, VO 2 -based smart windows have made great progress, but practical applications still remain restricted by two tough challenges, i.e., low solar regulation ability and unpopular color. In view of the above two challenges, in this paper, novel warm/cool-tone switchable VO 2 -based composite films were designed and prepared. The novel composite films demonstrate outstanding optical properties: Δ T sol = 18.92% and T lum,l = 48.70%. The high solar modulation efficiency is attributed to the modulation of the thermochromic microcapsules in visible light waveband and VO 2 in near-infrared region. Meanwhile changes in color of the composite films at different temperatures were also studied in order to develop high-performance warm/cool-tone switchable thermochromic smart windows. These promising results will benefit to promote the popularization and application of smart windows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astrocytoma is a common brain tumor that can occur in any part of the central nervous system. This tumor is extremely harmful to patients, and there are no clear studies on the risk factors for astrocytoma of the brain. This study was conducted based on the SEER database to determine the risk factors affecting the survival of patients with astrocytoma of the brain. Patients diagnosed with brain astrocytoma in the SEER database from 2004 to 2015 were screened by inclusion exclusion criteria. Final screened brain astrocytoma patients were classified into low grade and high grade according to WHO classification. The risk factors affecting the survival of patients with low-grade and high-grade brain astrocytoma were analyzed by univariate Kaplan–Meier curves and log-rank tests, individually. Secondly, the data were randomly divided into training set and validation set according to the ratio of 7:3, and the training set data were analyzed by univariate and multivariate Cox regression, and the risk factors affecting the survival of patients were screened and nomogram was established to predict the survival rates of patients at 3 years and 5 years. The area under the ROC curve (AUC value), C-index, and Calibration curve are used to evaluate the sensitivity and calibration of the model. Univariate Kaplan–Meier survival curve and log-rank test showed that the risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients with low-grade astrocytoma included Age, Primary site, Tumor histological type, Grade, Tumor size, Extension, Surgery, Radiation, Chemotherapy and Tumor number; risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients with high-grade astrocytoma include Age, Primary site, Tumor histological type, Tumor size, Extension, Laterality, Surgery, Radiation, Chemotherapy and Tumor number. Through Cox regression, independent risk factors of patients with two grades were screened separately, and nomograms of risk factors for low-grade and high-grade astrocytoma were successfully established to predict the survival rate of patients at 3 and 5 years. The AUC values of low-grade astrocytoma training set patients were 0.829 and 0.801, and the C-index was 0.818 (95% CI 0.779, 0.857). The AUC values of patients in the validation set were 0.902, 0.829, and the C-index was 0.774 (95% CI 0.758, 0.790), respectively. The AUC values of high-grade astrocytoma training set patients were 0.814 and 0.806, the C-index was 0.774 (95% CI 0.758, 0.790), the AUC values of patients in the validation set were 0.802 and 0.823, and the C-index was 0.766 (95% CI 0.752, 0.780), respectively, and the calibration curves of the two levels of training set and validation set were well fitted. This study used data from the SEER database to identify risk factors affecting the survival prognosis of patients with brain astrocytoma, which can provide some guidance for clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from manure management are an environmental concern that hinders the livestock industry. Methane (CH 4 ) is the primary non-CO 2 GHG emitted from outdoor manure storage facilities. Understanding the relationship between the microbial community and manure physicochemical characteristics, together with their contributions to CH 4 emission during storage are of importance for mitigation and ecological significance. In this study, the archaeal and bacterial communities in manure were investigated using high-throughput sequencing, revealing that manure physicochemical characteristics have a major influence on the distribution and enrichment of methanogenic taxa as well as CH 4 emission. Moisture and total phosphorus (TP) were positively correlated with Methanocorpusculum abundance in cow manure with high CH 4 emission, while they were negatively correlated with Methanobacterium abundance in heifer manure with low CH 4 emission at the species level. Quantitative PCR analysis of transcript abundance of alpha subunit of Methyl coenzyme-M reductase (mcrA) gene in cow manure disclosed relatively strong activity of Methanocorpusculum . sPLS regression and network analyses of microbial taxa revealed that different bacteria–methanogen patterns are associated with CH 4 emission. Our data indicates that the manure physicochemical characteristics influence CH 4 emissions by altering the divergence of methanogens that differ in transcriptional efficiency of mcrA gene and are correlated with some bacterial taxa, providing insights into the mechanisms of CH 4 emission during manure storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the effects of mineral salt supplement on enteric methane emissions, ruminal fermentation and methanogen community of dairy cows over a whole lactation period. Ten Holstein cows fed a total mixed ration (TMR) diet were randomly allocated into two groups, one supplied with mineral salts as the treatment group and the other as the control group. The methane measurement showed that the ingestion of mineral salts lowered enteric methane emissions significantly ( P < 0.05), with an average of 10.5% reduction over the whole lactation period. Ruminal fermentation analysis showed the mineral salt intake could significantly decrease the acetate : propionate ratio ( P < 0.05). Real-time PCR assay showed that rumen methanogen abundance significantly reduced in the treatment group ( P < 0.05) but was not significantly influenced by mineral salt intake over the whole lactation period. Intergroup methanogen community composition was influenced slightly by mineral salt intake; however, significantly different intragroup profiles were apparent throughout the whole lactation period, according to denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis. In conclusion, these results suggested that the effective mitigation of enteric methane emissions by mineral salt intake could be attributed to decreased density of methanogenic archaea and that fluctuations in methane emission over the lactation period might be related to Methanobrevibacter diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Although some nucleotide binding, leucine‐rich repeat immune receptor (NLR) proteins conferring resistance to specific viruses have been identified in dicot plants, NLR proteins involved in viral resistance have not been described in monocots.We have used map‐based cloning to isolate the CC‐NB‐LRR (CNL) Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) resistance gene barley stripe resistance 1 (BSR1) from Brachypodium distachyon Bd3‐1 inbred line. Stable BSR1 transgenic Brachypodium line Bd21‐3, barley (Golden Promise) and wheat (Kenong 199) plants developed resistance against BSMV ND18 strain. Allelic variation analyses indicated that BSR1 is present in several Brachypodium accessions collected from countries in the Middle East.Protein domain swaps revealed that the intact LRR domain and the C‐terminus of BSR1 are required for resistance. BSR1 interacts with the BSMV ND18 TGB1 protein in planta and shows temperature‐sensitive antiviral resistance. The R390 and T392 residues of TGB1ND (ND18 strain) and the G196 and K197 residues within the BSR1 P‐loop motif are key amino acids required for immune activation.BSR1 is the first cloned virus resistance gene encoding a typical CNL protein in monocots, highlighting the utility of the Brachypodium model for isolation and analysis of agronomically important genes for crop improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermochromic smart windows are optical devices that can regulate their optical properties actively in response to external temperature changes. Due to their simple structures and as they do not require other additional energy supply devices, they have great potential in building energy-saving. However, conventional thermochromic smart windows generally have problems with high response temperatures and low response rates. Owing to their great effect in photothermal conversion, photothermal materials are often used in smart windows to assist phase transition so that they can quickly achieve the dual regulation of light and heat at room temperature. Based on this, research progress on the phase transition of photothermal material-assisted thermochromic smart windows is summarized. In this paper, the phase transition mechanisms of several thermochromic materials (VO2, liquid crystals, and hydrogels) commonly used in the field of smart windows are introduced. Additionally, the applications of carbon-based nanomaterials, noble metal nanoparticles, and semiconductor (metal oxygen/sulfide) nanomaterials in thermochromic smart windows are summarized. The current challenges and solutions are further indicated and future research directions are also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Home quarantine due to the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on children. Lifestyle changes have led to an increase in precocious puberty (PP) among girls, and the underlying risk factors for this remain unclear. Thus, we aimed to assess the influence of environmental, genetic, nutritional, and other lifestyle factors on the risk of PP in girls. We evaluated the incidence of new-onset PP in girls during home quarantine for COVID-19 and analyzed the potential risk factors. This was a retrospective questionnaire and medical record-based study involving 22 representative medical units from 13 cities in Henan Province, China. Girls with new-onset PP (central precocious puberty, 58; premature thelarche, 58; age, 5–9 years) between February 2020 and May 2020 were included, along with 124 healthy, age-matched controls. The number of new-onset PP cases reported during the study period was compared with that reported between February and May in 2018 and 2019. Patients' families completed a questionnaire to assess potential risk factors. There was a 5.01- and 3.14-fold increase in the number of new-onset PP cases from 2018 to 2020 and from 2019 to 2020, respectively; the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.01). High-risk factors for PP included longer time spent using electronic devices, decreased exercise time, higher body mass index, vitamin D deficiency, young age (<12 years) of mother during menarche, consumption of fried food and processed meat, residence in rural areas, and consumption of off-season fruits. Thus, we found that lifestyle changes caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant increase in PP in girls. Management of the risk factors identified in this study may help in PP prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the analytical accuracy, safety performance, and user satisfaction (guardians of study participants) of the FreeStyle®Libre Glucose Monitoring System in the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), in children aged <4 years. Methods: Sixteen hospitalized children with new onset T1DM, aged 4 months to 4 years, were enrolled in this study. Patients wore the sensor for 14 days; sensor scans were performed immediately and at 5, 10, and 15 min after capillary blood glucose (BG) measurements to evaluate the effectiveness of the device and the lag effect. Results: The consensus error grid showed that 96.40% of values fell within zone A (no clinical impact) and 3.60% within zone B (little/no clinical impact). Overall, the mean absolute relative difference (MARD) was 9.34%, and was higher in the capillary BG <4.0 mmol/L group (15.18%) than in the 4–10 mmol/L (9.63%) and >10 mmol/L (7.17%) groups. The MARD increased gradually with scanning time extension, indicating a short lag effect. Regression analysis showed that a higher BG level was associated with a greater difference in FreeStyle®Libre System measurements. Conclusions: The use of the FreeStyle®Libre System in children aged 1–4 years is accurate and safe, and may be accurate down to 4 months, independent of patient characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photosynthesis of carbohydrates is the primary source of grain yield in wheat. Photosynthetic organs, especially flag leaves and awns play important roles in wheat growth and development. Genetic analysis of flag leaf posture, size and shape and presence/absence of awns was conducted using a set of 269 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from Yanda1817 × Beinong6. Six agronomic traits comprising flag leaf angle (FLAN), flag leaf width (FLW), flag leaf length (FLL), the ratio of length/width of flag leaf (FLR), flag leaf area (FLA) and presence/absence of awns were evaluated in Shijiazhuang (2011, 2012 and 2013) and Beijing (2012). Using the available high-density single nucleotide polymorphism and simple sequence repeats (SSR) genetic linkage map, a total of 61 putative quantitative trait loci (QTL) for FLAN, FLW, FLL, FLR and FLA were detected on 16 of the 21 wheat chromosomes excluding 1D, 4B, 5D, 6A and 7A, with single QTL in different environments explaining 2.49-42.41 % of the phenotypic variation. Among the identified QTL, 17 were for FLAN, 11 for FLW, seven for FLL, 13 for FLR and 13 for FLA. Twenty-five (41 %) QTL were detected in at least two environments, while four QTL for FLW were detected in all environments. Thirty QTL were associated with higher number of flag leaf traits originated from Yanda1817 alleles, whereas the remaining 31 QTL were derived from Beinong6. In addition, pleiotropic effects were detected for QTL on chromosomes 2D, 3B, 4A, 4D, 5A, 5B, 6B, 6D and 7D that could serve as target regions for fine mapping and marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding programs. Genetic analysis revealed that the presence/absence of awns in the RIL population is controlled by the awn-inhibitor gene B1 linked to SSR marker Xgwm291 on the long arm of chromosome 5A. Our results also suggest that physiological traits FLL, FLW and FLA were significantly and positively correlated to spike length (SL), grain weight per spike and grain number per spike. FLR was significantly and positively related to SL but negatively related to grain width and grain thickness (GT). In addition, the awn trait was strongly and positively correlated to thousand grain weight, grain length and GT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pollution risk of dilute acidic sulfate effluent (DASE),which is discharged from titanium dioxide factories heavily every year, has sparked the recycling of sulfuric acid, iron and water. In this study, a new green recovery process for the DASE is proposed based on coupling solventextraction–oxidation–hydrolysis. Compared to the conventional ways, this innovative method allows the effective extraction of sulfuric acid and the precipitation of Fe x O y · n H 2 O in onestep without adding inorganic neutralizer or precipitant. Trioctylamine (TOA) in kerosene (20–50%) was used as an organic phase for solvent extraction. The hydrolytic productions and the raffinate purified by a cation exchange were evaluated using XRD and ICP-OES, respectively. The initial pH of 0.63 and Fe(II) concentration of 0.1 mol/L in the DASE, the volume ratio of organic toaqueous phase (O/A) of 3/1, and reaction temperature of 25 °C were determined as the optimal conditions. Under this conditions, Fe(II) was transformed as yellow precipitation which was characterized as α-FeOOH, and pH of raffinate was in the range of 3.6–3.8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photodegradation of microplastics (MPs) in the environment has attracted widespread attention. In this review, the influencing factors, degradation mechanisms, and possible risks to ecology and environment of MPs photodegradation are explored. The differences in the photodegradation mechanisms of aromatic and aliphatic MPs are innovatively summarized. In addition, the possibility of MPs photodegradation process occurring under different light source conditions, including natural and simulated light, is evaluated. Concurrently, the impact of photodegradation on the physicochemical properties of MPs is discussed. This review underscores the research gaps in MPs photodegradation and provides guidance for future investigations into the photoaging of MPs. • Photodegradation mechanism of aromatic and aliphatic MPs is first summarized. • The impact of external and internal factors on MPs photodegradation is analyzed. • Photodegradation process and property changes of MPs are reviewed. • Environmental and ecological risks of MPs photoaging are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by irreversible and progressive airflow limitation and encompasses a spectrum of diseases, including chronic obstructive bronchitis and emphysema. Pyroptosis is a unique form of inflammatory cell death mediated by the activation of caspase-1 and inflammasomes. The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) growth arrest-specific 5 (GAS5) is a well-documented tumor suppressor, which is associated with cell proliferation and death in various diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether lncRNA GAS5 is associated with the pyroptosis in COPD. To create a COPD cell model, MRC-5 cells were treated with 10 µg/ml lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 48 h. Then the level of pro-caspase 1, caspase 1, IL-1β, IL-18, NLRP3 and cleaved gasdermin D (GSDMD) was examined by western blotting. GAS5 mRNA level was detected by qualitative PCR following LPS treatment in MRC-5 cells. Subsequently, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α in MRC-5 cells was measured by ELISA. Then the proliferation ability of MRC-5 cells was detected by CCK-8. Cell death was detected by TUNEL assay. LDH release was measured using an LDH Cytotoxicity Assay kit. The Magna RIP kit was used to validate the interaction between GAS5 and miR-223-3p. The present study revealed that increased expression levels of caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18 and cleaved GSDMD were observed in LPS-treated MRC-5 cells, indicating that pyroptosis is involved in COPD progression. Additionally, LPS induced the increase in GAS5 mRNA expression levels and the release of inflammatory factors (IL-2, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α), suggesting that GAS5 is implicated in pyroptosis in COPD. Furthermore, upregulation of GAS5 promoted cell death and inhibited proliferation in the MRC-5 cell line. Additionally, increased GAS5 expression significantly promoted the production of caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18, cleaved GSDMD and NLR pyrin domain containing protein 3 (NLRP3). A dual-luciferase assay demonstrated that GAS5 could directly bind to microRNA-223-3p (miR-223-3p), and NLRP3 is a direct target of miR-223-3p. Furthermore, GAS5 reduced the expression levels of miR-223-3p, while it increased the expression levels of NLRP3. The present study concluded that lncRNA GAS5 promoted pyroptosis in COPD by targeting the miR-223-3p/NLRP3 axis, implying that GAS5 could be a potential target for COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: By applying comparative genomics analyses, a high-density genetic linkage map narrowed the powdery mildew resistance gene Pm41 originating from wild emmer in a sub-centimorgan genetic interval. Abstract: Wheat powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, results in large yield losses worldwide. A high-density genetic linkage map of the powdery mildew resistance gene Pm41, originating from wild emmer ( Triticum turgidum var. dicoccoides) and previously mapped to the distal region of chromosome 3BL bin 0.63-1.00, was constructed using an F recombinant inbred line population derived from a cross of durum wheat cultivar Langdon and wild emmer accession IW2. By applying comparative genomics analyses, 19 polymorphic sequence-tagged site markers were developed and integrated into the Pm41 genetic linkage map. Ultimately, Pm41 was mapped in a 0.6 cM genetic interval flanked by markers XWGGC1505 and XWGGC1507, which correspond to 11.7, 19.2, and 24.9 kb orthologous genomic regions in Brachypodium, rice, and sorghum, respectively. The XWGGC1506 marker co-segregated with Pm41 and could be served as a starting point for chromosome landing and map-based cloning as well as marker-assisted selection of Pm41. Detailed comparative genomics analysis of the markers flanking the Pm41 locus in wheat and the putative orthologous genes in Brachypodium, rice, and sorghum suggests that the gene order is highly conserved between rice and sorghum. However, intra-chromosome inversions and re-arrangements are evident in the wheat and Brachypodium genomic regions, and gene duplications are also present in the orthologous genomic regions of Pm41 in wheat, indicating that the Brachypodium gene model can provide more useful information for wheat marker development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nicotine is one of the primary components in cigarettes, which is responsible for addiction. Numerous studies have investigated the effects of nicotine on pulmonary disease. The health of epithelial cells is important in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Accumulating evidence has suggested that epithelial cell death may initiate or contribute to the progression of a number of lung diseases via airway remodeling. Pyroptosis is a unique form of inflammatory cell death mediated by the activation of caspase-1 and the NOD-like receptor protein-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. The present study aimed to evaluate whether pyroptosis of epithelial cells was involved in the progression of COPD. The normal human bronchial epithelial cell line 16HBE was treated with 0.1 or 1 µM nicotine. Then the proliferation ability of 16HBE cells was detected by CCK-8. Cell death was detected by flow cytometry analysis and TUNEL assay. Subsequently, the levels of pro-caspase 1, caspase 1, IL-1β, IL-18, NLRP3, ASC and cleaved GSDMD were examined by western blotting. It was revealed that nicotine treatment significantly induced cell death and suppressed proliferation of 16HBE cells. Furthermore, nicotine exposure increased the expression levels of caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18, NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein and gasdermin D in 16HBE cells. Therefore, the present study concluded that nicotine treatment induced pyroptosis in 16HBE cells, which may be associated with the progression of COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Powdery mildew resistance gene MlWE74, originated from wild emmer wheat accession G-748-M, was mapped in an NBS-LRR gene cluster of chromosome 2BS. Wheat powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt), is a globally devastating disease. Wild emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum var. dicoccoides) is a valuable genetic resource for improving disease resistance in common wheat. A powdery mildew resistance gene was transferred to hexaploid wheat line WE74 from wild emmer accession G-748-M. Genetic analysis revealed that the powdery mildew resistance in WE74 is controlled by a single dominant gene, herein temporarily designated MlWE74. Bulked segregant analysis (BSA) and molecular mapping delimited MlWE74 to the terminal region of chromosome 2BS flanking by markers WGGBD412 and WGGBH346 within a genetic interval of 0.25 cM and corresponding to 799.9 kb genomic region in the Zavitan reference sequence. Sequence annotation revealed two phosphoglycerate mutase-like genes, an alpha/beta-hydrolases gene, and five NBS-LRR disease resistance genes that could serve as candidates for map-based cloning of MlWE74. The geographical location analysis indicated that MlWE74 is mainly distributed in Rosh Pinna and Amirim regions, in the northern part of Israel, where environmental conditions are favorable to the occurrence of powdery mildew. Moreover, the co-segregated marker WGGBD425 is helpful in marker-assisted transfer of MlWE74 into elite cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abovementioned results imply that the silent genetic loci like I Pm41b i are a valuable resource of genetic variation in the wheat genome and therefore could be potentially utilized to enrich the genetic diversity in wheat breeding. Keywords: Pm41; allelic variation; genetic diversity; transposon; gene silencing EN Pm41 allelic variation genetic diversity transposon gene silencing 2039 2041 3 11/01/22 20221101 NES 221101 Common wheat ( I Triticum aestivum i . [Extracted from the article]

The UniProt knowledgebase is a public database for protein sequence and function, covering the tree of life and over 220 million protein entries. Now, the whole community can use a new crowdsourcing annotation system to help scale up UniProt curation and receive proper attribution for their biocuration work. The UniProt Knowledgebase is a public database for protein sequence and function, covering the tree of life. This Community Page article present a community submission system to harness timely scientific knowledge via crowdsourcing of the literature, creating a research ecosystem where researchers play an active role in scaling up UniProt curation, while receiving proper attribution for their biocuration work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To summarize the relationship between different MMUT gene mutations and the response to vitamin B12 in MMA. Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with mut‐type MMA. All patients with mut‐type MMA were tested for responsiveness to vitamin B12. Results: There were 81, 27, and 158 patients in the completely responsive, partially responsive, and nonresponsive groups, respectively, and the proportions of symptom occurrence were 30/81 (37.0%), 21/27 (77.8%), and 131/158 (82.9%), respectively (p <.001). The median levels of posttreatment propionyl carnitine (C3), C3/acetyl carnitine (C2) ratio in the blood, and methylmalonic acid in the urine were all lower than pretreatment, and the median level of C3/C2 ratio in the completely responsive group was within the normal range. In 266 patients, 144 different mutations in the MMUT gene were identified. Patients with the mutations of c.1663G>A, c.2080C>T, c.1880A>G, c.1208G>A, etc. were completely responsive and with the mutations of c.1741C>T, c.1630_1631GG>TA, c.599T>C, etc. were partially responsive. The proportions of healthy/developmental delay outcomes in the three groups were 63.0%/23.5%, 33.3%/40.7%, and 13.3%/60.1%, respectively (p <.001). Conclusion: Different mutations in the MMUT gene are associated with the effect of vitamin B12 treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Methylmalonic aciduria (MMA) combined with homocystinuria, cobalamin(cbl)C deficiency type (OMIM 277400), is the most common autosomal recessive inherited disorder of intracellular cobalamin metabolism caused by mutations in the MMACHC gene (OMIM 609831), of which more than 100 mutations have been identified to date. In this study, we only identified a coding mutation in one allele at the MMACHC gene locus, and no large fragments deletion or duplication were found. Up to now, only three epimutation cblC cases were reported. We hypothesized whether the MMACHC was hypermethylated. Methods: To address this hypothesis, the entire coding region and adjacent splice sites of the panel genes involved in metabolic diseases were sequenced using the Illumina HiSeq X platform, followed by confirmation via Sanger sequencing in their parents and brothers. Methylation analysis of the MMACHC was performed using an EpiTect Bisulfite Kit and methylation‐specific PCR (MSP) to investigate the role of epimutations in cblC disease. Results: We identified a clearly pathogenic single heterozygous c.658_660del, p. (K220del) mutation, which was also identified in the mother. Analysis of the MMACHC indicated a heterozygous epimutation consisting of 34 hypermethylated CpG sites in a CpG island encompassing the promoter and first exon of the MMACHC, which was also identified in the father. Furthermore, we identified a single heterozygous c.*2C>T mutation in the sixth exon of the PRDX1 (OMIM 176763) in patients and their fathers, which was the only sequence variation that segregated with the MMACHC methylation. Neither c.658_660del and epimutation in MMACHC nor c.*2C>T in PRDX1 was discovered in her brother. Conclusion: We report compound heterozygotes in MMACHC for a genetic mutation and an epimutation in cblC cases. To our best knowledge, this is the first report of two cblC cases from China caused by compound heterozygous mutations with a coding mutation in one allele and an epimutation in the other at the MMACHC locus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrafiltration (UF) can effectively remove large particles, suspended solids, and colloidal substances from anaerobic digestate. However, membrane fouling is a technical challenge in the purification of the digestate by UF. In this study, polyethersulfone (PES) membranes with four pore sizes (50.0, 20.0, 10.0 and 5.0 kDa) were employed to filter anaerobic digestate from swine manure. The effects of temperature, transmembrane pressure (TMP), and cross-flow velocity (CFV) on flux were investigated. The purification effects and fouling characteristics of the four membranes were analyzed. The results revealed that the increase of temperature and CFV can effectively promote UF separation efficiency, but as the TMP exceeded 3.0 bar, the flux increase rates of the four membranes were almost zero. The larger membrane pore size caused the faster flux increase with the increase in pressure. During the batch experiment, the 20.0 kDa membrane showed the lowest flux maintenance ability, while the 5.0 kDa showed the highest ability due to the smaller pore size. All four membranes can effectively remove tetracyclines residues. Elements C, O, and S were the major membrane foulant elements. The dominant bacteria orders of membrane fouling were Pseudomonadales, Xanthomonadales and Burkholderiales. Compared with tap water and citric acid, the membrane cleaning by NaOH and NaClO showed higher flux recovery rates. The 50.0 kDa membrane achieved the best cleaning effects under all cleaning methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Odor emission is one of the most common problems associated with dead animals composting. Biofiltration treatment for eliminating exhaust odors formed during dead pigs and manure composting has been studied. The composting and biofiltration process consisted of two series of tests. Composting experimental trials lasted 6 weeks, and composting was performed using six pilot-scale reactor vessels. A total of 37 kinds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in the air were identified, and temporal variations were determined during the 42 days of composting. Dimethyl sulfide (DMS), dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS), and trimethylamine (TMA) were identified as the main odors VOCs component according to odor active values (OAVs). Nine biofilter vessels containing mature compost were used in studying the effect of different (30, 60, and 100 s) empty bed retention times (EBRT) on the simultaneous removal efficiencies (REs) of NH3, DMS, DMDS, DMTS, and TMA. Results indicated that the inlet concentration of NH3 applied was 12–447 mg m−3, and the average removal efficiencies were 85.4%, 88.7%, and 89.0% for EBRTs of 30, 60, and 100 s, respectively. The average REs of DMS, DMDS, DMTS, and TMA were 79.2%–95.4%, 81.9%–94.0%, 76.7%–99.1%, and 92.9%–100%, respectively, and their maximum elimination capacity (ECs) were 220, 1301, 296, and 603 mg m−3 h−1, respectively. The optimal EBRT for the stimulation removal of NH3, DMS, DMDS, DMTS, and TMA was 60 s. Implications: Dimethyl sulfide (DMS), dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS), and trimethylamine (TMA) were identified as the main odors VOCs component during dead pigs and manure composting. Biofilter with mature as media can be used to stimulation remove NH3, DMS, DMDS, DMTS, and TMA, the optimal empty bed retention times EBRT was 60 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Methylmalonic acidemia is an inherited organic acid metabolic disease. It involves multiple physiological systems and has variable manifestations. The primary causative gene MMUT carries wide range of mutations, and one of them, c.1663G > A (p.A555T), is considered to be a rare type, which is seen more frequently in Asian than other populations. So far, little is known about the clinical features of patients carrying this mutation. In the present study, we aimed to define the clinical and biochemical features of the patients with this genotype.Methods: Among 328 mut type methylmalonic acidemia patients from multiple hospitals in China, we collected 30 compound heterozygous patients sharing the mutation c.1663G > A (p.A555T) in the MMUT gene. Their clinical characteristics and biochemical index were described in detail and compared with methylmalonic acidemia patients without this variant.Results: Most of these patients were diagnosed via newborn screening (26/30), treated in a timely manner, and kept healthy (24/30). Disease onset occurred in 7 patients. Developmental delay or intellectual impairment occurred in 4 patients. 100% of these patients (29/29) were responsive to Vitamin B12 administration. The blood propionylcarnitine, blood propionylcarnitine/acetylcarnitine ratio, urinary methylmalonic acid, urinary methylcitric acid before and after treatment in c.1663G > A (p.A555T) carrying patients were much lower than those in non-c.1663G > A (p.A555T) carrying patients.Conclusion: Compared to patients with other mutations in the MMUT gene, patients with the c.1663G > A (p.A555T) mutation showed later onset, milder clinical phenotype, lighter biochemical abnormalities, better vitamin B12 responsiveness, lower morbidity, easier metabolic control, and thereby better prognosis. Newborn screening project plays an important role in early diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Powdery mildew, a fungal disease caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt), has a serious impact on wheat production. Loss of resistance in cultivars prompts a continuing search for new sources of resistance.Wild emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides, WEW), the progenitor of both modern tetraploid and hexaploid wheats, harbors many powdery mildew resistance genes. We report here the positional cloning and functional characterization of Pm41, a powdery mildew resistance gene derived from WEW, which encodes a coiled‐coil, nucleotide‐binding site and leucine‐rich repeat protein (CNL). Mutagenesis and stable genetic transformation confirmed the function of Pm41 against Bgt infection in wheat.We demonstrated that Pm41 was present at a very low frequency (1.81%) only in southern WEW populations. It was absent in other WEW populations, domesticated emmer, durum, and common wheat, suggesting that the ancestral Pm41 was restricted to its place of origin and was not incorporated into domesticated wheat.Our findings emphasize the importance of conservation and exploitation of the primary WEW gene pool, as a valuable resource for discovery of resistance genes for improvement of modern wheat cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]