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Objective In this study, we explored the effect of fruit and vegetable waste addition on the quality of corn stalk silage. Methods Corn stalks were ensiled 20 days after ear harvesting and mixed with fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) consisting of apple, orange, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage waste as 3% of fresh matter. Fruit waste consisted of solid residue obtained after juicing, and vegetable waste was collected from farms and cut into small pieces (2 to 3 cm). The materials were stored anaerobically in 20-L silo buckets and opened after 60 days of fermentation. Results There were significant differences in dry matter (DM), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), total digestible nutrient (TDN), and relative feed value (RFV) levels in FVW derived from all tested raw materials (p0.05) and significant decreases in yeast and mold counts (p

Abstract Background Chitinase-3 like-protein-1 (CHI3L1) is a member of the mammalian chitinase-like proteins and elevated serum CHI3L1 level has been proved to be associated with poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum CHI3L1 levels and body composition parameters in patients with HCC after liver transplantation (LT). Methods This retrospective study enrolled 200 patients after LT for HCC. Blood samples were collected and serum concentrations of CHI3L1 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Computer tomography (CT) were used to estimate skeletal muscle and adipose tissue mass. Spearman’s rank correlation test was performed to assess associations between serum CHI3L1 levels and these body composition parameters. A Cox proportional-hazards regression model was performed to identify independent prognostic factors. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) curves were constructed using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test. Results Total 71 patients (35.5%) were diagnosed with myosteatosis according to skeletal muscle radiation attenuation (SMRA). The 5-year OS rates were 66.9% in non-myosteatosis group, significantly higher than 49.5% in myosteatosis group (p = 0.025), while the RFS of myosteatosis group (5-year RFS: 52.6%) or non-myosteatosis group (5-year RFS: 42.0%) shown no significant difference (p = 0.068). The serum CHI3L1 level were significantly negative correlated with SMRA (r = -0.3, p

Abstract Background The incidence of lung cancer combined with pulmonary tuberculosis has been increasing, but there is relatively limited published literature on the topic of lung cancer combined with tuberculosis (LC‐PTB) from a bibliometric perspective. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to quantitatively analyze the LC‐PTB‐related literature to better understand the current status of this field and identify future research trends. Methods We searched for articles related to LC‐PTB using the Web of Science Core Collection (SCI‐E) and conducted a visual analysis of publication quantity, countries, institutions, authors, journals, references, and keywords using bibliometric software (CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Scimago Graphica). Results As of January 8, 2024, a total of 460 publications related to LC‐PTB were included for analysis from 3705 retrieved records. The number of publications has been increasing almost yearly, with most from China (n = 123), followed by the United States (n = 77). Taipei Medical University contributed the most publications (n = 11). Jing‐Yang Huang and Yung‐Po Liaw (eight documents each) ranked first among the included authors. The Journal of Thoracic Oncology was the most productive academic journal on LC‐PTB. The aggregation of key nodes in the co‐citation network and the chronological sequence indicated that LC‐PTB research has shifted from initial hotspots such as lung diseases, bronchitis, and exposure to recent areas, including immunotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and nivolumab. Conclusion In this study, we visualized the current status of LC‐PTB research as well as future trends using bibliometric methods, providing new insights into the differential diagnosis of LC‐PTB and its related promoting mechanisms.

Abstract Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that significantly threatens human health. However, the differential diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and active tuberculosis (ATB) remains a challenge for clinicians in early detection and preventive intervention. In this study, we developed a novel biomarker named HP16118P, utilizing 16 helper T lymphocyte (HTL) epitopes, 11 cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes, and 8 B cell epitopes identified from 15 antigens associated with LTBI-RD using the IEDB database. We analyzed the physicochemical properties, spatial structure, and immunological characteristics of HP16118P using various tools, which indicated that it is a hydrophilic and relatively stable alkaline protein. Furthermore, HP16118P exhibited good antigenicity and immunogenicity, while being non-toxic and non-allergenic, with the potential to induce immune responses. We observed that HP16118P can stimulate the production of high levels of IFN-γ+ T lymphocytes in individuals with ATB, LTBI, and health controls. IL-5 induced by HP16118P demonstrated potential in distinguishing LTBI individuals and ATB patients (p=0.0372, AUC=0.8214, 95% CI [0.5843 to 1.000]) with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 71.43%. Furthermore, we incorporated the GM-CSF, IL-23, IL-5, and MCP-3 induced by HP16118P into 15 machine learning algorithms to construct a model. It was found that the Quadratic discriminant analysis model exhibited the best diagnostic performance for discriminating between LTBI and ATB, with a sensitivity of 1.00, specificity of 0.86, and accuracy of 0.93. In summary, HP16118P has demonstrated strong antigenicity and immunogenicity, with the induction of GM-CSF, IL-23, IL-5, and MCP-3, suggesting their potential for the differential diagnosis of LTBI and ATB.

Objective: To evaluate the predictive performance of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in identifying and predicting pulmonary infections following liver transplantation and to investigate its association with patient outcomes within the initial four-week post-transplantation period. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 41 liver transplant patients with suspected pulmonary infections from August 2022 to May 2023. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples were collected on the first postoperative day for metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) and culture. The predictive capability of mNGS for subsequent infections was assessed by monitoring inflammatory biomarkers and comparing the detection rates with culture methods. Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (Rt-PCR) was used to monitor Human betaherpesvirus 5 (CMV) and Human parvovirus B19 (B19) weekly during a four-week postoperative period. Inflammatory biomarkers and blood coagulation function were evaluated on specific days throughout the first, third, fifth, and during four weeks following surgery. The study was conducted until August 2023 to evaluate the patients' prognostic survival outcome, classifying them into groups based on the mortality and survival. Results: The analysis included a total of 41 patients, comprising 32 males and 9 females, with an average age of 52 (47, 63) years. Within one week after liver transplantation, there were 7 cases of bacterial infections, 5 cases of fungal infections, 19 cases of mixed infections, 8 cases without any infection, and 2 cases with unidentified pathogen-associated infections. mNGS successfully predicted 39 (72 %) strains of pathogens, while culture-based methods only detected 28 (52 %) strains. Among the 8 patients diagnosed as non-infected, culture methods identified positive results in 4 cases (50 %), whereas mNGS yielded positive results in 7 cases (87.5 %). The detection rates of CMV and B19 by Rt-PCR within 4 weeks after liver transplantation were 61 % and 17 %, respectively (25/41, 7/41) among the patients. During the study period, a total of 9 patients succumbed while 32 patients survived. The death group and the survival group exhibited significant differences in CRP, HGB, and INR levels at specific monitoring time points. The proportion of CMV detection in blood was significantly higher in the death group compared to the surviving group. Elevated CRP level was identified as a prognostic risk factor. Conclusions: Despite the presence of false positives, mNGS still presents a potential advantage in predicting pulmonary infection pathogens following liver transplantation. Furthermore, the levels of CRP and CMV carrier status within four weeks post-surgery exhibit significant associations with patient survival and prognosis.

Abstract Sirolimus is a regularly applied immunosuppressant for patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Sirolimus not only significantly inhibits HCC recurrence but also protects renal function. However, the improvement effect of sirolimus on nontumour-related death in patients is still unknown. The aim of our study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of sirolimus on nontumour-related deaths. In this study, we retrospectively enrolled 403 LT patients with HCC from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2018. The median follow-up time was 47.1 months. The patients were divided into the sirolimus group (N = 184) and the sirolimus-free group (N = 219). There were no significant differences between the sirolimus group and the sirolimus-free group in survival (P = 0.054). In transplant patients who exceeded the Milan or Hangzhou criteria, the sirolimus group achieved higher survival than the sirolimus-free group (P = 0.005; P = 0.02). Moreover, multivariate analysis showed that sirolimus strongly reduced the hazard ratio (HR) for nontumour-related death in LT patients who exceeded the Milan (HR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.18–1; P = 0.05) or Hangzhou criteria (HR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.08–0.89; P = 0.032). HCC recurrence increased the risk of nontumour-related death. In conclusion, sirolimus-based immunosuppression can significantly reduce nontumour-related death in LT patients who exceed the criteria for transplantation. In addition, this finding will further promote the application of sirolimus after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract How cells coordinate cell cycling with cell survival and death remains incompletely understood. Here, we show that cell cycle arrest has a potent suppressive effect on ferroptosis, a form of regulated cell death induced by overwhelming lipid peroxidation at cellular membranes. Mechanistically, cell cycle arrest induces diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT)–dependent lipid droplet formation to sequester excessive polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that accumulate in arrested cells in triacylglycerols (TAGs), resulting in ferroptosis suppression. Consequently, DGAT inhibition orchestrates a reshuffling of PUFAs from TAGs to phospholipids and re-sensitizes arrested cells to ferroptosis. We show that some slow-cycling antimitotic drug–resistant cancer cells, such as 5-fluorouracil–resistant cells, have accumulation of lipid droplets and that combined treatment with ferroptosis inducers and DGAT inhibitors effectively suppresses the growth of 5-fluorouracil–resistant tumors by inducing ferroptosis. Together, these results reveal a role for cell cycle arrest in driving ferroptosis resistance and suggest a ferroptosis-inducing therapeutic strategy to target slow-cycling therapy-resistant cancers.

Targeted nanoparticles offer potential to selectively deliver therapeutics to cells; however, their subcellular fate following endocytosis must be understood to properly design mechanisms of drug release. Here we describe a nanoparticle platform and associated cell-based assay to observe lysosome trafficking of targeted nanoparticles in live cells. The nanoparticle platform utilizes two fluorescent dyes loaded onto PEG-poly(glutamic acid) and PEG-poly(Lysine) block co-polymers that also comprise azide reactive handles on PEG termini to attach antibody-based targeting ligands. Fluorophores were selected to be pH-sensitive (pHrodo Red) or pH-insensitive (Alexafluor 488) to report when nanoparticles enter low pH lysosomes. Dye-labelled block co-polymers were further assembled into polyion complex micelle nanoparticles and crosslinked through amide bond formation to form stable nano-scaffolds for ligand attachment. Cell binding and lysosome trafficking was determined in live cells by fluorescence imaging in 96-well plates and quantification of red- and green-fluorescence signals over time. The platform and assay was validated for selection of optimal antibody-derived targeting ligands directed towards CD22 for nanoparticle delivery. Kinetic analysis of uptake and lysosome trafficking indicated differences between ligand types and the ligand with the highest lysosome trafficking efficiency translated into effective DNA delivery with nanoparticles bearing the optimal ligand.

Abstract The persistent threat of tuberculosis (TB) on a global scale hasprompted a reevaluation of preventive strategies, with a particular focus onthe Bacille Calmette‐Guérin (BCG) vaccine's role in revaccination. Theresurgence underscores an urgent need for enhanced measures, prompting acritical examination of BCG revaccination strategies. Drawing from the researchof Paulo Cesar Pereira dos Santos and a synthesis of randomized controlledtrials (RCTs), this review identifies key considerations for refining BCGrevaccination's efficacy against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) andTB. The main body of this review integrates four principal domains essentialfor optimizing BCG revaccination: the timing of revaccination, the assessmentof various BCG strains, the evaluation of the vaccine's effectiveness on MTBand non‐tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) strains, and the enhancement of RCTmethodologies. Determining the optimal revaccination timing is paramount forbolstering immunity, especially in regions with high TB prevalence. Theanalysis of different BCG strains provides insights into strain‐specificimmunogenicity, informing vaccine deployment strategies. Additionally,understanding the vaccine's impact on a range of mycobacterial infections iscrucial for its broader application in various microbial contexts. The reviewemphasizes the refinement of RCT designs to ensure robust and consistentoutcomes, facilitating the reproducibility of results in diverse settings. Itproposes a strategy that not only suggests modifications to revaccinationpractices to increase global TB prevention effectiveness but also calls forcontinuous research to improve BCG revaccination methodologies. The paperadvocates for a standardized, evidence‐driven approach to global TB preventionthat takes into account regional epidemiological differences. In conclusion,this review significantly contributes to the discourse on TB prevention,advocating for evidence‐based, standardized approaches that could potentiallytransform the role of BCG revaccination in global TB prevention efforts. Thefindings support current initiatives aimed at developing policies based onsolid evidence, ensuring the scientific integrity and practical relevance ofBCG revaccination strategies.

Abstract Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) has become a major source of active tuberculosis (ATB). Although the tuberculin skin test and interferon-gamma release assay can be used to diagnose LTBI, these methods can only differentiate infected individuals from healthy ones but cannot discriminate between LTBI and ATB. Thus, the diagnosis of LTBI faces many challenges, such as the lack of effective biomarkers from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) for distinguishing LTBI, the low diagnostic efficacy of biomarkers derived from the human host, and the absence of a gold standard to differentiate between LTBI and ATB. Sputum culture, as the gold standard for diagnosing tuberculosis, is time-consuming and cannot distinguish between ATB and LTBI. In this article, we review the pathogenesis of MTB and the immune mechanisms of the host in LTBI, including the innate and adaptive immune responses, multiple immune evasion mechanisms of MTB, and epigenetic regulation. Based on this knowledge, we summarize the current status and challenges in diagnosing LTBI and present the application of machine learning (ML) in LTBI diagnosis, as well as the advantages and limitations of ML in this context. Finally, we discuss the future development directions of ML applied to LTBI diagnosis.

Abstract As a supplement to large power grids, DC microgrids with new energy access are increasingly widely used. However, with the increasing proportion of new energy in DC microgrids, its output fluctuations directly affect the overall stability of the microgrids. Distributed energy storage can smooth the output fluctuation of distributed new energy. In this paper, an AC-DC hybrid micro-grid operation topology with distributed new energy and distributed energy storage system access is designed, and on this basis, a coordinated control strategy of a micro-grid system based on distributed energy storage is proposed. To maintain the voltage stability of the DC bus and make each station have the power-sharing ability, the AC/DC flexibly interconnected converter should adopt two control strategies. The power can flow bidirectional in the power scheduling and distribution of the energy storage station; At the same time, different power distribution schemes will generate different scheduling costs. To optimize the operation of energy storage power stations, an improved particle swarm optimization algorithm is adopted in this paper to optimize the scheduling task allocation scheme. The optimization objective is the lowest scheduling cost, to realize the optimal scheduling of energy storage power stations. In this paper, based on a Matlab/Simulink environment, a microgrid system based on an AC-DC hybrid bus is built. The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed microgrid coordinated control strategy.

Bone marrow-derived CD34-positive (CD34+) endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) has unique functions in the mechanism of compensatory lung growth (CLG). The content of this study is mainly to describe the effect of microRNA (miR)-155 in the mechanisms of EPCs and CLG. Our study found that transfection of miR-155 mimic could promote EPC proliferation, migration and tube formation, while transfection of miR-155 inhibitor had the opposite effect. It was also found that transfection of pc-JARID2 inhibited EPC proliferation, migration and tube formation, while transfection of si-JARID2 had the opposite effect. miR-155 can target and negatively regulate JARID2 expression. Overexpression of JARID2 weakened the promoting effects of miR-155 mimic on EPC proliferation, migration, and tubular formation, while silencing JARID2 weakened the inhibitory effects of miR-155 inhibitors on EPC proliferation, migration, and tubular formation. Transplantation of EPCs transfected with miR-155 mimic into the left lung model effectively increased lung volume, total alveolar number, diaphragm surface area, and lung endothelial cell number, while transplantation of EPCs co-transfected with miR-155 mimic and pc-JARID2 reversed this phenomenon. Overall, we found that miR-155 activates CD34+ EPC by targeting negative regulation of JARID2 and promotes CLG.

Abstract Although tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease, the progression of the disease following Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection is closely associated with the host's immune response. In this review, a comprehensive analysis of TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment was conducted from an immunological perspective. First, we delved into the host's immune response mechanisms against MTB infection as well as the immune evasion mechanisms of the bacteria. Addressing the challenges currently faced in TB diagnosis and treatment, we also emphasized the importance of protein, genetic, and immunological biomarkers, aiming to provide new insights for early and personalized diagnosis and treatment of TB. Building upon this foundation, we further discussed intervention strategies involving chemical and immunological treatments for the increasingly critical issue of drug‐resistant TB and other forms of TB. Finally, we summarized TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment challenges and put forward future perspectives. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights into the immunological aspects of TB and offer new directions toward achieving the WHO's goal of eradicating TB by 2035.

IntroductionFerula is a traditional, edible, and important medicinal plant with high economic value. The distinction between edible and non-edible Ferula remains unclear.MethodsIn this study, headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) non-targeted metabolomics techniques were used to systematically and comprehensively analyse secondary metabolites in the leaves and roots of four species of Ferula, considering their edibility.ResultsA total of 166 leaf volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and 1,079 root metabolites were identified. Additionally, 42 potential VOCs and 62 differential root metabolites were screened to distinguish between edible and non-edible Ferula. Twelve volatile metabolites were specific to F. feurlaeoides, and eight compounds were specific to the three edible Ferula species. The results showed that compounds containing sulphur, aldehydes, and ketones, which produce pungent odours, were the primary sources of the strong odour of Ferula. The root differential metabolites include 13 categories, among which the high concentration group is organic acids, amino acids, terpenoids and fatty acids. The bioactive metabolites and VOCs in the roots exhibited species-specific characteristics. VOCs with various odors were linked to the distribution of root metabolites in both edible and non-edible Ferula plants. The screened root markers may contribute to the formation of characteristic VOCs.DiscussionThis study identified the difference in flavour between edible and non-edible Ferula plants and, for the first time, demonstrated the contribution of the efficacy of Ferula root to the unique flavour of the above-ground parts of Ferula. These results provide a theoretical basis for selecting Ferula for consumption and help evaluate the quality of different species of Ferula. Our findings may facilitate food processing and the further development of Ferula.

To explore the photosynthetic system adaptation mechanism of two dominant ephemeral plants, including Malcolmia scorpioides and Arnebia decumbens, to light and temperature, this study measured the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and discussed their light damage and the change of photosynthetic activities under different temperatures (25-60℃) and constant room temperature (25℃) and high temperature and different illumination (80-400 μmol·m-2·s-1). The results were as follows: (1) The photosynthetic efficiency and electron transport rate increased first and then decreased with the increase of temperature, reached the highest value at 40℃ and then rapidly decreased, the quantum yield of non-regulated energy dissipation in PS Ⅱ［Y(NO)］and PS I receptor side heat dissipation efficiency［Y(NA)］increased, and the photosynthetic system was damaged due to the accumulation of excitation pressure at the receptor terminal. (2) Under the light range of 80-400 μmol·m-2·s-1 and room temperature, the photosynthetic efficiency increased with the enhancement of light intensity; under high temperature, the combined stress of light and high temperature on plants descended the photosynthetic activities of plants and the quantum yield of regulatory energy dissipation in PS Ⅱ［Y(NPQ)］, and when the light intensity reached 320 μmol·m-2·s-1, the ring electron transport flow disappeared. In conclusion, light and temperature within a certain range can improve the photosynthetic activity, activate heat dissipation and ring electron transport flow and reduced photoinhibition. However, with the increase of temperature and light intensity at high temperature, the adaptation ability of the two ephemeral plants decrease and the photoprotective mechanism disappeared. The main reason is the accumulation of PS I receptor side excitation pressure and the failure of regulatory heat dissipation.

Rodents, such as those that feed on plants and nest in plant roots, can significantly affect the growth and development of desert plants. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Rhombomys opimus disturbance on the photosynthetic characteristics and nutrient status of Haloxylon ammodendron at different growth stages in the Gurbantunggut Desert. The effects of great gerbil disturbance on the photosynthetic characteristics of H. ammodendron at different growth stages were investigated by measuring the gas exchange parameters, instantaneous water use efficiency, and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of H. ammodendron at different ages (young, middle, and adult) under the disturbance of great gerbils. The soil nutrients in the assimilated branches and rhizosphere of H. ammodendron at different growth stages were tracked to reveal the relationship between the H. ammodendron nutrient content and gerbil disturbance. The results showed that great gerbil disturbance decreased the organic carbon content in the rhizosphere soil of adult H. ammodendron and increased the total nitrogen content in the rhizosphere soil and the nitrogen and potassium contents in the assimilated branches at each growth stage. The net photosynthetic rate and instantaneous water use efficiency of H. ammodendron decreased at each growth stage, and the maximum photochemical efficiency and non-photochemical quenching parameters of the young H. ammodendron decreased. However, the actual photochemical efficiency and photochemical parameters of the middle H. ammodendron increased. It was concluded that the disturbance of great gerbils decreased the photosynthetic capacity of H. ammodendron and increased the content of total nitrogen in the soil and nitrogen and potassium in the plant. This study revealed that the Gurbantunggut Desert great gerbil and H. ammodendron do not have a simple predation relationship. It laid a foundation for the study of the moderate disturbance threshold and better use of the mutually beneficial relationship between the two.

Abstract The cystine transporter solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11; also called xCT) protects cancer cells from oxidative stress and is overexpressed in many cancers. Here we report a surprising finding that, whereas moderate overexpression of SLC7A11 is beneficial for cancer cells treated with H2O2, a common oxidative stress inducer, its high overexpression dramatically increases H2O2-induced cell death. Mechanistically, high cystine uptake in cancer cells with high overexpression of SLC7A11 in combination with H2O2 treatment results in toxic buildup of intracellular cystine and other disulfide molecules, NADPH depletion, redox system collapse, and rapid cell death (likely disulfidptosis). We further show that high overexpression of SLC7A11 promotes tumor growth but suppresses tumor metastasis, likely because metastasizing cancer cells with high expression of SLC7A11 are particularly susceptible to oxidative stress. Our findings reveal that SLC7A11 expression level dictates cancer cells’ sensitivity to oxidative stress and suggests a context-dependent role for SLC7A11 in tumor biology.

Abstract Background Accumulating data indicate that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation and lncRNA deregulation act crucial roles in cancer progression. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2B1 (HNRNPA2B1) as an m6A “reader” has been reported to be an oncogene in multiple malignancies. We herein aimed to elucidate the role and underlying mechanism by which HNRNPA2B1-mediated m6A modification of lncRNAs contributes to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods The expression levels of HNRNPA2B1 and their association with the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis in NSCLC were determined by RT-qPCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry and TCGA dataset. Then, the role of HNRNPA2B1 in NSCLC cells was assessed by in vitro functional experiments and in vivo tumorigenesis and lung metastasis models. HNRNPA2B1-mediated m6A modification of lncRNAs was screened by m6A-lncRNA epi-transcriptomic microarray and verified by methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (Me-RIP). The lncRNA MEG3-specific binding with miR-21-5p was evaluated by luciferase gene report and RIP assays. The effects of HNRNPA2B1 and (or) lncRNA MEG3 on miR-21-5p/PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling were examined by RT-qPCR and Western blot analyses. Results We found that upregulation of HNRNPA2B1 was associated with distant metastasis and poor survival, representing an independent prognostic factor in patients with NSCLC. Knockdown of HNRNPA2B1 impaired cell proliferation and metastasis in vitro and in vivo, whereas ectopic expression of HNRNPA2B1 possessed the opposite effects. Mechanical investigations revealed that lncRNA MEG3 was an m6A target of HNRNPA2B1 and inhibition of HNRNPA2B1 decreased MEG3 m6A levels but increased its mRNA levels. Furthermore, lncRNA MEG3 could act as a sponge of miR-21-5p to upregulate PTEN and inactivate PI3K/AKT signaling, leading to the suppression of cell proliferation and invasion. Low expression of lncRNA MEG3 or elevated expression of miR-21-5p indicated poor survival in patients with NSCLC. Conclusions Our findings uncover that HNRNPA2B1-mediated m6A modification of lncRNA MEG3 promotes tumorigenesis and metastasis of NSCLC cells by regulating miR-21-5p/PTEN axis and may provide a therapeutic target for NSCLC.

Summary: Lung cancer (LC) and tuberculosis (TB) are two major global public health problems, and the incidence of LC-TB is currently on the rise. Therefore effective clinical interventions are crucial for LC-TB. The aim of this review is to provide up-to-date information on the immunological profile and therapeutic biomarkers in patients with LC-TB. We discuss the immune mechanisms involved, including the immune checkpoints that play an important role in the treatment of patients with LC-TB. In addition, we explore the susceptibility of patients with LC to TB and summarise the latest research on LC-TB. Finally, we discuss future prospects in this field, including the identification of potential targets for immune intervention. In conclusion, this review provides important insights into the complex relationship between LC and TB and highlights new advances in the detection and treatment of both diseases.

Urban infrastructure is the lifeline and material foundation for the normal operation of cities. It is of great significance to accurately evaluate the resilience level of urban infrastructure and identify the main obstacle factors for the construction of resilient cities. This paper establishes an index system for urban infrastructure resilience evaluation from three dimensions: Pre-disaster prevention capacity, disaster resistance capacity, and post-disaster recovery capacity. It also uses the CRITIC method to determine the index weights and identifies the main obstacle factors based on the obstacle degree model (ODM). The results show that urban infrastructure resilience in China is generally low and varies greatly in terms of structure across provinces and municipalities. The main obstacle factors affecting urban infrastructure resilience include the capacities to conduct pre-disaster prevention and post-disaster recovery in the production and supply of electricity, gas and water, to construct infrastructure recovery projects, and to ensure energy supply and power supply. It is recommended to promote the application of the concept of “resilience” throughout the entire process of urban planning, construction and governance, understand the current situation of urban infrastructure, coordinate the investment of resources such as funding, manpower and technology, enhance the robustness and redundancy of urban infrastructure systems, actively optimize the layout of urban infrastructure, and continuously improve the application of intelligent technologies in infrastructure systems.

We introduced a core-flooding test equipment with the triaxial cell having been made available to in situ computed tomography (CT) scanning. Water flow-through tests were conducted on 38 mm-diameter fractured granite cores containing either saw-cut or rough fractures, subjected to a confining pressure varying from 5 to 20 MPa in a single loading-unloading cycle. We put a particular focus on fracture deformation and hydraulic performance of multiple fractures that were artificially assembled to form different fracture interconnection. Results show that in all the cases the permeability of the fractured granite cores nonlinearly decreases with increasing confining pressure, and was reduced by 80.90% when the confining pressure was increased to 20 MPa. Permeability recovery is very limited (10.30%) when the specimen was unloaded to the initial confining pressure of 5 MPa. Poorly-connected fractures show approximately half permeability of the well-connected fractures. Nonuniform deformation including changes in aperture and contact area in natural fractures were observed through CT image analysis. In the end, advantages and limitations of in situ imaging for quantitatively evaluating hydro-mechanical behavior of granite fractures at core-scale were discussed.

Summary: Background: Inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) function can improve the efficacy of immunotherapy by modulating the tumor immune microenvironment. AK112 is the first-in-class humanized IgG1 bispecific antibody targeting programmed death-1 (PD-1) and VEGF. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of AK112 combined with chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: This open-label, multicenter, phase II clinical trial was conducted in 11 hospitals in China. Eligible participants were adults aged 18–75 years with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1, at least one measurable lesion, and an estimated life expectancy of at least 3 months. The participants were categorized into three cohorts based on prior therapy and functional genomic alterations. Patients in cohort 1 were previously untreated advanced NSCLC, had no epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene modifications, and received AK112 combined with pemetrexed (500 mg/m2) for non-squamous (non-sq)-NSCLC or paclitaxel (175 mg/m2) for sq-NSCLC plus carboplatin (area under the curve of 5 mg/mL per min) for four cycles, followed by AK112 with pemetrexed for non-sq-NSCLC and AK112 alone for sq-NSCLC as maintenance therapy. The participants in cohort 2 had advanced NSCLC with EGFR-sensitive mutations, failed previous EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy, and received pemetrexed plus AK112 and carboplatin for four cycles, followed by pemetrexed plus AK112 as maintenance therapy. The participants in cohort 3 had advanced NSCLC who failed systemic platinum-based chemotherapy and anti-PD-1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) treatments and received AK112 plus docetaxel (75 mg/m2). Two dosages of AK112 (10 or 20 mg/kg) were examined in each cohort, and the drug was administered intravenously on day 1 of each 3-week treatment cycle. The primary endpoints were the investigator-assessed objective response rate (ORR) and safety. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04736823). Findings: Eighty-three patients were enrolled from February 2021 to August 2022 and received the study treatment. Cohorts 1, 2, and 3 had 44, 19, and 20 patients, respectively. The confirmed ORR was 53.5% (23/43) [95% CI, 36.9–67.1], 68.4% (13/19) [95% CI, 43.4–87.4], and 40.0% (8/20) [95% CI, 19.1–63.9] in cohorts 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In cohort 1, the median PFS was not reached, and the 12-month PFS rate was 59.1%. In cohorts 2 and 3, the median PFS were 8.5 [95% CI, 5.5-NE] and 7.5 [95% CI, 2.3-NE] months, and the 12-month PFS rates were 35.5% and 44.5%, respectively. The most common grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events were decreased white blood cell count [7 (8.4%)], neutropenia [5 (6.0%)], thrombocytopenia [2 (2.4%)], anemia [4 (4.8%)], and myelosuppression [2 (2.4%)]. Interpretation: AK112 plus platinum-doublet showed promising antitumor activity and safety not only in first-line treatment of advanced NSCLC patients without driver mutation but also in patients with EGFR-functional mutation who failed previous EGFR-TKI therapy and advanced NSCLC patients who failed prior systemic platinum-based chemotherapy and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor treatments, suggesting a valuable potential new treatment option for this patient population. Funding: Akeso Biopharma, Inc., Zhongshan, China, and National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Abstract We propose a new method, i.e., the statistical phase fraction (SPF) method, to estimate the total porosity and spatial distribution of local porosities from subresolution pore-dominated X-ray microtomography images of porous materials. The SPF method assumes that a voxel in a CT image is composed of either a single or a maximum of three pure phases of matter (solid, liquid and air). Gaussian function (GF) fitting is conducted on the basis that the summation of the area of each GF curve is equal to the total area covered by the CT histogram. The volume fraction of each phase corresponding to each GF is calculated based on the mean value of the GF, the area of the GF, and the CT numbers for pure phases. The SPF method is verified on three different types of components containing only air and solid phases, i.e., alumina ceramic and two sintered lunar regolith simulants with relatively homogenous and inhomogeneous microstructures. The estimated porosities of a total of 15 specimens (the total porosity ranges from 0 to 51%) via the SPF method show an average error of 3.11% compared with the ground truth. Spatial distribution of local porosities in the defined representative element volume is investigated for homogeneity evaluation. Results show that the local porosity inhomogeneity in the sintered FJS-1 specimens is more prominent than that in the sintered KLS-1 specimens.

Engine vibration and noise are one of the important factors that affect the comfort of drivers and passengers during driving, and active control technology of engine mounts can effectively realize dynamic adjustment of stiffness during low-frequency vibration and high-frequency vibration, reduce the vibration and noise generated by the engine under different working conditions and significantly enhance driving comfort. This paper uses control theories such as feedforward control and feedback control to design a fusion control strategy, and combines the suspension control model to form a suspension active control scheme. The control scheme is verified and optimized in laboratory and in actual vehicle. Test results show that the active control technology of engine mount has a significant control effect on engine vibration in various frequency bands, and the vibration amplitude of engine in a specific frequency band is reduced by more than 80%, which verifies the effectiveness of the method.

Highlights 1. Adsorption-photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants by biochar-based catalysts is summarized. 2. Adsorption-(photo)catalytic reduction-solidification of heavy metal ions is discussed. 3. Mechanism and active free radicals on the degradation/reduction of contaminants are compared and described. 4. The methods to improve the photocatalysis performance of biochar-based catalysts are introduced. 5. The challenges for the real application of biochar-based materials are provided.

In order to better characterize the strength characteristics of coal, according to P. R. Rittinger’s new surface theory, a determination method of specific energy of crushing based on particle compression experiment is proposed. Based on this method, the specific energy of crushing of primary coal and different types of tectonic coal in Yangquan Mining Area is systematically measured. The results show that the specific energy of crushing of tectonic coal in Yangquan Mining Area is 18.14-87.39 J/m2, which is 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than that of primary coal(about 1 098.46 J/m2); at the same time, the specific energy of crushing of broken coal (64.26-87.39 J/m2) is significantly greater than that of mylonitic coal(about 18.14 J/m2), which is 3.54-4.82 times that of mylonitic coal.

Background: There is increasing evidence that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can be used as potential prognostic factors for cancer. This study aimed to develop a prognostic model for lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) using angiogenesis-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as potential prognostic factors.Methods: Transcriptome data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were analyzed to identify aberrantly expressed angiogenesis-related lncRNAs in LUAD. A prognostic signature was constructed using differential expression analysis, overlap analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, and Cox regression analysis. The model’s validity was assessed using K-M and ROC curves, and independent external validation was performed in the GSE30219 dataset. Prognostic lncRNA-microRNA (miRNA)-messenger RNA (mRNA) competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks were identified. Immune cell infiltration and mutational characteristics were also analyzed. The expression of four human angiogenesis-associated lncRNAs was quantified using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) gene arrays.Results: A total of 26 aberrantly expressed angiogenesis-related lncRNAs in LUAD were identified, and a Cox risk model based on LINC00857, RBPMS-AS1, SYNPR-AS1, and LINC00460 was constructed, which may be an independent prognostic predictor for LUAD. The low-risk group had a significant better prognosis and was associated with a higher abundance of resting immune cells and a lower expression of immune checkpoint molecules. Moreover, 105 ceRNA mechanisms were predicted based on the four prognostic lncRNAs. qRT-PCR results showed that LINC00857, SYNPR-AS1, and LINC00460 were significantly highly expressed in tumor tissues, while RBPMS-AS1 was highly expressed in paracancerous tissues.Conclusion: The four angiogenesis-related lncRNAs identified in this study could serve as a promising prognostic biomarker for LUAD patients.

Objective To investigate the effects of high expression of high mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1) on the invasion ability of glioblastoma (GBM) and the efficacy of temozolomide (TMZ) therapy. Methods The HMGB1 sequencing data of 319 GBM samples from TCGA database were gained for differential expression and survival analysis. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was adopted to assess the expression of HMGB1 in 4 samples (3 glioma samples, with WHO grade Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ, respectively, and 1 para-tumoral brain tissue as control) which were collected from our hospital's biobank (inpatients from May to October 2019, male, aged 40~88 years, median 58.5 years, being confirmed as glioma by histopathological examination after tissue resection, without radiotherapy or chemotherapy prior to surgery). Moreover, lentiviral vector was transfected to construct HMGB1 silenced GBM cell lines (U251 and LN229). Western blotting was performed to detect HMGB1 expression; CCK-8 and transwell assays were adopted to analyze the effect of HMGB1 on cell proliferation and invasion ability. Finally, the role of HMGB1 in TMZ therapy was evaluated by CCK-8 assay (TMZ powder was dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide to prepare 100 mmol/L storage solution, and the final concentration used was 250, 500, 1 000 and 1 500 μmol/L, respectively). Results TCGA database showed that HMGB1 mRNA level was significantly upregulated in glioma tissue (P < 0.01), increasing with WHO grade, and was negatively correlated with the prognosis of patients (P < 0.01). HMGB1 silenced GBM cells had decreased proliferation (P < 0.05) and inhibited invasion ability (P < 0.01), and were more sensitive to TMZ therapy. Conclusion HMGB1 is remarkably up-regulated in GBM cells, and its high expression contributes to the enhanced invasion ability and temozolomide resistance of GBM cells.

Abstract Omics-based tools were coupled with bioinformatics for a systeomics analysis of two biopharma cell types: Chinese hamster ovary (M-CHO and CHO-K1) and SP2/0. Exponential and stationary phase samples revealed more than 10,000 transcripts and 6000 proteins across these two manufacturing cell lines. A statistical comparison of transcriptomics and proteomics data identified downregulated genes involved in protein folding, protein synthesis and protein metabolism, including PPIA-cyclophilin A, HSPD1, and EIF3K, in M-CHO compared to SP2/0 while cell cycle and actin cytoskeleton genes were reduced in SP2/0. KEGG pathway comparisons revealed glycerolipids, glycosphingolipids, ABC transporters, calcium signaling, cell adhesion, and secretion pathways depleted in M-CHO while retinol metabolism was upregulated. KEGG and IPA also indicated apoptosis, RNA degradation, and proteosomes enriched in CHO stationary phase. Alternatively, gene ontology analysis revealed an underrepresentation in ion and potassium channel activities, membrane proteins, and secretory granules including Stxbpt2, Syt1, Syt9, and Cma1 proteins in M-CHO. Additional enrichment strategies involving ultracentrifugation, biotinylation, and hydrazide chemistry identified over 4000 potential CHO membrane and secretory proteins, yet many secretory and membrane proteins were still depleted. This systeomics pipeline has revealed bottlenecks and potential opportunities for cell line engineering in CHO and SP2/0 to improve their production capabilities.

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) radiometric calibration is an essential step in inferring meaningful physical information about the target. The majority of current calibration processes are directly based on artificial calibrators, but the number of calibrators is always restricted. Cross calibration, which has been widely used for optical and meteorological satellites, performs calibration by another calibrated satellite. Distributed targets are used as the calibration reference, allowing for frequent calibration. However, the potential of introducing cross calibration to SAR satellites has not been confirmed, and two issues must be resolved: 1) the number of calibration targets available for cross calibration is limited to a few known distributed targets; 2) the imaging parameters of calibrated and uncalibrated SARs are different, which may cause errors when cross calibration is applied. In this article, a method for selecting stable distributed targets using time-series stability analysis was presented first. The saline–alkali land and urban areas were selected as the calibration targets with low and high backscattering, respectively. Second, different stable pixel extraction methods were adopted based on the characteristics of different targets. Third, the Oh model was used to correct the scattering difference caused by the incidence angle difference, which greatly improved the accuracy of the backscattering coefficients of the calibration targets. The cross calibration experiments on the same series of satellite (Sentinel-1 A/B) data revealed that the accuracy of cross calibration was comparable to the accuracy of the artificial calibrator-based method, with a difference of less than 0.48 dB (1$\sigma$).

ABSTRACT: The physiological function of the reticulorumen plays an essential role in ruminant nutrition, and detailed knowledge of rumen motility can further advance understanding of ruminant nutrition and physiology. Rumen motility was simulated by setting different stirrer rotation speeds in a rumen simulation technique (RUSITEC) system. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of rotation speeds on rumen fermentation, saturation factor of dissolved gases, hydrogen (H2) and methane (CH4) emissions, microbial protein synthesis, and selected microbial population using RUSITEC. The experiment was performed according to a balanced 3 × 3 Latin square design, and each period included 7 d for adaptation and 3 d for sampling. Three motility treatments included 5, 15, and 25 rpm rotation speeds. Daily total gas and H2 and CH4 emissions had quadratic responses to the increasing rotation speed and were highest at 15 rpm. Quadratic and linear responses (highest at 5 rpm) to increasing rotation speed were observed for saturation factors of H2 and CH4, liquid-dissolved H2 and CH4 concentrations, and headspace concentration of H2 in the gas phase, whereas increasing rotation speed linearly decreased saturation factors of CO2 and liquid-dissolved CO2 concentration. Quadratic and linear responses to increasing rotation speed were observed for molar percentages of acetate, ammonia, and microbial protein concentration, whereas increasing rotation speed quadratically increased pH and decreased total volatile fatty acid concentration and acetate-to-propionate ratio. The 15-rpm rotation speed had the highest values of total volatile fatty acids, acetate molar percentage, and microbial protein concentration. Quadratic and linear responses to increasing rotation speed were observed for copy numbers of solid-associated fungi and fluid-associated bacteria, fungi, and protozoa, while increasing rotation speed linearly increased copy numbers of solid-associated protozoa. Rotation at 15 rpm increased populations of fungi and protozoa in the solid rumen contents and the population of bacteria and fungi in the liquid rumen contents. In summary, this study provides insights on the biofunction of proper rumen motility (i.e., at a rotation speed of 15 rpm), such as improving feed fermentation, increasing gas emissions with decreased dissolved gas concentrations and saturation factors, and promoting microbial colonization and microbial protein synthesis, although further increase in rotation speed (i.e., to 25 rpm) decreases feed fermentation and microbial protein synthesis.

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), is a prevalent global infectious disease and a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Currently, the only available vaccine for TB prevention is Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG). However, BCG demonstrates limited efficacy, particularly in adults. Efforts to develop effective TB vaccines have been ongoing for nearly a century. In this review, we have examined the current obstacles in TB vaccine research and emphasized the significance of understanding the interaction mechanism between MTB and hosts in order to provide new avenues for research and establish a solid foundation for the development of novel vaccines. We have also assessed various TB vaccine candidates, including inactivated vaccines, attenuated live vaccines, subunit vaccines, viral vector vaccines, DNA vaccines, and the emerging mRNA vaccines as well as virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccines, which are currently in preclinical stages or clinical trials. Furthermore, we have discussed the challenges and opportunities associated with developing different types of TB vaccines and outlined future directions for TB vaccine research, aiming to expedite the development of effective vaccines. This comprehensive review offers a summary of the progress made in the field of novel TB vaccines.

Cystine/glutamate antiporter solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11; also known as xCT) plays a key role in antioxidant defense by mediating cystine uptake, promoting glutathione synthesis, and maintaining cell survival under oxidative stress conditions. Recent studies showed that, to prevent toxic buildup of highly insoluble cystine inside cells, cancer cells with high expression of SLC7A11 (SLC7A11high) are forced to quickly reduce cystine to more soluble cysteine, which requires substantial NADPH supply from the glucose-pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) route, thereby inducing glucose- and PPP-dependency in SLC7A11high cancer cells. Limiting glucose supply to SLC7A11high cancer cells results in significant NADPH “debt”, redox “bankruptcy”, and subsequent cell death. This review summarizes our current understanding of NADPH-generating and -consuming pathways, discusses the opposing role of SLC7A11 in protecting cells from oxidative stress–induced cell death such as ferroptosis but promoting glucose starvation–induced cell death, and proposes the concept that SLC7A11-mediated cystine uptake acts as a double-edged sword in cellular redox regulation. A detailed understanding of SLC7A11 in redox biology may identify metabolic vulnerabilities in SLC7A11high cancer for therapeutic targeting.

C10H16N12O6S2, triclinic, P1‾ $P\overline{1}$ (no. 2), a = 7.6977(2) Å, b = 11.5353(3) Å, c = 11.7533(3) Å, α = 67.973(2)°, β = 87.916(2)°, γ = 88.347(2)°, V = 966.69(5) Å3, Z = 2, R gt(F) = 0.0290, wR ref(F 2) = 0.0818, T = 170K.

In the Gurbantunggut Desert of northwest China, the main habitat of Rhombomys opimus (great gerbil) is under the thickets of Haloxylon ammodendron, the main construction species. In the long-term coexistence, continuous gerbil activities (burrowing, defecating, and gnawing) limited the growth of H. ammodendron, affected the root microenvironment under the H. ammodendron forest, and weakened the desert ecosystem. However, there is a lack of general understanding about the response of desert soil microhabitats to such gerbil disturbance. Accordingly, this study examined the effects of different intensities of gerbil disturbance (none, mild, moderate, or severe disturbances) on soil nutrients content and used high-throughput sequencing to explore the change in diversity and structure of microbial communities (bacteria and fungi) in H. ammodendron rhizosphere at different soil depths (0–20, 20–40, and 40–60 cm). In the arid desert ecosystem, compared with the soil fungal community, the alpha diversity of the soil bacterial community was significantly affected by gerbil disturbance. Meanwhile, both soil depth and gerbil disturbance significantly impacted the beta diversity and relative abundance of soil bacterial and fungal communities. In addition, gerbil disturbance significantly altered the soil characteristics affecting the distribution and composition of soil microbial communities in H. ammodendron rhizosphere, especially the soil bacterial community. This survey provides evidence that remold impact of gerbil disturbance on soil microenvironment of H. ammodendron rhizosphere in desert ecosystems in northwest China, which helps to further understand the potential correlations with changes in the microbial community at a regional scale.

Abstract Background To decipher the root and microbial interaction, secondary metabolite accumulation in roots and the microbial community’s succession model during the plant’s growth period demands an in-depth investigation. However, till now, no comprehensive study is available on the succession of endophytic fungi and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) with roots of medicinal licorice plants and the effects of endophytic fungi and AMF on the secondary metabolite accumulation in licorice plant’s root. Results In the current study, interaction between root and microbes in 1–3 years old medicinal licorice plant’s root and rhizospheric soil was investigated. Secondary metabolites content in licorice root was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The composition and diversity of endophytic and AMF in the root and soil were deciphered using high-throughput sequencing technology. During the plant’s growth period, as compared to AMF, time and species significantly affected the diversity and richness of endophytic fungi, such as Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Fusarium, Cladosporium, Sarocladium. The growth period also influenced the AMF diversity, evident by the significant increase in the relative abundance of Glomus and the significant decrease in the relative abundance of Diversispora. It indicated a different succession pattern between the endophytic fungal and AMF communities. Meanwhile, distance-based redundancy analysis and Mantel tests revealed root’s water content and secondary metabolites (glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, and total flavonoids), which conferred endophytic fungi and AMF diversity. Additionally, plant growth significantly altered soil’s physicochemical properties, which influenced the distribution of endophytic fungal and AMF communities. Conclusions This study indicated a different succession pattern between the endophytic fungal and AMF communities. During the plant’s growth period, the contents of three secondary metabolites in roots increased per year, which contributed to the overall differences in composition and distribution of endophytic fungal and AMF communities. The endophytic fungal communities were more sensitive to secondary metabolites than AMF communities. The current study provides novel insights into the interaction between rhizospheric microbes and root exudates.

Background Populus euphratica is one of the most ancient and primitive tree species of Populus spp and plays an important role in maintaining the ecological balance in desert areas. To decipher the diversity, community structure, and relationship between rhizosphere fungi and environmental factors at different growth stages of P. euphratica demands an in-depth investigation. Methods In this study, P. euphratica at different growth stages (young, medium, overripe, and decline periods) was selected as the research object, based on the determination of the physicochemical properties of its rhizosphere soil, the fungal community structure and diversity of P. euphratica and their correlation with soil physicochemical properties were comprehensively analyzed through high-throughput sequencing technology (internal transcribed spacer (ITS)) and bioinformatics analysis methods. Results According to the analysis of OTU annotation results, the rhizosphere soil fungal communities identified in Populus euphratica were categorized into10 phyla, 36 classes, 77 orders, 165 families, 275 genera and 353 species. The alpha diversity analysis showed that there was no obvious change between the different growth stages, while beta diversity analysis showed that there were significantly differences in the composition of rhizosphere soil fungal communities between mature and overripe trees (R2 = 0.31, P = 0.001), mature and deadwood (R2 = 0.28, P = 0.001). Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were dominant phyla in the rhizosphere fungal community and the dominant genera were Geopora, Chondrostereum and unidentified_Sordariales_sp. The relative abundance of the top ten fungi at each classification level differed greatly in different stages. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and Spearman’s correlation analysis showed that conductivity (EC) was the main soil factor affecting the composition of Populus euphratica rhizosphere soil fungal community (P < 0.01), followed by total dissolvable salts (TDS) and available potassium (AK) (P < 0.05). Conclusions Our data revealed that the rhizosphere fungal communities at the different growth stages of P. euphratica have differences, conductivity (EC) was the key factor driving rhizosphere fungi diversity and community structure, followed by total dissolvable salts (TDS) and available potassium (AK).

Direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) is an effective mechanism for microbial species to exchange electrons cooperatively during syntrophic metabolism. It is generally accepted that DIET is mainly mediated by electrically conductive pili and outer surface c-type cytochromes (c-Cyts). However, as an extracellular matrix is ubiquitous and abundant on the surface of microorganisms, the effect and mechanism of exopolysaccharides on DIET are still unclear. This study constructed a co-culture of exopolysaccharides-deficient Geobacter sulfurreducens with Geobacter metallireducens to explore the role of exopolysaccharides in DIET. Results revealed that the deficiency of exopolysaccharides extended the metabolic period of the co-culture by 44.4% and changed the proportions of each species in the co-culture. The exopolysaccharides-deficient co-culture failed to form large, tight spherical aggregates and the expression of c-Cyts and pili was decreased. The addition of magnetite and granular activated carbon (GAC), respectively, might compensate for the functions of c-Cyts and pili in the first generation of co-culture, but the stimulatory effect on the metabolic stable period co-culture was fairly limited. These findings demonstrate that non-conductive exopolysaccharides are an important component of DIET aggregates and an extracellular matrix for DIET-required c-Cyts.

Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) inhibits ferroptosis, but protein synthesis is inefficient and costly. Here, the authors reveal that cystine uptake promotes GPX4 synthesis by activating mTORC1 and show that cancer cells are sensitized to ferroptosis by mTORC1 inhibition.

Abstract The ability to control induced seismicity in energy technologies such as geothermal heat and shale gas is an important factor in improving the safety and reducing the seismic hazard of reservoirs. As fracture propagation can be unavoidable during energy extraction, we propose a new approach that optimises the radiated seismicity and hydraulic energy during fluid injection by using cyclic- and pulse-pumping schemes. We use data from laboratory-, mine-, and field-scale injection experiments performed in granitic rock and observe that both the seismic energy and the permeability-enhancement process strongly depend on the injection style and rock type. Replacing constant-flow-rate schemes with cyclic pulse injections with variable flow rates (1) lowers the breakdown pressure, (2) modifies the magnitude-frequency distribution of seismic events, and (3) has a fundamental impact on the resulting fracture pattern. The concept of fatigue hydraulic fracturing serves as a possible explanation for such rock behaviour by making use of depressurisation phases to relax crack-tip stresses. During hydraulic fatigue, a significant portion of the hydraulic energy is converted into rock damage and fracturing. This finding may have significant implications for managing the economic and physical risks posed to communities affected by fluid-injection-induced seismicity.

Under the background of low oil price, the effective upgrading and utilization of the inferred initially in-place petroleum reserves are essential. At present, there is a large quantity of existing inferred initially in-place petroleum, but there is no systematic study on the evaluation of the upgrading potential. In this paper, a funnel screening method is used to establish a clear and effective evaluation procedure and to focus on the evaluation and control of risks in each stage of the process. In order to minimize the influence of human factors in geological risk assessment, the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) is used to evaluate the geological factors that affect the reserves upgrading for the first time. Eleven potential upgrading blocks have been selected and achieved good results in clastic rock reservoirs in the Bohai Bay Basin. The research results show that the uncertainty of the predicted reserves is large. In the upgrading process, the risks and difficulties should be identified in time. The corresponding technical measures are taken and the strategy are proposed, which provides guarantee for the further efficient and economic upgrading of reserves.

Abstract A dusty thermal vacuum chamber (DTVC) containing a regolith simulant bed is essential for testing equipment and techniques related to lunar surface exploration. Space agencies have been reluctant to operate a DTVC because of the challenge of controlling soil disturbance of the lunar regolith simulant bed during pumping down or depressurization, which may contaminate or even damage the chamber and vacuum equipment. There appears to be no previously available solution to this problem, or how to avoid it. We investigated the mechanism of soil disturbance during depressurization and established a criterion for evaluating its occurrence. The proposed criterion was validated by extensive experiments and numerical modelling to simulate air evacuation from soil voids. There is a critical pressure difference (CPD) between the top and bottom of the lunar regolith simulant bed that causes soil disturbance during depressurization. We found a simple equation estimating the CPD and further provided guideline on the optimum depressurization rate to avoid soil disturbance before the target vacuum level is achieved under varying soil conditions.

To investigate the adsorption kinetics and thermodynamic adsorption mechanism and laws of dry flue gas desulfurization, we prepared a new adsorbent by loading Cr, Cu, and Zn on TiO2-loaded multiwalled carbon nanotubes. Desulfurization experiments were also carried out. In this study, three kinds of samples were used for simulation and diffusion processes in the dynamic adsorption of different SO2 volume fractions in flue gas and thermodynamic model analysis of different temperatures in flue gas. Results show that the diffusion coefficient of SO2 in three kinds of samples ranges from 10−16 to 10−14 m2 s−1, and the diffusion may be dominated by configuration diffusion. The intraparticle diffusion model predicts that the performance improves with an increase in the SO2 volume fraction and a shift of adsorption time. This finding indicates that an increase in SO2 volume fraction and a change in adsorption time increase the Kundsen diffusion specific gravity and decrease the configuration diffusion specific gravity, thereby increasing the SO2 diffusion resistance, which becomes faster than the activation energy barrier resistance in the catalytic oxidation reaction. Thus, the diffusion resistance specific gravity increases in the total resistance of the diffusion reaction. One possible mechanism of the adsorption process is the transition to surface reaction control at the early stage of adsorption to joint control of late diffusion and surface reactions. Adsorption thermodynamics studies show that SO2 adsorption by three adsorbents is a spontaneous, exothermic, and entropic reduction process, and the increase in temperature is inconducive for SO2 adsorption in three samples.

Abstract Background Ferula sinkiangensis is an increasingly endangered medicinal plant. Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) are symbiotic microorganisms that live in the soil wherein they enhance nutrient uptake, stress resistance, and pathogen defense in host plants. While such AMF have the potential to contribute to the cultivation of Ferula sinkiangensis, the composition of AMF communities associated with Ferula sinkiangensis and the relationship between these fungi and other pertinent abiotic factors still remains to be clarified. Results Herein, we collected rhizosphere and surrounding soil samples at a range of depths (0–20, 20–40, and 40–60 cm) and a range of slope positions (bottom, middle, top). These samples were then subjected to analyses of soil physicochemical properties and high-throughput sequencing (Illumina MiSeq). We determined that Glomus and Diversispora species were highly enriched in all samples. We further found that AMF diversity and richness varied significantly as a function of slope position, with this variation primarily being tied to differences in relative Glomus and Diversispora abundance. In contrast, no significant relationship was observed between soil depth and overall AMF composition, although some AMF species were found to be sensitive to soil depth. Many factors significantly affected AMF community composition, including organic matter content, total nitrogen, total potassium, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, available potassium, total dissolvable salt levels, pH, soil water content, and slope position. We further determined that Shannon diversity index values in these communities were positively correlated with total phosphorus, nitrate-nitrogen levels, and pH values (P