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Co-composting of sheep manure and jujube branch, a potential technology of waste management in Xinjiang, China, is currently undermined by the low degradation rate of jujube branch waste. This study investigated the potential to improve the co-composting process by the addition of expanded perlite, a potential additive more economical than biochar and zeolite. Expanded perlite was added into the co-compost system in the ratios 0%, 1%, 5% and 10% based on the initial compost volume. Addition of expanded perlite extended the thermophilic phase up to 8 days and helped to increase the speed of compost maturation. Expanded perlite enhanced the degradation of organic matter by accelerating the decomposition of cell wall hemicelluloses during the very early stages and cellulose during the thermophilic and cooling stages. Moreover, total nitrogen was improved by 10.2% and 11.8% through adding 5% and 10% expanded perlite, respectively. From both economic and functionality perspectives, expanded perlite is a potential additive to compost, and 5% EP is a suitable ratio to co-composting mixes of sheep manure and jujube branch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental friendliness and energy conservation are good guarantees and driving forces for the sustainable development. How to coordinate the relationship between the two is crucial for building a "resource saving" and "environmentally friendly" society. This article uses the data from Chinese cities from 2010 to 2021 to explore whether environmental protection tax (EPT) could reduce energy consumption. Baseline regression found that EPT significantly reduced China's energy consumption and achieved a "resource saving" society. The EPT shows obvious heterogeneity characteristics, significantly reducing energy consumption in the central and western regions and the two-controlled areas, while the policy effect on the eastern region and non two-controlled areas is not significant. In addition, EPT has effectively reduced China's energy consumption by enhancing investment in urban research and development innovation, optimizing industrial structure, and strengthening tax collection intensity. The conclusion is helpful in achieving the construction of an "environmentally friendly" society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a crucial element of management practices for green supply chains (GSC), cities’ GSC pilot policies have played a vital role in mitigating environmental risks, enhancing resource utilization efficiency, and fostering sustainable urban development. Using data from A-share listed companies between 2016 and 2020, this study employs a quasi-natural experiment to the implementation of a city’s GSC pilot policy to empirically investigate its influence on corporate green innovation. The findings indicate that (1) the city’s GSC pilots significantly enhance enterprises' performance in terms of green innovation; (2) the positive impact of the city GSC pilots on corporate green innovation stems from heightened regulatory pressure within urban areas and increased supply chain standards; (3) this positive impact is more significant in cities with environmental laws and companies with green investors; and (4) green innovation triggered by city GSC pilots can significantly improve environmental, social, governance (ESG), and economic performance. This study offers empirical evidence for enhancing enterprises' green innovation performance, while providing theoretical support and policy insights for strengthening government-led city GSC pilot systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Agronomic quality of digestate was improved by adding Agricultural Jiaosu (AJ). • Adding AJ reducing free ammonia of digestate helps to reduce the phytotoxicity. • The abundance of some agricultural beneficial genera was increased by adding AJ. • We revealed links between chemical, plant, and microbial indicators in digestate. Anaerobic digestate disposal is challenging, hampering the development of large-scale biogas projects. Currently, digestate is primarily stabilized naturally and subsequently applied to farmland. However, during this process, the number of beneficial microorganisms decreases, free ammonia nitrogen increases, and pH rises, decreasing the benefits of digestate to soil and plants. In this study, digestate was treated by adding agricultural Jiaosu (AJ). The agronomic quality of the digestate was explored by conducting a pot experiment. Subsequently, the mechanisms of the changes in digestate properties were investigated based on chemical and microbial parameters. The results showed that the digestate with a 10% AJ supplement significantly improved the plant characteristics such as plant height, fresh weight, and leaf area. Regarding chemical properties, the addition of 10% AJ decreased the total ammonia nitrogen and free ammonia nitrogen in the digestate to below the toxicity threshold. With respect to microorganisms, the addition of AJ improved the microbial diversity of the digestate and increased the relative abundances of Advenella , Trichococcus, and Comamonas spp., which are beneficial to both soil and plants. Moreover, AJ decreased the abundance of potentially threatening microorganisms such as Thiopseudomonas and Papillibacter spp. Collaborative analysis showed that the improvement in digestate agronomic quality was closely related to its effects on microorganisms. Based on these results, the present study suggests an approach to the post-treatment of anaerobic digestate that can improve its fertilizer value while reducing its phytotoxicity. Furthermore, this study provides a model for a more comprehensive evaluation of the agronomic quality of digestate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human filarial parasite Brugia malayi harbors an endosymbiotic bacterium of the genus Wolbachia. The Wolbachia represent an attractive target for the control of filarial induced disease as elimination of the bacteria affects molting, reproduction and survival of the worms. The molecular basis for the symbiotic relationship between Wolbachia and their filarial hosts has yet to be elucidated. To identify proteins involved in this process, we focused on the Wolbachia surface proteins (WSPs), which are known to be involved in bacteria-host interactions in other bacterial systems. Two WSP-like proteins (wBm0152 and wBm0432) were localized to various host tissues of the B. malayi female adult worms and are present in the excretory/secretory products of the worms. We provide evidence that both of these proteins bind specifically to B. malayi crude protein extracts and to individual filarial proteins to create functional complexes. The wBm0432 interacts with several key enzymes involved in the host glycolytic pathway, including aldolase and enolase. The wBm0152 interacts with the host cytoskeletal proteins actin and tubulin. We also show these interactions in vitro and have verified that wBm0432 and B. malayi aldolase, as well as wBm0152 and B. malayi actin, co-localize to the vacuole surrounding Wolbachia. We propose that both WSP protein complexes interact with each other via the aldolase-actin link and/or via the possible interaction between the host's enolase and the cytoskeleton, and play a role in Wolbachia distribution during worm growth and embryogenesis. Author Summary: The human filarial parasite Brugia malayi harbors a Wolbachia endosymbiotic bacterium that is required for normal reproduction and development. However, the molecular basis of how this essential endosymbiotic relationship is maintained is not understood. As a first step in trying to understand the molecular interactions that might be essential in this process, we focused on the Wolbachia surface proteins (WSPs), which are known to be involved in bacteria-host interactions in other systems. Our aim was to determine whether there are any functional interactions between some of these WSPs and the proteins produced by the host parasite cells. We found that two of the WSP family members specifically interact with proteins produced by the host. Wolbachia wBm0432 interacted with several key enzymes involved in the host glycolytic pathway, the primary energy-producing pathway in the cell. Wolbachia wBm0152 interacted with the host cytoskeleton. These findings suggest that WSP family proteins might play important roles in both optimization of the energy production pathway in B. malayi as well as in anchoring the endosymbiont to the host's cytoskeleton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Brugia malayi endosymbiont Wolbachia has recently been shown to be essential for its host’s survival and development. However, relatively little is known about Wolbachia proteins that interact with the filarial host and which might be important in maintaining the obligate symbiotic relationship. The Wolbachia surface proteins (WSPs) are members of the outer membrane protein family and we hypothesise that they might be involved in the Wolbachia–Brugia symbiotic relationship. Notably, immunolocalisation studies of two WSP members, WSP-0432 and WSP-0284 in B. malayi female adult worms showed that the corresponding proteins are not only present on the surface of Wolbachia but also in the host tissues, with WSP-0284 more abundant in the cuticle, hypodermis and the nuclei within the embryos. These results confirmed that WSPs might be secreted by Wolbachia into the worm’s tissue. Our present studies focus on the potential involvement of WSP-0284 in the symbiotic relationship of Wolbachia with its filarial host. We show that WSP-0284 binds specifically to B. malayi crude protein extracts. Furthermore, a fragment of the hypothetical B. malayi protein (Bm1_46455) was found to bind WSP-0284 by panning of a B. malayi cDNA library. The interaction of WSP-0284 and this protein was further confirmed by ELISA and pull-down assays. Localisation by immunoelectron microscopy within Wolbachia cells as well as in the worm’s tissues, cuticle and nuclei within embryos established that both proteins are present in similar locations within the parasite and the bacteria. Identifying such specific interactions between B. malayi and Wolbachia proteins should lead to a better understanding of the molecular basis of the filarial nematode and Wolbachia symbiosis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Transient transfection of isolated Brugia malayi embryos by biolistics has proven to be useful in defining promoter structure and function in this parasite. However, isolated transfected embryos are developmentally incompetent. A method of producing developmentally competent transfected parasites is therefore needed. We report that L3 parasites can be chemically transfected in situ in the peritoneal cavity of a gerbil with a construct consisting of a secreted luciferase reporter gene containing a promoter, the 3′ untranslated region and first intron derived from the B. malayi 70kDa heat shock protein gene. The in situ chemically transfected parasites are developmentally competent, producing adult parasites with an efficiency similar to that obtained from implanted untreated L3s. Cultured adult parasites and progeny microfilariae (mf) derived from L3s transfected with this construct secreted luciferase into the culture medium. When the transfected mf were fed to mosquitoes and the resulting L3s collected, the L3s also secreted luciferase into the culture medium. Progeny mf from transgenic adult parasites contained transgenic DNA, and the transgenic mRNA produced in these parasites was found to be correctly cis- and trans-spliced. In situ chemical transformation thus results in developmentally competent transfected B. malayi in which the transgenic sequences remain transcriptionally active in all life cycle stages and are present in the subsequent generation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The single-expansion ramp nozzle (SERN) has a compact structure and adaptability under off-design conditions, which is one of the nozzle configurations that the combined cycle engine gives priority to. Flow separation is likely to occur when the nozzle operates at low-pressure ratios. Subsonic regions, such as separation bubbles, recirculation zone, and boundary layer, also exist in the overexpanded flow field. At this point, the varying external flow field can affect the flow field inside the nozzle, which may lead to the transition of the flow separation pattern. The majority of relevant studies are conducted in a static environment because of experimental conditions limitations. This paper numerically simulates the transitions of separation patterns during the acceleration and deceleration processes of a short flap SERN. The separation transitions mechanism is analyzed, as well as the performance impact of the transitions. Current results show that the separation pattern transition happens during both the acceleration and deceleration processes, and free shock separation is a relatively stable state. The separation pattern transition occurs as a function of the external flow field, recirculation zone, boundary layer, and separation shock wave coupling. Compared with previous studies on the long flap SERN, the coupling mechanisms of the internal and external flow fields of the two nozzles were found to be different. The shock wave structure of the short flap SERN's flow field is stable during the transition processes, and the nozzle performance does not exhibit a step change. The hysteresis of the short flap SERN is also weaker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is an important measure in the reform of state-owned enterprises to improve the efficiency of capital operation by introducing non-state-owned shareholders. This paper explores the impact of non-state shareholder governance on capital structure decision-making by using the data of 2008–2021 A-share state-owned listed companies from the perspective of the speed and deviation of capital structure adjustment. The results reveal that only non-state shareholding has no significant impact on the capital structure adjustment of a company. However, the appointment of senior management by non-state shareholders can speed up the capital structure adjustment and lower the degree of capital structure deviation. Moreover, when the capital structure goes down, the appointment of non-state-owned shareholders plays a larger role in accelerating the capital structure adjustment, which makes the deviation from the actual capital structure and the target capital structure smaller. Further research shows that the above relationship between non-state shareholder governance and the optimization and adjustment of the capital structure only exists in local SOEs and competitive SOEs. In addition, the path test found that non-state shareholder governance affects the dynamic adjustment of capital structure by reducing opportunism behavior of management rather than by financing constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: LFA-1 signaling is required for the generation of central memory CD8+ T cells in priming phase. However, its role for effector and memory CD8+ T cell survival in transition and maintenance phases is elusive. We transferred effector and memory CD8+ T cells into C57BL/6 and CD54−/− mice, which were generated by cultivation of ovalbumin (OVA)-pulsed dendritic cells (DCOVA) with naïve CD8+ T cells derived from transgenic OT I mice and purified from effector CD8+ T cell-transferred C57BL/6 mice, respectively. We then assessed kinetics of T cell survival using PE-H2-Kb/OVAI tetramer and FITC-CD8 staining by flow cytometry. We found that survival of transferred effector and memory CD8+ T cells in CD54−/− mice significantly decreased (p <0.05) compared to that in C57BL/6 mice due to an increased T cell apoptosis, which is mediated via downregulation of proapoptotic Bid, anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, Bcl-XL and pro-Caspase-8, and up-regulation of apoptotic Bax and cleaved Caspase-3 and -7 by RNA array and Western blotting analyses. Decreased expression of CD27 and IL-15R on transferred CD8+ T cells with less survival was found to be associated with increased T cell apoptosis, which was confirmed by silencing CD27 with siRNA transfection or using CD8+ (IL-15R−/−)T cells for adoptive transfer into C57BL/6 mice. These data indicate that LFA-1 signal defect-induced CD8+ T cell apoptosis is associated with reduced CD27 costimulation and IL-15R survival signal. Therefore, our study provides important evidence on and elucidates the molecular mechanism associated with the role LFA-1 signaling plays in effector and memory CD8+ T cell survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We evaluated the immunogenicity of a rDBPII vaccine with different variables. • Significant variations in immune responses were observed with different variables. • No specific pattern in immune responses with respect to sex or adjuvant observed. • Sex and immune genes are critical variables to consider in vaccine study design. Relapsing malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax is a neglected tropical disease and an important cause of malaria worldwide. Vaccines to prevent clinical disease and mosquito transmission of vivax malaria are needed to overcome the distinct challenges of this important public health problem. In this vaccine immunogenicity study in mice, we examined key variables of responses to a P. vivax Duffy binding protein vaccine, a leading candidate to prevent the disease-causing blood-stages. Significant sex-dependent differences were observed in B cell (CD80+) and T cell (CD8+) central memory subsets, resulting in significant differences in functional immunogenicity and durability of anti-DBP protective efficacy. These significant sex-dependent differences in inbred mice were in the CD73+CD80+ memory B cell, H2KhiCD38hi/lo, and effector memory subsets. This study highlights sex and immune genes as critical variables that can impact host responses to P. vivax antigens and must be taken into consideration when designing clinical vaccine studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Progress towards an in-depth understanding of the final steps of the erythroid lineage development is paramount for many hematological diseases. We have characterized the final stages of reticulocyte maturation from bone marrow to peripheral blood using for the first time single-cell Mass Cytometry (CyTOF). We were able to measure the expression of 31 surface markers within a single red blood cell (RBC). We demonstrate the validity of CyTOF for RBC phenotyping by confirming the progressive reduction of transferrin receptor 1 (CD71) during reticulocyte maturation to mature RBC. We highlight the high-dimensional nature of mass cytometry data by correlating the expression of multiple proteins on individual RBCs. We further describe a more drastic reduction pattern for a component of the alpha4/beta1 integrin CD49d at the very early steps of reticulocyte maturation in bone marrow and directly linked with the mitochondria remnants clearance pattern. The enhanced and accurate RBC phenotyping potential of CyTOF described herein could be beneficial to decipher RBC preferences, as well as still not well understood receptor-ligand interaction of some hemotropic parasites such as the malaria causing agent Plasmodium vivax . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The human filarial parasites cause diseases that are among the most important causes of morbidity in the developing world. The elimination programs targeting these infections rely on a limited number of drugs, making the identification of new chemotherapeutic agents a high priority. The study of these parasites has lagged due to the lack of reverse genetic methods. Methodology/Principal findings: We report a novel co-culture method that results in developmentally competent infective larvae of one of the human filarial parasites (Brugia malayi) and describe a method to efficiently transfect the larval stages of this parasite. We describe the production of constructs that result in integrative transfection using the piggyBac transposon system, and a selectable marker that can be used to identify transgenic parasites. We describe the production and use of dual reporter plasmids containing both a secreted luciferase selectable marker and fluorescent protein reporters that will be useful to study temporal and spatial patterns of gene expression. Conclusions/Significance: The methods and constructs reported here will permit the efficient production of integrated transgenic filarial parasite lines, allowing reverse genetic technologies to be applied to all life cycle stages of the parasite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cascadic sensing system was developed for detection of DNA target at ultralow concentration by a combination of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and exonuclease III (Exo III)-induced cascade two-stage isothermal amplification in the study. An ingeniously designed capture hairpin probe (CHP) that integrates target-binding and signal transduction sequences within one multifunctional design was assembled on MNPs. Upon sensing of the analyte nucleic acid, the hairpin probe on MNPs could be opened and stepwise removed by Exo III accompanied by the releasing of target DNA for the successive hybridization and cleavage process and the generation of bare signal transduction sequences of CHP as a new trigger for next circular reaction. The new DNA triggers initiate hybridizing with hairpin DNA probe that contains a partially "caged" G-quadruplex sequence (GHP), forming a duplex structure and liberating the active G-quadruplex structure. Then, Exo III digests the resulting duplex domain, leading to the recycling of new DNA trigger and simultaneously generating numerous ZnPPIX/G-quadruplex supramolecular complexes with the help of the zinc (II)-protoporphyrin IX (ZnPPIX), as an optical label for amplified fluorescence sensing event. Finally, numerous liberated cascade ZnPPIX/G-quadruplex supramolecular complexes give a remarkable fluorescence response. Because of two-stage autocatalytic recycling amplification and the specifically catalyzed formation of ZnPPIX/G-quadruplex supramolecular complexes, this newly designed protocol provides a high sensitivity with a detection limit of 0.75 fM, can discriminate mismatched DNA from perfectly matched target DNA, and gives low matrix effect due to using MNPs as the separation and amplification elements in the real samples. Therefore, it holds great potential for early diagnosis in gene-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Involvement of CD4+ helper T (Th) cells is crucial for CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)-mediated immunity. However, CD4+ Th’s signals that govern CTL survival and functional memory are still not completely understood. In this study, we assessed the role of CD4+ Th cells with acquired antigen-presenting machineries in determining CTL fates. We utilized an adoptive co-transfer into CD4+ T cell-sufficient or -deficient mice of OTI CTLs and OTII Th cells or Th cells with various gene deficiencies pre-stimulated in vitro by ovalbumin (OVA)-pulsed dendritic cell (DCova). CTL survival was kinetically assessed in these mice using FITC-anti-CD8 and PE-H-2Kb/OVA257-264 tetramer staining by flow cytometry. We show that by acting via endogenous CD40L and IL-2, and acquired peptide-MHC-I (pMHC-I) complex signaling, CD4+ Th cells enhance survival of transferred effector CTLs and their differentiation into the functional memory CTLs capable of protecting against highly-metastasizing tumor challenge. Moreover, RT-PCR, flow cytometry and Western blot analysis demonstrate that increased survival of CD4+ Th cell-helped CTLs is matched with enhanced Akt1/NF-κB activation, down-regulation of TRAIL, and altered expression profiles with up-regulation of prosurvival (Bcl-2) and down-regulation of proapoptotic (Bcl-10, Casp-3, Casp-4, Casp-7) molecules. Taken together, our results reveal a previously unexplored mechanistic role for CD4+ Th cells in programming CTL survival and memory recall responses. This knowledge could also aid in the development of efficient adoptive CTL cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]