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[Display omitted] • Ni and I substitutionally codoped TiO 2 phase junction was synthesized. • The photocalcatalysis for CO 2 reduction in water vapor was accomplished. • The selectivity of CH 4 product reached above 98%. • The electron transfer was enhanced by Ni(III)/Ni(II) pair. • The CO 2 adsorption mode was changed by the doping Ni/I. Ni and I co-doped TiO 2 nanoparticles with mixed anatase-brookite phase (Ni/I-TiO 2) were synthesized by the hydrothermal-calcination method for photocatalytic CO 2 reduction with H 2 O vapor. The I and Ni co-doping, anatase-brookite phase junction, as well as the presence of Ti(III) and Ni(III) endowed the catalyst with promoted visible light absorption, increased reduction ability of photogenerated electrons, facilitated charge separation and migration along with modulated CO 2 adsorption mode and capacity, ultimately resulting in boosted photocatalytic activity and product selectivity as compared with those of pure TiO 2. The CO, CH 4 and O 2 yields of the optimized Ni/I-TiO 2 reached 3.49, 158.25 and 246.30 μmol/g cat after 15 h of light illumination, which decreased slightly after 9 cycles, and the product selectivity was above 98 % for photocatalytic reduction of CO 2 to CH 4 with Ni and I co-doping. The in-situ FTIR results with the observation of CH 3 O and CH 3 intermediates confirmed CH 4 formation, and the possible mechanism of photocatalytic CO 2 reduction over Ni/I-TiO 2 was elucidated. This work provides new insights to pursue efficient catalysts for the selective photocatalytic CO 2 reduction to CH 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Accurate prediction of 19F NMR. • Evaluation of different conformers of flexible molecules. • Use of freely available software. • Low computational resource requirement. • Determination of different conformers of a multifluorinated molecule. Accurate assignment of 19F NMR has long been a challenge, and quantum chemical methods are possible solutions. Herein we reported a scaling method for the prediction of 19F NMR chemical shift with freely available ORCA program package. Performance of 31 DFT functionals coupled with 11 basis sets were evaluated and influence of geometry optimization was also studied with five functionals coupled with three basis sets. The significance of geometry was further examined through the execution of relaxed surface scans of seven flexible compounds, and averaged shieldings of obtained conformers yielded notable improvement of the correlation between calculated isotropic shielidings and experimental chemical shifts. Utilization of the best scaling factor obtained successfully assigned of fluorine atoms in multifluorinated molecules with different conformations. The method reported here was computationally inexpensive, easily available with acceptable accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Maillard initial products, Amadori compounds (N-(1-Deoxy-D-fructos-1-yl)-amino acid), are considered as the beneficial component with various physiological functions. This study systematically demonstrated that 12 Amadori compounds have effective chelating effect of Cu2+, Fe2+ and Zn2+, and the chelating effect of Cu2+ and Fe2+ is better than that of Zn2+. The chelating strength of Amadori compounds is positively correlated with their concentration. Among them, N-(1-Deoxy-D-fructos-1-yl)-histidine (Fru-His) has the strongest chelating ability. UV spectrum and SEM demonstrated the formation of chelates and the change of surface structure after the chelation reaction. In addition, Amadori compounds have obvious inhibitory effect on the formation of oxidative free radicals caused by metal ions, which can effectively inhibit the oxidative damage of DNA caused by Cu2+ ion and Fenton reaction caused by Fe2+ ion, and reduce Fe3+ ion. Therefore, the Amadori compounds can be applied as a potent metal ion chelator in the development of functional foods. • 12 Amadori compounds all showed chelating ability of Cu2+, Fe2+ and Zn2+ ions. • Amadori compounds chelate Cu2+ and Fe2+ more effectively than chelating Zn2+. • Fru-His has the best ability to chelate metal ions among 12 Amadori compounds. • The UV spectrum and microstructure will change after the chelation. • Amadori compounds have inhibitory effect on the oxidation caused by metal ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is a common complication of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, eventually leading to vision loss. To date, there are no effective drugs for the treatment of this disease. In this study, we investigated the effect of blebbistatin, a non-muscle myosin II inhibitor, on the ARPE-19 cell line and in a rabbit model of proliferative vitreoretinopathy. In vitro , we found that blebbistatin inhibited the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and inhibited the ability of RPE cells to migrate, proliferate, generate extracellular matrix, and affect contractility. In vivo the PVR model showed that blebbistatin significantly delayed PVR progression. It also partially prevents the loss of retinal function caused by PVR. Our results suggest that blebbistatin is a potential drug with clinical applications for the treatment of PVR. [Display omitted] • Blebbistatin was able to significantly inhibit the epithelial-mesenchymal transformation of ARPE-19 in vitro. • Blebbistatin could significantly slow down the progression of PVR and improve some visual dysfunction caused by PVR in the eye of the rabbit. • Cell mechanical contraction may be an important target for the treatment of PVR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coastal area of Yancheng, China, is one of the hotspots for ecological research. Under the coupling of human and natural ecosystems, the region has gradually evolved into a coexistence of aquatic, agricultural and mudflat ecosystems. What are the patterns of natural and artificial resource inputs and patterns of change in ecosystems? How can ecological flows be analyzed at a uniform scale? Here, we selected six typical local ecosystems, namely, rice‒wheat for enterprises (RWE), rice‒wheat for smallholder households (RWS), chrysanthemum‒wheat (CW), fish polyculture (FP), juvenile crab farming (JF) and clam polyculture (CP), and analyzed their energy flow flux and sustainability based on emergy theory. The results showed that anthropogenic resource inputs were higher than natural resource inputs in all ecosystems, and the inputs of aquatic ecosystems were greater than those of agroecosystems. The greatest total input was 2.0 E+17 seJ/ha/yr for FP, and the lowest was 1.9 E+16 seJ/ha/yr for RWE. The proportions of renewable and artificial inputs for RWE, RWS, CW, FP, JF and CP were 32.8% vs. 96.1%, 40.3% vs. 96.5%, 34.7% vs. 97.0%, 32.6% vs. 99.4%, 55.1% vs. 98.5%, and 62.5% vs. 98.6%, respectively. The highest input to agroecosystems was nitrogen fertilizer, while in JF and CP, it was water, and feed (63.3%) accounted for the highest percentage of input in FP. JF and CP had lower environmental loads and higher sustainability than other ecosystems, but this still represents a high input compared to agroecosystems. Human-led resource coupling profoundly affects ecosystem sustainability, and various thresholds of energy use and ecological sustainability need to be studied in depth. Continuous exploration of methods and mechanisms for the maintenance and evolution of ecosystems with low total inputs and low inputs of non-renewable resources can contribute to high-quality sustainable development of an area or region. • Multi-systems are sustained by various forms of natural and artificial resources. • The total emergy input to the aquatic ecosystem is 1.9 E+16∼2.4 E+16 seJ/ha/yr. • Agroecosystems have a total emergy input of 7.7 E+16∼2.0 E+17 seJ/ha/yr. • The range of renewable resources in aquatic ecosystems of coastal area is 34.7–47.4%. • The percentage of renewable resources in agricultural systems is 32.6–62.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the simultaneous removal of carbon, ammonium, and phosphate from domestic wastewater by a membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) which was operated for 360 days. During the operation, the maximum removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) reached 93.1%, 83.98%, and 96.41%, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that the MABR could potentially treat wastewater with a high ammonium concentration and a relatively low C/N ratio. Dissolved oxygen and multiple pollutants, including ammonium, carbon, phosphate, and sulfate, shaped the structure of the microbial community in the MABR. High throughput sequencing uncovered the crucial microbiome in ammonium transformation in MABR. Phylogenetic analysis of the ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) genes revealed an important role for comammox Nitrospira in the nitrification process. Diverse novel phosphate-accumulating organisms (Thauera, Bacillus, and Pseudomonas) and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (Thiobacillus , Thiothrix and Sulfurimonas) were potentially involved in denitrification in MABR. The results from this study suggested that MABR could be a feasible system for the simultaneous removal of nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus, and sulfur from sewage water. [Display omitted] • 93.1%, 83.98%, and 96.41% of COD, TN and TP were removed, respectively. • Functional populations for COD, TN and TP removal were cultured in the MABR. • Diverse highly abundant denitrifying genes were detected in the membrane biofilm. • Sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification was possibly important in the MABR. • Comammox Nitrospira clade A was enriched for nitrification process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated serum level of total and (or) allergen-specific IgE is one of the key features of atopic dermatitis (AD). Previous studies have shown that the gut microbiome mediates interactions between external exposures and the immune system in AD; however, the relationship between the gut microbiota and IgE remains unclear. In the present study, analyses of environmental exposures for 250 AD patients and 138 healthy volunteers revealed an association between hygiene levels in the residential environment and the occurrence of AD and the IgE level. Metagenomic sequencing of the gut microbiota from 68 AD patients and 77 healthy controls showed that AD patients had a distinct gut microbiota composition; moreover, while L-histidine degradation was enriched in healthy controls, L-histidine biosynthesis was enriched in AD patients. Extrinsic and intrinsic AD showed different enrichment patterns of specific microbes and differential associations of functional pathways. Our study indicated that elevated levels of IgE in AD were related to specific microbes in the gut microbiota, which showed extensive interactions with environmental factors. • Hygiene-associated residential environment is related with the level of IgE in AD. • Extrinsic AD and intrinsic AD are different in composition and function of the gut microbiota. • Elevated level of IgE in AD is related with specific microbes in the gut microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, two strains of lactic acid bacteria (Lacticaseibacillus paracasei GL1 and Lactobacillus helveticus SNA12) and one yeast strain of Kluyveromyces marxianus G-Y4 (G-Y4) isolated from Tibetan kefir grains were co-cultured. It was found that the addition of G-Y4 could not only promote the growth of lactic acid bacteria, but also increase the release of metabolites (lactic acid, ethanol, and amino nitrogen). Furthermore, the addition of live cells and cell-free fermentation supernatant (CFS) of G-Y4 could increase the ability of biofilm formation. Morever, the surface characteristics results showed that the addition of G-Y4 live cells could enhance the aggregation ability and hydrophobicity of LAB. Meanwhile, adding live cells and CFS of G-Y4 could promote the release of signaling molecule AI-2 and enhance the expression of the LuxS gene related to biofilm formation. In addition, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and chemical composition analysis were used to investigate the composition of the biofilm, and the results indicated that the biofilm was mainly composed of a small amount of protein but it was rich in polysaccharides including glucose, galactose, and mannose with different ratios. Finally, the formation of biofilm could delay the decline of the number of viable bacteria in storage fermented milk. [Display omitted] • K. marxianus G-Y4 could increase biofilm formation ability of Lactic acid bacteria. • The live cells and CFS of G-Y4 could promote the release of signaling molecule AI-2. • The G-Y4 live cells and CFS could enhance expression of LuxS gene related to biofilm. • The biofilm was mainly composed of a small amount of protein but rich polysaccharide. • Biofilm formation could increase the shelf life of fermented milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovarian cancer (OC) is a serious health concern that is highly prevailing in women. In this regard, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is used as a biomarker for OC, and hence its early detection can help in a better treatment plan and cure of the disease. Thus, two new lanthanide metal-organic frameworks [Eu 2 (FDA) 3 (DMF) 2 (MeOH) 2 ] n (Eu-MOF) and [Tb 2 (FDA) 3 (DMF) 2 (MeOH) 2 ] n (Tb-MOF) were synthesized by using 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid as ligand under solvothermal method, which were in turn applied for the detection of LPA. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction indicated that both the Eu-MOF and Tb-MOF were isomorphic with tfz-d topology of {43} 2 {46.618.84} based on binuclear second building units to form 3D framework. Meanwhile, Eu-MOF realized highly selective detection for LPA through a strong fluorescence quenching with K SV = 1.17 × 104 M−1, effectively identified LPA compared to other major components of plasma. These findings conclude that Eu-MOF can be counted as a potential contender as a fluorescent sensor for the detection of LPA which can in turn help the early diagnosis of OC. Two new lanthanide metal-organic frameworks [Eu 2 (FDA) 3 (DMF) 2 (MeOH) 2 ] n (Eu-MOF) and [Tb 2 (FDA) 3 (DMF) 2 (MeOH) 2 ] n (Tb-MOF) with 3,8-connected tfz-d topology were synthesized and characterized. Eu-MOF has the best recognition effect to identify LPA with K sv of 1.17 × 104 M−1, and has good anti-interference properties compared to other analytes of plasma. These results conclude it is a promising material for detecting LPA to achieve early diagnosis of ovarian cancer. [Display omitted] • Two MOFs were synthesized and characterized. • The co-doped samples were prepared. • They can be used as fluorescence sensors for LPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Strain S161 had anti-green mold activity both in vitro and in vivo. • Biocontrol efficacy against green mold involves a combination of mechanisms. • Strain S161 could synthesize lipopeptides and volatile organic compounds. • Strain S161 induced the differential expression of many genes in P. digitatum. • CFS of strain S161 may be a potential biocontrol agent against green mould on citrus. Green mold caused by Penicillium digitatum is a major postharvest disease of citrus that can result in significant losses during storage. Synthetic chemical fungicides typically used to control this disease have raised potential concerns regarding environmental pollution, human health, and the development of fungicide resistance. Biological control of postharvest diseases has been demonstrated to be an effective alternative to chemical control. In the present study, we investigated the postharvest biocontrol efficacy of Bacillus velezensis strain S161 against P. digitatum and its potential mechanisms of action. Results indicated that a cell-free supernatant (CFS) obtained from liquid culture of S161 strongly inhibited the mycelial growth, spore germination, and germ tube elongation of P. digitatum in vitro. The CFS effectively protected citrus fruit against P. digitatum , providing 95.6 % control. Further investigations revealed that the CFS degraded and ruptured hyphal membranes and spores and induced the excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in hyphal cells resulting in oxidative damage. CFS exposure also resulted in the downregulation of genes associated with spore germination, growth, reproduction, and virulence. antiSMASH analysis of biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) in B. velezensis indicated that B. velezensis possesses several core clusters, encoding the synthesis of surfactin, bacillomycin D, fengycin, bacilysin, bacillibactin, macrolactin, difficidin, bacillaene, and amylocycicin. Further analysis using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) revealed the presence of four of these metabolites (surfactin, iturin, fengycin, and bacillibactin) in the CFS of B. velezensis. Additional bioassays conducted in sealed plates revealed that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by S161 also inhibited the growth of P. digitatum. A total of 24 VOCs were found to be produced by S161 using headspace solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS). The identified VOCs were mainly ketones and alcohols. Collectively, our results indicate that B. velezensis strain S161 is an effective biocontrol agent of P. digitatum on citrus and inhibits pathogen germination and growth through a range of mechanisms, including the downregulation of genes associated with spore germination and growth, induction of oxidative stress, and the antimicrobial activity of VOCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior work of Gavryushkin, Khoussainov, Jain and Stephan investigated what algebraic structures can be realised in worlds given by a positive (= recursively enumerable) equivalence relation which partitions the natural numbers into infinitely many equivalence classes. The present work investigates the infinite one-one numbered recursively enumerable (r.e.) families realised by such relations and asks how the choice of the equivalence relation impacts the learnability properties of these classes when studying learnability in the limit from positive examples, also known as learning from text. For all choices of such positive equivalence relations, for each of the following entries, there are one-one numbered r.e. families which satisfy it: (a) they are behaviourally correctly learnable but not vacillatorily learnable; (b) they are explanatorily learnable but not confidently learnable; (c) they are not behaviourally correctly learnable. Furthermore, there is a positive equivalence relation which enforces that (d) every vacillatorily learnable one-one numbered family of languages closed under this equivalence relation is already explanatorily learnable and cannot be confidently learnable. In addition, if there is for a positive equivalence relation a confidently learnable class, then there is also a class which is confidently but not finitely learnable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have demonstrated great potential for their favorable impacts on the performance of water treatment membranes. Herein, the novel nanoparticles based on both nanoporous MOFs and organic PDA layer was exploited as a novel dopant for the fabrication of PES ultrafiltration (UF) membranes. The PDA was synthesized via oxidative self-polymerization under alkaline conditions and formed adhesive coatings on dispersed MOF. The properties of resulting membranes on the porosity, membrane morphology, hydrophilicity, permeability and anti-fouling performance were adequately investigated. The membranes incorporated with MOF@PDA exhibited exceptionally high permeability (209.02 L m−2·h−1), which is approximately 6 times higher than that of the pure PES membrane, and high BSA rejection (99.12%). Notably, the mechanical property and hydrophilicity of the PES membrane were both enhanced by MOF@PDA, and it has been demonstrated that greater hydrophilicity prevents fouling under practical conditions, which results in significant improvements in flux recovery ratio (FRR) (82%). In addition, the modified PES membranes were used to purify the oil/water emulsion, and the results indicates that the membranes have high permeability and rejection of oil/water emulsion, showing its great promise in practical oily sewage remediation. [Display omitted] • The MOF-5@PDA has better compatibility with membrane matrix. • The modified membranes possess improved hydrophilicity and high permeability. • The mechanical property of the synthesized PES membrane is enhanced. • The developed membrane showed an efficient oil/water separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant invasion and extreme climate event are both important ecological issues under the background of global climate change. However, how these two incidents interact with each other is still debatable in different ecosystems. In this study we investigated the interaction between the extreme flooding event during the autumn of 2021 in the Han River and the invasion of Elodea nuttallii based on a long-term field survey from 2020 to 2023 and two indoor controlled experiments (propagule bank experiment and decomposition experiment). We hypothesized that two negatives (extreme flooding event and invasive submerged macrophytes) can make an affirmative (macrophyte community consisting of native species). The field survey found that the extreme flooding caused a critical change of transparency until seven months later the water quality turned into the initial condition, and the maximum biomass of E. nuttallii decreased significantly in 2022 after the flooding. Abundant propagule bank of native macrophytes in the sediment contributed to the strong resilience of macrophyte community responding to the extreme flooding; the maximum total biomass of macrophyte community in 2022 did not differ from that in the two years prior to the flooding. Additionally, more species of native macrophyte was found in the field survey after the extreme flooding. Decomposition rates of E. nuttallii fragments was large as 0.69 d−1, and long-time high turbidity lead to a very fast run-out of the only reproduction tissue (fragments) of this alien species in the river, which resulted in the slowing of its recovery. Inspired by this study, we further proposed a cost-effective methodology to control the invasive species E. nuttallii , i.e., the combination of propagule bank of native macrophytes in the sediment and artificially manipulated pulse flooding. [Display omitted] • Three-years field survey and two indoor experiments were run to investigate the interaction between the extreme flooding event and the macrophyte invasion. • The biomass of the invasive species Elodea nuttallii decreased significantly after the flooding. • Abundant propagule bank of native macrophytes contributed to the strong resilience of macrophyte community biomass post the extreme event. • Two negatives (extreme flooding event and invasive submerged macrophytes) can make an affirmative (macrophyte community consisting of native species). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Four new ergostane-type sterols were isolated from shingled hedgehog mushrooms. • This is the first report of 26-carboxylated ergostane-type sterols in nature. • Sarcodonol D suppressed apoptosis in MRC-5 cells by HCoV-OC43 infection. • Sarcodonol D reduced mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidation levels, and apoptosis. Four new 26-carboxylated ergostane-type sterols (Sarcodonol A–D) were isolated from 70% ethanol extracts of dried fruiting bodies of Sarcodon imbricatus. Their chemical structures were elucidated using 1D- and 2D-nuclear magnetic resonance and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and confirmed by comparison with previously reported data. As far as we know, this is the first instance of isolating a 26-carboxylated ergostane-type sterol from nature. The determined antiviral efficacy of sarcodonol A–D (1 – 4) against HCoV-OC43 in MRC-5 cells confirmed that sarcodonol D (4) had significant antiviral activity. Notably, sarcodonol D (4) potently blocked virus infection at low-micromolar concentration and showed high SI (IC 50 = 2.26 μM; CC 50 > 100 μM; SI > 44.2). In addition, this research shows that the antiviral effect of sarcodonol D (4) via reduced apoptosis increased by viral infection is through mitochondrial stress regulation. This suggests that sarcodonol D (4) is a potential candidate for use as an antiviral treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have excellent tolerance to the gastrointestinal environment and high adhesion ability to intestinal epithelial cells, which could be closely related to the LuxS/AI-2 Quorum sensing (QS) system. Here, the crucial enzymes involved in the synthesis of AI-2 was analyzed in Lacticaseibacillus paracasei S-NB, and the luxS deletion mutant was constructed by homologous recombination based on the Cre- lox system. Afterwards, the effect of luxS gene on the probiotic activities in L. paracasei S-NB was investigated. Notably, the tolerance of simulated gastrointestinal digestion, AI-2 production, ability of auto-aggregation and biofilm formation significantly decreased (p < 0.05 for all) in the S-NB△ luxS mutant. Compared to the wild-type S-NB, the degree of reduction in the relative transcriptional level of the biofilm -related genes in Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 was diminished when co-cultured with S-NB△ luxS. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of S-NB△ luxS on the adhesion (competition, exclusion and displacement) of E. coli ATCC 25922 and S. aureus ATCC 25923 to Caco-2 cells markedly decreased. Therefore, comprehensive analysis of the role by luxS provides an insight into the LuxS/AI-2 QS system of L. paracasei S-NB in the regulation of strain characteristics and inhibition of pathogens. [Display omitted] • LuxS and MtnN were critical proteins in the synthesis of AI-2. • The luxS deletion mutant of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei S-NB was conducted. • The biofilm formation of S-NB△ luxS were significantly decreased. • Deletion of luxS affected the biofilm formation of pathogens after co-cultivation. • The inhibitory effect of S-NB△ luxS on the adhesion of pathogens to Caco-2 cells decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promotion of energy-saving household appliances (ESHAs) potentially contributes to optimizing both the total quantity and efficiency of household energy consumption. Differences in urban consumers' preference for higher-grade ESHAs as well as its influencing factors in cities with hierarchical socioeconomic levels remain elusive. Targeting 55 Chinese cities pertaining to three levels of socioeconomic development, we distribute questionnaires designed to cover both demographic and consciousness factors. By combining Contingent Valuation Method and multiple linear regression, the extra willingness to pay (WTP) for Grade-1/2 appliances compared with Grade-3 appliances is measured, and the influence factors on the WTP as well as consumers with highest WTP are identified. The extra WTP for Grade-1 appliances in First-, Second- and Third-level cities is 44.1%, 42.3% and 32.7%, respectively. The influences of age, household income, having children or not and monthly electricity bill parallel the socioeconomic level, while gender and schooling affect differently across socioeconomic levels. Consumers in less developed cities focus more on their affordability for the ESHAs, and in more developed cities have better environmental consciousness. Subsidies for consumers, such as those having master degree or above in First-level and Second-level cities, and having children in Third-level cities will increase their WTP. The findings provide insights for policy interventions aimed at boosting the purchase behavior for ESHAs according to local conditions for control of both household energy consumption and carbon emissions. [Display omitted] • Extra WTP for Grade-1/2 appliances in different levels of cities is quantified. • Critical factors affecting the WTP and consumers having highest WTP are identified. • Contingent valuation method and multiple linear regression model are combined. • WTP for Grade-1 appliances rises with the improvement of socioeconomic development. • Government subsidies help to increase the WTP for some certain consumer groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the molecular mechanism of FTO m6A demethylase in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and gefitinib resistance using GEO and TCGA databases. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened from RNA-seq data sets of serum exosomes of gefitinib-resistant NSCLC patients in the GEO database and the NSCLC data set in the GEPIA2 database. From this analysis, FTO m6A demethylase was found to be significantly upregulated in the serum exosomes of gefitinib-resistant NSCLC patients. To identify downstream genes affected by FTO m6A demethylase, weighted correlation network analysis and differential expression analysis were performed, resulting in the identification of three key downstream genes (FLRT3, PTGIS, and SIRPA). Using these genes, the authors constructed a prognostic risk assessment model. Patients with high-risk scores exhibited a significantly worse prognosis. The model could predict the prognosis of NSCLC with high accuracy measured by AUC values of 0.588, 0.608, and 0.603 at 1, 3, and 5 years respectively. Furthermore, m6A sites were found in FLRT3, PTGIS, and SIRPA genes, and FTO was significantly positively correlated with the expression of these downstream genes. Overall, FTO m6A demethylase promotes gefitinib resistance in NSCLC patients by upregulating downstream FLRT3, PTGIS, and SIRPA expression, with these three downstream genes serving as strong prognostic indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Stroke patients could experience SOO over a virtual body in front of them from 3PP. • Multisensory integration may remain intact or at least partially intact in stroke patients. • 3PP-FBI was stronger when the stimulation was delivered to the back than the affected arm. • 3PP-FBI in stroke patients could be used to improve visual-guided rehabilitation training. This paper attempts to induce the third-person perspective full body illusion (3PP-FBI) with virtual reality (VR) in stroke patients. Nineteen individuals with stroke were recruited. The 3PP-FBI induction method, which was well-established in healthy individuals, using synchronous visual-tactile stimulation on one body part was used. Questionnaire scores and proprioceptive drift values were collected under different conditions for characterizing the induced 3PP-FBI. Results showed that synchronous visual-tactile stimulation of a single body part (back or upper limb) was sufficient to elicit 3PP-FBI in stroke patients, forming a sense of ownership (SOO) over the entire virtual body. Moreover, the intensity of 3PP-FBI was stronger when the back was stimulated, compared to stimulating the impaired upper limb. This study demonstrated the viability of visual-guided rehabilitation training while having a SOO to a virtual body from the third-person perspective, in anticipation of achieving better rehabilitation outcome for movements beyond the first-person perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrients releasing from anoxic sediment can be enhanced in summer because the dissolved oxygen (DO) consumption, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) migration are susceptible to temperature. Herein, we proposed a method to hinder the aquatic environmental deterioration in warm seasons through consecutive application of oxygen- and lanthanum-modified zeolite (LOZ) and submerged macrophytes (V. natans) at low temperature scenario (5 °C, with depleted DO in water), and the effect was examined with drastic increasing the ambient temperature to 30 °C. The investigation was conducted in a microcosm scale including sediment cores (with a diameter of 11 cm, height of 10 cm) and overlying water (with depth of 35 cm). During the 60 days experiment, application of LOZ at 5 °C facilitated slower releasing and diffusion of oxygen from LOZ and the growth of V. natans. Thereby, when the temperature was increased to 30 °C and maintained for 35 days, the DO reached 10.01 mg/L, and the release of P and N from the sediment was reduced by 86% and 92%, respectively. This was achieved from the joint efforts of adsorption, biological conversion, chemical inactivation, and assimilation. Also, the LOZ inhibited 80% N 2 O, 75% CH 4 , and 70% CO 2 emissions primary by promoting V. natans growth and reshaping microbiota. Meanwhile, the colonization of V. natans benefited the sustainable improvement in the water quality. Our results addressed the time that the remediation of anoxic sediment can be applied. [Display omitted] • Oxygen release from zeolites was extended by LOZ capping at low-temperature. • DO improvement and nutrients reduction by LOZ favored V. natans growth. • LOZ and V. natans reduced sediment N and P through adsorption and conversion. • LOZ promoted sustainable improvement in water quality by reshaping microbiota. • Oxygen-rich and self-organized ecosystem effectively reduced GHG emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with traditional detection methods, fluorescent sensors have many advantages in identifying metal ions. Herein, a new series of three-dimensional (3D) lanthanide coordination polymers (CPs) [Eu 3 (FDA) 4 (DMSO) 2 (NO 3)(H 2 O) 2 ] n (CP-1), [Tb 3 (FDA) 4 (DMSO) 2 (NO 3)(H 2 O) 2 ] n (CP-2) and [Eu 3x Tb 3(1-x) (FDA) 4 (DMSO) 2 (NO 3)(H 2 O) 2 ] n (Eu/Tb-CP) based on 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (H 2 FDA) were synthesized. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction indicated that both the CP-1 and CP-2 were isomorphic with a topology of {42.5} 2 {44.510.69.74.8} based on trinuclear second building units to form a 3D framework. Luminescence sensing experiments revealed that CP-1 has a good selection and recognition effect on Fe3+ (K sv = 3.3 × 104 M−1, limit of detection (LOD) = 2.31 μM) and shows great potential as a luminescence sensor. Additionally, color tuning could be achieved by doped Eu3+ and Tb3+ into the reaction mixtures using the synergistic effect of their luminescent centers. A series of three-dimensional fluorescent Ln-CPs were synthesized under solvothermal conditions by using 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid. Fluorescence sensing experiments show that CP-1 has excellent fluorescence properties and exhibits high selectivity for detection Fe3+ through multiple mechanisms. Additionally, color tuning could be achieved by co-doped the Eu3+ and Tb3+. [Display omitted] • A series of three-dimensional Ln-CPs were synthesized using 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid. • The CP-1 can be a luminescence sensor for Fe3+ with high K sv values and low LOD. • It revealed the existence of multiple mechanisms in the quenching process of CP-1. • Color tuning could be achieved under the energy transferred from Tb3+ to Eu3+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In arthropods, there is only a single copy of Down Syndrome Cell Adhesion Molecule (Dscam) in the genome, but it can exist as numerous splice variants. There are three hypervariable exons in the extracellular domain and one hypervariable exon in the transmembrane domain. In Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis), exons 4, 6 and 14 can produce 25, 34 and 18 alternative splice variants, respectively. In this study, through Illumina sequencing, we identified additional splice variants for exons 6 and 14, hence there may be > 50,000 Dscam protein variants. Sequencing of exons 4, 6 and 14 showed that alternative splicing was altered after bacterial stimulation. Therefore, we expressed and purified the extracellular variable region of Dscam (Es Dscam-Ig1-Ig7). Exons 4.3, 6.46 and 14.18, three variable exons of the recombinant protein, were randomly selected. The functions of Es Dscam-Ig1-Ig7 in immune defences of E. sinensis were subsequently explored. Es Dscam-Ig1-Ig7 was discovered to bind to both Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Vibrio parahaemolyticus , but it did not exhibit antibacterial activity. By promoting hemocyte phagocytosis and bacterial removal, Es Dscam-Ig1-Ig7 can also shield the host from bacterial infection. The findings highlight the immunological activities of Dscam alternative splicing and reveal the potential for many more Dscam isoforms than were previously predicted in E. sinensis. • Sequencing identified additional splice variants for exons 6 and 14 of Es Dscam. • Alternative splicing of exons 4, 6 and 14 is altered after bacterial stimulation. • The extracellular variable region binds Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. • The variable region promotes phagocytosis of hemocytes and clearance of bacteria. • There are many more isoforms of Dscam in Eriocheir sinensis than previously predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pexidartinib, a macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor (CSF-1R) inhibitor, is indicated for the treatment of tendon sheath giant cell tumor (TGCT). However, few studies on the toxicity mechanisms of pexidartinib for embryonic development. In this study, the effects of pexidartinib on embryonic development and immunotoxicity in zebrafish were investigated. Zebrafish embryos at 6 h post fertilization (6 hpf) were exposed to 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 μM concentrations of pexidartinib, respectively. The results showed that different concentrations of pexidartinib induced the shorter body, decreased heart rate, reduced number of immune cells and increase of apoptotic cells. In addition, we also detected the expression of Wnt signaling pathway and inflammation-related genes, and found that these genes expression were significantly upregulated after pexidartinib treatment. To test the effects of embryonic development and immunotoxicity due to hyperactivation of Wnt signaling after pexidartinib treatment, we used IWR-1, Wnt inhibitor, for rescue. Results show that IWR-1 could not only rescue developmental defects and immune cell number, but also downregulate the high expression of Wnt signaling pathway and inflammation-related caused by pexidartinib. Collectively, our results suggest that pexidartinib induces the developmental toxicity and immunotoxicity in zebrafish embryos through hyperactivation of Wnt signaling, providing a certain reference for the new mechanisms of pexidartinib function. [Display omitted] • Pexidartinib hydrochloride induced development defects in zebrafish. • Pexidartinib hydrochloride could upregulate the expression levels of Wnt signaling and inflammation-related genes. • Pexidartinib exposure could reduce the number of immune cells and induce cell apoptosis. • Inhibition of Wnt signaling can rescue the development defects and immunotoxicity induced by Pexidartinib. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stigmasterol is an important natural compound with the ability to lower cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease. It is often esterified with fatty acids to enhance its range of applications and improve its bioaccessibility. In this paper, stigmasteryl oleate was efficiently synthesized via lipase catalysis under optimized ultrasound pretreatment conditions, and the physicochemical properties of stigmasteryl oleate were investigated. The results showed that the stigmasterol conversion reached 91.37% with an ultrasound power of 200 W, ultrasound pretreatment time of 1 h, lipase dosage of 50 g/L, and ultrasound pretreatment temperature of 50 °C. The chemical structure of the final stigmasteryl oleate product was identified using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The melting and crystallization temperatures of stigmasteryl oleate were significantly decreased to 22.8 and 12.9 °C, respectively, while its solubility in edible oil was more than 20 times higher than that of stigmasterol. The peroxide value of stigmasteryl oleate was much lower than that of oleic acid (27.53 and 41.39 mmol/kg). The product of stigmasteryl oleate with more favorable physicochemical properties greatly facilitates the widespread use of stigmasterol in oil-based foods. • A efficient method of ultrasound pretreatment lipase catalysis was used. • Ultrasound pretreatment method shorten the reaction time than conventional method. • The physicochemical properties of stigmasterol were improved. • Esterified stigmasterol pronounce good oxidation stability during long-term storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The co-inoculation fermentation of different microorganisms plays a crucial role in soy sauce fermentation in terms of enriching the composition of the volatile compounds. Therefore, the present study sought to investigate the effect of co-inoculation fermentation of Aspergillus oryzae and Zygosaccharomyces rouxii on the dynamics of volatile compounds in soy sauce using the combination of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and multivariate correlation analysis. A total of 124 volatile compounds were identified by A. oryzae and Z. rouxii inoculation alone and co-inoculation, including hydrocarbons, fatty acids, phenols, fatty esters, and benzamides. The content of phenylethyl alcohol, ethyl linoleate, and ethyl palmitate was significantly increased, and the metabolic pathways of multiple volatile compounds were affected in soy sauce inoculated with Z. rouxii. The present study results potentially contribute to the optimization of soy sauce fermentation processes. [Display omitted] • Volatile compounds of soy sauce are closely related to co-inoculation of A. oryzae and Z. rouxii in koji-making. • Inoculation with Z. rouxii increased the concentration and number of volatile compounds. • Co-inoculation of A. oryzae and Z. rouxii significantly increased the contents of phenylethyl alcohol and ethyl palmitate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the ecological risks of antibiotics and their degradation products is of great importance to water environment security and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) development. This work studied the changes and internal influencing mechanisms of ecotoxicity and the capacity for inducing antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) shown by the tetracycline (TC) degradation products generated in AOPs with differential free radicals. Under the action of superoxide radicals and singlet oxygen in the ozone system, and sulfate and hydroxyl radicals in the thermally activated potassium persulfate system, TC exhibited differential degradation pathways and resulted in the differential growth inhibition trends on the determined strains. Microcosm experiments combined with metagenomics were also performed to analyze the remarkable changes in the TC resistance genes tetA (60), tetT , and otr (B) induced by the degradation products and ARG hosts in the natural water environment. Microcosm experiments exhibited that the microbial community in actual water have changed significantly with the addition of TC and degradation intermediates. Furthermore, the richness of genes related to oxidative stress was investigated to discuss the effect on reactive oxygen species production and SOS response caused by TC and its intermediates. • ARGs induction testing and hosts analysis usingmicrocosm experiment combined with metagenomic methods. • Tetracycline was degraded by active oxidizing species domination. • The ecological risks of tetracycline intermediates changed with the different degradation mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of activated sludge are a mixture of high molecular weight polymers secreted by microorganisms, which have the double structure of tightly-bound EPS (TB-EPS) in inner layer and loosely-bound EPS (LB-EPS) in outer layer. The characteristic of LB- and TB-EPS were different, which would affect their adsorption of antibiotics. However, the adsorption process of antibiotics on LB- and TB-EPS was still unclear yet. Therefore, in this work, the roles of LB-EPS and TB-EPS in adsorption of a typical antibiotic-trimethoprim (TMP) at environmentally relevant concentration (25.0 μg/L) were investigated. The results showed the content of TB-EPS was higher than that of LB-EPS, which was 17.08 and 10.36 mg/g VSS, respectively. The adsorption capacity of raw, LB-EPS extracted and both LB- and TB-EPS extracted activated sludges for TMP were 5.31, 4.65 and 9.51 μg/g VSS, respectively, which indicated LB-EPS had positive effect on TMP removal, while TB-EPS had negative effect. The adsorption process can be well described by a pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R2 > 0.980). The ratio of different functional groups was calculated and the C O and C–O bond might be responsible for the adsorption capacity difference between LB- and TB-EPS. The fluorescence quenching results indicated that tryptophan protein-like substances in LB-EPS provided more binding sites (n = 0.36) than that of tryptophan amino acid in TB-EPS (n = 0.1). Furthermore, the extend DLVO results also demonstrated that LB-EPS promoted the adsorption of TMP, while TB-EPS inhibited the process. We hope the results of this study were helpful for understanding the fate of antibiotics in wastewater treatment systems. [Display omitted] • The adsorption capacity of sludges with EPS extracted for TMP were determined. • The functional groups of LB-EPS was more hydrophobic than that of TB-EPS. • LB-EPS had more binding sites for TMP than that of TB-EPS. • LB-EPS promoted the adsorption of TMP, while TB-EPS inhibited the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caspar, a homolog of the Fas-associated factor 1 (FAF1) family, contains an N -terminal ubiquitin interaction domain, a ubiquitin-like self-association domain, and a C -terminal ubiquitin regulatory domain. Caspar has been reported to be involved in the antibacterial immunity of Drosophila , which is unclear whether it is involved in the antibacterial immune process of crustaceans. In this article, we identified a Caspar gene in Eriocheir sinensis and named it Es Caspar. Es Caspar positively respond to bacterial stimulation and downregulate the expression of certain associated antimicrobial peptides by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of Es Relish. Thus, Es Caspar might be a suppressor of the immune deficiency (IMD) pathway that prevents over-activation of the immune system. Indeed, excess Es Caspar protein in crabs reduced resistance to bacterial infection. In conclusion, Es Caspar is a suppressor of the IMD pathway in crabs that plays a negative regulatory role in antimicrobial immunity. • The Eriocheir sinensis Caspar gene was cloned and characterized. • Es Caspar inhibited the nuclear translocation of Relish. • This inhibition downregulated antimicrobial peptide expression. • Es Caspar is a suppressor of the immune deficiency pathway. • Es Caspar negatively regulates antimicrobial immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial ecosystems with high biological complexity are generally considered to be efficient in metabolizing substances and resistant to temperature shock. In this study, a novel near-natural system (BCT system), which consisted of simple biofilter, constructed wetland and trophic biology pond, was conducted to treat rural sewage in situ for irrigation into farmland. Water quality related to carbon and nutrients and microbial community were analyzed along the system to reveal the effect of each unit. The annual average removals of BCT system for TN, N H 4 + -N, TP and COD could reach 46.53%, 52.18%, 41.48%, and 53.21%, respectively. There was no significant decrease for removal efficiencies from high temperature period (HTP, ≥15 °C) to low temperature period (LTP, <15 °C). In LTP, the trophic pond (TRP) removed 34.85% of TN, 33.93% of N H 4 + -N, 13.71% of TP and 18.77% of COD, while the removal efficiencies of constructed wetland fluctuated greatly. The TRP facilitated the BCT system to maintain the removal capability during low temperature period. The relative abundance of denitrification functional genes in TRP increased nearly tenfold from HTP to LTP. The effluent quality from the system can meet the agricultural irrigation standards, demonstrating the effect of BCT system on sewage treatment and agricultural irrigation in rural area. • Near-natural BCT system is a robust treatment for rural wastewater. • Trophic pond maintains the removal capability during low temperature period. • Denitrification genes in trophic pond increased tenfold at low temperature. • Effluent quality from BCT system meet the agricultural irrigation standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acid sensitivity and moisture absorption of dry probiotic products during digestion and storage are challenges. In this study, different mass ratios (1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 5) of buckwheat protein (BWP) and hydrophobic polyester shellac were firstly combined by a pH-shifting method and then applied for the construction of Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) microcapsules. Circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence spectroscopy results revealed that the complexes were stabilized primarily by hydrophobic interaction forces and the conformational changes after co-folding with shellac. With a decreasing ratio of shellac, the enthalpy (ΔH) and peak temperature increased, resulting in enhanced thermal stability. BS2 encapsulated probiotics successfully enhances the survival of L. plantarum during freeze-drying and gastrointestinal (GI) digestion. The probiotic was fully coated by the complex, determined through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. After encapsulated, the colon adhesion efficiency enhanced 30.92% than free cells. The encapsulated probiotics presented a maximum reduction of 0.89 log CFU/mL after 30 days of storage at 25 °C, and probiotics protected by the BS1 complex had superior storage stability under an Aw of 0.76, for which K value was 1.218. BWP-based shellac pH-shift complexes exhibit enormous potential for the encapsulation of probiotics. [Display omitted] • Interactions between BWP and shellac through pH-shift were investigated. • L. plantarum efficiently encapsulated in BWP-shellac complex fabricated by pH-shift. • L. plantarum microcapsule had higher survival during GI tract and ambient storage. • Probiotic released from microcapsule increased 30.92% higher colon-adhesion efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CaTiF 6 (H 2 O) 2 was synthetized by a solvothermal method and was found to be isostructural to SrTiF 6 ⋅2H 2 O. The structure, refined from Powder X-Ray Diffraction (PXRD) data, is built from the connectivity of dimers [Ca 2 F 10 (H 2 O) 4 ] of square antiprisms (SAP) [CaF 5 (H 2 O) 3 ] and TiF 6 octahedra. To assign the six 19F NMR resonances to the six fluorine crystallographic sites of same multiplicity, 19F magnetic shielding tensors have been calculated using the GIPAW method. Unusually, the plot of the experimental 19F isotropic chemical shift (δ iso) values, as a function of the calculated 19F isotropic shielding (σ iso) values, shows a much better alignment for the experimental structure than for the DFT-optimized one. Whereas, the dynamics of the structural water molecules under experimental conditions are not captured by the optimized structure, the experimental averaged structure provides a good account of the experimental data and a reliable assignment of the 19F resonances to the F sites. Finally, the previously established bond-valence (BV) parameter R ij for the Ti4+/F− ion pair (1.76 ​Å) leads to overestimated BV sum values for Ti. This trend has been observed for almost all other fluorotitanates. We then undertook to refine its value, using the Ti–F bond lengths from 70 carefully selected structures containing 134 Ti sites forming TiF 6 octahedra, and leading to R ij ​= ​1.706 ​Å. The experimental structure provides a reliable assignment of the six 19F NMR resonances to the six F sites. [Display omitted] • CaTiF 6 (H 2 O) 2 was synthetized and its structure was refined from PXRD data. • Dimers [Ca 2 F 10 (H 2 O) 4 ] of SAP [CaF 5 (H 2 O) 3 ] and TiF 6 octahedra are connected. • 19F magnetic shielding tensors have been calculated using the GIPAW method. • The 19F NMR resonances are confidently assigned to the F sites. • The previously established BV parameter R ij for the Ti4+/F− ion pair has been refined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of reservoirs in the upper reaches of rivers will change the hydrological rhythm of river-connected wetlands in the lower reaches, causing changes in the distribution of wetland vegetation. The differences of carbon and nitrogen sequestration and emission potential in different vegetations may lead to the dynamics of greenhouse gas emissions from wetlands during hydrological periods. For a wetland connected to the Yangzi River, China, the dynamic changes of vegetation and water areas were identified by remote sensing, and the water level, the emission fluxes of greenhouse gases and the functional bacteria of carbon and nitrogen in soil were measured in-situ. Compared with drought period, the area of phragmites zone in flooding period increased by 28.2%, while the areas of carex and phalaris zones decreased by 42.9%. The carbon and nitrogen accumulation in the soil of phragmites zone is the highest, while the cumulative amount of phalaris is the lowest. The emission fluxes of CH 4 and N 2 O in mud/water and various vegetations were positively correlated with water level and reached the maximum during flooding period. Although the global warming potential of mud/water was highest than that of vegetations, carex zone had the highest warming potential among vegetation zones. CH 4 contributes 8–37 times as much as N 2 O to global warming potential in the wetland. The increase of flooding time promoted the emissions of CH 4 and N 2 O in the wetland. The anaerobic condition caused by flooding stimulated the activities of denitrifying and methanogenic bacteria, thus increasing the emission of greenhouse gases. The sequestrations and emissions of carbon and nitrogen regulated by a reservoir in the upstream suggest that the operation of water conservancies should be considered to alleviate the greenhouse gas emission from river-connected wetland. • The fluctuation of water level altered the areas of vegetation. • The increase of flooding time promoted the emissions of CH 4 and N 2 O. • The emissions of CH 4 and N 2 O were positively correlated with water level. • The anaerobic condition caused by flooding stimulated the activities of bacteria related to GHGs. • The mud/water zone in river-connected wetland has the highest GHGs emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The release of extracellular vesicles (EV) by pathogenic microbes is considered an alternative cell-to-cell transport of macromolecules transport mechanism. In Gram-negative bacteria, EVs may be formed by outer membrane budding, so-called outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). Previous studies have revealed E. coli constitutively release nano-sized OMVs, which can be potent activators of cellular functions without live bacteria. But the immunomodulatory activity of E. coli OMVs is still relatively poorly understood. Here we investigated the morphological characterization and composition of E.Coli OMVs, kinetics of internalization by Raw 264.7 macrophage cells, and their immunomodulatory activity on cells. By transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering, E.Coli OMVs were identified as typical cup-shaped, bilayered membranous structures, mainly distributed between 72.5 and 212.5 nm. We also demonstrated by confocal fluorescence microscopy that exposure of Raw 264.7 cells to E.Coli OMVs resulted in internalization of these nanoparticles and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential. In addition, E. Coli OMVs treatment induced the production of ROS, iNOS, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10 and up-regulation of CD86 and CD206. Taken together, our results indicated that E.Coli OMVs are immunobiologically active, can directly interact with macrophage and participate in immune responses. • E. coli constitutively release nano-sized OMVs, which can be potent activators of cellular functions without live bacteria. • Exposure of Raw 264.7 cells to E.Coli OMVs results in internalization of these nanoparticles and decreases mitochondrial membrane potential under confocal fluorescence microscopy. • E. Coli OMVs treatment induces the production of ROS, iNOS, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10 and up-regulation of CD86 and CD206. • E. Coli OMVs are immunobiologically active, can directly interact with macrophage and participate in immune responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In groundwater environments, the interaction between microbial communities and the hydrogeochemical parameters have been investigated extensively in the past years. However, little is known whether the maximum contamination level (MCL) is a threshold value that dictates the microbial composition. In this study, we analyzed 10 groundwater samples for their nitrate, nitrite, COD and sulfate concentrations, and characterized their microbial compositions using 16 S rRNA based high-throughput sequencing methods. All the 10 samples had oxygen demands higher than the corresponding MCL of China (10 mg L−1); moreover, 4 out of 10 samples also had nitrate concentrations higher than the corresponding MCL, which indicated that the groundwater quality was negatively impacted by anthropogenic activities. Comparing the microbial composition of groundwater that had higher-than-MCL nitrate concentrations to those that had lower-than-MCL nitrate concentrations, no significant differences were detected in communities' richness and diversity. However, the non-metric multi-dimensional analysis suggested that the 4 groundwater samples whose nitrate concentration exceed MCL are distinctly different from those of the rest 6 samples, indicating that MCL does have a significant impact on microbial structures. Pearson's correlation analysis suggested that none of the four analyzed hydrochemical parameters had significant impact on microbial communities' richness and diversity; however, at the genus level, the correlation results suggested that JG3 0-KM -CM45 , Sphingomonas and Rhodococcus are closely correlated with nitrate concentration. The findings of this study deepened our understanding with respect to the relationships between the environmental quality indices and the microbial compositions of groundwater. • Impact of higher-than-MCL nitrate on microbial communities' structure were examined • No significant differences were found in richness and diversity • NMDS revealed higher-than-MCL NO3 led to distinct groundwater microbial community • JG-30-KM-CM45, Sphingomonas and Rhodococcus closely related with NO3 concentration [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three parallel bioreactors were operated with different inoculation of activated sludge (R1), intertidal sludge (ItS) (R2), and ItS-added AS (R3), respectively, to explore the effects of ItS bioaugmentation on the formation of salt-tolerant aerobic granular sludge (SAGS) and the enhancement of COD removal performance. The results showed that compared to the control (R1-2), R3 promoted a more rapid development of SAGS with a cultivation time of 25 d. Following 110-day cultivation, R3 exhibited a higher granular diameter of 1.3 mm and a higher hydrophobic aromatic protein content than that in control. Compared to the control, the salt-tolerant performance in R3 was also enhanced with the COD removal efficiency of 96.4% due to the higher sludge specific activity of 14.4 g·gVSS−1·d−1 and the salinity inhibition constant of 49.3 gL−1. Read- and genome-resolved metagenomics together indicated that a higher level of tryptophan/tyrosine synthase gene (trpBD , tyrBC) and enrichment of the key gene hosts Rhodobacteraceae , Marinicella in R3, which was about 5.4-fold and 1.4-fold of that in control, could be the driving factors of rapid development of SAGS. Furthermore, the augmented salt-tolerant potential in R3 could result from that R1 was dominated by Rhodospirillaceae , Bacteroidales , which carried more trehalose synthase gene (otsB , treS), while the dominant members Rhodobacteraceae , Marinicella in R3 were main contributors to the glycine betaine synthase gene (ectC , betB , gbsA). This study could provide deeper insights into the rapid development and improved salt-tolerant potential of SAGS via bioaugmentation of intertidal sludge, which could promote the application of hypersaline wastewater treatment. [Display omitted] • Intertidal sludge-added activated sludge was more favorable for granulation process. • The intertidal sludge enhanced the salt-tolerant potential of SAGS. • The possible tryptophan/tyrosine protein contributor Rhodobacteraceae, Marinicella were dominated. • The metagenomic portrait of communities responsible for salt-tolerant physiology were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 3D graphical rendering technique is applied in acoustic scattering. • Time cost is cut sharply due to the parallel programming of graphical rendering. • SBR is incorporated with GRACO to deal with scattering of concave object. • TS of cross rudders shows the necessity of considering 2nd-order scattering. The acoustic backscattering prediction of underwater targets has been drawing concerns from underwater vehicle designers. A graphical acoustic computing method combined with the shooting bouncing ray method (GRACO-SBR) is introduced to solve the acoustic target strength of complex underwater target with concave surfaces. The graphical acoustic computing (GRACO) is an asymptotic method based on physical acoustics. Aided with OpenGL 3D graphical rendering pipeline, this method can process the acoustic integration parallelly and efficiently. Since the traditional GRACO only considers the first-order scattering, the shooting and bouncing ray (SBR) is compounded with the GRACO to cope with the higher-order scattering of concave structures. The target strength of an impedance sphere is solved with several different methods including the GRACO. The results show that the GRACO has an outstanding advantage of the efficiency over the finite element method (FEM) and the traditional Kirchhoff approximation at minor cost of the accuracy in high frequency range. Besides, the prediction of the backscattering of a dihedral corner reflector tells that the GRACO-SBR which considers the second-order scattering can acquire much more accurate solutions than the traditional GRACO method. Further, a stern with cross rudders is considered by both GRACO and GRACO-SBR, and the solutions show that the second-order scattering cannot be overlook when predicting the backscattering of concave structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Twelve new tigliane/rhamnofolane glycosides were isolated from Euphorbia wallichii. • The aglycones of 1 – 5 represent a rare class of 13-deoxygenated tiglianes. • The aglycones of 8 – 12 represent the first examples of 4-deoxygenated rhamnofolanes. • Euphorwallside C (3) was identified as a promising neuroprotective agent. • 3 inhibit ROS accumulation and restore the MMP via Nrf2 signaling pathway. Tigliane and rhamnofolane diterpenoids bearing glycosyl substituents are rarely found in nature. In the current study, seven new tigliane glycosides, euphorwallsides A − G (1 – 7), and five new rhamnofolane glycosides, euphorwallsides H − L (8 – 12), were isolated from the whole plants of Euphorbia wallichii. Their structures were elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic, computational, and chemical means. The aglycones of 1 – 5 represent a rare class of 13-deoxygenated tiglianes, while those of 8 – 12 represent the first examples of 4-deoxygenated rhamnofolanes. 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 , 8 , and 12 showed significant neuroprotective effects on sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced neuronal death in pheochromocytoma cell line PC-12 at 10 μM, being more active than the clinical drug, edaravone. Mechanistic study revealed that the most active compound, 3 , could inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and restore the mitochondrial membrane potential via modulating the Nrf2 signaling pathway in PC-12 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dysregulation of neuronal networks contributes to the etiology of psychiatric diseases, including anxiety. However, the neural circuits underlying anxiety symptoms remain unidentified. We observed acute restraint stress activating excitatory neurons in the paraventricular thalamus (PVT). Activation of PVT neurons caused anxious behaviors, whereas suppression of PVT neuronal activity induced an anxiolytic effect, achieved by using a chemogenetic method. Moreover, we found that the PVT neurons showed plentiful neuronal projections to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). Activation of PVT-BNST neural projections increased the susceptibility of stress-induced anxiety-related behaviors, and inhibition of this neural circuit produced anxiolysis. The insular cortex (IC) is an important upstream region projecting to PVT. Activation of IC-PVT neuronal projections enhanced susceptibility to stress induced anxious behaviors. Inhibiting this neural circuit suppressed anxious behaviors. Moreover, anterograde monosynaptic tracing results showed that the IC exerts strong neuronal projections to PVT, forming synaptic connections with its neurons, and these neurons throw extensive neuronal fibers to form synapse with BNST neurons. Finally, our results showed that ablation of neurons in PVT receiving monosynaptic input from IC attenuated the anxiety-related phenotypes induced by activating IC neurons. Lesions of the neurons in BNST synaptic origination from PVT blocked the anxiety-related phenotypes induced by activating PVT neurons. Our findings indicate that the PVT is a crucial anxiety-regulating nucleus, and the IC-PVT-BNST neural projection is an essential pathway affecting anxiety morbidity and treatment. • Acute restraint stress activates the excitatory neurons in PVT. • Activation or suppression of PVT neurons causes or reduces anxiety-related behaviors. • The PVT neurons show strong neural projections to BNST, and receive extensive neural input from IC. • Activation of PVT-BNST or IC-PVT neural circuit causes enhanced susceptibility to anxious behaviors. • Suppression of PVT-BNST or IC-PVT neuronal projection produces anxiolytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coptis Chinensis Franch is widely used in the treatment of diabetes, and berberine is the primary bioactive component in it. Evidence from previous studies has shown that berberine supplementation is effective for treating diabetic nephropathy (DN) in animal models. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we evaluated the effects and potential mechanisms of action of berberine in animal models of DN. Relevant studies were searched from the English language databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase starting from the establishment of the database till June 2022. Twenty-five studies were included, and the risk of bias tool from SYRCLE was used to assess the methodological quality. Statistical analysis was conducted using STATA 15.1. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCR), and the kidney index (KI) were the primary outcomes to be analyzed. The overall results showed that berberine improves the indicators of renal function, such as BUN, SCR, proteinuria, and KI. Meanwhile, berberine also improved inflammatory indicators, such as IL-6 and TNF-α, and oxidative stress indicators, such as the superoxide dismutase activity and malondialdehyde content. Additionally, berberine lowered the levels of known risk factors, including triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL). These beneficial effects of berberine in DN may be related to its anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative stress properties. However, to assess the anti-diabetic nephropathy effects and safety of berberine in a more accurate manner, additional large-scale, long-term, and high-quality preclinical trials are needed to confirm these findings before clinical application. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) and heavy-metal contamination in freshwater is an increasing concern. Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn, Cr, and Cd are common heavy metals that can easily flow into rivers causing water pollution. Microplastics act as carriers for heavy metals and increase the transport of contaminants in freshwater systems. We investigated the adsorption mechanisms of three kinds of MPs having similar particle sizes, namely polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), with respect to trace heavy metals of Pb, Cu, Cr, and Cd under different temperature and salinity conditions. The reaction kinetics of the adsorption of different trace heavy metals on different MPs were consistent with both the quasi primary and quasi secondary kinetic models, indicating the complexity of heavy metal adsorption by MPs. The adsorption rate of heavy metal on MPs was mainly controlled by intra-particle diffusion, and the isotherm model indicated that the adsorption of Pb, Cu, Cr, and Cd by MPs occurred in the form of monolayer physical adsorption. Additionally, an increase in temperature and decrease in salinity were favourable to improve the affinity of MPs toward heavy metals (through adsorption). Zeta potential measurements and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses indicated that electrostatic force interaction was the main mechanism of the adsorption process; oxygen-containing functional groups, π-π interaction, and halogen bonds played important roles in the process of adsorption. Furthermore, the growth inhibition and oxidative stress of microalgae Chlorella vulgaris (GY-D27) due to PP, PS, and PVC were analysed; notably, MPs or Pb inhibited the growth of Chlorella vulgaris. However, the reduced toxicity to Chlorella vulgaris, with respect to a mixture of Pb and MPs, was confirmed using superoxide dismutase and catalase enzyme activities. Our results can be applied for the risk assessment of heavy metals and MPs in aquatic environments. [Display omitted] • Absorption mechanism of heavy metals to microplastics (MPs) was studied. • O 2 -containing functional groups, π-π, and halogen atoms determined adsorption. • Higher temperature and lower salinity favoured the adsorption of trace heavy metals on MPs. • MPs or Pb inhibited the growth of Chlorella vulgaris. • Toxicity to Chlorella vulgaris was reduced in combined polystyrene/polyvinyl chloride and Pb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compound 4m showed promising anti-inflammatory activity with NO inhibitory activity comparable to dexamethasone and could reasonably bind to the active site of p65 protein. [Display omitted] • Thirty-two novel DG F-spiroacetal opened derivatives were synthesized using DG as raw material, and screened for preliminary anti-inflammatory activity. • Structure of the derivatives was further confirmed by the crystal structures. • The anti-inflammatory activities were better after the acetylation of 3-hydroxyl group. • Molecular docking analysis verified that compound 4 m could reasonably bind to the active site of the p65 protein. Thirty-two novel DG F-spiroacetal ring-opening derivatives, including 24 acetylated derivatives and 8 nitrogenous derivatives, were designed and synthesized from diosgenin (DG). The cytotoxicity of the novel derivatives was evaluated by MTT assay, except for compounds 4a , 4e , 4i , 4 l , 5a and 5 h , which were potentially cytotoxic to RAW264.7 cells, all the other derivatives had no significant cytotoxicity. The NO release inhibitory activities of novel derivatives were screened by Griess method. The results showed that the anti-inflammatory activity of the DG acetylated derivatives was stronger than the nitrogenous derivatives, and 4a - 4 m containing acetyl groups at the 3-position may have better anti-inflammatory effects than 5a - 5 k containing free hydroxyl groups. In ELISA assay, compound 4 m exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting the production of NO in RAW264.7 cells activated by LPS with IC 50 values 0.449 ± 0.050 μM. The results of docking experiments showed that 4 m has a good affinity for p65 protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The humic substances (HS) - mediated electron transfer process is of great significance to the reduction and degradation of pollutants and the improvement of soil quality. Different soil conditions lead to different characteristics of HS, resulting in differences in the electron transfer capacity (ETC) of HS. It is unclear how the environmental conditions in soil affect the ETC by affecting on HS. In this study, the response relationship of soil microenvironment, HS and ETC has been studied. The results show that the ETC follows the descending order of: Langshan > Nanchang > Anqing > Beijing > Guilin. There were significant differences in ETC in soil HS in different regions. There were significant differences in electron-donating capacity (EDC) in soil HS in different regions and depths. EDC in soil was higher than electron-accepting capacity (EAC), and on average, are 22.4 times higher than the EAC. The HS components of soils in different regions are different. The most significant differences were in tyrosine-like substances and soluble microbial by-products (SMPs). The five components of the soil HS from Langshan were the most different from those in other regions. There were differences in SMPs and humic-like substances in soils of different depths in Anqing and Guilin. ETC can be affected by the composition of HS components in different regions. The composition of HS at different soil depths in the same regions had little effect on ETC. SMPs can promote ETC and EDC, and tyrosine-like substance can promote EDC. Moisture content, pH and TOC are the main factors affecting the composition of HS components. This results can provide a research basis for the sustainable and safe utilization of agricultural soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric amines have attracted increasing attention due to their significant impact on new particle formation, particle hygroscopicity and particle optical properties. In this study, four low-molecule-weight amines were detected from PM 2.5 filter samples collected at an urban site of Pearl River Delta (PRD) region of China in 2018 autumn. During the campaign, the mass concentrations of ambient particulate methylamine (MA, CH 3 NH 2), dimethylamine (DMA, (CH 3) 2 NH), trimethylamine (TMA, (CH 3) 3 N), and diethylamine (DEA, (C 2 H 5) 2 NH) were quantified at daily or 12-h resolution using an optimized Ion Chromatograph (IC) method. The total measured amine concentration was 297 ± 209 ng/m3, which can account for 0.76 ± 0.33% of PM 2.5 mass concentrations. The particulate amines in PRD urban area were dominated by MA (243 ± 179 ng/m3), accounting for over 80% of total amines, then followed by DMA (49 ± 30 ng/m3, 16.5%), TMA (4 ± 2 ng/m3) and DEA (1 ± 1 ng/m3). Based on the correlation analysis, MA and DMA mainly presented as nitrate and sulfate salts. We speculate the amines tend to react with gas-phase HNO 3 or particle-phase nitrate to form particulate amine salts via local process in Guangzhou. As the relative humidity (RH) increased, enhanced partitioning of amine towards the particle phase was observed. Using approach of multiple linear regression, 71% of the particulate amines in PRD urban site could be explained by acid-base process and the rest by primary emissions from combustion sources (29%). • Particulate amines in urban PRD were quantified using an optimized IC method. • Methylamine was the most abundant amine, followed by dimethylamine. • Methylamine and dimethylamine mainly presented as nitrate and sulfate salts. • Enhanced RH facilitated the partitioning of amine towards particle phase. • Acid-base process dominated the amine formation, the left by combustion source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edible films based on chitosan, coix seed starch (CSS), nano zinc oxide (ZnO) and Artemisia annua essential oil (AO) were obtained through solvent casting method. Physico-chemical, biological properties and structures of the edible film were analyzed and the preservation effect of it on the quality of cold-stored pork was also investigated. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated that some possible intermolecular interactions could exist between film matrix and ZnO or AO. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and thermogravimetry (TG) showed that ZnO and AO had good compatibility with the film biopolymers, no any phase separation. Results suggested that appropriate content of ZnO could enhance the film's compactness. Tensile strength (TS), barrier properties and antibacterial activities of the film was significantly enhanced with 5% ZnO was added. Incorporation of AO into the edible film decreased the TS, but increased the flexibility, barrier properties, antibacterial and antioxidant activities. When content of ZnO and AO were 5% and 8%, the physico-chemical, biological properties of the edible film could reach optimum. For pork preservation, pH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total viable count (TVC), and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) values of the pork which treated with 5% ZnO-8% AO film were significantly lowest (p ≤ 0.05) than other groups. Therefore, this edible film system has potential as food packaging materials. [Display omitted] • The edible film was transparent and almost colorless and had a uniform structure. • The edible film had excellent antibacterial activity and antioxidant Activity. • The edible film could effectively improve the quality of pork during storage and prolonging its shelf life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioturbation by omni-benthivorous fish often causes sediment resuspension and internal nutrient loading, which boosts phytoplankton growth and may lead to a shift of clear water lakes to a turbid state. Removal of large-sized omni-benthivorous individuals is a lake restoration measure that may revert lakes from a turbid to a clear water state, yet the rapid reproduction of small omni-benthivorous fish in tropical and subtropical shallow lakes may impede such lake recovery. In lake restoration, also a combination of lanthanum-modified bentonite (LMB) and planting submerged macrophytes has been used that may synergistically improve lake water quality. How the combined effect works in the presence of small omni-benthivorous fish has not been studied, which is needed given the high abundances of small omni-benthivorous fish in (sub)tropical lakes. We conducted a two-by-two factorial mesocosm experiment with and without the submerged macrophytes Vallisneria natans and with and without LMB, all in the presence of small crucian carp. At the end of the experiment, turbidity in the V. natans , LMB and combined LMB + V. natans treatments had decreased by 0.8%, 30.3% and 30.9%, respectively, compared with the controls. In addition, the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) release from the sediment in the combined LMB + V. natans treatments had decreased substantially, by 97.4% and 94.3%, respectively, compared with the control. These N and P fluxes were also significantly lower in the combined LMB + V. natans treatments than in the sole LMB treatment (88.1% and 82.3%) or the V. natans treatment (93.2% and 90.3%). Cyanobacteria in the overlying water in the combined LMB + V. natans treatments significantly decreased by 84.1%, 63.5% and 37.0%, respectively, compared with the control and the sole LMB and V. natans treatments. Our results show that LMB and submerged macrophytes complement each other in effectively improving the water quality, even in the presence of small omni-benthivorous fish. [Display omitted] • LMB-plant interactive effects in the presence of fish were elucidated. • LMB-plant interactions significantly reduced water Chl a and the net nutrient flux. • Possible mechanisms behind LMB-plant alleviated water deterioration were discussed. • The combination of LMB and plants is also effective in the presence of small fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy is critical for myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, there is still considerable debate over its protective and deleterious effects. The purpose of this study was to determine the involvement of the proprotein convertase subtilisin/Kexin type 9 (PCSK9) and its inhibitor in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury autophagy (MRI). Nine groups of eighty rats were used: sham, I/R2 h, I/R4 h, I/R6 h, I/R8 h, I/R1 d, and I/R2 d. A 30-min coronary artery blockage was used to produce myocardial IR. The time required for reperfusion rose linearly with the time gradient, from 2 h to 2 days. Following the determination of the best reperfusion period, three groups were formed: sham, I/R, and I/R + P (PCSK9 inhibitor (evolocumab) 10 mg/kg diluted in 2 ml sterile injection water was administered subcutaneously 1 week and half an hour before to surgery. Each group's infarction area was determined by electrocardiography (ECG), cardiac function, and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) /Evan Blue (EB) staining. To detect morphological alterations in myocardial cells in each group, hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was used. Meanwhile, western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and Masson trichrome staining were utilized to quantify myocardial fibrosis and PCSK9 and autophagy protein expression. The results indicated that PCSK9 expression levels increased significantly in MRI, as indicated by increased levels of the autophagy regulatory protein light chain 3 (LC3) and Beclin-1, which activated autophagy in cardiomyocytes, exacerbated myocardial injury, and increased the size of myocardial infarcts. Meanwhile, PCSK9 regulates mitophagy via the Bcl-2/adenovirus E1B 19-kDa interacting protein (BNIP3) pathway, which controls myocardial infarction MRI throughout. Additionally, the PCSK9 inhibitor significantly decreased autophagy, enhanced cardiac function, and reduced the extent of reperfusion injury, consequently reducing myocardial infarct size expansion. PCSK9 is upregulated in the myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury hearts and regulates mitophagy via the BNIP3 pathway, which in turn contributes to reperfusion injury after myocardial infarction. PCSK9 inhibition protects against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury via suppressing autophagy. • the expression levels of PCSK9 and autophagy markers rose in a proportional ratio with increasing reperfusion time, peaking at 1 day of reperfusion and thereafter decreased. Meanwhile, we believe that PCSK9 regulation of mitophagy peaked at 1 day after reperfusion, boosting autophagosome formation, intensifying mitochondrial damage, and exacerbating reperfusion injury development. (2) In response to MRI, we discovered a gradual rise in PCSK9 in reperfused hearts, which contributes to scar growth and cardiac dysfunction. • Data demonstrated that elevated PCSK9 expression hastened the progression of myocardial infarction by triggering mitochondrial apoptosis in cardiomyocytes after passing through the BNIP3 pathway. It causes more severe reperfusion injury, which increases the extent of the myocardial infarction. • Pretreatment with PCSK9 inhibitors reduced PCSK9 expression, slowed autophagy formation, and reduced myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, enhancing ventricular remodeling and improve cardiac function, resulting in a smaller myocardial infarction. • We believe PCSK9 has a role in the evolution of myocardial infarction, and ischemia-reperfusion damage. • PCSK9 is up-regulated in the hearts with myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and regulates mitophagy through the BNIP3 pathway, thus promoting reperfusion injury after myocardial infarction. PCSK9 inhibition protects against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury via suppressing autophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black-odour water with organic compounds and heavy metals caused by domestic and industrial activities has aroused people's attention in recent years, yet little is known about the ecological effects on aquatic organisms, especially microorganisms in sediments. To explore the response of microbial communities to environmental factors, the community and metabolites of nine river sediments with different pollution in Dongguan city, China were investigated using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and liquid chromatography tandem-mass. The results revealed that the composition and structure of sedimentary microbial communities significantly changed in rivers with varying pollution levels. Cyanobacteria were the most abundant organisms in the sediment of black-odorous rivers, while the relative abundance of Thaumarchaeota was gradually increased with the river quality gets better. The relative abundance of organic acids (including amino acids), alcohols, esters, and ketones associated with microbial metabolism in sediments of polluted rivers was increased. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing-based molecular ecological network analysis indicated that the interactions amongst bacteria were enhanced in severely contaminated communities. Sphingomonadaceae and Cyanobacteria have important roles in bacterial community structures of polluted rivers and those with ongoing treatment. The correlation analysis showed significant metal resistance and/or tolerance of the following bacteria species Thalassiosira weissflogii , Aminicenantes bacterium clone OPB95 , 'Candidatus Halomonas phosphatis' , and archaeal species Methanolinea and unidentified Thermoplasmata. These results indicated that sedimentary microbial communities may shift in composition and structure, as well as their interaction network, to adapt and resist environmental contamination and promote restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A series of pyrimidine derivatives containing thiophene fragment were designed and synthesized. • Compound 6a exhibited potent antiproliferative activity (2.2 nM) against H1975 cells. • Compound 6a strongly affected EGFR-mediated signaling pathways. • Compound 6a displayed acceptable pharmacokinetics (PK) parameters and exhibits promising antitumor efficacy. The critical T790M secondary mutation in epidermal growth-factor receptor (EGFR) mediates resistance to first- and second-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Herein, we identified 12 new 2,4-diaryl pyrimidine derivatives containing thiophene fragments as new selective third-generation EGFR inhibitors. Among them, Compound 6a showed good inhibitory activity against EGFR mutant cells with an IC 50 value of 0.0022 ± 0.001 μM and was approximately 1730-fold less potent against EGFR WT cells (IC 50 : 4.499 ± 0.057 μM). Moreover, it strongly affected EGFR-mediated signaling pathways, attenuated tumor proliferation via the intrinsic mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, arrested the cell cycle at G0/G1 phase, and induced apoptosis in H1975 cells. It also displayed appropriate pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters with an oral bioavailability value of 33.57%. Additionally, in vivo studies confirmed that 6a suppressed tumor growth in an H1975 xenograft model (25 mg/kg/d, TGI: 90.24%). Overall, these results suggest that 6a could be a promising lead compound for overcoming the clinical EGFR T790M resistance of patients with non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]