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Advancing pyrolysis practice for phosphorus (P) recovery and recycling from sewage sludge arouses intensive research interests due to the forthcoming threat of global P sustainability. However, how to both in situ manipulate P targeted transformation to a designed form and accommodate downstream use while compromise adverse impacts of concomitant toxic metals (TMs) challenges the worldwide initiative of P reclamation from sewage sludge. Here, a P targeted transformation to hydroxyapatite (P2tHAP) technique to bridge the discrepancy of P recovery and subsequent use was developed. Through manipulating calcium-to-P molar ratio (Ca/P) of sludge feedstock by calcium oxide, the sludge P can be targetedly transformed to HAP during pyrolysis, a bioavailable form delivered as sewage sludge char-derived phosphorus fertilizer (SCPF). The P supply competency of the SCPF for Ca/P below or above 1.67 with a risk abatement of TMs was comparable to conventional P fertilizer, while the Ca/P = 1.67 was prone to the occurrence of sludge ash sintering, detrimental to the HAP formation. The lowered bioavailability of TMs was orchestrated by the root-secreted oxalic acid, due to the triggered phosphate starvation response. The random forest analysis indicated the driving force in the evolution of rhizobacterial communities, dominantly arising from those TMs after the SCPF soil application. Thermodynamic and kinetic calculations validated that HAP with the stable molar Gibbs energy g HAP (∼ − 7.23 × 10 3 k J / m o l) underpinned the progress of P2tHAP during sludge pyrolysis. The outcome prospects to propel the integrative design of an innovative reclamation of P-rich wastes and simultaneous compromise of concomitant contaminants. [Display omitted] • Phosphorus targeted transformation to hydroxyapatite (P2tHAP) technique was established. • Sludge-derived char after P2tHAP is an alternative P fertilizer (SCPF). • Ca/P molar ratio of sludge feedstock impacted P supply competency of the SCPF. • Root exudate and rhizobacteria collectively inhibited liberated toxic metals entry to plants. • HAP with stable g HAP (∼ − 7.23 × 10 3 k J / m o l) underpinned the progress of P2tHAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the preliminary outcomes and clinical efficacy of a novel posterior biportal endoscopic technique in the treatment of central cervical disc herniation (CCDH). A total of 11 patients with symptomatic CCDH who met the inclusion criteria underwent posterior biportal endoscopic discectomy between December 2021 and May 2023. The surgical procedure involved flavectomy, foraminotomy, pediculoplasty, and discectomy using 30° and 45° arthroscopes and specialized minimally invasive tools. Functional outcomes were assessed using the Japanese Orthopedic Association scoring system, Neck Disability Index, and visual analog scale for axial neck pain. Clinical efficacy was evaluated at the final follow-up using the modified Macnab criteria. All 11 patients successfully underwent posterior biportal endoscopic discectomy with a mean operative time of 82.7 ± 10.1 minutes and mean estimated blood loss of 31.8 ± 9.8 ml. The mean hospital stay was 5.2 ± 1.1 days, and the mean follow-up period was 13.8 ± 2.4 months. Significant improvements were observed in Neck Disability Index, Japanese Orthopedic Association, and visual analog scale scores. Clinical efficacy was rated as excellent in 3 patients, good in 6 patients, and fair in 2 patients according to the modified Macnab criteria. No cases of cervical instability or kyphosis were observed during postoperative follow-up. The novel posterior biportal endoscopic technique demonstrated significant clinical efficacy and safety in treating CCDH, with marked improvements in clinical outcomes, rapid postoperative recovery, and a low incidence of complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to preliminarily explore the efficacy and safety of unilateral biportal endoscopy for the treatment of epidural cement leaks. We report a patient who underwent epidural cement leakage removal and achieved endoscopic spinal decompression. A 67-year-old female patient underwent biportal endoscopic paraspinal decompression following percutaneous vertebroplasty for an osteoporotic fracture that resulted in neurologic impairment due to epidural cement leakage. A transforaminal biportal endoscopic surgery was performed to remove the leaked cement, and the left L1 and bilateral L2 nerves were decompressed. The patient's postoperative clinical course was uneventful. A paraspinal approach that avoids a posterior approach reduces the need to remove stabilizing facet bone, is truly minimally invasive and does not involve an instrumented fusion, maybe a helpful addition in the minimally invasive spine surgeon's armamentarium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A real-time TG-FTIR-GC/MS pyrolysis system was adopted for tracking copyrolysis. • The production of profitable hydrocarbons is promoted with biomass addition. • Increasing biomass addition can depress pollutant formation and toxic metal bioavailability. • Low biomass addition prefers to maintain a congruent mechanism during copyrolysis. • The C p converging to 1430 J/K at 700 °C substantiates pivotal functions of sludge ash matrix. Ameliorating sewage sludge (SS) pyrolysis process with biomass increasingly becomes an effective strategy to utilize SS-entraining resources and depress pollutant evolution, while real-time track of SS and biomass copyrolysis as well associating thermochemical reactions in aspects of kinetics and thermodynamics is yet to be unveiled. Here a combinative thermogravimetry combined with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TG-FTIR-GC/MS) pyrolysis system, lab-scale furnace and theoretical calculation were adopted to develop a key element course-tracked copyrolysis of SS and corn stalk (CS) for simultaneous accommodation of profitable products and derived pollutants. The formation of alkanes and alkene with small carbon number (below 4) was promoted during copyrolysis, while those with heavy carbons (over 5) were contributed by the inherent organic fraction of SS. The release of those nitrogen (N)-/sulfur-/chlorine-involving inorganic pollutants was depressed with the increase in the CS addition. The increased release of CO 2 and H 2 O as well carboxylic volatiles with a high CS addition evidenced the promoted dehydroxylation and decarboxylation. Consequently, the speciation of N and phosphorus (P) and the bioavailability of toxic metals (TMs) were regulated with the increasing CS addition, that is, enhancements of proteins and protein-like N transformation to the other nitrogen species, P within orthophosphate diesters to orthophosphate monoesters, and TM reactivity-dependent bioavailability depression. A low addition (below 20 %) was prone to maintain a congruent mechanism, while the total Gibbs energy tended to decrease with an increasing addition and pyrolysis temperature, leading to a converged pressure-constant heat capacity (∼1430 J/K) at 700 °C. Those thermochemical reactions occurring over sewage sludge ash matrix were pivoted with biomass addition, which can be adopted as a useful strategy for an efficient, cleaner and sustainable mining of waste resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Anxiety-like behavior and E/I imbalance were found at the early stage of 5xFAD mice. • Inhibitory synaptic proteins were reduced in 5xFAD mice. • PV+ and SST+ interneurons were lost of in the ventral hippocampus in 5XFAD mice. • Inhibiting pyramidal neurons or activating the PV+ or SST+ neurons in the vCA1 of 5xFAD mice can ameliorated anxiety-like behaviors and normalize E/I imbalance. Neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety and depression often appear early in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and a comorbid, anxiety-like phenotype is also found in rodents with AD. However, the underlying mechanisms behind these conditions and potential therapeutic targets to treat them remain unclear. In this study, we used 5 familial AD mutations (5xFAD) mice that developed early amyloid β-amyloid deposition and related synaptic loss and memory deficits to identify a potential mechanism behind abnormally high anxiety levels observed in these subjects. We observed anxiety-like behavior in mice that had an excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) imbalance in the ventral hippocampus (vHPC) of 5xFAD mice. Both the number of parvalbumin-positive (PV+) and somatostatin-positive (SST+) cells decreased in the ventral hippocampus of the subject 5xFAD mice, however, no reductions were observed in calretinin-positive cells. We found that selectively inhibiting vHPC pyramidal cells via hM4Di expression normalized anxiety-like behaviors and E/I balance in 5xFAD mice. Finally, we found that the ventral hippocampus SST+ or PV+ neurons were activated through selectively expressed hM3Dq, which ameliorated anxiety-like behaviors and the synaptic E/I imbalance of vCA1 in 5xFAD mice. These results determined that anxiety-like behaviors accompanied by hippocampal synaptic E/I imbalance in 5xFAD mice are due to the loss of SST+ and PV+ interneurons in the vHPC. This provides a better understanding of high anxiety levels observed in patients with early-stage AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A NDV VLP based Brucella vaccine candidate was developed. • The Brucella antigen BCSP31 was linked to VLPs through a GPI modifying strategy. • The cVLPs proved its sufficient DCs activating ability in vivo and in vitro. • The cVLPs conferred full protection against the virulent B. melitensis strain 16 M. Abstract Brucellosis is a widespread zoonosis that poses a substantial threat to human and animal public health due to the absence of a sufficiently safe and efficient vaccine. Virus-like particles (VLPs) have been developed as novel vaccine candidates and suitable carrier platforms for the delivery of exogenous proteins. Herein, we constructed chimeric virus-like particles (cVLPs) assembled by a Newcastle disease virus (NDV) M protein and glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored Brucella BCSP31 protein (GPI-BCSP31). cVLPs-GPI-BCSP31 were highly efficient in murine dendritic cell (DC) activation, both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, they elicited strong specific humoural immune responses detected through ELISA assay with inactivated Brucella and recombinant BCSP31 protein and by elevated cellular immune responses indicated by intracellular IFN-γ and IL-4 levels in CD3+CD4+ T and CD3+CD8+ T cells. Importantly, cVLPs-GPI-BCSP31 conferred protection against virulent Brucella melitensis strain 16 M challenge, comparable to the efficacy of Brucella vaccine strain M5. In summary, this study provides a new strategy for the development of a safe and effective vaccine candidate against virulent Brucella and further extends the application of NDV VLP-based vaccine platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A limited number of sites on the HIV-1 Envelope protein are vulnerable to broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs). One of these sites, the membrane proximal external region (MPER), is located at the C-terminus of the gp41 ectodomain (gp41 ecto ). This highly conserved sequence is bound by several well-characterized bnAbs. Efforts to produce a gp41 immunogen are in part hampered by the MPER’s hydrophobicity and propensity to induce aggregation. We sought to produce a DNA vaccine expressing a gp41 ecto that is both secreted from mammalian cells and maintains binding by bnAbs to the MPER. Through in silico analysis, we predicted regions of gp41 ecto that could induce aggregation and possibly hinder secretion. We generated deletion mutants of gp41 ecto and tested their ability to be secreted by mammalian cells. Upon deletion of regions in either the fusion peptide (FP) or MPER, secretion of the gp41 ecto increased. In an effort to both augment secretion and maintain binding by bnAbs, we developed constructs with the FP deletion and introduced point mutations in the MPER. Two constructs (gp41 ΔFP and gp41 ΔFP+I682E) maintained binding by gp41 MPER-specific bnAbs (4E10, Z13e1 and 10E8). These were evaluated as DNA vaccines in a mouse model. Both vaccines proved to be immunogenic and appeared to elicit some MPER-specific antibodies that bound gp41 ectodomain-derived proteins but not short peptides spanning the MPER. No neutralizing capacity was detected against a clade C virus containing a homologous MPER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a numerical investigation into the effect of particle size distribution (PSD) on the small-strain shear modulus (G 0) of granular soils using the discrete element method (DEM). Drained triaxial tests were conducted on a set of spherical particle assemblies covering a wide variety of PSDs. The tests demonstrated that the G 0 decreases with increasing the coefficient of uniformity (C u), assuming the confining pressure (p ') and the void ratio (e) remain constant. A corrected void ratio (e 4), which regards mechanically unstable particles with less than four contacts as void, was developed. Analyses performed afterward revealed that e 4 is more strongly correlated with G 0 than e. Consequently, a Hardin-based G 0 model parameterized by e 4 and p ' was established and it is more accurate than two commonly used models, which are parameterized by e , p ' and C u. Furthermore, micromechanical and microstructural features were investigated to acquire a better understanding of why models based on e and C u yield less accurate results than models based on e 4. Finally, a hybrid model combining the high explanatory power of statistical models with the high predictive power of machine learning models were proposed. The hybrid model which only uses measurable macroscopic parameters performs on par with the microstructural model and is more accurate than conventional empirical models. The proposed model offers a simple and streamlined approach to predicting G 0 with satisfactory accuracy, which is a feasible strategy for maximizing the utilization of copious experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]