Search

We report the use of a fillet of upper arm pedicled flap, which has not been previously reported in the literature. The fillet of upper arm flap follows the principle of “spare parts” surgery, and can provide vascularized soft tissue coverage for defects of the shoulder and the chest wall when the upper extremity cannot otherwise be salvaged, such as in cases of radical tumor excision.

As rice has no physiological capacity of fixing nitrogen in the soil, its production had always been reliant on the external application of nitrogen (N) to ensure enhanced productivity. In the light of improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in rice, several advanced agronomic strategies have been proposed. However, the soared increase of the prices of N fertilizers and subsequent environmental downfalls caused by the excessive use of N fertilizers, reinforces the prerequisite adaptation of other sustainable, affordable, and globally acceptable strategies. An appropriate alternative approach would be to develop rice cultivars with better NUE. Conventional breeding techniques, however, have had only sporadic success in improving NUE, and hence, this paper proposes a new schema that employs the wholesome benefits of the recent advancements in omics technologies. The suggested approach promotes multidisciplinary research, since such cooperation enables the synthesis of many viewpoints, approaches, and data that result in a comprehensive understanding of NUE in rice. Such collaboration also encourages innovation that leads to developing rice varieties that use nitrogen more effectively, facilitate smart technology transfer, and promotes the adoption of NUE practices by farmers and stakeholders to minimize ecological impact and contribute to a sustainable agricultural future., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Successful press-fit implantation relies on an accurately reamed bone cavity. Inaccurate reaming can lead to a suboptimal press-fit risking fracture and cup deformation or excessive micromotion and loosening. Several factors may impact reaming accuracy including the reamer design, the surgeon's technique and the bone quality. The aim of this study is to investigate the accuracy of reaming techniques and the accuracy of a novel reamer design., Methods: Eighty composite bone models, half high density and half low density, were reamed with either a conventional or an additively manufactured reamer with a novel design employing either a straight or 'whirlwind' reaming technique. Reamed cavities were scanned using a 3D laser scanner and the median difference between achieved and expected diameters compared., Results: The novel reamer design was more accurate than the unused conventional reamer, using both whirlwind (0.1 mm (IQR 0-0.2) vs. 0.3 mm (IQR 0.3-0.4); p < 0.001) and straight techniques (0.3 mm (IQR 0.1-1.0) vs. 1.2 mm (IQR 1-1.6); p = 0.001). Whirlwind reaming was more accurate than straight reaming using both conventional (0.3 mm (IQR 0.3-0.4) vs. 1.2 mm (IQR 1-1.6); p < 0.0001) and single use reamers (0.1 mm (IQR 0-0.2) vs. 0.3 mm (IQR 0.1-1.0); p = 0.007). Reaming errors were higher in low-density bone compared to high-density bone, for both reamer types and reaming techniques tested (0.6 mm (IQR 0.3-1.5) vs. 0.3 mm (IQR 0.1-0.8); p = 0.005)., Conclusion: We present a novel reamer design that demonstrates superior accuracy to conventional reamers in achieving the desired reaming diameter. Improved reaming accuracy was also demonstrated using both devices and in both bone models, using a 'whirlwind' technique. We recommend the use of this novel reamer design employing a 'whirlwind' technique to optimize reaming accuracy. Particular attention should be paid toward patients with lower bone quality which may be more susceptible to higher inaccuracies., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Increasing global energy consumption and depleting fossil-fuel reserves prompted the search for green alternatives. This study focuses on conversion of waste agar using different acids/alkalis (0.5% and 1%) as catalysts under varied temperature and time towards galactose (Gal), 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and levulinic acid (LA) production in sequential reactions. The optimized process for agar depolymerisation was achieved using 1% acid (H 2 SO 4 /HCl) catalysed conditions with a maximum of 11 g/L Gal yield (121 °C; 15 min). Increase in temperature (150 °C) and time (180 min) with 1% HCl/H 2 SO 4 catalyst resulted in improved LA production along with Gal and HMF. The hydrolysis process was optimised for the selective production of LA (10 g/L at 175 °C; 180 min). Further, galactose-rich hydrolysates were assessed for bioethanol production using Saccharomyces cerevisiae that resulted in 3 g/L ethanol. Thus, the study comprehensively demonstrates waste agar utilization to yield biochemicals/fuels in a circular bio-based economy approach., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The presence of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), an organochlorine herbicide, in the environment has raised public concern as it poses hazard to both humans and the ecosystem. Three potential strains having the capability to degrade 2,4-D were isolated from on site agricultural soil and identified as Arthrobacter sp. SVMIICT25, Sphingomonas sp. SVMIICT11 and Stenotrophomonas sp. SVMIICT13. Over 12 days of incubation, 81-90% of 100 mg/L of 2,4-D degradation was observed at 2% inoculum. A shorter lag phase with 80% of degradation efficiency was observed within 5 days when the inoculum size was increased to 10%. Six microbial consortia were prepared by combining the isolates along with in-house strains, Bacillus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. Consortia R3 (Arthrobacter sp. + Sphingomonas sp.), operated with 10% of inoculum, showed 85-90% degradation within 4 days and 98-100% in 9 days. Further, targeted exo-metabolite analysis confirmed the presence and catabolism of intermediate 2,4-dichlorophenol and 4-chlorophenol compounds., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The functional role of lactate (H Lac ), as a co-substrate along with glucose (Glu) as well as an electron donor for the synthesis of caproic acid (H Ca ), a medium chain fatty acid (MCFAs) was studied. A varied H Lac and Glu ratios were thus investigated in fed-batch anaerobic reactors (R1-R5) operated at pH 6 with a heat-treated anaerobic consortium. R1 and R5 were noted as controls and operated with sole Glu and H Lac , respectively. Strategically, ethanol (H Eth ) was additionally supplemented as co-electron donor after the production of short chain carboxylic acids (SCCAs) for chain elongation in all the reactors. The reactor operated with H Lac and Glu in a ratio of 0.25:0.75 (1.25 g/L (H Lac ) and 3.75 g/L (Glu)) showed the highest H Ca production of 1.86 g/L. R5 operated with solely H Lac yielded propionic acid (H Pr ) as the major product which further led to the higher valeric acid (H Va ) production of 1.1 g/L within the reactor. Butyric acid (H Bu ) was observed in R1, which used Glu as carbon source alone indicating the importance of H Lac as electron co-donor. Clostridium observed as the most dominant genera in shotgun metagenome sequencing in R2 and R3, the reactors that produced the highest H Ca in comparison to other studied reactors. The study thus provided insight into the importance of substrate and electron donor and their supplementation strategies during the production of MCFAs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The study aimed to evaluate the community-wide antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profile of an urban setting using the culture-independent wastewater-based epidemiological surveillance (WBE) approach. The domestic wastewater sample was collected at the converging point of the drain connecting the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). The collected water sample was evaluated for the presence of 125 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and 13 mobile genetic elements (MGEs, 5 integrons and 8 transposons). Antibiotic residues and the composition of bacterial communities were also examined. Community's sewage showed a diverse resistance pattern, with the positive detection of targeted ARGs, notably aph, aadA1, and strB being particularly abundant. Resistance to aminoglycoside and trimethoprim classes was prevalent, followed by chloramphenicol, sulfonamide, and β-lactams. According to the microbial diversity assessment, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Chloroflexi were abundant phyla observed, while Helicobacteraceae, Pseudomonadaceae, and Moraxellaceae were prevalent families. The study provided comprehensive baseline information of ARGs on a community scale and will be of use for ARG prevention and management., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All the authors of the manuscript have declared no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To assess outcomes in giant cell arteritis (GCA) patients during and after long-term tocilizumab (TCZ) treatment., Methods: Retrospective analysis of GCA patients treated with TCZ at a single centre (2010-2022). Time to relapse and annualised relapse rate during and after TCZ treatment, prednisone use, and safety were assessed. Relapse was defined as reappearance of any GCA clinical manifestation that required treatment intensification, regardless of C reactive protein levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rate., Results: Sixty-five GCA patients were followed for a mean (SD) of 3.1 (1.6) years. The mean duration of the initial TCZ course was 1.9 (1.1) years. The Kaplan-Meier (KM)-estimated relapse rate at 18 months on TCZ was 15.5%. The first TCZ course was discontinued due to satisfactory remission achievement in 45 (69.2%) patients and adverse events in 6 (9.2%) patients. KM-estimated relapse rate at 18 months after TCZ discontinuation was 47.3%. Compared with patients stopping TCZ at or before 12 months of treatment, the multivariable adjusted HR (95% CI) for relapse in patients on TCZ beyond 12 months was 0.01 (0.00 to 0.28; p=0.005). Thirteen patients received >1 TCZ course. Multivariable adjusted annualised relapse rates (95% CI) in all periods on and off TCZ aggregated were 0.1 (0.1 to 0.2) and 0.4 (0.3 to 0.7), respectively (p=0.0004). Prednisone was discontinued in 76.9% of patients. During the study, 13 serious adverse events occurred in 11 (16.9%) patients., Conclusion: Long-term TCZ treatment was associated with remission maintenance in most patients with GCA. The estimated relapse rate by 18 months after TCZ discontinuation was 47.3%., Competing Interests: Competing interests: SHU has received research funding from Genentech. SVM and JHS are employees and shareholders of Genentech. ND and AP are consultants for Genentech. JHS is a consultant for and has received research funding from Roche. MAM has no disclosures., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Current clinical research does not reflect the diversity of patient populations, despite continued recommendations to increase enrollment of under-represented racial and ethnic groups. The ramifications of this lack of trial diversity are important because of potential differences between races and ethnicities in response to therapies, which have been observed for drugs across indications. Nonrepresentative research populations limit the generalizability of study results, which may lead to questions about safety and efficacy in certain subgroups of patients and hinder regulators, healthcare providers, and patients in their ability to adequately consider the benefits and risks of a therapeutic treatment across all populations. Renewed efforts to address healthcare disparities and increase diversity in clinical trials have demonstrated that inclusive trials are achievable and can provide scientifically rigorous results, and, thus, should stimulate greater action across all stakeholders. Ensuring that studies throughout the clinical development process include representative populations is a scientific imperative to advance health equity, racial justice, and trust in the safety and efficacy of medical therapies. This article reviews the long-standing lack of diversity and barriers to enrollment of diverse and representative populations in clinical trials, outlines the current evolving trial landscape and the efforts of stakeholders, and provides examples from scientifically rigorous inclusive trials. The goal is to share learnings in a wider context of opportunities to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion in clinical development while ensuring the safety and efficacy of medical therapies in all populations of patients, and in doing so, provide wider patient access to therapeutic treatments., (© 2022 Genentech, Inc. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.)

Biogenic waste (solid/liquid/gaseous) utilization in biological processes has disruptive potential of inclining towards carbon neutrality, while producing diverse products output. Anaerobic fermentation (methanogenesis and acidogenesis) routes are crucial bioprocesses for production of various renewable chemicals (carboxylate platform/organic acids, short/medium chain alcohols, aldehydes, biopolymers) and fuels (methane, hydrogen, hythane, biodiesel and electricity), while individual operations posing process limitations on their conversion efficiency. Advantageous benefit of using the individual bioprocess technicalities is of utmost importance in the context of sustainability to conceptualize and execute integrated waste biorefinery. The opinion article intends to document/familiarize the waste-fed biorefinery potential with application of hybrid advancements towards multiple product/energy/renewable chemical spectrum leading to carbon neutrality bioprocesses. Unique and notable challenges with diverse process integrations along with electrochemical/interspecies-redox metabolites-materials synergy/enzymatic interventions are specifically emphasized on application-oriented waste feedstock potential towards achieving sustainability., (© 2022 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Though mechanical ventilation (MV) is used to treat patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), little is known about the long-term health implications of this treatment. Our objective was to determine the association between MV for treatment of COVID-19 and likelihood of hospital readmission, all-cause mortality, and reason for readmission. This study was a longitudinal observational design with electronic health record (EHR) data collected between 3/1/2020 and 1/31/2021. Participants included 17,652 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 during this period who were followed through 6/30/2021. The primary outcome was readmission to inpatient care following discharge. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality and reason for readmission. Rates of readmission and mortality were compared between ventilated and non-ventilated patients using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Differences in reasons for readmission by MV status were compared using multinomial logistic regression. Patient characteristics and measures of illness severity were balanced between those who were mechanically ventilated and those who were not utilizing 1-to-1 propensity score matching. The sample had a median age of 63 and was 47.1% female. There were 1,131 (6.4%) patients who required MV during their initial hospitalization. Rates (32.1% versus 9.9%) and hazard of readmission were greater for patients requiring MV in the propensity score-matched samples [hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) = 3.34 (2.72-4.10)]. Rates (15.3% versus 3.4%) and hazard [hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) = 3.12 (2.32-4.20)] of all-cause mortality were also associated with MV status. Ventilated patients were more likely to be readmitted for reasons which were classified as COVID-19, infectious diseases, and respiratory diagnoses compared to non-ventilated patients. Mechanical ventilation is a necessary treatment for severely ill patients. However, it may be associated with adverse outcomes including hospital readmission and death. More intense post-discharge monitoring may be warranted to decrease this associational finding., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Butler et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Deep mutational scanning studies suggest that synonymous mutations are typically silent and that most exposed, nonactive-site residues are tolerant to mutations. Here, we show that the ccdA antitoxin component of the Escherichia coli ccdAB toxin-antitoxin system is unusually sensitive to mutations when studied in the operonic context. A large fraction (∼80%) of single-codon mutations, including many synonymous mutations in the ccdA gene shows inactive phenotype, but they retain native-like binding affinity towards cognate toxin, CcdB. Therefore, the observed phenotypic effects are largely not due to alterations in protein structure/stability, consistent with a large region of CcdA being intrinsically disordered. E. coli codon preference and strength of ribosome-binding associated with translation of downstream ccdB gene are found to be major contributors of the observed ccdA mutant phenotypes. In select cases, proteomics studies reveal altered ratios of CcdA:CcdB protein levels in vivo, suggesting that the ccdA mutations likely alter relative translation efficiencies of the two genes in the operon. We extend these results by studying single-site synonymous mutations that lead to loss of function phenotypes in the relBE operon upon introduction of rarer codons. Thus, in their operonic context, genes are likely to be more sensitive to both synonymous and nonsynonymous point mutations than inferred previously., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.)

A closed loop algal-biorefinery was designed based on a three-stage integration of dairy wastewater (DWW) treatment, hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of defatted algal biomass, and acidogenic process in a semi-synthetic framework. Initially, Coelestrella sp SVMIICT5 was grown in a 5 L photo-bioreactor and scaled up to a 50 L flat-panel photo-bioreactor using DWW. The microalgal growth showed higher photosynthetic efficiency, resulting in a biomass growth of 3.2 g/L of DCW with 87% treatment efficiency. The biomolecular composition showed 26% lipids with a good fatty acid profile (C 12 -C 21 ) as well as carbohydrate (24.9%) and protein (31.8%) content. In the second stage, the de-oiled algal biomass was valorized via HTL at various temperatures (150°C, 200°, and 250°C) and reaction atmospheres (N 2 and H 2 ). Among these, the 250°C (H 2 ) condition showed a 52% bio-crude fraction and an HHV of ∼29.47 MJ/kg (bio-oil) with a saturated hydrocarbon content of 64.3% that could be further upgraded to jet fuels. The energy recovery (73.01%) and elemental enrichment (carbon; 65.67%) were relatively greater in H 2 compared to N 2 conditions. Finally, dark fermentation of the complex-structured HTL-AF stream resulted in a total bio-H 2 production of 231 ml/g of TOC with a 63% treatment efficiency. Life cycle analysis (LCA) was also performed for the mid-point and damage categories to assess the sustainability of the integrated process. Thus, the results of this study demonstrated comprehensive wastewater treatment and valorization of de-oiled algal biomass for chemical/fuel intermediates in the biorefinery context by low-carbon processes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Kopperi and Mohan.)

One of the critical steps in lignocellulosic deconstruction is the hydrolysis of crystalline cellulose by cellulases. Endoglucanases initially facilitate the breakdown of cellulose in lignocellulosic biomass and are further aided by other cellulases to produce fermentable sugars. Furthermore, if the endoglucanase is processive, it can adsorb to the smooth surface of crystalline cellulose and release soluble sugars during repeated cycles of catalysis before dissociating. Most glycoside hydrolase family 9 (GH9) endoglucanases have catalytic domains linked to a CBM (carbohydrate-binding module) (mostly CBM3) and present the second-largest cellulase family after GH5. GH9 endoglucanases are relatively less characterized. Bacillus licheniformis is a mesophilic soil bacterium containing many glycoside hydrolase (GH) enzymes. We identified an endoglucanase gene, gh9A, encoding the GH9 family enzyme H1AD14 in B. licheniformis and cloned and overexpressed H1AD14 in Escherichia coli. The purified H1AD14 exhibited very high enzymatic activity on endoglucanase substrates, such as β-glucan, lichenan, Avicel, CMC-Na (sodium carboxymethyl cellulose) and PASC (phosphoric acid swollen cellulose), across a wide pH range. The enzyme is tolerant to 2 M sodium chloride and retains 74% specific activity on CMC after 10 days, the highest amongst the reported GH9 endoglucanases. The full-length H1AD14 is a processive endoglucanase and efficiently saccharified sugarcane bagasse. The deletion of the CBM reduces the catalytic activity and processivity. The results add to the sparse knowledge of GH9 endoglucanases and offer the possibility of characterizing and engineering additional enzymes from B. licheniformis toward developing a cellulase cocktail for improved biomass deconstruction. KEY POINTS: • H1AD14 is a highly active and processive GH9 endoglucanase from B. licheniformis. • H1AD14 is thermostable and has a very long half-life. • H1AD14 showed higher saccharification efficiency than commercial endoglucanase., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Microbial electrosynthesis system (MES; single-chambered) was fabricated and evaluated with carbon cloth/graphite as a working/counter electrode employing an enriched microbiome. Continuous syngas sparging (at working electrode; WE) enabled the growth of endo electrogenic bacteria by availing the inorganic carbon source. Applied potential (-0.5 V) on the working electrode facilitated the reduction in syngas, leading to the synthesis of fatty acids and alcohols. The higher acetic acid titer of 3.8 g/L and ethanol concentration of 0.2 g/L was observed at an active microbial metabolic state, evidencing the shift in metabolism from acetogenic to solventogenesis. Voltammograms evidenced distinct redox species with low charge transfer resistance (R ct ; Nyquist impedance). Reductive catalytic current (-0.02 mA) enabled the charge transfer efficiency of the cathodes favoring syngas conversion to products. The surface morphology of carbon cloth and system-designed conditions favored the growth of electrochemically active consortia. Metagenomic analysis revealed the enrichment of phylum/class with Actinobacteria, Firmicutes/Clostridia and Bacilli, which accounts for the syngas fermentation through suitable gene loci.

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is emerging as a potential approach to study the infection dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 at a community level. Periodic sewage surveillance can act as an indicative tool to predict the early surge of pandemic within the community and understand the dynamics of infection and, thereby, facilitates for proper healthcare management. In this study, we performed a long-term epidemiological surveillance to assess the SARS-CoV-2 spread in domestic sewage over one year (July 2020 to August 2021) by adopting longitudinal sampling to represent a selected community (~2.5 lakhs population). Results indicated temporal dynamics in the viral load. A consistent amount of viral load was observed during the months from July 2020 to November 2020, suggesting a higher spread of the viral infection among the community, followed by a decrease in the subsequent two months (December 2020 and January 2021). A marginal increase was observed during February 2021, hinting at the onset of the second wave (from March 2021) that reached it speak in April 2021. Dynamics of the community infection rates were calculated based on the viral gene copies to assess the severity of COVID-19 spread. With the ability to predict the infection spread, longitudinal WBE studies also offer the prospect of zoning specific areas based on the infection rates. Zoning of the selected community based on the infection rates assists health management to plan and manage the infection in an effective way. WBE promotes clinical inspection with simultaneous disease detection and management, in addition to an advance warning signal to anticipate outbreaks, with respect to the slated community/zones, to tackle, prepare for and manage the pandemic.

Understanding the immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is critical to overcome the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Efforts are being made to understand the potential cross-protective immunity of memory T cells, induced by prior encounters with seasonal coronaviruses, in providing protection against severe COVID-19. In this study we assessed T-cell responses directed against highly conserved regions of SARS-CoV-2. Epitope mapping revealed 16 CD8 + T-cell epitopes across the nucleocapsid (N), spike (S), and open reading frame (ORF)3a proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and five CD8 + T-cell epitopes encoded within the highly conserved regions of the ORF1ab polyprotein of SARS-CoV-2. Comparative sequence analysis showed high conservation of SARS-CoV-2 ORF1ab T-cell epitopes in seasonal coronaviruses. Paradoxically, the immune responses directed against the conserved ORF1ab epitopes were infrequent and subdominant in both convalescent and unexposed participants. This subdominant immune response was consistent with a low abundance of ORF1ab encoded proteins in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells. Overall, these observations suggest that while cross-reactive CD8 + T cells likely exist in unexposed individuals, they are not common and therefore are unlikely to play a significant role in providing broad preexisting immunity in the community. IMPORTANCE T cells play a critical role in protection against SARS-CoV-2. Despite being highly topical, the protective role of preexisting memory CD8 + T cells, induced by prior exposure to circulating common coronavirus strains, remains less clear. In this study, we established a robust approach to specifically assess T cell responses to highly conserved regions within SARS-CoV-2. Consistent with recent observations we demonstrate that recognition of these highly conserved regions is associated with an increased likelihood of milder disease. However, extending these observations we observed that recognition of these conserved regions is rare in both exposed and unexposed volunteers, which we believe is associated with the low abundance of these proteins in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells. These observations have important implications for the likely role preexisting immunity plays in controlling severe disease, further emphasizing the importance of vaccination to generate the immunodominant T cells required for immune protection.

The single bioprocess approach has certain limitations in terms of process efficiency, product synthesis, and effective resource utilization. Integrated or combined bioprocessing maximizes resource recovery and creates a novel platform to establish sustainable biorefineries. Anaerobic fermentation (AF) is a well-established process for the transformation of organic waste into biogas; conversely, biogas CO 2 separation is a challenging and expensive process. Biological fixation of CO 2 for succinic acid (SA) mitigates CO 2 separation issues and produces commercially important renewable chemicals. Additionally, utilizing digestate rich in volatile fatty acid (VFA) to produce medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) creates a novel integrated platform by utilizing residual organic metabolites. The present review encapsulates the advantages and limitations of AF along with biogas CO 2 fixation for SA and digestate rich in VFA utilization for MCFA in a closed-loop approach. Biomethane and biohydrogen processes CO 2 utilization for SA production is cohesively deliberated along with the role of biohydrogen as an alternative reducing agent to augment SA yields. Similarly, MCFA production using VFA as a substrate and functional role of electron donors namely ethanol, lactate, and hydrogen are comprehensively discussed. A road map to establish the fermentative biorefinery approach in the framework of AF integrated sustainable bioprocess development is deliberated along with limitations and factors influencing for techno-economic analysis. The discussed integrated approach significantly contributes to promote the circular bioeconomy by establishing carbon-neutral processes in accord with sustainable development goals., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A comprehensive polyphasic evaluation of a microalgal isolate Scenedesmus sp. SVMIICT1 through morphological, biochemical, photosynthetic characterization, next-generation sequencing and lipid pathway analysis was reported. The strain was cultivated photo-autotrophically, where the maximum photosynthetic yield (F V /F M ) of 0.75 was observed on the 4 th day with optimal PSII photochemical efficiency. Enhanced electron transport rate (ETR(I)) with inhibitor 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) resulted in cyclic electron flow. A fair share of carbohydrate content (36 µg/mg) was ascribed to the presence of pyrenoid towards higher CO 2 sequestration pursuant to carbon concentrating mechanism (CCM). Denovo sequencing of the genome was assembled, annotated for the prediction of gene and protein. KEGG automatic annotation server (KAAS) analysis depicted the presence of genes accompanying the biosynthesis of the glycerophospholipid pathway. Fatty acid profile represented a higher fraction of palmitic acid (C16:0; 41.6%) followed by alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3; 44.5%)., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The study evaluated the preparation of a biocomposite using waste-derived polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and bagasse cellulose (α-cellulose) in a biorefinery approach. PHB was produced using dark fermentation effluent rich in volatile fatty acids (VFA) derived from vegetable waste and α-cellulose was extracted from sugarcane bagasse (SCB). Nutrient limitation induced microbial PHB accumulation, wherein maximum production of 0.28 ± 0.06 g PHB/g DCW (28%) was observed. Confocal examination showed the deposition of PHB granules in the cell cytoplasm and NMR spectrum exhibited a structural correlation. α-Cellulose (0.22 ± 0.02 g α-cellulose/g SCB) was extracted through SCB pretreatment. Thereafter, grafting α-cellulose with PHB offered intermolecular bonding, which resulted in enhanced thermal stability of the biocomposite than corresponding pristine PHB. FE-SEM morphological examination of biocomposite depicted that α-cellulose functioned as a filler to PHB. XRD profiles showed significant decrement in PHB crystallinity, signifying the functional role of α-cellulose as an effective reinforcing agent. Additionally, ether functional group of α-cellulose and ester group of PHB also appeared in XPS analysis of the composite, thus authorizing the effective blending of α-cellulose and PHB. Utilization of bagasse-derived cellulose for strengthening biologically produced PHB expands its applications, while simultaneously addressing the plastic pollution issues. Additional value from this process was further achieved by incorporating the concept of biorefinery, wherein acidogenic fermentation effluents were used for the production of PHA, which enabled the re-entry of products (VFA) to the production cycle, thus achieving circularity., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study describes the baseline characteristics and treatment patterns of US patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and pulmonary involvement. Patients hospitalized with pulmonary involvement due to COVID-19 (first hospitalization) were identified in the IBM Explorys® electronic health records database. Demographics, baseline clinical characteristics, and in-hospital medications were assessed. For evaluation of in-hospital medications, results were stratified by race, geographic region, age, and month of admission. Of 6564 hospitalized patients with COVID-19-related pulmonary involvement, 50.4% were male, and mean (SD) age was 62.6 (16.4) years; 75.2% and 23.6% of patients were from the South and Midwest, respectively, and 50.2% of patients were African American. Compared with African American patients, a numerically higher proportion of White patients received dexamethasone (19.7% vs. 31.8%, respectively), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; 27.1% vs. 34.9%), bronchodilators (19.8% vs. 29.5%), and remdesivir (9.3% vs. 21.0%). Numerically higher proportions of White patients than African American patients received select medications in the South but not in the Midwest. Compared with patients in the South, a numerically higher proportion of patients in the Midwest received dexamethasone (20.1% vs. 34.5%, respectively), NSAIDs (19.6% vs. 55.7%), bronchodilators (15.9% vs. 41.3%), and remdesivir (10.6% vs. 23.1%). Inpatient use of hydroxychloroquine decreased over time, whereas the use of dexamethasone and remdesivir increased over time. Among US patients predominantly from the South and Midwest hospitalized with COVID-19 and pulmonary involvement, differences were seen in medication use between different races, geographic regions, and months of hospitalization., (© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Medical Virology Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Importance: Clinical trials assessing the efficacy of IL-6 antagonists in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 have variously reported benefit, no effect, and harm., Objective: To estimate the association between administration of IL-6 antagonists compared with usual care or placebo and 28-day all-cause mortality and other outcomes., Data Sources: Trials were identified through systematic searches of electronic databases between October 2020 and January 2021. Searches were not restricted by trial status or language. Additional trials were identified through contact with experts., Study Selection: Eligible trials randomly assigned patients hospitalized for COVID-19 to a group in whom IL-6 antagonists were administered and to a group in whom neither IL-6 antagonists nor any other immunomodulators except corticosteroids were administered. Among 72 potentially eligible trials, 27 (37.5%) met study selection criteria., Data Extraction and Synthesis: In this prospective meta-analysis, risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool. Inconsistency among trial results was assessed using the I2 statistic. The primary analysis was an inverse variance-weighted fixed-effects meta-analysis of odds ratios (ORs) for 28-day all-cause mortality., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome measure was all-cause mortality at 28 days after randomization. There were 9 secondary outcomes including progression to invasive mechanical ventilation or death and risk of secondary infection by 28 days., Results: A total of 10 930 patients (median age, 61 years [range of medians, 52-68 years]; 3560 [33%] were women) participating in 27 trials were included. By 28 days, there were 1407 deaths among 6449 patients randomized to IL-6 antagonists and 1158 deaths among 4481 patients randomized to usual care or placebo (summary OR, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.79-0.95]; P = .003 based on a fixed-effects meta-analysis). This corresponds to an absolute mortality risk of 22% for IL-6 antagonists compared with an assumed mortality risk of 25% for usual care or placebo. The corresponding summary ORs were 0.83 (95% CI, 0.74-0.92; P < .001) for tocilizumab and 1.08 (95% CI, 0.86-1.36; P = .52) for sarilumab. The summary ORs for the association with mortality compared with usual care or placebo in those receiving corticosteroids were 0.77 (95% CI, 0.68-0.87) for tocilizumab and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.61-1.38) for sarilumab. The ORs for the association with progression to invasive mechanical ventilation or death, compared with usual care or placebo, were 0.77 (95% CI, 0.70-0.85) for all IL-6 antagonists, 0.74 (95% CI, 0.66-0.82) for tocilizumab, and 1.00 (95% CI, 0.74-1.34) for sarilumab. Secondary infections by 28 days occurred in 21.9% of patients treated with IL-6 antagonists vs 17.6% of patients treated with usual care or placebo (OR accounting for trial sample sizes, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.85-1.16)., Conclusions and Relevance: In this prospective meta-analysis of clinical trials of patients hospitalized for COVID-19, administration of IL-6 antagonists, compared with usual care or placebo, was associated with lower 28-day all-cause mortality., Trial Registration: PROSPERO Identifier: CRD42021230155.

Since COVID-19 outbreak, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) studies as surveillance system is becoming an emerging interest due to its functional advantage as a tool for early warning signal and to catalyze effective disease management strategies based on the community diagnosis. An attempt was made in this study to define and establish a methodological approach for conducting WBE studies in the framework of identifying/selection of surveillance sites, standardizing sampling policy, designing sampling protocols to improve sensitivity, adopting safety protocol, and interpreting the data. Data from hourly sampling indicated a peak in the viral RNA during the morning hours (6-9 am) when the all the domestic activities are maximum. The daily sampling and processing revealed the dynamic nature of infection spread among the population. The two sampling methods viz. grab, and composite showed a good correlation. Overall, this study establishes a structured protocol for performing WBE studies that could provide useful insights on the spread of the pandemic at a given point of time. Moreover, this framework could be extrapolated to monitor several other clinically relevant diseases. Following these guidelines, it is possible to achieve measurable and reliable SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in wastewater infrastructure and therefore, provides a methodological basis for the establishment of a national surveillance system., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is having a devastating effect on human lives. Recent reports have shown that majority of the individuals recovered from COVID-19 have serious health complications, which is going to be a huge economic burden globally. Given the wide-spread transmission of SARS-CoV-2 it is almost impossible to test every individual in densely populated countries. Recent reports have shown that sewage-based surveillance can be used as holistic approach to understand the spread of the pandemic within a population or area. Here we have estimated the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the city of Hyderabad, India, which is a home for nearly 10 million people. The sewage samples were collected from all the major sewage treatment plants (STPs) and were processed for detecting the viral genome using the standard Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) method. Interestingly, inlet samples of STPs were positive for SARS-CoV-2, while the outlets were negative, which indicates that the standard sewage treatment methods are efficient in eliminating the SARS-CoV-2 viral particles. Based on the detected viral gene copies per litre and viral particle shedding per individual, the total number of individuals exposed to SARS-CoV-2 was estimated. Through this study we suggest that sewage-based surveillance is an effective approach to study the infection dynamics, which helps in efficient management of the SARS-CoV-2 spread., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Tobacco consumption in smoking and non-smoking forms has been consequential in the rise of oral cancer cases. Among different forms, epidemiological studies from Middle Eastern countries and rural parts of northern India have reported increasing association of oral cancer with waterpipe (hookah) smoking. However, molecular mechanisms and role played by waterpipe smoking in the onset of oral carcinogenesis remains unexplored., Methods: In this study, immortalized normal human oral keratinocytes were chronically treated with extracts of two varieties of waterpipe tobacco-crude tobacco and processed shisha. Phenotypic changes and molecular aberrations were examined using cell culture-based assays and mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomic analysis, respectively. Bioinformatics analysis was utilized to analyze proteomics data and identify dysregulated pathways., Results: Our data indicate that chronic treatment with waterpipe tobacco extracts increased proliferation, invasion, migration, and significant dysregulation of protein expression in oral keratinocytes. Altered expression of proteins involved in interferon signaling pathway were observed with both varieties of tobacco. Overexpression of cholesterol metabolism and vesicle-mediated transport proteins were identified exclusively in cells treated with crude tobacco extract. Bioinformatics analyses revealed different oncogenic response in oral cells based on the type of waterpipe tobacco used., Conclusions: This study may serve as a useful resource in understanding the early onset of oral cancer attributed to waterpipe smoking., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: This study aimed to characterize the miRNA expression profiles from plasma samples of our local breast cancer patients in comparison to healthy control by using miRNA PCR Array., Methods: In this study, plasma miRNA profiles from eight early-stage breast cancer patients and nine age-matched (± 2 years) healthy controls were characterized by miRNA array-based approach, followed by differential gene expression analysis, Independent T-test and construction of Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve to determine the capability of the assays to discriminate between breast cancer and the healthy control., Results: Based on the 372-miRNAs microarray profiling, a set of 40 differential miRNAs was extracted regarding to the fold change value at 2 and above. We further sub grouped 40 miRNAs of breast cancer patients that were significantly expressed at 2-fold change and higher. In this set, we discovered that 24 miRNAs were significantly upregulated and 16 miRNAs were significantly downregulated in breast cancer patients, as compared to the miRNA expression of healthy subjects. ROC curve analysis revealed that seven miRNAs (miR-125b-5p, miR-142-3p, miR-145-5p, miR-193a-5p, miR-27b-3p, miR-22-5p and miR-423-5p) had area under curve (AUC) value > 0.7 (AUC p-value < 0.05). Overlapping findings from differential gene expression analysis, ROC analysis, and Independent T-Test resulted in three miRNAs (miR-27b-3p, miR-22-5p, miR-145-5p). Cohen's effect size for these three miRNAs was large with d value are more than 0.95., Conclusion: miR-27b-3p, miR-22-5p, miR-145-5p could be potential biomarkers to distinguish breast cancer patients from healthy controls. A validation study for these three miRNAs in an external set of samples is ongoing., .

Hypoxia is a common feature in various solid tumours, including melanoma. Cancer cells in hypoxic environments are resistant to both chemotherapy and radiation. Hypoxia is also associated with immune suppression. Identification of proteins and pathways that regulate cancer cell survival in hypoxic environments can reveal potential vulnerabilities that can be exploited to improve the efficacy of anticancer therapies. We carried out temporal proteomic and phosphoproteomic profiling in melanoma cell lines to identify hypoxia-induced protein expression and phosphorylation changes. By employing a TMT-based quantitative proteomics strategy, we report the identification and quantitation of >7000 proteins and >10,000 phosphosites in melanoma cell lines grown in hypoxia. Proteomics data show metabolic reprogramming as one of the prominent adaptive responses in hypoxia. We identify several novel hypoxia-mediated phosphorylation changes that have not been reported before. They reveal kinase signalling pathways that are potentially involved in modulating cellular response to hypoxia. In addition to known protein expression changes, we identify several novel proteomic alterations associated with adaptive response to hypoxia. We show that cancer cells require the ubiquitin-proteasome system to survive in both normoxia and hypoxia. Inhibition of proteasome activity affects cell survival and may provide a novel therapeutic avenue to target cancer cells in hypoxia. Our study can serve as a valuable resource to pursue novel candidates to target hypoxia in cancers and improve the efficacy of anticancer therapies.

Shammah is a smokeless tobacco product often mixed with lime, ash, black pepper and flavorings. Exposure to shammah has been linked with dental diseases and oral squamous cell carcinoma. There is limited literature on the prevalence of shammah and its role in pathobiology of oral cancer. In this study, we developed a cellular model to understand the effect of chronic shammah exposure on oral keratinocytes. Chronic exposure to shammah resulted in increased proliferation and invasiveness of non-transformed oral keratinocytes. Quantitative proteomics of shammah treated cells compared to untreated cells led to quantification of 4712 proteins of which 402 were found to be significantly altered. In addition, phosphoproteomics analysis of shammah treated cells compared to untreated revealed hyperphosphorylation of 36 proteins and hypophosphorylation of 83 proteins (twofold, p-value ≤ 0.05). Bioinformatics analysis of significantly altered proteins showed enrichment of proteins involved in extracellular matrix interactions, necroptosis and peroxisome mediated fatty acid oxidation. Kinase-Substrate Enrichment Analysis showed significant increase in activity of kinases such as ROCK1, RAF1, PRKCE and HIPK2 in shammah treated cells. These results provide better understanding of how shammah transforms non-neoplastic cells and warrants additional studies that may assist in improved early diagnosis and treatment of shammah induced oral cancer.

Tobacco abuse is a major risk factor associated with the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Differences in molecular aberrations induced by tobacco exposure by chewing or smoking form are not well studied in case of oral cancer. We used tandem mass tag-based quantitative proteomic approach to delineate proteomic alterations in oral cancer patients based on their history of tobacco using habits (patients who chewed tobacco, patients who smoked tobacco, and those with no history of tobacco consumption). Our data identified distinct dysregulation of biological processes and pathways in each patient cohort. Bioinformatics analysis of dysregulated proteins identified in our proteomic study revealed dysregulation of collagen formation and antigen processing/presentation pathway in oral cancer patients who smoked tobacco, whereas proteins associated with the process of keratinization showed enrichment in patients who chewed tobacco. In addition, we identified overexpression of proteins involved in immune pathways and downregulation of muscle contraction-mediated signaling events in all three cohorts, irrespective of tobacco using habits. This study lays the groundwork for identification of protein markers that may aid in identification of high-risk patients for cancer development based on the history of tobacco exposure habits.

Major histocompatibility complexes (MHC) play a critical role in immunity by presenting peptides on the cell surface for T cell recognition. Identification of these peptides can be valuable to develop vaccines or immunotherapeutic strategies for infectious diseases and cancers. Mass spectrometry is the only tool available for unbiased identification of the immunopeptidome. Here, we describe a protocol for purification and identification of MHC class I peptides, including in-house purification of anti-MHC-antibody from hybridoma cells and the LC-MS/MS analysis of MHC-I bound peptides., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Introduction: Because of the chronic nature of giant cell arteritis (GCA) and/or polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), patients may require continued glucocorticoid treatment to achieve treatment targets or prevent disease relapse, resulting in high cumulative doses. This study evaluated patterns of glucocorticoid use and outcomes in patients with GCA, PMR, or both., Methods: This retrospective study used electronic medical records from a US rheumatology clinic utilizing the JointMan ® (Discus Analytics, LLC) rheumatology software. Patients aged ≥ 50 years with a diagnosis of GCA or PMR and ≥ 1 entry for a glucocorticoid prescription after diagnosis were included. Outcomes at 2 years after glucocorticoid initiation included the proportion of patients discontinuing glucocorticoids for ≥ 6 months, proportion of patients discontinuing glucocorticoids for ≥ 6 months and remaining off glucocorticoids at 2 years, time to discontinuation of glucocorticoids for ≥ 6 months, and prednisone dose and were compared between patients with GCA only, PMR only, or GCA and PMR., Results: At 2 years after the initiation of glucocorticoids, 32% of patients (26/91) with GCA, 32% (248/779) with PMR, and 27% (26/97) with GCA and PMR discontinued glucocorticoids for ≥ 6 months; 17, 23, and 18% discontinued glucocorticoids for ≥ 6 months and remained off glucocorticoids at 2 years, respectively. Median (range) time to discontinuation of glucocorticoids for ≥ 6 months was 202.5 (0-635) days and shorter in patients with both GCA and PMR vs. GCA or PMR only. The majority of patients required daily prednisone at 2 years, with similar doses observed between groups., Conclusions: Fewer than one-third of patients with GCA and/or PMR discontinued glucocorticoids for ≥ 6 months; the majority of patients required prednisone therapy for ≥ 2 years after its initiation. These data highlight the need for the use of more efficacious and glucocorticoid-sparing therapies in patients with GCA and/or PMR.

Global urbanization has resulted in amplified energy and material consumption with simultaneous waste generation. Current energy demand is mostly fulfilled by finite fossil reserves, which has critical impact on the environment and thus, there is a need for carbon-neutral energy. In this view, biohydrogen (bio-H 2 ) is considered suitable due to its potential as a green and dependable carbon-neutral energy source in the emerging 'Hydrogen Economy'. Bio-H 2 production by dark fermentation of biowaste/biomass/wastewater is gaining significant attention. However, bio-H 2 production still holds critical challenges towards scale-up with reference to process limitations and economic viabilities. This review illustrates the status of dark-fermentation process in the context of process sustainability and achieving commercial success. The review also provides an insight on various process integrations for maximum resource recovery including closed loop biorefinery approach towards the accomplishment of carbon neutral H 2 production., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The unprecedented global spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) caused by SARS-CoV-2 is depicting the distressing pandemic consequence on human health, economy as well as ecosystem services. So far novel coronavirus (CoV) outbreaks were associated with SARS-CoV-2 (2019), middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV, 2012), and SARS-CoV-1 (2003) events. CoV relates to the enveloped family of Betacoronavirus (βCoV) with positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA). Knowing well the persistence, transmission, and spread of SARS-CoV-2 through proximity, the faecal-oral route is now emerging as a major environmental concern to community transmission. The replication and persistence of CoV in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and shedding through stools is indicating a potential transmission route to the environment settings. Despite of the evidence, based on fewer reports on SARS-CoV-2 occurrence and persistence in wastewater/sewage/water, the transmission of the infective virus to the community is yet to be established. In this realm, this communication attempted to review the possible influx route of the enteric enveloped viral transmission in the environmental settings with reference to its occurrence, persistence, detection, and inactivation based on the published literature so far. The possibilities of airborne transmission through enteric virus-laden aerosols, environmental factors that may influence the viral transmission, and disinfection methods (conventional and emerging) as well as the inactivation mechanism with reference to the enveloped virus were reviewed. The need for wastewater epidemiology (WBE) studies for surveillance as well as for early warning signal was elaborated. This communication will provide a basis to understand the SARS-CoV-2 as well as other viruses in the context of the environmental engineering perspective to design effective strategies to counter the enteric virus transmission and also serves as a working paper for researchers, policy makers and regulators., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can present as a range of symptoms, from mild to critical; lower pulmonary involvement, including pneumonia, is often associated with severe and critical cases. Understanding the baseline characteristics of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 illness is essential for effectively targeting clinical care and allocating resources. This study aimed to describe baseline demographics and clinical characteristics of US patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and pulmonary involvement., Methods: US patients with COVID-19 and pulmonary involvement during an inpatient admission from December 1, 2019, to May 20, 2020, were identified using the IBM Explorys ® electronic health records database. Baseline (up to 12 months prior to first COVID-19 hospitalization) demographics and clinical characteristics and preadmission (14 days to 1 day prior to admission) pulmonary diagnoses were assessed. Patients were stratified by sex, age, race, and geographic region., Results: Overall, 3471 US patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and pulmonary involvement were included. The mean (SD) age was 63.5 (16.3) years; 51.2% of patients were female, 55.0% African American, 81.6% from the South, and 16.8% from the Midwest. The most common comorbidities included hypertension (27.7%), diabetes (17.3%), hyperlipidemia (16.3%), and obesity (9.7%). Cough (27.3%) and dyspnea (15.2%) were the most common preadmission pulmonary symptoms. African American patients were younger (mean [SD], 62.5 [15.4] vs. 67.8 [6.2]) with higher mean (SD) body mass index (33.66 [9.46] vs. 30.42 [7.86]) and prevalence of diabetes (19.8% vs. 16.7%) and lower prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (5.6% vs. 8.2%) and smoking/tobacco use (28.1% vs. 37.2%) than White patients., Conclusions: Among US patients primarily from the South and Midwest hospitalized with COVID-19 and pulmonary involvement, the most common comorbidities were hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and obesity. Differences observed between African American and White patients should be considered in the context of the complex factors underlying racial disparities in COVID-19.

Metal(loid)s are used in various industrial activities and widely spread across the environmental settings in various forms and concentrations. Extended releases of metal(loid)s above the regulatory levels cause environmental and health hazards disturbing the ecological balance. Innovative processes for treating the metal(loid)-contaminated sites and recovery of metal(loid)s from disposed waste streams employing biotechnological routes provide a sustainable way forward. Conventional metal recovery technologies demand high energy and/or resource inputs, which are either uneconomic or unsustainable. Microbial electrochemical systems are promising for removal and recovery of metal(loid)s from metal(loid)-laden wastewaters. In this communication, a bioelectrochemical system (BES) was designed and operated with selenium (Se) oxyanion at varied concentrations as terminal electron acceptor (TEA) for reduction of selenite (Se 4+ ) to elemental selenium (Se 0 ) in the abiotic cathode chamber. The influence of varied concentrations of Se 4+ towards Se 0 recovery at the cathode was also evaluated for its regulatory role on the electrometabolism of anode-respiring bacteria. This study observed 26.4% Se 0 recovery (cathode; selenite removal efficiency: 73.6%) along with organic substrate degradation of 74% (anode). With increase in the initial selenite concentration, there was a proportional increase in the dehydrogenase activity. Bioelectrochemical characterization depicted increased anodic electrogenic performance with the influence of varied Se 4+ concentrations as TEA and resulted in a maximum power density of 0.034 W/m 2 . The selenite reduction (cathode) was evaluated through spectroscopic, compositional and structural analysis. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy showed the amorphous nature, while Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed precipitates of the deposited Se 0 recovered from the cathode chamber. Scanning electron microscopic images clearly depicted the Se 0 depositions (spherical shaped; sized approximately 200 nm in diameter) on the electrode and cathode chamber. This study showed the potential of BES in converting soluble Se 4+ to insoluble Se 0 at the abiotic cathode for metal recovery., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Phosphorylation is an important regulatory mechanism of protein activity in cells. Studies in various cancers have reported perturbations in kinases resulting in aberrant phosphorylation of oncoproteins and tumor suppressor proteins., Methods: In this study, we carried out quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis of gastric cancer tissues and corresponding xenograft samples. Using these data, we employed bioinformatics analysis to identify aberrant signaling pathways. We further performed molecular inhibition and silencing of the upstream regulatory kinase in gastric cancer cell lines and validated its effect on cellular phenotype. Through an ex vivo technology utilizing patient tumor and blood sample, we sought to understand the therapeutic potential of the kinase by recreating the tumor microenvironment., Results: Using mass spectrometry-based high-throughput analysis, we identified 1,344 phosphosites and 848 phosphoproteins, including differential phosphorylation of 177 proteins (fold change cut-off ≥ 1.5). Our data showed that a subset of differentially phosphorylated proteins belonged to splicing machinery. Pathway analysis highlighted Cdc2-like kinase (CLK1) as upstream kinase. Inhibition of CLK1 using TG003 and CLK1 siRNA resulted in a decreased cell viability, proliferation, invasion and migration as well as modulation in the phosphorylation of SRSF2. Ex vivo experiments which utilizes patient's own tumor and blood to recreate the tumor microenvironment validated the use of CLK1 as a potential target for gastric cancer treatment., Conclusions: Our data indicates that CLK1 plays a crucial role in the regulation of splicing process in gastric cancer and that CLK1 can act as a novel therapeutic target in gastric cancer.

The rapid depletion of petroleum-based fossil fuels has led to the development of alternative fuel and energy solutions from renewable resources. Lipid-derived oleochemicals and sugar-derived bioethanol were initially produced from plant feedstocks, but in the interest of agricultural land conservation and food security, the focus has now shifted toward so-called 'third-generation feedstocks', of which yeasts are a major component. The quest to identify economically lucrative bioprocesses has led to the identification of several nonconventional oleaginous yeast species that have certain advantages over existing model species. Here, we review such underexplored oleaginous yeast species and discuss their potential bioeconomy applications. We also provide a broader perspective on possible avenues for strain improvement to reduce the cost of lipid production., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) systems have been developed for potential use as power sources, along with several other applications, with bacteria as the prime factor enabling electrocatalytic activity. Limited voltage and current production from unit cells limit their practical applicability, so stacking multiple MFCs has been proposed as a way to increase power production. Special attention is paid to voltage reversal (VR), a common occurrence in stacked MFCs, and to identifying the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. We also proposed realistic perspectives on stacked MFCs in an effort to control and suppress VR by balancing the kinetics in the system, such as using enriched electroactive microorganisms or altering the circuitry mode., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)