Throat microbiota drives alterations in pulmonary alveolar microbiota in patients with septic ARDS

OBJECTIVES

The translocation of intestinal flora has been linked to the colonization of diverse and heavy lower respiratory flora in patients with septic ARDS, and is considered a critical prognostic factor for patients.

METHODS

On the first and third days of ICU admission, BALF, throat swab, and anal swab were collected, resulting in a total of 288 samples. These samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA analysis and the traceability analysis of new generation technology.

RESULTS

On the first day, among the top five microbiota species in abundance, four species were found to be identical in BALF and throat samples. Similarly, on the third day, three microbiota species were found to be identical in abundance in both BALF and throat samples. On the first day, 85.16% of microorganisms originated from the throat, 5.79% from the intestines, and 9.05% were unknown. On the third day, 83.52% of microorganisms came from the throat, 4.67% from the intestines, and 11.81% were unknown. Additionally, when regrouping the 46 patients, the results revealed a significant predominance of throat microorganisms in BALF on both the first and third day. Furthermore, as the disease progressed, the proportion of intestinal flora in BALF increased in patients with enterogenic ARDS.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with septic ARDS, the main source of lung microbiota is primarily from the throat. Furthermore, the dynamic trend of the microbiota on the first and third day is essentially consistent.It is important to note that the origin of the intestinal flora does not exclude the possibility of its origin from the throat.

Orychophragmus violaceus and/or chicory forage affects performance, egg quality, sensory evaluation and antioxidative properties in native laying hens

Orychophragmus violaceus (OV) and chicory (Cichorium intybus L., CC) can be used as fresh or dry forage for animals. To determine whether OV and/or CC have beneficial effects on performance and egg quality, a total of 1212 28-wk-old Beijing You Chicken (BYC) laying hens with similar performance were randomly allocated to 4 groups with 3 replicate pens per group, and 101 birds per pen. The birds were fed a basal diet (control), the basal diet + OV (3.507 kg/d/pen), the basal diet + CC (2.525 kg/d/pen), and the basal diet + OV + CC (OVC, 1.7535 kg/d/pen OV + 1.2625 kg/d/pen CC) for 3 wks after one wk of adaptation. The results showed that egg-laying rate was not affected by OV, CC and OVC (p > 0.05), but weekly average egg mass was significantly increased by OV and CC (p < 0.05). The feed egg ratio in the CC group (2.82) was significantly lower than that in the other three groups (p < 0.05). The eggshell thickness (EST), albumen height (AH) and Haugh unit (HU) were decreased by OV and CC (p < 0.05); while yolk color (YC) was increased in the CC and OVC groups (p < 0.05). Egg grade was decreased by OV (p < 0.05). Sensory evaluation showed that there was a trend for increased YC in OV, CC and OVC (p = 0.089). Serum total protein was significantly lower in OV group than those in the control and CC group (p < 0.05); serum albumin content was significantly decreased in OV, CC and OVC groups (p = 0.006). Serum glutathione peroxidase activity in CC and OVC groups was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the present study suggests that CC had a better effect on the performance of the native laying hens than OV. The OV and CC affected egg quality, while YC was increased in CC and OVC groups. The OVC improved YC and serum antioxidative properties of native laying hens without affecting the performance.

Reason and control strategy for denitrification and anammox sludge flotation in nitrogen removal process: Mechanisms, strategies and perspectives

Anaerobic biological treatment technology, especially denitrification and anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox) technology as mainstream process, played dominant role in the field of biological wastewater treatment. However, the above process was prone to sludge floating during high load operation and thereby affecting the efficient and stable operation of the system. Excessive production of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) was considered to be the main reason for anaerobic granular sludge flotation, but the summaries in this area were not comprehensive enough. In this review, the potential mechanisms of denitrification and anammox sludge floatation were discussed from the perspective of granular sludge structural characteristics, nutrient transfer, and microbial flora change respectively, and the corresponding control strategies were also summarized. Finally, this paper indicated that future research on sludge flotation should focus on reducing the negative effects of EPS in sludge particles.

[The association between frontotemporal connecting fibers and seizure severity in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy]

The patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) admitted in the Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from June 2009 to February 2012 were prospectively enrolled. The diffusion tensor imaing was performed on the patients at the time of enrollment and 3 years later. The fractional anisotropy (FA) values of the white matter connecting fibers(bilateral hooked, arcuate, cingulate, and superior longitudinal tracts), the connecting fibers of both hemispheres(anterior union, anterior callosal forceps, posterior forceps, and bilateral fornix), and fibers of perirhinal cortices system(bilateral radiating crown and anterior limb of the internal capsule) were measured by the region of interest method. The severity of epilepsy was evaluated using the Veterans Administration Seizure Type and Frequency Rating Scale(VA-2) and National Hospital Seizure Severity Scale (NHS3). A total of 51 patients with TLE were screened, with 27 patients completing the 3-year follow-up. There were 13 males and 14 females with an age of (32±11) years and a follow-up duration of (39.1±1.1) months. During the follow-up, 6 patients had increased/unchanged NHS3 or VA-2 scores, while 21 patients had decreased scores. Three years later, the FA values of the bilateral arcuate fasciculus, the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, the right radial coronal and corpus callosum anterior forceps in TLE patients decreased compared to baseline(P<0.05). However, compared to the patients with decreased VA-2 scores during the follow-up, the degree of increase in FA values (ΔFA, follow-up FA value-baseline FA value) of the ipsilateral hook bundle caused by epilepsy was more significant in the group with increased/unchanged VA-2 scores (decreased score group vs increased/unchanged score group:-0.032±0.063 vs 0.018±0.043, t=2.305, P=0.035). The value of ΔFA in epileptic patients with increased/unchanged NHS3 scores (0.075±0.113) was higher compared to those with decreased scores (-0.079±0.099, t=2.804, P=0.010). Correlation analysis also showed the changes in FA values of epileptic lateral fasciculus (r=0.503, P=0.009) and arcuate fasciculus (r=0.602, P=0.001)were positively correlated with the changes in VA-2 and HNS3 scores, respectively. The seizure severity in patients with TLE was closely associated with the microstructure changes in the frontal and temporal white matter, especially the arcuate and uncinate tracts, on the same side that caused seizures, which may indicate the white matter remodeling and abnormal network reformation associated with seizures.

[Prognostic Significance of Progression of Disease within 24 Months in Mantle Cell Lymphoma]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of progression of disease within 24 months (POD24) on overall survival (OS) in patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), and compare the clinical characteristics between POD24 and non-POD24 patients.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed on 50 MCL patients with treatment indications and regular treatment who were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from January 2010 to August 2020. According to the occurrence of POD24, the patients were grouped for prognostic evaluation and clinical characteristics comparison.

RESULTS

Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that POD24, PLT, albumin, MIPI score, ECOG PS score, LDH were the factors influencing OS in newly diagnosed MCL patients (all P < 0.05). The results of multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that POD24［HR=16.797(95%CI : 3.671-76.861),P < 0.001］, albumin<40 g/L［HR=3.238(95%CI :1.095-9.572),P =0.034］ and ECOG PS score≥2［HR=4.005(95%CI :1.033-15.521),P =0.045］ were independent risk factors influencing OS in MCL patients. The incidence of PLT<100×109/L (33.3% vs 5.9%, P =0.033) and ECOG PS score ≥2 (45.5% vs 5.9%, P =0.040) were significantly higher in POD24 patients than those in non-POD24 patients.

CONCLUSION

POD24 is an independent poor prognostic factor affecting the OS of MCL patients, and the patients with PLT<100×109/L and ECOG PS score≥2 at diagnosis have a higher probability of POD24.

The azole biocide climbazole induces oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in fish gut

Climbazole is an azole biocide that has been widely used in formulations of personal care products. Climbazole can cause developmental toxicity and endocrine disruption as well as gut disturbance in aquatic organisms. However, the mechanisms behind gut toxicity induced by climbazole still remain largely unclear in fish. Here, we evaluate the gut effects by exposing grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) to climbazole at levels ranging from 0.2 to 20 μg/L for 42 days by evaluating gene transcription and expression, biochemical analyses, correlation network analysis, and molecular docking. Results showed that climbazole exposure increased cyp1a mRNA expression and ROS level in the three treatment groups. Climbazole also inhibited Nrf2 and Keap1 transcripts as well as proteins, and suppressed the transcript levels of their subordinate antioxidant molecules (cat, sod, and ho-1), increasing oxidative stress. Additionally, climbazole enhanced NF-κB and iκBα transcripts and proteins, and the transcripts of NF-κB downstream pro-inflammatory factors (tnfα, and il-1β/6/8), leading to inflammation. Climbazole increased pro-apoptosis-related genes (fadd, bad1, and caspase3), and decreased anti-apoptosis-associated genes (bcl2, and bcl-xl), suggesting a direct reaction to apoptosis. The molecular docking data showed that climbazole could form stable hydrogen bonds with CYP1A. Mechanistically, our findings suggested that climbazole can induce inflammation and oxidative stress through CYP450s/ROS/Nrf2/NF-κB pathways, resulting in cell apoptosis in the gut of grass carp.

EPAC inhibitor suppresses angiogenesis and tumor growth of triple-negative breast cancer

AIMS

Exchange protein directly activated by cAMP 1 (EPAC1), a major isoform of guanine nucleotide exchange factors, is highly expressed in vascular endothelia cells and regulates angiogenesis in the retina. High intratumor microvascular densities (MVD) resulting from angiogenesis is responsible for breast cancer development. Downregulation of EPAC1 in tumor cell reduces triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)-induced angiogenesis. However, whether Epac1 expressed in vascular endothelial cells contributes to angiogenesis and tumor development of TNBC remains elusive.

MAIN METHODS

We employed NY0123, a previously identified potent EPAC inhibitor, to explore the anti-angiogenic biological role of EPAC1 in vitro and in vivo through vascular endothelial cells, rat aortic ring, Matrigel plug, and chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and yolk sac membrane (YSM) assays, as well as the in vivo xenograft tumor models of TNBC in both chick embryo and mice.

KEY FINDINGS

Inhibiting EPAC1 in vascular endothelial cells by NY0123 significantly suppresses angiogenesis and tumor growth of TNBC. In addition, NY0123 possesses a better inhibitory efficacy than ESI-09, a reported specific EPAC inhibitor tool compound. Importantly, inhibiting EPAC1 in vascular endothelia cells regulates the typical angiogenic signaling network, which is associated with not only vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2) signaling, but also PI3K/AKT, MEK/ERK and Notch pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings support that EPAC1 may serve as an effective anti-angiogenic therapeutic target of TNBC, and EPAC inhibitor NY0123 has the therapeutic potential to be developed for the treatment of TNBC.

Cathepsin K inhibition alleviates periodontal bone resorption by promoting type H vessel formation through PDGF-BB/PDGFR-β axis

OBJECTIVES

To explore the effects of cathepsin K (CTSK) inhibition on type H vessel formation and alveolar bone resorption within periodontitis.

METHODS

Conditioned media derived from preosteoclasts pretreated with the CTSK inhibitor odanacatib (ODN), ODN supplemented small interfering RNA targeting PDGF-BB (si-PDGF-BB), or PBS were prepared, to assess their proangiogenic effects on endothelial cells (HUVECs). A series of angiogenic-related assays were conducted to evaluate HUVEC proliferation, migration, and tube formation abilities in vitro. In addition, qRT-PCR and Western blot assays were employed to examine the expression levels of genes/proteins related to PDGF-BB/PDGFR-β axis components. A mouse periodontitis model was established to evaluate the effects of CTSK inhibition on type H vessel formation.

RESULTS

CTSK inhibition promoted PDGF-BB secretion from preosteoclasts and proliferation, migration, and tube formation activities of HUVECs in vitro. However, the conditioned medium from preosteoclasts pretreated by si-PDGF-BB impaired the angiogenic activities of HUVECs. This promoted angiogenesis function by CTSK inhibition may be mediated by the PDGF-BB/PDGFR-β axis. Functionally, in vivo studies demonstrated that CTSK inhibition significantly accelerated type H vessel formation and alleviated bone loss within periodontitis.

CONCLUSION

CTSK inhibition promotes type H vessel formation and attenuates alveolar bone resorption within periodontitis via PDGF-BB/PDGFR-β axis.

An azole fungicide climbazole damages the gut-brain axis in the grass carp

Azole antifungal climbazole has frequently been detected in aquatic environments and shows various effects in fish. However, the underlying mechanism of toxicity through the gut-brain axis of climbazole is unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of climbazole at environmental concentrations on the microbiota-intestine-brain axis in grass carp via histopathological observation, gene expression and biochemical analyses, and high-throughput sequencing of the 16 S rRNA. Results showed that exposure to 0.2 to 20 μg/L climbazole for 42 days significantly disrupted gut microbiota and caused brain neurotoxicity in grass carp. In this study, there was an alteration in the phylum and genus compositions in the gut microbiota following climbazole treatment, including reducing Fusobacteria (e.g., Cetobacterium) and increasing Actinobacteria (e.g., Nocardia). Climbazole disrupted intestinal microbial abundance, leading to increased levels of lipopolysaccharide and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the gut, serum, and brain. They passed through the impaired intestinal barrier into the circulation and caused the destruction of the blood-brain barrier through the gut-brain axis, allowing them into the brain. In the brain, climbazole activated the nuclear factor kappaB pathway to increase inflammation, and suppressed the E2-related factor 2 pathway to produce oxidative damage, resulting in apoptosis, which promoted neuroinflammation and neuronal death. Besides, our results suggested that this neurotoxicity was caused by the breakdown of the microbiota-gut-brain axis, mediated by reduced concentrations of dopamine, short chain fatty acids, and intestinal microbial activity induced by climbazole.

A validated LC-MS/MS method for determination of six Anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs in plasma and its application for a pharmacokinetic study in rats

Antiviral treatment for COVID-19 is considered an effective tool in reducing the rate of severe cases and deaths. As of June 2023, a total of six small molecule antiviral drugs have been conditionally approved for marketing by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) within China. In this study, a method of HPLC-MS/MS was established and validated for the determination of six small molecule antiviral drugs in plasma using Lamivudine as an internal standard. The chromatographic separation was performed using gradient elution with an ACE 3 C18-PFP column (3.0 mm × 150 mm, 3 μm), and the mobile phase consisted of deionized water and acetonitrile/water (90:10, v/v), both with 10 mmol/L of ammonium acetate and 0.1 % ammonium hydroxide added. Quantitative analysis of the six small molecule drugs was carried out through selective reaction monitoring based on the positive ion spray ionization mode. The method exhibited excellent precision, accuracy, recovery, and linearity, and it was used to determine the pharmacokinetic characteristics in rats. Our work not only established a bioanalytical method for six small molecule antiviral drugs but also provided scientific references for clinical pharmacokinetic studies.

The efficacy and safety of corticotomy and periodontally accelerated osteogenic orthodontic interventions in tooth movement: an updated meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The surgically facilitated orthodontic strategy has been a promising strategy for orthodontic treatment recently. Therefore, the present meta-analysis was conducted to assess the available scientific evidence regarding the clinical outcomes, including the potential detrimental effects associated with these surgical procedures, with the aim of providing much more evidence-based information for clinical practice.

METHODS

An electronic search of three databases (PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase) and a manual search of relevant articles published up to May 2023 were carried out. Clinical trials (≥ 10 subjects) that utilized surgically facilitated orthodontic strategies with clinical and/or radiographic outcomes were included. Meta-analyses and sub-group analyses were performed to analyze the standardized mean difference (SMD) or weighted mean difference (WMD), and confidence interval (CI) for the recorded variables.

RESULTS

Nineteen studies published from Oct 2012 to May 2023 met the inclusion criteria. Based on the analysis outcomes, corticotomy treatment significantly decreased the alignment duration (WMD: -1.08 months; 95% CI = -1.65, -0.51 months, P = 0.0002), and accelerated the canine movement (WMD: 0.72 mm; 95% CI = 0.63, 0.81 mm, P < 0.00001) compared to the traditional orthodontic group. The periodontally accelerated osteogenic orthodontic (PAOO) strategy markedly reduced the total treatment duration (SMD: -1.98; 95% CI = -2.59, -1.37, P < 0.00001) and increased the bone thickness (SMD:1.07; 95% CI = 0.74, 1.41, P < 0.00001) compared to traditional orthodontic treatment.

CONCLUSION

The present study suggests that facilitated orthodontic treatment in terms of corticotomy and PAOO strategy may represent attractive and effective therapeutic strategy for orthodontic patients.

Regulation mechanism of hydrazine and hydroxylamine in nitrogen removal processes: A Comprehensive review

As the new fashioned nitrogen removal process, short-cut nitrification and denitrification (SHARON) process, anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process, completely autotrophic nitrogen removal over nitrite (CANON) process, partial nitrification and anammox (PN/A) process and partial denitrification and anammox (PD/A) process entered into the public eye due to its advantages of high nitrogen removal efficiency (NRE) and low energy consumption. However, the above process also be limited by long-term start-up time, unstable operation, complicated process regulation and so on. As intermediates or by-metabolites of functional microorganisms in above processes, hydroxylamine (NH2OH) and hydrazine (N2H4) improved NRE of the above processes by promoting functional enzyme activity, accelerating electron transport efficiency and regulating distribution of microbial communities. Therefore, this review discussed effects of NH2OH and N2H4 on stability and NRE of above processes, analyzed regulatory mechanism from functional enzyme activity, electron transport efficiency and microbial community distribution. Finally, the challenges and limitations for nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide (N2O) produced from regulation of NH2OH and N2H4 are discussed. In additional, perspectives on future trends in technology development are proposed.

Plastic pollution from takeaway food industry in China

China's takeaway food industry is growing rapidly, and bringing unprecedented demand for plastic packaging, which results in serious plastic pollution and increasing emissions of plasticizers of phthalate esters (PAEs) and greenhouse gases (GHGs). This study assesses the current and future situation of plastic usage for takeaway food packaging in China, and also analyzes the PAEs and GHG emissions brought by these plastics under different scenarios. From 2010 to 2020, the plastic usage grew from 2.92 to 101 × 104 tons, and brought 112-3845 kg PAEs and 43.6-1438 kt CO2e GHG emissions. Their distribution exhibited a clear 'two-line' pattern: higher features mostly located in Beijing-Guangzhou and Beijing-Shanghai railways. The socio-economic factors model performed better than the growth rate model for plastic usage prediction from 2021 to 2060. It is predicted that 40.6 Mt. plastic would be consumed in 2060, and they will bring 155 tons PAEs and 37.0 Mt. CO2e GHGs. At that time, biodegradable plastic replaced or plastic cycling cannot significantly contribute to national carbon reduction, unless using a temperature change of 2 °C scenario. Our work improves the understanding of PAEs and GHG emission from plastic pollution, and provides insight into long-term dynamics in the plastics management of takeaway food industry.

Submonolayer biolasers for ultrasensitive biomarker detection

Biomarker detection is key to identifying health risks. However, designing sensitive and single-use biosensors for early diagnosis remains a major challenge. Here, we report submonolayer lasers on optical fibers as ultrasensitive and disposable biosensors. Telecom optical fibers serve as distributed optical microcavities with high Q-factor, great repeatability, and ultralow cost, which enables whispering-gallery laser emission to detect biomarkers. It is found that the sensing performance strongly depends on the number of gain molecules. The submonolayer lasers obtained a six-order-of-magnitude improvement in the lower limit of detection (LOD) when compared to saturated monolayer lasers. We further achieve an ultrasensitive immunoassay for a Parkinson's disease biomarker, alpha-synuclein (α-syn), with a lower LOD of 0.32 pM in serum, which is three orders of magnitude lower than the α-syn concentration in the serum of Parkinson's disease patients. Our demonstration of submonolayer biolaser offers great potentials in high-throughput clinical diagnosis with ultimate sensitivity.

Isolation, functional evaluation, and fermentation process optimization of probiotic Bacillus coagulans

Bacillus coagulans is a probiotic agent widely used in various industries. In this study, we isolated a novel strain of B. coagulans, X26, from soil and characterized its properties. X26 exhibited superior enzyme, acid, and biomass yields when compared with other bacterial probiotics and an antibiotic. Moreover, X26 significantly improved the body weight of rats, highlighting its potential for industrial development as a supplement for animals. To optimize the fermentation process of this bacterium, we adopted the response surface design. When X26 was cultured in a medium with 16.5 g/L maltose, 25.00 g/L yeast extract, and 3.5 g/L K2HPO4, the optimal yield was predicted to be 5.1 × 109 CFU/mL. Consistent with the prediction, the yield of X26 in a 500-mL flask culture was (5.12 ± 0.01) × 109 CFU/mL, and in a 30-L fermenter was (5.11 ± 0.02) × 109 CFU/mL, accounting for a 9.9-fold higher field than that with a basal medium before optimization. We further optimized the fermentation process in the 30-L and a 10-T fermenter, generating yields of (7.8 ± 0.2) × 109 CFU/mL (spore rate: 96.54%) and (8.7 ± 0.1) × 109 CFU/mL (spore rate: 97.93%), respectively. These yields and spore rates were achieved at 45-55°C, the typical fermentation temperature of B. coagulans. Our findings indicate that B. coagulans X26 is a promising probiotic with considerable potential for cost-effective industrial fermentation.

Experience of verbal violence among Chinese nursing students in clinical practice: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Workplace violence is prevalent in the nursing profession, and as a relatively junior link of the professional hierarchy, nursing students are not immune to it. Among these, verbal violence may have more serious consequences for the victims than physical violence, but the literature on verbal violence among nursing students in Chinese clinical settings is limited.

AIMS

To explore the verbal violence experience among Chinese nursing students in clinical practice, and the strategies used by nursing students to cope with violence.

DESIGN

A descriptive qualitative study.

METHODS

From January 2022 to June 2022, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 nursing students in clinical practice by purposive snowball sampling. Nvivo12 software and inductive content analysis were used for data analysis. This paper followed the COREQ (Consolidated criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research) guidance.

RESULTS

Through data analysis, three themes were defined:(1) Multiform verbal violence; (2) Hurting and impacting and (3) Struggling or Coping. The findings indicated that nursing students were subjected to multiple forms of verbal violence in clinical practice, not only from patients and caregivers, but also from peers such as clinical tutors and doctors, which not only harmed students' personal health and well-being, but may also contribute to the nursing industry's future loss of human resources. Seeking emotional support from others and forcing themselves to grow up were the most commonly used coping strategies.

CONCLUSION

Nursing educators and nursing managers need to pay attention to verbal violence in the clinical environment, and actively develop the ability of nursing students to deal with uncivilized behavior. Establishing relevant courses and training such as communication, resilience, and violence prevention, establishing a stricter clinical mentor appointment system, and teaching assessment system may be strategies to help nursing students better perform clinical practice.

Climbazole causes cell apoptosis and lipidosis in the liver of grass carp

Climbazole, an azole, is widely used in personal care products, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides and is frequently detected in surface water. Climbazole has showed endocrine-disrupting effects. However, the effects of climbazole in fish are still largely unclear. In this study, grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) and liver cell lines (L8824 cells) were treated with climbazole at concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 20 μg/L for 42 days in vivo and 24 h in vitro to evaluate the effects on the liver, respectively. Pathological, biochemical, and gene transcription and expression analyses were conducted to examine the hepatotoxicity. Our results showed that climbazole significantly decreased the hepatosomatic index, caused cell apoptosis in vivo and in vitro, and finally accumulated lipids in the liver. Beside, climbazole increased ROS levels, reduced Nrf2 and Keap1 mRNA and protein levels, and further decreased transcription of Nrf2-dependent downstream antioxidant enzyme genes, causing oxidative stress. Moreover, climbazole increased transcription and protein levels of apoptosis-related genes. Finally, climbazole damaged mitochondrial function and structure, disrupted liver lipid metabolism. Overall, climbazole caused hepatotoxicity, leading to a high ecological risk for aquatic organisms.

Promotion of nitrogen removal in a denitrification process elevated by zero-valent iron under low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio

The nitrogen removal efficiency and distribution of microbial community in a denitrification process aided by zero-valent iron (ZVI) under low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N) were assessed in this study. Experimental results demonstrated that the nitrogen removal efficiency (TNRE) increased to 96.4 ± 2.72% and 63.3 ± 4.02% after continuous addition of ZVI with molar ratio of ZVI to nitrate (NO3--N) (ZVI/N) of 6 at C/N of 3 and 2, respectively, which was 4% and 7.7% higher than the blank one. Meanwhile, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) could be used as electron transfer medium and endogenous carbon source for denitrification system and also the production of which increased by 28.43% and 53.10% under ZVI stimulation compared to the control group. Finally, a symbiotic system composed by autotrophic and heterotrophic denitrification bacteria was formed by aid of ZVI. This study proposed new insights into denitrification process improved by ZVI.

Screening and prioritization of organic chemicals in a large river basin by suspect and non-target analysis

Many organic chemicals are present in aquatic environments, but how to screen and prioritize these chemicals has always been a difficult task. Here we investigated organic chemicals in the West River Basin by using a developed non-target identification workflow. A total of 957 chemicals were tentatively identified, with 96 assigned as high confidence levels by matching with reference standards, MassBank spectral library, and using CompTox Chemistry Dashboard database as the compound library for MetFrag. More pesticides and their transformation products (e.g., metolachlor ESA, acetochlor ESA, deethylatrazine, and hydroxyatrazine) were detected in the wet season due to the increasing usage. High detection of pharmaceutical and personal care products and their transformation products in the tributaries was linked to rural farming and human activities. Irbesartan that is used to treat high blood pressure was recognized in the river and positive correlations between some detected chemicals and irbesartan were observed, indicating a domestic wastewater source. Ecological risks of the identified chemicals were calculated by toxicological prioritization ranking schemes, and 24 chemicals showed high ToxPi scores in the river. The results from this study show the presence of a large number of emerging organic chemicals in our waterways, and demonstrated conceptual schemes for integrating risk assessment into a non-target screening workflow.

Rhizosphere effects of moso bamboo and dominant tree species of secondary broadleaved forest on soil organic carbon mineralization

The rhizosphere effect of plants affects soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization. It is still unclear for the mechanism by which the rhizosphere effect of dominant plants in secondary broadleaved forest habitats invaded by moso bamboo affects SOC mineralization. Taking broadleaved tree species (Quercus glauca and Cunninghamia lanceolata) and moso bamboo, dominating respectively in uninvaded secondary broadleaved forest and bamboo forest formed after the invasion as test materials, we investigated rhizosphere effect of plants on the SOC mineralization in laboratory incubation experiments. The results showed that carbon mineralization rates of Phyllostachys edulis (PE), Quercus glauca (QG) and Cunninghamia lanceolata (CL) rhizosphere soils were 20%, 26%, and 21% higher than bulk soils, respectively. Carbon mineralization of bulk soils of QG and CL was 22% and 26% higher, while that of rhizosphere soils was 14% and 11% higher than PE, respectively. The contents of water-soluble organic carbon and organic carbon in rhizosphere soils of the three species were significantly higher than those of bulk soil, and the abundance of rhizosphere soil bacteria was higher than that of non-rhizosphere. The contents of microbial biomass carbon, water-soluble organic carbon, and total nitrogen were important factors influencing carbon mineralization in rhizosphere, while water-soluble organic carbon and microbial metabolic quotient were important factors influencing carbon mineralization in non-rhizosphere. On the whole, the rhizosphere effect increased total SOC mineralization, driving by changes in microbial biomass carbon, water-soluble organic carbon, and total nitrogen content. The results could provide a theoretical basis for plant-soil interaction on soil carbon cycling in bamboo invasion habitats.

Effect of low-level laser therapy on orthodontic dental alignment: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The aim of this study is to systematically summarize the available evidence regarding low-level laser therapy (LLLT) speed-up effect on dental alignment in comprehensive orthodontic treatment. An extensive electronic search was conducted in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Scopus up to February 20, 2023. The Cochrane risk of bias tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Form were used by two authors independently to assess the risk of bias (RoB). Statistical analysis was performed by Review Manager 5.3. The eight eligible trials were reviewed and included in qualitative synthesis. Four studies reported the overall time of leveling and alignment (OLAT, days), enabling a synthesizing of the data. The meta-analysis results showed that LLLT significantly reduced the overall time of leveling and alignment compared to control group (MD=-30.36, 95% CI range -41.50 to -19.22, P<0.0001), with moderate heterogeneity (χ2=4.10, P=0.25, I2=27%). Based on the data available, statistically significant evidence with moderate risk of bias suggests that LLLT may have a positive effect on accelerating dental alignment. However, due to the differences in intervention strategy and evaluating method, the conclusions should be interpreted with caution.

Evaluation the role of soluble microbial products for denitrification sludge characteristic under starvation stress

Physiological changes with the assist role of soluble microbial products (SMP) of preserved denitrifying sludge (DS) undergoing long-term stress of starvation under different storage temperature is extremely important. In this study, SMP extracted from DS were added into DS in starvation condition under room temperature (15-20 °C), 4 °C and -20 °C with three different bio-augmentation phases of 10, 15 and 30 days. Experimental results showed that added SMP in room temperature was optimal for preservation of DS under starvation stress with optimized dosage of 2.0 mL mL^-1 sludge and bio-augmentation phase of 10 d. SMP was more effective in maintaining the specific denitrification activity of DS, and it was nearly boosted to 94.1 % of control one due to assist of 2 times SMP addition with 10 days interval of each. Under assist of SMP, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secretion was enhanced as the defense layer to withstand starvation stress, and the protein may be utilized as an alternative substrate to gain energy, accelerate electron transport and transfer during denitrification process. This investigation revealed the feasibility of SMP as an economical and robust strategy for preservation of DS.

CYD0281, a Bcl-2 BH4 domain antagonist, inhibits tumor angiogenesis and breast cancer tumor growth

BACKGROUND

B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family proteins are key regulators of apoptosis, which possess four conserved Bcl-2 homologies (BH) domains. Among the BH domains, the BH3 domain is considered as a potent 'death domain' while the BH4 domain is required for anti-apoptotic activity. Bcl-2 can be converted to a pro-apoptotic molecule through the removal or mutation of the BH4 domain. Bcl-2 is considered as an inducer of angiogenesis, which can promote tumor vascular network formation and further afford nutrients and oxygen to promote tumor progression. However, whether disrupting the function of the BH4 domain to convert Bcl-2 into a pro-apoptotic molecule could make Bcl-2 possess the potential for anti-angiogenic therapy remains to be defined.

METHODS

CYD0281 was designed and synthesized according to the lead structure of BDA-366, and its function on inducing a conformational change of Bcl-2 was further evaluated via immunoprecipitation (IP) and immunofluorescence (IF) assays. Moreover, the function of CYD0281 on apoptosis of endothelial cells was analyzed via cell viability, flow cytometry, and western blotting assays. Additionally, the role of CYD0281 on angiogenesis in vitro was determined via endothelial cell migration and tube formation assays and rat aortic ring assay. Chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and yolk sac membrane (YSM) models, breast cancer cell xenograft tumor on CAM and in mouse models as well as the Matrigel plug angiogenesis assay were used to explore the effects of CYD0281 on angiogenesis in vivo.

RESULTS

We identified a novel potent small-molecule Bcl-2-BH4 domain antagonist, CYD0281, which exhibited significant anti-angiogenic effects both in vitro and in vivo, and further inhibited breast cancer tumor growth. CYD0281 was found to induce conformational changes in Bcl-2 through the exposure of the BH3 domain and convert Bcl-2 from an anti-apoptotic molecule into a cell death inducer, thereby resulting in the apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells.

CONCLUSIONS

This study has revealed CYD0281 as a novel Bcl-2-BH4 antagonist that induces conformational changes of Bcl-2 to convert to a pro-apoptotic molecule. Our findings indicate that CYD0281 plays a crucial role in anti-angiogenesis and may be further developed as a potential anti-tumor drug candidate for breast cancer. This work also provides a potential anti-angiogenic strategy for breast cancer treatment.

Evidence for Band Renormalizations in Strong-Coupling Superconducting Alkali-Fulleride Films

There has been a long-standing debate about the mechanism of the unusual superconductivity in alkali-intercalated fullerides. In this Letter, using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we systematically investigate the electronic structures of superconducting K_{3}C_{60} thin films. We observe a dispersive energy band crossing the Fermi level with the occupied bandwidth of about 130 meV. The measured band structure shows prominent quasiparticle kinks and a replica band involving the Jahn-Teller active phonon modes, which reflects strong electron-phonon coupling in the system. The electron-phonon coupling constant is estimated to be about 1.2, which dominates the quasiparticle mass renormalization. Moreover, we observe an isotropic nodeless superconducting gap beyond the mean-field estimation (2Δ/k_{B}T_{c}≈5). Both the large electron-phonon coupling constant and large reduced superconducting gap suggest a strong-coupling superconductivity in K_{3}C_{60}, while the electronic correlation effect is suggested by the observation of a waterfall-like band dispersion and the small bandwidth compared with the effective Coulomb interaction. Our results not only directly visualize the crucial band structure but also provide important insights into the mechanism of the unusual superconductivity of fulleride compounds.