Harnessing microbial wealth for lignocellulose biomass valorization through secretomics: a review

The recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass is a major constraint to its high-value use at industrial scale. In nature, microbes play a crucial role in biomass degradation, nutrient recycling and ecosystem functioning. Therefore, the use of microbes is an attractive way to transform biomass to produce clean energy and high-value compounds. The microbial degradation of lignocelluloses is a complex process which is dependent upon multiple secreted enzymes and their synergistic activities. The availability of the cutting edge proteomics and highly sensitive mass spectrometry tools make possible for researchers to probe the secretome of microbes and microbial consortia grown on different lignocelluloses for the identification of hydrolytic enzymes of industrial interest and their substrate-dependent expression. This review summarizes the role of secretomics in identifying enzymes involved in lignocelluloses deconstruction, the development of enzyme cocktails and the construction of synthetic microbial consortia for biomass valorization, providing our perspectives to address the current challenges.

ORAI3 contributes to hypoxia-inducible factor 1/2α-sensitive colon cell migration

BACKGROUND

Hypoxia is a pivotal initiator of tumor angiogenesis and growth through the stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). This study set out to examine the involvement of HIF-1α and HIF-2α in colon cancer and ascertained whether ORAI3 was involved in the pathway.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients and murine models as well as human colorectal adenocarcinoma tumor (CW2) cells were included to examine the levels of ORAI1/3 and HIF-1/2α levels. Calcium imaging was utilized to ascertain the activity of calcium channel. Scratch assay was used to assess the migration capacity of the cells.

RESULTS

Tumors from murine colon cancer xenograft models and patients with colon cancer displayed high ORAI1/3 and HIF-1/2α levels. Hypoxia treatment, mimicking the tumor microenvironment in vitro, increased ORAI1/3 and HIF-1/2α expression as well as store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE). Of note is that HIF-1/2α silencing decreased SOCE, and HIF-1/2α overexpression facilitated SOCE. Furthermore, ORAI3 rather than ORAI1 expression was inhibited by HIF-1/2α silencing while increased by ML228. Luciferase assay also confirmed that ORAI3 was elevated in the presence of ML228, indicating the linkage between HIF-1/2α and ORAI3. Additionally, colony-forming potential and cell migration capacity were decreased in siHIF-1α and siHIF-2α as well as siORAI3 cells, and the facilitating effect of ML228 on cell migration and colony-forming potential was also decreased in siORAI3 CW-2 cells, which points out the importance of ORAI3 in HIF1/2α pathway.

CONCLUSION

Our findings allow to conclude that both HIF-1α and HIF-2α facilitate ORAI3 expression, hence enhancing colon cancer progression.

POS0228 BASELINE CHARACTERISTICS AND TREATMENT RESPONSE TO IXEKIZUMAB CATEGORISED BY SEX IN RADIOGRAPHIC AND NON-RADIOGRAPHIC AXIAL SPONDYLARTHRITIS PATIENTS THROUGH 52 WEEKS: DATA FROM 3 PHASE III, RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED TRIALS

Background:

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the axial skeleton comprising two subtypes within the same spectrum: radiographic (r-axSpA) and non-radiographic (nr-axSpA). Previous studies have shown that clinical presentation and treatment response of males and females may differ1 despite similar disease burden.2 Ixekizumab (IXE), a high-affinity monoclonal antibody that selectively targets interleukin-17A, has demonstrated superior efficacy to placebo in the treatment of patients with r-axSpA (COAST-V/W [bDMARD- naïve/TNFi-experienced]) and nr-axSpA (COAST-X [bDMARD-naïve]).3

Objectives:

Assess baseline characteristics and treatment response to IXE categorised by sex in patients with r-axSpA and nr-axSpA for up to 52 weeks.

Methods:

Patients fulfilled the ASAS classification criteria for r-axSpA or nr-axSpA. Patients were randomized to receive 80 mg subcutaneous IXE every 2 weeks (Q2W) or 4 weeks (Q4W), or to placebo (PBO) [16 weeks COAST-V/W; 52 weeks COAST-X]. Baseline characteristics and treatment outcomes were assessed. Patients were categorised by sex, missing data was controlled for using non-responder imputation (NRI) and modified baseline observation carried forward (mBOCF) analysis was conducted on continuous efficacy variables.

Results:

At baseline, females were older, with significantly higher pain and fatigue scores and peripheral joint symptoms (table 1). ASAS40 response rate with IXEQ4W was achieved in 39% of males with r-axSpA by week 16, and 44% by week 52. Females achieved 16.7% at week 16, and 33.3% at week 52. In nr-axSpA, 46% of IXEQ4W males achieved ASAS40 at week 16 and 30% at week 52. 23.9% of females achieved ASAS40 at week 16, increasing to 30.4% at week 52.

Table 1.

Baseline Characteristics of Patients Categorised by Sex

Patients with r-axSpA(COAST-V/W)(n=376)Patients with nr-axSpA(COAST-X)(n=198)CharacteristicMale (n=298)Female (n=78)p valueMale (n=99)Female (n=99)p valueAge at onset (yrs), mean (SD)26.5 (8.7)30.1 (10.1)0.002*27.9 (7.7)32.0 (10.7)0.002*Symptom duration (yrs), mean (SD)16.7 (10.5)17.8 (12.2)0.4209.5 (9.2)12.3 (11.3)0.057ASDAS, mean (SD)4.0 (0.8)3.9 (0.7)0.3043.7 (0.8)3.9 (0.8)0.143BASDAI, mean (SD)7.10 (1.4)7.4 (1.5)0.1796.9 (1.4)7.4 1.4)0.013*Fatigue/tiredness (BASDAI Q1), mean (SD)7.4 (1.6)7.8 (1.5)0.036*7.0 (1.6)7.9 (1.5)<0.001*Spinal pain (BASDAI Q2), mean (SD)7.9 (1.5)8.0 (1.5)0.6827.5 (1.4)7.9 (1.5)0.029*Pain/swelling in other joints (BASDAI Q3), mean (SD)6.5 (2.1)6.9 (2.2)0.1296.6 (2.3)7.2 (1.9)0.039*Tenderness to touch/pressure (BASDAI Q4), mean (SD)6.8 (1.8)7.0 (1.9)0.3396.6 (1.9)6.8 (1.8)0.404Morning stiffness (BASDAI Q5), mean (SD)7.5 (1.6)7.7 (1.8)0.5047.3 (1.7)7.7 (1.9)0.137Morning stiffness duration (BASDAI Q6), mean (SD)6.5 (2.3)6.5 (2.8)0.9446.3 (2.3)6.6 (2.5)0.392Spinal pain at night NRS, mean (SD)7.4 (1.5)7.8 (1.7)0.033*7.0 (1.8)7.6 (1.8)0.027*BASFI, mean (SD)6.8 (1.8)7.0 (2.0)0.4666.2 (1.8)6.7 (2.1)0.108SF-36 PCS, mean (SD)30.9 (8.3)28.9 (8.2)0.07533.1 (7.7)32.1 (7.2)0.348

p-value from Fisher’s exact test analysis of variance (ANOVA) with sex as a factor for continuous data. Data includes pooled IXEQ2W and IXEQ4W.

Conclusion:

This analysis demonstrates that for the axSpA disease spectrum, females present with higher disease burden as reflected by higher scores in fatigue/tiredness, and spinal pain at night. Our findings indicate that males and females respond to IXE; however, females experience this benefit later in their treatment course, with a more prolonged attainment of peak response.

References:

[1]van der Horst-Bruinsma IE, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2019;78:1550-1558.

[2]Zhao SS, et al. Rheumatology. 2019;58:2025-2030.

[3]Deodhar A, et al. Lancet. 2020;395:53-64.

Figure 1.

COAST-V/W ASAS40 (ITT, NRI) Patients initially randomized to PBO in COAST-V/W switched to IXEQ2W or Q4W at week 16 by study design; PBO data are summarised up to week 16.

Acknowledgements:

Writing support was provided by Dr Geraldine Fahy, an employee of Eli Lilly and Company

Disclosure of Interests:

Irene van der Horst-Bruinsma Speakers bureau: BMS, AbbVie, Pfizer, UCB, MSD, Consultant of: Abbvie, UCB, MSD, Lilly, Novartis, Grant/research support from: MSD, Pfizer, AbbVie, Rebecca Bolce Shareholder of: Eli Lilly, Employee of: Eli Lilly, Theresa Hunter Shareholder of: Eli Lilly, Employee of: Eli Lilly, David Sandoval Shareholder of: Eli Lilly, Employee of: Eli Lilly, Danting Zhu Employee of: Eli Lilly, Vladimir J. Geneus Employee of: Eli Lilly, Jeffrey Lisse Shareholder of: Eli Lilly, Employee of: Eli Lilly, Soyi Liu Leage Shareholder of: Eli Lilly, Employee of: Eli Lilly, Marina Magrey Consultant of: Novartis, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Abbvie, UCB and Jansen, Grant/research support from: Amgen, AbbVie, and UCB Pharma

Degradation of conventional plastic wastes in the environment: A review on current status of knowledge and future perspectives of disposal

Accumulation of plastic wastes has been recently recognized as one of the most critical environmental challenges, affecting all life forms, natural ecosystems and economy, worldwide. Under this threat, finding alternative environmentally-friendly solutions, such as biodegradation instead of traditional disposal, is of utmost importance. However, up to date, there is limited knowledge on plastic biodegradation mechanisms and efficiency. From this point of view, the purpose of this review is to highlight the negative effects of the accumulation of the most conventional plastic waste (polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, polyethylene terephthalate and polyurethane) on the environment and to present their degradability potential through abiotic and biotic processes. Furthermore, the ability of different microbial species for degradation of these polymers is thoroughly discussed. The present review also addresses the contribution of invertebrates, such as insects, in plastic degradation process, highlighting the vital role that they could play in the future. In total, a schematic pathway of an innovative approach to improve the disposal of plastic wastes is proposed, with view to establishing an effective and sustainable practice for plastic waste management.

Can perihaematomal radiomics features predict haematoma expansion?

AIM

To evaluate the association between perihaematomal radiomics features and haematoma expansion (HE).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Clinical and radiological data were collected retrospectively. The 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) method was used to balance the difference of baseline characteristics between patients with and without HE. Radiomics features were extracted from the intra- and perihaematomal regions. Top HE-associated features were selected using the minimum redundancy, maximum relevancy algorithm. Support vector machine models were used to predict HE. Predictive performance of radiomics features from different regions was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve and confusion matrix-derived metrics.

RESULTS

A total of 1,062 patients were enrolled. After PSM analysis, the propensity score-matched cohort (PSM cohort) included 314 patients (HE: n=157; non-HE: n=157). The PSM cohort was distributed into the training (n=218) and the validation cohorts (n=96). The predictive performance of intra- and perihaematomal features were comparable in the training (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC], 0.751 versus 0.757; p=0.867) and the validation cohorts (AUC, 0.724 versus 0.671; p=0.454). By incorporating intra- and perihaematomal features, the combined model outperformed the single intrahaematomal model in the training cohort (AUC, 0.872 versus 0.751; p<0.001). Decision curve analysis (DCA) further confirmed the clinical usefulness of the combined model.

CONCLUSION

Perihaematomal radiomics features can predict HE. The integration of intra- and perihaematomal signatures may provide additional benefit to the prediction of HE.

EZH2-mediated H3K27me3 enrichment on the lncRNA MEG3 promoter regulates the growth and metastasis of glioma cells by regulating miR-21-3p

OBJECTIVE

Glioma is one of the most common and invasive brain tumors worldwide. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) play an important role in the development of glioma. However, the regulatory mechanism of LncRNAs in glioma has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to explore the interaction of lncRNA maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) and aberrant histone modification in glioma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expression levels of MEG3 and miR-21-3p in glioma cells were measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). EZH2 (enhancer of zeste homolog 2) and H3K27me3 expression in glioma cells were detected by Western Blot (WB). The binding site of the promoter of MEG3 by H3K27me3 was confirmed by ChIP-Real-time PCR. The direct target of MEG3 and miR-21-3p in glioma cells was measured by a luciferase reporter assay. Cell proliferation was detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8), and cell invasion and migration were measured by Transwell assays.

RESULTS

EZH2 and miR-21-3p were upregulated and MEG3 was downregulated in glioma cells. Silencing of EZH2 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in U87 and U251 cells. Meanwhile, the expression of H3K27me3 could be significantly inhibited by EZH2 interference. H3K27me3 protein can bind to MEG3 promoter directly. EZH2 inhibition and MEG3 down-expression in U87 cells reversed the effects of silencing of EZH2 on glioma cell growth and metastasis. However, EZH2 inhibition and MEG3 overexpression in U251 cells restricted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, miR-21-3p was verified to interact with MEG3 by direct binding. Inhibition of MEG3 promoted U87 cell growth and metastasis, which was further strengthened following the co-transfection of si-MEG3 and miR-21-3p. Overexpressed MEG3 inhibited U251 cell growth and metastasis and a complete reversal of the results observed in the co-transfection of LV-MEG3 and miR-21-3p.

CONCLUSIONS

EZH2 was highly expressed in glioma cells and EZH2-mediated H3K27me3 enrichment on the MEG3 promoter regulated the growth and metastasis of glioma cells by targeting miR-21-3p. It potentially provided a new therapeutic marker targeting glioma.

Strongly correlated superconductivity in a copper-based metal-organic framework with a perfect kagome lattice

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which are self-assemblies of metal ions and organic ligands, provide a tunable platform to search a new state of matter. A two-dimensional (2D) perfect kagome lattice, whose geometrical frustration is a key to realizing quantum spin liquids, has been formed in the π - d conjugated 2D MOF [Cu₃(C₆S₆)] _n (Cu-BHT). The recent discovery of its superconductivity with a critical temperature T _c of 0.25 kelvin raises fundamental questions about the nature of electron pairing. Here, we show that Cu-BHT is a strongly correlated unconventional superconductor with extremely low superfluid density. A nonexponential temperature dependence of superfluid density is observed, indicating the possible presence of superconducting gap nodes. The magnitude of superfluid density is much smaller than those in conventional superconductors and follows the Uemura's relation of strongly correlated superconductors. These results imply that the unconventional superconductivity in Cu-BHT originates from electron correlations related to spin fluctuations of kagome lattice.

Single-photon detection in the mid-infrared up to 10 μm wavelength using tungsten silicide superconducting nanowire detectors

We developed superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors based on tungsten silicide, which show saturated internal detection efficiency up to a wavelength of 10 μm. These detectors are promising for applications in the mid-infrared requiring sub-nanosecond timing, ultra-high gain stability, low dark counts, and high efficiency, such as chemical sensing, LIDAR, dark matter searches, and exoplanet spectroscopy.

N-Aryl glycines as versatile initiators for various polymerizations

N-(1-Pyrenyl)glycine can act as a versatile initiator for various polymerizations.

Necrotizing lymphadenitis : A case report and literature review

BACKGROUND

Necrotizing lymphadenitis is a rare disease. It is often misdiagnosed because of the lack of typical clinical manifestations. It is worth noting that necrotizing lymphadenitis may be a precursor lesion of systemic lupus erythematosus or tumours, so regular follow-up is needed to facilitate early diagnosis. Here, we report a case and conduct a literature analysis summarizing the clinical features of necrotizing lymphadenitis and its treatment and management practices.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 16-year-old young woman presented with fever and lymphadenopathy as the main clinical manifestations, accompanied by a rash during fever that disappeared as the fever subsided. After completing imaging and laboratory examinations, we excluded other diseases such as infections, autoimmune diseases, and malignant tumours. Finally, we diagnosed the patient with necrotizing lymphadenitis based on the results of lymph node biopsy. The symptoms of the patient improved after glucocorticoid treatment, and she was followed up for half a year without recurrence of symptoms.

CONCLUSION

In the clinic, young women with fever and lymphadenopathy as major symptoms should be screened for necrotizing lymphadenitis to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment. Although necrotizing lymphadenitis is self-limiting, its clinical manifestations are similar to those of many diseases. Therefore, it is easily misdiagnosed. An in-depth understanding of the disease is conducive to early diagnosis and treatment in the clinic, thereby reducing further damage to the body and reducing unnecessary evaluation and treatment.

[Analysis of clinical characteristics and drug treatment of inflammatory bowel disease in children: a single center study]

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and efficacy of drug treatment in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) at different ages of onset. Methods: The clinical data of 87 children with IBD admitted to Department of Gastroenterology in Children's Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics from January 2009 to December 2018 were collected. The patients were divided into four groups according to the age of onset: 0 -<2 years old group (36 cases), 2 -<6 years old group (10 cases), 6 -<10 years old group (12 cases) and 10 -<18 years old group (29 cases). The clinical manifestations, laboratory examination, endoscopic findings, pathologic and genetic changes, and treatment were compared among different age groups with chi-square test or Fisher's exact text. Results: (1) A total of 87 patients were diagnosed with IBD, including 50 Crohn's disease (CD) (57%), 25 ulcerative colitis (UC) (29%) and 12 unclassified inflammatory bowel disease (IBD-U) (14%). (2) Patients with fever accounted for 78% (28/36) and 8/10 in the 0 -<2 years old group and 2 -<6 years old group, respectively. Patients with abdominal pain and perianal diseases accounted for 6% (2/36) and 47% (17/36) in the 0 -<2 years old group, and their proportions were significantly different among the four groups (χ(2)=8.369, 40.317 and 13.130, all P<0.05). (3) Leukocytosis, thrombocytosis and anemia were more common in the 0-<2 years old group, seen in 72% (26/36), 31% (11/36) and 81% (29/36), respectively. There were significant differences in the changes of complete blood count among the four groups (χ(2)=21.919, 8.095 and 11.520, all P<0.05). (4) Colonic involvement accounted for 85% (17/20) in the 0 -<2 years old CD patients. While in the CD patients over 6 years old, 61% (14/23) had inflammation of ileum and colon, with a significant difference compared to that in patients under 6 years old (19% (5/27) , χ(2)=9.455, P=0.003). Also, the location of bowel inflammation among the four groups were significantly different (χ(2)=21.120, P<0.01). (5) Noncaseating granulomas were found in 15 (30%) CD patients, and crypt abscess was found in 11 (44%) UC patients. (6) Among the 24 patients whose genes were analyzed by high throughput sequencing, 12 had pathogenic single gene mutation. (7) There were 25 patients treated with total enteral nutrition. Among the 25 patients treated with thalidomide, 20 (80%) had clinical remission or partial remission. Among the 19 CD patients treated with infliximab (IFX), 14 had clinical remission at the 6(th) week of treatment, and the proportion of remission maintenance at the 30(th) week of treatment was 12/14. (8) The rate of clinical remission or partial remission was 64% (23/36) in the 0 -<2 years old group, 8/10 in the 2 -<6 years old group, 11/12 in the 6 -<10 years old group, and 83% (24/29) in the 10 -<18 years old group. Conclusions: The proportion of CD was higher than that of UC in this study. Infant onset inflammatory bowel disease was more likely to present with perianal lesions, and was usually associated with leukocytosis, thrombocytosis and anemia, and has high possibility of single gene mutation. IFX may be effective in treating CD.

Effect of age and parity on maternal diastolic function in middle trimester pregnant women with normal left ventricular ejection fraction and potential link of diastolic function to pre-eclampsia

Background

It has been suggested that maternal cardiac adaptations during pregnancy differ between nulliparous and multipara women and also vary according to the age. Impaired cardiac function precedes pre-eclampsia.

Purpose

To evaluate effect of age and parity on maternal cardiac diastolic function in middle trimester among pregnant women with normal left ventricular ejection fraction as well as correlation between impaired diastolic function and pre-eclampsia.

Methods

Pregnant women with singleton pregnancies carried from 13 weeks to 20 weeks and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥50% were identified. Diastolic function parameters were assessed using transthoracic echocardiography. Pre-eclampsia was identified from medical records.

Results

376 pregnant women were included (median age: 30 years; median gestational age: 14 weeks; 171 multiparous women). LVEF was 66%. Impaired cardiac diastolic function was seen in 7.8% of pregnant women &lt;35 years compared with 28.6% of those ≥35 years (p=0.000). ROC curve showed women with maternal age over 32 began to have a higher rate of impaired cardiac diastolic function (AUC=0.704, p=0.000, sensitivity=54.5%, specificity=75.3%). There was no difference in diastolic function indices between maternal women grouped by parity. After adjustment for confounders, maternal age can be independent effect factor of Em declined (P&lt;0.05). Em&lt;13cm/s was significantly associated with pre-eclampsia occurrence (HR 8.56; 95% CI: 3.40–21.57) after adjusting for the confounders.

Conclusion

Maternal age is an independent impact factor for diastolic function decline. There is no difference in cardiac diastolic function between nullipara and multipara. Pre-eclampsia occurrence is significantly higher in patients with diastolic function decline at mid-gestation. The utility of risk stratification using diastolic function at mid-gestation may improve the survival outcomes of pregnant women.

Association between Em and PE risk

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

The prokaryotic expression, polyclonal antibody preparation, and subcellular localization of the transmembrane protein NS2A of the duck Tembusu virus

Duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV) is a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA arbovirus, belonging to the genus Flavivirus, the family Flaviviridae. As a transmembrane protein, non-structural protein 2A (NS2A) plays an important role in virion assembly, replication complex and antagonizing host immune response. Since NS2A protein contains many hydrophobic amino acids, it is hard to gain the full-length protein of NS2A for prokaryotic expression. Therefore, to make a deep study, prokaryotic expression and polyclonal antibody preparation of truncated DTMUV NS2A was performed. The truncated NS2A gene (178-450 bp) was obtained, and sub-cloned into the prokaryotic vector pGEX-4T-1 (pGEX-4T-1-NS2A178-450bp). Subsequently, the recombinant GST-NS2A60-150aa protein was successfully expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) with the induction by 0.3 mmol/l isopropyl β-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG) for 6 h at 37°C. The GST-NS2A60-150aa protein was extracted from the gel. The BALB/c mice were immunized with the purified recombinant NS2A protein to prepare polyclonal antibodies against the truncated NS2A protein. The titer of the polyclonal antibodies, determined by ELISA analysis, was 1:128,000. The specificity of the polyclonal antibodies (mPAb-DTMUV-NS2A60-150aa) were verified by Western blot analysis. Furthermore, the indirect immunofluorescence (IFA) was performed to explore the subcellular localization of NS2A. NS2A protein was, in the transfected cells, located mainly around nucleus in the endoplasmatic reticulum. Taken together, our study provided a useful tool for the further exploration of the biological functions and molecular mechanism of DTMUV NS2A. Keywords: duck Tembusu virus; non-structural protein 2A; prokaryotic expression; polyclonal antibodies; subcellular location.

Associations between circulating bone-derived hormones lipocalin 2, osteocalcin, and glucose metabolism in acromegaly

PURPOSE

The aim was to examine changes in the bone-derived hormone lipocalin 2 (LCN2) levels in patients with active acromegaly and to investigate the potential roles of LCN2 and osteocalcin in glucose metabolism.

METHODS

We recruited 50 consecutive acromegalic patients. Of those, 39 patients with complete postoperative follow-up data were included. Thirty sex-, age-, and BMI-matched healthy individuals were recruited as normal controls. The pre- and postoperative serum LCN2 and osteocalcin levels were compared. The homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index and secretion [β-cell function (HOMA-β)] were calculated.

RESULTS

Compared with controls, acromegalic subjects had lower LCN2 levels (34.15 ± 9.95 vs 57.50 ± 29.75 ng/mL, P < 0.01) and higher osteocalcin levels (55.45 ± 34.02 vs 19.46 ± 6.69 ng/mL, P < 0.01). Acromegalic patients also had elevated HOMA-IR levels, and the HOMA-β and the area under the curve for insulin (AUC INS) levels were slightly but nonsignificantly increased. The serum levels of LCN2 significantly increased after surgery (37.03 ± 9.73 vs 45.15 ± 15.33 ng/mL, P < 0.05), and those of osteocalcin significantly decreased [43.51 (26.73-65.66) vs 24.79 (18.39-32.59) ng/mL, P < 0.01]. Total lean mass was the only positive predictor of LCN2, and elevated serum IGF-I was a positive predictor of osteocalcin. Low LCN2 and elevated serum osteocalcin levels were predictors of the AUC INS, and osteocalcin was a positive predictor of HOMA-β.

CONCLUSION

The bone-derived hormones, osteocalcin and LCN2 changed significantly in active acromegaly, were altered after treatment and served as predictors of β-cell function in acromegaly. This study shows that the bone could be involved in regulating glucose metabolism in acromegaly.

Corrigendum: Acidic Versus Alkaline Bacterial Degradation of Lignin Through Engineered Strain E. coli BL21(Lacc): Exploring the Differences in Chemical Structure, Morphology, and Degradation Products

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00671.].

Acidic Versus Alkaline Bacterial Degradation of Lignin Through Engineered Strain E. coli BL21(Lacc): Exploring the Differences in Chemical Structure, Morphology, and Degradation Products

There is increasing interest in research on lignin biodegradation compounds as potential building blocks in applications related to renewable products. More attention is necessary to evaluate the effects of the initial pH conditions during the bacterial degradation of lignin. In this study we performed experiments on lignin biodegradation under acidic and mild alkaline conditions. For acidic biodegradation, lignin was chemically pretreated with hydrogen peroxide. Alkaline biodegradation was achieved by developing the bacterial growth on Luria and Bertani medium with alkali lignin as the sole carbon source. The mutant strain Escherichia coli BL21(Lacc) was used to carry out lignin biodegradation over 10 days of incubation. Results demonstrated that under acidic conditions there was a predominance of aliphatic compounds of the C₃–C₄ type. Alkaline biodegradation was produced in the context of oxidative stress, with a greater abundance of aryl compounds. The final pH values of acidic and alkaline biodegradation of lignin were 2.53 and 7.90, respectively. The results of the gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis detected compounds such as crotonic acid, lactic acid and 3-hydroxybutanoic acid for acidic conditions, with potential applications for adhesives and polymer precursors. Under alkaline conditions, detected compounds included 2-phenylethanol and dehydroabietic acid, with potential applications for perfumery and anti tumor/anti-inflammatory medications. Size-exclusion chromatography analysis showed that the weight-average molecular weight of the alkaline biodegraded lignin increased by 6.75-fold compared to the acidic method, resulting in a repolymerization of its molecular structure. Lignin repolymerization coincided with an increase in the relative abundance of dehydroabietic acid and isovanillyl alcohol, from 2.70 and 3.96% on day zero to 13.43 and 10.26% on 10th day. The results of the Fourier-transformed Infrared spectroscopy detected the presence of C = O bond and OH functional group associated with carboxylic acids in the acidic method. In the alkaline method there was a greater preponderance of signals related to skeletal aromatic structures, the amine functional group and the C – O – bond. Lignin biodegradation products from E. coli BL21(Lacc), under different initial pH conditions, demonstrated a promising potential to enlarge the spectrum of renewable products for biorefinery activities.

Recent Development of Extremophilic Bacteria and Their Application in Biorefinery

The biorefining technology for biofuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass has made great progress in the world. However, mobilization of laboratory research toward industrial setup needs to meet a series of criteria, including the selection of appropriate pretreatment technology, breakthrough in enzyme screening, pathway optimization, and production technology, etc. Extremophiles play an important role in biorefinery by providing novel metabolic pathways and catalytically stable/robust enzymes that are able to act as biocatalysts under harsh industrial conditions on their own. This review summarizes the potential application of thermophilic, psychrophilic alkaliphilic, acidophilic, and halophilic bacteria and extremozymes in the pretreatment, saccharification, fermentation, and lignin valorization process. Besides, the latest studies on the engineering bacteria of extremophiles using metabolic engineering and synthetic biology technologies for high-efficiency biofuel production are also introduced. Furthermore, this review explores the comprehensive application potential of extremophiles and extremozymes in biorefinery, which is partly due to their specificity and efficiency, and points out the necessity of accelerating the commercialization of extremozymes.

Blastulation of a zygote to a hatched blastocyst without any clear cell division: an observational finding in a time-lapse system after in vitro fertilization

PURPOSE

To describe an interesting not previously described morphokinetic finding.

METHODS

Retrospective case report of a couple undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) followed by in vitro fertilization and blastocyst transfer.

RESULTS

We identified a unique finding of blastulation of a fertilized human zygote after conventional in vitro fertilization. The fertilized zygote did not show any clear cytokinesis until approximately 107 h post insemination, when it started dividing into a blastocyst. By 113 h post insemination, inner cell mass and trophectoderm cells could be clearly distinguished and the blastocyst was completely hatched by 136 h post insemination.

CONCLUSION

Time-lapse systems offer more detailed observations of embryonic development. Here, we report an atypical development of an embryo that was not described previously. We hope to become an insightful discussion among peers and incentive the publication of such findings in the future.