A typical acidic extracellular polysaccharide alludes to algae-bacteria-collaboration in microalgal-bacterial symbiosis

Microalgal-bacterial symbioses are prevalent in aquatic ecosystems and play a pivotal role in carbon sequestration, significantly contributing to global carbon cycling. The understanding of the contribution of exopolysaccharides (EPSs), a crucial carbon-based component, to the structural integrity of microalgal-bacterial symbioses remains insufficiently elucidated. To address this gap, our study aims to enhance our comprehension of the composition and primary structure of EPSs within a specific type of granular microalgal-bacterial symbiosis named microalgal-bacterial granular sludge (MBGS). Our investigation reveals that the acidic EPSs characteristic of this symbiosis have molecular weights ranging from several hundred thousand to over one million Daltons, including components like glucopyranose, galactopyranose, mannose, and rhamnose. Our elucidation of the backbone linkage of a representative exopolysaccharide revealed a →3)-β-D-Galp-(1→4)-β-D-Glcp-(1→ glycosidic linkage. This linear structure closely resembles bacterial xanthan, while the branched chain structure bears similarities to algal EPSs. Our findings highlight the collaborative synthesis of acidic EPSs by both microalgae and bacteria, emphasizing their joint contribution in the production of macromolecules within microalgal-bacterial symbiosis. This collaborative synthesis underscores the intricate molecular interactions contributing to the stability and function of these symbiotic relationships.

Fast and sensitive smartphone colorimetric detection of whole blood samples on a paper-based analytical device

BACKGROUND

Methods based on paper-based analytical devices (PAD) and smartphone photographic colorimetric detection have become representative instrument-independent point-of-care testing (POCT) platforms due to their low cost and simplicity. However, the detection of target components from whole blood sample still presents challenges in terms of field preparation of small amounts of blood sample and detection sensitivity. This paper presents a rapid online processing method for whole blood samples on PAD based on plasma separation membrane (PSM), and combined with electrokinetic stacking and selective chromatic reaction. Real-time smartphone-based colorimetric detection of free hemoglobin (FHb) and human serum albumin (HSA) was successfully demonstrated.

RESULTS

With the proposed method, both detections for low and high concentration analytes could be implemented. The limits of detection of 16.6 mg L-1 for FHb and 0.67 g L-1 for HSA were obtained, respectively, with RSD below 8 %. The reliability of the method was verified by the recovery test and desktop spectrophotometric method. The detection results for real blood samples were in agreement with that by clinical methods.

SIGNIFICANCE AND NOVELTY

The PAD method is inexpensive, simple and fast, and detection of a whole blood sample of 5 μL can be finished in 5 min. This work shows that POCT of biomarkers from whole blood with PAD is possible without using any desktop facilities.

Metagenomic insights into the mechanism for the rapid enrichment and high stability of Candidatus Brocadia facilitated by Fe(Ⅲ)

The rapid enrichment of anammox bacteria and its fragile resistance to adverse environment are the critical problems facing of anammox processes. As an abundant component in anammox bacteria, iron has been proved to promote the activity and growth of anammox bacteria in the mature anammox systems, but the functional and metabolic profiles in Fe(III) enhanced emerging anammox systems have not been evaluated. Results indicated that the relative abundance of functional genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation, nitrogen metabolism, cofactors synthesis, and extracellular polymers synthesis pathways was significantly promoted in the system added with 5 mg/L Fe(III) (R5). These enhanced pathways were crucial to energy generation, nitrogen removal, cell activity and proliferation, and microbial self-defense, thereby accelerating the enrichment of anammox bacteria Ca. Brocadia and facilitating their resistance to adverse environments. Microbial community analysis showed that the proportion of Ca. Brocadia in R5 also increased to 64.42 %. Hence, R5 could adapt rapidly to the increased nitrogen loading rate and increase the nitrogen removal rate by 108 % compared to the system without Fe(III) addition. However, the addition of 10 and 20 mg/L Fe(III) showed inhibitory effects on the growth and activity of anammox bacteria, which exhibited the lower relative abundance of Ca. Brocadia and unstable or even collapsed nitrogen removal performance. This study not only clarified the concentration range of Fe(III) that promoted and inhibited the enrichment of anammox bacteria, but also deepened our understanding of the functional and metabolic mechanisms underlying enhanced enrichment of anammox bacteria by Fe(III), providing a potential strategy to hasten the start-up of anammox from conventional activated sludge.

Oxygen affinity and light intensity induced robust phosphorus removal and fragile ammonia removal in a non-aerated bacteria-algae system

Non-aerated bacteria-algae system gaining O2 through photosynthesis presents an alternative for costly mechanical aeration. This study investigated oxygen supply and performance of nutrients removal at low and high light intensity (LL and HL). The results showed that P removal was high and robust (LL 97 ± 1.8 %, HL 95 % ± 2.9 %), while NH4+-N removal fluctuated dramatically (LL 66 ± 14.7 %, HL 84 ± 8.6 %). Oxygen generated at illumination of 200 μmol m-2 s-1, 6 h was sufficient to sustain aerobic phase for 2.25 g/L MLSS. However, O2 produced by algae was preferentially captured in the order of heterotrophic bacteria (HB), ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB), nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB). Oxygen affinity coupled with light intensity led to NOB suppression with stable nitrite accumulation ratio of 57 %. Free nitrous acid (FNA) and light stimulated the abundance of denitrifying polyphosphate accumulating organism (DPAO) of Flavobacterium, but with declined P-accumulating metabolism (PAM) of P release, P/C, K/P and Mg/P ratios. Flavobacterium and cyanobacteria Leptolyngbya, along with biologically induced CaP in extracellular polymeric substances was the key to robust P removal. AOB of Ellin6067 and DPAO of Flavobacteria offer a promising scenario for partial nitrification-denitrifying phosphorus removal.

Interactions between MPs and PFASs in aquatic environments: A dual-character situation

Microplastics (MPs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have drawn great attention as emerging threats to aquatic ecosystems. Although the literature to study the MPs and PFASs alone has grown significantly, our knowledge of the overlap and interactions between the two contaminations is scarce due to the unawareness of it. Actually, numerous human activities can simultaneously release MPs and PFASs, and the co-sources of the two are common, meaning that they have a greater potential for interactions. The direct interaction lies in the PFASs adsorption by MPs in water with integrated mechanisms including electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, plus many influence factors. In addition, the existence and transportation of MPs and PFASs in the aquatic environment have been identified. MPs and PFASs can be ingested by aquatic organisms and cause more serious combined toxicity than exposure alone. Finally, curbing strategies of MPs and PFASs are overviewed. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) can be an effective place to remove MPs from wastewater, while they are also an important point source of MPs pollution in water bodies. Although adsorption has proven to be a successful curbing method for PFASs, more technological advancements are required for field application. It is expected that this review can help revealing the unheeded relationship and interaction between MPs and PFASs in aquatic environments, thus assisting the further investigations of both MPs and PFASs as a whole.

LES investigation of the wavy leading edge effect on cavitation noise

This paper investigates the noise reduction performance of biomimetic hydrofoils with wavy leading edge and the corresponding mechanisms. We employ Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approach and permeable Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (PFW-H) method to predict cavitation noise around the baseline and biomimetic hydrofoils. The results show that the wavy leading edge can effectively reduce the high-frequency noise, but has little effect on the low-frequency noise. Further analyses and discussions deal with the noise reduction mechanisms. The main source for the low-frequency noise is the cavity volume acceleration, while the wavy leading edge has little effect on it. The high-frequency noise sources, related to the surface pressure fluctuations and the turbulence characteristics, are significantly suppressed by the wavy leading edge, thus decreasing the high-frequency noise intensity. Our investigation indicates that the wavy leading edge has great prospects for cavitation noise reduction technique.

PET/CT-aided biopsy of lung lesions enhances diagnostic efficacy, especially for lesions >3cm

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic efficacy of PET/CT-aided CT-guided and routine CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy for lung lesions.

Methods

A total of 458 patients with suspicious lung lesions were referred for CT-guided biopsy, with 227 patients assigned to the PET/CT group and 231 patients assigned to the CT group. The clinical characteristics and diagnostic yield were compared between the two groups. Furthermore, conducting subgroup analysis to evaluate the differences of diagnostic success or failure between the two groups.

Results

The sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy rate differed significantly (P = 0.035, P = 0.048). In the PET/CT group, the values were 95.7% and 96.3%, respectively, while in the CT group, they were 90.1% and 91.9%. When considering non-diagnostic cases, the overall diagnostic success rate increased markedly in PET/CT group (93.0% vs. 83.1%, P = 0.001). In our subgroup analysis, the PET/CT group demonstrated superiority in detecting lesions larger than 3 cm (OR, 4.81; 95CI%, 2.03 - 11.36), while showing a moderate effect in lesions smaller than 3 cm (OR, 1.09; 95CI%, 0.42 - 2.81). Significant effect modification was observed in large lesions in the PET/CT group (P for interaction = 0.023).

Conclusions

18F-FDG-PET/CT enhances the diagnostic efficacy of CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy for lung lesions, and the incremental value can be modified by lesion size, particularly when the diameter is larger than 3 cm.

Influence mechanism of sludge bed position on microalgal-bacterial granular sludge process

Sludge bed position in the reactor is one of the key parameters for microalgal-bacterial granular sludge (MBGS) process, which lacks of study. To fill this gap, this study investigated the influence of sludge bed position on MBGS. The sludge bed located closer to the bottom of the bioreactor demonstrated the optimal pollutant removal performance due to a close synergistic effect between microalgae and bacteria, resulting in the high growth rate as well as agglomeration rate of MBGS. Specifically, organics and ammonia removals were closely related to the sludge bed position. For the bottom bed position, the removals of organic matter, ammonia, and phosphate were 75.1 %, 73.1 %, and 82.5 %, whereas for the top bed position, they were only 13.2 %, 9.6 %, and 68.9 %, respectively. Additionally, a significant correlation between the position of the sludge bed and the relative abundance of Rotifera (R2 = 0.931) and Chlorophyta (R2 = 0.733) was observed, while the microbial communities at the lower sludge bed positions underwent rapider succession. It can be inferred that that a sludge bed located closer to the bottom of the bioreactor ensures that the light source and substrate matrix are transmitted in the same direction, thereby resulting in a close synergistic effect between microalgae and bacteria for achieving the excellent performance of MBGS. These results can provide basis knowledge for engineering application of MBGS process.

A simulation of chip formation mechanism in elliptical vibration assisted cutting of nickel-based superalloy Inconel 718

This article reveals the chip formation and the reducing of cutting force mechanisms of nickel-based superalloy Inconel 718 under elliptical vibration cutting using finite element analysis software. The results are compared with traditional cutting methods. The elliptical motion trajectory of the tool in elliptical vibration cutting machining is analyzed, and a two-dimensional finite element elliptical vibration cutting model is established. The effects of dynamic impact on the elliptical vibration cutting of Inconel 718 were discussed in terms of the surface morphology, chip formation mechanism, and cutting force reduced mechanism. The simulation results show that (1) compared with traditional cutting, the surface morphology of the workpiece machined by elliptical vibration cutting is better, and the machined surface has obvious elliptic indentation; (2) in traditional cutting, sawtooth chips are formed through shear slip, while in elliptical vibration cutting, the faster relative cutting speed v c , higher tool-tip temperature, and smaller material removal cross-sectional area cause a more prominent thermal softening effect in the chip formation process than that in traditional cutting, which leads to the plastic flow to be dominant in the material removal process, resulting in the strip chips; and (3) compared with traditional cutting, the normal cutting force and the tangential cutting force in elliptical vibration cutting are separately reduced about 51.4% and 60.8%.

Interactions between biofilms and PFASs in aquatic ecosystems: Literature exploration

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been detected in most aquatic environments worldwide and are referred to as "forever chemicals" because of their extreme chemical and thermal stability. Biofilms, as basic aquatic bioresources, can colonize various substratum surfaces. Biofilms in the aquatic environment have to interact with the ubiquitous PFASs and have significant implications for both their behavior and destiny, which are still poorly understood. Here, we have a preliminary literature exploration of the interaction between PFASs and biofilms in the various aquatic environments and expect to provide some thoughts on further study. In this review, the biosorption properties of biofilms on PFASs and possible mechanisms are presented. The complex impact of PFASs on biofilm systems was further discussed in terms of the composition and electrical charges of extracellular polymeric substances, intracellular microbial communities, and overall contaminant purification functions. Correspondingly, the effects of biofilms on the redistribution of PFASs in the aqueous environment were analyzed. Finally, we propose that biofilm after adsorption of PFASs is a unique ecological niche that not only reflects the contamination level of PFASs in the aquatic environment but also offers a possible "microbial pool" for PFASs biodegradation. We outline existing knowledge gaps and potential future efforts for investigating how PFASs interact with biofilms in aquatic ecosystems.

Adaptation mechanisms of microalgal-bacterial granular sludge to outdoor light-limited conditions

Microalgal-bacterial granular sludge (MBGS) has attached attention for sustainable wastewater treatment, but it remains elusive whether it can adapt to outdoor light-limited conditions. This paper investigated the biological adaptation mechanisms of MBGS to outdoor light-limited diel conditions using real municipal wastewater. The results indicated that MBGS still had excellent pollutants removal performance, and that both the extracellular polymeric substances and glycogen content of MBGS increased significantly. The main functional microalgae and bacteria were revealed to be Leptolyngbyaceae and Rhodanobacteria, respectively. Further analyses indicated that the abundance of genes encoding PsbA, PsbD, PsbE, PsbJ, PsbP, Psb27, Psb28-2, PsaC, PsaE, PsaL, PsbX, PetB, PetA, and PetE increased in photosystem. Meanwhile, the abundance of gene encoding Rubisco decreased but the gene abundance regarding to crassulacean acid metabolism cycle increased. These suggested that MBGS could adjust the photosynthetic pathway to ensure the completion of photosynthesis. This study is anticipated to add fundamental insights for the MBGS process operated under outdoor light-limited conditions.

Advances in responses of microalgal-bacterial symbiosis to emerging pollutants in wastewater

Nowadays, emerging pollutants are widely used and exist in wastewater, such as antibiotics, heavy metals, nanoparticle and microplastic. As a green alternative for wastewater treatment, microalgal-bacterial symbiosis has been aware of owning multiple merits of low energy consumption and little greenhouse gas emission. Thus, the responses of microalgal-bacterial symbiosis to emerging pollutants in wastewater treatment have become a hotspot in recent years. In this review paper, the removal performance of microalgal-bacterial symbiosis on organics, nitrogen and phosphorus in wastewater containing emerging pollutants has been summarized. The adaptation mechanisms of microalgal-bacterial symbiosis to emerging pollutants have been analyzed. It is found that antibiotics usually have hormesis effects on microalgal-bacterial symbiosis, and that microalgal-bacterial symbiosis appears to show more capacity to remove tetracycline and sulfamethoxazole, rather than oxytetracycline and enrofloxacin. Generally, microalgal-bacterial symbiosis can adapt to heavy metals at a concentration of less than 1 mg/L, but its capabilities to remove contaminants can be significantly affected at 10 mg/L heavy metals. Further research should focus on the influence of mixed emerging pollutants on microalgal-bacterial symbiosis, and the feasibility of using selected emerging pollutants (e.g., antibiotics) as a carbon source for microalgal-bacterial symbiosis should also be explored. This review is expected to deepen our understandings on emerging pollutants removal from wastewater by microalgal-bacterial symbiosis.

Microalgal capture of carbon dioxide: A carbon sink or source?

The rapidly evolving global warming is triggering all levels of actions to reduce industrial carbon emissions, while capturing carbon dioxide of industrial origin via microalgae has attracted increasing attention. This article attempted to offer preliminary analysis on the carbon capture potential of microalgal cultivation. It was shown that the energy consumption-associated with operation and nutrient input could significantly contribute to indirect carbon emissions, making the microalgal capture of carbon dioxide much less effective. In fact, the current microalgae processes may not be environmentally sustainable and economically viable in the scenario where the carbon footprints of both upstream and downstream processing are considered. To address these challenging issues, renewable energy (e.g., solar energy) and cheap nutrient source (e.g., municipal wastewater) should be explored to cut off the indirect carbon emissions of microalgae cultivation, meanwhile produced microalgae, without further processing, should be ideally used as biofertilizer or aquafeeds for realizing complete nutrients recycling.

Necessity of stirring for outdoor microalgal-bacterial granular sludge process

As a green process, microalgal-bacterial granular sludge (MBGS) process shows talents in achieving pollutant removal, resource recovery and carbon neutralization. However, when it comes to application, the adequate mixing of MBGS and substrate should be adopted theoretically. Therefore, this study devoted to address the necessity of stirring for MBGS in municipal wastewater treatment. Outdoor performances showed that stirring significantly enhanced both of the photosynthetic efficiency and biomass productivity of MBGS with almost 2-fold increase as compared to non-stirred MBGS, while the average pore size and microalgae-to-bacteria ratio also increased. Consequently, stirring acted as a pivotal role in accelerating pollutants removal, with removals of organics (89.89% COD) and nutrients (99.22% NH4+-N, 92.15% PO43--P) reaching peak levels at 2 h and 6 h, respectively, while removals of organics (87.50% COD) and nutrients (86.11% NH4+-N, 86.76% PO43--P) removal peaked at 8 h for non-stirred MBGS. The improved granule characteristics and microbial compositions due to the stirring were found to be favorable for MBGS to adapting to the changeable weather. Based on the above results, the possible underlying mechanisms of stirring for improving MBGS were illustrated. Overall, stirring positively impacted the photosynthetic efficiency, biomass productivity, pollutant removal and microbial structure for MBGS. This study gains knowledge on stirred MBGS process under outdoor conditions for its future practical application.

Nonfluent Variant Primary Progressive Aphasia on FDG, 11 C-PIB, and 18 F-APN-1607 PET Imaging

ABSTRACT

A 61-year-old right-handed man presented with decreased cognitive function, short-term memory, fluent speech disorders, and grammatical errors for 1 year. The patient underwent PET imaging with 11 C-PIB, 18 F-FDG, and 18 F-APN-1607. The 11 C-PIB PET showed no amyloid accumulation; the 18 F-FDG PET showed hypometabolism in the bilateral frontal lobe, temporal lobe, and midbrain; and the 18 F-APN-1607 PET showed tau accumulation in the brainstem, basal ganglia, and left inferior frontal gyrus. These findings suggested a diagnosis of nonfluent variant primary progressive aphasia. This case emphasizes the value of combined imaging of glucose metabolism, Aβ, and tau PET in the diagnosis of nonfluent variant primary progressive aphasia.

A review on the thermochemical treatments of biomass: Implications for hydrochar production and rare earth element recovery from hyperaccumulators

Phytomining is a promising method that employs hyperaccumulators to concentrate metals from various substrates. Many studies on phytomining have been reported in the literature, while how to recover metals from hyperaccumulators has not been well resolved, which is critical for developing a complete phytomining-based metal recovery process. The most straightforward approach is to combust hyperaccumulators and recover metals from the combustion residue. However, the combustion process results in significant waste and carbon emissions. In contrast to combustion, thermochemical treatments can convert the biomass of hyperaccumulators to valuable products, such as biochar, hydrochar, biocrudes, and biogas. Therefore, it is more sustainable to develop a process that combines thermochemical treatments for metal recovery from hyperaccumulators. To achieve this objective, a systematic and comprehensive understanding of product characteristics and metal fate during thermochemical processing is required. In this article, three emerging thermochemical technologies, i.e., microwave-assisted pyrolysis, hydrothermal processing, and microwave-assisted hydrothermal treatment, are systematically reviewed in terms of conversion mechanisms, merits, demerits, product characteristics, and metal fate. Significant findings reported in the literature on the effects of operating parameters on product characteristics and metal fate during thermochemical treatment of waste biomass, especially those from hyperaccumulators, were summarized. Due to limited studies on thermochemical treatments of rare earth element hyperaccumulators, this review is expanded to include hyperaccumulators of any metal species. Based on comparisons among the three emerging thermochemical treatment technologies, microwave-assisted hydrothermal pyrolysis is identified as the most promising approach that favors carbon product obtainment and REE recovery from hyperaccumulators.

Synthesis and evaluation of a novel PET ligand, a GSK'963 analog, aiming at autoradiography and imaging of the receptor interacting protein kinase 1 in the brain

BACKGROUND

Receptor interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) is a serine/threonine kinase, which regulates programmed cell death and inflammation. Recently, the involvement of RIPK1 in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been reported; RIPK1 is involved in microglia's phenotypic transition to their dysfunctional states, and it is highly expressed in the neurons and microglia in the postmortem brains in AD patients. They prompt neurodegeneration leading to accumulations of pathological proteins in AD. Therefore, regulation of RIPK1 could be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of AD, and in vivo imaging of RIPK1 may become a useful modality in studies of drug discovery and pathophysiology of AD. The purpose of this study was to develop a suitable radioligand for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of RIPK1.

RESULTS

(S)-2,2-dimethyl-1-(5-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)propan-1-one (GSK'963) has a high affinity, selectivity for RIPK1, and favorable physiochemical properties based on its chemical structure. In this study, since 11C-labeling (half-life: 20.4 min) GSK'963 retaining its structure requiring the Grignard reaction of tert-butylmagnesium halides and [11C]carbon dioxide was anticipated to give a low yield, we decided instead to 11C-label a GSK'963 analog ((S)-2,2-dimethyl-1-(5-(m-tolyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)propan-1-one, GG502), which has a high RIPK1 inhibitory activity equivalent to that of the original compound GSK'963. Thus, we successfully 11C-labeled GG502 using a Pd-mediated cross-coupling reaction in favorable yields (3.6 ± 1.9%) and radiochemical purities (> 96%), and molar activity (47-115 GBq/μmol). On autoradiography, radioactivity accumulation was observed for [11C]GG502 and decreased by non-radioactive GG502 in the mouse spleen and human brain, indicating the possibility of specific binding of this ligand to RIPK1. On brain PET imaging in a rhesus monkey, [11C]GG502 showed a good brain permeability (peak standardized uptake value (SUV) ~3.0), although there was no clear evidence of specific binding of [11C]GG502. On brain PET imaging in acute inflammation model rats, [11C]GG502 also showed a good brain permeability, and no significant increased uptake was observed in the lipopolysaccharide-treated side of striatum. On metabolite analysis in rats at 30 min after administration of [11C]GG502, ~55% and ~10% of radioactivity was from unmetabolized [11C]GG502 in the brain and the plasma, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

We synthesized and evaluated a 11C-labeled PET ligand based on the methylated analog of GSK'963 for imaging of RIPK1 in the brain. Although in autoradiography of the resulting [11C]GG502 indicated the possibility of specific binding, the actual PET imaging failed to detect any evidence of specific binding to RIPK1 despite its good brain permeability. Further development of radioligands with a higher binding affinity for RIPK1 in vivo and more stable metabolite profiles compared with the current compound may be required.

Research on a New Intelligent and Rapid Screening Method for Depression Risk in Young People Based on Eye Tracking Technology

Depression is a prevalent mental disorder, with young people being particularly vulnerable to it. Therefore, we propose a new intelligent and rapid screening method for depression risk in young people based on eye tracking technology. We hypothesized that the "emotional perception of eye movement" could characterize defects in emotional perception, recognition, processing, and regulation in young people at high risk for depression. Based on this hypothesis, we designed the "eye movement emotional perception evaluation paradigm" and extracted digital biomarkers that could objectively and accurately evaluate "facial feature perception" and "facial emotional perception" characteristics of young people at high risk of depression. Using stepwise regression analysis, we identified seven digital biomarkers that could characterize emotional perception, recognition, processing, and regulation deficiencies in young people at high risk for depression. The combined effectiveness of an early warning can reach 0.974. Our proposed technique for rapid screening has significant advantages, including high speed, high early warning efficiency, low cost, and high intelligence. This new method provides a new approach to help effectively screen high-risk individuals for depression.

Comparative study of 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT and 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT bone imaging for the detection of bone metastases in prostate cancer

Purpose

This study aimed to compare the diagnostic efficiency of 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT imaging and 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT bone imaging for the detection of bone metastases in prostate cancer.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 31 patients with confirmed prostate cancer between September 2020 and September 2022 at China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University. All patients underwent 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT and 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT bone imaging. The gold standard was the pathology or Best Valuable Comparator (BVC) result based on clinical follow-up. Diagnostic performance indicators, including sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV), were analyzed at both the patient and lesion levels. The paired sample chi-square test was used to compare the two imaging methods. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated for each method. The AUC values were compared using the Z-test, and a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

Of the 31 prostate cancer patients, 18 were diagnosed with bone metastases, with a total of 84 bone metastatic lesions. At the patient level, 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT imaging showed superior diagnostic performance compared to 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT bone imaging in all indicators: sensitivity (100% vs. 77.8%, p < 0.01), specificity (92.3% vs. 69.2%, p < 0.05), accuracy (96.8% vs. 74.2%, p < 0.01), PPV (94.7% vs. 77.8%, p < 0.01), and NPV (100% vs. 69.2%, p < 0.01). The AUC values for 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT imaging and 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT bone imaging were 0.962 and 0.735 (Z = 2.168, p < 0.05). At the lesion level, 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT imaging showed superior diagnostic performance compared to 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT bone imaging in all indicators: sensitivity (97.6% vs. 72.6%, p < 0.01), specificity (95.7% vs. 73.9%, p < 0.01), accuracy (97.2% vs. 72.9%, p < 0.01), PPV (98.8% vs. 91.0%, p < 0.01), and NPV (91.7% vs. 42.5%, p < 0.01). The AUC values for 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT imaging and 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT bone imaging were 0.966 and 0.733 (Z = 3.541, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Compared with 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT bone imaging, 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT imaging demonstrated higher diagnostic efficiency for bone metastases in prostate cancer, and it can more accurately determine the presence of bone metastases. It is an important supplement to imaging examination for prostate cancer patients and has great potential and broad application prospects.

Development, performance and microbial community analysis of a continuous-flow microalgal-bacterial biofilm photoreactor for municipal wastewater treatment

This work reported the development, performance and microbial community of microalgal-bacterial biofilms cultivated in a continuous-flow photoreactor for municipal wastewater treatment under various conditions. Results showed that microalgal-bacterial biofilms were successfully developed at a HRT of 9 h without external aeration, with a biofilm concentration of around 4690 mg/L being achieved in the steady-state. It was found that further increase of HRT to 12 h did not improve the overall accumulation of biofilm, whereas the growth of microalgae in biofilms was faster than bacteria in the initial stage, indicated by an increased chlorophyll-a&b content in biofilms. After which, the chlorophyll-a&b content in biofilms gradually stabilized at the level comparable with the seed, suggesting that there was a balanced distribution of microalgae and bacteria in biofilms. About 90% of TOC, 71.4% of total nitrogen and 72.6% of phosphorus were removed by microalgal-bacterial biofilms mainly through assimilation in the steady-state photoreactor run at the HRT of 12 h with external aeration. The community analysis further revealed that Cyanobacteria and Chloroflexi were the main components, while Chlorophyta appeared to be the dominant eukaryotic algal community in biofilms. This study could offer new insights into the development of microalgal-bacterial biofilms in a continuous-flow photoreactor for sustainable low-carbon municipal wastewater treatment.

Preparation and testing of laterally graded multilayer with a double genetic algorithm and root mean square error optimization in differential deposition

Lateral graded multilayer can realize reflection, collimation and focusing of hard X-ray, and are currently the research frontier and hotspot of synchrotron radiation and high-performance X-ray sources. To reduce the d-spacing error of graded multilayers, a root mean square error optimization method based on double genetic algorithm (DGA-RMSE) is proposed. The theoretical d-spacing distribution is obtained by optical design, and the range is 1.9 ∼ 3.1 nm. The optimized d-spacing distribution is obtained by convolution of particle beam function and continuous monotonic rate distribution line (RDL) which is constructed in the form of a polynomial. The GA is applied to optimize variables from the polynomial twice, and the RMSE of thickness error is optimized and converged to 0.0065 nm. The final thickness error which is measured by the grazing incidence X-ray reflectivity (GIXRR) is consistent with the theoretical calculation. The results show that DGA-RMSE can precisely select polynomial function of RDL, reducing the error in high-precision magnetron sputtering and mask technology.

The unheeded inherent connections and overlap between microplastics and poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances: A comprehensive review

Microplastics (MPs) and poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are receiving global attention due to their widespread presences and considerable level in the environment. Although the occurrence and fate of MPs and PFASs alone have been extensively studied, little was known about their unheeded connection and overlap between the two. Therefore, this review attempts to reveal it for the purpose of providing a new view from joint consideration of the two in the future studies. Initially, the critically examined data on the co-sources and existence of MPs and PFASs are summarized. Surprisingly, some products could be co-source of MPs and PFASs which are general in daily life while the distribution of the two is primary influenced by the human activity. Then, their interactions are reviewed based on the fact that PFASs can be sorbed onto MPs which are regarded as a vector of contaminations. The electrostatic interaction and hydrophobic contact are the predominant sorption mechanisms and could be influenced by environmental factors and properties of MPs and PFASs. The effects of MPs on the transport of PFASs in the environments, especially in aquatic environments are then discussed. Additionally, the current state of knowledge on the combined toxicity of MPs and PFASs are presented. Finally, the existing problems and future perspectives are outlined at the end of the review. This review provides an advanced understanding of the overlap, interaction and toxic effects of MPs and PFASs co-existing in the environment.

Enhancing biolipid production and self-flocculation of Chlorella vulgaris by extracellular polymeric substances from granular sludge with CO2 addition: Microscopic mechanism of microalgae-bacteria symbiosis

Microalgae-bacteria symbiotic systems were known to have great potential for simultaneous water purification and resource recovery, among them, microalgae-bacteria biofilm/granules have attracted much attention due to its excellent effluent quality and convenient biomass recovery. However, the effect of bacteria with attached-growth mode on microalgae, which has more significance for bioresource utilization, has been historically ignored. Thus, this study attempted to explore the responses of C. vulgaris to extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extracted from aerobic granular sludge (AGS), for enhancing the understanding of microscopic mechanism of attached microalgae-bacteria symbiosis. Results showed that the performance of C. vulgaris was effectively boosted with AGS-EPS treatment at 12-16 mg TOC/L, highest biomass production (0.32±0.01 g/L), lipid accumulation (44.33±5.69%) and flocculation ability (20.83±0.21%) were achieved. These phenotypes were promoted associated with bioactive microbial metabolites in AGS-EPS (N-acyl-homoserine lactones, humic acid and tryptophan). Furthermore, the addition of CO2 triggered carbon flow into the storage of lipids in C. vulgaris, and the synergistic effect of AGS-EPS and CO2 for improving microalgal flocculation ability was disclosed. Transcriptomic analysis further revealed up-regulation of synthesis pathways for fatty acid and triacylglycerol that was triggered by AGS-EPS. And within the context of CO2 addition, AGS-EPS substantially upregulated the expression of aromatic protein encoding genes, which further enhanced the self-flocculation of C. vulgaris. These findings provide novel insights into the microscopic mechanism of microalgae-bacteria symbiosis, and bring new enlightenment to wastewater valorization and carbon-neutral operation of wastewater treatment plants based on the symbiotic biofilm/biogranules system.

Capillary responses to functional and pathological activations rely on the capillary states at rest

Brain capillaries play a crucial role in maintaining cellular viability and thus preventing neurodegeneration. The aim of this study was to characterize the brain capillary morphology at rest and during neural activation based on a big data analysis from three-dimensional microangiography. Neurovascular responses were measured using a genetic calcium sensor expressed in neurons and microangiography with two-photon microscopy, while neural acivity was modulated by stimulation of contralateral whiskers or by a seizure evoked by kainic acid. For whisker stimulation, 84% of the capillary sites showed no detectable diameter change. The remaining 10% and 6% were dilated and constricted, respectively. Significant differences were observed for capillaries in the diameter at rest between the locations of dilation and constriction. Even the seizures resulted in 44% of the capillaries having no detectable change in diameter, while 56% of the capillaries dilated. The extent of dilation was dependent on the diameter at rest. In conclusion, big data analysis on brain capillary morphology has identified at least two types of capillary states: capillaries with diameters that are relatively large at rest and stable over time regardless of neural activity and capillaries whose diameters are relatively small at rest and vary according to neural activity.

Direct Visualization of the Dynamic Process of Epsilon Toxin on Hemolysis

Hemolysis is the process of rupturing erythrocytes (red blood cells) by forming nanopores on their membranes using hemolysins, which then impede membrane permeability. However, the self-assembly process before the state of transmembrane pores and underlying mechanisms of conformational change are not fully understood. In this work, theoretical and experimental evidence of the pre-pore morphology of Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin (ETX), a typical hemolysin, is provided using in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) complemented by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to detect the conformational distribution of different states in Mica. The AFM suggests that the ETX pore is formed in two stages: ETX monomers first attach to the membrane and form a pre-pore in no special conditions required, which then undergo a conformational change to form a transmembrane pore at temperatures above the critical point in the presence of receptors. The authors' MD simulations reveal that initial nucleation occurs when specific amino acids adsorb to negatively charged mica cavities. This work fills the knowledge gap in understanding the early stage of hemolysis and the oligomerization of hemolysins. Moreover, the newly identified pre-pore of ETX holds promise as a candidate for nanopore applications.

StyleVR: Stylizing Character Animations with Normalizing Flows

The significance of artistry in creating animated virtual characters is widely acknowledged, and motion style is a crucial element in this process. There has been a long-standing interest in stylizing character animations with style transfer methods. However, this kind of models can only deal with short-term motions and yield deterministic outputs. To address this issue, we propose a generative model based on normalizing flows for stylizing long and aperiodic animations in the VR scene. Our approach breaks down this task into two sub-problems: motion style transfer and stylized motion generation, both formulated as the instances of conditional normalizing flows with multi-class latent space. Specifically, we encode high-frequency style features into the latent space for varied results and control the generation process with style-content labels for disentangled edits of style and content. We have developed a prototype, StyleVR, in Unity, which allows casual users to apply our method in VR. Through qualitative and quantitative comparisons, we demonstrate that our system outperforms other methods in terms of style transfer as well as stochastic stylized motion generation.

Ozone based inactivation and disinfection in the pandemic time and beyond: Taking forward what has been learned and best practice

The large-scale global COVID-19 has a profound impact on human society. Timely and effectively blocking the virus spread is the key to controlling the pandemic growth. Ozone-based inactivation and disinfection techniques have been shown to effectively kill SARS-CoV-2 in water, aerosols and on solid surface. However, the lack of an unified information and discussion on ozone-based inactivation and disinfection in current and previous pandemics and the absence of consensus on the main mechanisms by which ozone-based inactivation of pandemic causing viruses have hindered the possibility of establishing a common basis for identifying best practices in the utilization of ozone technology. This article reviews the research status of ozone (O3) disinfection on pandemic viruses (especially SARS-CoV-2). Taking sterilization kinetics as the starting point while followed by distinguishing the pandemic viruses by enveloped and non-enveloped viruses, this review focuses on analyzing the scope of application of the sterilization model and the influencing factors from the experimental studies and data induction. It is expected that the review could provide an useful reference for the safe and effective O3 utilization of SARS-CoV-2 inactivation in the post-pandemic era.

Curbing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs): First investigation in a constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell system

The presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in water environments has been linked to a slew of negative health effects in both animals and humans, but the green and eco-sustainable removal technologies remain largely unknown. Constructed wetland coupled microbial fuel cell (CW-MFC) is termed a "green process" to control pollutants and recover energy. However, so far, no study has investigated the removal of PFASs and their effects on the performance of the CW-MFC systems. Here, we investigated the removal performance of PFOA and PFOS in the CW-MFC systems both in the absence and presence of electricity circuit, and explored the distribution and fate of PFASs and their interactions with other elements in the systems. Our findings demonstrated excellent removal efficiency of >96% PFOA and PFOS in CW-MFC systems. PFOA and PFOS were distributed throughout the system via wastewater flow, while electrode material and plants are the main enrichment sites in which MFC enhanced up to 10% PFASs removal. However, a loss of 7.2-13.5% of nitrogen removal and a decrease of 7.3% in bioelectricity output were observed when PFASs were introduced in the system. The driven force led to the loss of nitrogen removal and bioelectricity generation lies in the accumulation of PFASs in system composition, which affected microbial activity and community composition, damaging the health of the plant, and in turn reducing CW-MFC's functioning. No doubt, CW-MFC systems provide an alternative technique for PFASs removal, alleviating some limitations to the physical and chemical techniques, but further investigation is highly needed.

UV aging of microplastic polymers promotes their chemical transformation and byproduct formation upon chlorination

The presence and accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in water and wastewater is a growing concern. When released to the water bodies, microplastics can be subject to surface weathering due to ultraviolet (UV) exposure. In this study, the effects of UV aging of six MP polymers from three groups (e.g., polyamide, polyester, and polyolefin) on their chlorine reactivity, chemical transformation, and formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) were studied. Polyamide (e.g., polyamide 6) in both virgin and UV-aged forms showed significantly higher chlorine demands than other MP polymers (915.5-947.9 versus 7.0-21.1 μmol/g MP in 24 h), and polyolefins were relatively inert to chlorine. UV aging enhanced the destructions of functional groups of polyamide and polyester upon chlorination, promoting the chlorine demands and leaching of organics by up to 1.7- and 2.4-fold, respectively. Polymer monomer and oligomers of polyamide 6 and toxic or endocrine disrupting additives (e.g., dimethyl phthalate and butyl octyl phthalate) were identified in leachates from chlorinated MP polymers by mass spectrometry. Meanwhile, up to >10-fold increases in the yields of trihalomethane, haloacetic acid, haloacetaldehyde, haloacetonitrile, and haloacetamide were observed from 30-day UV-aged MP polymers as compared to their virgin counterparts. Overall, this study reveals that UV aging can promote the reactivity and chemical transformation of MP polymers during chlorination, especially for polyamide and polyester, increase the release of polymer monomers, oligomers, and additives, and aggravate the role of MP polymers as DBP precursors.

Auto-floating oxygenic microalgal-bacterial granular sludge

As an emerging green wastewater treatment technology, the microalgal-bacterial granular sludge (MBGS) process has attracted increasing interest under the current situation of global climate change. However, little information is available for its performance in treating municipal wastewater under outdoor conditions. Thus, this study evaluated the behaviors of MBGS for treating simulated and real municipal wastewater under natural diel conditions. The results showed that a significant accumulation of oxygen bubbles during daily operation led to the auto-floating of the conventional settable MBGS. The removal of organics was relatively stable during day-night cycles, while the removals of total nitrogen and total phosphorus were dependent on the saturated oxygen concentration over 10 mg/L in MBGS system. Furthermore, oxygen bubbles generated by photosynthesis of microalgae (Scenedesmaceae and Cyanobacteria) due to microalgae phototaxis were found to be attached onto the surface of granules, causing the auto-flotation of MBGS. The formation process of the auto-floating oxygenic MBGS was clarified and further analysis suggested that the non-aerated settable MBGS would be able to auto-float at an average outdoor light intensity of 140 μ mol/m²/s. Overall, the auto-floating oxygenic MBGS process was demonstrated to be feasible for real municipal wastewater treatment, even under rainy and cloudy days, advancing the knowledge and adding theoretical basis for its further applications.

GENETIC DELETION OF TRANSLOCATOR PROTEIN EXACERBATES POST-SEPSIS SYNDROME WITH ACTIVATION OF THE C1Q PATHWAY IN SEPTIC MOUSE MODEL

ABSTRACT

Significant numbers of patients who survive sepsis exhibit psychiatric and cognitive impairments, termed post-sepsis syndrome. Understanding the underlying pathophysiology is essential to develop effective therapies. Translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO) is a multifaceted mitochondrial protein implicated in inflammation, oxidative stress, and steroidogenesis in the central nervous system. Despite accumulated evidence demonstrating TSPO is a biomarker in psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, the role of this protein in post-sepsis syndrome remains elusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of TSPO in the long-term impairment of mouse behavior associated with psychiatric and cognitive impairments following sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) surgery. Animals were divided into three groups: (i) wild type (WT) + sham, (ii) WT + CLP, and (iii) TSPO knock out + CLP. Survival rate and body weight change were assessed up to 17 days after surgeries. Then, we also assessed anxiety-like behavior, depression-like behavior, cognitive function, locomotor activity, and forelimb muscle strength in surviving mice by elevated plus maze, tail suspension test, y-maze, open field test, and grip strength test, respectively. Deletion of the TSPO gene led to high mortality and prolonged weight loss and exacerbated anxiety-like and depressive-like behavior with cognitive impairment 17 days after, but not before, CLP surgery. RNA-seq analysis of the hippocampus revealed the upregulation of genes (C1qb, C1qc, and Tyrobp) in C1q complement pathways correlated significantly with anxiety-like behavior that appeared long after CLP surgery. The expressions of these genes predicted other behavioral traits, including depressive-like behavior in the tail suspension test and grip power impairment, supporting the role of the C1q pathway in post-sepsis syndrome. Because the C1q pathway has recently attracted interest as a tag for pathological synaptic elimination, the current study suggests the C1q pathway is involved in the psychiatric and cognitive impairments observed in post-sepsis syndrome.

Novel figuring method for a multilayer Laue lens

A new, to the best of our knowledge, figuring method for a multilayer Laue lens (MLL) in the hard X-ray region is proposed in this paper. Theoretical simulation at 20 keV shows that the figuring method can compensate for the structure error. The phase errors of the first-order diffracted wave decrease from 0.85π to 0.26π after figuring. The spatial resolution changes from 45 nm to 26 nm after figuring, which is almost the same as that of the ideal MLL with a spatial resolution of 24 nm. The figured MLL can achieve 36% of the ideal MLL's first-order diffraction efficiency. Such method may reduce the requirements for the fabrication of the MLLs, and may make it possible to manufacture the larger numerical aperture MLL with the longer working distance in the future.

Progress of radiological‑pathological workflows in the differential diagnosis between primary central nervous system lymphoma and high‑grade glioma (Review)

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) and high‑grade glioma (HGG) are distinct entities of the CNS with completely distinct treatments. The treatment of PCNSL is chemotherapy‑based, while surgery is the first choice for HGG. However, the clinical features of the two entities often overlap, and a clear pathological diagnosis is important for subsequent management, especially for the management of PCNSL. Stereotactic biopsy is recognized as one of the minimally invasive alternatives for evaluating the involvement of the CNS. However, in the case of limited tissue materials, the differential diagnosis between the two entities is still difficult. In addition, some patients are too ill to tolerate a needle biopsy. Therefore, combining imaging, histopathology and laboratory examinations is essential in order to make a clear diagnosis as soon as possible. The present study reviews the progress of comparative research on both imaging and laboratory tests based on the pathophysiological changes of the two entities, and proposes an integrative and optimized diagnostic process, with the purpose of building a better understanding for neurologists, hematologists, radiologists and pathologists.

The effects of natural weathering ages on mineralogical, physical, and chemical properties of stacking molybdenum tailings

This study investigated the influence of natural weathering on the mineralogical, physical, and chemical properties of molybdenum tailings from Shaanxi Province, China, stored at different stacking ages. The results showed that the mineralogical and chemical compositions of the molybdenum tailings remained stable after stacking for different years. The analysis of bulk density, porosity, field moisture capacity, and aggregate characteristics indicated that the physical structure of the molybdenum tailings was similar to a nearby soil with increasing stacking age in spite of a time-consuming process. In addition, 10 years of the natural weathering process resulted in the formation of more aggregates with the surface of microaggregates roughened, and displayed more debris and fine particles than stocking for 1 year. The findings showed that the bulk density of molybdenum tailings reduced from 1.45 to 1.42 g/cm³ after 10 years of storage, while its porosity rose from 46.5 to 49.4%. The fraction of large aggregate (> 0.25 mm) and mean weight diameter increased from 7.91 to 42.07% and from 0.1482 to 0.1864 mm, respectively, which demonstrated that the natural weathering significantly improved the physical properties of the aggregate and enhanced the structural stability. Thus, natural weathering provides an ecological basis for restoring and reconstructing the soil ecosystem in molybdenum tailings. The results confirmed that long-term deposition can improve the soil structure of tailings, which provides a reference for further research on restoring and reconstructing the soil ecosystem in molybdenum tailings.

Using carbon dioxide-added microalgal-bacterial granular sludge for carbon-neutral municipal wastewater treatment under outdoor conditions: Performance, granule characteristics and environmental sustainability

Microalgal-bacterial granular sludge (MBGS) process has a gorgeous prospect for municipal wastewater treatment, but the research on the treatment of complex organic wastewater by MBGS process with CO₂ addition under outdoor conditions is not enough. Therefore, this paper evaluated the feasibility of CO₂-added MBGS process for complex organic wastewater disposal under natural day-night cycles. The results showed that the addition of CO₂ overall improved the removal efficiency of pollutants. Typically, the removal efficiency of total phosphorus increased averagely from 88.5 % to 95.0 % in 12-h day cycle and from 26.2 % to 45.3 % in 12-h night cycle. The addition of CO₂ increased the size of MBGS from 1.0 mm to 16.5 mm within 30 days due to extracellular polymeric substances secretion and the dominant filamentous microalgae on granules. The decrease of catalase activity and malondialdehyde content indicated that CO₂ reduced oxidative damage and maintained the normal growth of MBGS. Further estimates of the collected gas showed that CO₂-added MBGS process could reduce global CO₂ emissions by one hundred million tons per year. This study is expected to contribute to the goal of carbon neutrality in the area of wastewater treatment by MBGS process.

Synergistic Effect of Carbonate Apatite and Autogenous Bone on Osteogenesis

Bone augmentation using artificial bone is an important option in dental defect prostheses. A bone substitute using carbonate apatite (CO₃Ap), an inorganic component of bone, was reported to have promising bone formation and bone replacement ability. However, the osteoinductivity of artificial bone is less than autogenous bone (AB). In this study, CO₃Ap with AB is demonstrated as a clinically effective bone substitute. For in vitro experiments, an osteoclast-like cell (RAW-D) was cultured in the presence of AB, CO₃Ap, or both (Mix), and the number of osteoclasts was evaluated. Osteoblasts were also cultured under the same conditions, and the number of adherent cells was evaluated. For in vivo experiments, a few holes were created in the rat tibia and AB, CO₃Ap, or Mix were added. At 0, 14, and 21 days, the tissue morphology of the wound area was observed, and the thickness of the cortical bone was measured. In vitro, Mix did not increase the number of osteoclasts or osteoblasts. However, in vivo, the rate of bone replacement remarkably increased with Mix on dome-shape. A bone-grafting material combining osteoinductive AB with abundant artificial bone is expected to be clinically easy to use and able to form bone.

Adaptation responses of microalgal-bacterial granular sludge to sulfamethoxazole

The presence of widely used sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in wastewater poses a threat to aquatic organisms and humans. Here, the responses of the emerging microalgal-bacterial granular sludge (MBGS) process in treating SMX-containing wastewater were investigated. The results indicated that 1, 5 and 10 mg/L SMX had little effect on the removals of organics and nutrients after an acclimation period of three to five days. SMX reduced intracellular glycogen content of MBGS, while the production of chlorophyll and extracellular polymeric substances tended to be promoted. Furthermore, the potential mechanisms on how MBGS adapted to SMX were deciphered to be the alterations of microbial community structure and function of MBGS. SMX might be degraded intracellularly into a carbon source for microbial metabolism and the SMX degraders were suspected to be Scenedesmaceae, Rhodocyclaceae and Burkholderiaceae. This study suggests that the MBGS process can handle SMX-containing wastewater, advancing knowledge on MBGS for antibiotics degradation.

Response mechanisms of microalgal-bacterial granular sludge to zinc oxide nanoparticles

Currently, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) with their widespread applications lead to their increasing dosages in wastewater, posing an urgent threat to wastewater treatment. Herein, the responses of the emerging microalgal-bacterial granular sludge (MBGS) to ZnO-NPs were investigated. The results showed that the performance of MBGS was significantly affected when the concentration of ZnO-NPs reached 10 mg/L, especially for the removal of ammonia and phosphorus. ZnO-NPs on the granular surface could affect microalgae photosynthesis by shading, while antioxidant enzymes could be generated against overproduced reactive oxygen species. Specifically, ZnO-NPs addition to MBGS systems altered the microbial community structure (e.g. Cyanobacteria) and function (e.g. biosynthesis) of prokaryotes rather than eukaryotes. Overall, the MBGS could exhibit multiple mechanisms to alleviate the ZnO-NPs toxicity. This study is expected to add knowledge on MBGS in the treatment of wastewater containing nanoparticles.

Effect of active and passive warming on preventing hypothermia and shivering during cesarean delivery: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background

Perioperative hypothermia and shivering commonly occur in pregnant women undergoing cesarean section. The warming method is usually used to prevent hypothermia and shivering. However, the effect of active warming (AW) prior to passive warming (PW) on the perioperative outcomes of pregnant women and their offspring remains controversial.

Methods

This study aimed to investigate the effects of AW and PW on maternal and newborn perioperative outcomes during cesarean delivery. According to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library were used to search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) up to August 7, 2022. The Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool was used to assess articles selected for the systematic review. Continuous data were analyzed using weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and categorical data were analyzed by the random-effects model.

Results

A total of 1241 participants from twelve RCTs were selected for the final meta-analysis. AW was associated with a lower risk of maternal hypothermia (RR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.63–0.93, P = 0.007) and shivering (RR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.37–0.85; P = 0.007). AW was associated with high maternal temperature (WMD: 0.27, 95%CI: 0.14 to 0.40, P < 0.001). No significant difference was observed between AW and PW in terms of hypothermia (RR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.24–1.51, P = 0.278), temperature (WMD: 0.31, 95% CI: − 0.00 to 0.62; P = 0.050), and umbilical vein PH in newborns (WMD: -0.00; 95% CI: − 0.02 to 0.02, P = 0.710).

Conclusions

These findings suggested that AW can better prevent maternal hypothermia and shivering than PW. In contrast, no significant effect was observed in newborns. Overall, the quality of the included studies is high due to RCTs, low risk of bias, consistency, and precision. We identified the quality of the overall evidence from the survey to be GRADE I.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-022-05054-7.

Single-order focus multilayer Laue lens

A novel sinusoidal multilayer Laue lens (MLL) in the hard X-ray region is proposed, to the best of our knowledge. The theoretical design shows that the structure function of the MLL is a sine function of the radius such as that of a sinusoidal transmission zone plate. A numerical simulation at the energy of 12 and 24 keV reveals that the MLL can suppress higher-order diffractions effectively, the characteristic of single-order diffraction with spatial resolution is the same as that of the corresponding classical MLL, and the MLL can achieve the first-order diffraction efficiency of 6.8% at 12 and 8.7% at 24 keV. The sinusoidal MLL can also work for single-order focusing at other energies.

A review on antibiotics removal: Leveraging the combination of grey and green techniques

Antibiotics are currently a major source of concern around the world due to the serious risks posed to human health and the environment. The performance of the secondary wastewater treatment processes/technologies (representing grey process) and constructed wetlands (CWs) (typical green process) in removing antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) was reviewed. The result showed that the grey process mainly removes antibiotics, but does not significantly remove ARG, and some processes may even cause ARG enrichment. The overall treatment in CWs is better than WWTPs, especially for ARG. Vertical subsurface flow CWs (VFCWs) are more conductive to antibiotics removal, while horizontal subsurface flow CWs (HFCWs) have a better ARG removal. More importantly, this review admits and suggests that the combination of grey process with green process is an effective strategy to remove antibiotics and ARG. The most advantage of the combination lies in realizing complementary advantages, i.e. the grey process as the primary treatment while CWs as the polishing stage. The efficiency of such the hybrid system is much higher than either single treatment process.

Interrelation between macrophytes roots and cathode in constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells: Further evidence

As an essential component in constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells (CW-MFC) system, the macrophytes play multiple roles in bioelectricity generation and decontaminants performance. However, the interrelation between macrophytes roots and cathode has not been fully investigated despite the fact that plant cultivation strategy is a critical issue in practice. For the first time, this study was designed to explore the interaction between macrophytes and cathode in CW-MFC by planting Cyperus altrnlifolius at relatively different positions from the cathode. The results showed that plants exhibited higher bioelectricity generation and dramatically improved pollution removal, as well as the improved richness and diversity of cathode microbes. More significantly, the relative locations between the plant roots and the cathode could lead to different cathode working patterns, while the optimal cathode pattern "plant root-assisted bio- & air-cathode" was formed when the plant roots are directly placed on the air-cathode layer in CW-MFC. The insight into the plant root and cathode relationship lies in whether the "multi-function cathode" can be established. This study contributes to increase the knowledge regarding the presence and behavior of plant roots and cathode throughout a CW-MFC system.

Adsorption of cerium (III) by zeolites synthesized from kaolinite after rare earth elements (REEs) recovery

REE recovery tests were performed on a kaolinite and the corresponding metakaolinite using pH static leaching method. Test results show that over 90% of REEs were leached from the metakaolinite sample at pH 0.00 and 25 °C, while less than 2% of the major constituents were simultaneously extracted. Therefore, selective leaching of REEs from the metakaolinite was achieved through pH static leaching. The leaching residue was then subjected to alkaline activation for zeolites synthesis. The effects of hydrothermal temperature and incubation period under various alkaline conditions on the synthesis of zeolites were systematically investigated. The phase compositions, textual properties, and morphology of the synthesized products were characterized. Pure zeolite A with 100% relative crystallinity was successfully synthesized at 80 °C for 6 h when using 3 M NaOH as the alkaline activator. While as the synthesis conditions became increasingly harsh, the metastable zeolite A gradually transformed into more stable sodalite, and three types of zeolites, including zeolite A, sodalite, and their mixtures, were obtained. After that, various types of zeolites were applied for Ce³⁺ adsorption from aqueous solutions. High purity sodalite showed a higher adsorption capacity of 53 mg/g at pH 6.0 and 25 °C as a result of the superior textual properties compared with zeolite A. The adsorption data were suitably fitted by the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order models. Findings from this study suggest that the kaolinite is a potential source for REE recovery, and the leaching residue is suitable for the synthesis of zeolites, which can be used as promising adsorbents for Ce³⁺ recovery.